7 Japanese traditions we will never completely understand

When speaking to another person in Japan, a person needs to be aware of the 4 levels of politeness in their speech: respectful, colloquial, humble, and polite. The Japanese know how to respect other people's boundaries: almost every conversation begins with the word "sumimasen" ("excuse me") , which is used to apologize for taking someone's time in advance.

Since the 13th century, wealthy Japanese families adopt adult men as a way to expand their family trees. This is especially common for couples who have only daughters and want their family business to be run by a male.

Japan stands out when it comes to countries with amazing animals. A trip to the country's urban areas will make you fall hopelessly in love with varying species of pet cats, dogs and birds who live in cafes and shops. And if you're dying to see uncommon animals like red pandas and flying squirrels, you can easily find them in Japan's zoos and conservational areas.

Speak about lifetime job security and the Japanese are right up the leaderboard. Large-scale companies offer job contracts that would last the entire life of an employee until retirement. This is done to motivate employees to work as they understand that their well-being depends on the success of the company they work for.

Since the Japanese government approved the law which forbids any corporal punishment of children, parents can no longer do that. This law also applies to social workers.

Believe it or not, there are more people older than 100 (over 30,000) in Japan than you would find in any other country. And it didn't happen by chance! The Japanese government's decision to take geriatrics more seriously combined with a continuous improvement in its healthcare for the past 60 years has led to this remarkable achievement.

Japanese are well known for their kind gestures, not only to their citizens but also to foreigners. Once a Redditor shared his unforgettable experience at a market in Tokyo. He wouldn't understand why a Japanese insisted on buying his elderly dad an omelet. Comments to his post revealed that it's a normal practice in Japan.