Into The Japanese Mind by Sio When I came to Osaka, I met a kind lady at a nearby café. I could hardly speak Japanese, but she met me weekly to practice. I felt lucky to know her. Later, I hurt my back and had to rest at home. I messaged her to cancel our meeting, and she kindly sent me back care tips. After a few days, I felt better and, against my better judgment, went to a nearby concert. The pain returned, and I ran into her. That night, I lay on the floor in pain. My i

Into The Japanese Mind by Sio On New Year’s Eve I reached my door and the key was gone. I’m screwed. With holidays, no locksmith for a week. I panicked, ran to the store I’d just visited, and before I spoke the staff handed me the key. I almost cried. Another time after hot springs and dinner, I found my wallet missing. Heart racing, I rushed back. Staff pointed to lost & found, wallet intact. A friend’s case was wilder: he lost his passport in a club. The manager said, “Re

Into The Japanese Mind by Sio Everyone knows: no phone calls on Japanese trains. No YouTube blasting, no gossip, no scolding kids. Only the steady rhythm of wheels — silence wrapping me with safety. After getting used to quiet, noise feels unbearable. Once in a Thai restaurant, the crowd shouted over pounding disco beats. My ears hurt, my taste disappeared, my private space felt invaded. The Japanese do love noise, but only at specific place: loud toasts in izakaya, drums at

Into The Japanese Mind by Sio In Japan, dates are usually scheduled days in advance. With Japanese people, even a month is not unusual. Outside Japan, this kind of planning feels rare. In many places, men mention meeting but never set a time, often cancelling late, or simply ghosting. In Portugal, I dated a man who was always 15-20 mins late. I’d finish my first coffee before he strolled in with Olá. But Southern Europe wasn’t the most extreme. When I lived in Argentina,

Into The Japanese Mind by Sio When I first moved to Japan, my IC card once stopped working, and I couldn’t get through the ticket gate to leave the station. So I asked a staff member for help. He nodded politely, then fired off a long string of Japanese at full speed. My Japanese was very limited at the time, so I asked, “English OK? Google Translate OK?” He stared at me, then repeated the same thing even faster. I was stunned. Was he joking? He knew I hadn’t understood a wo

Into The Japanese Mind by Sio In Osaka’s meetups, I often see familiar faces, but few become friends. One day, a Japanese girl ran over like an old friend: “So happy to see you! Let’s go karaoke after!” Her sudden warmth surprised me, cos we barely talked before. After the event, I approached her. She glanced briefly, as if we’d never met, then turned back, laughing with her friends. I was stunned. How could she change so fast? Did she mistake me? Were both warmth and coldn

Into The Japanese Mind by Sio Before coming to Japan, I’d never been naked in front of strangers. So when I found out I’d have to be fully naked in an onsen, I thought it would be awkward. But on my first visit, everything felt so unfamiliar — I was too busy copying others to feel embarrassed. The moment I stepped into the water, heat wrapped around my body and soul. So relaxing. The sound of the water was healing. I was instantly hooked. Later I realized, Japanese people gr

Into The Japanese Mind by Sio I once thought I had escaped materialism after I backpacked across half the globe. Before I moved to Japan, clearing out my 3-bed flat in Macau shocked me with so many unused goods I didn’t even remember buying. In Osaka, I moved into a 20m² flat with just one suitcase. Shopping became cautious. Every item takes up room. Spent a week deciding on a foldable table. Measured bins again and again. Held a bath mat for way too long, then put it back,