12 weird facts about Japan

Japan – a mountainous country with developed industry – has long had a reputation for being somewhat bizarre. A number of Japanese customs and practices can’t completely be explained and here are 12 weird things that baffle any foreigners who happen to be traveling through Japan:

1. Amazing car parking lots

Japan is a small country with the population of more than 126 million. Saving space, therefore, has been a big problem so far and parking lots are not exceptional, of course. Driving to a supermarket, your car will certainly be parked in these puzzle-type parking systems.

2. Mayonnaise

In terms of ingredients, mayonnaise (egg sauce) of Japan has no difference from the one of the US or European countries, but their ways of use is totally a far cry. While Americans often use it for sandwiches and burgers, the Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise is traditionally used for ice cream, fries, spaghetti sauce, pasta, and even pancakes.

3. “Super umbrella”

When rain is coupled with strong winds, regular umbrellas are basically useless. The Japanese handled this uncomfortable situation with their typical grace.

4. Elevator Girls

The job that extincts in Western countries in an effort to save money is still available in Japan. Almost every department store has a lift girl who pushes the button for you. It makes customers feel good and important. It’s also one of the reasons people praise Japan’s customer service above all other countries.

5. Heating packs

When it’s getting so cold, Japanese will make use of gel-filled packs heated in microwaves to keep them warm.

6. Sleeping On The Job

Getting caught napping at work is something that generally gets you in trouble. However, this action is completely acceptable in Japan. The custom dictates that if you’re sleeping at work it means you’ve been working so hard that you haven’t been able to get enough sleep at home. This leads employers to believe that the worker is simply exhausted as they’re incredibly dedicated to their job.The practice has such positive connotations attached that some people even pretend to be asleep to gain favor.

7. Toilet slippers

To minimize contact between the unclean toilet floor and the clean floor associated with the rest of the house, Japanese individuals may wear plastic toilet slippers. These will be located at the toilet door and must be removed on exiting the area.

8. Subway chin rest

The Japanese work really hard, so they have tendencies to sleep in the subway. They invented a special gadget that comfortably supports their heads during the snooze.

9. Cosmetic surgery for double tooth

Unlike the majority of the world, the youth of Japan are spending considerable sums of money on attaining uneven or snaggle-tooth. It is known as “yaeba”, which translates as “double tooth,” and is one of the country’s most recent odd fashion trends.

10. Strange ice-cream flavors

Extraordinary taste of Japanese is no longer so little-known. Would you like your ice cream flavored with horse meat, jellyfish, charcoal, snake, sea urchin or octopus? No problem, just visit Japan.

11. Easy ear explorer

Do you feel urgent need to see inside your ear and take dirty things out by yourself? Check out this ear explorer in Japan.

12. Vending machines

At first glance, most Japanese vending machines aren’t much different to those found in other countries. It is their location and contents that are completely remarkable. You can expect to find them next to ancient temples and even at the summit of Mount Fuji, with a wide selection of goods ranging from live lobsters to umbrellas, or even underwear.

See more Japan travel guide at here.