Overtourism is becoming a serious problem in Japan.

Many Japanese are bothered by the sudden influx of tourists, especially when you take into account that there were almost none during the pandemic. Restaurants and public transportation companies are not equipped to handle this problem, and being a country made up of mostly introverts, this change is unsettling. Imagine yourself as an introvert, coming home from a long day at work, to find a surprise party at your house, 30 strangers coming to talk to you, congratulating you, then asking you to make a toast or something. Only, it happens almost daily during high season in Japan.

Many locals find their routines significantly disrupted, and if you live here, you would understand the degree of discomfort that Japanese tend to feel when their routines are broken by something beyond their control. Well, hey, I guess most of us can relate to that, but with Japanese, they feel it deep in their core.

最近出会った引用があります–どこで見たか覚えていませんが、この状況にふさわしいと思います。「あなたは誰かの完璧さに恋に落ちるわけではありません。あなたが恋に落ちるのは、彼らの欠点です。」–そして、それは少なくとも私には、強く響きました。そしてそれは真実です。例えば食べ物について言えば、あなたが誕生日に行ったその5つ星のフランス料理店の完璧な食べ物に恋に落ちるわけではありません。あなたが良い思い出を結びつける食べ物が好きです。例えば、あなたの母のラザニアのように。それは完璧ではないかもしれませんが、あなたはそれを渇望します。マクドナルドに人々が群がる理由があります、彼らが最高のバーガーを作るわけではありませんが。それはあなたがマクドナルドを訪れ続ける子供時代の思い出です。または、彼らがこっそりとパティに入れるクラックかもしれません。誰が知ってるでしょう。 私は完璧な社会に住みたいから日本に住んでいるのではありません。日本が独自の方法でユニークであるから好きです。ここでたくさんの思い出を作りました。それら全てが素晴らしいわけではありませんが、成長するのに役立ちました。

Since today is Emperor Naruhito’s birthday, I thought I’d talk about the Imperial Family in this episode. I’ve never paid much attention to them because they don’t really cause spectacles like Harry and Megan. They tend to keep out of the public eye most of the time. 

The Imperial family is very special to the people of Japan. The Emperor of Japan is at the center of this family, and people look up to him with great respect. Some are indifferent of course. It's mostly the older generation who still reveres the family.