I had an opportunity to work as a fellow in department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University, in the beautiful city of Nagoya, in Japan. The year was 2016. I stayed there for about three months.
I learned the nuances of neurosurgery from the great doctors of the department. At the same time, I observed many things in the people Japan, their, work ethics, behavior, civic sense, etc. All these things are very inspiring and tells a lot about – how this nation developed to present status, despite being dusted after second world war.
In this blog, I have written traits of Japanese people, that make them the high-quality human beings, they are. I feel, rest of the world can learn from them try to inculcate them in their lives, to make this world a better place to live.
Here are those 5 admirable lessons-
Lesson 1. Discipline and Punctuality
In the operation theatre, if a case is posted at 8 o’clock morning, then it will start at 8 o’clock, not even 8:05 AM. Japanese society places a high value on time and routine. Trains run on time to the minute, and people arrive early for appointments. In a calculation made for year 2016, to know the punctuality of Japanese train timings, it revealed that total time of delay in, train scheduled start and arrival time, of all the trains travelled in that year, was just close to 6 minutes. This is staggering! Considering the vast network of train and number of trains running daily.
- Lesson: Respect for time leads to efficiency and reliability.
Lesson 2. Cleanliness
Japanese people take personal and public cleanliness seriously. They are just obsessed to cleanliness. Whether it is hospital ward, public toilet, transport everywhere it is so clean and spotless. It also reflects in the way they drive, making, even the heavy traffic flow, so quiet, no honking, no smoke emitting vehicles on roads.
- Lesson: A clean environment promotes dignity, health, and collective responsibility.
Lesson 3. Respect for Others
You just ask someone for the new place you are searching for, and he/she would literally accompany you to your destination. Bowing, polite language, and avoiding confrontation are ingrained behaviors. Elders, gaijins (foreigners ), and even strangers are treated with quiet courtesy.
- Lesson: Mutual respect builds a harmonious society.
Lesson 4. Group Harmony (Wa)
Group interests are often placed above individual desires. That was palpable in the department, where I worked, all different speciality doctors and staff like, neurology, radiologist, intensivists, working together for betterment of the patients. No personal ego. Not even Slightest.
- Lesson: Collaboration over competition can create long-term success.
Lesson 5. Dedication to Craft ( Shokunin Spirit)
- Complex neurosurgical surgeries, where even sub-millimetre details are necessary, Japanese technology and advancement in machinery is phenomenal. Their attention to detail is sacred. Excellence is pursued in even the simplest tasks.
- Lesson: Pride in one’s work leads to mastery and meaning.
These values contribute to Japan’s unique social harmony, innovation, and cultural depth — and offer timeless lessons for any society.
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