Japan is beautiful in a strange way, and some of their customs are well…let’s just say a little peculiar. But there’s nothing we don’t love about this bizarrely beautiful country.
1) If you’ve got a cold coming, beware
The Japanese find the idea of blowing noses in public simply repellent. So, if must blow your nose, do it as discreetly as possible. And while we’re on the subject, they also find handkerchiefs disgusting, so good luck blowing your nose! It’s quite a challenging feat.
2) If you tip, you’ll be chased
That’s true. If you decide to tip the waiter who gave you really good service, you’ll leave him bewildered and most probably he’ll run after you to return your money. Tipping is considered degrading in this country.
3) Only ice-creams on the street
The Japanese are very particular about the way they eat. Walking on the street and eating is considered sloppy. The only exception to this rule is ice-creams.
4) Slurp by all means
If you’ve enjoyed a good bowl of noodles, how do you make it clear that the meal was delicious? By slurping and eating as loudly as you can, else it’ll be mistaken for an unsatisfactory meal. But this has a scientific side to it as well; slurping noodles helps avoid the unfortunate scenario of a burnt tongue. While you have the license to slurp, we definitely wouldn’t advocate belching at the table!
5) Train tolerance
If you’ve had a dreadfully long day at work and are commuting by train, feel free to rest your head on your neighbour’s shoulder! This is common practice in Japan, and something people just put up with.
There are a lot more mind boggling customs in this enchanting country, but words just won’t cut it. If this has left you mesmerized, imagine what a trip to the ‘Land of rising sun’ might do to you!
[“source-ndtv”]
