Japanese oddities that will surprise you (17 photos). Strange Japan. No matter how much we write about the alluring country of Japan, it continues to surprise and amaze

January 27th, 2015

There are many oddities and inexplicable things in the traditions of every nation. How we have a tradition of getting completely drunk to celebrate the health of, for example, the birthday boy. But still, the number one nation in terms of strange traditions is the Japanese. To list and describe in detail all the strange Japanese traditions, you will need more than one book.

1. New Year in the morning!

The Japanese do not celebrate New Year as we understand it. IN New Year's Eve they go to bed calmly, but wake up early in the morning and all go together to celebrate the dawn of the New Year. Of course, some of us also celebrate the New Year’s dawn, but in a completely different state.

2. Never say never

Residents of Japan try to never say the word NO, simply replacing it with a polite departure from the topic, or with an agreement that does not oblige anyone at all and, in the end, leads to nothing.

3. Humor

The Japanese have practically no jokes. It's hard to imagine, but it's true. But they have a very funny and interesting feeling humor.

The Japanese don't have jokes, but they have a very unique sense of humor.

4. Business cards

In Japan it is considered completely indecent if you do not have business card!!! That’s why the Japanese carry special waterproof small bags for business cards even when going to the pool. In addition, it is better to present the business card itself so that it can be read immediately!

5. Politeness

Politeness still goes to extremes in Japan. Instead of shaking hands, the Japanese use bows, and you need to bow as many times as they did before you. Situations reach the point of absurdity. For example, if a Japanese person decides to order sushi home, and if he encounters a very polite courier delivering sushi home, then such courtesy can take a lot of time! Guests will gather, and the courier will arrive very polite: then it may take more than one minute to say goodbye! There's nothing you can do about it - you'll have to “follow the protocol.” Politeness - distinguishing feature the Japanese, of which they are rightfully proud.

6. Transport

In the Japanese subway, there are specially trained pushers who push and compact people onto the train. To be objective, it must be said that such a “profession” of stuffing exists in many eastern metros, for example, in Singapore, etc.

Many Japanese people like to ride scooters to work.

7. these strange Japanese schoolchildren.

Japanese girls are absolutely NOT allowed to interact or talk with boys until they reach a certain age.

IN Lately Japanese schoolgirls wear sailor suits and pigtails, and many Japanese boys now often wear school uniforms for girls, since they are much brighter and prettier than school uniforms for boys. A Japanese schoolboy, in general, is no less strange than an adult Japanese. For example, if a girl offers her food to a boy during a school break, then this will almost mean love until death. That's why girls and boys can't eat together without blushing.

But an even stranger Japanese school tradition is this: children are not allowed to go to school alone, without girlfriends or friends, this is considered strange and immoral. Therefore, the larger the crowd, the better it is considered.

Kancho or Kancho is a strange Japanese game, mega-popular among Japanese schoolchildren junior classes. Players fold their palms and extend them forward index fingers, which try to thrust into another player’s anus at any moment, especially when the possible victim is busy or distracted with something. There were cases when even school teachers were caught playing the game, which was severely suppressed by Japanese school principals, but not all. And some teachers were accused of pedophilia. In the well-known international list of the most dangerous extreme gambling with an addictive effect, “Kancho” is listed at number 27.

Kancho Festival

8. Addresses

Most streets in Japanese cities do not have names. In these cases, houses are indicated descriptively (“the second house from the corner after the store”) or by numbering within the block. In addition, houses are numbered in the order in which they were built, which adds to the confusion.

9. Fear of Gemini

In the old days in Japan it was believed that one of the born twins conceived by a demon. And just in case, they got rid of both twins, without figuring out who was who, and at the same time from the mother. For example, in Japanese anime"When Cicadas Cry" and "Shuffle" show that one of the twins must be killed!

10. Family finances

All finances Japanese family The wife gives the orders, and the husband has no right to question, much less challenge, his wife’s purchasing decisions. Moreover, the Japanese cannot be called ascetic and tight-fisted at all, it’s just that Japanese women are not spenders by nature.

11. Kofuns are Japan's mysterious closed parks.

Japan is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Every meter of land is important here, but even in Japan there are closed and almost untouched areas of land. Moreover, not a single person has set foot on them for several centuries. We are talking about kofuns - ancient burial places of local emperors. Translated from Japanese language"kofun" means "mound". Most often, kofuns are made in the form of a keyhole and are surrounded by a deep moat filled to the brim with water.

Visiting kofuns, the imperial burial grounds, is not customary among the Japanese; moreover, it is under the strictest prohibition. Therefore, do not even dream of getting there with a tour or on your own.

12.There is a rockabilly renaissance in Japan.

This is an old Japanese tradition, but a new youth hobby. Some youth subcultures often experience revivals. This is exactly what happened with rockabilly and rock and roll, which were revived again in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. In Tokyo there is Yoyogi Park, where all the local fans of this cultural tradition gather and hang out.

These Japanese dress extremely unusually - they wear flashy biker jackets, vertically flowing bangs, long-forgotten updo hairstyles with a roller. Well, of course, they only listen to rock and roll. They have friends who are still living in the 60s, lady greasers. They dress in bright multi-colored dresses and worn, rolled-up jeans, as was fashionable 50 years ago. On the other hand, this newfangled Japanese tradition and youth subculture prove that rock and roll is alive!

13. Gyaru is another newfangled Japanese tradition for young women.

Gyaru is youth subculture teenage girls. Those who remember the movie "Wasabi" will understand what it's about. we're talking about. Teenage girls strive with all their might to achieve some strange and flashy ideal of beauty. Adherents of this youth Japanese tradition they go to extreme lengths to achieve their (in their understanding) ideal of beauty.

Interestingly, this movement does not wither, and has existed for several decades. It is believed that gyaru girls must adhere to a certain style in fashion, hairstyle and makeup. And here fashion and trends change periodically, but some characteristics still remain unchanged.

Gyaru is very high heels, Very short skirts and very large and expressive eyes. As in other movements, there are their own, smaller directions. The strangest and most unusual movement in gyaru is yamamba, a subspecies of ganguro. The name of this small subculture literally translates as “black face.” These young Japanese women rub suntan lotion into their faces as much as possible, bleach their hair to White color, and then apply even larger circles of white shadow around the eyes. The must-have look is complemented by flashy neon bright clothes or bright hair extensions. True, in last years This tradition is becoming less and less popular among girls. The traditional Gyaru movement is being revived. True now Japanese girls try to have fair skin and make their eyes multi-colored using contact lenses. As a result, regardless of the fashion that is present in Japan, the Gyaru tradition even for this unusual country is very exotic.

14. TO araoke!

Today, karaoke has already conquered the whole world; it is difficult to find a country in which there are no lovers of this art and entertainment. There are even world karaoke championships! Meanwhile, karaoke traditions vary greatly in different countries.

In Japan, as throughout East Asia The most popular karaoke format is a small room equipped with karaoke equipment, which is rented by a small company on an hourly basis. That is, Asians prefer to sing for their own, and listen to their own (how can one not recall “Lost in Translation”).

Among the high-tech Japanese, karaoke applications for mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular - as they say, “a song that is always with you.”

There are various strange traditions of brightly decorating cars, buses and trucks. The website turupupu.ru already described this when writing about Sri Lanka. But the captivating Japanese surpassed many here too. In Japan, there is a separate group of fans of trucks and more, who easily overshadow all the exploits of other modifiers.

The name Dekotora translates to trucks decorated with lighting. Skillful Japanese turn ordinary long-distance trucks into real works of art. Everything is used, both dazzling neon lighting and special painting cars. So in Japan it appeared relatively new tradition- “super-pumped” trucks, which sometimes resemble famous transformers.

And the reason for the appearance of this strange Japanese tradition was cult series 1970s "Trucker". Interesting fact, that for several decades this tradition developed extremely slowly and suddenly suddenly began to develop rapidly in the last few years.

So now driving along the expressways of Japan is absolutely not boring - there is something to see!

They sleep in meetings, refer to others in the third person, and wear special slippers when going to the restroom. How else do Japanese customs differ from ours?

They use a barker

It is better not to go to the shopping streets of Japan without earplugs. Owners of local shops and cafes are still very active in using cheap advertising power - barkers. Nice girls and boys, standing at the entrance to the establishment, shout loudly and almost continuously: “Irrashyaimashe! Gorankudasaimaseee!" which can be translated as "Welcome! Come visit us! It’s quite difficult to bear when you’re not used to it, and, on the contrary, it often scares off foreigners.

They don't understand what sin is

There is a culture of shame in Japan, but in religions (both Shinto, the traditional Japanese religion, and Buddhism) the concept of sin does not exist as such. Of course, bad deeds are condemned, but only out of fear of losing face and being dishonored. In particular, foreigners from Christian countries are extremely surprised by the Japanese attitude towards suicide as a way of salvation, and not as a fall from grace, which is common in Orthodoxy or Catholicism. By the way, Japan has the highest suicide rate among developed countries.

They use special toilet slippers

In hotels and homes, the Japanese use separate plastic or rubber slippers for the toilet and bathroom. They usually stand at the entrance to the bathroom. When you go out, the flip-flops should be taken off and left in the same place. This one strange tradition two purposes: firstly, the Japanese believe that it is more hygienic, and secondly, it is immediately clear that the toilet is occupied. This rule often confuses foreigners, who, of course, always forget to change their shoes.

By the way, visiting street toilets is also often surprising. They look unusual in appearance, and inside they are equipped with the latest technology. For example, here you can turn on music so that others certainly cannot hear what you are doing there. There is also a special button to call the security service in case the client becomes ill.

They sleep at work

Falling asleep during a meeting with colleagues or right at your workplace will not be considered an embarrassment. Some Japanese practice inemuri, which literally translates to “being present during sleep.” The descendants of the samurai understand that a person needs sleep to work effectively, and therefore are not ashamed to devote half an hour to an hour of working time to dozing. At the same time, taking into account several important rules: you need to sleep directly at the table, with your head resting on your hands or the tabletop; if you fall asleep during a meeting but are addressed, you must wake up and respond; If you are new to the company and are expected to be actively involved in the work process, then inemuri will be perceived as bad manners.

They refer to each other in the third person

Don’t be surprised if a Japanese person asks you: “How is Vasily-san’s family doing?” It is not customary to pronounce personal pronouns here, although in the local language there are 15 variants of the word “I” alone. Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are accustomed to addressing each other in the third person: by surname (in official communication) with the addition of politeness suffixes (-san, -sama) or by name (among friends) also with suffixes (-kun, -chan).

They consider tipping an insult

In Japan, tipping is seen as an insult, a sign that the waiter is not doing his job well and therefore needs a monetary incentive.

They paint the trucks

On the roads of Japan you can see extravagant looking trucks, looking like Philip Kirkorov on the stage of the Kremlin Palace. They are always bright, often chrome-plated, with neon lighting and bright drawings all over the body. Such trucks are called “dekotora”; they appeared after the release of the cult truck in the 1970s. Japanese TV series"Trucker." Drivers of such trucks organize meetings and exhibitions of their multi-ton friends.

Epson employee says

There is a stereotype that Japan is a good place to work. This stereotype comes from our compatriots who work by invitation in foreign companies, where the Japanese try to adapt to the level and style of foreigners. Meanwhile, in the Country itself Rising Sun The traditional work system is structured in a very unique way, and it is quite difficult to exist in it. That is why there are not many foreigners building a career in classic Japanese companies. About what it's like for the average office worker in Japan, says an employee Epson Marina Matsumoto.

Dress code

Of course, the conditions depend on the specific company, but in principle the dress code in Japan is much stricter than in Russia. Failure to comply with its rules has serious consequences for the employee, including immediate dismissal.

In a traditional Japanese company, a mandatory black suit is worn regardless of the weather, even if it is +40 outside. The Japanese tolerate both heat and cold calmly, as they go through a very harsh school of hardening the body in childhood. Recently released new law, allowing short-sleeved shirts to be worn to work. This is due to the forced saving of electricity, in which even in extreme heat air conditioners are no longer always used in offices.

In some companies, women are not allowed to wear fitted suits - they must be completely straight. The skirt must cover the knees.

Women's accessories are also prohibited. I have a large, serious company, it is known internationally. But I work where mostly Japanese work. At the workplace I was allowed to wear only a cross - under my clothes so that it would not be visible - and a wedding ring.

Makeup should be invisible. Japanese women love to wear bright makeup, their cheeks are very rosy, and almost all of them have false eyelashes. But at work, a woman should be as unattractive as possible to men.

In some places women are only required to wear short hair, not covering the ears. Hair color must be black. If you are naturally blonde, for example, you will have to dye your hair.

For men, except long hair You cannot wear a beard or mustache. This is an unspoken rule that everyone knows. The persistent image of the Yakuza (this is a traditional form of organized crime in Japan) gets in the way.

Subordination

When I got a job, I signed a bunch of documents, where I assured that I would not discuss anything with clients and colleagues except work: neither the weather, nor nature. I don’t have the right to share my “personal data” at work - who is my husband, how are I doing... At home I don’t have the right to talk about my work. My job is not secret, but it is customary and stated in my contract.

At work they only work

On workplace They take only what they need for work: for me it’s documents and a pen. I can’t take my bag, wallet or phone; it remains at the checkpoint.

In Russia there is a favorite saying: if you have done your job, go for a walk. In the Russian workplace, the main thing is that you complete the plan for today. In Japan, no one is interested in “plans for today”. You come to work and you have to work at it.

How the Japanese slow down the work process

In Russia we all know that wage depends on the results of your work. If you work poorly, you get nothing. If you work well, you receive bonuses and promotions. You’ve done everything - you can leave early or ask for an additional task to earn more.

In Japan you pay by the hour. Almost all Japanese people take overtime. But this often results in them stretching out one task that can be completed in two hours over a week. The deadlines set by the company also do not always correspond to the level of complexity of the work. The Japanese will poke around for hours, it seems to us that they work like sleepy flies, but they think that they do the work “thoroughly”. They incredibly slow down the workflow, so it’s difficult for us to work with them.

And this, by the way, is one of the main reasons why their economy was not in the best condition. They have trapped themselves with this hourly payment system. After all, in essence, work is designed not for quality, but for the number of hours spent in the office.

Long, lengthy conversations

We all know that brevity is the sister of talent, but in Japan, brevity is narrow-mindedness. The Japanese cannot speak briefly and to the point. They launch into long and extensive explanations, which are aimed at ensuring that even a narrow-minded person understands what they are talking about. Meetings can last an incredible number of hours. The Japanese believe that if they talk for a long time and in excessive detail about the same thing, then they respect the interlocutor.

Stratification of society

Growing rice requires a lot of work and organization. Therefore, historically, Japan has developed a system with a very narrow specialization of labor and strict stratification of society. Everyone has their own responsibilities and their place in the life and production process.

Japanese communities have always been clearly organized. For example, a samurai never prepared food for himself; he could easily have died of hunger if the peasantry had not helped him out.

As a result of this mentality, it is very difficult for any Japanese to make an independent decision that is not inherent in his status. They cannot take on basic responsibility that goes beyond the scope of their everyday routine. To put a comma or not to put it is a problem for half a day. Preparing basic documents is a series of endless, very slow consultations. Moreover, the mandatory nature of such consultations is amazing. If an employee nevertheless takes it upon himself to make a decision that is not based on his status, then everyone in the hierarchical chain associated with him will receive a reprimand. This is Eastern despotism in action: "I - small man, I am a simple peasant, and I should only do the work assigned to me."

Again, everything is understandable: Japan is a small country with a large overpopulation, it needs strict frameworks and rules. To survive in Japan, you need to clearly know: my border is here, and this is the border of another person, I must respect it. No one goes beyond their limits. If a Japanese man marries them, then literally will get lost.

Russia has a huge territory, vastness, and open spaces. We are not constrained. We are free. A Russian person can do whatever he wants. And the Swede, and the reaper, and the player on the pipe - this is primarily about us, Russians!

Same as everyone else

Interestingly, in Japan you are not supposed to demonstrate your difference or superiority in mind. You cannot show your uniqueness, specialness. This is not welcome. Everyone should be the same. Since childhood, uniqueness is burned out there with a red-hot iron, so Japan will not give the world either Einstein or Mendeleev.

Famous Japanese technology is a myth. As a rule, these are ideas that were not created by the Japanese. What they are good at is deftly picking up and improving on time. But we, on the contrary, can brilliantly create and forget...

To survive in Japanese society, you have to be just like everyone else. In Russia it’s the other way around: if you’re the same as everyone else, you’ll get lost. New ideas are constantly needed to master and fill a large space.

Career

In a classic Japanese company, it takes a long time to build a career. Career advancement depends on age, not merit. A young specialist, even a very talented one, will occupy an insignificant position, work a lot and for a low salary, because he has just arrived. Due to this organization of the work process, it is increasingly difficult for Japanese companies to compete in the international market. Yes, there is the concept of “Japanese quality,” but this no longer saves them, because business is conducted too much in the Japanese way.

Salary

Officially, salaries in Japan are high. But with the deduction of all taxes, which amount to almost 30%, they receive an average of a thousand dollars. Young people receive even less. At 60 years old, your salary is already a very decent amount.

Vacations and weekends

There are no holidays in Japan. Weekends are Saturday or Sunday. And, depending on the company, you are entitled to a few extra days off per year. Let’s say it’s 10 days, but you can’t take them all at once, you need to split them up. It happens that you need to take one day off during the week and go somewhere on business. In my company, I have to give a month’s notice about this so that everyone can cooperate and replace me. In some companies these terms are even longer. Taking time away from work due to an unexpected incident is problematic.

If you are sick on Monday and are thinking of not going to work, then they will not understand you. Everyone goes to work with a fever.

Weekends may be holidays, All Souls' Day - Obon, in mid-August. But young specialist There is no such possibility; he will work for the first two years without extra days off.

For the New Year, 1-3 days are given. If they fall on Saturday-Sunday, then no one, like in Russia, will move them to Monday-Tuesday.

There is also a “golden week” in May, when several public and religious holidays occur in a row. My husband worked all days, I had 3 days off.

Working day

Standard working hours are from 9 am to 7 pm. But the main thing you must keep in mind: if it is indicated that the working day is from nine, then you cannot come directly to this time. Even if you arrived at 8:45, you are considered late. You have to arrive to work at least half an hour before, some people come an hour before. It is believed that a person needs time to get into a working mood and prepare for work.

The end of the official workday does not mean you can go home. It is not customary to leave before your boss. If he is late in the office for two hours, then you are late too, and this will not be considered overtime. Your personal circumstances are your personal problems, which, as I already mentioned, according to the agreement I signed, are not discussed with colleagues.

Informal communication

In Japan there is the concept of “nomikai” - “drinking together”, reminiscent of a Russian corporate party. Somewhere "nomikai" takes place every day, in my company - twice a week. Of course, you can refuse, but they will look at you askance. Why drink? Because in Japan there is a positive attitude towards alcohol. Shintoism involves offerings to certain gods in the form of alcohol. Japanese doctors believe that drinking alcohol every day is beneficial. Nobody talks about doses.

The Japanese do not know how to drink and, as a rule, get very drunk. The drink itself will not cost you anything; either your boss or the company always pays for it.

Now, to further encourage visiting bars with colleagues, workers are even being paid for “nomikai.” This is part Japanese culture- work together and drink together. It turns out that you spend almost 24 hours a day, 365 days a year only with your work colleagues.

In addition to "nomikai", you need to drink with clients, with partners, with officials with whom the company is connected.

Yes, there is something similar in Russia, but it is incomparable to the Japanese alcoholic scale. And besides, in Russia the attitude towards alcohol is much more negative.

Now you can imagine the whole picture. A Japanese man leaves home at 7 am. At work, he exists within the strict confines of his status. After the end of the official working day, he takes extra hours because he has to feed his family. He then goes out drinking with colleagues and returns home at 2 a.m., most likely drunk. He works on Saturdays. Sees his family only on Sundays. Moreover, until the evening, he can either sleep or drink all day off, because he is under terrible stress from such a cruel regime.

In Japan there is a special concept: “death by overwork.” This is a very common case when people die at their desks or, unable to withstand the workload, commit suicide. For Japan, this is par for the course, an event to which there is practically no reaction. People will even be outraged if someone's suicide interferes with their work. Everyone thinks: “Why didn’t you do this in a quiet, inconspicuous place, because of you I won’t come to work on time!”

We must understand that the Japanese did not sit and invent these rules for themselves. Everything has evolved over the centuries due to the geographical and historical uniqueness of Japan. Probably everyone will agree that they had good reasons for such a mobilization of society, constant readiness for something. A small territory, many people, wars, earthquakes, tsunamis - everything can collapse at any moment. Therefore, from childhood, the Japanese learn to work in a group, learn to survive on their own piece of land. In essence, everything Japanese education is not built on teaching a person something, developing him - it teaches him to be a real Japanese, to be competitive in Japanese society. Not everyone can bear this kind of life because it is really hard.

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Sometimes it seems that the people living on the island and their culture are actually from some other planet. We found a few more amazing oddities that can only be found in the land of the rising sun.

1. The Japanese still use fax.

Yes, in the land of robots and latest technologies Japanese people still use fax machines at work. Used every day, in some cases it is even preferable.

2. seal instead of signature.

In documents, the Japanese prefer to put not a signature, but a red seal with their last name. They are sold in almost any store.

3. Japanese pizza.

Only if you suddenly want to try pizza in Japan, you will quickly realize that it is different here too. Potatoes, shrimp, rice cereal, corn and mayonnaise are just a few of the topping options.

4. They really love the combination of mayonnaise and corn.

5. packaging fans.

For example, if you buy a package of cookies, each one will be packaged separately. Everything is in plastic.

6. The skins of grapes are always peeled off.

Only if you decide to eat grapes with the skin, you will greatly surprise the Japanese.

7. There are no trash cans on the streets.

Even if you need to throw something away on the street, you won’t find where. Because there are simply no trash cans. Although the streets are mysteriously clean. Maybe the Japanese carry trash with them?

8. ATMs have closing times.

In Japan, ATMs have opening hours. So you are unlikely to be able to withdraw cash for a taxi at two in the morning when you really need it.

9. Everyone parks backwards.

In Japan, it is almost impossible to see a car parked in front of you. And even if you meet one, it will most likely be a foreigner’s car. Here, rear parking is considered safer.

10. Air conditioners always run on heat.

Japan is very hot and humid in the summer. However, the temperature on the air conditioners is always set to 28 degrees Celsius.

11. In restaurants you have to shout so that the waiter will come to you.

Japan has a completely different service culture. There, waiters will not come up to you every five minutes and ask how you liked the dish. Japanese waiters will not come until you call, and they will not respond to a raised hand or a modest “Girl” - you will have to shout, and loudly.

12. There is a mandatory break in city swimming pools.

Every hour, lifeguards blow their whistles and ask everyone to leave the pool for 10 minutes. During this time, everyone should rest.

13. If you are sick, wear a mask.

If someone gets sick in Japan, they must wear a mask so as not to cough on others and infect them. Many Japanese women wear a mask if they are too lazy to put on makeup.

14. sleeping at work.

In Japan, you can sleep peacefully at work if you don’t have the strength to keep your eyes open. It is even considered a sign of hard work. 15. In the morning, cars with megaphones drive through the streets.

During election season, candidates drive around in cars and make speeches through megaphones from the early hours of the morning. You will definitely wake up from this.

16. Fruits are incredibly expensive.

Buying fruit from the supermarket is considered almost splurging and bragging in Japan because they are so expensive. For example, strawberries sell for $100.

17. sun protection.

Japanese women try to avoid sunbathing at all costs - in the hot summer they wear long sleeves, hats and cover their faces.

The Russian press often likes to publish articles with stories about the perversions of the Japanese.

Some of them are true, some are greatly embellished, and some are not true at all. How is it really?

The same tolerant attitude towards transsexuals and those who have changed their gender. The reason for this relationship may be Buddhism. Because there is no prohibition on sexuality in general, or homosexuality in particular. Unlike Christianity and Islam. It was considered normal for samurai to have a wife, a mistress and a young friend-lover.

I think that in other countries there are no fewer perverts than in Japan, they are simply hidden more, for the same reasons - taboo. A comparison comes to my mind with Holland, where soft drugs are legalized, but this does not mean that there are no drug addicts in other countries, many more than in Holland.

The Japanese less crime on sexual grounds. There are a lot of divorces, but they probably have more arranged marriages. Often men marry for status and to get ahead in the world. career ladder, because in some companies it is believed that if a person does not have a family, he cannot occupy a high management position.

The most shocking thing for me so far is that it is considered normal when a wife and children live in one city, and the husband works in another, and they practically do not see each other. This often happens when, after getting married or buying a house, a man is transferred to another department - to another city, he has nowhere to go, most often he cannot refuse. But the woman does not want to leave either because of her children’s school, or because of her existing social circle, or because the house has already been taken out on a mortgage, and more often for all reasons together. So they live separately for years.

Regarding the love for anime and young girls– it’s just very popularized among them. Such people (most often, of course, men, but there are also girls among them) are called otaku. This word has a somewhat disparaging connotation... There are otakus different types: some people love anime and girl groups (the most popular is AKV 48 - there are 129 girls in it, who not all at once, of course, but in a huge crowd perform on stage and star in videos) - they are somehow socialized... go to concerts, communicate with each other, even meeting girls with similar interests.

And others are completely antisocial: they are into manga or anime, talk to themselves and are not interested in real girls at all, they are not good enough for them, they prefer virtual ones. There are such otakus (of the first type) in other countries! Once they showed a story about two young Germans who specially came to Japan for a concert by those same AKV 48. They differed from their Japanese counterparts only in appearance. In other countries there are simply no such groups, there is no such popularization of this whole “Lolita phenomenon”. This is one of the taboos. But here they treat it condescendingly and calmly.

Again, a maid cafe with girls in anime clothes... The Japanese have two definitions of attractiveness: kawaii and bijin. Kawaii means cute and cute. A girl with protruding ears, crooked teeth and crooked legs may be kawaii and incredibly popular. And bijin is such an unapproachable, cold beauty... of models, for example. Kawaii also has a connotation of accessibility and childlike spontaneity. The average Japanese man is shy and indecisive... In general, I have heard the opinion that a Japanese man is confident and decisive only if he is very rich - then he can easily approach any beauty. And the rest prefer more accessible and light kawaii...

In Japan, love hotels, hostesses and host bars are everywhere... Host bars are establishments where women pay host boys for communication. I don't know if there are similar bars in other countries.

Especially for the Green Elephant - Irina Sato, Tokyo, Japan.

They sleep in meetings, refer to others in the third person, and wear special slippers when going to the restroom. How else do Japanese customs differ from ours?

They use a barker

They don't understand what sin is

They use special toilet slippers

In hotels and homes, the Japanese use separate plastic or rubber slippers for the toilet and bathroom. They usually stand at the entrance to the bathroom. When you go out, the flip-flops should be taken off and left in the same place. This strange tradition has two purposes: firstly, the Japanese believe that it is more hygienic, and secondly, it is immediately clear that the toilet is occupied. This rule often confuses foreigners, who, of course, always forget to change their shoes.

They sleep at work

They refer to each other in the third person

They consider tipping an insult

In Japan, tipping is seen as an insult, a sign that the waiter is not doing his job well and therefore needs a monetary incentive.

They paint the trucks

On the roads of Japan you can see extravagant-looking trucks that look like Philip Kirkorov on the stage of the Kremlin Palace. They are always bright, often chrome-plated, with neon lighting and bright patterns throughout the body. Such trucks are called “dekotora”; they appeared after the release of the cult Japanese TV series “Trucker” in the 1970s. Drivers of such trucks organize meetings and exhibitions of their multi-ton friends.

Epson employee says

There is a stereotype that Japan is a good place to work. This stereotype comes from our compatriots who work by invitation in foreign companies, where the Japanese try to adapt to the level and style of foreigners. Meanwhile, in the Land of the Rising Sun itself, the traditional work system is structured in a very unique way, and it is quite difficult to exist in it. That is why there are not many foreigners building a career in classic Japanese companies. Epson employee Marina Matsumoto talks about what it’s like for the average office worker in Japan.

Dress code

In a traditional Japanese company, a mandatory black suit is worn regardless of the weather, even if it is +40 outside. The Japanese tolerate both heat and cold calmly, as they go through a very harsh school of hardening the body in childhood. Recently, a new law was passed allowing people to wear short-sleeve shirts to work. This is due to the forced saving of electricity, in which even in extreme heat air conditioners are no longer always used in offices.

In some companies, women are not allowed to wear fitted suits - they must be completely straight. The skirt must cover the knees.

In some places, women must only wear short hair that does not cover their ears. Hair color must be black. If you are naturally blonde, for example, you will have to dye your hair.

In addition to long hair, men are not allowed to wear a beard or mustache. This is an unspoken rule that everyone knows. The persistent image of the Yakuza (this is a traditional form of organized crime in Japan) gets in the way.

Subordination

At work they only work

They only take to the workplace what they need for work: for me, these are documents and a pen. I can’t take my bag, wallet or phone; it remains at the checkpoint.

How the Japanese slow down the work process

In Russia, we all know that your salary depends on the results of your work. If you work poorly, you get nothing. If you work well, you receive bonuses and promotions. You’ve done everything - you can leave early or ask for an additional task to earn more.

Long, lengthy conversations

Stratification of society

Japanese communities have always been clearly organized. For example, a samurai never prepared food for himself; he could easily have died of hunger if the peasantry had not helped him out.

As a result of this mentality, it is very difficult for any Japanese to make an independent decision that is not inherent in his status. They cannot take on basic responsibility that goes beyond the scope of their everyday routine. To put a comma or not to put it is a problem for half a day. Preparing basic documents is a series of endless, very slow consultations. Moreover, the mandatory nature of such consultations is amazing. If an employee nevertheless takes it upon himself to make a decision that is not based on his status, then everyone in the hierarchical chain associated with him will receive a reprimand. This is eastern despotism in action: “I am a small man, I am a simple peasant, and I should only do the work assigned to me.”

Same as everyone else

Career

In a classic Japanese company, it takes a long time to build a career. Career advancement depends on age, not merit. A young specialist, even a very talented one, will occupy an insignificant position, work a lot and for a low salary, because he has just arrived. Because of this organization of the work process, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Japanese companies to compete in the international market. Yes, there is the concept of “Japanese quality,” but this no longer saves them, because business is conducted too much in the Japanese way.

Salary

Vacations and weekends

If you are sick on Monday and are thinking of not going to work, then they will not understand you. Everyone goes to work with a fever.

Weekends may include holidays, All Souls Day - Obon, in mid-August. But a young specialist does not have such an opportunity; he will work for the first two years without extra days off.

For the New Year, 1-3 days are given. If they fall on Saturday-Sunday, then no one, like in Russia, will move them to Monday-Tuesday.

There is also a “golden week” in May, when several public and religious holidays occur in a row. My husband worked all days, I had 3 days off.

Working day

Informal communication

The Japanese do not know how to drink and, as a rule, get very drunk. The drink itself will not cost you anything; either your boss or the company always pays for it.

Now, to further encourage visiting bars with colleagues, workers are even being paid for “nomikai.” It's part of Japanese culture to work together and drink together. It turns out that you spend almost 24 hours a day, 365 days a year only with your work colleagues.

In addition to "nomikai", you need to drink with clients, with partners, with officials with whom the company is connected.

Yes, there is something similar in Russia, but it is incomparable to the Japanese alcoholic scale. And besides, in Russia the attitude towards alcohol is much more negative.

We must understand that the Japanese did not sit and invent these rules for themselves. Everything has evolved over the centuries due to the geographical and historical uniqueness of Japan. Probably everyone will agree that they had good reasons for such a mobilization of society, constant readiness for something. A small territory, many people, wars, earthquakes, tsunamis - everything can collapse at any moment. Therefore, from childhood, the Japanese learn to work in a group, learn to survive on their own piece of land. In essence, all Japanese education is not built on teaching a person something, developing him - it teaches him to be a real Japanese, to be competitive in Japanese society. Not everyone can bear this kind of life because it is really hard.

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