3 Unexpected Facts About Modern Japan (9 photos)

The Land of the Rising Sun is a great mystery in itself. But not only in terms of its historical past.





Modern Japanese are also keeping up with their great ancestors and are coming up with unexpected rules and rituals.

1. Take-out diapers



About 40% of municipalities in Japan require parents to take their children's soiled diapers home from public daycares, according to a survey conducted by a private organization. It is the responsibility of public administrations to support child care in the community, so why do so many local governments discourage diaper disposal in daycares?

Japanese mother wonders:

Why should I take them home? I never told the daycare that it bothered me because I didn't want to make a fuss. But it's weird.





Every time she picks up her daughter, she is asked to take three or four used diapers in a bag. When she gets home, she throws them in the trash.

The reason for this diaper rule is that trash disposal in Japan is a real problem. It has to be stored and taken out on certain days, depending on the type of trash. The job of disposal is so difficult that it is easier to shift it onto the shoulders of parents than to solve it yourself.



The Japanese government itself admits that it is a stupid and inconvenient rule to come home with a questionable gift, and there are no trash cans on every corner in Japan. Used hygiene products will have to be stored at home and wait for the day when it is time to throw out inorganic waste suitable for recycling.

Those who do not give used diapers to parents charge them an additional fee - 300 yen per child per month.

Are you still unhappy with your child's daycare? Imagine that at the end of the day, in addition to a tired baby, you also have to take home a bag with several foul-smelling surprises... Although most of our children go to kindergarten, having mastered the potty and no longer feeling the need for diapers.

2. Rudeness as an art



We use rudeness as an extreme way to convey something to an opponent or to stand up for ourselves. And we are not proud of it. But the Japanese have figured out how to make it an art.

An event in Kyoto at a Japanese fan manufacturer attracted a large audience. It showed the ability of people to grasp the true meaning behind ordinary banal statements.



Using ochazuke (bubuzuke in the local dialect), a dish served with tea, is a traditional Japanese way to exfoliate the skin at the end of a meal. However, in Kyoto, if the owner asks if you want bubuzuke, what he is really saying is, “Go to hell.” This is Kyoto’s so-called culture of ill will, ikezu-bunka (いけず文化), the subject of a recent event in Kyoto that tested people’s ability to read between the lines to a sold-out crowd.

For Kyoto residents, ikezu-bunka consists of sayings that carry deep meaning. As one local put it, if you say to someone, “Your kimono is beautiful,” it may actually mean, “That kimono doesn’t suit you at all.”

Even Japanese people may not pick up on these subtle hints, as visitors to Kyoto are generally treated differently than locals. People who have lived in Kyoto for many years say they may not understand the true meaning of a statement until someone points it out to them. This is the tradition of subtle rudeness in Kyoto, which locals have elevated to an art form.

3. Police Makeup



The Japanese police academy has begun training male cadets in proper makeup and grooming. The training includes applying foundation, moisturizing the skin, shaping eyebrows, and styling hair. This new module emphasizes the importance of maintaining a proper appearance for future officers. The initiative has caused a mixed reaction. Some people consider it necessary, while others find it funny and openly laugh.



Japan's police academy has unveiled a surprising new training module that has raised eyebrows. Authorities believe the new strategy could play a major role in changing the way police officers are treated on the job. Although little is known, the move has already caused a stir and controversy.



On the one hand, a well-groomed police officer is great. On the other, the abundance of color and emphasized eyebrow architecture raise questions. After all, the man is on duty, not having a photo shoot.

But authorities believe the training is part of a larger trend aimed at improving the public image of officers and their interactions with society.