This is the English version of an article from the “Math and Chemistry Enthusiast” sub-account. Since I am also well-versed in literature, I plan to use this account to post articles on literary topics.
Note: Math and Chemistry Enthusiast is a Japanese user, and an English version of this account has not yet been created. I apologize for the inconvenience.
A foreigner visiting Tokyo had heard that “Japanese people are quiet and polite,” so when he boarded a train, the person next to him was fast asleep, kicking off a “live snoring performance.” Just as he was startled by this, an announcement in English came over the intercom: “Next stop: Ramen Station.” Wondering if such a station actually existed, he looked around only to find that it was actually just an exit with three ramen shops. Then, when he went to pay, he was told, “Cash only,” and his wallet fell silent. Japan isn’t a quiet country—it’s a country that’s hard on your wallet.
When a foreigner asks, “Do you accept credit cards?” the clerk gently shakes their head and leaves behind the enigmatic quote, “Cash is the currency of the heart.” Reluctantly heading to the ATM, I see a message in English that reads, “The fee is in lieu of friendship.” Furthermore, when I asked for my bento to be heated at a convenience store, it came back so carefully warmed that it looked as if it had just been dipped in a hot spring. Japan is such a convenient country that I gradually began to wonder whether I was experiencing reality or some kind of experiment in customer service.
Finally, the foreigner consulted a friend to uncover “the true nature of Japan.” “Is this a city of the future?” he asked. His friend replied with a straight face, “No, Japan is a world where politeness has evolved too far.” At that very moment, the station’s automatic ticket gate suddenly bowed and said, “Welcome,” and his ticket was sucked right in.Still in a daze, he boarded the train home, only to find another salaryman fast asleep in the seat next to him. Yet the man’s hand was firmly clutching an “Anti-Oversleeping Alarm (Unused).” Faced with such perfect, unguarded vulnerability, the foreigner finally realized: “In this country, even letting your guard down is planned…!”
Then, on the last bus to the airport, the driver announced over the intercom: “Next stop… your reluctance to go home.”
The foreigner laughed through his tears and muttered, “Japan, you’re glitching the world with your spirit of service…!”
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