Observations on the streets of Japan

We stayed in the Akasaka area of Tokyo, a few minutes walk from Tokyo Midtown and walked for several hours each day in all directions. We went to trendy Shibuya Crossing, Menji-jingumae Shinto Shrine, upscale Ginza shopping district, the Imperial Palace gardens, Tsukiji Fish Market observing people and local customs on the streets.

The streets are meticulously clean - not a single piece of litter to be seen anywhere.

Yet there are no garbage cans at any street corners to put any debris - it seems you take it home or to work with you.

The sidewalks are noticeably uncongested of people and the streets uncongested of cars.

People are not walking and texting or talking on their cell phones - this is much more prevelant in Vancouver.

There are no newspapers for sale and rarely is anyone reading a paper even in a cafe.

There are designated outdoor smoking areas once in a while along the sidewalk - we saw perhaps one per day with a dozen or so people somoking. People do not smoke while walking along the sidewalks and actually very few people were seen smoking at all.

No one j-walks. Everyone waits patiently at a crosswalk waiting for the signal even if there is no traffic.

A surprising number of very good pastry shops with excellent croissants and french bread.

People do not make eye contact on the street. However once we initiate a conversation they go out of their way to be helpful, even showing us the way down a street or drawing a little map. 

Bowing to a lovely excess.