Life in Japan!!

Tokyo

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It's probably one of the most expensive cities in the world. Food prices are high. Housing is high. It's expensive for Japanese. And many tourists have to shop around for hotels and restaurants they can afford.

Prices for comparable goods and services are almost always higher in Tokyo than in New York. Hotel rooms cost more, restaurant means cost more, and alcoholic beverages cost much more.

Visitors to Tokyo are sometimes shocked by the prices. A cup of coffee can be several dollars. A movie can cost twenty dollars. But at least the subway and bus fares are still reasonable.

Population of Japan

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It's over 127 million. That's seventh in the world after China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, and Russia. The population density is about 865 persons per square mile or 334 per square kilometer. That figure is one of the highest in the world. When their first census was taken in 1920, the population was 56 million. It's more than doubled since then.

They have eleven cities with a population of over one million. The largest, of course, is Tokyo. If you include the suburbs, it has about twelve million people. It's one of the largest cities in the world.

Most of the population is urban. Between seventy-five and eighty percent of all Japanese live in urban areas. The cities and their surroundings are extremely crowded. But now demographers see a slight trend of movement away from the urban areas.

Size of Japan

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It's about 144,000 square miles, or 372,000 square kilometers. That's about one twenty-fifth the size of the United States. Japan is an island nation. That figure covers the four main islands and roughly 3,000 smaller islands as well. The islands run in a general northeast to southwest direction. The length is about 1,860 miles, or 3,000 kilometers.

Less than twenty percent of their land can be used for agriculture. And about seventy-five percent of the total land area is mountainous. Most of the mountains are covered with forests.

There's not very much of residential land. Less than five percent of land area is suitable for residnetial use. That's one of the reasons that land is so expensive, especially in the cities.

Earthquakes in Japan..

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There are many earthquakes in Japan. Japan is located on one of the most active earthquake belts in the world. They have small tremors so often that they don't pay much attention to them. But they've had some terrible earthquakes in the past. So they're always aware of the possibility of a major earthquake disaster in Japan, especially those of them who can remember the ones they've had.

Tokyo had a major earthquake too. There was a major earthquake in 1923, called the Great Kanto Earthquake. It involved Tokyo and Yokohama. It was a terrible disaster. That earthquake measured 8.3 on the Richter scale.

There have been major earthquakes in Nagoya, ion Fukui, in Izu, in Hokkaido, and in Kobe- and others as well. And another major one in the Tokyo area is always a possibility. Most Japanese know what to do in case of an earthquake.

Rainy Season in Japan

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Japanese call it tsuyu. It lasts from about mid-June till mid-July. But it varies - sometimes it starts at the beginning of June. Or it might start later and last longer. It doesn't necessarily rain every day during the rainy season. And it's usually a gentle kind of rain. The rice farmers welcome it.

They have hurricanes too, but they call them typhoons. The typhoon season lasts from late August to early October.

It doesn't rain much the rest of the year, but it varies according to where you are - there are big differences among the four main islands. In general, however, the greatest rainfall will be during the rainy season and the typhoon season.

The best season to visit Japan..

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Spring and fall are both good seasons to visit Japan. In spring, April and May are ideal. April is cherry blossom time, and May has almost perfect, mild weather. October is the best fall month. The weather is clear and lovely, and foliage can be spectacular. It's good time for sightseeing.

It is hot in summer, especially in the Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka areas. It gets really hot and humid.

About the winter, it depends on where you are. Japan generally has a temperate climate with four seasons. But this differs from place to place. Winters in Hokkaido in the north and on the Sea of Japan side can be quite severe, with lots of snow. Tokyo has relatively mild winters.

Things I Miss & Don’t Miss About Japan!!!

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I woke up yesterday and really missed the time I spent in Japan. I’ve been to a lot of places but I think that Japan has to be right there at the top of the list as one of the most interesting, vibrant and fun places to be in the world. Here is a list of a handful of those things, in no particular order;

MISS:

1. Weekends

Drinking less, exercising more (yoga, aerobics, hip-hop, swimming), eating healthy.

2. Housewarmings, b'days, year-end-parties, Nomikai

3. The friends found, lost and found again!!

4. Ease and speed of transport

I loved riding on trains in Japan. While I did do a lot of walking (average one hour a day) in Japan, for the most part the trains and subways were incredibly convenient. You can travel a long distance in no more than half an hour. From one corner of the JR Yamanote line, which will take you to almost everywhere you need to be in Tokyo, to the other, it’s only a mere 30 minutes. The shinkansen (bullet train, probably the coolest train on Earth) took me the 552 kilometers from Tokyo to Osaka in about 2 hours 18 minutes in total comfort.

The Japanese system actually covers the entire nation rather than just one metropolitan area. Even without using the shinkansen one can easily traverse the country without a car. They run on time. They're everywhere and thus extremely convenient. Unless you're way out in the countryside, you just don't need a car.

5. Great food…all the time.

Food, Food, Food and more secret home recipes, sushi, natto, sasimi, ramen, all seafoods, takoyaki, tempura …N Starbucks coffee, macDonalds, KFC, Yoshinoya.

Onigiri is always on the top of the list of things I miss in Japan. There's just something so perfect about a ball (or triangle) or rice, some dried seaweed and a little salty fish filling. It's been called "Japanese soul food" and I have to agree.

On a hot day, there's nothing better than a mug of cold Japanese draft beer. It's light, refreshing, and served so cold ice crystals form on the head.

One of my favorite cheap meals was chicken karage at a 24-hour place.

Food is a huge part of the culture in Japan and one of my personal highlights from the time I spent there. Sure, Japan is the greatest culinary city in the world but at the same time, there’s fantastic food in nearly every major metropolitan city. The difference is…you can get totally decent food at just any hour. Many Tokyo restaurants are open very late; there are all-night cafes all over the city.

6. Fashion

I love all that stuff but more than anything, I love the fashion mentality of Tokyo. It seems as though everyone has put serious thought in what they put on that day and everyone is immaculately put together. I, of course, due to the heat and humidity was usually wearing light t-shirts and shorts and as such.

7. Security

You really don’t have much to worry about. You could leave your luggage in the middle of a busy street and it would probably still be there hours later. Children and women can walk down alleys in the middle of the night without worrying about their well-being.

8. Interesting…ness.

Every day, I had an adventure. I don’t think I remember any time I was really bored. I could walk out my door with no idea what was I was going to do and end up exploring all the great stuffs in the massive city. There’s also so much history everywhere.

9. NHK

NHK is Japan's public television service and it's a giant organization that offers thousands of programming every day across its different channels. There are no commercials so their programming is not restricted to what appeals to advertisers. In particular, their sports broadcasting benefits greatly from the lack of commercials.

10. Washlets

I would move to Japan just for the utter luxury of the hands free, automatic wash, rinse and blow drying of your crevasse from these super toilets.

11. Shopping Arcades

Every Japanese city of note will have at least one (but typically many more) of these small streets jam packed with stores, restaurants, bars, pachinko parlors, etc. Often they include a roof so that foul weather does not deter the activity, which make them valuable conduits for getting around in the rain. These places are almost always crowded and very bright, day or night, which in my opinion gives them an exciting yet completely secure feeling.

12. Karaoke

Japanese karaoke is sung in a private booth rather than on stage in front of strangers. Safe experience of gathering your friends into a soundproof box. The song selection is also much more diverse, including thousands of English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean songs! These places offering unlimited drinks to help the music flow.

13. Cherry Blossoms

They may only bloom for a few weeks out of the year but these beautiful trees literally transform the entire nation of Japan. They smell terrific too.

I was lucky enough to witness the cherry blossom in full bloom the first time I visited Japan. Sakura, as it is known in Japan, is the nation’s favourite flower and blooms for little over a week in spring. Cherry blossom viewing parties known as ‘Hanami’ are held during this time and it is custom for friends and family to gather under the trees to eat and drink.

14. Service

There are a number of expressions and customs that simply make everyday transactions feel more pleasant. Enter any restaurant, retail store or even convenience store and you will be promptly greeted by every employee you can see. When you leave, regardless of whether you bought something or just used the restroom you will be thanked for your patronage. Train conductors, bus drivers are well-dressed and polite at all times. Set foot in a hotel lobby carrying anything larger than a purse and the staff will immediately sweep in and offer assistance. Not a single one of these hard working folks expect (or would even accept) a tip. Ice-cold Oolong tea is waiting for you when you take a seat and your food is delivered within minutes of ordering.

Some places may opt for a ticket system, where food is ordered on a machine that dispenses printed tickets. These are then given to the chef who will bring your order as soon as you can say “itadakimasu!” (Thank you for the food!).

15. Convenience Stores (Combini)

If all else fails, you can pick up some real decent onigri (rice balls), noodles or bento boxes at one of many convenience stores. In all honesty, you couldn’t possibly be more than 30 seconds from a convenience store at any given time. I’ll always remember the friendly chime and the “Irashaimase” every Combini.

16. Kotatsu

While heating during the winter in Japan leaves quite a bit to be desired, kotatsu is completely awesome and something I wish I had back home. When the cold would set in around December, I’d throw the quilt over the table and tried to have everything I needed within arms-reach because I wouldn’t leave until March.

17. Stationary:

Maybe I’m weird, but I’ve always loved shopping for school supplies, and Japan is a stationary junky’s dreamland. Even relatively small stores have pens that come in 17 different widths. There also all the wonderful stickers, notebooks, and file folders that have any animal, character, or famous landmark you can imagine on it. I’ll especially miss the greeting cards.

18. Souvenir snacks:

I think most of us think of “souvenirs” as tacky little trinkets we give to friends who probably will put it in a box and never look upon it again. But in Japan, the word for souvenir, “o-miyage”, also means little individually wrapped treats. Every little town has them in all shapes and flavors. They can be . . . interesting, like say a sembei with a slice of octopus baked in, but it’s a perfect gift for co-workers.

19. Cleanliness

Japan is a clean place. Everywhere I went was clean and tidy, it made being in a foreign country so much more comfortable and adds to the great impression of Japan everyone leaves with. Japanese take off their shoes as soon as they enter. Homes have a kind of entry hall called genkan which can be very large or quite small. They leave their shoes in the genkan. Then they step up from there into the home. Japanese do the same thing in some Japanese-style restaurants too.

20. Customer service

When entering a shop or restaurant a chorus of “irasshaimase!” can be heard, which literally means, “come in!” and as when you leaving nearby employees all thanked you with “arigato gozaimasu!” and a smile. Everyone is incredibly polite and I even found myself taking up some of the mannerisms, bowing my head to shop assistants as they greeted me.

21. Shinto Shrines
They give me such a sense of awe, as well as peace. I like Buddhist temples as well.

22. Hot Spring Bath

A hot spring is so much more than hot water or a great way to relax. Japan is a volcanic country and natural hot springs are to be found throughout the islands. Not only are the baths a place to relax and to socialise, but the water is naturally full of minerals, which can treat a wide variety of disorders including skin problems.

ANd why not a 23,

23. Matsuri (Festival)
There's nothing like a Japanese festival, or matsuri.

There's a lot to miss about living in Japan, but there are some things I absolutely do not miss at all..

DON'T MISS:

1. Being Stared At
If you're not Japanese in Japan you're different, and that means you'll get started at. It's not done with usually, just curiosity and you do get used to it, but you forget how nice anonymity can be once it's gone.

3. Summer
Oh God, summer is hot and humid in Japan.

4. Drafty Apartments
Japanese apartments are not built for living in, obviously. They're built to hold up the roof and that's all. Hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

5. Being Excluded
This is part of the whole being different thing. If you're not Japanese then you can never truly fit in. It's one of the prices you have to pay for living there.

6. Mosquitoes
Japanese mosquitoes are sneaky. They attack low, bypassing your head and going straight for your legs. Before you know it, you've been bitten 10 times. And the bites scab over, leaving gross little marks. At least there's no malaria.

7. Expense
Although I've written to the contrary Japan is still an expensive place to live, mainly because there are no budget-priced items. Everything is made in-country and the price strictly controlled by the government. Good for Japanese business, bad for the consumer.

8. Being Illiterate
As much as I love the challenge of learning kanji, it's frustrating and embarrassing to not be able to read at a functional level. Ordering in restaurants often exposed this, with me reduced to pointing at things in the menu I couldn't read.

9. Typhoons in Tokyo

Most typhoons hit Japan between May and October with August and September being the peak season. The big typhoons can blow roves off and make things fly through the air and crashing into things.

10. Earthquakes

Japan has a History of deadly earthquakes. I might not be the only one that is scared of earthquakes.

Juvenile Delinquency in Japan

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In comparison with other countries, there's very little. From time to time, people get concerned that juvenile delinquency is rising in Japan. But relatively speaking, the amount is rather low. It may be that, in general, Japanese parents are closer to their children than in countries with high rates of juvenile delinquency. That's certainly and important factor.

Physical proximity may be a factor. Most Japanese live in close quarters. So they tend to be more aware of who's at home and who isn't. Japanese parents usually know where their children are and what they're doing.

It may be too that Japanese youngsters have less time to get into trouble. There's such a lot of studying to do. Also, Japanese are taught from childhood not to do anything that would bring shame or embarrassment to their families.

Examination Hell in Japan

2011-01-21T11:51:00.000+05:30

"Examination hell" is an expression which reflects the extreme pressures on Japanese students and their families. The pressures center around entrance exams that students have to take. Passing the exams requires an enormous amount of study, usually year-round. A student's entire future could depend on doing well on the entrance exams.

There are entrance exams at every level of education these days, even beginning with kindergarten. If you get into a good kindergarten, good elementary school, and that's important.

If you go to a good elementary school, you have a better chance of getting into a good junior high school and then a good high school. Then if you can get into a good university, you have a better chance of getting a good job.

Education in Japan..

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Japanese have had compulsory education in Japan for more than a hundred years. All Japanese children are required to go to school for nine years, beginning at age six. There are six years of elementary school, three years of junior high school, and three years of senior high school. Almost ninety-six percent of all those completing junior high go on to high school.

There are about six hundred junior colleges and over five-hundred universities in Japan. About thirty-eight percent of those graduating from high schools go on to junior colleges or universities.

About half of the universities have graduate schools, so there are about two hundred fifty, but the number is increasing. They offer both master's degrees and doctorates. There are approximately a hundred forty thousand graduate students in Japan.

Women's Movement in Japan

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It's difficult to answer if there is a women's movement in Japan. The problem is that their starting point is so different from that of western countries, and especially the United States. Many Japanese and some western observers say that Japanese women have more equality than people think. To support this they point out that Japan was once a matriarchal society and that today Japanese women control the household finances.

Women have legally equal rights in Japan. But practically there's still a long way to go. Women have made progress in recent years. They're no longer compelled to retire when they get married or reach their thirties, for example.

For Japan that's progress. It's also a question of expectations. They have some professional women and some who have made it in the so-called "man's world." But most Japanese women still see their goal as getting married and raising a family.

Retirement Age in Japan

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In general it's lower in Japan than in other industrialized countries. Until recently, compulsory retirement at age fifty-five was widespread. Now it's been raised to sixty by most Japanese companies. But the concept of compulsory retirement is different in Japan than the West.

In most other countries, retirement means retirement. In Japan it more often means that the person goes right back to work, maybe even for the same company, but in a temporary or part-time capacity. That is because the compulsory retirement age is set too low. Few workers are ready to retire at sixty. Employers know this. But they need to make room for young, new, entry-level employees. So the retirees are given part-time positions.

Social Security in Japan

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Japanese do have a social security system. But their use of the term "social security" is completely different from the way Americans use it. In the United States, social security refers to the old-age pension administered by the federal government and paid for by mandatory deductions from the workers' wages. But in Japan, the term is much more comprehensive.

It refers to a whole range of services which might be thought of as social insurance. And it's not just one system. It's rather complex. It includes such programs as health insurance, welfare assistance, and pension plans.

In some areas it's as good as or better than in other countries. In other areas they could probably stand some improvement. Because of increasing longevity, for example, they need to take another look at their old-age pension programs.

Japanese Companies

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Japanese companies really treat their employees well, especially in comparison with other countries. One big factor is that it's usually a long-term relationship. That is, a worker stays with one company until retirement. So the company has a big investment in keeping the workers happy. It's almost like a big family - it's in everyone's interest for things to go smoothly.

No all Japanese stay with one company, but that's the general pattern. There are exceptions, of course. But changing jobs or companies is much less common in Japan than anywhere else.

Getting seniority and a higher salary is one of the specific benefits of staying with one company. And job security is another. It's relatively rare for a company to fire an employee. And there are many other benefits, like help with housing, for example.

Oil in Japan

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Japan has very few natural resources, and that includes oil. They produce only about six percent of our requirements. They are dependent on imports for ninety-four percent of the oil they need. Three-quarters of it comes from the Middle East. They also get some oil from Indonesia, and some from China. They are looking for new sources of oil all the time.

It means they're especially vulnerable during an oil crisis. Sharp increases in the price of imported oil can have serious effects in Japan. And so can the cutting off of some of the supply. The international oil situation is of great concern to Japanese.

They are looking for alternate energy sources. We have been exploring every possibility, both to get new sources of oil, and also to develop new sources of energy. This includes everything from the use of coal again to the development of nuclear energy.

The Status of the Emperor in Japan

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It's very similar to the status of the king or queen of England. The emperor is the symbolic head of state, with no real governmental power. His duties, like convening the Diet, for example. are ceremonial. Since the end of World War Two, Japan has been a constitutional monarchy. And the function and duties of the emperor are defined by the constitution that was adopted at that time.

It was not the same in the past. Before the war, the emperor of Japan was considered a god. That's all changed now. But the emperor still has a very special status to millions of Japanese, who respect him as a symbol of the nation.

The present emperor is Emperor Akihito (born on 23 December 1933) and the 125th Emperor according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He became emperor in 1989 after his father, Emperor Showa died and is the 17th most senior monarch or lifelong leader. Emperor Akhihito is married to a commoner, Empress Michiko. They have two sons, Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Fumihito, and a daughter, Princess Sayako.

Political Parties in Japan

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The major political parties in Japan are the Liberal Democratic party, the New Frontier Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Komei, the New Party Sakigake and the Japan Communist Party. Among them, the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Frontier Party are conservative, the Komei and the Sakigake Party are middle-of-the-road, and the Social Democratic and the Japan Communist Party are liberal. And there are other, smaller parties as well.

The Liberal Democratic Party used to be the most powerful. Since 1955 when it was formed, it dominated the legislature, which they call the Diet. But in the early '90s, with the issue of domestic political corruption and the end of the Cold War, certain political reforms took place. The Liberal Democratic Party, while still powerful, hasn't been able to resume its former role. The New Frontier Party is the dominant reformist party. Because no one party is strong enough to form a government, a series of coalition governments has been the recent trend.

The political reforms aren't finished yet. But so far, they are working. For example, they now have new election systems to make the voting fairer and new election laws to restrict political contributions.

Second Language in Japan..

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English is the second language in Japan. Almost all Japanese school children study English, beginning in junior high. Some even begin in elementary school. One major reason is that most students have to take English tests as part of the high school and university entrance exams. Another is that a knowledge of English is considered an advantage. Therefore, many Japanese now have at least some knowledge of English.

On the whole, Japanese can't really say they speak English well. They work very hard at learning English, but their knowledge is mostly passive. They can read and understand English much better than they can speak it.

Perhaps it's because few Japanese students ever get a chance to practice outside of the classroom. There are millions of Japanese studying English in Japan. But there are relatively few English-speakers for them to talk with.

Japanese Writing

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Traditionally, Japanese has been written vertically. But now horizontal writing is used too. When they write vertically, they begin at the top of the right side of the page and go down. Each new line follows to the left. When they write horizontally, they start at the top left-hand side of the page and go from left to right, as in English. It's just as easy to write one way as the other.

Most books, magazines, and newspapers are printed in the vertical style. This is because it is somewhat easier to read Japanese this way. But it's easier to use the horizontal style if passages from foreign languages are included.

The front of a Japanese book is where the back of an English book would be. Almost all Japanese books open from left to right-like a Hebrew or an Arabic book. It's the same with newspapers too.

Chinese Characters

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There are about 2,000 basic characters that every Japanese should know. Japanese learn 996 of these - the most essential ones - during the six years of elementary school. They call the Chinese characters KANJI. Japanese have to learn to read them and write them. This is one of the main tasks for every Japanese student. But with the 2,000 basic KANJI , they can read almost anything in the daily press.

It is impossible to say how many chinese characters are there. Even the experts disagree. Some say there are about 60,000, others say 80,000 or more.

All Japanese should know at least the 2,000 basic kanji. But most of them, especially university graduates, know thousands more as well.

Is it difficult to learn Japanese?

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It's difficult to answer this question. Japanese people usually think that Japanese is very difficult for foreigners to learn. But, in fact, it's no more difficult than many other languages. Each language has its own special problems for learners. And Japanese has some features that take time to master. But many foreigners have learned Japanese very well.

It's probably hardest to master the different levels of speech. The kind of language Japanese use differs according to the relationship between the speakers. It's not very easy to get a feel for this.

Reading and writing is the other difficult part of Japanese. In order to read and write, you have to learn quite a few characters. There are about a hundred phonetic characters, called kana, and at least 2,000 different Chinese characters, or kanji, to learn.

Biggest Holiday in Japan

2010-02-27T22:26:00.001+05:30

The biggest holiday in Japan is the New Year. But it's different from the way it's celebrated in the West. For Japanese the holiday begins on New Year's Eve, and it continues for the first three days of January. Schools, businesses, government offices, and most stores are closed on those days. Almost nobody works during the New Year holiday.

A lot of people visit the temples and shrines. The crowds begin coming on New year's eve and continue through the night and the next few days. It's supposed to bring good health and good luck for the New Year.

After the visits to shrines and temples, friends and relatives visit each other's homes. There's a special kind of sake that they drink, and also special foods for the New Year. It's prepared beforehand so no one has to cook during the holiday

Kimono

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Japanese women still wear kimono, but not very often. It depends on the age and the occasion. Many elderly women are used to wearing kimono. Younger women wear western clothes. Most women have at least one kimono for special occasions, like formal parties, weddings, or New year's Day. But the formal kimono is too complicated to put on for everyday wear.

People wear kimono for work too. For example, waitresses in japanese-style restaurants wear them while they work. And people in traditional art forms like Kabuki, tea ceremony, and flower arrangment usually wear kimono while performing.

There is an informal kind of kimono too. It's called yukata. many people - including men - wear it to relax in at home, especially in the summer. And most Japanese-style resort hotels provide yukata for their guests.

Shintoism in Japan

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In a certain sense, all Japanese are Shintoists. It's part of their cultural heritage. Some of them may practice Shintoism more actively by going to shrines and ceremonies. But Shintoism is as much a system of values as a religion. So even those of them who are not religious at all hold certain Shinto values - like a deep respect for nature, for example.

Does that mean you can be a Shintoist and a Buddhist?

Yes. In fact, the majority of Japanese who consider themselves religious would say they are both Buddhist and Shintoist. Shintoism as a belief system doesn't exclude other loyalties.

What about ancestor worship?

That's a basic part of Shintoism - but it's really more a feeling of reverence than worship. We also respect and appreciate the land and all of nature. Many Shinto shrines are noted for the great natural beauty of their surroundings.

Do you practice Zen?

2010-02-18T23:30:00.000+05:30

Yes, I do. No, I don't. But whether we've had formal training in Zen or not, all Japanese have been influenced by it. It's said that Japanese culture is Zen culture. We may think of Zen Buddhism as a way to achieve enlightenment through serenity. It's very simple yet very complex at the same time. You could study it for a lifetime.

How can you study it formally?

You can go to a Zen Buddhist temple to study with the priests. You can stay for a few weeks or a few months if you like. It varies with the temple. Some people go back periodically to continue their study.

What are some of the cultural influences of Zen?

They're everywhere - the tea ceremony, for example, or flower arrangement. And they often prefer quiet reflection at times when people from other cultures might talk a lot. Maybe that's why we say that Japanese culture is Zen culture.