An Indian traveller's holiday in Japan has struck a chord online after she shared how complete strangers repeatedly went out of their way to help her, turning ordinary requests for directions into moments she says she will never forget.
The viral video, shared by Instagram user Akankshaa, captures two heartwarming encounters that left her convinced that Japan's greatest attraction was not its landmarks, but its people. Her story has since prompted hundreds of others to share similar experiences from their own travels across the country.
Strangers walk travellers to their destination
In the video, Akankshaa recalled hearing that people in Japan rarely stop at simply giving directions. Instead, they often accompany lost travellers to where they need to go.
Wanting to see if that was really true, she and her companion approached two young women for directions to Shibuya Station.
Rather than pointing the way, the women walked with them for nearly 10 to 15 minutes, guiding them from Miyashita Park to the entrance of the Ginza Line at Shibuya Station.
Akankshaa said they barely shared a common language beyond "sumimasen," "arigatou gozaimasu," and "Ginza Line." Even so, the two women happily chatted among themselves, laughed throughout the walk and stayed until they were sure the travellers had reached the correct train.
The experience left such an impression that Akankshaa said she forgot to even ask for their names.
A few days later in Osaka, she experienced something similar again.
After accidentally ending up on the wrong train platform, she and her companion were helped by another young woman who appeared to be on her way to work.
Instead of explaining the route, the woman personally escorted them through the station, guiding them across staircases and escalators, tapping her own train card at the ticket gates and walking them all the way to the correct platform.
She only left after making sure they had boarded the right train.
Before leaving, she smiled, waved and said "Namaste," a gesture that made the moment even more memorable for the travellers.
Looking back on both encounters, Akankshaa said Japan may be famous for its landscapes, traditions and culture, but for her, its people were its greatest beauty.
She added that the most unforgettable memories from travelling are sometimes created not by places, but by strangers who remind us that kindness does not need a common language.
In the caption, she appealed to people in Japan to help her reconnect with the three women, saying they had given her far more than directions.
She wrote that they had given her their time, kindness and a memory she would cherish for the rest of her life, adding that she never got the chance to thank them properly.
Watch the video here:
Internet shares similar stories
The video quickly resonated with viewers, many of whom said they had experienced the same generosity while travelling in Japan.
Several people recalled strangers walking them to train stations, leaving their shops to personally show them the way or accompanying them through stations to ensure they boarded the correct train.
Others said these simple acts of kindness stayed with them long after their holidays ended, with many describing Japan's people as one of the country's greatest attractions.
Some viewers also admitted the video made them reflect on whether they would go out of their own way to help a stranger, while others hoped such everyday kindness would become more common across the world.
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