41. Bowing embarrassment
Bowing is the traditional business greeting in Japan (as opposed to shaking hands). This is a challenge for foreign business people who risk committing embarrassing bow related errors.
42. Yukata and the dead
If you go to a summer festival in Japan everyone is usually wearing Yukata. If you don't wear yukata you'll feel like the one person who shows up to a Halloween party without a costume.Yukata are easy enough to buy. However, if you don't wear it the right way you'll look like the dead.
43. Sumimasen!
Japan has some of the best service in the world. Staff are extremely diligent and attentive at restaurants and hotels.Restaurants are one place where newcomers have significant culture shock. For example, restaurants in Japan don't usually split checks. There's just no culture of splitting checks.
There's also no custom of tipping in Japan. So you won't be tied to one waiter/waitress. You can ask anyone to help you. You call staff whenever you need them by yelling sumimasen!. Staff are at your beck and call — there's no waiting around for the waiter to notice that you need something.
This system takes some getting used to. Most people quickly learn to love Japanese service.
44. Phone manners
In Japan, it's considered rude to have loud public conversations on your mobile phone. It's forbidden to talk on the phone on public transportation. It's also rude to have a loud phone conversation at a cafe ... really any public place. This is a rule you may learn to love.
45. Privacy
Japanese people (particularly Tokyo people) like their space. They're not big on striking up conversations with strangers. In Japan, many people put a privacy cover on their books for reading on the train. Book stores in Japan usually offer a free privacy cover with every purchase.
46. Umbrella condoms
Japanese department stores offer plastic wrapping for your umbrella on rainy days. It's considered good manners to wrap your umbrella before entering (no pun intended). This prevents the floors from becoming wet.
47. Poisonous Snakes
Japan has a lot of poisonous snakes.
48. Taxi Doors
Taxi doors open and close automatically. Drivers get annoyed if you open or close the door yourself.
49. Hosuto
Hosuto look scary and few people understand them.
50. Food on TV
You might expect that Japanese TV is full of anime and wild game shows.
The truth is that it's filled with dramas and shows about food. Japanese TV has a lot of variety shows that talk about various topics. Travel and food comes up a lot. If you flip channels you'll see this right away.
