Japanese Are Losing Their Edge!
A much younger acquaintance of mine, Ri, in Tokyo has an interesting blog at http://experience5.wordpress.com. His blog on “Troubling Statistics and Introducing the ‘Herbivore Man’” points to the quandary that is facing Japan today and the US as well. Fortunately, the US allows the immigration of talented people that make up for the apparent lassitude that many younger Americans exhibit today. Those that go abroad to study are an exception, Ri!!
Rather than repeat his blog here, take a look at this one as well as others he has written.
Test Your Japanese IQ: Are You Always Shoeless in a Japanese Home?
Tricky question, maybe. When you enter a Japanese home you generally take off your shoes in the genkan (玄関: entrance) and are provided with a pair of slippers. You are expected to wear these throughout the house with two exceptions.
One is when you enter a room in which the floor is tatami (畳), a floor made of straw mats–a word that does not in the least do any justice to the traditional Japanese flooring. Always take your slippers off before entering and stepping on the tatami.
The second is when you enter the restroom, which is generally separate from the bathing area. When you enter the restroom, you will most likely find a pair of slippers that you are expected to wear in the room. Do so, leaving your own pair of slippers outside the door after you close it. (You do close it, right?!!) Remove the bathrooms slippers as you leave the restroom carefully slipping one foot from one slipper into the other and not stepping on the floor with your bare or stocking feet. The restroom slippers are generally a grade or two less imposing than the slippers you were offered at the genkan and if you forget to take them off your host and other guest will immediately know! (Yes, I am speaking from experience!)
The geta shoes shown above are NOT worn in the house and are usually worn during the summer especially when going to watch the fireworks.
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