5 surprising things in Switzerland
What things in Switzerland do Japanese people find interesting? I have interviewed Japanese people who have visited Switzerland. Most of them have visited towns like Zurich, Luzern and Geneva. Read here about their opinions:
(update: 2022 Oct 8)
Interview with Japanese citizens
Over the course of a few months I have met many Japanese people who visited Switzerland. Especially older people, some with relatives abroad and others who love travelling, have shared some stories. Which things in Switzerland do they find surprising?-
No gate at all in public transportation
Although there are sometimes inspectors checking if passengers a have valid ticket or not, surprisingly there wasn’t any ticket gate at stations, nor at bus stops. The company seems to trust the citizens enough that they will buy a ticket. One thing to keep in mind is, the company gives you a CHF 100 fine, if you get caught and in some cases report you to the police.
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Different leisure time
One bar owner in Tokyo told me, that he visited Switzerland many times because of his relatives. However, he does miss the busy streets of Tokyo and the thousands of leisure time options of a big city. “Switzerland is laid-back and easy going, but honestly a little bit too boring for me”, he said. “Swiss people seem to spend much more time outside than Japanese people. Probably they simply have different hobbies.”
Rapperswil, Schweiz
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Sport & BBQ outdoors
One example is how many people are simply relaxing at the lake side, doing barbeque or playing sports. On the rural areas, skaters, joggers and bicyclists are circling around small lakes and riversides.
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The world of Heidi becomes real
A vast greenfield along the mountain landscapes with cows, sheep, horses and nice air, is the typical stereotype. Most Japanese people have watched the Japanese animated series of Heidi, which is why I often get asked if I have goats and sheep as pets and live on the mountain.
Luzern, Switzerland
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Swiss people take the shoes off at home.
Swiss people do the same as Japanese people! Swiss homes are also tidy and clean, not because of the minimalism, which is often practiced in Japanese homes, but because Swiss people enjoy to invite people to their home spontaneously.
Which things in Switzerland have surprised you?
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