I'm an American who visited Tokyo for the first time. Here are the expectations I had that were completely wrong.

Across the internet, you can find dozens of lists centered on "unique things you can only find in Japan." On nearly every list, you're bound to read about the subway pushers.

A subway pusher is a job title. According to some outlets like CNN, subway stations and trains get so packed in cities like Tokyo that people are paid to push the commuters onto the train.

Leading up to the trip, I read about the pushers on blogs, and friends urged me to be on the lookout since they, too, had heard the rumors about them. 

Nearly every time I stepped on a train's platform, I searched for a white-gloved subway pusher.

No matter the time — bright and early one morning or during evening rush hour the next — I didn't spot a single one.

I had expected to see them everywhere in Tokyo, but after doing some digging, they don't exist in the city anymore. According to Amusing Planet, subway workers will step in now and then to push passengers onto packed trains during rush hour, but it doesn't seem to be a common job. 

As I prepped for my trip to Japan, I watched endless TikTok videos and YouTube vlogs.

I knew vending machines were popular in the country, and content creators have shared videos documenting the wildest things you can find in them.

Safiya Nygaard, for example, posted a video discovering electronics, pizza, sushi, canned bread, and hornet larvae. Strictly Dumpling, on the other hand, documented himself eating freshly popped popcorn, hot dogs, and burgers.

I was under the impression that these unique vending machines were everywhere. I thought I'd naturally run into a vending machine dropping grasshopper snacks or Cup Noodles. I didn't. 

During my 14 days in Japan, I saw more vending machines than I could've imagined. There was at least one vending machine down nearly every street I walked — no matter how remote. According to Statistica, the country has almost 4 million of them.

But in all of these vending machines, I didn't find anything out of the norm. Instead, I mostly spotted soda, coffee, water, tea, cigarettes, and toys.

Don't get me wrong, vending machines selling everything from dumplings to bananas exist, you just have to seek them out. Thankfully, blogs and travel guides like Tokyo Cheapo have mapped them out for visitors like me.  

Before landing in Tokyo, I had outlined the dozens of street foods I was itching to try.

I wanted to taste everything from Yakisoba to Takoyaki, as well as mochi, Tamagoyaki, and Taiyaki. 

I had done my research on what to eat and had jotted down places where I could find these dishes. For example, I carved out an entire morning exploring Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji Market, a fish market with plenty of food vendors. 

I also thought I would naturally run into night markets across the city. From New York City to Australia to China, night markets can be discovered in major cities around the globe. A typical night market is jam-packed with people, shops selling souvenirs, and stalls with cheap eats.

Admittedly, I hadn't researched Tokyo's night market scene before arriving. Once I was there, I learned that there aren't many that exist in the city, according to the travel guide Tokyo Cheapo.

There are a few streets across the city known for cheap eats, late-night bars, and a handful of events each month that offer Japanese street food, but there's nothing in Tokyo like the night markets you'll find in destinations like Thailand and China.