Unexpected Joys: Human Connection in Japan

It wasn’t the landmarks or the food that left the biggest impression; it was the gentle, unhurried moments of human connection.

Our trip to Japan was unforgettable, not for obvious reasons—like travelling with our adult kids, indulging in the incredible food, or marvelling at how everything seemed to function with such purpose and precision. No, it was the little things, the unexpected moments of generosity, the laughter from using drawings to communicate, or the kindness of a stranger walking alongside us to ensure we didn’t get lost.

We arrived in Tokyo during the sweltering summer —sticky and relentless. In this heat, we found we bathed twice, sometimes even three times a day. By the fourth day, naturally, we had run out of fresh underwear. And while the hotel offered a laundry service, there are just some things you’d rather handle privately, like washing your underwear in the bath. So, off I went to the nearest Lawson convenience store.

One of the perks of being on holiday is that the days tend to blur together. I couldn’t quite tell you which day it was, but it must have been a weekday because the store was filled with people in business attire, grabbing pre-made sandwiches and Bento boxes, milling around like clockwork.

I walked up and down the aisles, trying to find anything resembling laundry powder or soap. And while Japanese Package design is inviting to the locals, with its bright colours, and bold typography, an almost complete opposite to the Zen Japan style you find in homewares and everything else, it was, well, ‘all Japanese to me’, not a single English word in sight.  This was before my kids introduced me to Google Photo Translate, a godsend in a country where English is not necessary.

I approached a sales assistant stacking vegetables. When I addressed him. He sat upright. His uniform was brown and he wore a black apron that looked like it was starched with a Linda Press. For now, let’s call him “Koji.”

‘Konichiwa.’ I whispered. I whispered because everyone in Japan speaks softly.

He blinked, smiled and nodded his head. He wore coke bottle glasses, had crinkly skin, and smelt of cigarettes. He could have been 70 or 80 or 90, but when he smiled, he looked like an excited 4-year-old. The sweetest, oldest, face with the brightest kindest eyes.

I showed him my phone, where I had typed in my request for help on Google Translate. Another survival technique that was a godsend. Thank you, Google.

 After reading the script he stood up and walked back the aisle I had come from.

I was in the right place after all.

We stood side by side. He folded his arms and stooped closer to read the labelling on one of the boxes. He motioned for me to show him the phone once more, pointing to the text on the phone and then pointing to the words on the box.

But after a moment he shook his head. Did that mean no?

A woman of stoic proportions walked past, and I assumed the store manager. When Koji spoke to her, she smiled and pointed to the box on a lower shelf. He immediately bowed and thanked her ‘Arigato.’ And she walked away.

Koji carefully pulled the said box from the shelf. It was the size of his palm. He turned to me, moved a step closer and brought the box up to my ear beaming like he’d just discovered the meaning of life. He gently shook the box which sounded like a soft, papery rattle, light, airy, and crisp, almost like the quiet rustling of tissue paper, but with a dry, fluttery edge.

We had lift-off, and he found what I was looking for.

After paying for my groceries, I returned to Koji to thank him again, but I think I may have embarrassed him. He acknowledged me with a nod but quickly returned to his task of stacking vegetables. It was a small moment, but profound. Koji didn’t rush or seem bothered by my interruption. He wasn’t impatient when the answer wasn’t immediate. He simply helped, with a smile and genuine care.

I’m not sure why I found the box-shaking gesture profound, but I know I will never forget it or him.

Incredible. Amazing. Awesome. Polite. Clean. Respectful. The words to describe our trip to Japan can also be accompanied by an excited facial expression, a sigh and a look to the clouds to find the right words. The vibe, the feeling one will never forget.

In Japan, even the simplest gestures carry the weight of kindness.

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