Japan (4) - Time

12 July 2010 - After two days in Japan I am struggling a bit with letting go off time. Although Japan is a hyper-modern society, its pace is very different from its bullet trains. The bus from Tokyo to Matsumoto had a maximum speed of 80 km per hour, and people take their time in shops, cafes and restaurants. I have not been to the bank yet, but I was advised to plan carefully. I am so much used to the super-efficiency and "time-is-money" attitude in Hong Kong, that it always takes some effort to slow down. Everything here moves in its own pace, orderly and somewhat predictable. Possibly it is impacted by the fact that Japan has one of the world's fastest-ageing populations. About 18% of its population is over 65, and by 2010 that figure is expected to be 25%.