Japan has a culture that's always fascinated the rest of the world. We've all heard about
this country's unique mix of tradition and futurism. But I was surprised to find out
that sumo is NOT the most popular sport there, and it takes mad skill to prepare a “river
pig”!
Oh yeah, and bathing is done a little differently than you might be used to. In Japanese culture,
the main cleaning routine is done at night, in SEVERAL steps. Follow closely please.
First, run a hot bath and hop in…the shower! You just need to lightly wash any sweat or
dust off your body. Make sure you're totally rinsed and…
Next, have a soak in that bath, just long enough to open your pores. You might add some
Epsom salt and other skin-nourishing ingredients. Kinda like brining a turkey for Thanksgiving.
And anyone with long hair, make sure it doesn't touch the bath water! Pull it up in a high
bun if you need to. Then climb out of the bath, and let any ingredients you added soak
Time to head back to the shower for another rinse! This second rinse isn't always done,
but it'll remove any more stubborn grime. Since the room is probably steamy by now,
your body temperature will be up, and this will open the pores even more. It also gets
Now you're ready to double-dip – and have a long, luxurious soak in that bath. Make
sure the water is still hot! Well, I guess you don't have to worry about that if you're
using a Japanese tub – they have a built-in heater so that the water stays hot!
In Japan, bathing is more for relaxation, and it goes beyond just the body—it cleanses
the soul too. Rooted in the belief system of Shintoism, a hot evening bath washes the
stress of the day away. Plus, your skin is getting the benefits of those extra ingredients
If you've ever been to Japan, you'll know that public bathing is very popular too. There
are public bathhouses called sentos in nearly every town. Because of their location, the
Japanese can enjoy bathing in hot springs as well – those are known as onsens. In
earlier times, many Japanese houses didn't have bathtubs or a heating system for the
water or home, so public bathing became the solution. Now, it's more of a cultural tradition.
A sento or onsen is usually part of an inn that has pools and showers and is stocked
with soap and shampoo. People can socialize and relax after a long day at work. Sign me
up!
Now it should come as no surprise that the private Japanese bathroom is an oasis! The
tub is deeper than what we see in the West so that the water reaches you all the way
to your chin. (Hence, why you need to pull your hair up so that it doesn't touch the
water!) It's traditionally made of cypress wood, which will smell amazing once the tub
is filled with hot water and the room is steamy.
Once you're all done poaching in there, it's also good to know is that the toilet
is in a separate room than the bathtub. That way, the bath is all about cleanliness. There
are even special slippers to wear only in the room with the toilet!
Since we're on the topic of the Japanese evening routine, let's talk about dinner
(and some other cool facts about the Land of the Rising Sun)!
- If you've been invited to a traditional dinner in Japan, always wait to be told where
to sit. There will be a guest of honor, which is always the oldest person in the group.
They'll be seated in the center of the table. Try a bit of everything on your plate using
- Chopsticks come with their own set of rules, but remember never to cross them or use them
to point! Also, don't rub them together to get rid of any wood shavings – they don't
-In Japan, slurping your soup or noodles is like saying, “This is delicious!” and
“My compliments to the chef!” So if you visit, go ahead and slurp away!
- Many parts of Japan are quite crowded, so their homes and lawns have to be small. One
Japanese expression says that their gardens are so small that they'll fit “on a cat's
forehead.”
- In Japan, you can get your license for a motor scooter or similar small road vehicle
starting at age 16. But you must wait until you're 18 to get your license to drive a
car! That came as a surprise to me as an American, but maybe there are other countries like that?
What's the minimum driving age in your part of the world? Let me know down in the comments!
- Japan is known for its beautiful tea ceremonies…and that delicious Matcha! But this might surprise
you: Japan drinks about 85% of the coffee that Jamaica exports! Coffee is everywhere,
from the big brands we all know to small, family-owned coffee shops. But coffee shops
in Japan aren't big social centers or impromptu offices – it's in and out. Well, that's
how I like my morning coffee run as well!
- Here's one for sports fans – even though sumo wrestling is the national sport, baseball
tops the list of the most popular! It's a lot like the American version, but some
technical things are a little different – the field, strike zone, and the ball itself are
smaller in Japan. If you're interested, soccer follows baseball in popularity, then
golf, tennis, and sumo in 4th place.
- Go to this wonderous country, and you might see Pikachu on a plane! Japan's largest
airline, All Nippon Airways, has painted Pikachu and other Pokémon on the sides of their airplanes,
- I'm sure you know you have Japan to thank for giving us karaoke. But have you ever wondered
what the word means? It translates as “empty orchestra” so you better fine-tune your
singing skills! I'm also glad we decided to just borrow the original Japanese word.
“Hey, you guys up for some Empty Orchestra tonight?” – that's a mouthful!
- The blowfish, or “fugu” in Japanese, is a highly poisonous fish…that nonetheless
is eaten as a delicacy! It's so dangerous, in fact, that Japanese chefs have to complete
11 years of training if they want to serve it in their restaurant! Yes, it takes PERFECT
skill when the stakes are that high! On a lighter note, “fugu” literally means “river
pig” in Japanese! Wow, that's unappetizing on so many levels…
- Saving face and avoiding embarrassment is very important there – I'd say in a lot
of other places too! But here's the surprise: getting caught in the rain without an umbrella
is considered foolish! Don't worry, though— there are countless convenience stores where
you can pop in and get yourself an umbrella.
- If you're looking for a place to spend your golden years, you'll be in good company
in Japan – about 23% of the population is over 65 years old. In fact, it's also the
country with the most centenarians! (That's people who've celebrated their 100th birthday.)
- Japan has 16 national holidays. There are so many crammed into late April and early
May that this is referred to as Golden Week. One of those includes Greenery Day on May
4th, which celebrates nature. But there's also separate Marine Day in July (dedicated
to the greatness of the ocean) and Mountain Day in August (to commemorate, well, mountains!).
- School plays a huge part in Japanese life. Lessons on being kind-hearted, studying hard,
and feeling empathy would be a typical kindergartener's school day. Even the right way to clean is
taught—in most schools, students clean the classroom at the end of every day!
Yeah we didn't talk about sushi. Love it though, can't get enough. Maybe in an upcoming
video. Leave me a comment if you agree.
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