Some interesting things about Japan

Did You Know...
Some interesting things about Japan
which you might not have known!

A can of Coca-Cola costs more than one dollar US from a vending machine.

Japanese people, in general, can't drive very well.

Restaurants in Japan (including many fast-food places) give you moist towels or wipes before or with your meal.

At many businesses in Japan, they offer alcohol to the employees after six pm.

It is usually mandatory to give a landlord a gift of money of $1,000-$2000 when moving into his apartment building.

On Respect for the Aged Day, tobacco companies will hand out free cigarettes to the elderly outside of train stations and department stores.

The Japanese love corn, sesame seeds, and mayonnaise on their pizza.

There are no 24 hour ATMs in Japan (closed on holidays and many only open during normal bank hours).

Many Japanese teachers think that Japanese parents are lazy.

The green traffic light is called "blue".

Slurp your soup.

Newspaper editors make their headlines so as to not attract attention.

KFC is the place to be on Christmas Day.

Japan has about 1,500 earthquakes each year.

In the Japanese language, it is considered rude to say the word "no" directly.

It is nearly impossible to become a naturalized citizen of Japan.

You can smoke just about anywhere.

Japanese people take a hot bath every night, some do not have showers installed in their bathrooms.

There is no insulation in Japanese homes' walls.

Japan has roughly 200 volcanoes.

It is considered rude to show signs of affection toward a loved one in public.

When you go to a funeral or a wedding you must take a gift of money.

Three words: "heated toilet seats".

In Japan, flower arranging is an art.

The new generation of Japanese people are not as short as Westerners think.

You can buy batteries, beer, wine, condoms, cigarettes, comic books, hot dogs, light bulbs, and used women's underwear from vending machines.

Many Japanese people eat rice with or for their breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Never stick your chopsticks upright in your rice. This is an old Japanese custom and is what is done when food is offered to the dead. When it is not an offering it is considered to be a very ill omen.

In Japan you will find cars by the names of "It's", "Let's", "Sunny", "Perky", "Gloria", "Move", "Toppo", "Lepo" and "Dump".

McDonalds employees will run outside to give you your drive-thru order.

The Japanese visit shrines and give eachother money for New Year's.

It is impolite to tear the wrapping paper off of a gift.

Japanese junior high school students do not need to pass any of their classes to graduate. Education only through junior high school is compulsory.

Young women will hand you toilet paper outside of train stations.

There is almost no vandalism in Japan.

Gas station attendants will bow as the car pulls out of the station.

It is socially acceptable to pick your nose in public and urinate at the side of the road, but you cannot blow your nose in public.

Approximately 85% of Japanese people have never tasted turkey.

Japan is about the size of California and has half the population of the entire United States.

Snowmen in Japan are made of two large snowballs instead of three.

It will always take one to two hours for a pizza to be delivered.

There is at least one vending machine on every corner.

All you ever wanted to know about the world's largest phallus festival can be found here.

It is not uncommon to pay $2 for a single apple.

The sun is red in Japan and the country itself is referred to by Japanese people as "the land of the rising sun"