Vacations Blog

Most of the time when people consider a trip to Japan, they think of crowding. Western media is very fond of showing Tokyo in all its splendor. This could include credit streets crowded stores, and always the overcrowded trains. In truth the concept of crowding is most common in the largest cities not unlike the US. If you get a chance to get out beyond the big cities and visit with a family one will find the true Japan a beautiful place with elegance and style.

The Japanese are much more polite in their social relationship with one another. Politeness is a strong social norm and keeps a highly populated island calm and running smoothly. When two people meet they bow politely, with the elder acquaintance given the greater respect. In fact, respect for the elderly is so formalized that their seating is reserved even on crowded trains.

Besides this overt politeness and the language, another significant difference is our diets. In the United States, barely a day will go by without each of us consuming bread in some fashion. To an even greater degree, every Japanese consumes rice every day. This is common among easter cultures, as in China, there words for ‘How are you?’ literally translates to ‘Have you eaten rice today?’ So it is little surprise that every home in Japan has at least one or more rice cookers.

These devices vary in sophistication, much like bread makers do here in the US. But for straight functionality at a value price, a Zojirushi rice cooker has taken the lions share of the market. They are available here and many Americans are finding that cooked this way, especially if your model allows for delayed time cooking, makes rice an easy alternative to bread, though on an occasional basis. College students also find them good products because the rice can be stored conveniently for a long time, cooked when needed.

Many know and others are surprised when they visit a family home in Japan. No one wears shoes inside a Japanese house. There are several reasons behind this cultural requirement. First of all, the traditional floor covering in japan is woven rice straw (another example reflecting the central place rice holds in the culture). This straw would be damaged by the hard soles of shoes, and would retain the stains and more earthy particulate matter tracked inside when one wears shoes.

These Tatami mat floors are attractive and functional. They assist with temperature control both in summer and winter, and when it is necessary to replace them, it much easier than with wood floors, carpeting, or tile commonly used in the US. They are, however, more difficult to clean, thus the desire to prevent them from soiling in the first place. The more common means of cleaning them is by use of common handheld vacuums. Any serious staining and the simply have to be replaced.

The Japanese people are warm and receptive, and even the slightest attempt to speak Japanese is rewarded with smiles and encouragement. It pace of life in Japan can be hectic just as in the United States. But when they relax their attachment to enjoy in celebrating nature and history make it a fascinating place to visit.