Unique Japan: features of the mentality that surprise all tourists

Japan is a unique technological country in which progress goes along with the most ancient culture, the benefits of civilization are side by side with historical traditions, in which there is an absolutely incredible atmosphere and unimaginable fashion. In this article you will find very unexpected things, rules and regulations of the land of the Rising Sun.

The cult of anime

The Japanese love cartoons in the style of "anime". Anime is not just cartoons, but a whole cultural layer, designed mainly for an adult audience. Anime characters usually have a bright unusual appearance and character traits.

This cult in Japan is found everywhere and in everything, including clothes. Many Japanese invent pseudonyms for themselves and live most of their lives in a fictional world as a fictional character.

Punctuality

Japanese culture does not consider being late to be acceptable at all under any circumstances and never! The Japanese strictly adhere to the rules of punctuality, if the sign indicates that the store opens at 8 a.m., then no disasters and incidents will be able to force the owner of the establishment to deviate from this schedule for even a minute.

Mayonnaise

While the rest of the world usually uses mayonnaise as a salad dressing, the Japanese use traditional Kewpie mayonnaise to make ice cream, chips and even pancakes. The composition of this traditional Japanese product includes egg yolks, lemon juice, miso, vegetable oil, salt, ground white pepper and ground yuzu peel.

Garbage

Japan recycles 90% of waste and strives for waste-free production. For a foreigner starting to live in Japan, the main problem with garbage is to figure out the rules for its removal and sorting. There are no traditional garbage cans in Japan, as all garbage is recycled. Waste is divided into four types: glass, incinerated, recyclable and non-incinerated garbage. Each type of waste is taken out on a certain day and it can only be disposed of according to strictly allotted numbers. A large fine is imposed for violation of the procedure.

Types of writing

In Japanese, three types of writing are used simultaneously: Hiragana (syllabic system for writing Japanese words), Katakana (syllabic system for writing borrowed words) and Kanji (hieroglyphic writing).

The scale

Japan is a small country, but there are a lot of the biggest things here. It is home to the most expensive amusement park in the world, Disney Sea, four of the ten tallest roller coasters. Tokyo has the most developed subway system in the world, the largest railway hub and the largest mixed pedestrian intersection.

Smoking

Japan has one of the most liberal tobacco laws. Smoking is allowed everywhere except railway platforms and airports. In Japan, the public takes the problem of secondhand smoke seriously and adheres to the rules of public behavior of a smoker. Nevertheless, there is a lot of smoking here and everywhere.

Hentai

The word "hentai" is common in the Western world, and in Japan itself other terms are used for this concept, for example, juhachi-kin (yap. 18禁, letters. "forbidden before 18") and this is a collective term for a kind of manga with an erotic bent.The free sale of such materials in Japan surprises tourists, but for locals it is a familiar phenomenon. In bookstores, hentai products will make up a third of the entire range.

Is Lefty an outcast?

In the land of the Rising Sun, it is indecent to be left-handed. This flaw is carefully hidden and diligently etched out at school. Now about 10% of the Japanese population are left-handed, at one time there was even a law according to which a man could divorce his wife if he found out that she was left-handed. Now more and more companies are producing products, office supplies and household items for lefties.

Vending machines for every taste

Vending machines for everything are very popular in Japan. They are here almost every step of the way. And the assortment of snacks, toys and much more in them is so great that

Cleanliness of the streets

The Japanese place great importance on street hygiene. There are no piles of garbage at the entrances. All streets are thoroughly disinfected. Even in areas where snow falls and there is a risk of icing, special heating is installed on the roads. If you come to Japan with an animal, be sure to clean up after it.

Interpersonal relationships

Interpersonal relationships among the Japanese are divided into three types according to the principle of "friend and foe"

The first type of relationship is determined when communicating with strangers, on the street, in a store or on public transport. Within the framework of this principle, the Japanese do not assume any moral obligations on the part of outsiders and behave accordingly.

The second type occurs between people who are not relatives, but who are closely acquainted with each other and have the same interests. These can be work colleagues, neighbors, etc. These relationships imply a long-term perspective and carry moral obligations. It is this type that is typical for work collectives.

The third type is the "unlimited relationship" that is established between close friends or relatives.

Hikikomori

Despite the powerful economy, high level of benefits of civilization, long life expectancy and security, the Japanese continue to struggle with the protracted social crisis, the main manifestation of which is the aging of society.

For various reasons, about 1-2 million Japanese people completely isolate themselves from the real world and lock themselves in their rooms. Such recluses are called hikikomori. Total loneliness and rejection of society forces people to move away from society and avoid social contacts. High expectations of society and close people are one of the reasons for the high isolation of the Japanese from each other.

Suicides

The widespread internal loneliness of the Japanese and burnout at work lead people to irreparable consequences.

Blue traffic light

Blue is used instead of green on Japanese traffic lights. It's all because of the evolution of the Japanese language. Initially, there were only four colors: black, white, red and blue. For all other colors, a mixture of these basic colors was used. As a result, Japan decided to abandon the "complex" green and began to use blue.

The cult of toilets

The Japanese toilet is a completely independent separate territory. To maintain hygiene and prevent bacteria from entering, the Japanese change their shoes when they go to the toilet. The comfort of Japanese toilets and toilet seats can only be appreciated by a tourist with a different mentality. After the completion of the act, a whole range of water procedures awaits you. On the right hand there will be a special remote control for selecting the program. Moreover, such smart toilets are even in public places.

Gifts

It is not customary for the Japanese to open a gift in the presence of guests and the giver himself. When receiving a gift, the main thing is not to damage the packaging and in no case drop the gift. Also, a feature of the Japanese tradition associated with gifts is a return gift.