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Q. What is the major difference between Japan and other western country?
A. Population is very concentrated in Japan to large cities, especially Tokyo metropolitan.
It is so crowded and the size of everything (human body, dwelling, road, BONSAI, and so on) is small.
Q. What kind of food is common in Japan?
A. Rice is a basic food called as GOHAN, which is served in every meal. Other side dishes are called as OKAZU. ( OKAZU is a general name for food other than GOHAN. They are usually served at the same time. ) Japanese eat them at the same time.
They are not served one by one such as appetizer, soup, main dish (fish), main dish (meat), dessert.
Q. Are there any differences between Japanese room and other western country?
A. A Japanese style room is equipped with TATAMI instead of a carpet. But you should know that Japanese take their shoes ( but not socks) off at the entrance.
Q. Is bath the same as that of other western country?
A. Slightly differs. Japanese bath is prepared with a body-washing area outside the tub. The tub is only for warming self, and the soap is used outside it. You can also find a public bath with a large tub in the city. It is called as SENTO ( which means 'small coin bath' ).
The Japanese style shower (the neck is long and flexible, and removable from the wall ), but it may be hard to find Western type shower or tubs. Bath tub in Japan is usually shorter than American one.
Q. How about the price of foods and consumables in Japan?
A. The price of all goods is so expensive in Japan. Beef is the highest rank in meat. You maybe forced to select pork or chicken everyday in Japan. :-) Fish is not so expensive than meat, but it costs you much if you go to traditional sushi bar. Sushi is not a common family meal. I suggest you to go to belt-served sushi bar, KAITEN-SUSHI in Japanese. It costs you less, $1 for one dish with 2 pieces of sushi for example.
Q. How do you cook tofu?
A. Tofu is often used in miso soup, but it is up to you to leave them in the dish. Japanese often eat tofu as is with soy sauce(so called as HIYA-YAKKO).
Q. Is it true that most Japanese exchange business cards the first time they meet?
A. It is a folklore to exchange cards for Japanese. As a business scene it is common to exchange it (I heard this habit slowly expand to USA), but others do not do so. The only exception is a high school girls, but they are the different race. ;-)