infomapJAPAN Free Travel Guide. Maps, Sightseeing, Access Guide, Accommodation, Events, Japanese Trends, Gifts

Capsule Hotel
A 'Capsule Hotel' is reasonably priced, starting at around thirty dollars and a uniquely Japanese answer to overnight accommodations. The bed, in the shape of a space-age capsule, is about one metre in height, two metres in length, and one metre in width. It is your private space. The hotels usually offer sauna and public bath facilities and sometimes other amenities. It is becoming common in Japan, especially for a hard-working 'salaryman' (office worker) who missed the last train home to seek a night's rest at one such hotel.

Burgers
Unique Japanese burgers:
There are menus that are unique to Japanese McDonald's. For example, there is the Teriyaki Burger and a special burger called Chicken-Tatuta Burger, marinated in soy sauce and sweet sake. There is no chance of experiencing these unique tastes in North America so if you visit Japan, why not try them ?

The etiquette of drinking
As in many facets of everyday activities, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing things in Japan. A visitor would do well to remember some easy rules to follow, for example, when drinking alcohol it is the custom to pour drinks for each other. A vigilant eye is kept to make sure the glass is replenished when it is nearly empty. When a glass is almost empty, it is common for the other to pour. Japanese society is particularly sensitive to rank and age so that one must take extra care when drinking with a person superior in hierarchy or older. The bottle's label must be in full view while being poured while the person whose glass is being filled should hold it up with both hands. Following these simple rules ensures you will be in harmony with Japanese politeness.

Glasses
Nose pads for eye glasses:
Nose pads are a part of the eye glasses frame. It is said that they were actually invented by a Japanese with a small nose. From the end of the 16th century to the 17th century, glasses with holes in the frames near the temples through which a string was threaded, appeared in Europe and they were imported by Japan. However, if these stringed glasses were worn by Japanese with short nose, their eyelashes touched the lens. In order to solve the problem, a Japanese person invented the nose pads. Did you know that ?

Designer's products
In Japan, a young woman's apparent status is determined by the luxury brand-name products she buys whether she can truly afford them or not, it really is a matter of pride. Although most live in a small apartment, it is common to find their closets full of expensive brand-name items. It may seem weird to foreigners to see young women walk about in designer's clothes even though they obviously do not match their living conditions.

Harajuku Girls
Young girls who are into wearing bizarre make-up, shoes, clothes and accessories are known as "Harajuku Girls." On weekends, wearing a bewildering array of clothes, they come from all over the country and gather in Harajuku. Reminiscent of 'punk' fashion it is way over the top - some of them seem to be throw backs to the roaring 20's look while others are made-up and dressed so eclectic as to defy description. The visitor who wants to get an eye-full of a fashion show unique in the world needs only get off at the JR Harajuku station!

Geeks (Otaku)
'Otaku' in Japanese refers to any male (females are called 'otome') who is a fanatical fan of any newly popular genre, a current fad or hobby. Their obsessive focus on whatever field they choose, whether graphic novels called 'manga', animated films as in 'anime' or perhaps computers or video games, consumes all their time, energy and often their money. Often they dress and act in a manner that is bizarre to most onlookers. In an English-speaking country they'd be derisively described as 'geeks'.

Vending Machines
Japan's vending machines(1):
In Japan, there are about 5.5 million vending machines. That calculates to at least 4 vending machines per 100 individuals, and in the cities about 1 per 30. You can get various things, such as juice, sake, cigarettes, flowers, toys, noodles, eggs, erotic films, and fishing bait. Some are so unique that you can get vegetables, curry rice (packaged with solid fuel for cooking), toasted sandwiches, automatic personal card maker, and so on.
Japan's vending machines(2):
Japanese vending machines sell not only soft drinks but also alcohol and cigarettes but people cannot buy alcohol and cigarettes at midnight to restrain Japanese minors from drink and smoking. Adult only vending machines are already in operation in some regions and they are being examined towards introduction nationally by 2008.

Tax
Indications of consumer's taxes:
When you buy goods in Japan, there is a federal tax of 5 per cent. Price tags are obliged by law to show the price including taxes. Some shops show both the price excepting taxes, and the price including taxes. When you buy something, be careful not to misunderstand the price because of the double indication.

Sorry?
Japanese people often use 'Sumimasen', which could mean either 'I'm sorry' or 'Excuse me'. Please don't misunderstand it. In addition, if you go to Japan, you often hear the word 'Irasshaimase'. When you enter shops, you are regularly greeted with it. It means 'Welcome.' and in Japan, you do not need to answer to it.

Grab Bags
Grab bags, or 'Fukubukuro', are put together and sold by merchant in the New Year. 'Fukubukuro' means 'a bag full of happiness'. It is said that if it costs 1,000 yen, the contents will be worth from 1,000 to 10,000 yen. You can not see what's inside until you buy it. Nowadays, grab bags worth 50,000 yen or 100,000 yen are sold. These contain very nice items indeed. This is why you will see lots of people standing in line waiting for the opening of department stores on January 1st.

Smoking
You cannot smoke on the street in particular areas. You will have to pay a fine if you are caught smoking on the street. Do not smoke in areas marked "No smoking". If you throw litter such as cigarette butts on the street in particular areas (for example Chiyoda-ku, in Tokyo), a maximum fine of 50,000 yen will be charged. A person caught on the street in the prohibited smoking area (such as Shinagawa-ku, in Tokyo) receives a warning and reprimand and if the person does not obey, the person will be charged a fine.

Sidewalks
Bicycle on the sidewalk:
Normally, people are required to ride a bicycle on the pavement, but some ride on the sidewalk. Recently, a lot of accidents occurred in the cities between people and bicycles.When you walk on the sidewalk, please be careful of bicycles.

Driving
If you are arrested by the police for drunken driving, not only the driver but also the people who are with the driver must pay the fine. In Japan, if you drink even a drop of alcohol, you must not drive a car. According to the Traffic Law (Article 117 of Chapter 4, Section 1, Subsection 2), the penalty is "less than one year's imprisonment or a fine of less than 300,000 yen." Never drive after drinking alcohol.

Women-only rail cars
Japan's national railway network is world-renowned for its speed, safety and overall efficiency. The renowned 'Shinkasen' trains are super fast, clean and comfortable. However, Japan, geographically a small nation with a large population must deal with stifling overcrowding during rush hours. People pile in even when not another centimeter of space seems available and it's not uncommon for foreigners to shout, "It's full, no room!" However the Japanese commuter finds yet another tiny space to squeeze in one or two or even three more bodies even thought it seemed an impossible feat. This overcrowding unfortunately affords men of vile character to take advantage of the situation, and as painful as it is to admit, it happens that women are victims of sexual molestation. As a counter-measure, the railway companies have lately offered 'women-only cars'. The schedules and destinations are well marked and if a man should inadvertently find himself in one such a car he should immediately move to another car.

Tissue
Some public washrooms, particularly in train stations, don't provide toilet paper. Therefore, when you go out, you should not forget to bring tissue paper. Let's take the free pocket tissues handed out in places such as outside train stations and at busy intersections.

Mt.Fuji
Derivations of the name, Fuji:
There are many diverse derivations of the name, Mt. Fuji. The following are some convincing theories.
'Mt. Fuji' - this beautiful and proud mountain is only one of its kind in the world.
'Mt. Fuji' - the ageless and deathless legend of Princess Kaguya. The legend of Princess Kaguya is the fairy-tale which has been popular in Fuji city in Shizuoka prefecture since a long time ago. In this case, the name of Mt. Fuji is derived from the ageless and deathless medicine which the main character, Princess Kaguya, gave to the old man and woman who brought her up.
The present-day way to write 'Mt. Fuji' is written to mean a mountain filled with wisdom and is considered to have come about after the Kamakura period when Samurai morality code developed.

5 yen and 50 yen coins
The new visitor to Japan might be surprised to find holes in some of the coins they receive as change for paper yen. Originally, the idea was introduced to allow easy identification between coins and their relative value. In time a currency system was devised with yen, sen and ri to prevent counterfeiting and to save expensive and difficult to get metal. Today these reasons are no longer valid but as a reminder these two coins, the 5 yen and 50 yen coins are kept as relics of a bygone age.

Akiba-parts
Akihabara Electric city is a stretch of several blocks of electronic and electrical parts shops located near the JR stop in Tokyo's Akihabara neighborhood. There are amazing shops, more than 600, some only two meters (six feet) wide dealing in electrical parts and gadgets of all kinds. It's even possible to find vacuum tubes for old radios and television sets that we never see today, crammed into these shops. Hobbyists and do-it-yourself types come to buy parts in order to repair or even build from scratch their own stereos and household appliances.