Japanese tradition locations immense worth on cleanliness, contemplating it integral to each day life and social concord. This dedication extends past their homeland, as seen within the actions of Akie Doi, a 38-year-old music and yoga teacher from Kanazawa, Japan. On her go to to Puri, Odisha, she has change into a one-woman clean-up power, choosing up trash alongside the seaside and inspiring others to do the identical.
Two months into her keep, Doi has taken it upon herself to scrub Puri’s seaside each morning, urging guests to make use of designated dustbins. Carrying a banner adorned with Lord Jagannath’s picture and cleanliness messages, she has caught the eye of vacationers, lodge house owners, and native authorities.
“I merely love doing it. Whereas the administration has employed cleaners who assist maintain the seaside tidy, I’m doing my half to take care of our surroundings. I urge beachgoers to make use of the offered dustbins,” she advised TOI.
Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Srimanta Kumar Sprint, president of the India Japan Friendship Centre, offered her with gloves and rubbish baggage to help her work. “She diligently collects plastic bottles, meals wrappers, and different particles left by some guests. Not too long ago, a number of different Japanese vacationers have joined her on this initiative,” he stated.
Doi makes use of fundamental English and gestures to speak correct waste disposal strategies, demonstrating use dustbins successfully. The Puri district administration has additionally acknowledged her efforts. “It is inspiring to see a overseas vacationer so dedicated to the Swachh Bharat mission and the cleanliness of Puri. We hope Doi’s actions will inspire extra guests to prioritize cleanliness,” stated district collector Siddharth Shankar Swain.
Her story, shared on Reddit, sparked a web based debate. Some customers admired Japan’s tradition of social accountability, whereas others questioned why locals weren’t as proactive.
“I imagine all of us watched Kiteretsu, Doraemon and Shinchan rising up. These youngsters had been all the time concerned in social work, even at a younger age,” one person wrote.
One other commented, “This can be a passive manner of exhibiting us that we’re failing to maintain our environment clear, with out instantly offending us. Think about if a visitor began cleansing your own home — wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
Not everybody agreed. One person shared a dialog with somebody who dismissed Doi’s actions: “I advised him it’s insulting when outsiders clear our nation, however he replied, ‘Aren’t housemaids doing the identical in our houses? No person compelled these vacationers to scrub India.’”
Whereas the controversy continues on-line, Doi stays centered on her mission—one piece of trash at a time.
