On a recent holiday to Japan I found myself comparing the people, culture and etiquette to what I have experienced and learnt about as an expat in Germany over the past two years. It started to make me think about how many of my German Way blogs posts have focused on what it’s like for me, a British person, living in Germany and how living here is different to back home, England. Hopefully these posts provide useful insight for new or soon to be British expats but it made me think about those moving from other countries, countries in Asia that are less westernised, and therefore the transition may be greater than the one I experienced. Although my time in Japan was brief, I observed many nuances that I compared with the German ways, hopefully helpful for those planning to move to Germany from East Asia.

A German Bakery in Kyoto, Japan PHOTO: Sarah E

I have returned from my holiday trip fascinated by Japan, even missing some of the quirks I enjoyed whilst there. Japan may be my current love but for many Japanese people, Germany is a country to be obsessed with. An obsession so great that many of them have made the move to Western Europe. No doubt this choice has been eased by the rate of Japanese companies setting up a base here. In early 2016 it was estimated that 36,960 Japanese people lived in Germany, a large majority of those in Dusseldorf, hence the city hosting ‘Japan Day‘, an annual celebration of the Japanese community living in Germany. There are many parallels between the two countries which makes sense for Japanese people to feel comfort in living abroad in a country that has a similar history, is an economic powerhouse and recognises and uphold similar traditions, ways of working and values.

Both nations are known for their efficiency. I am always singing the praises of the efficient systems in Germany but Japan certainly takes it to another level. After all Japan invented the ‘Kaizen’ process, a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement. I certainly think Germany, and most likely the rest of the world, could take some tips from Japan when it comes to running a smooth transport system. From the world-renowned Shinkansens (bullet trains) through to the Tokyo subway, the system is phenomenally slick. If a train is just 25 seconds late this is seen as a huge and unacceptable failure to the Japanese rail company. Whilst travelling around the country we literally hopped from one mode of transport to the next and it couldn’t have been easier. If you’re moving to Germany from Japan, you might be a little surprised by some of the dated systems such as lack of contactless payment options aboard a bus but things are improving. Bremen, where I live, is perhaps a little slower to catch up than larger cities like Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. For a girl like me who likes to tap the payment card and go, I’m still adjusting to the need for Euros in my pocket. Handily, both countries continue to have a cash culture so for Japanese expats, no adjustment will be needed here.

One of the first things you need to do when living in Germany is get to grips with the complicated recycling system. Fail to do so at your peril. That said, it is one of the things Germany does incredibly well and my recycling habits have definitely improved since moving here. I’m proud to say I’m now in the habit of remembering to take reusable shopping bags to the supermarket with me. Since returning from Japan I have not had a bad word to say about it other than they use too much plastic. Every trip to the 7Eleven shop you are given a plastic bag for your heavily plastic wrapped purchases. We tried to refuse these and gesture to putting them in our backpack but it was met with strange looks. We found out the bag is given as you are encouraged to take your rubbish home with you and dispose of it, which explains the lack of bins on the street. This isn’t the case in Germany. Easily recognisable labelled bins and recycling units are everywhere. If you want to win the recycling game, check out Jane’s tips.

Annoying things about living in Germany number 1: paying to use a public toilet. It’s my biggest bugbear. I was surprised even department stores, not just toilets in public areas, have toilet attendants who expect you to drop a 50 cents in their pot. Yes, I know 50 cents isn’t much but it adds up during a big shopping trip and means you have to constantly locate some coins. Like I mentioned, I’m a contactless kind of person so I’m always scrabbling around in my purse. You’ll never find yourself in a desperate situation hunting down the facilities and panicking about not having enough coins in Japan though. There are toilets everywhere and anywhere. Such a relief (pun intended). Come on Germany, why not follow suit on this one?

Let’s talk about sweet treats. Before travelling to Japan I had prepared myself to eat like a local. My naivety assumed that would include rice, more rice and maybe some noodles for every meal. I was surprised to find just like in Germany there is a bakery on every corner. Phew, this meant our morning baked goods habit ( I blame the Bakereien of Deutschland for this) was fulfilled. Not only did they have such fantastic bakeries, they gave full credit to the Germans for this (see photo).  It was pretty clear from the numerous cake and confectionery shops Japanese people have a sweet tooth so you will feel at home here in Germany with a Backerei positioned every 100 metres.

‘Japanized’ sweet treats at a German style bakery in Tokyo, Japan PHOTO: Sarah E

I have read that a lot of things in Japan have been ‘stolen’ or ‘borrowed’ from other countries then ‘Japanized’, which is how it sounds, to take something and then make it ‘Japanese in form, style or character’. Most often food is adopted from other countries and then adapted. I’ve read that the Japanese have taken the traditional Weiner and made it less spicy to meet their milder tastes. The Japanese breweries have adopted Reinheitsgebot, the German purity law, which means beer can only be made with three ingredients with nothing else added. In Japan, if other ingredients are added during brewing or it has a malt content of less than 67% then it becomes Happoshu. Beer is one of German’s proudest creations so a word of warning, don’t mention Happoshu, the beer purists will no doubt sneer. Living in the home of beer, you’ll be converted from Asahi to Franzikaner in no time.

Similarly Japanese and German people are big believers of the health benefits of bathing. For Japanese expats who are used to regular sessions at one of the many onsens, natural hot water springs, that exist across Japan, Germany will feel like home with its extensive spa culture. For a British person the thought of baring all at a spa is met with embarrassment but for Germans and Japanese alike, they are more than comfortable with ditching their bathing clothes to enjoy the relaxing healing environment.

During late March to early April in Japan it is Sakura season. This is a very big deal in Japan, thousands, if not millions flock to see the cherry trees in bloom. They only stay in bloom for roughly ten days so you have to catch them while you can. People watch the forecast, yes a cherry tree forecast, very closely so they don’t miss the opportunity to see this magical natural beauty. This year it bloomed earlier than average so we missed our chance to witness this stunning site but for Japanese expats (and me) missing a piece of home, there are several cities across Germany that have displays that are equally amazing to see. There is even a cherry blossom festival in Hamburg to celebrate the trees gifted to the city by the Japanese. I’ve listed a few other cities where the cherry blossom can be seen in Germany in the post, ‘Reasons to love Germany in spring.

If this is your first summer living in Germany as a Japanese national, enjoy. My three tips would be to absorb the atmosphere of a German Biergarten, visit Freiburg to see the wonderful Wisteria (almost as good as the cherry blossom) and check out the historic and stunning Heidelberg Schloss. I’d love to hear from you about your experience of living in Europe up to now and how it compares to your home country.

– Sarah E