In my recent travels to Japan, I had some new understanding about Japan.
Outside the popular destinations, Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, the countryside of Japan is not very pretty, many areas are rundown, in need of maintenance and upgrading. The public transport is limited, very infrequent.
The traditional onsen towns, like Gero, Kaga, are somewhat backward. Maybe in Onsen hotels, the facilities and service will be much better, but in public onsens, sad to say, it is quite a pitiful sight.
There are no shampoo provided, the facilities are quite old, customers are mainly old people, the public onsens , perhaps are one of few places where old people to socialize and find companionship. The remarkable ageing problem in Japan can be seen from here.
I could see why the young people have left countryside, there are really nothing much to do. In any area, the public infrastructure and local business goes hand by hand.
Even there are a few restaurants, all the service providers are mainly old people;
On the other hand, the young people in these cities seem to be rowdy and restless. One Saturday morning, I woke up early and went for a walk near my hotel. I met a group of young people, apparently quite drunk, talking loudly despite of early morning.
Another group young adults came out of Karaoke, had they sung the whole night?
I also had a mixed feeling toward Japan and Japanese people. Though the majority of Japanese I met were very kind and helpful, I could sense their resistance towards foreigners.
They did talk bad about foreigners among themselves. As now I could understand what they say, and maybe, I look like a Japanese, so they talked freely in front of me.
Hearing those conversations made me really uneasy.
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