[momotomo]

Really appreciated this point too. None of his vendors seemed to have a genuine interest in anything outside of the quality of their craft and the honour of their relationships. It was incredibly refreshing, and seems to be part of quite an old set of values for the region that might not pop up as much these days. Or at least, be promoted as widely as more capitalist ethic.

[DeepDuh]

That's Japanese Culture for you. Many see their job as their highest life goal and they seek its perfection in order to honour their family/team mates/company/fellow Japanese or whatever their group association is at the moment. This idea then trickles down to even low wage jobs, where you still get an above par work quality. Trying Starbucks (cleanliness) and McDonalds (look and taste) in Japan is an interesting experience.

[momotomo]

Looking forward to it if I ever have the chance. There's an element of contentment to this approach that I really appreciate.