Japan is the cleanest country in the world. The tourist can’t help but notice what an immaculate country this is to visit. The only bizarre thing is that you don’t see trash cans sitting everywhere, so how do they keep things so sparkling clean?
Children are taught to be clean from the cradle
The residents each take a personal interest in keeping their country clean. It’s taught from even the youngest school-age child. Everyone has chores and responsibilities to keeping their world spotless. Each school makes cleaning time part of their daily schedule.
They are taught from the cradle that their space must be kept clean. By giving the children a social consciousness, it helps them to have pride in their surroundings. They pay attention to things that other school-aged children would not because they know they will have to clean it up.
When a student arrives at school, they put their shoes they’ve worn outside, inside their lockers. They have special shoes they wear inside the school, which helps to keep things clean. When you visit a Japanese home, you remove your shoes. House shoes are commonplace in every home, even for the visitors. The customs of these people are so extreme that there are also training rituals that you can learn about on the web. The Seven-Minute Shinkansen Train-Cleaning has become a viral sensation.
How did these people become so clean-conscious?
Every day at 8 am, office workers clean the streets near their workplace. They pick up any trash from the roads and make sure that things look tidy. Each neighborhood also holds cleaning events for their local thoroughfares. So how did these people become so clean-conscious anyway?
History shows records of the clean cultures of these people dating back to 1600. When the first Englishman, Samurai William, came to Japan, he noticed how neat things were. In England, things were quite different, and the Japanese were appalled at how the English had such little regard for such things.
The reason why this area is so picky is because of the extreme heat they have in this region. When you have a hot and humid environment, bacteria flourish. Many bugs are fluttering about, and hygiene means everything to these people.
Cleanliness is a spiritual aspect
The real reason why the Japanese are so clean is that it’s a central part of Buddhism. Cleaning tasks are spiritual, just like meditation. Everything that the natives do allows them to practice their religion. Additionally, cleaning and washing away dirt has both mental and physical implications.
There are many Buddhist nations around the world, but none are as enthusiastic about being clean as Japan. Have you ever heard the saying, “cleanliness is next to godliness?” This saying comes from the Buddhist belief that being clean is being holy.
Their ritual purification methods are all around them in everyday life. For instance, if they are going to worship, they must wash their hands and mouth before entering the temple. Even a new car must be taken and purified by the priests of any spiritual dirt. In Japan, one thing is for sure, clean hands equals a pure heart. They have a high regard for their country, and it shows. Americans could take a few lessons from the Japanese. Litter over there isn’t even an issue.
