Japanese Culture

1) Japanese food is created with pride and excitement

The Japanese take great pride and excitement in the food they prepare, with many things being made with the craftsmanship that modern day ‘hipsters’ seemingly adore (however, if we’re being honest, the Western view of local & craftsmanship has shifted away from the typically adored mass production of food in the last few years- maybe the Japanese are onto something…)

2) The Japanese diet consists mainly of rice, fresh seafood and pickled vegetables

This healthy diet is considered to be one of the reasons the Japanese live such long lives.

3) Japanese food is so much more than sushi

Sushi has become a Westernized speciality for celebratory nights out or a self indulgent treat. It is also the food that Japan has become most well known for. However, Japanese diets go beyond sushi. While fresh seafood is a huge part of their typical diet, vegetarians (like myself) can find plenty of tofu, buckwheat noodles and seasonal vegetables to enjoy.

4) Chopsticks are the equivalent to a fork and knife.

And just like we have etiquette with utensils in the United States, there is etiquette for using chopsticks.

Never point with your chopsticks

Don’t place your chopsticks in a bowl of rice or pass food around with them

10) Japanese people are very friendly and kind. They will notice if you are a visitor and are helpful if you become lost or confused. You will be in awe with how polite, well mannered and quiet the Japanese are.

Some say that this mentality stems from the strong history of the samurai (discipline, respect honor), which transcended through time to modern society

11) PDA is a no-no

It’s improper to show public displays of affection

12) Instead of pointing with your finger, show with your hand, palm facing up

13) Greet with a bow

A bow is the equivalent to a handshake. You don’t need to bow to everyone who bows to you (otherwise you would bow to every restaurant employee you come across and spend your entire day bent over), you can instead do a polite head nod. However, many Japanese are becoming accustomed to shaking hands

Bows are silent ways of saying thank you, greeting or saying farewell and for apologizing

14) Public spaces are quite quiet. You won’t see many loud or rambunctious Japanese in public spaces, however the nightlife can be a completely different story

15) Overall, the city of Tokyo is very safe.

We never felt uncomfortable or that there were pickpockets

16) Try not to stare

I’m not sure if it’s the sales person in me, but I found myself giving direct eye contact to way too many people when visiting Japan. I noticed I was doing it because they do not do the same. I came to find out that this a cultural norm.

17) The maps for public transportation can be quite confusing to a visitor. Don’t let it frighten you, because if you look lost someone will most likely stop to help you. At one point during our trip, a gentleman stopped on his way to work to help walk us outside of the metro station and take us to the correct station (did I mention the Japanese are some of the kindest people?)

Great piece of advice: don’t just stop inside of a train station if you are lost or confused. Move to the side, out of the way, as there are so many people filtering through them

I put together an awesome guide for how to use Tokyo’s Public Transportation here!

18) The city of Tokyo is spotlessly clean

There aren’t many public trash cans, yet the streets are all immaculate (I once saw a man shining a fire hydrant… that’s cleanliness level that Monica Gellar would be proud of). This means that the cities cleanliness is partly self maintained by its people. Respect the country and its people by not littering.

19) There’s a difference between a shrine and temple

A shrine is for the Shinto religion, whereas a temple is for the Buddhist religion. You can tell the difference upon your entrance as a shrine will have water for those entering to wash their hands and mouth in order to cleanse the soul before entering, and a temple will most likely require shoes to be removed prior to entering.

20) You will see evidence of the country’s religious heritage everywhere you look. The Japanese are very proud of it, although for each person religion is typically a private affair

21) In fact, many Japanese gardens are based on Buddhism, but the two religions mutually exist together

As with any country there are different cultural segments among the people – for Japan it would be Shinto, Buddhism, Ryukyukan and Ainu – yet the overall sense of respect and honor transcend throughout its entirety. Japan is a country where traditions that go back for thousands of years are respected, and fast paced evolution with fashion trends, architecture and technology are sought after simultaneously. There is debate among which stands to support Japan moving forward – the traditions or advancements – but that’s a discussion for another time, maybe one we can have during or after the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo.