Japanese culture has several rules and practices designed to promote peace and harmony amongst people and between people and their environment. These practices also enable people to be more aware of the natural world around them.
I learned about Japanese water conservation practices. Recently, I was confused as to why baristas at Starbucks were hesitant to give me free tap water in a large coffee cup, but preferred to provide it in a flimsy paper cup the size of my pinky finger! I defintely could not quench my thirst with that little water. This experience prompted me to explore the reason behind this practice.
Japan has a need to conserve water because of the Shinto belief that kami, god, is present in all aspects of nature, including trees, rocks, stone and so on. As a result, Japanese people tend to treat nature with care and respect, and they avoid waste.
Another reason the Japanese care about conserving water is to prevent water shortages. With increased modernization, which allows people to live a comfortable life, there can be excessive use of scarce resources such as water.
