Around the world with PayPay vol.16 FROM OUTSIDE

Around the World with PayPay is a series of articles featuring our global workplace, with people gathered from approximately 40 countries around the world. The article consists of two parts: “FROM OUTSIDE” (published every first Thursday of the month) focuses on a comparison between Japan and the interviewee’s home country. “FROM INSIDE” (published every second Friday of the month) focuses on experiences within PayPay.

In this article, we’ve sat down with Ruhin Raihan from Bangladesh!

Don’t forget to check out past issues too.

* The Japanese version of the article is available here.

Recommend a spot/thing in your country

Cox’s Bazar, the 120km world’s longest sea beach alongside another beautiful one named Inani beach and a recently built 80km world’s longest Marine drive, hills on one side and sea on the other side. St. Martin’s Island just 9km from Cox’s Bazar is a heaven on earth.

Sajek Valley: 2000 feet above sea level, the view of clouds in the morning from the resort window is breathtaking. The view is closer to the view from Mount Fuji’s 5th station.

What places/things would you recommend in Japan?

Kyoto as the mainland, Ishigaki as an island, Sapporo as the latest city and Kobe for the port view. I have visited almost all the popular places (120+ cities) from Sapporo to Ishigaki in japan. I can work as a tour guide in Japan, haha. Sometimes, I put my trip summary in my personal travel blog

https://loveinjapanandoverseas.blogspot.com

Recommend a dish from your country

Biryani. Especially Kacchi (mutton) Biryani, We have several places where we can dine-in or take out biryani in Tokyo. This is popular in India and Pakistan as well.

Website: https://www.sultanarecipe.com/kacchi-biryani-recipe/

Best restaurants to feel like you’re at home in Japan

Best Bangla restaurant in Japan:
Kinshicho Bangla Food, Tokyo (Website: https://www.e-s-global.jp/bangla_food/)

Best Bangla super store in Japan:
Bongo bazaar, Misato-Saitama (Website: https://www.bongobazar.info/) The store sells all kinds of Halal Foods, so it is helpful for all Muslim from different countries in Japan.

Best Bangla Festival in Japan:
Pohela Boishakh, on the date of 14th April which is the first date of Bangla new year. Last time, the festival in Japan was held in Higashi Ikebukuro Central Park, Tokyo in 2019. not held later due to corona.
youtube video of the festival :

Biggest similarities with your country?

Weather, especially the weather in Kyushu is much closer to my country

• Bangladesh have many rivers similar to japan
• Japanese grammar structure (subject + object + verb) is also similar
• People in my country like and honor Japanese people a lot. very strong friendship between the two countries. Some mega-projects like Dhaka Metrorail, Matarbari Deep Sea Port are being funded by JICA. IT engineers are moving to japan at a rapid pace. etc.
• Flag

Biggest differences with your country

I feel talking to strangers is strange in Japan, in my country people usually talk and gossip with random people around. But that’s a very rare case in Japan.

Why did you come to Japan?

I had a chance to visit Japan back in 2016 as a tourist. I was impressed by various things like safety / security, time management, Islands, child raising environments, etc. Then I tried to move to Japan and succeeded with the help of JICA in 2018.

What’s the thing you like the most about living in Japan?

• Washlet: without any doubt, this is the best thing in Japan. Haha. I don’t know why washlets are not available everywhere in the world.
• Convenient stores: Konbini and vending machines are found everywhere and they make life and travel easier.
• Customer service: Japan is on a different level in terms of customer service.
• Safety (my wife won’t’ leave japan for it, haha)

What are the worst or most difficult things you encountered in Japan?

• language barrier: I wish Japanese language was easier to learn or Japan had English as an official language. Currently, I have no problem with day to day Japanese, but Business communication is on a different level.
• Small living room: I saw some people living in tiny spaces, mostly a bed and some bedside stores, that’s not a good thing for mental health.
• Expensive: especially travel via shinkansen.
• Tokyo train during rush hour, especially JR
• Earthquake: I fear the creepy phone alerts more now. haha
• Lots of paperwork.

What are the strangest thing about Japan?

• NHK people come home sometimes and ask me if I have a television. They don’t really seems to believe me when I reply negative, they seems to try to verify from inside, but bad luck, don’t have the permission from govt to do so. I don’t know why there isn’t any better solution like not allowing NHK channel access by default.
• Letter box advertisement: Goes everything to trash directly, I wonder who actually reads these advertisements.
• Onsen: Taking a bath with strangers fully naked is not something I consider normal.
• Silence on the train: I would gossip with my friends in my country.
• Inkan: It feels less secure than a hand-written signature. luckily, people are getting out of it nowadays.

Check back in next week for “FROM INSIDE” !

Special Thanks: Ruhin Mohammad Raihan / Editor: Anton & Az (PayPay Inside-Out Editorial Team) / Translation Editor: Language Communication Team
*Employees’ affiliations are as of the time of the interview.