• Understanding Japanese Culture
  
• Useful Phrases and Words
  
• Japanese Food
  
• Bath and Toilet
  
• Travel
  
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Cold soba noodles.

Most Americans are surprised when they enter a Japanese home because it is smaller than what they are used to. The rooms are smaller, the kitchens are very small, the bathrooms are tiny, and the doorways are even smaller. It takes a little getting used to.

Taking Off Your Shoes

Upon entering a Japanese home into the genkan, or foyer, you must immediately remove your shoes and put on slippers. Unlike most Americans, Japanese people do not wear their shoes inside the house.

Tatami Mats

Each Japanese home has at least one traditional Japanese room that is covered by a tatami mat which is made of straw.It is very important to remove your slippers before stepping on the tatami mat. The room entrance is either fusuma, sliding paper doors, or shoji, sliding paper screens.

A tatami mat from a very close distance.

Japanese Kitchens

Most Japanese kitchens are very small compared to American style kitchens. Just forget about that large range with oven and four-burner stovetop! Most Japanese kitchens have a gas cooker (2-burner stovetop), a rice cooker, a microwave oven, and a refrigerator. Even the refrigerator is about half the width of the standard American refrigerator!

Typical Japanese gas cooker.

Futons

The traditional Japanese bedroom is a tatami room. A futon, or padded quilt, is laid on the floor only at night and kept in a closet (oshiire) during the daytime. With the futon put away, the room can now function as a living room or dining room.

Japanese futon

Kotatsu

During the cooler time of the year, a heated table called a kotatsu is used.

Heated table called kotatsu

Sitting Techniques

In Japan, sitting on the floor is still common in many situations. Traditionally, the Japanese eat sitting on the tatami floor at a low table such as the kotatsu . In a tea ceremony and many other traditional events, sitting on the floor is commonplace.

women only         formal: both genders         casual for men

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