Leaving Los Angeles was a relief although there is only one LA, and I am not sure what to make of it. I am left speechless by the magnitude of shallowness, plastic surgery, warm glorious weather, lushness of lips, and tall palm trees surrounding the skies.

I am reminded of life in Japan after a traveler sitting opposite in the 767 (an aircraft that should have been retired long ago) starts to chat me up. Departing the plane he somehow places me, and slips into a chant about Tokyo. He said one thing that still rings a bell, “Japan you either get it, or not” and he is so right.

But what makes Japan so special? The answer is everything from the escalators to miso shiro soup. There is no question Japan rules our planet in one way or another, while the rest of the world is still trying to figure it out.

The speed and agility, perfection and strength. A people determined to live within the confines of small spaces, yet they are always managing to survive and thrive. The meticulous attention to detail runs through and through in almost everything Japanese people do. The idea that the cashier pays so much attention to packing your groceries as it’s almost mathematical. Dry ice is added to the plastic bag to maintain freshness and avoid sudden temperature changes. It is customary for the cashier to ask how long you intend to travel to make sure all foods will arrive in perfect condition.