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Everyday Mysteries Of Japanese Culture

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Japan is a beautiful country with a history that goes back thousands of years. It also has a robust and vibrant culture that guides everyday behaviors and events. Some aspects of Japanese culture can appear weird or a bit mysterious to foreigners who may have a hard time figuring them out. Here are some quirkier bits of Japanese culture to interest you (you may also want to keep an eye for them if you are ever traveling in Japan).

Office Workers Tend To Dress The Same

There isn’t any hard and set rule stating that this must, but the Japanese culture is rich in conservative, social mores that guide the community’s behavior. A dark suit and tie that doesn’t draw much attention is their office workers’ go-to attire, blending in a culture that prizes seclusion and an appreciation for not overdrawing too much attention on oneself.

Umbrellas Are Mostly Transparent

This culture might present a rather shocking sight for most people used to fabric umbrellas. However, a transparent plastic umbrella is an everyday sight in Japanese streets during a rainy period. Plastic umbrellas owe their prevalence to the fact they are cheap and sold at most stores, so they can be easily picked up on most days when the rain catches you unawares.

Stone Statues Wearing Bibs

Statues are pretty standard in most cultures, but it’s not every day you come across one wearing a bib. Referred to as Ojizo San by the locals, they represent deities believed to protect travelers, little children, and the unborn. You are likely to run into them along paths and at cemeteries, temples, and shrines. The red bibs are placed there by locals to help ward off evil.

Brand Storefronts Can Look different.

Big brand stores usually sought after distinctive paintings as well as signage that represent their trademarks, making them far easier to notice and stand out. However, the Japanese culture prizes conservativeness and uniformity, so big stores such as Lawsons design their storefront to blend in with their surroundings and generally opt for a more subdued appearance.

Trash Cans Anywhere?

In many cultures, trash cans are a ubiquitous feature of public life. They help keep the streets clean. In Japan, however, you would be hard-pressed to find any. This can represent some inconvenience and a shock to first-time observers, but trash cans were removed from the public to reduce fears they could be used to hide terrorist weapons following a 1992 subway attack.

Locals Sprinkle Water On The Streets

This stems from a desire to keep temperatures cool enough as well as to reduce dust swirling around. It originated from tea preparation ceremonies during the Edo period.

KFC Is a Big Tradition During The Christmas Festivity

While a KFC takeout doesn’t sound like a first-choice option for a Christmas meal, they are a popular Christmas feature in japan where you may even have to book your KFC Christmas delivery weeks in advance.

‘How are you’ Is Not a Prominent Feature Of Conversations

Inquiring after the affairs of others is a conversation opener in many cultures, but the Japanese, which encourages minding one’s business and not probing excessively, are a culture of people who will not probe into your affairs if you don’t want to share the information yourself.

Drinking Is a Big Part Of Business Life

This may come as a little shock as most people in other cultures may prefer to be clear-headed when doing business deals. However, in Japan, drinking together is seen as a great way to form social bonds, and social bonds play a crucial role in business transactions in Japan.

The Shutter Sound On Your Phone Cannot Be Switched Off

This is an inbuilt feature to most Japanese made or sold phones. Though no law officially requires this, this was put in place by significant phone brands to reduce the surreptitious capture of people on camera that was behind many pervert attacks.

Jene See
the authorJene See
A Home-based Entrepreneur and Blogger For me, being a home-based entrepreneur, parent and blogger has been quite an experience. Here’s how I got started on it all. Where I’ve been Becoming a blogger and a hardcore, home-based entrepreneur wasn’t exactly a planned career action for me. I can almost say I didn’t see it coming. It all started when I got pregnant with my first child. Back then, I was still working as a flight attendant, and I have to admit that I really loved my job. But when that baby came on board, I decided that I wanted to be as involved in my child’s life as I could possibly be. Once I’d made my decision, I swung into action. I quit my job and quickly made plans for a new (and different) life with the baby in mind. My foray into the glamorous world of entrepreneurship and blogging was a little more abrupt. This started a lot more recently.   I first came into contact with these products sometime around two years ago. In 2018, my aunt-in-law would be the first person to preach to me the wonders of Aulora Kodenshi. I confess that I was very skeptical back then. As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t see myself as an entrepreneur (or even a blogger for that matter). I felt I was comfortable in my role as a housewife and that picking up endeavors like that was for people who had more money to “waste.” I decided to continue to keep my focus as a good mother and an ideal housewife. The plan was, if I kept feeding my family good food and making sure that they all exercised regularly, there wouldn’t ever be a need to buy any of the products my husband’s aunt talked to me about. As it turned out, I’d not end up buying the products; I’d also become one of its most vocal advocates. How I Got Here Our second child got a case of eczema when she was about 18 months old. Ever since that time, every so often, she’d have a rather severe outbreak. The doctors would always tell us it was nothing serious, nothing to bother about, and we believed them for the most part. A reason for this was that almost like clock-work, she’d always get better after every 3-6 months. All of this changed though in February 2019. She had an outbreak, and we thought it was normal until she scratched so hard she drew blood. We tried everything to no avail. Frustrated, I decided to try SHIRUTO, one of the many products from BE International. In no time at all, the eczema and even the scars cleared up. I was so excited, I took to my social media page to share my joy, and that’s how I got into blogging and entrepreneurship. Plans for the Future I’m happy with where I am right now. I have a healthy family with a career I want to see grow. I don’t conform to the classic stay-at-mom routine of waking early in the morning. I do my best work at night when everyone’s happy and rested. The goal is to continue to remain healthy and inspire everyone around me to be free and keep those positive vibes flowing strong!
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