Kiyo over at KEC Journal suggested that I should blog about the different “cleanliness-conscious aspects” between Japan and America. He’s been on a “toilet” kick recently, and a few days ago mentioned that Japanese are cleanliness-conscious, and I begged to differ.
(As an important aside, let me strongly urge you to visit Kiyo’s blog if you haven’t yet. As the owner of a Hokkaido English school, Kiyo has wonderful insights into various aspects of Japan, the English language, and differences between Japanese and other cultures. He also uses English extremely well, and I feel blessed that he’s chosen to use this language for his blog so that we can have access to his unique perspective on things. He’s also built up a nice little community of dedicated readers and so most posts have an array of follow-up comments, including occassional ones by yours truly).
Well, I actually have written before about some aspects of Japanese cleanliness that strike me as strange, way back in April, about a month after arriving in Japan. I wrote it in the form of a post called “cleanliness next to buddha-ness” to Fucked Gaijin, which was my brief receipient of Japan-related commentary back then before I had this blog. I’m going to resurrect it here in entirety (sans one unrelated paragraph about electricity consumption), as I think it’s a humorous unexpurgated look at my mindset one month after arriving, and fairly well captures some of my “huh?” reactions to Japanese concepts of cleanliness.
(Please keep in mind that I wrote it in the style of a “rant” and so the tone I adopted is a bit, uh, roughhewn. I should also add that the post makes it sound like I was on the verge of catching the next flight home. Most of the elements I comment on however are on the order of pet peeves, and most I’ve come to grudgingly accept in the ensuing months since I wrote this.)
*first of all, I hate the concept of the genkan [a small entrance way or vestibule once you enter the front door of a dwelling]; i’m not going to rock the boat about it in my house but i can’t deny it bugs me, no matter how much of a gaijin that makes me sound like. and it’s not like i want to wear my shoes in the house, 99.9% of the time i don’t, but for that .1% time that I want to, I should be able to and not have to worry about it. what a PITA [pain in the ass] everytime i’m about to leave the house and realize I’ve forgotten my shades or an umbrella or the keys, if these things aren’t in easy reach on the shoe-cabinet shelf, i gotta untie the laces etc….and anyway the genkan is filthy, and after removing my shoes i’m standing in that filth before I step up into the house, so what’s the point? and am I the only one who gets peeved to find his/her shoes turned around facing out or arranged in some different manner? don’t touch my shoes! the other thing is that no one ever seems to think it’s okay to just say “fuck it” once in a while and break the rules, the house could be burning to the ground with a child trapped inside and they’ll still take off their shoes before running inside to save the kid!
*i don’t mind (too much) taking a bath in the same water that the other 3 members of my household have already used, i realize water here is expensive and it would be mendokusai [a hassle] to have to refill the tub everytime. However, and sorry to be a bit gross here, but am I the only one who wonders if the others are washing their butt cracks and other nether regions as assiduously as I am during the pre-bath shower? and another thing…
*wtf is up with saving this bath water overnight, and then using it via a pump to wash clothes with the next day, in a washer by the way that already has water saved in it from the LAST time the clothes were washed, two days prior. I haven’t seen the bill but no water can be THAT expensive to necessitate these extreme conservation measures, can it? is my house an exception or is this normal here?
*naturally we don’t have a [clothes] drier and i’m not desperate to buy one, i don’t miss home that much and besides where the fuck would we put it. BUT, don’t try to tell me that hanging the clothes outside is somehow better for them. it may be better for the environment, I’ll grant that, but considering the pollution in this place is it really doing the clothes any good to be hanging out there?
*speaking of hanging outside, this whole hang out the futon and blankets thing bothers me as well, can you picture some american housewife dragging the king mattress out onto the patio to air out? supposedly according to my nurse mother in law who should know these things our bodies perspire a glassful of water every night. okay fine, i can see why airing out might be a good idea….
*HOWEVER, if this is true, why don’t they see that perhaps they should take their shower/bath in the morning instead of at night, i don’t know but if i’m oozing a glassful of sweat each night I’ll be damned if I’m not going to clean myself in the morning.
*speaking of baths, my in-laws think it’s weird that I’ll put on clean socks after my bath and wear them to bed, they think it’s kitanai [dirty]. huh? if the socks are kitanai, why the fuck are we so concerned about the shoes then? i don’t get it.
Heh heh, spoken like a true foreigner in the throes of culture shock. However, upon reflection, I stand by most of what I wrote. I might also add these aspects of cleanliness that continue to confound me:
* When dining, my family doesn’t use napkins of any sort. Granted, I think eating with chopsticks you get less food on your lips and mouth area, but not to use a napkin when slurping noodles or eating spaghetti with tomato sauce?
* Speaking of chopsticks, each member of the family has their own chopsticks, and these are never exchanged. Now I prefer using the same chopsticks because I’ve gotten used to their feel in my hand, but if someone else used them when I wasn’t home, it wouldn’t bother me one bit. But this is apparently a no-no. Why then isn’t the same standard applied to the forks and spoons we occasionally use, or to the plates and dishes as well?
* Because the toilet is in a completely separate room than the shower/bath/sink, in our house on the opposite side of the living room (in most Japanese homes the toilet is housed separately from the shower/bath), it’s a pain in the ass to have to traipse across the living room to wash my hands after doing my business. Granted, there is attached to our toilet some funky sink contraption that automatically spouts out freezing cold water for about minute once the toilet is flushed. But I refuse to use this, because one, it’s fucking cold, and two, I have this ingrained belief, perhaps from something my mother said long ago, that only with warm water does one truly clean oneself. Furthermore, there’s no soap!
* Related to this, apparently there are certain towels in the clean towel cabinet that have been deemed only for use in the toilet, and I’m not allowed to use them otherwise. This again I just don’t understand, it’s not like these aren’t laundered the same as all the other towels (albeit in old recyled water and then hung out in polluted air with the rest of the laundry).
* There are NEVER paper towels in public restrooms. Now, many of these have those hot-air blowers (and quite sophisticated ones at that) for drying hands, but many don’t, especially in office buildings. You’re supposed to just fling your hands dry, and use your pants, or, as Kiyo claims, use your handkerchief. This is the same handkerchief, mind you, that in summertime you’re using to wipe off the profuse sweat running down your face.
* Oh, and speaking of handkerchief, these are not to be used for blowing your nose. This is fine with me, as I’ve always regarded the sight of American males sneezing into their hankies and then stuffing them back into their pocket with revulsion. However, it ISN’T fine with me for Japanese males (mainly) to sneeze into their hands and then with these same unwiped hands hold onto handrails or grab handles in trains. It’s a wonder I haven’t caught more colds here than I have.
I could go on and on, and likewise I’m sure many Japanese could comment blisteringly about confusing American values of cleanliness, or some other culture’s. To each their own, it’s what makes the world go around, as the old saw goes. However, I don’t think any culture can claim to occupy the hygienic high ground of “cleanliness-conscious”, because each culture’s mores of cleanliness are bound up in traditions, superstitions, religion, etcetera, and have evolved over many many years. One person’s clean is another person’s filth, and so it goes.
I always find these kinds of discussions interesting. Although I’m American, I often find myself on the Japanese side of the fence. For example, unlike you, I hate the fact that my toilet is in the same room as, in fact right next to, my bathtub. It’s so gross to try to cleanse mind and body while staring at the toilet. I much prefer my Japanese ofuro (I dream of building one when we remodel our bathroom some day).
I would no more wear my shoes on tatami than I would put them on my bed or couch (although I know some guys who might do that, too). I think that because western floors are built on the ground (and originally were dirt or stone) we see them as an extension of the ground. But Japanese houses are raised platforms above the ground–like a bed. So taking off your shoes before you get into the house is like taking off your shoes before getting into bed.
Hey, Kurt, I didn’t expect you to blog on this subject this soon! I’m glad you were in a good mood. 😉 This entry will be a good reference for both Americans and Japanese.
What I found interesting and amusing is that concerning many of the “strange” things you point out, I sometimes feel the same way you do, not that unbearable though.
Still I prefer the bathtub and the toilet separate. I prefer to wash myself outside of the bathtub. Basically in the Japanese culture, the bathtub is where we feel relaxed. We keep the water in it unsoaped. The concept of “taking a bath” is different between the two cultures.
Also, I like to take off my shoes at home. I can’t feel really relaxed with my shoes on. Yeah, I’m Japanese. Sitting and lying on the floor freely and comfortably — that’s what I need in everyday life. Ms. Stevens’ view is insightful. Today’s young guys don’t seem to care a bit about sitting on the ground directly, though….
I think we need to respect the way other cultures go, at least at first. However strange their customs may look to our eyes, they may have their own meanings that work well for them and root in tradition. At the same time, we need foreign views to reflect on our customs and make them richer. Well said that “one person’s clean is another person’s filth.” 😉 It’s great to be able to exchange views frankly!
Kurt, I’m honored to be mentioned on your blog. 🙂
M Sinclair and Kiyo, thanks to you both for adding to the discussion!
You know, upon reflection I think that I too prefer the toilet and bathroom separate, but not too separate (eg. on the opposite ends of the house as it happens to be now!) I also treasure having a bath, but I regret not being able to suds up and have a bubble bath…to me, that is one of the luxuries in life (especially if I have a rubber ducky or floating boat to play with).
With respect to the shoes in the house, in the US most of the time I would never wear them inside either, but as a matter of comfort, not cleanliness. I spend most of my time at home in a tatami mat room, but unlike you M, I don’t view it as the same as a bed or sofa. To me, it’s just an extremely comfortable flooring material, more so than a carpet or rug…but not inviolable, or irreplaceable for that matter (lord knows I’ve spilt enough stuff on it as it is)? (On the other hand, like you I would be fairly aghast at someone standing on the bed or sofa in their shoes!)
Kiyo, thanks for your comments about respecting other cultures while also incorporating foreign views…it was in this spirit that I blogged on this and it’s great to have you pick up on that spirit and add to it.
Lol, it’s funny to hear someone ELSE complain about the cultural differences for a change. I’ve been here about 3 months now (I’m loving it) and have made some very silly mistakes in my ignorance!
PS> The shoe thing urks me too (I’m forgetful!) but it’s the whole “When In Rome” scenerio, right?
Hey Kurt. Your blogs are always so interesting. I like to read foreigners’ point of view of Japan. As much as *they*’d like to live a normal life here, I think foreigners are cool to notice normal everyday happenings and rituals to be very traditional and shocking. I couldn’t help myself from writing a feedback, I wondered where I should post this (here or my site) but I’ll post it here, so you can read it in the future. =)
* When dining, my family doesn’t use napkins of any sort. Granted, I think eating with chopsticks you get less food on your lips and mouth area, but not to use a napkin when slurping noodles or eating spaghetti with tomato sauce?
– In every house that I’ve been to, they have tissue boxes on the table, and instead of cloth napkins, they use tissue papers to wipe their mouth.
* Speaking of chopsticks, each member of the family has their own chopsticks, and these are never exchanged. Now I prefer using the same chopsticks because I’ve gotten used to their feel in my hand, but if someone else used them when I wasn’t home, it wouldn’t bother me one bit. But this is apparently a no-no. Why then isn’t the same standard applied to the forks and spoons we occasionally use, or to the plates and dishes as well?
– Because chopsticks are yours. And in my house there are chawan for individuals with different decorations (the cup you serve rice in). And, don’t you always sit in the same seat too? That’s just tradition, I guess.
* Because the toilet is in a completely separate room than the shower/bath/sink, in our house on the opposite side of the living room (in most Japanese homes the toilet is housed separately from the shower/bath), it’s a pain in the ass to have to traipse across the living room to wash my hands after doing my business. Granted, there is attached to our toilet some funky sink contraption that automatically spouts out freezing cold water for about minute once the toilet is flushed. But I refuse to use this, because one, it’s fucking cold, and two, I have this ingrained belief, perhaps from something my mother said long ago, that only with warm water does one truly clean oneself. Furthermore, there’s no soap!
– It’s probably your house is made wicked or something! Not all the houses are like that. In my Japanese opinion, toilet and bathtub SHOULD be separated. But nextdoors.
* Related to this, apparently there are certain towels in the clean towel cabinet that have been deemed only for use in the toilet, and I’m not allowed to use them otherwise. This again I just don’t understand, it’s not like these aren’t laundered the same as all the other towels (albeit in old recyled water and then hung out in polluted air with the rest of the laundry).
– It’s the cleaness of the Japanese. The thought of using the same towel to clean the dishes and to wipe your hands after using the toilet.. wack, that’s like not good.
* There are NEVER paper towels in public restrooms. Now, many of these have those hot-air blowers (and quite sophisticated ones at that) for drying hands, but many don’t, especially in office buildings. You’re supposed to just fling your hands dry, and use your pants, or, as Kiyo claims, use your handkerchief. This is the same handkerchief, mind you, that in summertime you’re using to wipe off the profuse sweat running down your face.
– Yes you’re supposed to bring your own handkerchieves. Children are educated like that in elementary schools. They had handkerchied/pocket tissue check every other day, and if you didn’t have it handy with you, you had to go the nursery room and get scolded by the teacher. I carry two handkerchives in the summer, one for wiping hands, one for wiping sweat (because I do archery and archery, you do outside in the burning heat. It will soak your handkerchief.)
* Oh, and speaking of handkerchief, these are not to be used for blowing your nose. This is fine with me, as I’ve always regarded the sight of American males sneezing into their hankies and then stuffing them back into their pocket with revulsion. However, it ISN’T fine with me for Japanese males (mainly) to sneeze into their hands and then with these same unwiped hands hold onto handrails or grab handles in trains. It’s a wonder I haven’t caught more colds here than I have.
– It freaked me out when I saw an old man blowing his nose into a handkerchief at first. I mean, your nose stuff is stuck, and when you want to blow it again, wouldn’t it be sooo dirty?? This is just ew. You blow in a tissue paper. That’s the rule.
I could go on and on, and likewise I’m sure many Japanese could comment blisteringly about confusing American values of cleanliness, or some other culture’s. To each their own, it’s what makes the world go around, as the old saw goes. However, I don’t think any culture can claim to occupy the hygienic high ground of “cleanliness-conscious”, because each culture’s mores of cleanliness are bound up in traditions, superstitions, religion, etcetera, and have evolved over many many years. One person’s clean is another person’s filth, and so it goes.
– Oh yeah. =)) I’m surprised by Lauren (my Canadian host sister) sleeping in bed with her CLOTHES that she wore during the day.
Well, sorry for going on and on. Love ya!
Yuki–
Thanks for adding to the discussion! You’re in a good place to comment, having lived in America for a while.
re: our house, I think it is a “wicked” design. Actually I believe it didn’t used to be that way, but a remodel some years ago pushed the two rooms far apart.
On the towel thing, I still don’t like the inconsistency of it all. I mean, those “dish towels” (eg. the non-toilet ones) are also used by my father-in-law as his “sweat rag” that he wraps around his neck while working outside. Yet they’re not separated out and labeled “Sweat rags. Don’t use for toilet or dishes.” This strikes me as equally “wack”?
Oh by the way, we do always sit in the same seat at dinner, but we don’t distinguish chawans. And yes, there’s a tissue box on the table, full of the give-away tissue packs all of us collect out on the street, but NO ONE uses them for wiping their mouth! (Including me, there’s something strange about using Kleenex to wipe your mouth at dinner. i use paper towels. Speaking of which, why do all the napkins in Japan have that waxy texture. I hate that! 🙂
oh well, we could go on and on….I now need to blog about something I love about Japan and can’t stand about America, don’t worry, there are plenty of choices….
I live in Okinawa and I think it is different from mainland Japan. I have seen different things for the above situations. Yes there are funny bathroom setups in everybody’s houses. Some have a seperate toilets and showers and some have it together. I grew up in the America and all the bathrooms I saw it was together. So, if someone was taking a shower you couldn’t take a piss or poo poo when someone was taking a shower or bath. The other setup in Japan is a seperate toliet room. But the thing about most bathrooms or showers or toliets in Japan is that they are all tiled and have a drain so it is easy to wash them.
I really like your site and Greggman’s site. It really gives me an insight to real life in Japan. You guys have a lot of guts for posting your most intimate details on life in Japan. I commend both of you. I would love to post a blog about life in Okinawa but it is so small and somebody might know me and talk about me.