5.Japan Has a Very High Suicide Rate

5.日本自杀率很高

Japan is a wealthy nation with a very interesting history and colorful culture. It's a visually stunning country that is home to the most innovative, highly disciplined, hard-working, successful people around. However, one dark aspect of Japanese society that many people from the West don't know is that it has a very high suicide rate. More than 30,000 Japanese men and women off themselves every year. With this rate, it is estimated that 24.4 out of 100,000 Japanese citizens are likely to kill themselves. Suicide has become a major issue in Japan. In fact, it has become one of the primary causes of death in women aged 15 – 34 and men aged 20 – 44.

日本是个很富有的国家，历史饶有趣味，文化丰富多彩。那里汇集了最具创新意识、高度自律、工作努力的成功人士。但大多西方人不知道，在这光鲜的成就背后隐藏着日本的高自杀率。每年，日本有超过3,000男女选择自杀。按这个比率算来，100,000个日本人中，估计就有24.4人有自杀倾向。自杀已成为日本一大社会问题，是造成15-34年龄段的女性和20-44年龄段的男性死亡的主要原因。

Why does a wealthy, highly advanced nation like Japan have a very high suicide rate? Apparently, Japan also faces unemployment problems. Failure to secure jobs is one of the primary causes of Japan's high suicide rate. The sad news is that many of those who commit suicide due to job problems are young adults. Many of them are actually fresh graduates. Aside from job issues, other primary factors leading to the high suicide rate in Japan are depression and financial hardship.

为什么一个像日本这样富有而先进的国家有这么高的自杀率呢？显然，失业问题难辞其咎。高自杀率的一个主要原因就是得不到稳定工作，而且因就业问题而自杀的大多为年轻人，而这些年轻人中很大一部分还都是应届生。除了就业问题，导致高自杀率的另一个原因是经济不景气和财政困难。

4.Families in Japan Use the Same Water for Bathing

4.日本家庭共用一个浴缸泡澡

For the Japanese, taking a bath is not only about cleansing the body. It's also an effective way to relax the mind, the body, and the spirit. This is the reason why most Japanese take hot baths during the evening and go to hot springs or onsens regularly. Unlike in the Western world, Japanese families use the same water for bathing, and no they don't take baths simultaneously. The father goes first, followed by the mother, and then the children.

对于日本人而言，洗澡并不只是单纯的洗净身体，而是一种放空思绪、舒展身体和缓解精神的有效方式，这也是为什么大多日本人晚上都喜欢泡澡而且定期还会去泡温泉的原因。跟西方不同，日本一大家子只用一池水泡澡，当然不可能是同时泡，一般都是爸爸先泡，然后是妈妈，最后是孩子。

Almost all Japanese homes have bathtubs. However, they only use them for soaking and not for cleansing. In general, the Japanese clean, scrub, and soap their bodies outside the bathtubs with the use of a wash bowl. After they have cleaned and rinsed themselves thoroughly, they'll then enter the tub, soak their bodies, and enjoy the relaxation that the hot bath water brings. Since the cleansing is done outside the bathtubs, the hot water remains clean and clear, fit to be used by other family members. One interesting aspect of Japan's unique way of bathing is that house guests are given the honor of using the hot bath water first.

日本几乎每个家庭都有浴缸。但是，日本人并不用浴缸洗澡，而只用它泡澡。一般来讲，日本人会先在浴缸外的洗脸池里洗一洗、搓一搓、打打肥皂，等到浑身都洗干净之后，再躺进浴缸泡一泡，享受热水带来的舒缓。因为进浴缸前已经洗净了身体，所以泡完澡后热水仍然是干净的，其他家庭成员还可以继续泡。有趣的是，如果家里来客人了，日本人会让客人第一个泡澡，然后自己再泡。

3.Many Streets in Japan Don't Have Names

3.日本的很多街道都没名字

Yes, you read that right. Many streets in Japan don't have names. So how do the Japanese locate certain areas if their streets are nameless? Well, they use a peculiar kind of addressing system that uses block numbers instead of street names. Blocks in Japan are given unique numbers, and these numbers serve as the address. The spaces between these blocks, the streets, are left unnamed. So typically, people in Japan say, "I live in Block 2" or "I work in Block 13" instead of saying "I'm on Crocodile St." or "My house is at Banana Ave."

是的，你没看错，日本很多街道真的都没名字，就这么任性！可是既然没名字，那日本人怎么描述自己的地理位置呢？其实，日本采用的是一种很特殊的编址系统，虽然街道没有名字，但是街区都有相应的编号。每个街区都由一个特定的数字表示，用以标示地址。于是，处于街区之间的道路就变成了"无名氏"。所以，在日本，人们都说"我家住1号街区"或者"我家住13街区"，而不是"我家在鳄鱼街"或是"我家在香蕉大街"。

Many people from Western countries might find this addressing system quite inefficient and confusing but actually it's not. In fact, it's very easy to use and helps people locate certain areas very quickly. For instance, if the restaurant you're looking for in Tokyo City is located at Block 20, then all you need to do is get a map and look for the area that has the number 20 on it and voila, you just found your destination. Also, block numbers are easier to remember and spot on a map compared to street names.

很多西方人可能觉得这样编址效率很低、还难找，实则不然。事实上，这种方法在生活中很方便，可以帮助人们迅速定位。比如说，如果你在东京市想找位于第20街区的一个饭店，那你只要拿着地图找到标着20号的那个地方就可以了。而且，比起街道名称，街区名称更易在地图上标示，还方便记忆，一举多得。

2.Male Adult Adoption Is Common in Japan

2.日本有成人收养制度

Typically, couples from Western countries adopt babies or young children for a variety of reasons such as infertility and companionship. However, in Japan, it's quite different. It's common for many Japanese families, especially the wealthy ones, to adopt fully grown men. Why is this so? There are two reasons why male adult adoption is normal and quite popular in Japan. First, adult men are adopted for the sake of carrying on the family's name. Japan, like many countries around the world, is a patriarchal society, and family names or surnames are passed through male children. Couples who only have female children are likely to consider adopting adult males just so their family names don't disappear. Second, adult men are adopted for the sake of a family's business. This reason is quite common in many wealthy Japanese families who own large companies.

西方夫妇也会收养婴儿或幼儿做养子，不过通常都是因为不孕不育或需要陪伴。但是在日本，情况却大有不同。日本家庭，尤其是比较富裕的家庭，收养的对象很多都是成年的男子。这是为什么呢？其一，收养成年男子是为了延续家族的姓氏。跟世界很多国家一样，日本也是一个父权社会，一个家族的姓氏通常是靠男性传承的。所以，那些只生了女孩的家庭为了延续自己的姓氏，一般都会考虑收养一个成年男子。其二，收养成年男子也是发展家族企业的一条途径。很多拥有大型企业的日本家庭都会收养成年男子，让其以继承人的身份来掌舵企业，使企业发展的更好。

Fully grown men are adopted so that they can inherit the family's business and run it. Even if a certain family has male candidates for inheritance, if the father sees that his inheritors are unsuitable for running his business, then he might consider taking in one of his highly competent executives.

有些家族即使是有男性继承者，但如果父亲觉得这个继承者没能力掌管好企业，也会考虑收养一个具有商业天赋、能力更强的"新儿子"，以避免由于子孙的不肖而带来家业的衰败。

1.Japan Is the Land of Kinky Sex

1.日本是怪癖性爱之都

When it comes to sex, the Japanese are very open-minded. Some behaviors or acts that are considered taboo in the Western world are accepted and practiced by many Japanese people. One perfect example of this is hentai mangas and animes which depict intercourse between humans, monsters, and even tentacles. Hentai can be easily bought in bookstores and convenience stores throughout the country.

日本人在性方面很开放。一些西方人认为是禁忌的行为，在日本却能为人所接受，还付诸实践。最好的例子可能就是变态和乱伦题材的漫画和动漫了，这些作品往往描述的都是人与人、人与兽、甚至人与幻想生物/器官"触手"的性交。在日本，像这种这种变态题材的作品很轻易就能从书店和便利店买到。

翻译:毛志遥 来源:前十网