Some gestures transcend language. I find the best ambassadors come from the general population of any given country. When I was on business in Kyoto one of our party lost his wallet in a museum. He noticed the missing object when it was time to pay for lunch. We covered him before returning to the hotel so he could begin the process of canceling credit cards. It had been roughly four hours since he had lost the wallet.
As we cruised passed the front desk, the clerk intercepted us informing our comrade that an official from the museum had found his wallet and brought it to the hotel. Upon opening his wallet, our companion found all of his identification and a few hundred dollars worth of Japanese yen. Nothing was missing. Everything was intact. A local patron had given the wallet to the museum staff. They, in turn, set about finding the owner. The combined effort on behalf of several Japanese citizens impressed us.
What were the odds of that happening in our own country?
A few days later I paid for a rice drink at a local shop in Kyoto. I was uncertain about the price quoted to me by the shopkeeper, but I felt I had given her exact change. A few seconds after departing the shop the woman rushed out and took my hand. Through her gestures I understood I had overpaid and she gave me my correct change.
During my seven-day trip, I was impressed by the cleanliness, politeness, and general sense of communal honor that the Japanese people exuded every time I walked out of my hotel door. I rarely encountered citizens who spoke English, but when I needed assistance there was always someone who helped me translate through gestures. Buying train tickets, ordering food, or anything else I needed was never a chore.
A year later I was on my way to grab a quick meal in my Los Angeles neighborhood when I noticed a perplexed Japanese woman studying a map. A few of my fellow Angelinos avoided her, focusing on their destinations. My experience in Kyoto popped back in my mind. She approached me, asking for help in broken English. She pointed at her destination and I took the time to walk her to the correct street and show her where she needed to go. After all the help the Japanese had given me in their country, I felt I had to up my game. Politeness, kindness, and honor need no translation.
