A lesson on Japanese culture...

I am currently reading "The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture: Japan!" I am fascinated by what I have read so far and I wanted to share some fun facts!

1. Japan makes up 0.3% of the world's landmass
2. Mt. Fuji is 12,3888 ft. above sea level (smaller than Salkantay!) and is on the "active" list!
3. Japan straddles 4 tectonic plates!!! Yikes!
4. The commonly used phrase Ware ware nihonjin = "we Japanese," which expresses that point of view of the whole group rather than an individual perspective.
5. There is a heightened sense of the value and importance of work.
6. To "lose face" means to lose one's dignity or self-respect. "Loss of face is embarrassing; but for the Japanese it is also shameful."
7. "The Japanese are not loud or confrontational by nature. There is much that is not said but sensed."
8. Haragei - "this term refers to instinctive, gut feelings about a person, event, or proposition...It is sometimes said that the Japanese will not do business with people they sense to be the 'wrong' people, even though the proposition might be an attractive one."
9. The Japanese are very subtle and prefer the indirect approach is the best.
10. There is an intense feeling of personal and private space. "Don't express affection in public, except to small children...Avoid physical contact...The Japanese tend to keep a greater distance from each other when talking, and avoid direct eye contact."
11. The Japanese are all about teamwork and seek consensus in all aspects of decision-making, combined with the desire to avoid conflict.
12. The population in Japan is 99% Japanese. The 1% of foreigners, like myself, are called gaikokujin  which is shortened to gaijin. 
13. It is considered rude to point to things with one finger.
14. "You are never allowed to forget that you are not Japanese."

There are textured walkways for the blind EVERYWHERE!
Inside stores, on the street, at the train station, it's brilliant!

There are vending machines with hot and cold bottled drinks
on nearly every corner. Some machines you can even pay
with your Suica card (plastic card you put money on to pay for
the train and the bus, kinda like a Metrocard).

They inject their apples with honey. They are SO sweet!

This bathroom wastebasket is motion sensored so you don't
have to touch it!

If you have a small child and you need to free
your hands to use the bathroom, you can just
use the baby holder in your stall!