Netter than net

When you think of Japan, you think of trains that run punctually, people neatly lined up at ticket counters, public transport, and even children in playgrounds. And you think of super clean and tidy, with no trash cans anywhere.

Nolan waiting in line for a swing in an indoor playground

Our newest accessory is a special bag for waste. It's meant to go home with you.

In our first week in Hiroshima, we were at a little food truck festival... They had a nice area set up for trash. And nobody leaves it on the table, and besides, everybody separates it properly! It makes you feel very tidy too :-)

They could learn a thing or two from waste separation in the Netherlands, here in Japan mainly plastic bottles and cans are separated from the rest. And what's that about deposits?

Maybe it's not necessary or they have a different system... we'll find out!

I can get a little carried away sometimes... we were at a playground because it's right next to the bus stop, and yes, sometimes you let a few buses pass by so the kids could have a blast. To my great surprise, the playground was littered with cans, bottles, and empty cigarette packs.

Smoking is almost never allowed on the streets here, except where there is a special paving stone indicating that smoking is permitted, and only in designated smoking shelters (in buildings and also just anywhere in a public garden).

So I went to clean that up. Next to the playground is a guarded bicycle shed with a trash can, so I dutifully deposited the lost and found there. On to bin 2... well, apparently I need to learn some Japanese, because that bin was only for receipts. After a little Japanese scolding from the supervisor, I decided to leave the rest. The next day, the playground was clean :-)!

Smoking area on Peace Boulevard in Hiroshima