25 CURIOSITIES OF JAPAN AND THE JAPANESE

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Japan is, along with India, the most surreal place we have ever visited. And it is that more than a different country we seemed to land in a parallel universe, where completely strange and meaningless things were happening around us. Meaningless to us, because Japanese is a culture that is based on very strong customs and traditions, and everything that happens there always has an explanation. It is a destination that ends up captivating to the core, to the point of missing it so much that you will want to return again and again. In this post we will tell you 25 curiosities of Japan, get ready to freak out!

1. Tokyo is one of the largest cities on the planet (what a novelty!), What you may not know is that its Shinjuku station is the busiest in the world: every day an average of 4 million people pass through here. And the most incredible thing is that, as many people as they are, they are always so coordinated that they never bump into each other, they look like programmed robots! There the one that will annoy you will be, we tell you from our own experience.

2. Japan has one of the highest life expectancy in the world (The first place is usually played with Spain!). It is also one of the "oldest" countries, basically because of the low birth rate.

3. The japanese cuisine It is one of the healthiest (and richest) in the world. And best of all is that eating is not as expensive as you can imagine: There are many offers in fast food restaurants, but nothing to do with McDonalds or Burguer King, but with Japanese recipes. In this post we tell you which are the best fast food in Japan. But it is also an ideal destination for those looking for Michelin-starred restaurants: there are more than 500 spread throughout the country. Before eating, wherever you are, say the magic words:itadakimasu! (Bon Appetite).

4. One of the things that worry when it comes to eating is that the letter is only in Japanese. But you really don't have to worry: in most restaurants there are plastic replicas of the menu items (and they are so well made that they seem real). In Tokyo there is even a street where you can buy them and take them as a souvenir: Kappabashi Dori.

5. During your trip through Japan you will see lots of people with masks. At first we thought it was due to pollution or allergies, but then they explained that they use them so as not to infect the rest when they are sick. There are masks of all kinds, from typical white to more lively ones, with kawaii drawings, of course.

6. And speaking of kawaii, this is a concept that you will see everywhere. In Japan everything is kawaii, that is, cute, beautiful, careful ... It is rare to find a poster without decoration or without cartoons.

7. The tattoos in Japan, especially if they are very large, they are not well seen since they associate with the Yakuza, the dreaded mafia of the country. In fact, one of the rules for using a public toilet (sitting) is not having tattoos.

8. If while you walk down the street you suddenly hear a deafening noise, do not worry: most likely you are near a Pachinko, one of the most loved games by the Japanese.

9. There are vending machines everywhere, there we read that there are more than 5,000,000 spread throughout the country, so in case of thirst there is no possibility of dehydration. You have to try the flavors of flavors (the peach is delicious, yes, quite sugary).

10. One of the best experiences you will live in Japan is!go to the bathroom! Yes, Japanese toilets are light years away from ours. To start when you sit down, the cup is warm (which, especially in the cold months, it is appreciated), and then you have to know that the toilets are a mixture of toilet and bidet, with a control that controls the intensity of the jet, the address, even if you want to play music ... You will have the feeling of being in a space rocket.

11. The japanese in general they are super polite and friendly people. On the contrary they carry a past full of wars: throughout their history they invaded China, Korea and other parts of Asia. This is the reason why Asians don't have a very good opinion of them.

12. A somewhat sinister curiosity of Japan is that it is one of the countries with the highest suicide rate. There is even a forest known as "The Forest of Suicides" (Aokigahara), famous for what you imagine: many people choose to take their own lives. If you notice, in most Tokyo subway stations there are glass panels that separate the platform from the trains, the reason is quite macabre: prevent people from jumping on the train.

13. In Japan not only It is not common to tip, it is almost an offense for those who receive it, or so they explained to us.

14. Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and you can notice it even in the small things: if you leave your mobile or your laptop on the table of a cafeteria and go to the bathroom, on the way back you will find it as you have left it.

15. When toast you have to say Kampai! Don't even think of saying "chin, chin" (apparently that word resembles another word that means penis!).

16. The Japanese are about in love with Kit Kat and you can find them from a lot of flavors, from sake to cherry blossoms, from cheescake to green tea.

17. The samurai they were warriors who defended their feudal lord in ancient Japan. They followed a super strict ethical code (bushido) which was made up of 7 virtues: justice, courage, benevolence, courtesy, honesty, honor and loyalty. One of the most famous legends around the samurai is the Legend of the 47 Ronin.

18. In Japan there are many active volcanos, and that not only has bad things: the big advantage is the hot Springs. Throughout the country there are thousands of onsen where you can relax (most are beautiful, immersed in nature).

19. We must notconfuse us between onsen and sento. Sentos are public baths that can be found in all cities of Japan and do not usually have hot springs. They were created so that neighbors who did not have a bathroom at home, could devote a few hours to their personal hygiene. Nowadays everyone has a bathroom at home, but the tradition of going to bed is quite common. Remember that there are certain rules such as undressing completely, and of course there are feelings for men and feelings for women.

20. The geishas are one of the most traditional Japan icons. Contrary to what some may think, they are not related to anything sexual, they are rather great connoisseurs of traditional Japanese arts (tea ceremony, dances, songs and literature ...).

21. The Japanese they are very workers (You could write a separate post on this topic) and only enjoy a few 5-9 vacation days a year. The most curious thing is that practically everyone travels during the “Golden week”Which takes place at the end of April and beginning of May.

22. If you take a cab most likely the seats are lined with covers made of crochet. The truth is that we do not know the reason very well, we assume it will be an aesthetic issue but it is something that caught our attention!

23. Don't be scared if, when entering a supermarket or in a restaurant, all the workers yell at you Something smiling. At first we understood "washing machine", but what they say is!Irasshaimase! That is like welcoming you to their store.

24. The girls japanese are crazy about beauty, you just have to visit a makeup shop to see the amount of “weird things” they sell (the sticker that they put on their eyes to form eyelids, for me, they take the gold medal). But beware, it's not just the girls!

25. Another very, very, very rare thing is the yaeba, a fashion that consists of having a crooked smile! It seems that it was in the wake of the Twilight saga: suddenly, many girls began to ask dentists to modify the alignment of the teeth and leave the crooked fangs out, recreating almost a vampire smile. Curious not?

The truth is that these are just 25 curiosities of Japan and the Japanese, but surely there are many more. Have you traveled to that country so rare? What caught your attention the most?