1. Japanese food is good (especially sushi! YUM.), but be prepared to try some things out of the norm. I’ve had to eat takoyaki (breaded octopus) more times than I would like. And whatever you do – don’t eat natto! It’s fermented soy beans. Just trust me on that one.
2. Good manners are different in all areas of the world, and the most polite way to eat your noodles here is through slurping loudly. Also, a slurp at the end of your cup of tea will let the hostess know you enjoyed it.
3. Tea is a large part of Japanese culture. You will be served tea everywhere. We even got to participate in a traditional tea ceremony. Ours was a shorter version, but typically they last around four hours.
4. Sleeping on the floor is not uncommon in World Race life, nor is it uncommon in Japan. We’ve been sleeping on traditional beds that are taken out of a cabinet every night and then put away every morning even at the retreat center where we stayed at the beginning of the month!
5. As in most Asian countries, the Japanese don’t wear shoes inside. Who wants to track nasty dirt inside anyway? Most homes also have a basket of slippers for guests to wear inside to keep their toes toasty warm.
6. Japanese toilets > American toilets. Porcelain thrones over here have heated seats! But wait there’s more. Some even have sinks on top that come on when you flush so you can wash your hands and then the used water refills the toilet bowl. Genius, right?!
7. Another way the Japanese stay warm in the winter is by having heated floors in their homes. Yes, central heating and air might be uncommon, but they come up with some other great ways of staying warm.
8. Oh, the baths. All Japanese love a good bath. They love them so much that for socializing they go to public ones to sit and talk with their friends minus their clothing. I haven’t been able to bring myself to embrace this part of the culture yet.
9. Everyone loves a good deal, right? Well, savvy saving shoppers would love the 100 yen store. 100 yen equals $1, but these stores sell much nicer products than dollar stores found in the States. If I was Japanese, probably every dish in my kitchen would come from this store. Self control is always practiced when entering one these.
10. Turning 20 is a much bigger deal here than in America. This is the age when someone enters adulthood in Japan. Coming of Age Day is a national holiday where schools are closed and cities hold ceremonies where the young adults all dress in traditional clothing.
11. Learning the ABCs in Japan is a much larger feat than in America. They have not one, but two alphabets – one for Japanese words and one for foreign words. Oh and don’t forget kanji – they also like to throw in Chinese characters to use instead of spelling out whole words. My brain hurts just thinking about it.
