Japanese people generally avoid overly sweet or strongly flavored Western foods like root beer, licorice, and super sweet cereals, as well as some dairy, certain meats (like deer), and very hard breads, while also being less keen on some traditional items like natto, bitter gourd, and sometimes brown rice. Cultural factors, lactose intolerance, and historical scarcity influence these preferences, though tastes vary widely, notes a Quora post.
In principle, meat and meat products cannot be brought into Japan. Besides products where meat is the main ingredient, such as cured ham, sausages, salami, bacon, and jerky, products that use any meat at all cannot be brought in, including meat buns, dumplings, hamburgers, ham sandwiches, and gimbap.
The Japanese 80% rule, known as "Hara Hachi Bu", is a Confucian principle advising people to stop eating when they feel about 80% full, not completely stuffed, to support health and longevity. This practice encourages mindful eating, helps prevent overeating, and is linked to lower rates of illness and longer lifespans, particularly observed in Okinawan centenarians. It involves slowing down during meals, listening to your body's fullness cues, and appreciating food as fuel rather than indulging to the point of discomfort.
The "rule of five" in Japanese food, known as gomi, goshiki, goho, is a philosophy guiding meals to include five flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami), five colors (white, black, red, green, yellow), and five cooking methods (raw, simmered, steamed, grilled, fried) for balance, nutrition, and sensory appeal, engaging all five senses (gokan). It's a guiding principle for creating harmonious, visually appealing, and nutritionally complete meals like those in a bento box or Ichiju Sansai.
Eat neatly
Similar to Western practices, it's considered rude to lean or get too close to your plate while it's on the table. As this offense is usually committed while eating rice or noodles, it's okay to lift the bowl and bring it closer to you.
The "Japan 5-minute rule" refers to extreme punctuality, meaning you should arrive 5 minutes before a scheduled time (e.g., 9:55 AM for a 10:00 AM meeting) to be considered "on time," as being exactly on time is seen as late, showing respect and reliability; it's part of the Japanese concept of go-fun-mae koudou (five-minute prior action). This emphasis on being early is deeply cultural, contrasting with many Western norms, and applies to business, appointments, and even trains, where delays over 5 minutes warrant apologies and certificates.
The "3 Date Rule" in Japan refers to the cultural tendency to make a formal love confession (kokuhaku) on or around the third date, marking the transition from casual dating to an official couple, often after building trust with lighter activities like meals or walks, and it's considered a crucial step for clarifying relationship status before deeper intimacy, though it's a guideline, not a strict law.
Japanese tend not to eat while walking along or standing around on the street. However, it is acceptable to drink while standing aside vending machines, which are ubiquitous in Japan. Eating and drinking on local trains is also frowned upon, but not long distance express trains such as the Shinkansen bullet train.
Japanese people say "草" (kusa, meaning grass) as slang for "LOL" or "hahaha" because a string of repeated "w"s (wwww) used to express laughter looks like blades of grass, evolving from the kanji 笑 (wara) for laugh, shortened to 'w'. It signifies amusement, similar to typing "lol" in English, but context matters, and it's generally used in informal online settings.
I found out from online resources that apparently certain combinations of numbers can mean words in japanese, like 555 being go go go.
Yes, $5,000 is generally more than enough for a single person for a week in Japan, even covering flights from North America/Europe, allowing for comfortable mid-range travel with nice meals and experiences, but it might be tight for a couple or if you're aiming for extreme luxury or extensive shopping; budget travelers can do it for much less, while luxury travelers could easily spend more. Your biggest variables will be your flight cost, accommodation choices (business hotels, ryokans, or hostels), and dining habits (convenience stores vs. high-end sushi).
Not finishing one's meal is not considered impolite in Japan, but rather is taken as a signal to the host that one wishes to be served another helping. Conversely, finishing one's meal completely, especially the rice, indicates that one is satisfied and therefore does not wish to be served any more.
Those lucky enough to reach 60 receive the traditional red cap, chanchanko vest, and seat cushion that mark them as having completed a full cycle of the twelve-pronged zodiac calendar.
For daily sightseeing, clean and neat tops of any kind are fine, but keep in mind what we said earlier about showing skin. Clean and neat pants of any kind or new-ish jeans are also good. Japanese women do not usually wear tights, yoga pants or other leggings unless they're doing yoga or sports.
Thanks to a historically weak yen, the U.S. dollar goes quite far in Japan, making food, local transport, and cultural sites surprisingly affordable, though high-end hotels and bullet trains still cost significantly in dollar terms; expect about 155-156 yen per dollar, allowing for cheap convenience store snacks, budget ramen for around $10, and museum entries under $5, making it a great value trip for U.S. travelers.
The leading cause of death in Japan is consistently cancer (malignant neoplasms), accounting for about 30% of all deaths, followed by heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases (stroke), and pneumonia, with aging-related conditions like Alzheimer's also rising due to Japan's aging population. While cardiovascular diseases (heart disease, stroke) are significant, cancer has been the top killer since the 1980s, with lung, stomach, and colon cancers being prominent.
In Japanese culture, it's unusual to say a direct “no” to a request or offer, because it's impolite.
to burn; to get fired up
Fuyuki (冬木、冬城、冬樹) is a masculine Japanese given name which is occasionally used as a surname and means wintry tree.
2. Thumbs Up & Down. Due to Western influence, the thumbs-up sign has become a sign of approval in Japan. However, it is worth noting that the thumbs down is a rude and offensive gesture to the Japanese, unlike the more innocent disapproval that everyone else is used to.
Japan's Unspoken and Unwritten Rules: 21 Tips to Navigate Life in Japan
Public Displays of Affection (PDA)
Play it safe and stay lowkey. Holding hands is fine, but anything more—hugging, kissing, leaning on your partner—can turn heads quickly in Japan.
Flirting in Japan tends to focus on subtle actions and meaningful gestures rather than bold displays. Compliments like kawaii ne ("You're cute") or sugoi ne ("You're amazing") are simple but effective ways to express admiration.
Japanese couples tend to detach sexual pleasure from family life. They feel satisfied with their partner in their role as a wife or husband, but they do not expect the maintenance of their joint sexual intimacy over time.
Even something as small as kissing somebody on a first date may be seen as indecent by some Japanese. For many, kissing is only acceptable between people who are in a committed relationship—and never in public.