The quiet street lessons in courtesy

In many places, infrastructure and behaviour are shaped by a lack of trust. Japan, in contrast, operates on a foundation of mutual respect and collective responsibility.

During my tour in Japan in April, I experienced two cultural surprises that left a lasting impression. It was an early morning in Tokyo, and I decided to step out of my hotel for a quiet stroll, hoping to absorb the city’s atmosphere before the day’s adventures began.

As I approached a small lane near the hotel, I noticed a van approaching from the opposite direction. Instinctively, I paused, expecting the vehicle to speed past – a common occurrence in many other places I’ve visited. To my surprise, the van came to a gentle stop. The driver waited patiently, making no gesture of impatience, no honking, not even an urging wave of the hand. He simply stopped, allowing me to cross first. For a moment, I hesitated, wondering if I had misread the situation. But then, realising his intention, I smiled, gave a slight bow of thanks, and walked across. The driver responded with a nod before continuing on his way.

This small interaction was a striking departure from my experiences elsewhere. In many countries, pedestrians often have to dodge speeding cars, endure impatient honks, or wait endlessly for drivers to yield. Yet here, in one of the world’s busiest cities, a van driver chose courtesy over haste.

At the end of my tour, I realised the unusual second surprise: there were no speed breakers on the roads. At first, I wondered how Japan managed traffic speed without them. The answer, I soon realised, lay in a combination of factors: self-disciplined driving with pedestrian priority culture. Well-thought-out smart urban planning, smooth roads with clear signages and strict traffic rules and enforcement. Absence of speed breakers was not just about convenience; it reflected a broader societal commitment to efficiency and mutual respect. Instead of relying on forced interruptions, Japan’s system trusts drivers to follow rules and prioritises smooth, unobstructed movement – a philosophy that extends to many aspects of Japanese life.

These two experiences highlight a fundamental difference in how societies approach shared spaces. In many places, infrastructure and behaviour are shaped by a lack of trust: speed breakers exist because drivers can’t be relied upon to slow down, and pedestrians brace themselves for aggressive traffic because yielding is not the norm.

Japan, in contrast, operates on a foundation of mutual respect and collective responsibility. Drivers slow down because it is the right thing to do, not because a bump in the road forces them to. Pedestrians can cross streets without fear because courtesy is ingrained in the culture.

Sometimes, the most profound travel lessons come from the quietest moments.