Q. Why are purchases wrapped so nicely at stores in Japan? Answer: The history of wrapping in Japan goes way back to the primitive age where there is evidence that bark of trees, sheaths of bamboo shoots and fabrics were used as wrapping. Treasures at the Shosoin Temple include glass manufactured articles that came by […]
Q. Why is a cup of coffee at coffee shops so expensive? Answer: Although the actual cost of producing coffee is negligible, a regular cup of coffee at a coffee shop now costs about 400 yen (US $3.50). In a busy section of town, the price can go up as high as 800 yen (US […]
Q. Why do the Japanese take off their shoes on the shinkansen and airplanes? Answer: People can occasionally be seen wearing slippers and walking along the hallways of posh Japanese hotels. Is it true that Westerners, who do not take off their shoes except when going to bed, find walking in the hallways without shoes […]
