Today's Picture: 061

[akujunkan]

Is of:


my futon. Most Westerners, when they think of a futon, think of a heavy mattress on some sort of wooden or steel frame. As far as the Japanese are concerned, that's not a futon, that's a bed, and they're marketed as such in Japanese furniture stores. What you see above is a real Japanese futon.

There are two general categories of futon: shikibuton and kakebuton. The word "futon" is written with two characters meaning "cloth" and "lump." Add "shiki-" and you get "cloth lump for spreading;" add "kake-" and you get "cloth lump for putting on top." In other words, the former is the mattress, and the latter is basically a quilt or comforter.

One spreads the futon out right before going to bed, and puts it away in the morning. Leaving it out all day (hikippanashi) is the mark of a slob, and actually kind of a bad idea, as the futon absorbs moisture from the floor (especially if it's spread on top of tatami matting), and gets all damp and icky. Sticking it in a closet does seem to mitigate this--somewhat.

Otherwise, one combats the damp by draping the futon over one's balcony whenever there's a sunny day that doesn't happen to be too humid. Beating it with a bat or broom handle helps redistribute the cotton stuffing and get the dust and hairs out.

I bought the shikibuton in this picture at a local bedding mom and pop. It was run by a darling elderly couple named Nishikawa, who were quite terrified by my sudden appearance in their store and apparent determination to actually purchase something. It was cute but kind of sad the way they kept stumbling over each other to make sure the futon was actually large enough for a hulking foreigner like me to lie down on (it is but just barely), to make sure that I didn't want it in another color (I did waver between this one and the peach), and to bring it down from their second storey storeroom.

For my part, I couldn't figure out why so much fuss was warranted--I was speaking Japanese after all, and at the correct level of politeness. It wasn't till I left that I realised that a) foreigners really do not visit my neighborhood, b) the couple had probably formed their impression of Westerners during WWII, and c) I do have spikey hair and a lot of metal in my face.

Still, the transaction went quite well, despite all that.


That will be all.

Comments

[dark-waterlily.livejournal.com]

Remember when I told you that you could write a book about your life experiences? well, I tell you it is not a bad idea.
I love these "Today's picture" posts (mainly those about food) they are really interesting.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm really trying to put up things that are second nature to me but probably not that familiar to people who've never lived here.

[wombatdeamor.livejournal.com]

I'm reading Thank you, and OK! right now, and once again your timely picture is making me realize the things that even the author of that book didn't think to explain. Thanks, but it's starting to get creepy.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

OMG I <3333333333333333333333 THAT BOOK MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY.

But I'm still funnier when I talk about Japan. Not much funnier. But funnier.

[wombatdeamor.livejournal.com]

No you are much funnier. so far I find him just really amusing and interesting, but I wouldn't put the label funny to it just yet. I like the book a lot though. I just got to the part where he's discussing all the wierd english he's found around the place.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Oh man. The best is yet to come.

I wish he were more prolific.

[wombatdeamor.livejournal.com]

I'm going to ask you questions as I read it if you don't mind. It takes place in the late eighties, is there still a lot of discrimination against Koreans and foreigners?

I totally love the fact that he's not afraid of writing about the language. I'm learning Japanese despite myself. I will be learning some soon anyway, but I like stuff like this.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

No problem, go ahead whenever.

To the best of my knowledge, yes, especially given all the discrimination that still exists. Japan was at the height of its economic bubble in the 80s, so its citizens were not inclined to be deferential to non-Japanese.

What's really obnoxious about the situation of "foreign Koreans" is that many of their families have been in Japan for four generations, they no longer speak Korean or have distinctively Korean lifestyles, and the only reason anyone knows they *aren't* Japanese is because the government refuses to legally acknowledge them as Japanese citizens--like me, they have to register with the ward office everywhere they live, inform the authorities if they move, can't vote, and are legally barred from holding certain types of employment. Do a search on "Zainichi Koreans" and you should bring up a lot of stuff.

Real foreigners (i.e. people who were actually born in other countries) fall on a social hierarchy. At the top are English-speaking Caucasians (especially if you're male with blond hair/blue eyes), then Europeans, then Eastern Europeans, Latin Americans, and people from Southeast Asia. The lower you are on the totem pole, the more likely you are to be in sex or labor slavery.

And on that major downer, yeah, Chadwick is an awesome author precisely because he gives you the whole picture of what it's like to be foreign in Japan, including the linguistic cockups that frequently occur.

[wombatdeamor.livejournal.com]

wow, it seems like no matter where you go, it's the shame shit. Makes me even more saddened to be a white male. I know it's not my fault, but I know I benefit from it. Psychologists have identified that there is such a thing as "white privelege".

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Yup, but at least you're aware of it. Some of these MRA people are just...it takes a lot to amaze me, but they do.

[wombatdeamor.livejournal.com]

that's okay, I have a built in prejudice against Japanese names. I can't keep them straight in my head or recall them when discussing a subject. If you ever wanted to torture me, you could tell me a long detailed story about six Japanese people and keep using their names, I'll be lost before you're done i promise. It's actually a failing I want to overcome, but no luck so far.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Japanese names are rough, dude. Especially because there are usually about three pronounciations for a single kanji, and those pronounciations are different from the non-name pronounciations.

So you can know how to write someone's name and still have no idea how to pronounce it correctly.

[wombatdeamor.livejournal.com]

I will totally be rereading Thank you and OK! this summer for just that reason. I liked it enough that I recommended it to our religion prof. I'm glad I bought a copy.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT!!! I'm actually considering buying a third copy of the book (even at Japan's inflated prices) 'cause I really want to read it again, and my other two copies have disappeared into other American's houses, anyway.

[wombatdeamor.livejournal.com]

So this is your Lamb? I found a graphic novel at the library today that was a little like it in that it was about an American trying to get by in Japan, and i read a third of it, and then Bran was done with filling her app out and I put it back on the shelf and walked out. I guess I forgot that I can check stuff out or something. I'll get the title after this weekend. But yes, i really liked Thank you and OK!. It took me two weeks to read, but it wasn't the books fault, it was the universe's.

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

Neat-O! I think that looks comfy. Sometimes when my back hurts, only laying on the floor on two comforters folded in half can do the trick.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. Even many of the Japanese people I know are really surprised to find that I don't have a bed, because I prefer futons.

Also: OMG I WON A COPY OF HUNGER GAMES THROUGH ER!!!!!

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

AWESOME! But now I'm kind of pissed.....you'll never guess why. (VERY thick sarcasm)....

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Dude, didn't you already buy/read it?

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

Bought and read it, and it's AWESOME. Prob is, I also bought it for a gift for someone for Xmas.....

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

...Ah.

Well, how 'bout this. I'll keep your guys's copy and give the ARC to a friend or here or something. English language books are in short supply here...good ones even more so.

And also, OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH I <3333 YOU GUYS!!!

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about that. Another option is to take your copy, if it's not too bad edit-wise, and dontate it to our library. They don't have a copy.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure they're allowed to put ARCs on the shelves, but I'll ask my dad. If he doesn't know, someone else on the board will.

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

We could always swap it with the copy we bought ourselves and give the published copy to the library.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

True, but I think I'm going to try and get the word out here about what an awesome author SC is. Also, the copy you guys got for me is special because you guys got it for me. The English-language books Japanese import tend to be chick lit and suck.

I'll ask my dad to put in a word for HG at WCPL...if you guys do too they'll probably buy a copy or two anyway.

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

Good idea. But I meant that we could take the ARC and give Our copy to library. I wouldn't ask you to give away our gift to you!

[suriru.livejournal.com]

see, ever since i moved to Toronto, i've never really gotten over flinching every time i walk into a furniture store and see and bendable sofa bed being called futon. i'm like... i wonder if the people who named them so have ever been to the place where the word came from and actually saw what it was. XD

oh but, really, i guess it's not as bad as my number one pet peeve. namely, "kah-ree-yoh-kee" XDDD