Japan is a unique country located on an archipelago of 6,852 islands. It is also known as the land of the rising sun, because the Japanese are the first in the world to see the sunrise every day. Its history is very ancient and multifaceted, so many of the cultural features of Japan are unknown to most people. Almost all of us know very well that one of the symbols of the country is Mount Fuji. We also saw cherry blossoms in photographs, we know what sumo wrestling is, who geishas are, and so on. But do you know why Japanese youth dream of protruding teeth? Why are Japanese traffic lights not green, but blue? These and other cultural features of the country will now be discussed. It will be interesting!
Many cultural features of the people of Japan are incomprehensible to people from other countries, but at the same time they cause admiration
Contents
- 1 Yaeba – protruding teeth in Japan
- 2 Why in Japan the traffic light is blue instead of green
- 3 O-miai – a way to create a family in Japan
- 4 As in People in Japan drink alcohol
- 5 How birthdays are celebrated in Japan
Yaeba – protruding teeth in Japan
In Russia, Europe and the USA, people dream of perfectly straight and white teeth. In Japan, many people also want to have a “Hollywood smile,” but also many people want to walk around with crooked, protruding fangs. The misalignment of the fangs in the jaw is calledyaebain Japan and is considered very cute among young people.
Malocclusion is usually found in young children, so people perceive yaeba as a symbol of youth and joy. In addition to this, the Japanese have a craving for imperfection, so they perceive a protruding fang as an attractive detail of appearance.
Yaeba by Japanese singer Itano Tomomi. Source: YaPlakal
If a person has jaeba, he can leave it and not go to the dentist. If the teeth are perfectly straight, some people are willing to go to the doctor and have surgery to make their tooth stick out. There are also false teeth on sale, which give people a cute, in their opinion, appearance.
Here's what else is interesting:Why were gold teeth popular during the Soviet era?
Why are the traffic lights in Japan blue instead of green
In old Japanese cartoons, you will notice that instead of a green traffic light, Japanese cities use blue traffic lights. This is because the Japanese believe that green is just a shade of blue – they are both called “aoi”.
Blue traffic light in Japan. Photo source: drive2.ru
The first traffic lights in Japan, as in the rest of the world, appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. Unlike other countries, the land of the rising sun used blue light as a permissive signal. However, in the late 1980s it became clear that blue light is much less visible than green light during the day, which has been the cause of many car accidents. Today in Japan they use a shade of green that is as close to blue as possible. And even if the green signal is on, the Japanese call it blue.
Article on the topic:Why are the colors of traffic lights red, yellow and green?
O-miai is a way to create a family in Japan
Today, many people meet through special applications or social networks. It also happens that the future bride and groom are accidentally introduced by their mutual friends. In some cultures, a man's parents sought a wife for him; this was important for family reunification and other purposes.
In Japan, this approach to creating a family continues even today and is called o-miai. As before, this most often occurs when families want to strengthen a business or work relationship. But unlike in past times, young people have the right to refuse to start a family if they do not like the partner chosen by their parents.
Wedding in Japan. Image source: King Goya
Arranged marriage in Japan is considered by some people to be the approach of mature and serious people. But the Japanese often treat falling in love as something temporary and impermanent.
Read also:People who are in love can be determined by their gait
How they drink in Japan alcohol
Japan traditionally drinks three alcoholic drinks: sake, beer and whiskey. While drinking, no one clinks glasses, much less makes long toasts. The only thing the Japanese exclaim in unison before raising their glasses for the first time is the wordkampaiIt literally translates as “dry cup,” so it can be considered a replacement for our “drink to the bottom.”
Beer is one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in Japan. Photo source: fishki.net
Everyone should know this:Which beer destroys the body and causes obesity, and which is the most harmless?
How to celebrate a birthday in Japan
Japanese culture has many holidays, many of which are incomprehensible to people from other countries. Usually, all celebrations take place in the family circle: relatives sit at a laid table, communicate and exchange gifts.
The most favorite holiday among the Japanese, as well as among representatives of other nations, is birthday. But it is not the birthday people who receive gifts on this day, but their parents, because they are considered the heroes of the occasion.
Birthdays in Japan have a special attitude. Photo source: vogazeta.ru
Men never celebrate their 25th and 42nd birthdays, and women do not gather guests at their 19th and 33rd birthdays. On such days, birthday people are recommended to go to the temple to perform a ritual of protection from evil spirits. But the people of Japan celebrate their sixtieth birthday brightly and loudly, because this age is considered “second infancy”.
Do you know interesting facts about Japan? Write in the comments in our Zen channel, as well as in our Telegram chat. It will be interesting to read!
Many Japanese easily survive until their second infancy, because the country has a very high life expectancy rate. Want to know the secret to their longevity? Read our article “What is the secret of longevity of Okinawa citizens who live 100 years” and the secret will be revealed!