Japan is a country full of respect, importance for family and highly valued education. The official language in Japan is Japanese. This language is spoken almost exclusively in Japan. The standard version of Japanese is called hyōjungo and has very few sounds, compared to other languages ​​such as English. Many experts believe that Japanese is an Altaic, Austronesian, or Southeast Asian language. Other theories exist, but none can be completely proven true. Nearly all linguists believe it is an Altaic language, related to Korean, Mongolian, and Turkish. This makes sense given the fact that the Yayoi people appear to have migrated from Korea to Japan. Japanese scripts include hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Hiragana is similar to Chinese cursive writing. Katakana comes from Chinese characters. Kanji are also imported from China. Both Japanese and Western writing methods are used in Japanese writing. Older Japanese adhere to formally known cultural norms while younger generations are more “Westernized.” Some things that Japanese people generally do as a cultural norm would be to traditionally greet someone, take a bow. You may seem rude to introduce yourself, so you have to wait to be introduced. If you added the suffix “san” to someone's name, you would be considered respectful, and especially respectful to “sama.” You must remove your shoes before entering a Japanese home and wear slippers left at the door. Body language is very important and complex for Japanese people. In Japan the eldest of the group is honored. They are served first and the drink is poured for them. Tipping is not permitted under any circumstances; you would have insulted that person. Additionally, to prevent the spread of infection, sterilized masks may be worn in public. In Japan, a young girl preparing to become a woman traditionally learns one of the three main arts, including ikebana.