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I moved several times in Japan. Extreme care was taken in each case to correctly estimate the work, itemize the inventory and note existing damage, to secure th

I moved several times in Japan. Extreme care was taken in each case to correctly estimate the work, itemize the inventory and note existing damage, to secure the home, elevator, and common areas against new damage, and to obtain necessary approvals from building and local officials. The price was quite low — about USD$1,500 to move a four bedroom household to a two bedroom penthouse condo in a city three hours’ drive away, including removal, transport, and installation of four AC units. No tips allowed. There are even movers who specialize in overnight moves where great care is taken to be as silent as possible. After seeing this in action as a customer, I think the level of service elsewhere is quite low and providers have set very low expectations for themselves.

ggg9990 9y ago
Japan is such an outlier in so many things, especially things involving care and precision, that I don't think it's reasonable to assume that things elsewhere can be similar. 6-year-olds take the subway alone in Japan, and it would be great if we could do that in the US, but most places, we can't.
- nihonde 9y ago
  A lot of that difference is attributable to setting high standards and holding yourself accountable to them.
- TillE 9y ago
  It's fairly common to see small children out on their own in German cities too. I'd suggest that the US is frequently the outlier in many things, and of course it's easy to see them as normal if you've only ever lived there.
  - stevekemp 9y ago
    In Finland it's extremely common for 5 year olds to walking and cycling (on the pavements) to school, and back. (Both those things occur even in winter, where the temperatures might reach -25 degrees for a couple of weeks of the year.)
- Larrikin 9y ago
  Elementary kids travel in packs, often without adults, but almost never alone. A large reason this isn't allowed in the US is because of helicopter parents who insist it's impossible to teach this skill to children and report parents who try to give teach their kids independence.
- dreamcompiler 9y ago
  That's true today in the US, but it was common as late as the 70s for 6-year-olds to walk to school alone here.

ggg9990 9y ago

Japan is such an outlier in so many things, especially things involving care and precision, that I don't think it's reasonable to assume that things elsewhere can be similar. 6-year-olds take the subway alone in Japan, and it would be great if we could do that in the US, but most places, we can't.

nihonde 9y ago
A lot of that difference is attributable to setting high standards and holding yourself accountable to them.
TillE 9y ago
It's fairly common to see small children out on their own in German cities too. I'd suggest that the US is frequently the outlier in many things, and of course it's easy to see them as normal if you've only ever lived there.
- stevekemp 9y ago
  In Finland it's extremely common for 5 year olds to walking and cycling (on the pavements) to school, and back. (Both those things occur even in winter, where the temperatures might reach -25 degrees for a couple of weeks of the year.)
Larrikin 9y ago
Elementary kids travel in packs, often without adults, but almost never alone. A large reason this isn't allowed in the US is because of helicopter parents who insist it's impossible to teach this skill to children and report parents who try to give teach their kids independence.
dreamcompiler 9y ago
That's true today in the US, but it was common as late as the 70s for 6-year-olds to walk to school alone here.