Japan’s unique culture is a fascinating blend of old and new.
With deeply-rooted
customs and a continuously-evolving lifestyle, Japan is both proudly traditional and
ultramodern. This is a nation that celebrates its strong cultural identity, from food and
everyday etiquette to art and education. Whether you’re planning a trip or just want to
learn more about the country, these 20 facts on Japanese culture will give you a
deeper insight into the nation’s unique and fascinating culture.
1. CHOPSTICKS
Good table manners are highly regarded in Japanese culture and correctly using
chopsticks is an important part of polite dining. So when using chopsticks in Japan,
don’t stab or cut your food with them. Instead, you should lift the food as it is to your
mouth. Don’t point at something with your chopsticks, as this is rude in Japanese
culture. Meanwhile, you should never leave your chopsticks sticking upright in a bowl
of rice, as this is associated with funeral customs. Instead, place them on the chopstick
rest in between bites or when you finish eating.
2. BOWING
Bowing (known as ojigi) is the traditional form of greeting in Japan. However,
bowing can also be used to indicate gratitude, congratulations, or an apology. In
casual daily situations, a bow is often a simple nod of the head. Meanwhile, a longer
and deeper bow is more respectful and can signify a formal apology or sincere thanks.
Don’t worry if you’re just visiting – it’s completely acceptable for foreigners to shake
hands in Japan.
3. BATHROOM SLIPPERS
In Japanese homes, there’s typically an area inside the front door, known as genkan,
where people swap their shoes for house slippers. Going to the bathroom involves
changing slippers again, as cleanliness is an inherent part of Japanese culture. The
most important thing to remember is to swap slippers again as soon as you leave the
bathroom. It’s considered very embarrassing to leave bathroom slippers on when you
reenter a living space.
4. ANIME
One of Japan’s best known cultural exports, anime is popular on a global scale. Anime
refers to Japanese animation that’s either hand drawn or created digitally. Although
Japanese anime accounted for 60% of the world’s animation in 2016, it’s biggest
impact has been on modern Japanese culture. If you travel around the country, look
out for anime statues, snacks in themed packaging, and character-based advertising.
5. SLURPING NOODLES
There are lots of interesting dining traditions in Japan, but slurping noodles has to be
one of the most fun. When Japanese diners slurp their noodles, it’s seen as both a sign
of enjoyment and a compliment to the chef. So next time you order ramen or yakisoba
in Japan, feel free to slurp to your heart’s content.
6. EATING SUSHI
Sushi isn’t just one of Japan’s most popular dishes – it’s loved all over the globe. If
you want to embrace Japanese culture, it’s worth perfecting the way you eat it. The
traditional way to eat maki and nigiri sushi is with the fingers, while sashimi is eaten
with chopsticks. It’s also worth remembering that when dipping sushi in soy sauce,
only the fish should touch the sauce. Rice soaks up too much soy sauce, so Japanese
people tend to avoid doing this. Meanwhile, the only time mixing wasabi and soy
sauce together is acceptable is when eating sashimi.
7. CHANKONABE
Most frequently associated with sumo wrestlers, chankonabe is a traditional Japanese
stew. Packed with fish, vegetables, meat, and tofu, this high-calorie dish is eaten daily
by sumo wrestlers. Sumo wrestlers eat chankonabe with bowls of rice and it provides
them with the necessary nutrients for their training.
8. ONSEN ETIQUETTE
Visitors to onsens, or hot springs baths, are required to bathe naked in Japan.
Traditional onsens do not allow swimsuits, so everyone must shower thoroughly
before entering the baths. This means that visitors leave their clothes and large towels
in the locker room and take just a small towel with them to the bathing area. As
there’s usually nowhere to put the small towels, the traditional solution is to put it on
your head.
9. LITERACY
At a rate of almost 100%, Japan’s literacy rate is one of the highest in the world. This
is largely thanks to the country’s excellent education system, which is compulsory at
the levels of elementary and Junior High School. Japan’s wealth of great writers may
also be linked to the country’s focus on literacy. You can experience Japanese
literature for yourself by reading the works of some of the nation’s best authors.
10. FUGU
Every year, incorrectly prepared fugu causes food poisoning in Japan. Fugu, Japan’s
toxic blowfish, is one of the most lethal natural products on the planet. Yet it remains
an expensive and sought-after delicacy in Japan. Chefs must train for a minimum of
three years before undertaking an examination to legally cook and serve it.
12. SITTING SEIZA
Seiza, which means sitting with your legs folded underneath you, is the traditional
way to sit on Japanese tatami floors. At formal occasions, sitting seiza is considered
appropriate and respectful. Even so, it’s a difficult position for the average person to
hold. Older Japanese people sometimes sit with their legs out in front of them, which
is completely acceptable.
18. POURING DRINKS
The Japanese consider it impolite to pour your own drink at dinner parties. So it’s best
to pour everyone else’s drinks and then wait for someone else to pour yours.
19. OSHIBORI
Japanese restaurants often give customers a moist towel, known as oshibori, to clean
their hands before eating. Depending on the season, the towel will be cold or hot. Just
don’t use it to clean your face or use it throughout the meal.
20. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
For most Japanese people, non-verbal communication is an important part of social
interactions. In Japan, facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language are all
seen as influential on the tone of a conversation. Words can have various meanings, so
Japanese people often observe non-verbal signals to work out what someone really
means.
These interesting facts about Japan are just a taster of all there is to learn about the
nation’s culture. In Japan, cutting-edge trends sit side by side with ancient traditions.
This dynamic cultural mix is part of what makes it such an exciting country to
explore.
4. Japan has the third highest life expectancy in
the world
Japanese have the highest life expectancy in the world due to their diet and
lifestyle. They are very healthy people and exercise regularly. On average
men will live until their 81 years old and women 87 years old. This is causing
a crisis in Japan because there’s a lack of childbirth also. Now there are more
seniors than children and this is causing a problem for the Japanese
economy. Apparently, Japan sells more adult diapers than children’s – how
fascinating and problematic at the same time!
8. You’re allowed to take naps on the job
Yes, that right! In fact, naps are encouraged on the job because this improves
workflow and speed. It’s also considered a sign that you are dedicated to your
job and have worked hard and long for your job!
15. Square melons are a thing
There is such a thing as square watermelons! Apparently, they are grown like
this for decoration and cost as much as $100!
18. No 4’s please!
It common in Japanese culture to totally avoid the number four because the
word sounds the same as the world death. Buildings will commonly not have
the 4th floor, cutlery is sold in sets of 3 or 4 and the number of guests invited
to a tea ceremony will never be 4!
20. Fruit is the best gift you can give
If you don’t know what to get your host, then gift them fruit. You will notice the
price of fruit is astronomically high. There’s a fruit gifting shop in Tokyo and
fruit can be as expensive as $27,000!
Japan
The Japanese culture values the elderly. Appreciation for elders has been ingrained in
families and their children, making Japan one of the most kind places in the world for
seniors.
Many Japanese families have several generations living under one roof. This
arrangement is believed to be one of the many reasons the elderly in Japan live longer
than any other population. In fact, there are more elderly citizens than young people in
Japan as the population is comprised of more people over the age of 65 than any other
group, according to the Administration on Aging.
Happiness and longevity, well into the latter part of life in Japan, have been attributed to
strong community bonds, family and healthy living that includes plenty of exercise and
healthy, low-fat diets. Honoring tradition to care for and respect family members,
especially seniors, doesn’t hurt.
1
Avoid direct contact.
2
Hold only brief eye contact
3
Give a small bow or dip of the head.
1. Japan consists of over 6,800 islands.
2. Japan has a ‘suicide forest’. Called ‘the perfect place to die’, the
Aokigahara forest has the unfortunate distinction of the world’s second
most popular place to take one’s life. (The first is the Golden Gate
Bridge)
3. Animated Japanese films and television shows (i.e.: Anime)
account for 60% of the world’s animation-based entertainment. So
successful is animation in Japan, that there are almost 130 voice-
acting schools in the country.
4. 21% of the Japanese population is elderly, the highest proportion in
the world. Japan has more than 50,000 people who are over 100
years old.
5. Raised floors help indicate when to take off slippers or shoes. At
the entrance to a home in Japan, the floor will usually be raised about
6 inches (15.24 cm) indicating you should take off your shoes and put
on slippers. If the house has a tatami mat room, its floor may be
raised 1-2 inches (2.54-5.08 cm.) indicating you should take off your
slippers.
6. Japan has just 2 gun-related homicides per year on average.
Japan feels very safe in general. They say you could leave your wallet
on the floor of the busiest metro station and come back an hour later
to still find it there, untouched. I didn’t test that though…
7. Japanese trains are among the world’s most punctual: their
average delay is just 18 seconds!
8. Square watermelons are grown by Japanese farmers for easier
stack and store.
9. In Japan there are more pets than children.
10. Japan’s birth rate is so low that adult diapers are sold more than
baby diapers.
11. The Japanese survivor of the Titanic was called a coward in his
country for not dying with the other passengers.
12. In Japan there are ‘Maid Cafes’ where waitresses dressed in
maid costumes act as servants, and treat customers as masters (and
mistresses) in a private home, rather than as café patrons.
13. Around 24 billion pairs of chopsticks are used in Japan each
year.
14. 685 kids were rushed to hospitals in Japan in 1997 after an
intense pokemon episode that caused dizziness, vomiting and
seizures.
15. Japan has 5.52 million vending machines offering anything from
soda to sex toys and live crabs.
16. Ronald McDonald is called Donald McDonald in Japan due to a
lack of a clear ‘R’ sound in Japanese.
17. Many hot springs and public bathhouses in Japan ban customers
with tattoos from entering because they see it as possible affiliation
with gangs.
18. They use more paper for comics than for toilet paper in Japan.
19. Sometimes the trains in Japan are so crowded railway staff are
employed to cram passengers inside.
20. In Japan there is a train that “floats” above the tracks by
magnetism, reaching 550km/h (311 mph).
21. If you commit suicide in Japan by jumping in front of a train, the
family of the deceased will be charged a disruption fee.
22. Norway introduced salmon sushi to the Japanese in the 80’s.
23. In Japan there is a ‘crying sumo’ contest where wrestlers
compete to see who can make a baby cry first.
24. Coffee is so popular in Japan that Japan imports approximately
85% of Jamaica’s annual coffee production.
25. Most toilets in Japan have a built-in bidet system for spraying your
backside. These are known as washlets and are now the norm in
homes and nicer restrooms. However, in some train stations and other
public restrooms you may still find the traditional Japanese “floor
toilet”.
26. When you use the restroom in someone’s home you may need to
put on designated bathroom slippers so as not to contaminate the
rest of the home.
27. Noodles, especially soba (buckwheat), are slurped somewhat
loudly when eaten. It has been said slurping indicates the food is
delicious. The slurping also serves to cool down the hot noodles for
eating.
28. In a Sumo training “stable” the junior rikishi Sumo wrestlers must
wash and bathe their senior sumo wrestlers and make sure their hard
to reach places are clean.
29. Ovens are not nearly as commonplace as rice cookers in
Japanese households.
30. Geisha means “person of the arts” and the first geisha were
actually men.
31.In Japan non-smoking areas are often difficult to find in
restaurants, including family restaurants. Many of Japan’s politicians
have an interest in the tobacco industry.
32. There is almost no immigration in Japan. The population is 98%
ethnic Japanese.
33. Japan is the world’s largest consumer of Amazon rain forest
timber.
34. The greater Tokyo area is the largest metropolitan area in the
world, with over 35 million people.
35. Tokyo is the second most expensive city in the world to live in.
36. Sushi used to be eaten as street food.
37. The world’s most expensive tuna was sold in Japan for $735,000
USD.
38. It’s considered inappropriate to blow your nose in public.
39. Japanese sake is made from fermented rice.
40. The fortune cookie dates back to the 19th century and was first
made in Kyoto, Japan.
Japanese Culture & Tradition
Facts: 11 Etiquette Tips
Before You Go
1. Take Off Your Shoes
Some places will require that you take off your shoes
indoors, especially in a persons home, or anywhere
there are tatami mats. You obviously won’t need to take
your shoes off everywhere, but if there’s a mat next to
the front door with some shoes next to it, that’s your
cue.
Slippers are sometimes provided in restrooms, hotels
and private homes. Use them!
2. Bow When Greeting
There are all kinds of customs around bowing, but you
shouldn’t worry about knowing all the particulars—the
Japanese generally don’t expect foreigners to get it
completely right. But as a baseline, tradition is that you
should bow when greeting someone out of respect. That
can vary from a slight nod of the head to completely
bending down at the waist.
The longer and deeper the bow, the more respectful—
but don’t feel obligated to overdo it every time! And—pro
tip—bowing with your hands together in front of your
chest isn’t the custom in Japan.
Related: Bowing in Japan
3. Don’t Tip
Tipping is always something to adjust to when you’re in
a new country, because it seems that every one is
different. In the Japanese culture, it’s easy: you don’t
have to do any quick math or remember specific
percentages because tipping is not customary. Not in
the traditional restaurants, hotels or for cabs. You can
leave some leftover coins, but tips aren’t expected.
Though tipping is not traditionally customary or
expected, there may be exceptions to this rule when
staying at large hotel chains or more americanized
attractions or restaurants.
4. Bring the Gift of Food
You’ll notice that at train stations and airports there are
entire shops filled with a plethora of food products. If
you want to buy a gift for someone in Japan, that’s
usually the way to go. Stay away from tchotchkes like
magnets and shot glasses. Instead, food items like
matcha flavored snacks or mochi are more the
tradition.
Related: 11 Top Japanese Food Omiyage (Travel
Gifts)
5. Slurp Your Noodles
In Japanese culture, slurping your noodles is not only
customary, it is good manners—a sign that you’re
enjoying your food. Whether you’re drinking soup from
a bowl or eating noodles with chopsticks, slurping at a
reasonable volume is pretty standard. If you’re worried
about being too loud, you can always take note of how
loudly (or quietly) everyone else is eating.
Of course, burping and loudly crunching are still off
limits.
6. Don’t Slam Taxi Doors
When you’re taking taxis, you might be surprised to
find that the doors close automatically. That’s definitely
something that takes a little getting used to, but you
don’t want to shut the door when you get out of the car
and accidentally slam it.
I did it once and ended up scaring the bejesus out of
our driver in Shinjuku!
7. Know That Business Cards are Important
Handing out and receiving business cards is a much
less casual thing in Japan than it is in most Western
countries. In Japan, you always hand a business card
over using two hands and, of course, a little bow.
8. Wear Kimonos The Right Way
Kimonos might seem like an article of clothing that you
can’t really get wrong. You just put it on, wrap one side
in front of the other, and tie, right? Well, sort of. There
is huge variation in the types of kimonos that you can
wear, with different styles for formal and casual events,
or for married and unmarried women. But, like with the
tradition of bowing, you don’t need to know all of the
specifics.
That would be a whole lot of information to take in, but
for now here’s a basic tip: for both women and men,
kimonos fold left over right—exactly the opposite of
women’s clothing in the US. With some kimonos, you
can tell pretty quickly if you’ve put the wrong side on
top because it will interrupt the pattern. Regardless,
remember: left over right!
Related: How to Dress in a Kimono
9. Use Chopsticks Appropriately
Here’s another one that might take some getting used
to: how to use chopsticks. Even once you’ve gotten the
form down, there are a few customs to keep in mind.
It’s considered inappropriate to stab or cut food with
your chopsticks, or to stick them upright in your food.
Putting your chopsticks upright in rice, for example, is
associated with funeral traditions.
If you need to break up a large piece of food, like
tempura, you can always just lift it with the chopsticks
and take a bite off. That might feel silly, but it’s actually
more appropriate than stabbing or breaking it up with
your chopsticks.
When you’re done eating, you can place your chopsticks
in front of you, with the tips facing to the left.
10. Know the Etiquette When Visiting an Onsen
(Hot Spring Bath)
If you’re not familiar with public baths, they can be
pretty intimidating. Visitors to the traditional public hot
springs in Japan bath naked—swimsuits aren’t allowed
—which might make you wonder about how hygienic
the whole thing is. Not to worry, though! Everyone
washes up before they get into the bath.
Once you go to the changing rooms and put your
clothes up, you’ll take a small towel with you to the
baths. The first thing to do once you get there is wash
off at one of the showers. Typically, these showers will
be equipped with small stools, movable showerheads,
soap, and shampoo, so that you can sit down and wash
up before getting into the bath.
After that, you’re good to go! You can get in and out as
many times as you like, but the important thing is to
wash up and rinse off first.
Related: Taking a Japanese Bath
11. Be Courteous on the Subway
This is a pretty simple one, but it’s worth stating. When
you’re riding on the subway in Japan mind your
manners. It’s generally best practice to not eat or talk
on your phone. Other than that, the usual courtesies
apply!
