35 Strange Facts Only Exist in Japan!

35 strange facts only exist in Japan Japan is the East Asian country owning beautiful landscapes that enchant countless people besides its beauty this place also has a long-standing culture with numerous peculiar and unique aspects for example in Japan there are over 700,000 people who withdraw from society Japanese people are Workaholics working up to 80 hours a week the first gisha was a man the culture of stuffing people into subway trains and more let's explore 35 strange facts about Japan to understand more about this unique country with the highest life expectancy in the world number 35

naked Festival in Japan Japan is famous for many festivals but hadaka Matsuri is surely one of the strangest places this Festival takes place on the third Saturday of February every year at sedi Canan in Temple in okiyama prefecture to pray for good luck during the festival men have to strip off all their clothes in the bone chilling cold of Japanese winter they only wear a single white loin cloth called fondi and a pair of white socks called Tabby thousands of Japanese men strip naked in public to ensure a lucky year what do you think of

this Festival feel free to comment below number 34 work addiction Japanese people have long been known for their diligence and addiction to work some work more than 80 hours a week and many end up exhausted dying from Strokes or suicide Japanese people work a lot to the point of exhaustion there's even a term for dying from overwork in Japan called Karoshi for Japanese people they don't have the habit of changing jobs too often the ideal in their view is to work for one company when young and stay there for Life colleagues might even be considered

a second family as they work together for 12 to 15 hours a day according to the Daily Mail hundreds of deaths due to overwork such as strokes and heart attacks are reported every year in Japan along with a host of serious health issues this has led to lawsuits and to address the problem what do you think of this challenging issue in Japan feel free to comment below number 33 over 700,000 people is hikori social withdrawal hikori are people who voluntarily withdraw from society they are often young averaging 30 to 31 years old or middle-aged and

unemployed they live with their parents spending most of their time indoors with food and drinks brought to them some even avoid all communication and live like this for decades typically many cases of hikori are associated with extreme childhood experiences or even trauma low achievements especially when combined with high family expectations seem to contribute to the development of hikori the Japanese government has been concerned about this phenomenon for many years and has sought various ways to integrate hikori into the community number 32 about 1,500 earthquakes in Japan every year Japan experiences a high frequency of earthquakes

due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire initially frightening you'll gradually get used to it because hundreds of small earthquakes occur in Japan each year most of which are barely noticeable there are about 111 active volcanoes in Japan and about 15 volcanic events including eruptions occur annually many of these pose serious threats to human life an interesting fact is that Japan uses a different scale to measure earthquakes called the Japan meteorological agency seismic intensity scale SC while the RoR scale indicates how much energy an earthquake releases the JMA scale indicates the degree of

ground shaking at different locations throughout the affected area the JMA scale is used because Japan believes that measuring the degree of shaking that people feel and the impact on the surrounding environment when an earthquake occurs will help people understand what to do when a major earthquake strikes with zero being the lowest value and seven being the highest each step on the scale comes with descriptions such as hanging objects may Sway and people sleeping May wake up and official warnings about measures to be taken during earthquakes will be announced based on the JMA scale when an

earthquake occurs it's safer to hide under a table or take cover in a safe place running outside is very dangerous because many things will fall on you and cause injuries earthquakes don't directly cause as many deaths as many people think in fact the number of deaths directly attributable to earthquakes is not high many dies from fires Suffocation due to gas explosions or being buried have you ever experienced an earthquake feel free to share your experience in the comments [Music] below number 31 world's most punctual train lines with an average delay of less than 1 minute

on the shinkansen high-speed rail line between Tokyo and shinos Saka in 2018 Japan's railway lines are considered the most punctual in the world being late is uncommon in Japan if a train is delayed the ticket inspector must apologize and the railway company might even issue a delay certificate if the train is 5 minutes late if it's delayed by an hour it will be immediately announced on the news number 30 cry workshops in Japan in Japan many schools and companies organize cry workshops to encourage their students or employees to cry to reduce stress and help them

feel comfortable and able to share their emotions companies hire a handsome man with the ability to cry to play sad videos and wipe tears for participants in schools a professional called Nida Sensei or tears teacher is invited to organize activities and lectures about crying the reason behind these crying programs is that Japan is among the countries with the lowest crying rates in the world some believe there's a stigma against crying in Asian countries considering it a sensitive action showing weakness therefore crying workshops help individuals Express themselves and relieve stress better number 29 High rate of

extramarital Affairs Japan has a low div divorce rate but not all marriages are smooth even in difficult situations they choose to stay together this is because many Japanese women are Homemakers and divorce would make them financially difficult men fear not being able to see their children after separation because in Japan there's no shared custody after divorce only one parent gets custody in Japan The View on extramarital Affairs is not as strict as in many other places some areas even have arranged marriages therefore the rate of extramarital Affairs in Japan is very high according to a

survey by sagami Rubber Industries in 2019 of over 14,000 people 15.2% of women and 20.5% of men admitted to sleeping with someone other than their spouse number 28 no begging in Japan when in Japan you'll never see people begging or lying helpless on the streets seeking pity from others why is that although homeless people are looked down upon and considered lowly in society they don't degrade themselves for a meal the self-respect of Japanese people is very high they believe they could die but not beg for food in Japan Beggars are the most looked down upon

because they believe the samurai Spirit wouldn't allow them to do so if they have nothing to eat they will collect cans for recycling sleep in cardboard boxes scavenge for leftover food at convenience stores or rumage through garbage bins number 27 legal Yakuza gangs in Japan Yakuza originated from thieves and gamblers from the the Ido period and evolved into a nationwide criminal system during Japan's modernization they even penetrated deeper into the economy after World War II the Yakuza rapidly Rose in the black market at its peak in the 1960s this criminal organization had over 184,000 members

at that time the Yakuza had close ties with politicians this long-standing history somewhat explains why the Yakuza are still not considered illegal Yakuza in Japan are specialists in debt collection and protection for entertainment districts they also have offices organizational charts operational areas and everything must be registered with the police Japanese Yakuza won't attack ordinary citizens because doing so would damage their reputation and attract police attention you'll only get in trouble if you go out and enjoy yourself without paying or cause disruptions affecting the businesses in those areas the leaders of Japanese Yakuza can be quite

affable and value honor for example in Japan there's the yamagi gomi gang one of the most ruthless and largest gangs globally with an estimated annual income of $6 billion from opium protection rackets Usery and even the Japanese stock market what do you think about the Yakuza in Japan feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below number 26 unique one room hotels in Japan this is considered one of the craziest Innovations in Japan instead of regular rooms the rooms in Japanese hotels are designed in a very unique capsu likee form they resemble cocoons so

they don't take up too much space to construct these kinds of hotels are for everyone regardless of wealth social status or position what do you think of this capsule Hotel would you like to experience it share your thoughts below number 25 sleeping on the subway Japanese people work very diligently so they try to make the most of their downtime to rest and the subway is an ideal place to sleep without the need for seats or beds they simply rest their chin on a piece of rubber and start sleeping as if they were at home in

fact in Japan those who nap during the day are considered lazy if they sleep on beds but napping on the go like on the train is commendable and the act of napping is called inemuri number 24 doing everything alone is completely normal is there anyone here who wants to visit Japan but doesn't have a travel companion feel free to comment below don't worry if you don't have a companion because Japan is a great country to enjoy solo experiences in other countries you might feel anxious when entering a restaurant and dining alone but in Japan eating

alone is not shameful at all and many people do it every day choose a seat at the counter watch the chef prepare your meal and enjoy your delicious meal not only limited to dining going to movies or late night karaoke alone is also very common in Japan in fact it's so prevalent that entire businesses and chains in Japan even offer services catering to solo customers from karaoke where you can sing in a personal Booth resembling a space ship cabin to Yakiniku like restaurants where diners can enjoy delicious Yakiniku meals alone furthermore in Japan there's a

bar called bar hitori where you can go alone strike up conversations with others or enjoy drinks in your own space indeed Japan is a society where loneliness is embraced and anything can be done alone what do you think about these types of establishments feel free to share your thoughts with me number 23 women give gifts on Valentine's Day in other countries Valentine's Day on February 14th is typically known as a day for couples to give each other gifts chocolates and flowers however in Japan it's women who are expected to give gifts and this occasion is

not just for couples in addition to women giving gifts on Valentine's Day in Japan giving chocolats to male colleagues on this day called girich choko is also very common female office workers often spend a lot of time and money buying limited edition chocolates from famous stores to give to their bosses or male colleagues at the company a month later on March 14th is the time for women to receive gifts back on white day men are expected to reciprocate gifts to their female colleagues three times the amount they received on Valentine's Day number 22 complex waste

sorting system confuses many Japan boasts an extremely detailed waste sorting system when living in this country you'll find that there are specific rules for sorting everything from paper metal to Kitchen scraps or electronics and you're even only allowed to dispose of garbage on certain days of the week when traveling to Japan you'll come across trash bins at train stations and convenience stores all clearly labeled for bottles cans packaging and more although this may lead you to think that environmental issues are a top priority in Japan in reality Japan is one of the largest users of

single-use plastic in the world and you'll notice that everything here is individually wrapped in plastic from fruits and vegetables at supermarkets to pieces of chocolate in boxes and the truth is at the end of the day much of the sorted and meticulously collected waste ends up being incinerated together what do you think about Japan's complex waste sorting rules share your thoughts in the comments below number 21 couples in love only need to meet one to two times per month can you believe that couples in Japan don't see each other every day like in other countries

they completely find it normal to meet only a few times a month they also don't spend much time together no texting no sending photos it's not that love is dull but it's the culture in this country where couples prioritize work and careers over emotions what do you think about this fact in Japan comment below and let me know number 20 super complicated dining rules the dining rules at Japanese tables are really complicated with a lot of things you're not allowed to do for example you're not allowed to move food plates not allowed to leave half-eaten

dishes not allowed to skewer food with chopsticks not allowed to pour your own drinks and many other other things and especially you have to say the word oi meaning delicious several times while eating or else it will be considered impolite number 19 encouraging slurping when eating despite being a country that highly values etiquette and has countless rules in Social culture slurping noodles or soup while eating is encouraged in Japan this surprises many foreign tourists especially those from Western countries Japanese people view slurping noodles as a sign of enjoying the food and it's considered the highest

praise for the cook it also helps you eat faster and fully enjoy the flavor while the dish is still hot what do you think about this peculiar fact of Japan share your thoughts below number 18 Japanese have nearly the highest life expectancy in the world the average life expectancy in Japan is 85 only lower than two countries worldwide Japan has held the title of country with the highest life expectancy for many consecutive years elderly Japanese people despite their age can take care of themselves without much assistance from others the high life expectancy in Japan is

attributed to its moderate climate good quality of life and the scientific eating habits of the Japanese people they have secrets and a very healthy diet so not only do they have a high life expectancy but almost everyone also has beautiful skin anyone who reaches the age of 100 in Japan is honored with a silver cup from the Prime Minister which has been a tradition since 2009 however since then the number of centenarians has increased significantly so the government switched from Silver cups to silverplated cups since 2016 as of 2019 there are nearly 70,000 people aged

100 and above in Japan what do you think about the high life expectancy in Japan leave a comment with your thoughts number 17 in Japan there's one vending machine for every 24 people with 5 million vending machines Japan has the highest density of vending machines in the world estimating one vending machine for every 24 Japanese people what do you think about this convenience in Japan most of these vending machines offer items like fruit juices and soft drinks to quench thirst in the sweltering heat of summer or warm the body in the freezing winter with a

hot chocolate coffee and tea some machines even sell alcohol and cigarettes however you might also find some machines offering unique items like bananas love letters instant noodles or even bottled water from different regions of Japan number 16 Japan Imports over 80% of coffee from Jamaica this type of coffee is called Blue Mountain grown in the region of the same name in Jamaica and it's highly popular it's grown only on small family-owned plantations at over 7,000 ft altitude and usually reserved for connoisseurs the coffee has a light flavor and lacks the bitterness of most other types

of coffee it's also known as the most expensive coffee in the world so if you have the opportunity you should try it if you don't like coffee you can also participate in a Japanese tea ceremony which is an ancient tradition of Japan and also very interesting number 15 horse meat dish this is something few people think about Japanese people love to eat HSE meat and HSE meat is also very popular in this country it's even called by the national flower name Sakura niku meaning cherry blossom meat because of its light pink color resembling cherry blossoms

horse meat has been consumed in Japan since the late 16th century by 1960 as the role of horses in agriculture and transportation diminished this meat became quite popular in Japanese kitchens live horse meat called basashi is often served in restaurants it's usually eaten with grated Ginger and sweet soy sauce number 14 culture of removing shoes before entering a house this is a minimum courtesy not only in Japan but also in many places around the world as soon as you enter a Japanese House show your courtesy by taking off your shoes and placing them on the

shoe rack by the entrance the entrance of Japanese houses or reception halls is where you'll see signs indicating that you should remove your shoes before entering for example if there are slippers placed around the entrance that's a sign that guests should take off their shoes and put on the slippers or if the floor at the entrance is lower than the floor in the living area that's also a sign that you should take off your shoes number 13 the first gisha in Japan were men the first gisha in Japan were called taoki or hokan they were

male gas their job was to entertain guests by demonstrating talents and assisting Geo and moo which are female entertainers however as time went on the number of Geo the term for G is in Kyoto today increasingly outnumbered taoi taoi became scarce and almost disappeared from Society number 12 the majority of Japanese people use electric trains as their means of transportation this is a highly favored mode of public transportation in Japan with a network of railway lines covering the entire country you can go anywhere just by using electric trains electric trains in Japan are extremely accurate

in terms of time which is very convenient for choosing train schedules as well as calculating travel time Japanese people often use electric trains to commute to work and school so it's very common to see many Japanese people crowded on trains whenever you're on an electric train and hear the announcement of Shin shinjo meaning a personal accident it's almost certain that someone has jumped from the train and this is something that frequently happens in Japan number 11 the culture of stuffing people into subway trains in Japan because Japan's Railway system is one might say unparalleled nearly

everyone here uses electric trains it's because of this that a unique profession exists in Japan the job of pushing people into subway trains during peak hours in Japan Railway attenders known as oia or pushers perform one of the most peculiar jobs in the world by pushing passengers into train cars it's unavoidable that many passengers eager to their workplaces on time have to endure the tight squeeze inside the trains number 10 wearing suits ties carrying briefcases to work but spending the whole day sitting in the park ever wonder why Japanese men dress in suits Wear Ties

and carry briefcases but end up sitting in the park they may be unemployed don't want to face their families fearing criticism and blame because Japanese men care deeply about their appearance and don't want to lose face with their wives and families they always seek places to hide and only return home at the end of the workday number nine bringing back gifts for co-workers and relatives the term omage in Japanese is often translated as souvenir in English however in Japan omiyage means much more while in the west souvenirs are simply a friendly gesture in Japan giving

omage after each trip is expected and anticipated by both the giver and the recipient more than anything else even for a short trip to a nearby town you must bring back omage failure to do so will result in strange looks in Japan there's even a saying that on average each person spends 15 minutes sightseeing and 45 minutes choosing omage number eight cleaning is part of the curriculum children under six are taught how to clean and tidy up objects as part of daily activities at school to instill deep respect responsibility and equality of course some tasks

like cleaning bathrooms painting and repairs are assigned to professional cleaners number seven in Japan children take the bus to school by themselves in Japan children from 5 to 10 years old must independently use public transportation such as buses or walk to school without their parents schools and parents in Japan often teach children these skills so they can be independent and self-reliant the success of this system is due to Reliable neighborhoods that always watch out for children while allowing them space to learn there's also a popular TV program in Japan called hajim nokai or my first

errand where children age two or three participate and the kids run errands for their parents while a secret filming crew records Independence is highly valued in Japan what do you think about this leave a comment below number six Japan is a country without a capital when talking about Japan's capital people often think of Tokyo do you think so too let me know in the comments however is this really true traditionally Japan's capital was the residence of the emperor in the past Japan's capital was located in various places by 1868 the emperor's residents and the headquarters

of the Japanese government were both moved to Tokyo Japan once decided to designate Tokyo as the capital of the country in 1950 how however in 1986 the Japanese government decided to revoke Tokyo's status as the capital to this day Japan's Constitution does not contain any provisions or decisions regarding the capital of the country therefore legally speaking Tokyo is not the capital of Japan and Japan does not have an official Capital today the central government agencies the Japanese Imperial Palace and the residents of the Japanese Imperial family are all located in this city so Tokyo can

be considered the unofficial capital of Japan number five the world's oldest company is in Japan Congo is the oldest operating company in the world established in 578 it's considered a Japanese construction company and the longest continuously independent company in the world operating for over 1,400 years until it was merged into a subsidiary of takamatsu in 2006 it specialized in building temples and shrines this company even built Osaka castle if you're into exploring and interested in Japan's temples you can visit kazawa known as little Kyoto number four over 80% of Japan's land area is hills and

mountains Japan is a country with a large hilly and mountainous area accounting for over 80% this includes over 100 active volcanoes making up about 10% of the world's total active volcanoes if you enjoy breathtaking Landscapes you should explore sanriku Fuko National Park this vast Park is where you can experience the wildest nature with rugged Cliffs jutting into the ocean peaceful fishing villages nestled in small bays and the freshest sushi restaurants around number three Japan has more than one alphabet the Japanese language is extremely difficult many foreigners struggle to learn Japanese and part of this is

because Japan has up to three different alphabets even four if you count romaji and Latin alphabets Japanese alphabets have a long history and an interesting development kanji characters were imported from China and initially only used by men meanwhile Katakana characters were used to assist in Reading Chinese characters and haragana characters were used by women and those who weren't allowed to receive education back then nowadays kanji herana and Katakana are all used in Daily Japanese texts number two silence is considered politeness Japanese people generally pay close attention to those around them and making noise that disturbs

others is considered rude on trains and buses in Japan people often speak softly to each other there are announcements asking everyone to switch their phones to silent mode and you'll rarely see someone talking on the phone at cafes restaurants and public places even Neighbors in Japan will readily complain if you make noise however there's an exception you don't need to speak softly at restaurants isak's bars where it's entirely acceptable to loudly say Sumas and meaning sorry to get the waiter's attention number one baseball is more popular than Sumo when it comes to Sports in Japan

people immediately think of sumo a traditional martial art not for the faint-hearted but few know that baseball is actually the most watched and played sport in this country baseball was introduced to Japan in the early mag period a time when adopting Western customs and practices was prevalent there are two professional baseball leagues in Japan as well as numerous high school and University tournaments across the country the most beloved star in the Land of the Rising Sun isn't a singer or actor but the Japanese baseball Legend Suzuki Ichiro the nation's Idol do you enjoy playing baseball

leave a comment to share your thoughts so we've explored 35 fascinating facts about Japan what do you think about the facts I've shared above or have you visited this beautiful and interesting country yet I'm quite impressed with the dining etiquette here remember to comment and share your thoughts with me thank you for watching our video don't forget to like share and subscribe to stay updated with the latest videos from us see you in the next videos