In Tokyo, Japan, another of the world's most populated metropolises, people tend to work long hours and live in small homes.

Misako, a working mother of a 4-year-old, says it's customary to take off your shoes when you enter someone's home. And though she works as a translator, Misako says Japanese women traditionally stay home with their children.

Most people also don't know that some Japanese women are very self-conscious. For instance, Misako says many women's public restrooms are equipped with a device called a "sound princess," which makes enough noise to camouflage bodily functions.