Why Japan? Everyday Japan, explained

Illustration of a traditional Japanese inn entrance with a small paper envelope on the counter at dusk

etiquette Why Is Tipping Considered Rude in Japan? It is less "rude" than "awkward". How tipping disappeared from Japan, and the best ways to say thank you instead.

Illustration of a calm hospital corridor with a row of doors, one number in the sequence quietly skipped

culture Why Is the Number Four Unlucky in Japan? The reason is simply how it sounds. Traces of it survive in hospital room numbers, car number plates and even gift-giving etiquette.

Bowl of rice topped with a raw egg yolk and soy sauce on a kitchen table in morning light

food Why Is It Safe to Eat Raw Eggs in Japan? Raw egg on rice is an everyday dish in Japan because the whole chain from farm to table is built on the assumption that eggs will be eaten raw.

Two people seen from behind eating noodles at a steamy, lantern-lit soba stall on an autumn evening

etiquette Why Is It OK to Slurp Noodles in Japan? Eating noisily is bad manners in Japan too. So why do noodles get a pass? The answer lies in Edo-period food stalls and in aroma.

Illustration of a convenience store shelf full of pink cherry blossom themed snacks in spring

seasons Why Is Everything in Japan a Seasonal Limited Edition? Cherry blossom flavours in spring, chestnut and sweet potato in autumn. An old food culture of the seasons meets our weakness for "only for now".

Coin tray with cash beside a card terminal on a wooden restaurant counter on a rainy evening

money Why Is Cash Still So Common in Japan? Low crime, low interest rates and card fees for shops all explain Japan's love of cash. But in the last few years, things have been changing fast.

Illustration of narrow lanes between houses in a Japanese neighborhood, with a traveler checking a map at a corner

daily life Why Don't Most Streets in Japan Have Names? Japanese addresses number blocks, not streets. Roads are not the stars of an address; they are just the lines between blocks.

Rows of perfectly shaped melons, peaches and grapes displayed like jewels in a Japanese fruit shop

food Why Is Fruit So Expensive in Japan? Peaches at several thousand yen each, melons over 10,000 yen. The prices come down to a culture of gift-giving and very labour-intensive growing.

Illustration of a Japanese train platform in spring with musical notes floating above a waiting train

transport Why Does Every Train Station in Japan Have Its Own Departure Melody? It began with complaints about noisy bells. How a small fix for station noise grew into a way for each town to introduce itself.

A round costumed mascot waving to a small crowd at a lantern-lit summer festival in a Japanese town

culture Why Does Every Town in Japan Have Its Own Mascot? Prefectures, cities, even the police have a "yuru-kyara" mascot. Behind the cuteness lies a serious business: selling your region to the world.

A small schoolchild with a square backpack waiting alone for a train on a spring morning platform

daily life Why Do Young Children in Japan Ride the Train Alone? Young pupils with randoseru backpacks riding trains alone: behind it lie low crime, school travel systems and a habit of community watch.

A Japanese entryway with shoes lined up on the stone floor below a wooden step and slippers waiting on the raised floor

etiquette Why Do Japanese People Take Their Shoes Off Indoors, and What Are Toilet Slippers For? Sitting and sleeping on the floor in a humid climate. The step at the entrance marks "inside" from "outside"; toilet slippers draw one more line within.

Visitor seen from behind entering a small Japanese eatery through a cloth curtain on a spring evening

language Why Do Shop Staff in Japan Say "Irasshaimase" When You Walk In? An Edo-era barker's call became a greeting that means "we've noticed you". Plus why you don't need to reply.

Illustration of commuters, some wearing white face masks, waiting on a Japanese platform in spring

daily life Why Do People in Japan Wear Face Masks When They Aren't Sick? Hay fever, not wanting to pass things on, a pandemic 100 years ago and a sense of security: why masks became part of everyday life in Japan.

Illustration of commuters waiting in two neat lines on a Japanese train platform as a train approaches

etiquette Why Do People in Japan Queue So Neatly? "The Japanese are just well-mannered" doesn't explain it. It comes from systems built to run packed cities, plus a habit of going along with them.

A wallet resting on the counter of a small Japanese police box on a quiet autumn street

daily life Why Do Lost Wallets Get Returned in Japan? "Japanese people are honest" doesn't fully explain it. The keys are detailed laws, the koban police box and a habit of handing things in.

Illustration of commuters waiting in neat lines as a train arrives at a sunny Japanese station platform

transport Why Do Japanese Trains Apologise for Being One Minute Late? The apology is more than a formality. How a commuter society timed to the minute works, and the hard lesson behind all that punctuality.

A glowing restaurant display case of realistic replica dishes on a rainy Japanese shopping street

food Why Do Japanese Restaurants Display Plastic Food? Those lifelike food models are a "3D menu" born in Japan about 100 years ago. Here is how they started and why they are still used today.