Her Life in Japan

Warren: So Antoinette, you’ve been living in Japan for a while now, right?

Antoinette: Yes, that's right.

Warren: Well, can you tell me, do you like to use chopsticks or forks and knives more?

Antoinette: It depends on what I’m eating really. For the most part, I enjoy using chopsticks. They are easy to use. I don’t have to worry about cutting anything. And especially if I’m eating Japanese food, which tends to be chopped in small pieces, small bite-size pieces, chopsticks are perfect.

But when I’m eating Western food or spaghetti, I prefer using Western style utensils.

Warren: Oh okay, that makes sense. What about sleeping, do you like to sleep on like a Western bed or a Japanese futon?

Antoinette: Actually, it depends on the season.

Warren: Why is that?

Antoinette: Well, in summer, I prefer sleeping on a futon. It seems cooler than a bed. But in winter, I love a cozy, plush bed with lots of pillows and quilts or duvets. And yeah, I like to feel cozy.

Warren: That sounds nice. Okay. How about having shoes on or off in the house?

Antoinette: Hmm, I like to go barefoot – well, with socks. My feet get cold.

Warren: Well, do you use slippers?

Antoinette: No.

Warren: Okay.

Antoinette: I find slippers uncomfortable unless they are the kind that fit your foot. They’re not actually the correct size for my foot.

Warren: Oh, I see. So Japanese slippers are a different size from you.

Antoinette: They are one-size fits all and I just feel like kicking them off anytime.

Warren: Right. Okay. How about, you know, in Japan, a lot of times people sit on the floor, but you don’t really do that very much in the United States. Do you like sitting in chairs or on the floor more?

Antoinette: I like both actually. Again, it depends on the season. The floor is so nice and cool in summer, and I like just feeling that coolness. But in winter, I want fabric underneath me, and I want cushions that tend to act – provide a barrier for cold wind.

Warren: Right, right. Eating out is a little different, too. I think in Japan, you tend to share all the meals that you have but maybe back home you usually just buy one meal.

Antoinette: That’s true. Maybe I’m a germ-phobic American – I don’t know. I like eating my own food. I don’t like to share. If it’s one huge serving plate that’s meant for several people, then fine. But I like just having my own plate of food.

Warren: Oh, okay. There’s one more. What about having a shower or a bath? I think in Japan, they usually have like a detachable shower-head and you can shower yourself before going into the bath. What do you prefer?

Antoinette: Well, I like showers, either way as long as the water is hot. Whether it’s detachable or not, as long as the water is hot, I like showers. And I like having water run down my body. That’s a pleasant feeling. But I also like sitting in a hot tub of water but not for too long.

Warren: Well, what about the bathtubs because I think they are different sizes, aren’t they?

Antoinette: They are. I like the fact that Japanese baths allow you to sit in water up to your neck. But I also like the fact that Western style baths allow you to recline in the water.

Warren: Right. You can stretch out more.

Antoinette: So you can stretch out, yeah.

Warren: Oh, okay. I see.

Antoinette: That’s a hard call.