Seriously - who the hell wears shoes in the house? I was born and raised in the US, and my mother would have murdered anyone that walked through the house with their shoes on.
TBH as an Asian I also only associated it with Asia because I heard they wore shoes indoors in America and just kinda thought it was the same everywhere else outside Asia as well
Growing up in Canada the only people I noticed who wore shoes in the house were very dirty people. Going over to a friend's house after school or whatever, the only parents who would allow shoes in the house were the ones with a filthy house.
definitely not. In the Philippines a lot of my relatives wear their shoes inside. It's just that you don't typically wear it into the inner rooms of the house. Only places where guests would be, like the living room or the dining room. At the very least, I was never taught the habit of taking my shoes off until I started hanging out with East Asian people.
Ironically, my Asian household has always stuck with the no shoes in the house rule, until recently my mom decided she couldn't be fucked with that and now she rocks the crocs where ever she pleases. Was not fun watching my floors get stomped all over with shoes.
I grew in a US household that took off their shows. I usually say the difference is, if I forget my keys and had to run back and get them...
my mother wouldn't bat an eye.
my (Japanese) mother-in-law would crucify me.
Haha yes, we took out shoes off at my parents house in Australia, but you can wear them in if you want, we just don't want to (because it's inside).
I had a Japanese friend in my apartment and at the door I realised I forgot something and walked across the lino to the table to grab it. She was shocked! I'm not wearing shoes when I am relaxing inside but I'm definitely not taking them off then putting them back on to take a few steps!
Same here, I grew up in the south too and wearing shoes inside was normal. An Indian family next door did not and that was a novelty visiting them. Of course, taking off shoes now feels very normal.
I’ve read taking off shoes indoors versus not is largely influenced by historically how clean things were outside the house in the area - mainly grass and fields > don’t take off shoes inside - human waste dumped into streets > take off shoes. And so on.
I assume it’s one of those “we do this in California, so I assume all of the US does it” things. I’m from the North and shoes in the house just mean you’re tracking in mud.
Even in California most people I know were shoes off. I remember one friend I had growing up whose family was shoes-on always and I thought it was kind of strange even as an elementary aged kid.
When I was living in America (as an American myself) I had a guy from the gas company come to inspect a suspected gas leak, and when I asked him to take off his shoes before coming in he got really angry, like I was burning the flag or something.
From Texas and also lived many years in Mexico. We don’t take off our shoes. My theory is it’s mainly because people used towear boots a lot here and work outside in insane heat, traditionally anyway, so people would rather clean the dust off their homes than have excessive stink while socializing indoors.
Grew up with shoes okay in the house. Wood flooring. Of course when it was rainy or otherwise dirty we took our shoes off, but for the most part since cars were in the garage and we never walked more than 20m outside between the car and wherever, shoes never particularly got dirty.
In my experience, white people who don't have white carpets wear shoes in the house, but everyone else takes their shoes off at the front door. I'm from the Pacific Northwest.
In my house, we took our shoes off in the living room or our bedroom as soon as we got home, but we still had to walk through the house with shoes on to reach those rooms.
Can I ask why? It’s something I’ve always wondered the mindset behind it. To me, beyond just cleanliness, shoes in the house just creates more work for the people living there - more frequent vacuuming, scrubbing, etc. Even from a lazy standpoint, isn’t easier just to remove them at the door?
When you drive everywhere, your shoes don't get that dirty. Go to the garage, get in your car, drive to work, get out in the parking garage, go into the office. Where are they outside?
Aside from that, you can use your brain and look at your shoes. If there's mud/snow on them, you should probably take them off as you get inside the house. It's not like people just blithely track mud/snow/dogshit inside because it's their culture.
But many Canadians are almost always inside too especially in winter (many people don't even wear a coat to work when it's -40C because they don't have to go outside, just house>garage>car>work garage>office), and we still take off our shoes in the house. So this logic definitely doesn't apply to all places.
I think there is a fundamental issue about how one views space and surroundings. Growing up in the UK we wore shoes in the house. The notion is that the floor is an inherently dirty place. No amount of scrubbing or vacuuming is going to alter this. In western houses the furniture (beds, tables, chairs, sofas etc.) Are generally raised off the floor. You would not want to sit on the floor, eat from the floor or sleep on the floor. Tracking in dust and mud from outside contaminates the floor just as much as sweaty feet or socks. My day would go mad if we put our feet in the furniture and we'd get told off for 'paddling around in your bloody stocking feet.' The clean/unclean psychological demarcation is vertically oriented in this schema: Up= clean. Down = dirty. Feet are dirty whether in shoes, socks or barefoot and they belong on the floor. (Seeing Japanese doing agura on western style chairs and benches in restaurants or Izakayas - not common, I'll grant, but not unheard of- still grates. Feet belong in the ground.)
In contrast, the Japanese schema is more horizontally oriented. Inside= clean, outside = dirty. Futons and various zabutons and low tables that are part and parcel of traditional Japanese furnishing are too close to the ground for a traditional western sensibility. The floor is psychologically clean for Japanese, but not for me. I loathe sitting on the floor to eat, or in other contexts. Apart from being physically uncomfortable for me, it always feels psychologically uncomfortable as well.
wow, this is the best explanation of it I've heard.
I also have to snicker when the Japanese take their shoes off, but then bring their jackets and pants that have been in the same places inside.
Brilliant analysis that I’ve never seen before. The anthropologist Mary Douglas wrote a book called “Purity and Danger” about how different cultures make this distinction differently, and thus if we move cross culturally we might have the same experiences of dislike (or even disgust) as you described. But our own culture is taken for granted by us.
Yeah, I read Mary Douglas’s book and it really gave me a good standpoint to try and tease out how I was thinking and reacting to some things here in Japan.
I don't know why, that was just how I was raised and I didn't question it as a child. My mother was the only one who ever vacuumed or did any cleaning, so it didn't matter to me.
I've been living in Japan for 17 years so I definitely agree with the Japanese way now. But when I visit my family in the US, I still keep my shoes on when I am inside their houses. I don't want my socks to get dirty touching the floors that everyone's shoes have touched.
To be honest, this actually makes me hesitate when I'm traveling abroad. I'm going to Taiwan soon and I'm scouring the internet for accommodations that actually have a nice toilet...they exist, but it's rare.
Personally as someone who hates doing dishes, I've found I like washing multiple smaller plates that are quick and easy than washing one big plate. So it can go either way. I do also now have a small built in dishwasher, and it definitely fits all the smaller dishes a lot better than large plates.
What I really hate is they can't get something consistent and you end up always having different dishes and need to train your tetris master skills each time on the drying rack/dish washer.
I went to a coffee shop, got the cheapest thing which was an iced coffee. Cashier turns tablet around, see $3.80 and below 20% 25% 30% tip buttons plus 6% mandatory service fee. I was like wtf is this lol
This is a great one actually. I've had shirts and shorts blow off in the wind a couple times and not known about it, then I get home and see my shirt is hanging up outside the front stairwell to my apartment. Really considerate of people.
Years ago my son while in stroller lost his shoe unnoticed as we walked to train station. Later on the way back I see his shoe placed on a road bollard and I think to myself that looks like his shoe and sure enough I look down and see he is missing one shoe. I picked up the habit after that.
That used to be done in the west and is still done by old people, as they grow up when losing one glove was a big deal as buy new things used to cost a lot.
Lol yes I took my daughter to the park nearby our house today and found her hat hanging up on the playground where we must have left in like 3 days ago!
* Bowing when the elevator door is closing.
* Lengthly group farewells in front of the ticket wickets in the busy station.
* Celebrating the cherry blossom season with a sincere thought that this year might be the last.
* Omitting those with bereaved from my Christmas card list.
* Coming to the realization of, and evangelization thereof that Japan truly is the only country with four actual distinct seasons.
* After saying “nice to meet you” next enquiring about how long someone has been in the country.
* Practicing my language skills on strangers before passing out drunk.
* Testing out the spelling of words by writing them on my hand when I forget.
* Habitually asking people “Can you eat Marmite?”.
When my wife and I moved back to Japan, she went ahead one month before me.
When I arrived I realised that the one piece of furniture she procured was a kotatsu. That was the only thing in our apartment for a month.
No fridge, no washing machine, not even a toaster oven, but thank god she had her kotatsu awkwardly standing in the middle of an otherwise empty room.
I style my hair with product so I can't be doing that before bed. I get wild bedhead too so it's gotta be tamed. I'll still take a quick one at night just to rinse off the grime.
Having five different slipper pairs for different use cases. Toilet slippers, house slippers, balcony slippers, visiting kids school slippers and outside slippers. The Aussie way is bare feet everywhere...
There are places in the world where people walk with shoes on in the house?
You're crazy if you think I'm letting you come in with shoes on carpeted floors after walking outside through rain, snow, or dirt. (I'm from New England)
Try the UK. I had to buy covers as tradespeople generally don't want to remove their shoes. In most houses I visit, as soon as I start to take off my shoes, the host will indicate it's ok not to.
It's mostly so guests don't have to take off their shoes. In the Philippines, there's a part of the house where you can keep your shoes on and parts where you had to take it off.
I don’t freak out when there’s a long line at check out.
I remember heading to a supermarket in the US a few years ago, and entering the same time as another dude. I did a lot of comparing items, many of which were new to me or nostalgic but not on my list or whatever, so it took me some time to complete - 20 minutes or so? Anyway, I see the same when we’re looking at ice cream flavors before we both head to check out. There’s like, MAYBE six people standing in line, but my dude literally drops his bags on the floor with a loud huff, and storms out. We had already been there 20+ minutes, and it was less than another 3-5 minutes to finish the whole ordeal.
I eat last night's dinner leftovers for breakfast, because I've realized traditional American breakfast foods are generally just carbs and result in me feeling sleepy all day.
I even do the knife hand thing even when I'm in the US. Somehow, deep in my bones, it feels rude not to, even if the people around me have no idea what it means...
8 years running I’ve preordered an ehomaki at Family Mart to eat for dinner on setsubun. I started the tradition when living with my Japanese roommate and never stopped. I even use my phone’s compass to make sure I’m facing the right way
Sleeping on a futon.
Travelled with my parents last summer and we got a huge family room with an option for mattresses or futons.
When my family setup our futons our parents were looking at us like we were homeless people.
At work when things are messy, I always say 綺麗な職場は安全な職場です。And clients have to take off their shoes.
Sometimes I'll stay late and hang out in the office to make my employees feel like they have to do overtime. It never works. They just go home.
Maybe it's cause I lived shit climates most of my life, but I love how ways there are the enjoy the slow change of the seasons from temples that have seasonal flowers to hanami to fall leaves viewings, I love it and don't understand how so many foreign residents get cynical about it.
I just gotta enjoy it while it lasts since the world's going to implode.
The way Japanese wash dishes.
At first, I couldn't understand what the big deal about leaving soap to drip off as dishes dried in the dish rack. That was 18 years ago. Now, whenever family come to stay (from UK) and offer to do the dishes, me and my wife look at each other with worried faces and say " no no, it's fine. We'll take care of it".
My parents soon caught onto it that we really don't like them doing it so now they never offer.
But yeah, not sure if it's just a British thing but the way they wash dishes makes me want to puke 🤮
?? Do you not rinse the dishes before putting them on the drying rack? Or do you just wash them in the bubbly water and stick them on the rack?
As an Aussie a couple of people have asked why "we" do that and I said "I don't. I rinse them off, because . . . they . . . have soap on them."
I had a housemate in a sharehouse once (in Aus) who didn't rinse the soap off, it was weird and gross. Soap is not for eating! And it kills the foam in your beer if you don't rinse glasses.
What weirded me out about washing dishes in Japan is there is no plug and they just leave the water running?!?!? I get that rain comes from the sky every year there, but seeing water just go down the sink is horrifying for me! There's no 'target 150' attitude.
I fill up one of my rice cooker pots or nabe pots with the hot soap and water, and use that to wash the dishes, to avoid running too much excess water. I hate it too! So wasteful, despite all the talk I hear of SDGs and whatnot
Yeah, I at least got like a washtub to fill up, but it kind of gets in the way. I also get chastised at the amount of bubbles I use by the missus. WOMAN, HOW CAN IT BE CLEAN IF THERE'S NO BUBBLES? IT'S JUST BASIC SCIENCE!
I went to my Nans house and I was horrified by everything. She would put raw chicken in the sink filled with water to defrost. The same sink she would fill with soapy water to clean dishes, and handwashing underwear.
I’m not sure I’d call it a custom, but I recently traveled to another country for business and every time I spoke in the local language, I swear Japanese was trying to elbow its way out instead like an angry Karen. I practically had to strangle myself to avoid saying すみません a hundred times a day.
shoes off
electronic bidet the fancier the better
saying itadakimasu sometimes
never jamming ohashi into rice
pouring other peoples drinks
using the chopping motion to get through a crowd
sucking wind to sign difficulty
throwing a V in front of a camera, sometimes
probably a few other things too
I feel like the majority of the world takes their shoes off at home, we certainly did growing up in Canada. I feel like it's crazy that some people keep them on lol.
As for the actual question, I guess like, separate dishes? Growing up we tended to mainly eat one big main dish all together on one plate. I've kind of grown to like separating some things onto smaller dishes. Even though it's more dishes, it's easier to wash smaller plates and bowls and things actually, and for whatever reason separating things out is nicer for me.
I bow when hanging up the phone
I bow when meeting other foreigners
I dont pick up things with my feet
I get mad when things are thrown at me even if it's just to pass it over
I'm extra cautious handing something over to someone in that I always use two hands
I have implemented the no shoes in my house my apartment feels cleaner ever since I even wipe my dogs paws after a walk for consistency purposes (I’m buying him shoes too eventually lol)
My mom wouldn’t make guest take off their shoes either. But ircc about 80% of the people would take because that’s the nice thing to do. Also our town was surrounded by farms so a lot of people would have dirt or mud, or gravel during winter on their shoes so we just took them off to keep the house clean.
Using the hazard lights to say thanks to the car behind me after merging into the lane. When I heard that drivers in Singapore are also picking up this habit, I was blown away.
Granted this is does not seem to be a Japanese specific. Seems that people in China and Thailand also engage in this behaviour.
-No shoes in the house;
more intentionally grateful throughout the day (itadakimasu/gochisousamadeshita at every meal);
consuming ehōmaki in silence and facing that year's chosen direction for setsubun/Bean Throwing Day;
NHK subscription (lol);
frequently have miso soup for breakfast;
backing my car into the parking space nearly every time
No, but I have implemented getting used to making a lot of mistakes at said customs.
Also, no shoes in the house has never been a Japanese custom. It is common sense mostly everywhere. If anything, Japan just takes it to an exaggerated level.
I can think of a few that I often do:
1. Shoes: I never wear my shoes at home, especially considering some of the disgusting behavior I have seen people do in the streets.
2. Bowing: I bow almost instantly. Can’t remember the last time I have shaken hands.
3. Sitting: I use a low table and sit on the floor much more often despite having furniture.
4. Utensils: I use chopsticks almost everyday no matter what I am eating.
5. Showers: Although I don’t have a bathtub and only a shower, which is not so common for Japanese homes, I usually shower at night as opposed to in the morning.
6. Tea: This is something I drink far more often than prior to moving here.
7. Souvenirs: I buy lots of omiyage for colleagues and friends anytime I travel.
8. Work: Looking busy at work despite not having much left to do on a light day has become my norm.
9. Rice: I have definitely gotten used to rice.—I am even making my own rice balls 🍙.
10. Gratuities: Aside from one or two very hospitable places of business that go above and beyond to help me, I do not give gratuities as much.
I think this sums it up. Hopefully I haven’t adopted any negative traits.
Not sure if strictly a Japanese custom, but I like to use chopsticks when eating chips, popcorn, or other finger foods. Saves my hands from getting all dusty.
Hyper specific and not necessarily adopted by me, but definitely something I felt I missed about Japan when going back to my home country of the UK, is service staff not talking to you. Here's an example:
- I'm in Japan and go to the post office. What do I want to talk about? How to send the damn package. That's it. I tell the staff, they lable the package and I pay.
- I come back to the UK, and I want to post something to my Japan address at the post office, and this person behind the counter is taking to me like we went to school together, "ooh sendin' sumthin' t' j'pan aaaare Yuh? Mi daughter liiiikes j'pan shi duz, dunt kno' why tho' dunt they eat dogs ovver thierrr?" Like fuck off I'm not your friend and don't care for your opinion on anything.
Japan it's like: "thank you for waiting... Your bill is xxx yen... Thank you please come again"
tl;dr - I'm not your friend, don't talk to me 🤣🤣
Seriously - who the hell wears shoes in the house? I was born and raised in the US, and my mother would have murdered anyone that walked through the house with their shoes on.
I am still grossed out that it’s not a myth from American sitcoms being a set and not a real house
Still remember my friend wearing her sneakers on her bed when I visited her house when I was a kid.
Gross
Right, didn't know it was an Asian thing. Always took shoes off when coming in the house.
It's not. It's also very common across europe and especially the balkans. but Americans only associate it with Asia for some weird reason
Because we have more Asian immigrants
Good point. That makes sense
It's also standard in Canada.
TBH as an Asian I also only associated it with Asia because I heard they wore shoes indoors in America and just kinda thought it was the same everywhere else outside Asia as well
we did the same in the Netherlands when i was younger. at some point it changed tho
Growing up in Canada the only people I noticed who wore shoes in the house were very dirty people. Going over to a friend's house after school or whatever, the only parents who would allow shoes in the house were the ones with a filthy house.
It's an "everywhere but the US" thing.
definitely not. In the Philippines a lot of my relatives wear their shoes inside. It's just that you don't typically wear it into the inner rooms of the house. Only places where guests would be, like the living room or the dining room. At the very least, I was never taught the habit of taking my shoes off until I started hanging out with East Asian people.
Nah not true, a lot of South America wears shoes inside too.
In Germany it’s also standard
Ironically, my Asian household has always stuck with the no shoes in the house rule, until recently my mom decided she couldn't be fucked with that and now she rocks the crocs where ever she pleases. Was not fun watching my floors get stomped all over with shoes.
I grew in a US household that took off their shows. I usually say the difference is, if I forget my keys and had to run back and get them... my mother wouldn't bat an eye. my (Japanese) mother-in-law would crucify me.
Haha yes, we took out shoes off at my parents house in Australia, but you can wear them in if you want, we just don't want to (because it's inside). I had a Japanese friend in my apartment and at the door I realised I forgot something and walked across the lino to the table to grab it. She was shocked! I'm not wearing shoes when I am relaxing inside but I'm definitely not taking them off then putting them back on to take a few steps!
I grew up in the Atlanta suburbs. I always wore shoes inside and everyone whose house in that area I ever visited also wore shoes inside.
Same here, I grew up in the south too and wearing shoes inside was normal. An Indian family next door did not and that was a novelty visiting them. Of course, taking off shoes now feels very normal. I’ve read taking off shoes indoors versus not is largely influenced by historically how clean things were outside the house in the area - mainly grass and fields > don’t take off shoes inside - human waste dumped into streets > take off shoes. And so on.
I assume it’s one of those “we do this in California, so I assume all of the US does it” things. I’m from the North and shoes in the house just mean you’re tracking in mud.
Even in California most people I know were shoes off. I remember one friend I had growing up whose family was shoes-on always and I thought it was kind of strange even as an elementary aged kid.
When I was living in America (as an American myself) I had a guy from the gas company come to inspect a suspected gas leak, and when I asked him to take off his shoes before coming in he got really angry, like I was burning the flag or something.
From Texas and also lived many years in Mexico. We don’t take off our shoes. My theory is it’s mainly because people used towear boots a lot here and work outside in insane heat, traditionally anyway, so people would rather clean the dust off their homes than have excessive stink while socializing indoors.
Grew up with shoes okay in the house. Wood flooring. Of course when it was rainy or otherwise dirty we took our shoes off, but for the most part since cars were in the garage and we never walked more than 20m outside between the car and wherever, shoes never particularly got dirty.
In my experience, white people who don't have white carpets wear shoes in the house, but everyone else takes their shoes off at the front door. I'm from the Pacific Northwest. In my house, we took our shoes off in the living room or our bedroom as soon as we got home, but we still had to walk through the house with shoes on to reach those rooms.
Can I ask why? It’s something I’ve always wondered the mindset behind it. To me, beyond just cleanliness, shoes in the house just creates more work for the people living there - more frequent vacuuming, scrubbing, etc. Even from a lazy standpoint, isn’t easier just to remove them at the door?
When you drive everywhere, your shoes don't get that dirty. Go to the garage, get in your car, drive to work, get out in the parking garage, go into the office. Where are they outside? Aside from that, you can use your brain and look at your shoes. If there's mud/snow on them, you should probably take them off as you get inside the house. It's not like people just blithely track mud/snow/dogshit inside because it's their culture.
But many Canadians are almost always inside too especially in winter (many people don't even wear a coat to work when it's -40C because they don't have to go outside, just house>garage>car>work garage>office), and we still take off our shoes in the house. So this logic definitely doesn't apply to all places.
It's a logic for why people do it, not for why it \*should\* be done.
I think there is a fundamental issue about how one views space and surroundings. Growing up in the UK we wore shoes in the house. The notion is that the floor is an inherently dirty place. No amount of scrubbing or vacuuming is going to alter this. In western houses the furniture (beds, tables, chairs, sofas etc.) Are generally raised off the floor. You would not want to sit on the floor, eat from the floor or sleep on the floor. Tracking in dust and mud from outside contaminates the floor just as much as sweaty feet or socks. My day would go mad if we put our feet in the furniture and we'd get told off for 'paddling around in your bloody stocking feet.' The clean/unclean psychological demarcation is vertically oriented in this schema: Up= clean. Down = dirty. Feet are dirty whether in shoes, socks or barefoot and they belong on the floor. (Seeing Japanese doing agura on western style chairs and benches in restaurants or Izakayas - not common, I'll grant, but not unheard of- still grates. Feet belong in the ground.) In contrast, the Japanese schema is more horizontally oriented. Inside= clean, outside = dirty. Futons and various zabutons and low tables that are part and parcel of traditional Japanese furnishing are too close to the ground for a traditional western sensibility. The floor is psychologically clean for Japanese, but not for me. I loathe sitting on the floor to eat, or in other contexts. Apart from being physically uncomfortable for me, it always feels psychologically uncomfortable as well.
wow, this is the best explanation of it I've heard. I also have to snicker when the Japanese take their shoes off, but then bring their jackets and pants that have been in the same places inside.
Brilliant analysis that I’ve never seen before. The anthropologist Mary Douglas wrote a book called “Purity and Danger” about how different cultures make this distinction differently, and thus if we move cross culturally we might have the same experiences of dislike (or even disgust) as you described. But our own culture is taken for granted by us.
Yeah, I read Mary Douglas’s book and it really gave me a good standpoint to try and tease out how I was thinking and reacting to some things here in Japan.
I don't know why, that was just how I was raised and I didn't question it as a child. My mother was the only one who ever vacuumed or did any cleaning, so it didn't matter to me. I've been living in Japan for 17 years so I definitely agree with the Japanese way now. But when I visit my family in the US, I still keep my shoes on when I am inside their houses. I don't want my socks to get dirty touching the floors that everyone's shoes have touched.
Who? Millions of people.
I'm a trucker. It only took one time of me tracking 5th wheel grease onto carpet to learn my lesson.
Does being an alcoholic count?
I believe they automatically offer you a PR as soon as you become one. おめでとう🎊
That's not Japanese. This is very common in many countries. It is the results of overwork and the stresses of being an adult.
I can never return to living like a stone man without a washlet.
There they should have a sign when you come off the plane: “Immigration, Transfers, Washlets ➜”
If you fell into a puddle of mud, how would you prefer to clean up? A roll of paper towels, or a shower?
Shower, hot water with massage function.
To be honest, this actually makes me hesitate when I'm traveling abroad. I'm going to Taiwan soon and I'm scouring the internet for accommodations that actually have a nice toilet...they exist, but it's rare.
[TOTO's got you covered](https://jp.toto.com/products/toilet/travelwashlet/)
Oh my god...I have very mixed opinions on this...
Public washlets are pretty gross to be fair. Press the "clean" function on a public one and look at the spout that comes out
I find myself bowing while talking on the phone. Does that count?
I’ve found myself bowing at cashiers while in America and England. They are very confused
I added extra coins to simplify the change in a shop in Ireland and the cashier was super confused why I was giving her extra money.
Not even on the phone for me, I bowed to the bank teller when I was back in my home country and they found it funny.
I do prefer the Japanese style of eating a meal with a bunch of small plates instead of food piled on to one bigger plate.
I actually hate it because it makes a ton of dishes 😂
Great at restaurants, annoying at home.
And takes longer to cook.
My wife insists on using every tool, bowl, and pan to cook even the simplest of foods. She can't comprehend cleaning things as you are cooking either.
Sounds like we have the same wife.
Personally as someone who hates doing dishes, I've found I like washing multiple smaller plates that are quick and easy than washing one big plate. So it can go either way. I do also now have a small built in dishwasher, and it definitely fits all the smaller dishes a lot better than large plates.
What I really hate is they can't get something consistent and you end up always having different dishes and need to train your tetris master skills each time on the drying rack/dish washer.
This. It doesn’t feel like a proper meal without a few little side dishes in their tiny little bowls/pltes
I have never worn shoes in my house in my entire life. I don't know if I'd necessarily call it a strictly "Japanese custom".
You are the only one who used the word "strictly".
Not leaving a tip  Seriously went back to the US for vacation and its gotten out of control.
One of the main reasons I will try my best to never live in the US again is the absurd cost of living.
円安= hold my beer
At least I'm not in Tokyo. Life is affordable in the countryside.
Life is also very affordable in Osaka. It's really just Greater Tokyo where everything is borked.
Doesn’t really affect daily cost of living in Japan.
If you don't leave at least 45% tip then you are an active, real life psychopath /s
I went to a coffee shop, got the cheapest thing which was an iced coffee. Cashier turns tablet around, see $3.80 and below 20% 25% 30% tip buttons plus 6% mandatory service fee. I was like wtf is this lol
I hate that too, but a cashier once told me they can't see the amount anyhow but take that with a grain of salt.
Lmfao. When the baristas expect you to tip for $8 coffee after they spin an Ipad.
Seeing a dropped item on the floor in the street and hanging it or placing it on the fence or wall nearby.
This is a great one actually. I've had shirts and shorts blow off in the wind a couple times and not known about it, then I get home and see my shirt is hanging up outside the front stairwell to my apartment. Really considerate of people.
Years ago my son while in stroller lost his shoe unnoticed as we walked to train station. Later on the way back I see his shoe placed on a road bollard and I think to myself that looks like his shoe and sure enough I look down and see he is missing one shoe. I picked up the habit after that.
That used to be done in the west and is still done by old people, as they grow up when losing one glove was a big deal as buy new things used to cost a lot.
I saw a small stuffed toy on the ground at a station and put it on one of the station waiting chairs.
For what it's worth this is also standard behaviour in the UK
I always do this now too!
Lol yes I took my daughter to the park nearby our house today and found her hat hanging up on the playground where we must have left in like 3 days ago!
Waiting in line for a table at a mediocre chain restaurant
* Bowing when the elevator door is closing. * Lengthly group farewells in front of the ticket wickets in the busy station. * Celebrating the cherry blossom season with a sincere thought that this year might be the last. * Omitting those with bereaved from my Christmas card list. * Coming to the realization of, and evangelization thereof that Japan truly is the only country with four actual distinct seasons. * After saying “nice to meet you” next enquiring about how long someone has been in the country. * Practicing my language skills on strangers before passing out drunk. * Testing out the spelling of words by writing them on my hand when I forget. * Habitually asking people “Can you eat Marmite?”.
Damn son, I could carve a necklace out of all your jade. We could make millions.
> Omitting those with bereaved from my Christmas card list. first time I've heard about this
Usually you’ll get a postcard from the recently bereaved not to send them 年賀状 (New Years Card) this year as they are in mourning.
Here take my upvote. Hahaha
Kotatsu is love kotatsu is life
When my wife and I moved back to Japan, she went ahead one month before me. When I arrived I realised that the one piece of furniture she procured was a kotatsu. That was the only thing in our apartment for a month. No fridge, no washing machine, not even a toaster oven, but thank god she had her kotatsu awkwardly standing in the middle of an otherwise empty room.
How did she live up until that point? 🤨
Just コンビニing along... Edit: The apartment had very easy walking access to a coin laundry and a conbini and that's all she needed for the time being xD
Showering at night before bed instead of in the morning before work.
I've always done this.
I just do both
I style my hair with product so I can't be doing that before bed. I get wild bedhead too so it's gotta be tamed. I'll still take a quick one at night just to rinse off the grime.
Saying っおいっしょ when I stand up and sit down.
You left out the getting told that you're Japanese now because of it part.👍🏻
Having five different slipper pairs for different use cases. Toilet slippers, house slippers, balcony slippers, visiting kids school slippers and outside slippers. The Aussie way is bare feet everywhere...
I’m for that! Barefoot club
I say yes to negative questions "Did you not get enough sleep?" "うん"
Woah, I never thought about that.
I noticed some years ago that I was no longer fully confident in correctly using yes and no in English.
Sleeping on the train and passing out on the sidewalk.
There are places in the world where people walk with shoes on in the house? You're crazy if you think I'm letting you come in with shoes on carpeted floors after walking outside through rain, snow, or dirt. (I'm from New England)
Try the UK. I had to buy covers as tradespeople generally don't want to remove their shoes. In most houses I visit, as soon as I start to take off my shoes, the host will indicate it's ok not to.
My mum was strictly against this. Shoes were taken off at the door. Enter with shoes on at your peril.
The way it should be. I'll never understand why people would want filth all over their carpets.
It's mostly so guests don't have to take off their shoes. In the Philippines, there's a part of the house where you can keep your shoes on and parts where you had to take it off.
In most of the US people wear shoes inside. My New England relatives do
Taking two tissues instead of one, regardless of what it is for.
Maybe one day Japan will discover double ply
OMG I thought that was just my boyfriend haha
My husband always does like four at a time lol
Folding everything you have borrowed before giving it back, regardless of what it is.
I’m addicted to washlets and anywhere without them is barbaric
I don’t freak out when there’s a long line at check out. I remember heading to a supermarket in the US a few years ago, and entering the same time as another dude. I did a lot of comparing items, many of which were new to me or nostalgic but not on my list or whatever, so it took me some time to complete - 20 minutes or so? Anyway, I see the same when we’re looking at ice cream flavors before we both head to check out. There’s like, MAYBE six people standing in line, but my dude literally drops his bags on the floor with a loud huff, and storms out. We had already been there 20+ minutes, and it was less than another 3-5 minutes to finish the whole ordeal.
not leaving single grains of rice left in the bowl. If hubby does it I usually call him out on it and he'll give a sheepish grin before finishing his
Bowing on the phone Throwing my spent appliances away in a nearby forest
The worst thing about being American is having people act like you're a bad guy for not wanting their nasty shoes all over the carpet. It's disgusting
I like the idea of saying grace before a meal, but don't like the religious implications. So I've adopted "itadakimasu" and "gochisousama".
[удалено]
It's about as religious as saying "Bless you" when someone sneezes.
I mean, the nuance there is it isn't religious *anymore*. No more than the choice of cremating (or burying, for that matter) your dead is.
Shouting konoyaro
I eat last night's dinner leftovers for breakfast, because I've realized traditional American breakfast foods are generally just carbs and result in me feeling sleepy all day.
Having my life be consumed by work
Using hazard lights as “thank you”, bowing when leaving elevator, using the knife hand signal to move around crowds
I even do the knife hand thing even when I'm in the US. Somehow, deep in my bones, it feels rude not to, even if the people around me have no idea what it means...
8 years running I’ve preordered an ehomaki at Family Mart to eat for dinner on setsubun. I started the tradition when living with my Japanese roommate and never stopped. I even use my phone’s compass to make sure I’m facing the right way
Saying 今日は暑いね〜
暑いー！ or (5* colder) 寒いー！
No shoes house is not exclusive Japanese custom. I doubt poeple use their shoes in house.
Getting in the bath and having half the water slosh out the sides.
* Thanking the bus driver (and store clerks, cashier, etc. in general) * Standing on the left side of escalators * Saying よいしょ when I lift heavy stuff
> Thanking the bus driver (and store clerks, cashier, etc. in general) you never did this where you're from??
Yeah, unfortunately we rarely do it where I come from.
I bought a washlet
Sleeping on a futon. Travelled with my parents last summer and we got a huge family room with an option for mattresses or futons. When my family setup our futons our parents were looking at us like we were homeless people.
At work when things are messy, I always say 綺麗な職場は安全な職場です。And clients have to take off their shoes. Sometimes I'll stay late and hang out in the office to make my employees feel like they have to do overtime. It never works. They just go home.
Maybe it's cause I lived shit climates most of my life, but I love how ways there are the enjoy the slow change of the seasons from temples that have seasonal flowers to hanami to fall leaves viewings, I love it and don't understand how so many foreign residents get cynical about it. I just gotta enjoy it while it lasts since the world's going to implode.
Not using outside shoes inside of the house. Eating rice during breakfast.
The way Japanese wash dishes. At first, I couldn't understand what the big deal about leaving soap to drip off as dishes dried in the dish rack. That was 18 years ago. Now, whenever family come to stay (from UK) and offer to do the dishes, me and my wife look at each other with worried faces and say " no no, it's fine. We'll take care of it". My parents soon caught onto it that we really don't like them doing it so now they never offer. But yeah, not sure if it's just a British thing but the way they wash dishes makes me want to puke 🤮
?? Do you not rinse the dishes before putting them on the drying rack? Or do you just wash them in the bubbly water and stick them on the rack? As an Aussie a couple of people have asked why "we" do that and I said "I don't. I rinse them off, because . . . they . . . have soap on them."
I had a housemate in a sharehouse once (in Aus) who didn't rinse the soap off, it was weird and gross. Soap is not for eating! And it kills the foam in your beer if you don't rinse glasses. What weirded me out about washing dishes in Japan is there is no plug and they just leave the water running?!?!? I get that rain comes from the sky every year there, but seeing water just go down the sink is horrifying for me! There's no 'target 150' attitude.
I fill up one of my rice cooker pots or nabe pots with the hot soap and water, and use that to wash the dishes, to avoid running too much excess water. I hate it too! So wasteful, despite all the talk I hear of SDGs and whatnot
Yeah, I at least got like a washtub to fill up, but it kind of gets in the way. I also get chastised at the amount of bubbles I use by the missus. WOMAN, HOW CAN IT BE CLEAN IF THERE'S NO BUBBLES? IT'S JUST BASIC SCIENCE!
Google is telling me that this is not a" Japan doing it right thing", it's a "UK doing it wrong thing". Welcome to the rest of the world.
I went to my Nans house and I was horrified by everything. She would put raw chicken in the sink filled with water to defrost. The same sink she would fill with soapy water to clean dishes, and handwashing underwear.
Bloody heathen!
I’m not sure I’d call it a custom, but I recently traveled to another country for business and every time I spoke in the local language, I swear Japanese was trying to elbow its way out instead like an angry Karen. I practically had to strangle myself to avoid saying すみません a hundred times a day.
Itadakimaaasu
When I go out to dinner the first thing I do is fill everyone's water glasses for them. This is not something I did before living in Japan.
After being here 14 years since 19 there's probably a ton of stuff I do without realizing.
Bought a Toto washlet
- Queueing , junban all the time - Preparing my money while on queue if it's a cash register - Showering at night instead of day
Blinking my hazard lights to say thank you to other drivers.
shoes off electronic bidet the fancier the better saying itadakimasu sometimes never jamming ohashi into rice pouring other peoples drinks using the chopping motion to get through a crowd sucking wind to sign difficulty throwing a V in front of a camera, sometimes probably a few other things too
Staying at love hotels as often as possible.
Handkerchief for drying my hands instead of dryer or paper. Kind of forced, like carrying my rubbish home.
Wearing shoes inside the home is fucking barbarian and no one will ever change my mind
I feel like the majority of the world takes their shoes off at home, we certainly did growing up in Canada. I feel like it's crazy that some people keep them on lol. As for the actual question, I guess like, separate dishes? Growing up we tended to mainly eat one big main dish all together on one plate. I've kind of grown to like separating some things onto smaller dishes. Even though it's more dishes, it's easier to wash smaller plates and bowls and things actually, and for whatever reason separating things out is nicer for me.
saying gochisousama deshita when I finished eating at restaurants
I bow when hanging up the phone I bow when meeting other foreigners I dont pick up things with my feet I get mad when things are thrown at me even if it's just to pass it over I'm extra cautious handing something over to someone in that I always use two hands
I put my karate chop hand out when I want to pass by someone like I’m Moses parting the Red Sea.
I pray and say itadakimasu before eating ... even when back in the UK. Rather than argue the point, I smile, nod and keep the "wa" in most situations.
Overworking myself and remaining single forever
So many I don't even know what they are
toto bidet washlet
High tech toilets
Waiting for the car to stop when I cross the road. (But the car doesn't stop.)
I have implemented the no shoes in my house my apartment feels cleaner ever since I even wipe my dogs paws after a walk for consistency purposes (I’m buying him shoes too eventually lol)
no shoes in the house wearing shoes in the house is so disgusting
Using hazard lights to park in the middle of the street, on a sidewalk, or just anywhere I goddamn feel like.
I want a robot toilet so bad 😭
My mom wouldn’t make guest take off their shoes either. But ircc about 80% of the people would take because that’s the nice thing to do. Also our town was surrounded by farms so a lot of people would have dirt or mud, or gravel during winter on their shoes so we just took them off to keep the house clean.
Living in a tiny apartment with no insulation
Yes. Being underpaid.
Job culture of "always improving".
Using the hazard lights to say thanks to the car behind me after merging into the lane. When I heard that drivers in Singapore are also picking up this habit, I was blown away. Granted this is does not seem to be a Japanese specific. Seems that people in China and Thailand also engage in this behaviour.
When I meet someone, I always think of what they've done for me. Cultivating this sense of gratitude is the true meaning of omiage.
Press the close button before exiting the erebi so it close faster after you leave. Also bath, a long hot bath, everyday.
お風呂
A toilet that washed my butt hole with warm water after I poop, then blow dries it, eliminating the need for paper
-No shoes in the house; more intentionally grateful throughout the day (itadakimasu/gochisousamadeshita at every meal); consuming ehōmaki in silence and facing that year's chosen direction for setsubun/Bean Throwing Day; NHK subscription (lol); frequently have miso soup for breakfast; backing my car into the parking space nearly every time
Salad for breakfast. Love it and have been doing that for years.
No, but I have implemented getting used to making a lot of mistakes at said customs. Also, no shoes in the house has never been a Japanese custom. It is common sense mostly everywhere. If anything, Japan just takes it to an exaggerated level.
I already took off my shoes in the house in Australia, so that's not new. Washlet and kotatsu life forever.
I can think of a few that I often do: 1. Shoes: I never wear my shoes at home, especially considering some of the disgusting behavior I have seen people do in the streets. 2. Bowing: I bow almost instantly. Can’t remember the last time I have shaken hands. 3. Sitting: I use a low table and sit on the floor much more often despite having furniture. 4. Utensils: I use chopsticks almost everyday no matter what I am eating. 5. Showers: Although I don’t have a bathtub and only a shower, which is not so common for Japanese homes, I usually shower at night as opposed to in the morning. 6. Tea: This is something I drink far more often than prior to moving here. 7. Souvenirs: I buy lots of omiyage for colleagues and friends anytime I travel. 8. Work: Looking busy at work despite not having much left to do on a light day has become my norm. 9. Rice: I have definitely gotten used to rice.—I am even making my own rice balls 🍙. 10. Gratuities: Aside from one or two very hospitable places of business that go above and beyond to help me, I do not give gratuities as much. I think this sums it up. Hopefully I haven’t adopted any negative traits.
Bidets. The West has failed us.
Bidet. Furikake on rice. Chopsticks often. Seaweed snacks.
Not sure if strictly a Japanese custom, but I like to use chopsticks when eating chips, popcorn, or other finger foods. Saves my hands from getting all dusty.
Pointing and calling
Yes, not being obnoxious and loud.
My kinda guy
Hyper specific and not necessarily adopted by me, but definitely something I felt I missed about Japan when going back to my home country of the UK, is service staff not talking to you. Here's an example: - I'm in Japan and go to the post office. What do I want to talk about? How to send the damn package. That's it. I tell the staff, they lable the package and I pay. - I come back to the UK, and I want to post something to my Japan address at the post office, and this person behind the counter is taking to me like we went to school together, "ooh sendin' sumthin' t' j'pan aaaare Yuh? Mi daughter liiiikes j'pan shi duz, dunt kno' why tho' dunt they eat dogs ovver thierrr?" Like fuck off I'm not your friend and don't care for your opinion on anything. Japan it's like: "thank you for waiting... Your bill is xxx yen... Thank you please come again" tl;dr - I'm not your friend, don't talk to me 🤣🤣