One of my students asked me to prepare questions I have about Japan or Japanese customs to ask him during our lessons. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to come up with things I truthfully do not know. It took me a good hour just to think of these five:
1. What’s the difference between the dipping sauce for soba and somen noodles?
2. Do men wear towels in hot springs? (Women generally don’t…)
3. What is the most expensive type of sushi?
4. What are the gun laws in Japan?
5. Do Japanese kids say “I love you” to their parents?
In the comments:
Laura:
Of these questions, the most interesting answers were:
“If the men are proud of themselves, they don’t wear towels. I’d say 70% of the men cover themselves… We always speculate about whether a woman, being surprised by a man entering the woman’s side of the baths, would cover her upper or lower parts.”
“Japanese children and parents do not say ‘I love you (aishiteru).’ They say ‘I like you a lot (daisuki).’ ‘I love you’ is for couples.”
Yasuko:
I’m mostly clueless too.
1. I guess none? But additions would be another story. I’d never add, say, tororo to somen sauce. But I would to soba.
2. Good question.
3. Ootoro? Or whatever’s not available since it’s in season… and if it’s not in season, you probably shouldn’t eat it anyway…
4. I think air rifles are OK for hunting. No guns whatsoever for defense purposes. And you can use rifles and shot guns at shooting ranges, or for hunting. I’ve heard it’s a hassle to get a license to own even the permitted ones, though.
5. Sometimes? Not as often as in the US, I’d assume.
Johnny Sapphire:
1. One is for dipping, the other is for pouring?
2. No.
3. eel and sea urchin?
4. Guns are bad, m’kay.
5. And no, because incest is illegal. I think.
Also, when I win the lottery tonight (est. jackpot $500,000), expect a week-long visit from yours truly, yo.
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