31. Japanese Corporate Culture
In Japan you never go home before your boss. The boss gets to be the boss by working long hours — so everyone works long hours.Decision making in a Japanese company is decentralized. Every senior manager has to approve every decision.
Employment was traditionally life long. It is still frowned upon to leave a company after less than five years. The interview process to get into a Japanese company can be long and complex. For new graduates, this often means writing a series of company examinations.
32. Chopsticks
Japan is an ambitious chopstick culture. In Japan, it's common to eat difficult things such as fish (an entire fish) and rice with chopsticks alone. Japanese also use chopsticks to consume solid objects in soups.There are a complex set of manners and etiquette for Japanese chopsticks.
33. University
Japanese high school is difficult. University entrance exams are competitive. Once you're in a Japanese university everything gets easy. It's almost impossible not to graduate no matter how much drinking you do.Japanese university is about social networking — building allegiances you can use in your career. Everyone joins university clubs. On the surface these are interest clubs. For example, a university might have a golf club. No matter which club you join it's really all about the nightlife.
34. Japanese Superheroes
Japan has its own superheroes with names like Ultraman, Astro Boy, Kamen Rider and Kintaro.
35. Japanese Street Fashion
Japan is filled with fashionable young people. Japanese Street Fashion is hard to define.
(Japanese couple in Paris)
36. Coming of Age Day
Coming of Age Day (Seijin No Hi) is celebrated on the second Monday in January by all Japanese who've reached the age of majority in the previous year. The age of majority in Japan is 20.The girls dress in Kimono (that usually cost around 1 million yen) and the guys wear suits or traditional Hakama. There's a quick ceremony at city halls across the country. After the ceremony everyone goes drinking with friends. It's a national holiday.
37. Key Money
Key money is a gift to the landlord by a new tenant. It's not really a gift it's a requirement (for many apartments).The process of renting an apartment in Japan is complex and expensive. You need a guarantor and an agent. This makes the process difficult for foreign residents of Japan.
Many apartments require: 1 months agent fee, 2 months key money, 2 months deposit and 1st months rent. That's a 6 month upfront payment to secure an apartment.
In recent years, there are an increasing number of landlords who've dropped the requirement for key money.
38. Genki
Genki means energy or health in Japanese. In Japan, it's common to ask people if their genki as a greeting. The concept of genki is fundamental to the way people think in Japan.
39. Japanese Police
Japanese police are obsessed with bicycle crime. They spend much of their time checking bicycle licenses.They also spend a lot of time on patrol and are very visible in the community. Tiny police stations are scattered through out Japan to maintain the visibility of the police. When you're lost you can ask them for directions. Everyone does it.
40. Engrish
Yeap, ladies love the word sweat.
Whatever you do, don't get into the train.
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