Fascinating Facts  

• Japan has the second highest life expectancy in the world. 

• Japan’s bullet train has never veered from the precise time of arrival or departure by more than 36 seconds a day since it was launched in 1964. 

• The world’s deepest underwater mailbox is located in Susami, Japan. It’s 30 feet underwater and has collected more than 32,000 pieces of mail since 1999. 

• Japan sells ice cream that doesn’t melt for several hours. Japanese scientists discovered that using strawberry extract to make ice cream achieves this result. 

Religion and Ethnic Groups

• Majority are Buddhists or Shintoists 

• Japanese 98.1%, Chinese 0.5%, Korean 0.4%, other 1% (includes Filipino, Vietnamese, and Brazilian) (2016 est.) 

Greetings 

• Most Japanese do not use first names casually. Use last names with san after the name in social situations. 

• Bowing is a form of respect in Japan. People bow when saying hello, goodbye, thank you or sorry. If the greeting takes place on a tatami floor, people get on their knees to bow. You’ll be greeted with a bow upon entering a shop or restaurant. Responding with a casual head nod is also considered appropriate. 

Removing shoes 

• The Japanese remove their shoes for cleanliness.  If was common for houses to be made with tatami flooring. Because people ate meals on tatami mats and slept on futons rolled out on the floor, taking off their shoes helped keep dirt off this hard-to-clean flooring.  

• There are several instances when you’ll be expected to take off your shoes: 

General social etiquette 

• Don’t express anger or aggression since this is equated with losing face in Japan, which you do not want to happen. 

• Be on time. Punctuality is very important.  

• Don’t slam doors. 

• The number ‘four’ is considered ominous and a word for death among Japanese. Elevators mostly have a missing 'four' number, and, in some cases, floor numbers such as 40 to 49 are entirely skipped.  

Eating 

• In Japan, you’re expected to pour drinks for everyone but for yourself. Someone else will do that for you.  

• Drinking is something of a national pastime in Japan, and it’s considered very rude to refuse a drink. 

• At gatherings wait to drink until someone makes a speech, gestures to raise all drinks, and yells ‘kampai!’ (cheers). 

• Making a slurping sound while having noodles at a restaurant is considered kind.  However, tipping the waiters is more embarrassing for them than appreciated. 

• It’s okay to ask for a fork if you’re not comfortable with chopsticks.  

• If you do use chopsticks, never leave them sticking straight up in your food. It is reminiscent of a ceremony performed at funerals and is seen as bad luck when done at the dinner table. Instead rest them on the edge of your bowl or plate instead. 

• Don’t use chopsticks to point at anyone. Only place chopsticks across your bowl once you are finished with your meal. If you need to set your chopsticks down, see if there is a chopstick rest provided for you to use. Don’t rub your chopsticks together. This is seen as an insult to the restaurant or host. 

• If you’ve been invited out to dinner, either in a private home or restaurant, it’s customary to bring a small gift for your host.  

Getting around 

Cars drive on the left. Japan has a very extensive and efficient public transport system, and it’s very easy to get around. Buses are the most inexpensive way to make long journeys and the only form of transport to some rural and mountain destinations.  

Trains  are the most efficient way to travel around the country. The bullet train (Shinkansen) network runs all the way from the southern tip of Kyūshū (the southernmost of Japan's major islands) up to Hokkaidō (its northernmost).  

There are also two types of long-distance trains. The limited-express trains, or LEX (Tokkyu), branch off the Shinkansen system and are the fastest after the bullet trains, making a limited number of stops. The slightly slower express trains (Kyuko) make more stops. There are also rapid express trains (Shin-Kaisoku) and the even slower rapid trains (Kaisoku). Commuters can take local trains (Futsu), which stop at all stations. 

Major cities have subway networks that are signposted in English. 

Key phrases 

Good morning: Ohayou Gozaimasu (Formal, use with co-workers or strangers)  

Ohayou (Use with friends and family) 

Hello or Good afternoon: Konnichiwa 

This is used for strangers or formal situations, not with friends and family. 

Ah, Mr./Mrs. _: Ahh, _-san:  

Greeting someone with just “Ah!” and their name, followed by the appropriate suffix (“-san” is good to use for most people. You typically follow the greeting with a question, like asking about the weather.  

Good Weather, huh!: Ii Tenki desu ne:  

How are you?: Genki desu ka 

This phrase is only used when it’s been quite a while since you’ve seen the person. 

Good evening: Konbanwa (formal)  

Goodnight: Oyasumi Nasai (formal) 

Oyasumi (friends and family) 

See You Later or Goodbye: Ja Mata 

Goodbye: sayounara   

Sayounara has a strong sense of finality, like you may not see a person again. Instead, say ja ne: (see you), baibai (bye-bye) and o-genki de (take care). 

Thank you: Arigatou Gozaimasu 

With friends, you can say arigatou or domo. 

I’m sorry: Gomen Nasai 

Gomen ne is more casual 

My name is: Namae wa _ 

I am: desu 

Add anything to describe yourself before desu which means “is, to be.” You could say Ni juu nana sai desu: “I am 27 years old”, Amerikajin desu: “I am American.” 

Are you okay?: Daijoubu desu ka 

You can answer, Hai, daijoubu desu: “Yes, I’m fine” or  Iie, chotto warui desu: “No, I’m feeling a bit sick” 

Wow! Or Amazing: Sugoi 

Reply sugoi to most everything that’s positive to sound like a native.  

How much is it?: Ikura desu ka