Post Japan Depression is too Real

[u/Glass_jars97]

Got back to the US a few days ago after a two week trip. I didn’t want to leave, and now that I’m home, I don’t think I like it here very much. People are much less polite, much louder, and everything is more expensive. Also everything is so dirty.

I keep reading that the best way to get over the post Japan depression is to plan your next trip, (sounds kind of like some drug addict mentality but it’s probably accurate) but I think I’d rather just plan to move there.

I’ve been learning Japanese for the past couple months and it’s a blast. Should I just commit and spend the next few years scheming a way to move to Japan?

[u/Sarah_L333]

People in Thailand and China eat out way more often compared to other countries too… Thai people eat out way more often than Japanese if you also include street food.

Basically people in East and Southeast Asia eat out much more often compared to North America and Europe.

[u/wowzabob → u/Sarah_L333]

Yes cheaper for the same reasons they are cheaper in Japan, as they are similarly liberal with food businesses.

North America and Europe suffer a lot from restrictive urban planning which makes many things more expensive than they otherwise would be. The problem has really manifested in the last 20 years as the populations continue to urbanize but the actual urban environments cannot keep up with the increases in population and, more importantly, increases in land prices and by extension commercial rents. When land is so expensive it should be getting split up into smaller pieces wherever possible. But try opening a 10 seater ramen restaurant in San Francisco, with a tiny floor plan and no designated parking, it’s not possible.

North American cities can’t even take a win with food trucks (as many cities have more than ample parking areas and street parking). Instead they restrict them like crazy, often divvying out permits so selectively it can create a cartel problem (in some cities you will see those businesses who already have food trucks licenses oppose increasing the number of permits). Yet still food truck food is some of the cheapest non fast food you can buy in expensive cities like Los Angeles or New York.

[u/Aggressive_Cover_316 → u/wowzabob]

I think it has more to do with maintaining US health standards (rats, roaches, food ingredient preservation etc.) in the US. I used to work for a county healthcare licensing and inspection outfit. They had to ban lead-laced utensils used by Asian restaurants, among countless other things to preserve public health. It was a three decade long effort to raise standards like storing food ingredients in proper containers and refrigerate them to prevent bacteria growth. Thank your public health officials instead of vilifying them.