Q. Why do the Japanese change to a different pair of slippers when using the lavatory? Answer: Some of the elderly, born during the Meiji (1868– 1912) and Taisho periods (1912– 26) sometimes refer to the lavatory as gofujou, or “filthy.†Lavatories in Japan were formerly a large opening into which feces and urine were […]
Q. Why do the Japanese take off their shoes on the shinkansen and airplanes? Answer: People can occasionally be seen wearing slippers and walking along the hallways of posh Japanese hotels. Is it true that Westerners, who do not take off their shoes except when going to bed, find walking in the hallways without shoes […]
Q. Why is a cup of coffee at coffee shops so expensive? Answer: Although the actual cost of producing coffee is negligible, a regular cup of coffee at a coffee shop now costs about 400 yen (US $3.50). In a busy section of town, the price can go up as high as 800 yen (US […]
