We are all in this together! Yes, it’s a very cheesy phrase but that pretty much sums up how Japanese people navigate themselves in society, and one of the reasons why everything–from the restaurants to the public uisrestrooms–stays so clean.
For example, in order for a store–let’s say Uniqlo–to keep all of the clothing items perfectly folded and organized in their respective shelves, there must be collaboration between the workers and customers. If the customers are unfolding t-shirts every five seconds and throwing them around haphazardly, the store is bound to become a mess at some point, no matter how hard and fast the staff works.
The user–not just the provider–has a responsibility to keep things running smoothly, and this mentality is so deeply rooted in how Japanese people are raised, that it’s simply second nature to them.
Next time you’re in Uniqlo, take a moment to observe how the customers interact with the clothes they pick up. I guarantee you they will fold it again nicely and place it exactly where they found it–without even thinking twice about it!