Beyond Tokyo

This summer the Olympics come to Japan, but it’s far from the only game(s) in town. Should the games go on, here’s where else to go for enlightened adventures.

- Hannah Seligson

If a word can ever be said to sum up a nation’s character, the concept of gaman defines Japan. Consider the range of meanings it conveys: patience, silent suffering, perseverance, toleration of hardship, self-sacrifice, a fortifying sense of collective strength, solidarity with fellow sufferers.

It’s what got the country through centuries of feudalism, world war II and earthquakes and, today, continues to shore up the populace as they endure tsunamis, rush-hour trains and drug-free childbirth.

If you’re following the Olympic flame to Tokyo this summer, you’ll need plenty of gaman. It will be hot, it will be peak mosquito season and good luck getting a restaurant booking. Your dream of sushi in a charming local izakaya stands a high chance of being ruined by beery British soccer fans and Uzbek weightlifting enthusiasts.

Luckily, the rest of Japan has 18 Michelin three-star restaurants, as well as serenity, beauty, spirituality, art, adventure and deep culture in lavish abundance. And while these qualities may also be found elsewhere, what sets Japan apart is its elemental commitment to respect, social harmony and the importance of quality in service and design. As a visitor, you experience these virtues in multiple basic daily interactions: on the bullet train, where uniformed cleaners bow as you board; in the konbini convenience stores, where staff sprint to serve you; in the takkyubin delivery service, which conveys your skis, golf clubs or luggage overnight to just about any destination in Japan; in the exceptional quality of basic food in the simplest rural izakaya; in the fact that low-paid service jobs are performed with such pride that tipping is considered an insult.