Have you experienced any exceptional acts of kindness or generosity from people or businesses in Japan? If so, please tell us about them.

I don't know about exceptional, but there are plenty of everyday incidents where a member of the public or a staff member has been helpful beyond the call of duty. Running after you with the change you forgot, giving you a lift when hitchhiking, asking if you're lost and giving you directions, offering you a glass of water...

I was impressed with the guy who fixed my somewhat cheapo watch I'd bought in Seoul for no charge!

Got lots of help throughout the years from my martial arts instructors.

I slept at the dojo many times, and still do it when I'm in town.

They took me on numerous trips in the region.

There's always a meal ready when I go.

They used to give me lots of stuff when I was a student : I once went back home with 5 kilos of frozen meat in my backpack; another time two pack of beers.

Also got a huge help from my university's director, who after meeting with me decided to give my 2 remaining years of study for free. I certainly wouldn't be where I am today without that.

I live beside an old lady that lives alone. Whenever she seems me going out, she always tells me about the weather and if it's expected to rain then she offers me an umbrella to make sure I don't get wet. When I first moved to Japan which was some five years ago she was one of the first people to offer a hand to help me get to know around the city.

All the usual stuff - people running after me to give me stuff I'd dropped, folk in the allotments sharing seeds, seedlings and produce. The landlady in our summer lodgings sent me home at the end of our holidays with half the contents of her fridge (huge bag of guava fruit and green island lemons, more like limes) after spending the week making me lovely veggie meals, in addition to the usual menu for the other guests.

Impossible to stand looking a train timetable or map in the station for longer than a minute without someone coming up to ask if I need help.

Our local Indian restaurant has a small corner where they sell Indian spices and ingredients. I asked if they had chickpea flour but there was none in stock; the chef came out and very apologetically handed me a bag of chickpea flour he'd scooped out of his kitchen supply, and would not accept any payment.

Needless to say I bought a big bag next time we were in the restaurant.

Years ago, I was looking for the KDD office make a long distance telephone call. Everybody was so helpful, but because I was new in Japan and did not understand Japanese so well in those days, I must have entered the wrong building.

They people went out of their way to get me a chair and got me connected, My conversation was lengthy. Afterwards the people would not accept any money. I was amazed, but a little puzzled.

Later I realised what had happened The kind company must have thought I was an employee or client.

I can't remember where was, but if I could remember, and it was many years ago, I would happily reimburse them the cost of the call. Trust me, I never made that call without paying intentionally. But everybody as treating me like royalty.

Little mom-n-pop, out-of-the-way, off-season restaurants and hostels were often so kind, upgrading rooms at no extra charge, driving to and from onsen in the snow, offering extra little goodies "on the house", etc.

In Okinawa too many times to count. That was before smart phones and I couldn’t look at a map without someone offering directions. They would say “here I’ll show you” and go out of their way to walk with us closer to the destination. The laid-back atmosphere of no one seeming too busy or suspicious to do that was really nice. On a tiny island with one open restaurant, a local grandpa bought us and the only other patron (a mainland Japanese tourist) all drinks. Ichigo ichie at its finest.

A rather humbling experience last year.

I have a medical condition requiring a check-up every 3 months.

My specialist works at a big hospital but consults at a small rural clinic on Saturday morns, so it's convenient to go. It's always busy and I was rushing. Everyone must remove shoes in the genkan and I had a knot from hell in my boot lace and couldn't get my boot off. I struggled and after 2+ mins finally slipped / pulled the boot off. A woman was peering at me the whole time through the glass door. I thought she was thinking, "what's this stupid gaijin doing" (this is real inaka). Frustrated I grumbled past her to make my appointment and I think I gave her a bit of a sneer.

25 mins later I emerged, looking for where I untidily left my boots. No, they were not there. They were set neatly close to the front - not that unusual in Japan - but the laces were unknotted, loosened and set for my foot to slip in.

Only one person could have known to do that. The woman whom I thought was a busy-body. Such simple kindness.

Big lesson learnt that day.

Forgot my bank card at an ATM one day... 3 days later I got a call from my bank telling me that a customer had dropped it off after finding it. 

Very surprised and grateful would be an understatement.

S

Just ordinary citizens being nice to a Canadian visitor. Happened every time i visited Japan, whether an invitation to join a group during hanami (sp??) meaning cherry blossom viewing time, or watching the leaves change color, in autumn. Maybe even during the torrential downpour in Nagasaki, a few years ago. Long story short - every time I'm in Japan, I'm comfobulated (new word) by the niceness of Japanese people. Especially when I get a little lost.

Absolutely. Before we even met, my best friend in Japan was a rep for his company working with mine in the US. I collect military uniforms and had always wanted to add a JGSDF uniform to my collection, but they are impossible to find in the US. I reached out to him for the first time to see if he could help me buy one. Next thing I know, he is sending me one as a gift. A man I'd never even spoken to before. We've been best friends ever since.