Ten years after striking up a friendship with a Japanese man who represented Malta in his country, Rosanne Zammit finally visited the Land of the Rising Sun and got to grips with its delightful oddities.

Soon after arriving in Narita during a recent trip to Japan, I went into a ‘Western style’ toilet . It was my first visit and the number of controls with Japanese instructions confused me, although the symbols did give me an idea what they were for.

Feeling reluctant to experiment so early, the only control I used at the time was the flushing one, which entailed passing my hand in front of a sensor.

Arriving at the hotel that night after a long and tiring journey, the last thing I wanted to do was experiment but I was too curious to keep my hand off the controls in the comfort of a hotel room.

So after putting on the complementary yukata – a casual kimono worn by men and women – and slippers (shoes inside in Japan are a big no-no), I decided to tackle the toilet.

However, after more than two weeks in Japan, I still do not know how the toilet seat heater can be lowered or turned off, not that I ever wanted to mess with that control having visited in February during the coldest weather for 49 years.

Throughout our trip, we were taken in by the Japanese people’s eagerness to assist confused visitors who needed desperate help with directions

To cut a long experiment story short, the Japanese have managed to take the ‘Western’ toilet to the next level, or two: the controls in the toilets I encountered included relaxation music, flushing noises to mask other noises and a bidet and shower spray with five pressure levels.

While I came to love these toilets, my husband remained reluctant to experiment to the very end.

Another Japanese experience worth mentioning is the futon. While Western beds are common and slowly becoming the norm, traditionally, the Japanese slept on a futon.

This is a padded mattress and quilt which is taken out for the night and folded away during the day, allowing the room to be used for purposes other than a bedroom.

Futons can be experienced in tatami-padded rooms in ryokans, which are Japanese inns that originated in the Edo period, and in some hotels. We enjoyed the futon experience in Takayama and in Kyoto.

Our trip to Japan – we left Malta on February 7 and returned February 25, took us from Sapporo and Otaru in the Hokkaido prefecture to Tokyo – with day trips to Kamakura, Yokohama and Nikko, Takayama and Shirakawago, Kyoto and Nara, and a little side trip to Osaka.

Throughout our trip, we were taken in by the Japanese people’s eagerness to assist confused visitors who needed desperate help with directions.

The first time we asked for directions we were in Sapporo. We arrived there before noon following a two-hour domestic flight from Narita. But since check-in time at the place we were staying at for two days was not before 6pm, we locked our luggage in the airport lockers and started getting to know the place. As the day progressed and it was time to check-in, we took the train to the closest station and started following the directions we had been given, only to draw a blank shortly afterwards.

One thing we learned during our stay in Japan is that the Japanese do not use street names, except for thoroughfares, and they refer to an area according to the name of that thoroughfare.

Lacking both a map and GPS and seeing that it was getting dark, our option at the time was to pop into a convenience store and ask for directions.

The elderly man and woman behind the counter did not speak English but that did not deter them from helping two weary travellers.

They called someone who could, took out a large map and personally took us to the place we were looking for.

This was not a one-off event. People who we approached to seek directions throughout our trip were never too busy to stop what they were doing, check the locations on maps on their mobile phones and personally take us there; if not all the way, part of it.

The Japanese are known for their perfectionism. And we could see this in person during our trip there. Bus, train and subway drivers and conductors all look neat in their uniforms, which come complete with bright white gloves.

Conductors bow before and after checking commuters’ tickets and those reading announcements could be seen checking their watch to time their announce­ments precisely.

Most trains in Japan still include a smoking bus and many restaurants and cafes have a smoking area.

But smoking in the streets is prohibited and there are fines for anyone caught disobeying this law. Smoking rooms or areas are set up at several places.

Bus, train and subway drivers all look neat in their uniforms. Conductors bow before and after checking commuters’ tickets

Our trip to Japan would probably never have materialised had I not met Michio Endo, Malta Tourism Association’s representative in Japan some years ago.

Every time we met since that first meeting, he always asked me when I was going to visit Japan. I researched the country and finally decided the time had come.

When I wrote to Mr Endo in October or November telling him we had bought the tickets and would be visiting Japan, he immediately went into overdrive, sending me information and a guidebook and helping me with train schedules.

In Tokyo, Mr Endo and his lovely wife, Atsuko, welcomed us with open arms, going out of their way to show us the beauty of Japanese hospitality.

They spent a day with us in Kamakura showing us the sites, and in the evening taking us to Yokohama, which boasts the biggest China Town in Japan.

When our holiday in Japan came to an end, Mr and Mrs Endo came to say their goodbyes at Narita Airport, where they also showered us with gifts.

Trattoria Malta in Ginza, Tokyo

Before we left Malta for Japan, we were contacted by Mr Endo’s son, Shingo, who asked us whether we would like to attend the launch of a restaurant serving Maltese food in Tokyo.

We felt honoured to be invited and asked about our opinions during the launch of Trattoria Malta in the Ginza district.

Trattoria Malta, which will start serving Maltese food to the public this month, originally served Italian food, but, being called Malta (nothing to do with the country but for a rabbit cartoon created by the restaurant owner), it occasionally received requests for Maltese food.

So, even though he had never been to Malta, the owner thought he’d give Maltese cuisine a try.

Some of the food, including the Gozitan ftira, was spot on. We also had rabbit stew, galletti, mqarrun and Cisk Lager and Kinnie.

We spent some time with the owner after the meal discussing what was right and what could be improved. We hope Trattoria Malta will have a successful future.

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