How Japan Keeps Clean
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the cleanliness of Japan despite the scarcity of public garbage cans, a result of the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack. It delves into the Japanese culture of taking responsibility for cleanliness, from school lunches to neighborhood duties. The script highlights the role of convenience stores as waste disposal points, the 'silver jinzai' seniors in community cleanups, and the collective efforts in waste management. It also touches on the influence of Shinto and Buddhism on cleanliness practices and ends with a call to action for viewers to participate in cleaning initiatives, aligning with the global movement against plastic pollution.
Takeaways
- 🗑️ Japan is known for its cleanliness despite the scarcity of public garbage cans, a situation that arose after the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack which led to their removal for security reasons.
- 🏪 Convenience stores in Japan, numbering over 50,000, often provide waste disposal facilities for the public, making them key locations for trash disposal outside the home.
- 🏫 The Japanese education system instills a strong sense of personal responsibility for cleanliness from a young age, as seen in school lunchroom duties and classroom cleaning.
- 🏠 Japanese people commonly take their trash home for disposal, reflecting a cultural norm of not littering and maintaining cleanliness in public spaces.
- 👴 The 'Silver Jinzai' or senior citizens play a significant role in community cleaning, often seen tidying up public areas, and are supported by local government initiatives.
- 👷♂️ Many Japanese workers, including shopkeepers and construction workers, are involved in cleaning around their workplaces, viewing it as part of their job responsibilities.
- 🏘️ Neighborhoods often have garbage disposal groups where residents take turns ensuring proper waste management, including correct separation and timely collection.
- 🗑️ Waste management in Japan is efficient and reliable, with collection schedules that are consistent and rarely missed, even in extreme weather conditions.
- 🌐 The cultural emphasis on cleanliness in Japan has deep roots in Shinto and Buddhist practices, where physical and ritual cleanliness are closely linked to spiritual purity.
- 🌏 The video concludes with a call to action, challenging viewers to participate in local cleanups and contribute to global initiatives like Team Seas, which aims to remove plastic waste from the oceans.
Q & A
Why do people often comment on how clean Japan is?
-Visitors to Japan often remark on its cleanliness, which might seem surprising given the relative scarcity of public garbage cans. However, the cleanliness is attributed to a combination of factors including the cultural emphasis on personal responsibility for cleanliness, the practice of taking trash home, and the involvement of individuals and communities in maintaining public spaces.
Why are there fewer garbage cans on the streets of Japan compared to the past?
-The reduction in public garbage cans in Japan is a consequence of the Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995 by a cult. As a security measure, many garbage cans were removed and have not been replaced, leading to a situation where people often take their trash home instead.
Where can one typically find a place to dispose of waste in Japan outside of their home?
-Convenience stores, which are ubiquitous in Japan with over 50,000 locations, often provide waste disposal facilities. Additionally, train stations also have designated areas for waste disposal.
How do Japanese schools instill a sense of cleanliness and responsibility in students?
-Japanese schools incorporate cleaning duties into the daily routine, with students being responsible for cleaning their classrooms and lunch areas. This practice fosters a sense of self-responsibility and collective duty towards cleanliness.
What role do local businesses play in maintaining cleanliness in their areas?
-Local businesses often participate in cleaning initiatives, such as the 'Shinjuku Clean' group in Tokyo, where workers from various businesses take turns tidying up the streets. This demonstrates a high level of self-responsibility and community involvement in maintaining cleanliness.
How do the Japanese handle waste management at home?
-In Japan, households may be part of a 'gomi tobban' or garbage collection group, where they take turns ensuring proper waste disposal. In group living situations like apartments, the responsibility for cleaning and waste management can vary, with some hiring external companies, while others organize cleaning themselves.
What is the role of 'Silver Jinzai' in maintaining public cleanliness in Japan?
-Silver Jinzai, or seniors, often engage in part-time work that includes local cleanups. They are frequently seen maintaining public spaces like parks and walking paths, contributing to the overall cleanliness of communities.
How does Japan's waste collection system work?
-The waste collection system in Japan is characterized by a strict schedule and high reliability. Waste management crews are responsible for picking up waste from collection points, and the public is expected to sort and prepare their waste accordingly. The system is efficient, with collections occurring even in extreme weather conditions.
What is the cultural or religious significance of cleanliness in Japan?
-Cleanliness in Japan is deeply rooted in both Shinto and Buddhist practices. For Shinto priests and followers, maintaining the cleanliness of shrines is a significant part of ritual purification. Similarly, in Buddhism, cleanliness is considered a fundamental practice in the pursuit of spirituality.
How do community and group cleaning initiatives contribute to Japan's overall cleanliness?
-Community and group cleaning initiatives, such as neighborhood cleanups after events or natural disasters, are common in Japan. These collective efforts, often involving residents, students, and workers, contribute to the country's overall cleanliness and foster a sense of communal responsibility.
Outlines
🗑️ The Paradox of Cleanliness in Japan
The video script discusses the cleanliness of Japan despite the scarcity of public garbage cans, a result of the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack. It explains how Japanese people take their trash home, and how convenience stores serve as the primary waste disposal points. The script also highlights the role of the education system in ingraining the habit of cleaning up after oneself, as seen in schools where students are responsible for cleaning their classrooms and maintaining hygiene. The cultural aspect of self-responsibility for cleanliness extends to homes and public areas, with individuals taking the initiative to clean up their surroundings.
🧹 Community and Workforce Contributions to Cleanliness
This paragraph delves into how local business associations and individual workers contribute to cleanliness. It mentions 'Shinjuku Clean,' a group that organizes regular street cleaning in Tokyo's business district. The script also covers the role of 'Silver Jinzai,' elderly part-time workers who clean public spaces, and how waste management is handled through neighborhood garbage groups and professional waste collection services. The narrative emphasizes the collective effort in maintaining cleanliness, from group cleaning events to the consistent waste collection schedule, even in extreme weather conditions.
🌿 Cultural and Spiritual Roots of Cleanliness Practices
The final paragraph explores the cultural and spiritual roots of cleanliness in Japan, linking it to Shinto and Buddhist practices. It discusses how cleaning is an integral part of ritual purification in both religions, with a focus on physical cleanliness and tidiness. The script also humorously touches on the idea of 'misogy' or ritual purification through cleaning, suggesting that the Japanese approach to cleanliness is deeply ingrained in their cultural and spiritual beliefs. It concludes with a call to action for viewers to participate in local cleanups, aligning with global initiatives like Team Seas, and ends with a question about cleanliness practices in other countries.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Garbage Cans
💡Recycling
💡Convenience Stores
💡Self-Responsibility
💡Education System
💡Public Areas
💡Silver Jinzai
💡Waste Management
💡Group Cleaning
💡Ritual Purification
💡Cultural Norms
Highlights
Japan is often noted for its cleanliness despite the scarcity of public garbage cans.
Garbage cans were removed from public spaces after the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack for security reasons.
Japanese people tend to bring their trash home due to the lack of public garbage cans.
Convenience stores in Japan often provide waste disposal facilities.
Japanese education emphasizes cleaning up after oneself, as seen in school lunch routines.
Students are responsible for cleaning their classrooms and common areas in schools.
The concept of self-responsibility for cleanliness extends to homes and public areas in Japan.
Elderly Japanese residents often clean public spaces around their homes voluntarily.
Shopkeepers and business staff participate in cleaning the areas around their workplaces.
Local business associations in areas like Shinjuku organize regular cleaning activities.
Individuals often clean as part of their job duties, such as construction workers and bus drivers.
Silver jinzai, or senior citizens, are frequently involved in part-time cleaning and maintenance work in public spaces.
Waste management in Japan involves neighborhood groups and scheduled waste collection.
Japanese waste management crews are known for their punctuality and efficiency.
Community and group cleaning events are common in Japan, such as after local fireworks displays.
Japanese soccer fans are known for their post-match cleanups, setting an example for responsible spectatorship.
Shinto and Buddhism have historically influenced the cultural emphasis on cleanliness in Japan.
The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to participate in local cleanups as part of a global environmental initiative.
Transcripts
hello world i find that most people who
visit japan comment on how clean it is
this used to surprise me
i always see garbage on the streets
but yeah i guess it's decently clean why
is that
especially when it's kind of hard to
find a garbage can
you can easily find can and bottle
recycling near vending machines but a
straight-up garbage can out in the wild
it can be difficult to come by
and yet there is very little litter on
the streets
well there used to be many more garbage
cans but following the tokyo subway
sarin attack by a cult in 1995 they were
removed as a security measure
since then few of the removed garbage
cans have returned to public spaces like
sidewalks washrooms and parks
it turns out that instead of garbage
flowing through the streets people just
brought the garbage home with them
nowadays your best bet to find a place
to dispose of waste outside of home is
at convenience stores which you can find
over 50 000 of them in japan
and so that i don't have the internet
police coming at me yes there are train
stations that have places to dispose of
waste they often use clear bags so that
you can easily see what's inside them
in any case my point is that there's not
a lot of places to dispose of waste yet
the streets are relatively clean so why
is this
many many people take their trash home
but there's more to it than that i think
it's safe to say that ingrained into the
japanese education system is cleaning up
after yourself
you can see this after school lunch
where they all put away their dishes
there are certain students on duty to
make sure everything is collected
properly and then taken to the kitchen
students even have to clean their teeth
after the classroom is quickly cleaned
up with everyone pitching in
are they doing this in the most
efficient way i don't think so but
that's okay since they're not really
finding much dirt
there aren't any janitors so it's up to
students to keep the classrooms hallways
and bathrooms clean
so if you're a student and make a mess
you're not only creating more work for
yourself but all your classmates
this kind of self-responsibility for
both keeping clean and cleaning up
carries over into all aspects of life
for example let's take people's homes
where the japanese feel responsible for
not only cleaning inside of their
property but the public areas around
them as well
my wife's uncle explains
foreign
me
while i think daily cleaning is not
necessarily the norm it's very common to
see seniors out in the morning cleaning
in front of their homes like this ojisa
who is not my uncle
he told us he saw that this area was
messy with leaves so he just came out
and cleaned it
judging from his garbage dust pan and
where he was i'm assuming he lived in
the public housing on the other side of
the hedge he said that no one asked him
to clean he just thought someone had to
do it so he did it
not every japanese is a do-gooder like
this but i guess there's enough of them
that it adds up
i personally pick up any trash that
finds its way around my house and
perhaps every month or so i'll give the
area a sweep and a hose down with water
but i'd be lying if i said i cleaned on
the daily
just like how people clean around their
homes shopkeepers and staff also clean
around where they work as well
some local business associations
organize workers to clean the area in
shinjuku a prominent business and
government district in tokyo the
cleaning group is called shinjuku clean
every morning one or two people will
tidy up the streets however once a month
they have a big clean up day with 40 or
50 people which is when i shot this
i'll just emphasize this point in case
it isn't clear the workers are not hired
by the business association but rather
are staffed from the local businesses
they all take turns beautifying the
neighborhood they work in
if you look around you also see many
individuals cleaning up as part of their
job like the construction workers who
have a few spare moments
are this attendant before his booth
opens up
and this bus driver who cleans up his
vehicle at the end of every shift
i'm sure he's happy they got a robot to
do this part of the job
while not every worker in every business
has cleaning duties in general i think
you'll find that there's a high level of
self-responsibility for cleaning and
that cleaning is a part of everyday work
life in japan
so does japan have workers that only
clean of course for example these guys
specialize in cleaning up gum from the
streets they're pretty rare to see
outside of busy areas but what you will
see everywhere are silver jinzai
kingdom hey nancy kang drive chandragan
sanji khanna
you'll often see them cleaning up public
places like parks and walking paths
silver jinzai ginzar seniors hence the
silver in the name
they'll do all sorts of part-time work
around the community with a popular one
being local cleanup for this cleaning of
public spaces it's the local government
that foots the bill
as i mentioned in a previous video about
local tokyo neighborhoods you might also
find them doing crosswalk duty around
schools or staff and bike parking lots
in all their capacities they act as
extra eyes and airs on the street
keeping them safe clean and
organized you'll also see silver jinzai
in the private sector like at senior
care homes or in train stations
this particular train line is owned by
the tokyo metropolitan government so
this would technically be paid by the
government
but most train lines are private now
after seeing so many manual tools being
used for some reason i felt happy for
this guy who got to use the floor
cleaning machine
another aspect to keeping the streets
clean is to do something with all the
collected waste
if you have a home then you'll most
likely be part of a neighborhood garbage
group called gomitoban our garbage duty
it might be just your household that's
part of it or it could be 20 or your
area may not have it at all but
generally how they work is that each
household will take turns making sure
the bins and bags are put out waste
separation is done correctly garbage is
covered with a net and that after
everything is picked up the area is
clean
yoga
for group living like in apartments
public housing and condos the
responsibility can vary
for some there will be an outside
company hired to manage the cleanup and
maintenance of the property for others
they might organize some of the cleaning
themselves
once dropped off at collection points
the city is responsible for picking up
the majority of waste
i was impressed to see the spring in the
step of the waste management people for
others living in japan is it just this
area or do all the crews sprint around
like it's some kind of sports
competition
i was also impressed that except for new
year's their weekly collection schedule
never changes
if they say they'll pick up on thursday
they'll pick up on thursday
even with typhoons it's very hard for me
to recall if they've never not come to
collect the waste
speaking of typhoons we had a huge one
hit our area and there was large
large-scale flooding of the sports field
along the edogawa river
and yeah those were teenagers on top of
the toilets enjoying a beautiful
flooding night kids these days
while running along the riverbank after
the water receded i noticed piles of
garbage nicely piled up
i was fortunate enough to meet a
baseball group that all got together to
clean their local field
i saw that it was not only the players
but the coaches and parents that were
all pitching in as well
group cleaning also occurs with planned
events like with fireworks over here
they have hundreds of thousands of
people visit to watch the local
fireworks the waste gets left in
designated areas i know that the next
day there are people that come and clean
up as well but by and large the majority
is either left in the designated areas
are packed up and taken home by the
spectators
and of course there's the world famous
cleaning that's done by japanese soccer
fans
i know that there are other groups like
the one that rachel and june volunteer
with that do beach cleanups
they trash tagged me ages ago to make a
video about cleaning and because i'm
serious about dragging other youtubers
into this i'm taking life where i'm from
so is that late than never
actually it turns out i'm right on time
since mr beast and mark rober just
launched team seas which is an
initiative to get 30 million pounds of
plastic out of the ocean by raising 30
million dollars so i'm challenging you
to do some cleanup in your area and join
me in contributing to the tmc's cause at
teamsees.org
so i started off by asking the question
of why japan is clean perhaps a lot of
modern practices can be partially
attributed to shinto and buddhism
for shinto priests and mikos cleaning
the jinja precincts is a very important
part of their job and has been a central
part of their duties for over 1 200
years
sweeping the grounds is closely
connected with the idea of ritual
purification harae or misogyny
physical cleanliness and tidiness is an
important part of that it's why you
purify yourself upon entering a shrine's
grounds
at home or on vacation japanese can also
be said to do ritual purification in the
form of misogy by having a bath and
cleaning their entire body
i wonder if it's super misogy if you're
cleaning the bath that cleaned the
people
and so if you're cleaning the cleaning
cloths that's super super
no greg it doesn't work that way
okay i guess not
buddhism also has a similar attitude to
cleaning i quote cleanliness is the most
basic practice that all forms of
japanese buddhism have in common in
japanese buddhism it is said that what
you must do in the pursuit of your
spirituality is clean clean clean
this is because the practice of cleaning
is powerful
[Music]
i found it amusing that after crawling
through muddy caves we received some
premium boot cleaning services at the
end of the journey
although it may be the company being
self-serving and wanting clean boots
that go back on their rental shelves and
this is a convenient place to do it
also just outside of the caves these
chickens had diapers
in this area it seems like every living
being is doing their job to keep things
clean
do you know how japanese take their
shoes off at the entrance the ginkgo in
order to keep their houses clean
well i found that ritual is also
observed when working on the buses
thanks for watching see you next time
peace
how does your country keep clean
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