Japan - a country on the other end of the earth, another world, often inaccessible to the understanding of the Europeans. Corresponding DT, who spent a year in Kyoto, Japan, talks about the Japanese way of life and the secrets of longevity. According to WHO, a record for life expectancy - 82 years - owned by the Japanese. And, while you live here do not, we can entertain the illusion that the whole thing in some miraculous potion, the recipe is carefully hidden from prying eyes. Say, drank a sip - and all, immortality is assured. In fact, it's much easier ...

In Motion - Life

From an early age, Japanese follow one simple rule: life - this movement. Lying on the couch watching TV, do not open the secrets of longevity. Incidentally, in a traditional Japanese house and sofas a little to meet: Japanese people sleep on the floor on straw mats (tatami) and mattresses (futons) morning, roll up and put them in a closet. The Japanese housing has yet another national characteristics - there is no heating familiar to us. On Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, in large office buildings meet the battery, but there in the winter as cold as in Russia. In Tokyo and Kyoto, where temperatures in winter rarely drops below zero, the residential buildings are heated with air conditioners or electric heaters, however, given the high cost of electricity, they include long. A warm air quickly erode through a thin aluminum frames. Therefore, in Japanese homes is always cold - almost as much as on the street. Is it possible in such conditions carry a fixed way of life? When we arrived in Kyoto, it was summer, and I lightly reacted to the predictions of a friend of Canadians who, knowing that we will stay here for the entire winter, said: "You are going to be very cold!". "Ha! Us, Russian, Japanese, winter does not scare! "- I thought, but wrong. Europeans really hard to get used to the cold in houses and bare knees in freezing temperatures on the street ...

As they steeled

; Frost - another feature of the Japanese. Both adults and children dress up easily, though the winter in Japan can be cold. Year-old child at +10 degrees, dressed as in Moscow May evening dress: a lightweight knit suit, a hat and warm socks postponed until frost. Japanese schoolgirl, in spite of the cold, wind and snow sparkle bare knees: tights are not included in the mandatory form, even in Hokkaido! If the temperature outside is close to zero - knees schoolgirl blush, if you fall below zero - turn blue, but do not wear tights and skirts do not become longer. Even little girls are walking through the snow in boots on bare feet. The only thing without which the Japanese can not do in the cold - long thick scarves and gloves (without them it is difficult to ride a bike).
True, the Japanese have their own ways, and "heating". For example, stores sell special adhesives that are glued to the clothes and some time radiate heat, or "magic" insole with the same effect. There are also quite amusing accessories - fun colorful little bags filled with fine sand: when you take them in hand and begins to rub, they are heated. On us all these ways for some reason did not act - on the frozen red noses sticking out from under the caps, local accurately determined at us gaijin (foreigners).

What do they eat

Dining Japanese simple and monotonous. The traditional Japanese table includes fish, vegetables, rice and beans. The Japanese eat fresh food, not only because it tastes better, but because it does not require prolonged cooking and saves huge amounts of vitamins and nutrients. Almost impossible to find Japanese or Japanese girl with being overweight, especially among the elderly. But the full children or adolescents are not uncommon, and blame for that - the fashion for continental food. The country offers more networking eating houses and restaurants of European cuisine and a favorite place of leisure schoolgirls - at the counters with the donuts.
Japanese can dine at home or in a variety of restaurants, snack bars, and often - just the fresh air (in the park or on the bank of the river). The last option is welcomed by young mothers with children (why interrupt the healthy walk?), Students and office workers who choose a lunch break in the sun. In any supermarket you can buy just prepared lunch in a neat plastic packages and sticks will be offered free of charge at the checkout. If you decide to save money and cook at home, not the fact that you are cheaper: counting the cost of the products in the store and adding the cost of electricity and gas, we would prefer not to spend time and dine outside the home. Ready meal from the supermarket will cost an average of 300 - 500 yen (100 yen - about 22 rubles). In the same or slightly more expensive dinner at a Japanese eatery - ramen. Almost everywhere there are children's menus: lunch for one child, consisting of bowls of Japanese ramen noodles or udon (first), rice with vegetables (second), a bottle of juice, pastry pod (dessert) and a toy as a gift worth 350 yen.
So, eating only Japanese food, you can not spend very much money. But if you want to dine at an Italian restaurant or buy in the supermarket foods you are accustomed to at home (meat, milk, yogurt, cheese, vegetables and fruits, sweets), be prepared to fork out. All this came to Japan recently, in the twentieth century, and is unusually expensive. Some products are very difficult to find in Japanese stores - such as cheese, the taste of which the Japanese do not like and why they did not eat. In the supermarkets are only packing cheese toast. In two weeks we could not look at them and rushed to look real hard cheese. Here we were disappointed: a piece of Parmesan cheese is fabulous money. Fresh fruit is also very expensive - the Japanese prefer to eat their traditional way of saline. But, as we tried to love, such as sweet-and-salty plum-umebosi - and failed.
, However, should recognize that excellent quality of all products: in Japan sold freshest meat (usually boneless, packed in the tray), delicious milk, and such quality and variety of yoghurts I have not met anywhere else. The main Japanese drink - green tea. Without it, it does not do, no lunch - the restaurant you should definitely bring it before a meal. Cold green tea is sold in plastic bottles in stores and in street vending. Currently the Japanese ice cream - ice cream is made of green tea. With the addition of green tea make traditional Japanese sweets - wagashi. Green tea is even added to cakes and pastries.

Untraditional traditions

Of course, despite less healthy lifestyles, the Japanese too sick. But the problems encountered, they are trying to solve is not using drugs (which in a simple pharmacy without a prescription, by the way, it is impossible to buy), but with the help of alternative medicine, acupuncture, yoga and shiatsu, or breathing exercises in fresh air - in the woods. ;
Located in an active volcanic zone, the Japanese archipelago has a huge number of outlets of geothermal waters to the surface. These natural sources, onseny have a different set of minerals in the water and, according to the Japanese make regular bathing in a truly curative measures. It is believed that water from mountain springs is particularly useful for the general strengthening of the body. Onseny are two kinds: indoors and outdoors. The hotel, situated on the source, surely there is a list of elements contained in the water - information should be available, neither the Japanese do not get into the water, without knowing in advance, with which he treated. A trip to the hot springs - not a cheap pleasure: Accommodation per person per night in a hotel will cost 15-20 thousand yen (100-170 dollars), but the Japanese consider an annual trip for the whole family onseny obligatory ritual and book hotel rooms for two or three weeks. If for any reason, a trip "on the water is not available, onseny come to every house in the form of powders, packed in small sachets. Poured powder into the bath (while the Japanese take a bath, but it does not wash - for it has a shower) - and you can enjoy the mineral water, without leaving home.
More a favorite Japanese ritual - burning moxa. This is one of the methods of reflex therapy, the heating of biologically active points with sagebrush cigars. Most often, burning moxa is used in the treatment of functional disorders of the nervous system, allergic diseases. Moxie set (sometimes - stick to the biologically active point with garlic juice) and then set on fire. Warming continued until such time as a corresponding portion of a sensation of heat.

On Personal

; The Japanese are very different from us not only a way of life, but his attitude toward a stranger, and health. For example, a Japanese medical mask on the street or public place - not a rarity: indecent to go sick and infect others. Due to the fact that my pregnancy has fallen just at the time of our stay in Japan, I can just say: the so-called "interesting situation" - this is not a disease but a reason to do them. For example, sit on a healthy diet (fewer starchy foods and sweets, more fruits and vegetables), to join the pool or go to the dance. Average weight gain during pregnancy - 7 - 9 kg, the truth, and the miniature Japanese themselves - with their 150 - 160 cm in height and 40 - 50 kg weight is difficult to expect the birth heroes. Japanese until the last ride through the streets on a bicycle (most importantly, that the abdomen does not interfere with taxi), walking in the hot springs-onseny, visit your favorite sushi bars. The management of pregnancy is very different from how it happens in Russia, where expectant mothers restrict food, forbidden to engage in sports, but are stuffed with pleasure drugs "just in case." The Japanese approach to business I liked: I went to the doctor once a month. At the office gynecologist itself a measure of pressure on myself a special apparatus was weighed on electronic scales and walked with a special plastic cups in a separate booth next to the laboratory. And by the time I came into the office of his doctor, his computer is already visible results of the analysis. The doctor asked me the standard questions about the health, did ultrasound and presented a souvenir photo of the heir. Nobody never occurred to chase a hungry pregnant woman early in the morning to donate blood: in the laboratory on the same floor I was received at any time.
In hokensche (municipal health department) to me issued passport pregnant and a special badge, which I hung on your bag or backpack: it is not noticeable until the stomach, as the surrounding discover that you need to make room on the bus or skip the queue at the supermarket?

bicycle as a way of life

As in many Asian countries, the main vehicle in Japan - a bicycle. Ride it all: young mothers with young children, a 90-year-old man with difficulty balance, schoolgirls in short skirts, the young ladies in the sharp-nosed sharp-heeled boots, and even Buddhist monks in wooden sandals. Respectively, switched to two wheels and we are.
The Japanese recreational bicycle wide seat, high wheel, and fastened in the front basket, which is convenient to carry bags of food, school backpacks, leather briefcases, handbags and even small household dogs - dachshunds, poodles and pugs. Dogs that do not fit into a basket, walk, leash tied to the steering wheel bicycle.
When a small Japanese or Japanese are born, their parents buy special walking bikes with built-in wheel baby armchair - in that you can carry even a nursing infant, not yet knowing how to sit. Grown-up children are transplanted into the back seat a little more, but the front is his younger brother or sister. Once I saw a young mom, transporting of three kids: the youngest was sleeping in his backpack, kangaroo behind. On a bike ride all: young mothers with children, schoolgirls in short skirts, young ladies, and even Buddhist monks.
Japanese children at school, along with spelling and arithmetic, expect special lessons cycling. In high school skills torsion pedals improved to such an extent that every student not only a virtuoso owns a two-wheeled mode of transport, but also able to take away one or two of their friends (or female friends). A special kick - when the passenger is not sitting and standing on special metal rods sticking out in the center of the rear wheels - so fond of the young couple to move.
Given the width of the standard Japanese sidewalk and traffic density on it, it becomes clear: cycling in Japan - an extreme sport, which can not capture all foreigners. Try to move at a decent speed in heavy traffic, carefully circling pedestrians and cyclists crashing into opposing the street width in the meter! And if a solid wall is pouring rain and have to hold in one hand and an umbrella? And if you - winter, and under his feet - the snow? And if you try the second hand to keep the mobile phone and send email? Me, this problem was not on forces, but in Japan it is able to do every teenager. But in the end, the main thing - not to win but to participate, is not it?


Body as evidence

Despite the arbitrary treatment of clothing, Japan - a country the traditional and rather conservative. Nude - taboo: no gizzards out, hanging over his pants tummy, no panties from under the pants, no cleavage. True, the skirt can be worn whatever the length - bare feet do not confuse anyone, but here's shoulders, chest and abdomen should be shielded from prying eyes. Even in the heat (a + 40 in the summer here is not uncommon) are hardly meet a woman in Topeka: bare shoulders and arms above the elbow indecent. And if young people are increasingly found "complying pillars", the woman in 30 over the tops necessarily nakinet blouse with long sleeves.

Author: Irina Bardetskaya