Imagine you're an American who just arrived in Japan in the 1960s. What do you see?

1960s Japan was a very strange and different place, especially to an American. It was still recovering from its economic and human devastation of WW2, and while it was well on the road to recovery, it was far from it. So imagine you've just arrived in Japan at that time- what would you see? How would you react to it?<br><br>On your flight or ship ride you'd probably be sitting next to a bunch of Japanese businessmen, American businessmen, or GIs. The air seems to be thick with cigarette smoke, while a group of reporters sprint around to get an interview with you, and an American representative eagerly awaits your arrival to help you get settled.<br><br>After going through customs and preparing to leave for the street, you realize you'll have to walk a distance to get to the buses that direct you to the trains. You'll notice the airport is a lot smaller and more cramped compared to the ones back home, with an almost spartan and utilitarian appearance. You see a bunch of signs written in kanji characters you can't understand, and you're grateful for those who speak English who are willing to guide you. But they're relatively few and far in between, and you're mostly on your own, so you might have to ask several different people before you get your answer.<br><br>When you finally board the bus, you'll notice the driver is very strict, requiring you to pay an exact fee down to the last yen, or else you'll have to wait until you get off at the next bus stop to break the bill. The bus itself is cramped, with zero legroom. You take your seat and put your suitcase on the overhead rack, but there's this Japanese passenger next to you who demands you take out your coat and tie. You think he's being rude or trying to rob you, but then you notice everyone else is doing the same. You realize he's trying to make you more comfortable in the sweltering heat of the bus, but you're still a bit put out by how brusque he was.<br><br>Finally, you get off the bus and board the train. At this point, you're absolutely parched, but there's no water fountains in sight. When you ask someone where the water fountains are, they look at you in complete confusion. They tell you you can buy water or soda or milk tea at the convenience store, but the idea of having to pay for a basic resource like water baffles you. You practically have to beg someone to point you in the direction of a water fountain in a nearby park, and you have to get off at the next stop so you don't miss it.<br><br>You get back on the train, and you look around to see a bunch mostly somber-looking people wearing dull clothing staring straight ahead like they're in some kind of trance. At one end of the car you see a group of drunk salarymen, while at the other end is a group of children excitedly chattering and playing. You're extremely thirsty and the heat is bad, and you ask one of the Japanese passengers if they could open a window. They look at you like you're insane, explaining to you that the windows and doors are shut to keep the heat out. You try to explain that natural ventilation would be a lot better than relying on these weak ass air conditioning units, but they just continue to stare at you. At this point, you're getting a little worried that something might be wrong with you because your body isn't reacting to the heat and humidity well.<br><br>After what seems like an eternity, you finally arrive at the stop nearest to your hotel. You're eager to get a drink of water and take a nice shower, but you have to navigate through the crowded streets first. When you walk outside, you're immediately hit with a wall of heat. It's not just the heat, it's the humidity, or rather the lack thereof. You're used to the humid heat back in the US, but this feels different. Your mouth and throat feel like the Sahara desert, and your skin feels like it's being blown dry with a hairdryer.<br><br>You walk down the crowded streets, and it's like a completely different culture. You see traditional Japanese restaurants with sliding glass doors, next to a big American-style fast food joint, next to a parking lot. The streets are smaller and more cramped, and you have to walk on the sidewalk to avoid being run over by the cars. You see a lot of old, traditional-looking Japanese buildings next to newer, steel and concrete constructions that somehow manage to look both futuristic and out of date.<br><br>You finally arrive at your hotel, and you feel a sense of relief. You get to the front desk, where you're greeted by an employee who looks surprised to see you. He says "Ah, you must be [your name], you're from [country]?" in a thick accent. You confirm, and he says "Welcome to the hotel. I am [hotel employee], and I will be showing you to your room."<br><br>You follow him to the elevator, trying to make small talk along the way. It's a bit awkward, as you can tell he's trying really hard to speak English and you feel bad correcting him. You finally get to the room, and you see that it's a lot smaller than you thought it would be. There's 2 single beds, a nightstand, a desk, and a closet. You also see there's no bathroom or shower, and you start to feel a little worried.<br><br>The employee notices your confusion, and tells you to follow him. He leads you to the community bathroom, where you see a bunch of old Japanese men washing their faces and brushing their teeth. The shower stalls are just curtained-off areas with a small stool and a drain. You see all these old Japanese men and their young children showering right next to you, and you're a bit taken aback. You're used to the luxury of having a private bathroom back home, and this feels like something out of some kind of developing country.<br><br>You're a bit grossed out, but you try not to show it. You don't want to seem like the ugly American, after all. You finish your shower and head back to your room, where you find a bottle of water waiting for you. You drink the whole thing in one gulp, not even caring if it's tap water or not. After a long day of traveling, you welcome the opportunity to get some rest. But as you're drifting off to sleep, you hear a loud noise from outside. You wake up groggily and look out the window, and you see a huge neon sign towering over the city. You realize this must be some kind of advertisement, but you can't help but feel it's a bit excessive.<br><br>You go back to sleep, but you can't shake the feeling that you're in a completely different world. You'll see plenty of things like this during the rest of your trip, but for now, you're just happy to get some rest.<br><br>Welcome to Japan.