I decided to create this thread because I've seen a few threads floating around with questions regarding my culture, people, language, history, etc.. I do not know every single thing about my country but I am a native and I can answer many questions for anyone who is curious about certain things regarding Japan. I'll give you a list of a few interesting things that people from other countries in general do not know about Japan. =^.^=
I will also add a few photos of culture and additional aspects of interesting things to see in Japan as time goes on.
- On my profile you will notice my location is "Nippon". Nippon is the native name of Japan which literally means "The Sun's origin". It's quite often translated to "The Land of the Rising Sun."
- The national flag of Japan has a red dot which is a symbolic representation of the Sun.
- The Sun appears red in Japan.
- There are more than 200 volcano's in Japan.
- Japan is 70% mountains.
- Japan is made up of well over 6000 islands.
- Japan is divided into nine large regions and further divided into 47 smaller prefectures.
- Japan has the seventh largest population in the world.
- Japan is about the size of California and has half the population of the entire United States.
- Japan has a socialized medical system.
- The legislature elects the Japanese prime minister, not the people.
- There are four writing systems. Hiragana, Kanji, Katakana and Romaji.
- We drive on the left side.
- It is extremely difficult for a foreigner to become a naturalized citizen of Japan.
- Junior high and high school students wear uniforms.
- Most elementary school children commute to school on foot, and it is helpful if they wear bright yellow caps, raincoats, rubber boots as well as yellow umbrellas that stand out clearly when visibility is poor in rainy weather. Younger children have yellow rain covers to put over their school backpacks called randoseru ランドセル.
- Teachers move from class to class and the students stay in one room
- Golden Retrievers are extremely popular.
- 敬老の日 (keiro no hi) is a national holiday in honor of senior citizens in Japan which is celebrated every year on the 3rd Monday in September. It is not the same as "Grandparents Day" in the U.S. The Japanese media take the opportunity to feature the elderly, reporting on the population and highlighting the oldest people in the country. Also on this day many tobacco companies will hand out free cigarettes to the elderly outside of train stations and department stores.
- There are no 24 hour ATMs in Japan. They are normally closed on holidays and many only open during normal bank hours.
- The green traffic light is called 青(ao) which is "blue" in Japanese.
- The “WALK” lights on street corners make a chirping sound so that the blind can know when to cross the street.
- It is considered rude to say the word "no" directly.
- it is considered rude to pet someone on the head.
- We eat Pizza topped with corn, sesame seeds, and mayonnaise.
- It will always take one to two hours for a pizza to be delivered.
- The place to be on Christmas Day is your local KFC restaurant.
- You can smoke virtually anywhere.
- If you attend a funeral or wedding it is customary to give money to the family.
- There are vending machines almost on every corner.
- You can buy soft drinks, tea, vitamin drinks, coffee, chips, batteries, beer, sake, wine, condoms, cigarettes, tampons, comic books, hot dogs, light bulbs, noodles pornographic magazines, videos, sex toys, toilet paper, rice, hot meals, milk, newspapers, gum, disposable cameras, compact disc and used women's underwear from vending machines.
- Some of us eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- It is an ill omen to stick your chopsticks upright in your rice.
- it is impolite to tear the wrapping paper off of a gift.
- There is almost no vandalism in Japan.
- Most Japanese people has never tried or tasted turkey.
- Fruit is very expensive.
- It is not uncommon to pay $2 for a single apple.
- Watermelon can cost up to $100 dollars.
- It is customary to take shoes off before entering ones home. You are normally provided with slippers to walk about within the home.
- According to a survey, Japanese own an average of 7 umbrellas per person and annual demand for umbrellas was 100 million.
- Sometimes, even though it was clear in the morning, it will start raining in the middle of the day. For times like these, many people keep an extra umbrella at school or workplace, called an oki-gasa.
- McDonald's is pronounced Ma-ku-do-na-ru-do.
- It is not uncommon to see women wearing platform shoes that are 4 to 6 inches high.
- The new generation of Japanese are not as short as most westerners think.
- Most Japanese kitchens do not have ovens.
- Christianity consist of less than 10% of the population.
- Most homes do not have central heat or air.
- A movie ticket is roughly $18 U.S. dollars per person.
- Public trash cans are scarce.
- Subways are very clean.
- There are Oshiyas or "Pushers" at the train station stops in Tokyo, whose job is to push and pack as many people onto the train as possible.
- It is not uncommon for women to get groped on crowded trains.
- Pokemon is not popular in Japan.
- Fair skin is regarded as beautiful.
- Whale is a delicacy.
- Clothes are hung outside to dry.
- Heated toilet seats are very popular.
Words that are related to rain. These are named by vocal imitation of the sound in which each type of rainfall makes.
ぽつぽつ Potsu-potsu - dripping sound when it begins to rain.
しとしと Shito-shito - continuous fine precipitation as when it rains all day.
ザーザー Zha-zha - huge downpour, usually very hard rain.
(C) official Japan tourism logo. 2009
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