10 Must Knows About The Japanese Culture

The Japanese have many different cultures. You may have heard a few before, but we're sure you'll be surprised to hear some. For more than 150 years, Japanese people still have their own unique culture, even though they are intertwined with the Western world. Here are a few things you probably don't know about Japanese culture that you will be quite surprised.

1 – One of the Most Common Cultures; Omiyage

Omiyage, a term for souvenirs in Japanese. But for them, it means more than that. Rather than an object, Omiyage represents special foods from different regions. These foods are packed in shiny and colorful boxes and offered as a gesture to close people. We can even say that the Japanese are waiting to receive Omiyage from the person coming from a journey.

2 – Christmas Is Celebrated Like Valentine's Day

Christianity actually constitutes 2% of the Japanese population. As a matter of fact, Christmas is not celebrated as a religious holiday, it means more innovation in Japan. Light shows, Christmas trees are quite common as in other countries, but it is celebrated on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas Day and in a similar way to Valentine's Day. A romantic dinner, romantic gifts... In short, Christmas is considered a couples' date night for the Japanese.

3 – Let Shoes Be Removed from Feet

Just like we do, the Japanese do not enter the houses with shoes. But unlike us, they also take off their shoes when entering the temples and restaurants. If you see slippers in front of a place, you have to take your shoes off when you enter that place.

4 – Women Paint Their Teeth Black

This tradition, known as Ohaguro, has existed in Japan for centuries. Married women and geishas practiced this culture, which is known as tooth-blackening or polishing, because they thought they were being attractive by doing so. Ohaguro is also believed to protect teeth from decays, etc. As a tradition, women were painting their teeth with a mixture of wax and ink. But this practice was banned from the end of the 19th century in order to modernize Japan and get closer to Western culture.

5 – Eating And Drinking While Walking is Not Welcome

In our opinion, this is very usual, but for the Japanese it is very rude. Of course, nowadays it is not so harsh, but it is still considered low class behavior.

6 – Baseball is One Of The Most Common Sports

Japan's national sport may be sumo, but baseball is actually a more watched and played sport in Japan. Baseball, which gained popularity during the American presence in Japan after World War II, is highly welcomed in Japan. Japan currently has two professional baseball leagues.

7 – Attention to Chopstick Usage

Let's say you take a lunch break in Japan and leave your chopsticks in the plate. This is done in Japan only at funerals. Instead, you should put the chopsticks next to the plate. Also, when sharing your meal with someone, not just extend the meal with the chopsticks, but simply drop it on the plate of the person you want to share.

8 – Horse Meat is Quite Common

Since the 16th century, horse meat has been frequently consumed in Japan. Raw horse meat, especially basahi, is often served in restaurants and is usually preferred with grated ginger and a sweet sauce.

9 – Don't Leave Your Glass Empty - If You Won't Drink Any More

When you drink something on the table, pouring your drink into someone else's glass is considered an indication of politeness. It is the same case to fill someone's empty glass. Also, if you don't want to drink any more, leave your glass full as the Japanese love to fill empty glasses.

10 – Bonsai is an Important Plant

The Japanese artistic plant bonsai, besides being beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, also have very pleasant meanings. When you give someone a bonsai, you actually express that you are expecting that person's overall outlook to be reduced to the same level. It is also said to be a plant that greatly improves imagination.