From the perspective of a Chinese person, I will only mention the things that feel fresh. Before arriving, I already knew about aspects such as politeness, clean and tidy streets, and the ability to drink tap water, so I won't elaborate on those.

Labor in the Service Industry

From the moment I got off the plane, there were staff every few steps at the airport, greeting you and ensuring you didn't go the wrong way. Many international students work here; Chinese tourists often receive help from Chinese students, while Western tourists are mostly assisted by Indian students.

For my first meal in Japan, I went to Yoshinoya on the second floor of Narita Airport's waiting hall. When I reached the checkout area and asked if I could order here, I was told to order at my seat. Immediately, a young lady came to guide me to a seat where I could place my order. In many restaurants in Japan, you eat first and pay later, and there is usually someone to guide you to your seat to order. Even in places with ordering machines, you swipe your card or insert cash at the machine, and I didn't see any instances of scanning a code to order and pay with a mobile phone.

At the subway entrance in Narita Airport, there was a person standing at the elevator door greeting everyone. The sign at the entrance had the characters "铁道" (Railway) in Chinese and "Train" in English. So, I asked her if the "Skyliner" on Google Maps was accessible from there. She first glanced at my phone, then put on her reading glasses to look at it again, and finally shook her head, saying she didn't know, but that there was an information desk over there where I could ask. Her job was simply to greet people. Later, I understood why she didn't know, as "Skyliner" is a poor translation; if it had been labeled directly as "Skyliner," I wouldn't have needed to ask.

Upon entering the Narita Airport subway station, there was a dignified lady, dressed in what seemed to be a uniform from either the airport or the subway department, probably in her forties or fifties, with well-applied makeup. Her job was to assist people in buying tickets. If you didn't know how to buy a ticket, she would help you.

When registering for a residence card, there was someone at the ward office specifically teaching you how to fill out forms and what number to call. The ward office is similar to a district government in China, but it belongs to a local autonomous body. Having someone dedicated to helping you fill out forms and being polite and attentive is unimaginable in China.

This extensive use of labor is a means to reduce the wealth gap. In China, if software is not user-friendly, it gets updated to improve usability; in Japan, if software is not user-friendly, they hire someone to stand by and teach you how to use it. Here, "software" refers to a broad sense of operational processes. This reflects a different trade-off between efficiency and fairness.

Rental System

Many people who have rented in Japan for years still do not understand how the rental system works. Firstly, Japanese law stipulates that landlords cannot evict tenants, which has led to the emergence of various guarantee companies. If a tenant misbehaves, the guarantee company compensates the landlord. The risk falls on the guarantee company, which necessitates some form of compensation for them. There are various guarantee companies in the market, each with different strategies. Some charge a monthly fee, while others require a one-time upfront payment. The specific amount charged depends on the guarantee company's assessment of your risk. If you are an international student who might return home and has no income, you may be charged a higher deposit. If you can provide proof of employment, demonstrating your income, you may be charged less. Some companies require an upfront payment of 40% of the rent, while others may even ask for 100%. As a foreigner, you can rent a place even before arriving in Japan, and there are guarantee companies that cater specifically to foreigners, with GTN being the largest.

As for key money and deposits, in a free market, many properties do not require key money or deposits at all. If the supply and demand relationship changes, it is foreseeable that the situation regarding key money and deposits will also change.

Management fees, or property fees, must be paid monthly, and I have not seen any properties that do not require management fees. Therefore, the actual rent should include the management fee.

The income-to-housing price ratio in Japan is incredibly low compared to China. In Wako, a rural area about forty minutes from Tokyo Station, you can find standalone houses priced under 2.5 million RMB. For 4 million, you can buy a three-story house in Kawaguchi, including renovations and land ownership, with monthly payments comparable to renting a similar property. Japan has property taxes, and most properties are unlikely to experience rapid price increases like in China in the foreseeable future, which is why there is not much enthusiasm for home buying among Japanese people. Consequently, many developers build houses specifically for rental purposes.

I have heard that among Chinese people in Japan, there is another rental method where transactions occur privately between Chinese individuals without going through guarantee companies, which can be cheaper. However: 1. The emergence of guarantee companies compensates for landlords' inability to unilaterally breach contracts; if you do not go through a guarantee company, I am currently unclear about the extent to which private rental agreements with landlords are protected by law; 2. Institutional arrangements can only define rights and responsibilities; they cannot eliminate risks. Guarantee companies bear the risk of information asymmetry and enjoy the benefits that come with it. Private rentals will likely give rise to other institutional arrangements, such as deposits becoming more common.

Narrow Streets

Japan rarely has four-lane roads; two lanes are considered a major road, and most streets are single-lane. This greatly benefits pedestrians, as it takes less than 10 seconds to cross the street, and there are countless paths to walk from point A to point B. Of course, for cars, there are also numerous routes to take, with similar distances, alleviating congestion. I believe this narrow street planning increases the capacity for vehicles and population density in the city rather than reducing it. Additionally, this is just my subjective opinion; I find this planning to be more aesthetically pleasing and inviting.