[Nyororin]

I always hate these "facts" that were usually gathered from some list somewhere on the net, half of which aren`t true.

1. A can of Coca-Cola costs more than one dollar US from a vending machine.

True.

2. Japanese people, in general, can't drive very well.

Maybe, but the majority of them drive better than the majority drives in any other country I`ve been to. Here, the driving test is really a test.

3. Restaurants in Japan (including many fast-food places) give you moist towels or wipes before or with your meal.

True.

4. At many businesses in Japan, they offer alcohol to the employees after six pm.

Maybe in another dimension. Or maybe this is referring to company drinking parties? That happens, but I have yet to hear of a company that just hands over alcohol as soon as the day ends. Especially being as overtime isn`t exactly uncommon, and getting an employee drunk when they still have work to do would be a huge waste for the company.

5. It is usually mandatory to give a landlord a gift of money of $1,000-$2000 when moving into his apartment building.

True, but slowly being phased out in some areas. I`d say about half the places around here no longer follow the practice.

6. On Respect for the Aged Day, tobacco companies will hand out free cigarettes to the elderly outside of train stations and department stores.

Something that MAY have happened years ago (bubble era?), but has not happened once in my 10 years of being here.

7. The Japanese love corn, sesame seeds, and mayonnaise on their pizza.

Corn and mayonnaise are pretty common, but sesame seeds aren`t.

8. There are no 24 hour ATMs in Japan (closed on holidays and many only open during normal bank hours).

This was true more than 8 years ago. Now most places are 24 hours - those that aren`t are open at least until 10pm.

9. Many Japanese teachers think that Japanese parents are lazy.

I`d love to know how the writer of this "fact" got the information.

10. The green traffic light is called "blue".

No, it`s called a Japanese word that means the color that the actual stop light is. Which is a sort of color between blue and green. Over time the word has taken on stronger intonations of "blue" - but it ranks in the same category as the variety of grass called "blue grass" in the US.

11. Slurp your soup.

Because it`s boiling hot and any air that you suck in is going to help it not to burn your tongue off.

12. Newspaper editors make their headlines so as to not attract attention.

No, newspapers in Japan aren`t any different than anywhere else in the world. They want you to pick up and buy the paper. That said, there seem to be less outright lies for attention getting.

13. KFC is the place to be on Christmas Day.

It`s a place to buy chicken, as that has taken the place of turkey for a Christmas meal in Japan... Which, true, was something marketed by KFC.

14. Japan has about 1,500 earthquakes each year.

99% so small no one feels them.

15. In the Japanese language, it is considered rude to say the word "no" directly.

Depends so heavily upon the circumstances that I`m not going to bother elaborating. It would take a page or more.

16. It is nearly impossible to become a naturalized citizen of Japan.

More because they require documentation that a lot of countries don`t have on hand, so your native country ends up making it impossible because they take FOREVER to get it to you. (Speaking from experience.)

17. You can smoke just about anywhere.

True 10 years ago. Now half the town is a no smoking zone - yes, outdoors too.

18. Japanese people take a hot bath every night, some do not have showers installed in their bathrooms.

True about the baths, but you`ll really have to hunt for a home without a shower. You wash before you get in the bath, so having no shower to do this with is pretty inconvenient.

19. There is no insulation in Japanese homes' walls.

There is indeed. It`s just really crappy.

20. Japan has roughly 200 volcanoes.

But only a few active.

21. It is considered rude to show signs of affection toward a loved one in public.

I thought that making out in public was pretty rude in most places?

22. When you go to a funeral or a wedding you must take a gift of money.

True. But there is no need for any other gift.

23. Three words: "heated toilet seats".

With bidet.

24. In Japan, flower arranging is an art.

Is there something wrong with this?

25. The new generation of Japanese people are not as short as Westerners think.

Very true.

26. You can buy batteries, beer, wine, condoms, cigarettes, comic books, hot dogs, light bulbs, and used women's underwear from vending machines.

I seriously hate that used underwear myth. I`ve never seen one. No one I know has ever seen one. NEW underwear? Yes, pretty common for people who suddenly find they have to stay overnight somewhere. But used? Apparently the origin of the myth comes from some single shop offering supposedly used panties in a machine inside their store about 15 or 20 years ago.

27. Many Japanese people eat rice with or for their breakfast, lunch and dinner.

True.

28. Never stick your chopsticks upright in your rice. This is an old Japanese custom and is what is done when food is offered to the dead. When it is not an offering it is considered to be a very ill omen.

True, but most people never think that far - they`ve just been taught that it`s impolite.

29. In Japan you will find cars by the names of "It's", "Let's", "Sunny", "Perky", "Gloria", "Move", "Toppo", "Lepo" and "Dump".

True.

30. McDonalds employees will run outside to give you your drive-thru order.

True. It`s so that people don`t have to wait in line at the drive through forever. If you have a huge order, or something that will take some time, you pull into a designated spot so that they can take care of some quicker orders behind you.

31. The Japanese visit shrines and give eachother money for New Year's.

Shrines is true - the money is for children. When you`re no longer a child is up to the parents and relatives. Some cut off at high school graduation, some at 20, etc.

32. It is impolite to tear the wrapping paper off of a gift.

In front of the person who gave you the gift. Once you take it home you can burn the paper off for all they care.

33. Japanese junior high school students do not need to pass any of their classes to graduate. Education only through junior high school is compulsory.

HAHAHAHAHA. Yes, there are grades in high school. And yes, you have to pass to graduate. Compulsory or not has nothing to do with it.

34. Young women will hand you toilet paper outside of train stations.

Those are regular tissues - what you DO with them though is your own business, I suppose.

35. There is almost no vandalism in Japan.

Except... There really is. They just tend to clean it up.

36. Gas station attendants will bow as the car pulls out of the station.

As will most employees anywhere you`ve bought something.

37. It is socially acceptable to pick your nose in public and urinate at the side of the road, but you cannot blow your nose in public.

That`s a new one. They`re all incredibly impolite.

38. Approximately 85% of Japanese people have never tasted turkey.

Maybe because it`s not raised in Japan, and would cost a fortune to import? I`m sure I can think of quite a few common Japanese foods that more than 85% of the US population has never tasted.

39. Japan is about the size of California and has half the population of the entire United States.

True.

40. Snowmen in Japan are made of two large snowballs instead of three.

True.

41. It will always take one to two hours for a pizza to be delivered.

... I`ve never had it take more than 40 minutes. More than an hour isn`t unthinkable if you order on a major holiday, but that is no different anywhere else.

42. There is at least one vending machine on every corner.

Every corner is an exaggeration. Let`s say "every other corner in the city".

43. All you ever wanted to know about the world's largest phallus festival can be found here.

I guess that depends on what you want to know.

44. It is not uncommon to pay $2 for a single apple.

But they usually cost around 50c a piece.

45. The sun is red in Japan and the country itself is referred to by Japanese people as "the land of the rising sun"

The sun is traditionally considered red. As for "the land of the rising sun" - it`s just a way to translate the Japanese word for Japan. It doesn`t mean that in the minds of 99.9% of the people saying it. That would be like saying that any country or person is referred to by whatever the meaning of the name is. I know I certainly don`t think much about what my name means. It`s a name.