Read about Japanese Lifestyle before your Visit!
Japan is a country that is not only beautiful, but is also culture, tradition, heritage and history personified. The country is a wonderful amalgamation of modernity and antiquity. The country and its people are fascinating. If you love travelling, Japan is one of the best places to visit. Every globetrotter has Japan on their list of must visit places. However, before visiting Japan, like any other country, you must read up on it. You will find many travel books and guides on Japan that will tell you a lot about the country. It is important to know a lot about Japan before you visit it because then you won’t have trouble adjusting with the Image Courtesy: goo.gl/13hyg people. The people of Japan are extremely well rooted and connected to their past. Even if they lead technologically enhanced lives, they still follow age old customs. One such custom is something that is very common in the entire country and many people, around the world, are aware of it. The people of Japan do not wear shoes inside the house. As in, before entering the home, you must take off your shoes and keep them safely in a vestibule. Inside the house, you can wear a pair of home slippers, but even this need to be taken off when one enters the dining area. Greeting people in Japan is an etiquette you should follow as it is a sign of respect and good manners. Even a ‘hello’ with a slight bend of the neck is welcome in the country and people of Japan return the courtesy well. As a tourist, you do not have to bow completely but a ‘hello’ won’t do you any harm.
The people of Japan are extremely peace loving and soft spoken. Therefore, talking loudly in public is considered rude behaviour. Talking on cell phones in Japan is not permitted everywhere; also, you should keep your cell phone on ‘silent’ mode or ‘vibrator’ mode while travelling. If you have to talk on the cell phone, find yourself a suitable cell phone friendly area and then talk. People in Japan believe in dining together and you will find that in most traditional Japanese houses, they sit on the ground, a low level table and eat. They mostly use chopsticks but if you don’t feel comfortable using them, ask for silverware. If you are visiting Japan during New Year’s you will see how much the Japanese believe in good luck. They eat lucky food, speak auspicious words and on that one day, they make it a point to use new Image Courtesy: goo.gl/I5Udlu towels and wear new undergarments.
This information about fascinating Japanese lifestyle is not that well captured in travel guides but if you read blogs written by travellers and the people of Japan, you will learn more about them.