One of the many things that earns my admiration towards Japan is the cleanliness of the country. To me, this reflects the respect that the Japanese have towards their country. I once heard the words: "Cleanliness is not removing litter but not littering at all." Those words fit Japan a lot as I always find its public places clean - streets, gardens, trains, buses, public toilets and pretty much everywhere else.
Before passengers board trains, staff check and clean the train carriages, wipe the seats and remove any items that may have been left behind by previous passengers. You'll find special containers for litter in cars and on platforms, though none will be found on the streets. All litter is sorted and packed, and taken away by garage trucks. The trucks, by the way, are also clean...
Train carriages are always neat and clean and though trains carry millions of passengers daily, the seat fabric is always clean. I’ve never seen any graffiti spoiling a train, a house or other public place. In trains passengers are quiet and don’t talk loudly with each other or on the phone. Train etiquette is based on silence - trains are seen as down time for their passengers. In public places I always notice people wearing protective masks, so if they've the flu they don't spread it around. I think that is a very respectful attitude towards others.
When it rains heavily you will find stands with free plastic bags for wet umbrellas at the entrance to shopping malls, banks, museums and hotels. Of course, hotels in Japan are also very clean and neat. Unit bathrooms are common. Onsens, spa and public toilets meet high hygiene standards. Toilets are free and can be found anywhere. I think such thoughtfulness speaks volumes about the respect of the Japanese towards their country.
