{"id":605,"date":"2024-10-15T02:59:59","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T02:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/?p=605"},"modified":"2025-08-12T02:12:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T02:12:12","slug":"5-surprising-things-about-life-in-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/japan-life\/5-surprising-things-about-life-in-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Surprising\u00a0 things about life in Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">No public trashcans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are not many public Trashcans in Japan. Most people carry their trash home. If you want to throw something away you have to throw it away at the konbini. And even then You&#8217;re only supposed to throw away things you bought there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/trashcan-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/trashcan-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/trashcan-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/trashcan-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/trashcan.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">People don&#8217;t hold the doors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In Japan, it&#8217;s common for doors to close automatically, especially in places like trains or stores. People often prioritize efficiency and personal space, so holding doors open for others isn\u2019t as customary as in some other cultures. However, you&#8217;ll still see acts of kindness, just in different forms!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/konbini-door.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese seven eleven foor\" class=\"wp-image-607\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/konbini-door.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/konbini-door-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/konbini-door-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Shopkeepers who walk you out<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0it&#8217;s common for shopkeepers to walk customers to the door, bow, and wave goodbye as they leave. This gesture shows appreciation for the customer&#8217;s patronage and emphasizes the importance of hospitality, or &#8220;omotenashi.&#8221; It creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere and leaves a positive impression!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/fumiki-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"shop owner\" class=\"wp-image-608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/fumiki-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/fumiki-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/fumiki-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/fumiki.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br><strong>Restaurants people leave you alone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In many Japanese restaurants, the service style is designed to give customers privacy and space. Instead of constant checking-in, you often ring a bell or call staff when you need something. This approach respects customers&#8217; time and creates a more relaxed dining experience. It can be quite different from more interactive service styles found elsewhere!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"740\" height=\"740\" src=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/izakaya-room.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese restaurant room\" class=\"wp-image-609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/izakaya-room.jpg 740w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/izakaya-room-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/izakaya-room-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mostly Cash based<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite Japan&#8217;s advanced technology, cash is still widely used and often preferred, especially in smaller shops, restaurants, and rural areas. Many places don&#8217;t accept credit cards, and ATMs that accept foreign cards can be limited. This cash-centric culture can definitely feel surprising, especially given the country\u2019s innovations in other areas!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/new-cash-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese cash\" class=\"wp-image-610\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/new-cash-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/new-cash-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/new-cash-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/new-cash.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Life in Japan can be surprising due to its unique cultural practices. Doors often close automatically, reflecting a focus on efficiency and personal space, rather than the custom of holding doors open. Hospitality is emphasized through gestures like shopkeepers walking customers out and bowing as they leave. Dining experiences prioritize privacy, with customers calling staff when needed instead of constant check-ins. Despite being technologically advanced, cash remains king, especially in smaller establishments, with many not accepting credit cards. These aspects highlight the distinct blend of tradition and modernity in Japanese life.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No public trashcans There are not many public Trashcans in Japan. Most people carry their trash home. If you want to throw something away you have to throw it away at the konbini. And even then You&#8217;re only supposed to throw away things you bought there. People don&#8217;t hold the doors In Japan, it&#8217;s common for doors to close automatically, especially in places like trains or stores. People often prioritize efficiency and personal space, so holding doors open for others isn\u2019t as customary as in some other cultures. However, you&#8217;ll still see acts of kindness, just in different forms! Shopkeepers who walk you out \u00a0it&#8217;s common for shopkeepers to walk [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":612,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japan-life"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/header.webp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=605"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":611,"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/605\/revisions\/611"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cheffingupwithmark.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}