Supplementary Information
The Japanese Lifestyle
| - Dietary Habits |
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| The Japanese diet today is very diverse, incorporating Japanese, Western, Chinese, Korean, Thai, or other cuisine into ordinary meals. It is not unusual for dishes from different cuisines to be a part of the same meal. For example, for breakfast one might eat rice (Japanese), miso soup (Japanese), an omelet (Western), and sausage (Western). Rice continues to be the staple of the diet, but many people eat bread for breakfast and noodles for lunch. Another characteristic of the Japanese diet is the high consumption of seafood. |
| * Rice Rice is the staple of Japan, so the Japanese eat it often. Rice farming came to Japan from either Chine or the Korean peninsula. The first rice farms were seen at the latest by the Yayoi Period (300BC-300AD) though there are some who say it was in the Jomon Period that the practice appeared. Rice, depending on its shape, elements, and biology, can be divided into three classifications: Japonica, Indica, and Javanica. Japanese usually eat the sticky Japonica rice. Rice is usually cooked by boiling or steaming it, but the Japanese have a special way of cooking rice that combines boiling and steaming. The Japanese also make products like senbei, dango, sake, vinegar, mirin, and others from rice. Because of the increased consumption of noodles and bread, the consumption of rice has decreased each year. However, rice farming by nature has a spiritual meaning for the Japanese. Even to day, the feelings that the Japanese have toward rice remain in the spirit of traditional performances or harvest festivals. |
| * Miso Soup A meal centered around rice is usually accompanied by miso soup. It is made by boiling soup ingredients in dashi stock (stock taken from bonito and other fish products, and dried konbu seaweed) and then seasoning the broth with miso. Common ingredients of miso soup include daikon (giant radish) and other root vegetables, various kinds of greens, wakame and other varieties of seaweed, tofu, and shellfish. Miso is made by mixing koji—made of rice—with steamed wheat or soybeans, and fermenting it for two to three months. Along with soy sauce, it is one of the basic seasonings of Japanese cooking. Introduced from China in the seventh century, it became popular during the Muromachi period (1333-1568). The color, aroma, and taste of miso differ according to the combination of ingredients, which vary from place to place. |
| * Side Dishes Food other than rice and miso soup is called okazu, or side dishes. Okazu are served on one place on the table so everyone can take and eat only the foods they like. This method of having everyone take from one communal plate is similar to Chinese table manners, but families often use it. However, at formal Japanese meals it is common for miso, rice, and the okazu to be served on individual plates set out in advance. |
| * Snacks Elementary school students go home at around three in the afternoon, and it is common for them to eat a snack (oyatsu) when they get home. Mothers sometimes make snacks themselves or buy snacks for their children, but some students buy oyatsu with their allowance. Snacks such as ice cream, chocolate, and potato chips are all available for about 100 yen. |
| - Housing |
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| The floors of some rooms in the traditional Japanese home are fitted with tatami mats. Many Japanese homes today have both Japanese-style rooms with tatami and Western-style rooms with hardwood floors or carpeting. In Western-style rooms chairs and sofas are used. |
| * Tatami The tatami is a mat made from rush stalks. Tatami come in one size only while there are some differences by region, approximately 180 cm by 90 cm (72 by 36 inches). The term jo, a counter for tatami mats, is used to indicate room size like 6 jo or 8 jo. Tatami was originally used as a bed, but by the 17th century, at the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1867), several tatami were used to cover the whole floor. Because tatami are thicker than carpets, mats tend to be good insulators, so they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. When the air is humid, they tend to absorb the humidity, and when the air is dry tend to give off moisture—they are exquisitely suited to Japan’s climate. In a traditional Japanese house, there is no need for chairs. You sit directly on the tatami, or on a mini-futon cushion called a zabuton. |
| * Futon and beds At night, a shikibuton (quilt-like mattress) and a kakebuton (thick-quilted bedcover) are laid out on the tatami for sleeping and put away every morning. This makes more available space during the day. Sleeping on tatami in futon is an aspect of the traditional Japanese lifestyle, but beds have become increasingly popular. |
| * The Bath The typical Japanese bath is separated from the toilet and sink areas, and consists of a tub for soaking and a wash area. The whole family often uses the same hot water to soak, so it is important to wash thoroughly before getting in the tub. In recent years, an increasing number of young people opt to take showers. “Unit baths” in which the toilet and bath are located in the same area are common in single occupancy apartments and hotels. In Japan, not only family members, but also neighbors and friends may also go to public baths (sento) and hot springs (onsen) together to enjoy a time of companionship and fun. Most homes now have baths, but public baths and hot springs are still popular. Another custom is to place seasonal plant or fruit in the bathtub for special events. For example, a sheaf of iris leaves may be placed in the bath on May 5th (Children’s Day), and at the winter solstice, fragrant yuzu citruses will be often floated in the tub. Japan is a country rich in water resources. Compared to other countries, Japan’s rainfall is high. With the annual rainfall generally between 1000 and 3000ml there is rarely a lack of water. Because of this, Japanese has developed the phrase “use it like water” which means to use lots of something without reservations. One can even say this environment has given rise to the Japanese way of bathing, using an abundance of water. Nowadays, most families have an ofuro, or bath. Many Japanese take a bath once a day, every day. |
| * Genkan When entering a Japanese house it’s necessary to take one’s shoes off in the genkan (entryway). In the genkan there is a getabako (shoe cupboard) where you can put your shoes. Also, usually the hallway or entrance hall beyond it is one step higher. In Japanese, “entering the house” is often expressed with the words, ie ni agaru, or “get up into the house,“ because usually one does literally step up to enter. |
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