At the end of March every public school in Japan, from elementary school up through high school, experiences what I like to call “The Great Teacher Shuffle,” an event in which teachers across Japan are transferred to new schools at the behest of their respective Boards of Education (BOE). Since BOEs don’t give a reason for these transfers I set off to find out what the motivation is behind employing this kind of system.

One of my favorite things about Japan is the onsen. Nothing melts away stress quite like a two or three hour soak in a hot bath. So, when I was talking to my mom about going to an onsen when she comes to Japan she was completely on board with the idea…until I got to the part about being naked. At that point she decided she could do without that particular cultural experience.

In a groundbreaking effort to promote equal rights amongst all its working class employees, Japan has decided to extend vacation benefits to its ATMs. Yes, folks, you heard right. The ATMs of Japan will not be forced to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week like so many of their foreign brethren, no sir! They’ll have public holidays and normal 9-5 working hours just like the rest of us! Well done, Japan, well done.

Of all the things the Japanese are famous for – sushi, ninja, a level of cuteness that would make kittens nauseous – their work ethic is probably one of the most well-known. Unpaid overtime and weekend workdays are common practice and it’s not unusual for employees to see far more of their co-workers than they do of their families. In fact, the Japanese have become so notorious for their work habits that there is even a Japanese word, karoushi, which means “death from overwork.”*

Today’s column debuts a recurring feature called The Japanese Way. In this monthly column, Courtney Coppernoll will attempt to shed light on how and why certain aspects of Japanese culture differ from our own. Today’s topic: the lack of insulation and central heating in Japan.