This year, with the new Emperor Naruhito in Japan, a new era has been announced in the country. The name of the period "Reiwa" was chosen for the first time in Japanese rather than Chinese. It was a historic step for Japan. The government has described the meaning of the new era as "Dreams will blossom in Japan as the blossoming nature after the cold winter."
How safe is Japan? The cases of crime and violence are few in Japan, and this is one of the main reasons for tourists to choose this country, as safe travel is always among the essential factors. Today, the country, with its developed and perfect educational system, with its unique rich culture and technology giant, is in the limelight. If you have ever heard of the word Nihon and asked: what is Nihon? Although we call the Sun rising country of Far East Japan, they call their country Nihon or Nippon. If you are planning a trip to Nihon, I would like to share some information and interesting facts about Japan in this post to make your travel to Japan more colourful.
Hospitable Japanese Tea Ceremony
It seems that Japanese settlement in the Far East made them far from eastern hospitality. Yes, the Japanese are not known in the world as hospitable people. However, if a Japanese has invited you, you should appreciate it. At least you will see Japanese culture, minimalist style homes, and a tea ceremony. Japan tea ceremony, which is an integral part of Japanese culture, is held with a unique elegance. Ceremonial private utensils and particular types of tea are being used. Each stage of the Japan tea ceremony is carried out consistently and with high sensitivity. However, if the host offers tea to the guest, it is time to go. It means you have to go as soon as the tea ceremony is over. It is important to remember that the Japanese do not enter their homes with shoes, and guests must follow this custom. In general, it is not allowed to enter several places in the country with shoes. It also includes religious temples, museums, historical sites, and restaurants. Houses are covered with tatami. It is a tradition closely linked to Shinto religious beliefs.
Strange Sides of Japan
The Japanese are known in the world as polite people. In Japanese, there are up to twenty words of apology. On the other hand, many customs only seem typical for the Japanese. According to Japanese beliefs, crying protects children from evil spirits. That is why "Crying Sumo" competitions are being held every year. Two children in Sumo clothes cry in different ways by Sumo wrestlers. The first crying child wins the tournament. Attitudes towards people with tattoos in the country are not monosemous. It is closely related to the Japanese mafia Yakuzas. The examples of Japanese beliefs, Japanese believe in the misfortune of the number 13. However, they think that a black cat will bring success to them.
Different Hotels
Japan has half of the world's robots as technology giants. Robots can be found everywhere - in markets, workplaces, restaurants. All the employees at the Henn na Hotel are robots. At the reception, guests are welcomed by a dinosaur robot. All services are also provided to the guests by the robots. There are hotels with capsule rooms among the distinctive hotels in Japan. For the first time, these types of hotels have been built in Japan to serve more people in less space. These hotels in Japan are cheaper. Nevertheless, such rooms are not advisable for people with closed space phobias.
Winter Tourism - Kamakura Festival
Each year, Akita Prefecture hosts a Kamakura Snow Festival. During the festival, snow domes called "Kamakura" are being built. I should note that this festival is a great snow festival you can join with your kids. The inside of the Kamakura is decorated with candles. The largest size of snow domes is 3 meters. In connection with their religious beliefs, the Japanese do not forget to install a large fountain in honour of the god of water in the largest Kamakura. The purifying power of white, light, and water increases the philosophical burden of the festival. During the Kamakura Festival, guests are served local wines and Japanese cuisine. The date of the festival with especially the spectacular view in the night is already known for 2020. The time of the celebration is 15 and 16 February, which is the weekend.
Sakura Festival
It can also be called the Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival dates back to ancient times. It is held as the viewing of the blossoming cherry trees. It has a symbolic meaning. It was a connection with the instantaneous philosophical views in the philosophical conception of Buddhism. According to the idea, this short-term blossoming of cherry trees reminds people of the concepts of death and destiny. Sakura is the national symbol of Japan. Even during World War II, the centuries-old nationalist symbol of the Sakura was used to motivate soldiers. Before making the death flights, the Kamikazes decorated their military aircraft with Sakura flowers. The Sakura (Hanami) Festival is also celebrated in America. Nevertheless, attending this festival in Japan will add a particular spiritual and philosophical colour to travel to Japan. Every year Sakura's(Hanami) time is announced by the Meteorological Agencies. Sakura Time for 2020 covers March 21-27. I should remind you that this is the date of flowering for Tokyo.
Samurai Castle or Gate Tower?
The Samurai are directly linked to the history of the Japanese war. Samurai castles that survived to modern times are open to tourists today. The five-story Osaka Castle of the sixteenth century, located in Osaka, Japan's second-largest city, attracts with its historic Japanese style. One of the most exciting features of the fortress is that it consists of five floors outside and eight floors inside. It is one of the places most visited by tourists during the Sakura Festival. The fortress has a beautiful panoramic view of Osaka. I would also like to mention other buildings of the city with a unique feature, i.e., Gate Tower skyscraper. Thus, there is a highway passing through the fifth and seventh floors of the 16-level building.
Unusual Cafes
If tourists want to make their travel to Japan unforgettable, they should visit the cafes that offer different services in the country. The list includes cafes that include dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, and other animals. Most Japanese who cannot keep animals at home come here. On the other hand, some cafes serve only men and women.
Love of Animation
Love to Japanese animation can be seen all over the country. As you can imagine, this is expected in the homeland of the world-renowned animation creator, Oscar winner Hayao Miyazaki. It should not be a surprise in the country where the famous anime character, Godzilla, is officially a Japanese citizen. According to statistics, anime and manga series books are published in millions of copies throughout the year. At the Hayao Miyazaki family home in Tokyo, sweets are offered in the form of Japanese animation heroes and are the only ones sold here in the country, and this is one of the interesting facts about Japan.
Nakano Broadway
If you are in Tokyo, be sure to visit the Nakano Broadway shopping complex. It is possible to find all kinds of gift shops, brand boutiques, game centres, restaurants, and cafes. Besides, anime and manga lovers are also coming here. All kinds of animated books, movies, toys can be found here. Also, the 225-meter-long Sunmall covered market, which extends from the Nakano train station to the shopping complex, also serves tourists with all kinds of shops.
Country of Loneliness
Japan ranks first on the list by the number of old people in the world. The lack of a younger generation poses a problem for the local workforce. This country is in the first place due to the longevity of the population. It increases the percentage of ageing and loneliness of people in Japan. Companies are offering different services in the country to reduce this loneliness. Family Romance Company is one such company. Applicants can hire family members. Those who want to get away from loneliness can hire a child, father, mother, sister, and spouse for hours. Japan is among the countries travel lovers want to visit, at least once. Holding the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo makes a journey to Japan inevitable. Every year, the number of visitors to the sun rising country is increasing. And I believe in 2020, Japan visa applications will break their own record!
