Education and etiquette
教育・礼儀
The Silent Classroom: Japan’s Culture of Consideration
One of Japan’s great attractions is the extent to which thorough education permeates every corner of society.
Children learn etiquette early and discover the importance of “sensing” (sassuru) what remains unspoken. A culture of anticipating and respecting the feelings of others, even without words, breathes within daily life.
The train is a perfect symbol of this. Trains running accurately to the minute, people lining up neatly even when crowded, the quiet atmosphere inside the carriages—all are manifestations of the order and aesthetic sense cultivated through education.
If someone is in trouble, people move quietly to help rather than raising their voices. The train is filled with unspoken cooperation. Passengers listen to announcements, offer their seats, and read the atmosphere (kūki o yomu) for one another.
This is the crystallization of a sensibility nurtured not just in schools, but by the family and society as a whole.
The train is more than just transportation; it is a silent classroom reflecting the state of the Japanese heart. The consideration that flows through that space is the ultimate testament to the aesthetic sense fostered by Japanese education.