Japan: how to get a visa, tips and useful information for traveling

Japan is a country with a unique culture and unusual customs that can surprise even the most experienced travelers.

About 70% of the country is mountainous and there are over 200 volcanoes. Each year, Japan experiences about 1,500 earthquakes, making it one of the most seismically active countries on Earth.

Despite its popularity, Japan remains a country with a relatively small immigrant population- about 98% of its population is ethnic Japanese. Due to this unique cultural environment, traditions and customs have been preserved for centuries.

Japanese people generally do not speak English to a high level, and the English words they use are often so garbled that they are difficult to recognize. This phenomenon is ironically referred to by locals and tourists as «Japanglish».

In Japan, space is valued for its weight in gold, and this is reflected in the living conditions. Standard apartments in the country are quite compact, and country houses are an unaffordable luxury for most. Elevators and houses often lack a 4th floor, as the number 4 is considered unlucky; the numbering jumps from 3 to 5. Most residential buildings do not have central heating - everyone arranges their heating equipment as they see fit.

On the streets of cities you can find special stands with umbrellas. If you get caught in the rain and you don't have your own umbrella, you can unselfishly take one and later return it to any other stand.

It is also worth noting that there are no trash cans on the streets of Japan . Residents of the country are accustomed to carry their waste home, where they sort it and dispose of it in special containers, this reflects the high degree of responsibility of the Japanese to the environment.

If you are invited to visit, it is important to pay attention to your manners. When entering a dwelling, shoes must be removed, leaving them on the bottom step or platform, with socks turned toward the exit. In apartments, shoes are usually removed in the hallway, and the hosts can offer guests house slippers.

Sit down only on the seat on which the host indicates. Most often this will be a tatami, on which it is customary to sit with your legs tucked, although in modern interiors there may be poufs, sofas and chairs. Also, do not step over objects lying on the floor, as it is considered impolite. If you notice something interesting, it is better to carefully walk around the thing and show polite interest by asking the owners what it is and what its purpose is.

Japanese fashion has a unique approach, combining layered outfits and eclectic combinations that would seem strange to most other cultures. In Japan, it is common to wear very short skirts, including among schoolgirls, while cleavage remains taboo even for adult women. Interestingly, tights are forbidden in school uniforms, but socks are allowed, emphasizing the special rules of dress.

In addition, the Japanese have their own ideas about beauty. For example, a woman with slightly crooked teeth is considered very attractive - this style, known as «yaeba», is popular. Thousands of Japanese women go to dental clinics each year to achieve this effect, emphasizing that beauty standards here can be very different from those in Europe or America.

In Japan, there is a unique color known as sumach color, which has been associated with imperial power for centuries. This color was used exclusively for the outer garments of the Japanese monarch and remained taboo for the rest of the country's citizens. Even today, during the enthronement ceremony, the emperor is dressed in a garment dyed in this shade of sumac. Sumac color is derived from the fruit of the sumac tree, a Japanese wax tree.