Quick List of 10 Things to Learn About ‘the Land of the Rising Sun’.

On 7th September 2013, it was announced that Tokyo was chosen as the host city for the 2020 Olympic games. Tokyo is not new to big sporting events: it already hosted the 1964 Olympics, and its stadium will undergo a complete facelift in time for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

So, for two years in a row, Japan will see an enormous influx of tourists who will travel there for the sport happenings, but will also want to discover the many attractions of the country. The Japanese are famed for their efficiency and organisation (especially when it comes to transport networks – a great advantage for travellers), and will surely be ready for the thousands of new guests. The question is: will they be ready for Japan?

Japan is a fascinating land, and any serious world wanderer has certainly penned it down as a must destination in their travel bucket list. With all its quirks though, a visit to Japan can sometimes prove a bit of a cultural shock. Nothing to be worried about – just be prepared to see things that you might find totally unusual.

So we thought we’d put together a quick list of 10 things to learn about ‘the land of the rising sun’, which hopefully will make your visit there more interesting and enjoyable.

1. The logo for Tokyo 2020 is a garland of cherry blossoms. Every year, cherry blossom festivals take place all over Japan, mostly between March and May. Hanami (literally meaning viewing flowers) is the centuries-old tradition of picnicking under the cherry blossoming trees.

2. The prefecture of Greater Tokyo Area is the second largest metropolitan area in the world, and by far the world’s most populous metropolitan area. Tokyo is also considered to be the second most expensive city on the planet – so make sure you have enough yen before you leave!

3. Tokyo’s Tsukiji market is the largest fish market in the world. Worth a visit, if you can get up at 3am for it! For a glitzier shopping spree, visit Shibuya, a main fashion centre, and a major nightlife area. Or you may want to visit one of the cafes where people can play with kittens and puppies.

4. However, most things in Japan can be purchased through a vending machine – there’s one at practically every corner. What can you buy? Batteries and cigarettes, hot and cold food, beer and hot dogs, newspapers and comic books, but also light bulbs and used women’s underwear.

5. Japan is formed of over 6,800 islands, with the four main islands Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkiado comprising 97% of its total surface. Over 70% of the territory is mountainous – and most of these mountains are volcanoes: over 200, causing around 1500 earthquakes each year.

6. Japanese food is tasty and healthy – but be sure to know what you’re eating. Horse meat is a popular entrée, sliced thinly and eaten raw it is called basashi. Blowfish is a delicacy – just make sure yours has been cooked by a trained chef, if you don’t want to be poisoned. Another real treat is Kobe beef: the cows are massaged daily so their meat is the most tender you’ll ever taste.

7. At meal times, you’ll want to watch your etiquette. Never stick your chopsticks upright in your rice. This is only done when food is being offered to the dead! Noodles are slurped when eaten, with a very audible noise – not only this cools down the mouthful, it also indicates the food is delicious.

8. On the subject of etiquette: It is ok to pick your nose in public, but absolutely impolite to blow it. In the Japanese language, it is considered rude to say the word ‘no’ directly. It is also rude to tear the paper off a wrapped gift. When meeting someone, you must bow in front of them – a long bow for formality and respect, or at least a small nod.

9. Japanese creative expressions that have become international include manga (meaning random pictures), anime (which account for 60% of the world’s animation), karaoke (literally translated as empty orchestra), sudoku (‘single number’) and the most sophisticated arts of ikebana (flower arranging) and Haiku (the world’s shortest poetry, only three lines).

10. Contrary to popular belief, a Geisha is not a prostitute. Geisha means ‘person of the arts’, and they train rigorously for years to be able to perform a whole range of
traditional arts.

600 GB Pounds Buys The Following Amount Of Japanese Yen:



Written by Veronica Crespi
Travel writer – Currency Today