What does a Japanese house look like?
Japan is a very earthquake-prone country. Many houses are adapted to these conditions and built very easily. In the past, they were mostly made of wood and very often also of paper. In a classic Japanese house, the interior or exterior walls can often be moved. That sounds pretty practical. When the children’s room becomes too small, the Japanese simply enlarge the room. This makes it easy to adjust the size of the rooms in a house. But many Japanese houses are now being built according to Western models. The windows are no longer made of paper, but made of glass. You will look in vain for curtains in Japan.
Japanese people in the country mostly live in one-story houses, some still have a garden. But there are also houses that are similar to our houses and you don’t even recognize the typical Japanese style. It’s easy to set up. The Japanese tend to love things simple and you won’t find too many furnishings in a Japanese house. Cupboard and table are part of it, but that’s often all.
Most of the time the Japanese sit on rush mats on the floor. But there are also western-style rooms and houses in Japan with cupboards, couches and armchairs. It is very important that you are never allowed to enter a Japanese house with shoes on. So always take off your shoes first! Many Japanese offer their guests slippers that you can simply put on.
There is a house altar in many Japanese houses. In big cities like Tokyo with the more expensive rents there are also apartments that are crammed full, simply because many people have to live in a small space.
How do the Japanese sleep?
Japanese houses are designed to save space. You will look in vain for large beds here. A Japanese family sleeps on the floor, but not on the hard floor. Mattresses are rolled out beforehand and then rolled up again in the morning. In this way, a living room can be transformed into a bedroom in a short time. That’s pretty practical. In modern houses, however, there are now beds like ours and separate bedrooms as well as tables and chairs.
Toilets in Japan
If you are invited to a Japanese house, you must always take off your slippers in the toilet, because there are special slippers for the toilet. When you leave the quiet place you should remember to exchange the loafers again. Some toilets are very modern, but there are also toilets without a water flush, here the contents are then removed by special trolleys.
Japanese gardens
Japanese gardens are famous all over the world. Although they are similar to the Chinese gardens, the Japanese have developed their own style. According to the Japanese, a garden should reflect nature. And the beauty of Japanese gardens is in their simplicity. In Kyoto you will find the most famous of all Japanese gardens.
Eating in Japan
Japanese cuisine
As in almost all Asian countries according to paradisdachat, rice is the staple food in Japan and is part of every family meal. The cooked rice is called han or meshi. Since Japan is in the middle of the sea, fish is another staple food.
In contrast to other Asian cuisines, far fewer spices are used in Japan. Japanese chefs also largely do without the otherwise common oil. In Japan, all ingredients are left in their original state as much as possible and the preparation of the food is limited to the bare minimum. The Japanese attach great importance to the fact that the food is served tasty. Serving the food is often an art.
Typically Japan!
The miso soup is one of the important Japanese dishes. Vegetables are often used as an addition to miso soup, but also tofu, which is very popular in Japan. Miso is a paste and tofu is a kind of curd made from soybeans. Seaweed salad is popular, as it tastes delicious even if it doesn’t look like it. In addition, algae are very healthy. Often a special dough is prepared, the tempura dough, which is made from eggs, flour and water. In this batter you put fish or vegetables and deep-fry the whole thing. The very popular soy sauce and ginger are also served.
Japanese food
In Japan, when you eat with friends or family, it is common to serve a variety of colorful dishes and try a little bit of everything. The dishes are often very different. But wasabi and soy sauce should never be missing. Wasabi is Japanese horseradish, which, like horseradish, tastes quite hot here. Rice or noodles are always served as a filling side dish.
What is sushi?
Maybe you have heard of sushi before? This is rice that is served with raw fish, for example. The whole thing is served in small portions that you can put directly in your mouth. In Japan, even children like sushi. Incidentally, sushi is not an everyday dish in Japan, but is served on special occasions. And there is also vegetarian sushi that is filled with cucumber or avocado.
When is there what?
The order of the menus is not so important in Japan, often everything is served at the same time. The main ingredients are usually rice, a clear soup, vegetables that you pickle, sometimes a type of stew and the fish that you choose to grill or fry.
