I have always believed that the Japanese pay attention to the tiniest details that can make everyday life just a bit more convenient.
During our honeymoon in Japan, we stayed mainly in hotels and a couple of ryokans. In North America, you turn on the bathroom fan after a shower and hope it is strong enough to keep the whole room from fogging up. You step out, wipe the mirror, and still find it completely fogged over.
On our first day in Tokyo, I took a shower with the hot water I always use. When I stepped out and started drying off, I saw a perfect rectangle on the mirror where I could see myself clearly. Everything else was fogged up. At first I wondered what was going on. Then I looked closer and realized the mirror had a built-in heater behind the area where you stand. That section stayed clear no matter how steamy the bathroom became.
And once again, I thought, “Why am I not surprised?”
