- Home insulation. They don't have it. Your inside wall is often the outside one too. There is no stuffing in the middle. Often times it is hotter in my house than outside, or colder in my house than outside. I love A/C and heaters but I could do without them here if I had insulation. The good part - I know what the weather is like when I wake up and am still lying in bed.
-Garbage. I have thirteen categories of garbage. My friend who lives 10 minutes away has more and must sort his garbage with totally different categories. We live in the same city. I have 6 feet of wall and floor space dedicated to garbage cans in my small apartment. Throwing away anything requires a map (I am not joking) and the intelligence of James Bond. Good part - I am more likely to buy something with less packaging even if it costs me more. I am VERY aware of the waste involved with everything I buy. This however does not stop Japan from wrapping every cookie in a pack in its own packaging. I kid you not.
-Zero tolerance drunk driving. Now I am an advocate that you should NEVER EVER EVER attempt to drive a car while intoxicated. BUT Japan has gone to the extreme. They have a 1 drop rule. If you have taken a sip of booze then you can not drive for the day. PERIOD. If you get caught, consider your self up a creek without a paddle. I have accidently eaten a chocolate with booze in it and had to walk home or call a taxi for fear of this rule. Good point - as a result of this rule there is a system which allows you to call a taxi service. 2 drivers come in the taxi. One drives your car home with you in it, the other follows and picks up the driver at the end. It is cheaper than a regular taxi!
- ATMs. This is the land of technology. My school toilet sings to me and washes my butt then air dries it afterwards. My microwave can bake, microwave, grill and toast to perfection. ATMs in Japan close at 8PM on weekdays and noon on Saturday. Do not even think about getting money on a Sunday or holiday. Also do not consider getting money out of an ATM if you are not in your state. This is a cash based society. Finding a place that accepts credit cards, or anyone with a credit card, is nearly unheard of. I frequently carry 2-400$ on me at all times and do not think twice about it. The reason, if the ATM is open that means there is someone waiting in an office just in case it breaks. They will rush over and fix it. If it is closed, the person has gone home. Good point - I have never encountered a broken ATM in Japan.
- Coffee. It sucks. I love little coffee shops with personality but if I want a good cup of jo then I head to Starbucks. Japanese coffee is like motor oil. They use Vietnamese strength but unlike Vietnamese they do not cut in with thick cream. It is pungent, bitter, tastes burnt always and smells awful. Good point - if I need a pick me up, 1/2 a cup of Japanese coffee will keep me going for a long time.
-Train ticket prices. You can take a train anywhere in this country. They are nice too. Comfy, sometimes even have snack carts on them. Bathrooms are usually clean and it is a great way to help the environment, meet people, and see new places. It is expensive though. REALLY expensive. Enough so that often I drive, especially if there is a second person in the car. Much cheaper that way. Good point - I never feel like the employees are working for less than they deserve.
Okay that is just a sampling. I am sure I have a lot more of these stored up. Here is a very cute picture I took while working the American booth at an International festival recently. We had a craft corner and were making pinwheels. First participants would color their paper, this girl later performed a cheer. 
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