Japanese efficiency in 9 examples

During my years living in Osaka, I heard an incredible claim about its airport (KIX): since its opening in 1994, they haven't lost a single piece of luggage.

While this story resurfaced recently (likely to promote the 2025 Osaka World Expo), it seems too good to be true.

Yet, it perfectly illustrates something undeniable about Japanese culture — their legendary commitment to efficiency.

Let me share some more examples.

Buying only what you need

In this video, Dogen, a Japanese teacher on Youtube, explains why Japanese, when presented with small and large options at the same price, will go for the small option.

The answer connects to “mottainai” — a deep cultural belief about avoiding waste. Japanese shoppers buy what they'll actually use, not what gives them the most theoretical value.

Amazing quality of the junk food

I never eat McDonald’s in France, it’s always very disappointing.

But in Japan, it tastes 10x better.

A friend working in a French McDonald’s told me that it’s because employees just don’t follow the protocols well enough. In Japan, they do and it shows.

Same with 7-Eleven. I went to these convenience stores in the US, Hong Kong, and Korea but Japanese ones are just superior.

Egg sandwiches and onigiri are so popular among tourists that 7-Eleven in the US recently decided to add these items following a revamp of their products.

Washlets

When Toto introduced the washlet in 1980, they didn't just upgrade the toilet — they reinvented it. Japanese bathrooms turned into marvels of efficiency where one device serves multiple purposes.

Modern washlets heat your seat in winter, clean you with warm water, and dry you afterward.

Some models even recycle sink water for flushing, while others play music to mask bathroom sounds (saving countless people from awkward office moments).

When people ask me what I miss most when I’m not in Japan, it’s definitely the washlets!

Capsule hotels

In 1979, architect Kisho Kurokawa looked at Tokyo's late-night workers and saw a problem to solve.

Businessmen who missed their last train needed somewhere to sleep, but full-size hotel rooms seemed wasteful for just a few hours.

His solution? The capsule hotel. Each pod measures roughly 2m x 1m x 1.25m — enough space for sleeping, charging devices, and sometimes watching TV. Nothing more.

Because of the culture of using just what you need, it’s something that has become popular in Japan and still stays very very rare outside of the country.

Always on-time trains

The Shinkansen (high-speed trains) run with stunning precision.

A 2018 incident captures this perfectly: A Japanese railway company apologized when their train departed 25 seconds early.

The company issued an official apology, calling it a "severe inconvenience" to passengers who might have missed the train by arriving exactly on schedule.

History of Kaitenzushi

In my post about automation, I already talked about this but let’s talk about the origin of conveyor belts for delivering sushi again.

In 1958, Yoshiaki Shiraishi struggled to run his small sushi restaurant.

With too few skilled chefs and rising demand, he found inspiration in an unlikely place — a beer bottle conveyor belt at an Asahi brewery.

This sparked his idea for automating sushi delivery.

JIT: How Toyota became no. 1 automaker in the world

Toyota's path to becoming the world's leading automaker started with a simple observation about waste.

In the 1950s, Taiichi Ohno wandered American supermarkets, studying how they restocked shelves only when needed.

This sparked Toyota's Just-in-Time (JIT) system.

The concept? Parts arrive exactly when workers need them — no sooner, no later. No storage costs.

No excess inventory. Nothing wasted.

This Japanese efficiency transformed global manufacturing.

Toyota surpassed General Motors in 2008 to become the world's largest automaker, a position they've largely maintained since.

This methodology is now widely used all over the world. The downside is that when you have the slightest problem is the supply chain, everything crumbles (like during COVID).

Marie Kondō

Marie Kondō brought Japanese efficiency into our homes with a disarmingly simple question: "Does this spark joy?"

At 19, she worked as a Shinto shrine maiden, where she learned to treat objects with reverence. These experiences shaped her approach to decluttering — not as mere disposal, but as mindful curation.

Netflix turned her into a global phenomenon in 2019 with "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo." Her books have sold millions of copies.