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“Tamara and I go as a couple” - this is a little about them :)

Since December 13, they began to create kadomatsu all over Japan - magical twins, without which it is impossible in this country New Year!

"Kadomatsu" translates as "pine at the gate." They decorate, in fact, the entrances to temples, shops, houses and even just apartments. They are placed in pairs, on both sides of the door.

Japan is a relatively small country. But how gracefully its inhabitants play it up! Therefore, kadomatsu is a multifunctional item. This is not just a popular New Year's decoration, it is also a greeting to the deity of the coming year, and a wish tree.

The Japanese believe that the deity chooses kadomatsu as a temporary home. In some areas it is called "Mr. Pine", hence the use of pine in the creation of this decoration. Leaves with desires are tied to kadomatsu at the entrances to temples.

This object revered by the Japanese is created not only from pine. Fern, oak, bamboo, oranges, chestnut, algae, apricot branches and much more are used.

As a rule, kadomatsu looks like this. In the center are pine branches or, for example, bamboo stalks, they are arranged in 3, 5 or 7 rows. Around - a decoration of flowers and greenery, all this is tied up with a straw rope. The composition is placed in wooden pots.

The size - from desktop to floor. A shimenawa amulet is hung between two pots; it is a rope woven from rice straw, hung with paper ribbons. In those places where the pine tree is especially revered as a totem, Christmas decorations they don’t make it out of it, they take bamboo or something else.

Sometimes kadomatsu is placed not at the entrance to the room, but inside, then the decoration should not be paired. They also decorate home altars and gardens.

Interestingly, more than half a century ago, artificial kadomatsu appeared.

And this bamboo seems to be laughing :)

Out of reverence for the deity, materials for kadomatsu are prepared on the lucky day of December 13th. The “twins” are removed, as a rule, on January 14, and burned on a festive fire. Its flame is a farewell to the past year, a cleansing before new life. By the way, along with kadomatsu, all holiday decorations are burned. In rural areas and now it is a great national event.

And there are also these:

During New Year's and New Year's days, kadomatsu are kept clean and tidy, they are served with symbolic portions of festive dishes - zoni soup with mochi cakes. It reminded me of this offering to our brownies :)

Of course, kadomatsu are made according to all the rules of ikebana art: each element carries its own special meaning, its location is also symbolic. So, pine is a symbol of longevity, bamboo speaks of stamina, straw rope is a talisman against evil spirits and diseases.

The decoration at the entrance is placed in pairs because it represents the union of a man and a woman. Bamboo stems are placed at different levels, which means heaven, humanity, earth. Well done Japanese :)

This tradition is spreading in other countries as well. Very beautiful!

I congratulate everyone on the upcoming holidays, and wish the same as kadomatsu - longevity, stamina and no adversity! And translating into the language of needlework - free time for pleasant creativity, motivation for the development of skills and only good reviews at the Craft Fair!

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1. Happening in Japan earthquakes. You probably already know about it. But here they happen almost every day - small, such that you will not immediately notice. There are also terrible, destructive earthquakes, such as in 2011. And tsunami.
2. Japanese office work- Stress for a foreigner. Do not even think that you will like to rush headlong to the office in the morning (in no case should you be late for a minute - everything is like at school) and sit out until the victory until the senior manager leaves. With the seeming efficiency of the Japanese, innovative ideas and initiatives are often received with hostility, as a rule, employees simply sit in the office from morning to night, stretching the time before leaving and imitating activities.
   P.S. In fairness: foreigners are sometimes allowed concessions about leaving before the boss, etc.
3. Forget English- on the streets, in shops, even in hotels (!) Almost no one knows him. Better learn a few phrases in Japanese. If you speak English, use as simple vocabulary as possible and speak slowly.
4. And if you still speak English, always and everywhere you will be mistaken for an American 🙂
   Some daredevils will try to practice English with you by starting a conversation.
5. No matter how many years you live in Japan, you will always be a stranger. Even with a Japanese husband / wife, or with children. Even after 17 years.
6. urban architecture in Japan (we are not talking about temples and Japanese gardens) leaves much to be desired. In general, these are pessimistic gray square buildings of 3-4 floors, with empty eye sockets of windows that evoke thoughts of loneliness and the frailty of being. Networks of wires are strung over the gray boxes.
7. No sidewalks. The area for pedestrian traffic is simply separated by a strip of paint from the roadway. A pedestrian in Japan is less powerful than a cyclist - they drive both on the roads and on the pedestrian zone (in defense of the latter, I will say that there are not so many bike paths, despite the fact that Tokyo is the same cycling city as Copenhagen, to example.).
8. Lines, always and everywhere. Lines for ramen at lunchtime, queues for the escalator on the subway, giant queues at Disneyland, queues for who knows where...
9. The Japanese are always very neatly dressed. A tourist in sneakers and jeans will feel acutely white crow among the tastefully dressed and combed Japanese.
10. Incredible crowds of people in the morning on the subway. Try to avoid peak hours (7-9 am and 5-7 pm) and allow plenty of time for transfers at major subway stations such as Shibuya or Shinjuku.
11. Expensive transport. Japanese trains are comfortable and modern, but ticket prices are very, very high. If you intend to study at least a few Japanese cities get ready to spend.
12. Your driver's license will be invalid: both Russian and international driving licenses too. Renting a car with such rights will not work. Some acquaintances (of those who live in Japan) manage to drive with Russian international rights in Japan for several months (by car of a spouse, for example), taking advantage of the fact that the inspectors can turn a blind eye to this for some time. Not sure if this will work for a tourist.
13. Prices for vegetables and fruits. In Japan, this is a very expensive pleasure: as elsewhere, local products (mushrooms, vegetables) are slightly cheaper. An apple costs 150 yen on average, an orange the same. Vegetarians will have a hard time, as there are almost no specialized restaurants. Even if it says that the dish does not contain meat or fish, there may be fish sauce, for example.
14. Japanese holidays - time for mass tourism: these are high prices for hotels that are snapped up 2-3 months in advance, these are crowds of people everywhere you can imagine. The Japanese roam the country in next time: "golden week in May" = our the May holidays, week in august, new year and beginning of january.
15. For the same reason enjoy the khans() or momiji () Not sure it's going to happen. Places in the parks during the cherry blossom season are clogged with early morning- one of the employees is sent under a tree, and he will sit on a mat, waiting for lunch or evening until colleagues come. It is difficult to move between the trees among the mats. Everywhere is the smell of beer and other alcohol.
16. Difficulties with waste disposal and sorting. This will present difficulties for both the tourist and newcomers to Japan who will have to deal with sorting. There are no trash on the streets: look for them at the combi, sometimes on the platforms at large stations (for example, after getting off the shinkansen in Kyoto, you can throw a bento box into the bin on the platform).
    
17. get ready unshoe many times a day. For example, when walking through the temples in Kyoto, every time you have to take off your shoes. Shoes must also be taken off in front of the fitting room in the store, in the gym, in some restaurants, etc. You will also have to change shoes in ryokans, and don't forget - oh horror! - about special toilet slippers.
18. fancy japanese toilets with a thousand buttons. They are everywhere - in apartments, in the subway, in shopping malls. The presence of buttons inspires fear in an unprepared tourist, who in a panic will rush around the booth in search of the flush button.
19. Weird Japanese Foods, such as yuba - tofu skin, the film removed from tofu, or natto - rotten fermented beans with a terrible taste and smell.
20. Lovers of Western food will have a hard time. For example, in Japan it is bad with high-quality cheese - all because this product became known to the Japanese relatively recently, after the Meiji restoration. The cheese here is very wonderful (made in Japan), or it is cosmically expensive. The same applies to European meat (prosciutto and the like), various sauces - even pesto is not available everywhere. Chocolate brands popular in the West (and in Russia) will have to be looked for. Even Pringles chips - and then some strange ones, in a narrower package. Scarce foods include oatmeal, buckwheat and the like.
21. Size of Japanese apartments. Apartments in big cities, such as Tokyo, are expensive and quite tiny. There are instances of 20 sq.
    
22. Apartments for long-term rent are completely empty, and you have to furnish everything from scratch. It will not be possible to leave the furniture upon departure - the contract obliges the tenants to vacate everything completely. And this means that for each piece of furniture for your money you will need to call special service, which disposes of the thing.
23. Tattoo rejection: of course, no one will associate you with the yakuza, but you will definitely not be able to use the pool and public onsen. If the tattoo is in a prominent place, you may be asked to cover it (in a ryokan, traditional restaurant, or other establishments where it may cause discomfort to other guests)
24. This is where other restrictions on appearance: girls should not open their chest / shoulders / back - this is the same as driving in the Moscow metro in one bra - everyone will stare. Men with hipster beards are also not held in high esteem. But short and even obscenely short shorts are welcome (for girls, of course 🙂)
25. Many Japanese restaurants you can smoke. Sometimes there are no non-smoking rooms at all.
26. People sleeping in the streets. They're not homeless, they're just tired/drunk office workers- salarimen. Going to bed on a trip on the floor (or on a platform) is not shameful. Of course, not everyone does this 🙂 but no one will call the police.
27. In Japan, there are a thousand and one rules that are familiar to the Japanese, but introduce a foreigner into a stupor. First time you will always be confused: how to eat japanese food - noodles, udon, sushi? When and where to take off your shoes? How to sort all the same garbage? How to put on a yukata in a ryokan, how to use an onsen, what kind of food is this, and in general, is the food accurate?
    
28. The abundance of drunk At the end of the week. As a rule, this is Thursday-Saturday, but izakaya (Japanese pubs) gather revelers around them on any day of the week. There are entire streets and districts consisting almost exclusively of drinking establishments. As a rule, drunken Japanese are noisy but harmless. However, there are exceptions.
29. To foreigners, the attitude of the Japanese towards personal space may seem strange. Get ready to line up in neat lines on the platforms waiting for the train (I personally find this convenient), and in public transport forget about talking on the phone- this is not accepted here.
30. This can also be attributed restraint in behavior. If you do not want to seem rude, try not to bawl loudly, do not point your finger around, it is considered impolite to gesture aggressively and blow your nose (you can sniff as much as you like).
31. Insects: huge Japanese cockroaches and terribly loud cicadas, tearing the air with their songs in the summer months. The sound of cicadas, similar to the peals of an electric drill, reaches the 20th floor.
32. Taxi drivers in Japan they are almost always nervous when foreigners sit down with them. First, we speak in a language they don't understand. English language, secondly, many try to slam the doors, while they are fully automatic in all cars. It is better to print the address or write it out on a piece of paper on Japanese. In Kyoto, we once came across a driver, born 39, who could not read the address we needed from google maps on the phone that we showed him - even in Japanese.
33. Climate. Japan is in the subtropics high humidity and it often rains (winter, spring, June during the rainy season). There may be a typhoon. Summer is very hot and stuffy. Choose the time for the trip thoughtfully and take everything you need: sun protection, hats or a raincoat.
34. When it rains, at the entrance to a store or supermarket it will be necessary to use a special plastic bag for an umbrella (the so-called umbrella condom), in other public places - leave the umbrella in the place designated for this. This can also cause some misunderstanding at first.
35. In Japan, as well as in Russia, it is customary to take a seat in a cafe, leaving a bag or outerwear.

The features of life in Japan listed in the post are our subjective opinion. We do not want to offend anyone 🙂 There are more pluses in Japan than minuses.
Come and see it with your own eyes 😉

For those who are interested in life in Japan, not only from the cons:

The “figure” gesture, familiar to all of us, if described in words, expresses dissatisfaction or refusal. In Turkey it insulting gesture, along with the middle finger. The inhabitants of Portugal and Brazil think differently, endowing the "fig" with a positive meaning: they defiantly stretch it in your direction when they wish you good luck.

"Goat"

This little finger gesture index finger, put forward, fans of rock music especially love and use it in any situation: this is how they say hello, say goodbye, express gratitude. However, in Italy, Spain and Macedonia it is better to refrain from such a sign, we especially do not recommend showing it to the male population. Locals may take it as a hint of the addressee's wife's infidelity.

"Like"

A gesture familiar to us, which is in almost all in social networks, means approval. In addition, with an outstretched hand with a thumbs up, hitchhikers vote on the roads. However, on the islands of Thailand, this sign is mirrored and means condemnation. But it is harmless - the same as showing the tongue. In Greece, the familiar "class" has a certain meaning - "shut up" or "fuck you."

"Everything is OK"

In Russia, the sign "ring" can make it clear without words that everything is fine. Inhabitants of Japan so replace the word "money". We do not recommend showing the usual "ok" in France and Germany, so you will make it clear to the person that he is a complete zero. In Morocco, Tunisia and Greece, the gesture is completely interpreted as an accusation of non-traditional sexual orientation.

crossed fingers

Superstitious people often cross their fingers, believing that the sign brings good luck. But forget your beliefs in Vietnam. The meaning of the gesture in this country is very specific, meaning the female genitals.

clenched fist

"Good luck!" or "The enemy will not pass!" - this is how this sign is understood in many countries. But showing such a gesture in Pakistan, you can run into trouble. Locals may not understand you, in their country a clenched fist means "fuck you!"

Shaking your head

"Yes-yes" and "no-no" we replace with the usual shake of the head. However, the inhabitants of India, Greece and Bulgaria use it in the opposite way. A nod up and down will mean "no", instead of our usual approval. Shaking your head from left to right is yes.

Beckoning gesture with index finger

The common "come here" gesture is considered offensive in the Philippines. The sign is appropriate only in communication with pets, and in communication with people it shows that you consider the interlocutor to be uneven.

Stroking on the head

A common sign of tenderness and consolation is not approved by the Buddhist religion. The top of the head is the highest point of the body, it is there, according to the monks, that the soul lives. It is worth refraining from such signs in countries where Buddhism is practiced. By touching the top of your head, you will invade the soul of a person.

Victory

The index and middle fingers form the Latin letter V - the symbol of victory. However, the Italians believe that this sign is similar to the female genitals, and often use it for laughs.

Before leaving for Japan, make sure you are familiar with the culture of your own country. The duty of every Russian who finds himself in Japan is to wade through the wilds of stereotypes and explain that not all toilets in Russia are dirty, not everywhere there is snow all year round and not everyone drinks vodka. As I said, some Japanese people have a good knowledge of other countries, and you need to be ready to answer their questions, sometimes quite difficult ones. Get ready to talk about how weddings or funerals take place in Russia, what the national costume is like, what are the features of Russian Orthodoxy. Things that were always obvious to you may cause bewilderment. For example, the Japanese are surprised that we celebrate Christmas not on December 25, but on January 7.

Russian girls are often perceived as hostesses, that is, those who work in nightclubs, entertaining men. Russian men, on the other hand, have earned a reputation as a mafia that makes money on the resale of cars. I want to break these stereotypes.

Compared to other countries, Russia is more or less known in Japan. At least thanks to Cheburashka, popular among Japanese girls. Bulgaria, for example, for the Japanese is nothing more than a country of delicious yoghurts. And all this is because a series of dairy products under the brand name Burugaria - Bulgaria is widespread in Japan. If not for these yogurts, Bulgaria in Japan, perhaps, would not know anything at all. However, in Japan there is a category of people who are fond of small countries and unusual languages. I met Japanese people who spent their free time studying Polish or Uzbek.

To feel comfortable in Japan, you need to have compatriot friends. No matter how much you love the Japanese language and the Japanese, sometimes you feel an unbearable desire to speak mother tongue. Why, I want to talk with people who come from the same cultural environment as you. Once in Japan, I dreamed of a complete immersion in the atmosphere of the country, and the neighborhood of other Russians seemed to me an obstacle, but then it was precisely this that more than once helped me to feel like myself again. However, excessive abuse of communication with “ours” also does not lead to anything good. It is better to know the measure in everything.

Once in Japan, everyone adapts in their own way. But all foreigners need to keep in mind that they will attract attention and play an important role in shaping the image of their homeland.

A Japanese friend of mine from Osaka once came to visit St. Petersburg. After some time, nostalgia and homesickness began to torment him, therefore, once colliding with a group of Japanese tourists on Nevsky Prospekt, he beamed and involuntarily headed towards his compatriots. However, almost at the same moment, his expression changed dramatically, and it became clear that he was deeply disappointed. The reason was that the tourists spoke Tokyo Japanese, which Osaka residents consider colorless and boring. It turns out that a native of Tokyo, being, at first glance, the same Japanese, can hardly dispel the longing of an Osaka, abandoned to a foreign land.

From Tokyo to Osaka, or vice versa, can be reached in two and a half hours using a modern high-speed train shinkansen. Just a couple of hours separates two cities with such different characters. Probably, it cannot be said that there is some enmity between the inhabitants of Tokyo and Osaka. It would be more correct to call their relationship an opposition, there is a very big contrast between the cities, and the charm of each of them is very strong. The influence that both cities have on each other is also great. Everything is different: language, demeanor, style of dress... In addition to large-scale differences, the difference between Tokyo and Osaka is felt in small things. For example, hairdressers in Tokyo are closed on Tuesdays, and in Osaka they are closed on Mondays. Even the voltage in the network of cities can vary, so when moving, you should be careful with electrical appliances.

The broth in which the noodles are cooked udon or soba Osaka is brighter than Tokyo...

The difference between Tokyo and Osaka is reminiscent of the relationship of many other cities in the world, occupying a north-south or east-west position in a pair. You can compare Tokyo with Moscow, and Osaka with St. Petersburg. By the way, Tokyo and Osaka are the most expensive cities world, and Moscow is on their heels. By the way, the distance between Moscow and St. Petersburg is about the same as between Tokyo and Osaka. In addition, Tokyo, like Moscow, is the capital. The percentage of population concentration in the main city is impressive both in Japan and in Russia. In both countries, people go to the capital in order to advance their careers and earn money. Of course, in Japan the difference in the standard of living of the inhabitants of the capital and the inhabitants of the outskirts is not as strong as in Russia. However, in the Land of the Rising Sun the last word remains throughout the main city. 80-90% of all printed publications in Japan it is published in Tokyo, less than 10% - in Osaka, the remaining few percent - in other cities of the country. The main news of the country also comes from Tokyo, while Osaka news is regarded as local. Undoubtedly, from these figures it follows that information is filtered through the view of life and prejudices that exist precisely in Tokyo. Osaka, like St. Petersburg, is the number two city in the country. Interestingly, they are similar in that both are large ports. The similarities between Osaka and St. Petersburg are so obvious that they were given the status of sister cities more than twenty-five years ago.

Tokyo is often compared with New York, referring to the fact that in both cities a huge number of people who have come there from all over the country are striking. They are all in a hurry about their business, and they do not care about each other. This feature again reminds of Moscow. Osaka is sometimes compared to Chicago, because both cities are famous for their excellent sense of humor and delicious cuisine. Chicago, like St. Petersburg, is also Osaka's sister city. It is sometimes also said that Osaka is a large village, although densely populated. There are a lot of people, but they are more open and good-natured than in Tokyo, and they like to talk about life or swear from the heart.

In Tokyo and Osaka, people stand on the subway different sides escalator, so different way of life of their inhabitants.

I happened to do an internship in Osaka, and, to be honest, if I had not been warned about the existence about: sakaben(“Osaka dialect”), I could have panicked a lot if I realized that I was taught some other Japanese language at a Russian university. I was afraid that after a year of living in Osaka, I would lose the habit of “correct” Japanese, and upon returning to Russia, I would shock university teachers with the use of the Osaka dialect. However, this did not happen, and both versions of the language equally settled down in my head. Collision with about: sakaben rather than harm the “correctness” of my Japanese, on the contrary, it broadened my understanding of the Japanese language environment. You can learn a standard language at your own university, but enjoy the sound of a bright, original about: sakaben in Russia, the chances are not enough!

The Japanese language is extremely rich in dialects, so that, for example, residents of Tokyo and Okinawa or Osaka and Aomori may not understand each other if they use only the local dialect. However, there are no problems with mutual understanding, since everyone is familiar with the standard language - the so-called hyo jungo. It is based on the exact Japanese language spoken in Tokyo and is used in education and the media. The difference between dialects can be traced at the lexical, grammatical, phonetic and intonational levels. Most different from standard Japanese is the dialect spoken in Okinawa. The Osaka dialect can be mastered quite quickly, remembering only some grammatical features and specific vocabulary. However, it will be more difficult to rebuild intonation.

Japan is a very amazing country, unlike any other. Do you want to know some facts about her that will shock you? Read!

1. Valentine's Day in this country is a great way for a girl to tell a guy she likes about her long-standing feelings. In Japan, it is the girls who give valentine cards and make surprises for the guys. Very convenient: no need to wait for a man to dare and come up first.
2. Japan has very high fruit prices. For example, buying an apple will cost $2, and a few bananas will cost $5. Fish and meat products, on the contrary, are cheap.
3. Pornography in Japan can be purchased anywhere, even in a regular grocery store. There is always a shelf with the press, where a separate place is allocated to hentai. In a bookstore, hentai is about a third of all products. If it's a big bookstore, then hentai takes up several floors.
4. Hentai - anime with elements of eroticism and pornography - is sold to persons under the age of majority, absolutely legally.
5. The highest sales of hentai about violence and sex with persons under the age of majority.
6. The Japanese do not hesitate to read hentai even in public transport, just by putting the cover on the book.
7. Subways in Japan have separate women's carriages. They are launched during the busiest hours to keep the men from touching the women in the crowd. And they love to do it.
8. Despite the above shocking facts, Japan is one of the last places in the world in terms of the number of rapes. This figure, for example, in Russia is 5 times higher.
9. The main body of Japanese characters contains two to four syllables. However, it can be much more complicated: the hieroglyph 砉 contains 13 syllables and is pronounced like “hanetokawatogahanareruoto”.
10. The Japanese even modern world very scrupulous in matters of honor. This applies to all areas of life and even politics. Several prime ministers have resigned after failing to deliver on their campaign promises to voters.
11. Japan has a lot of the very best. For example, the most expensive amusement park is located here. It's called Disney Sea. 4 of the highest roller coasters you will also find here. The capital of Japan, Tokyo, has the most developed subway, the largest railway interchange and the largest mixed intersection for pedestrians.
12. The Japanese snowman is made exclusively from two snowballs, and not from three, as in the rest of the world.
13. At Christmas, the Japanese like to go to a KFC restaurant for a portion of fried chicken. The founder of the institution - Colonel Sanders - is considered one of the symbols of this holiday.
14. One-third of all Japanese weddings to this day take place after matchmaking and bridegrooms, which are arranged at the initiative of the parents of the young.
15. In Japan, there are also northern cities with large quantity snow. Residents of these cities are incredibly lucky - the streets and pedestrian areas are automatically heated. The snow melts by itself. No need to clean it up and sprinkle the paths.
16. But even in northern cities missing central heating. The Japanese are warming themselves in their homes as best they can.
17. In Japan, at the official level, such a cause of death as overwork (Karoshi) is recognized. Every year, about 10 thousand people die for this reason.
18. In Japan, there is practically no ban on smoking in in public places. The only exceptions are airports and railway stations.
19. Japan still retains the title of Empire. Of course, formally. Today, there is only one such country in the world.
20. Japan for all centuries of history The country is ruled by one dynasty. The current emperor Akihito is a direct descendant of the first emperor, who was the founder of the state.
21. Japan is 2671 today.
22. The Japanese favorite topic of conversation is food. Even when they eat, all the talk is about taste preferences. It is considered bad manners not to say “delicious” once during dinner.
23. The Japanese love to repeat themselves. For young people, this is considered kawaii - that is, cute, charming.
24. Not only are characters difficult to understand, but Japanese writing is divided into three types: Hiragana (a syllabary system for writing Japanese words), Katakana (a syllable system for writing borrowed words) and Kanji (writing with characters).
25. There are no immigrant workers in the country. The problem of cheap labor is solved very simply: the minimum wage that can be paid to a foreigner is higher than the salary of a Japanese. This means that only qualified specialists can come to work. Our country would also benefit from such a decision.
26. Most of railways in Japan is privately owned.
27. Emperor Hirohito was never removed from power, after the war he led the reformation and ruled until 1989. His birthday is considered a national holiday and is celebrated on April 29th.
28. Japan's most famous mountain, Mount Fuji, is the private property of Hongyu Sengen Temple. The mountain was given to the temple in 1609. Court of Japan in the 80s. XX century confirmed the legitimacy of the donation of the mountain. No one can encroach on private property in Japan. This is severely punished.
29. The Japanese language is divided into several types depending on the degree of politeness: colloquial, respectful, polite, and very polite. Women use a respectful look, men use a colloquial one.
30. In Japan, there is such a word as "Hikkikomori". They call them people who voluntarily isolated themselves from society, asocialized. They often do not work, live off relatives, and may not leave the house or even their room for years. 7% of the male population of Japan is Hikkikomori.
31. Months in Japan do not have names like we do. Therefore, January is their first, February is their second, etc.
32. Until Western influences penetrated Japan, the Japanese knew only one expression that meant sympathy, feelings: "koi", translated: "an irresistible attraction to something unattainable."
33. The population of Japan is predominantly ethnic Japanese - more than 98 percent. This is a rarity in modern countries.
34. Prisoners are not allowed to vote in elections in the country.
35. The Japanese eat dolphins. They cook soup from them, make barbecue, eat them raw. According to them, the dolphin does not taste like fish, it has tender meat.
36. Japanese has one unique feature: there are almost no personal pronouns in it, and those few pronouns also have other meanings. So, the pronoun "I" means directly "I" and plus "private", "personal".
37. Tokyo is such a safe city that small children of five or six years old without adults can ride the subway and buses. Perhaps this is the safest city in the world.
38. The Japanese have a fear of travel as they are afraid of everything outside of their country. most dangerous country, according to the Japanese, are the United States of America.
39. The Japanese constitution does not allow its state to have an army and participate in wars.
40. Studying in Japanese schools begins on April 1 and has 3 trimesters. Pupils go to school from April to July, then rest until September, then study until December and from January to March.
41. All the garbage collected in the country is sent for recycling. In this regard, waste tanks simply do not exist. Garbage is divided into glass, the one that can be burned can be recycled and cannot be burned. Each species is exported on a specific day of the week. If a Japanese violates these rules, he faces a fine of $1,000.
42. You will not find urns in the city either, only bins where you can throw bottles. And it's clean on the streets. That's how it would be for us.
43. It is believed that every Japanese must earn a comfortable old age in his life, so pensions in the country are very small - no more than three hundred dollars. This is given the relatively high prices for food and transport. Pension insurance is also not provided for by the legislation of the country.
44. Godzilla was called Godzilla for a reason. In Japanese, it sounds like Gojira - a mixture of the words Gorilla and Kujira (whale). It was not easy to come up with this, I guess.
45. Public transport in a country not cheap - you can ride the subway for at least 50 rubles in terms of our money.
46. Men in Japan always come first. In any institution, shop, restaurant, they will say hello and take an order first from males.
47. The Japanese love jeeps, despite the high traffic density. Even in densely populated cities where there are traffic jams, there are very few sedans on the road.
48. All toilets in Japan have a variety of functions, from heating a toilet seat to simulating the sound of running water (in case you need to disguise unpleasant sounds). Japanese toilet - whole spaceship with lots of buttons.
49. Every Japanese knows that the cute cartoon kitty Hello Kitty is from England.
50. In no case should you leave a tip in Japanese establishments. They are tantamount to giving. As long as you pay the price set initially, you remain on an equal footing with the seller.
51. What is racism in Japan do not know. You will never see its manifestation on the street. And isn't that great.
52. One of the popular channels in Japan shows a series about 2 birds with one stone, Putin and Kiriyenko. In the story, they are trying to survive in a police state.
53. The age of consent in Japan, that is, the age at which a person can give permission to enter into an intimate relationship with himself, is thirteen years.
54. Japan is three times the size of England in area. The area of ​​Japan is 374,744 km², and that of England is 130,410 km².
55. Japan is often referred to as an overpopulated state. This is an incorrect statement, since its density per 1 sq. km - 360 people. In England, for example, per 1 sq. km accounts for 383 people.
56. The terms "wrong" and "different" in Japanese are denoted by the same word 違う (chigau).
57. For several years now, there have been things in the country that we used to see only in science fiction films. These are vending machines with all kinds of products, futuristic trains, strange fashion. All this gives Japan a unique flavor.
58. There are a lot of voluminous deep words in Japanese. For example, the word 御来光 (goraiko) means sunrise as seen from Mount Fuji.
59. The Japanese have often been considered the superior race in history. So, Hitler himself, admiring, called them "honorary Aryans." AT South Africa during apartheid, only the Japanese were not infringed on their rights, as they were called "honorary whites."
60. If an emergency occurs in the country, every Japanese's phone starts beeping loudly, even if it was on silent mode. Plus, a message arrives with information about what happened, as well as further evacuation plans.
61. The Japanese don't know what looting is. Empty houses will remain untouched. No one will ever plunder them. This causes genuine surprise among all foreigners.
62. It is not easy to find a Japanese speaking English. At the same time, they often use anglicisms in their speech. But even these words will be difficult to make out, since the Japanese have their own original pronunciation.
63. In Russian, there are words borrowed from Japanese, for example: “cotton wool”, “pollock”, “ivashi”, as well as the well-known “tsunami” and “typhoon”.
64. The Japanese, in turn, also borrowed some words from the Russians: “ikura; caviar” and “noruma; norm”, as well as the phrase: “woo people; to the people”, which came into use after Alexander II.
65. In Japan, there is still such a punishment for a crime as the death penalty. So, recently for a year this type of punishment was applied to 8 criminals.
66. Apparently, the previous fact allows Japan to remain the country with the lowest percentage of murders and violent crimes. In addition, the Japanese are a long-lived nation. They are absolute champions in average life expectancy.
67. In the heart of Japan, Tokyo, is the huge gay district of Shinjuku-Ni-Chome. Here is the most a large number of concentration of gay bars around the world.
68. Hieroglyphs in China and Japan are almost the same. There are some differences, however, knowing Japanese, you can read simple Chinese texts, such as signs on the streets.
69. The Japanese do not sign documents. Each of them has a special seal, which they affix instead of a signature daily. You can buy a print in a regular store.
70. If the train is delayed even for a minute, this is already considered late. Have you seen this in any other country?
71. If you were presented with a gift in Japan, do not rush to open it. This is considered bad manners. You just need to say “thank you”, and you can open it only at home alone.
72. In Japan, it is customary to smile, even if you are in a lot of pain. A smile should hide all inner feelings.
73. If the Japanese have caught fire with some idea, then be sure that they will bring the work they have begun to the end and will do it flawlessly and with taste. For example, in French restaurants in Japan, you can be served menus for French, in Italian - in Italian. Signage and decoration will also be appropriate for the country. But in this case, do not look for the English text there.
74. The Japanese take the institution of property very seriously. It is in this country that you can find establishments that are several hundred years old. At the same time, the owners from generation to generation are the same family. So, the Hoshi Ryokan Inn has been operating since 718 and has the same dynasty of owners.
75. Tanuki are headstrong Japanese werewolves that bring happiness and good fortune. Their eggs are a traditional symbol of prosperity. The mythical happiest tanuki has an egg area of ​​8 tatami, which is 12 m. If misfortune comes, they pay with them.
76. The territory of Japan is more than half covered with forests. The cutting of trees for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. The country uses wood, which is mined in tropical forests.
77. From 1992 to 2002, the country helped other states the most in the world. We are talking about international humanitarian aid.
78. The ticket attendant on the train, before looking at the tickets and travel cards, bows and takes off his hat in front of the passengers. You can learn politeness from the Japanese.
79. The secret that makes Japan unique, unlike other countries, is simple: centuries-old traditions and modern Western trends are harmoniously combined here. The Japanese honor their culture and cherish the past, but at the same time keep up with the present.
80. Well, the last, almost indisputable fact remains: Japan is the most best country in the world!

Many facts may seem shocking to us. Be that as it may, Japan is a rapidly developing country, with a minimum level of crime and enough high level and life expectancy. Most countries, including ours, have a lot to learn from the Land of the Rising Sun.