What I Would Miss About Japan – December challenge post #8

What I Would Miss About Japan – December challenge post #8


This morning, stumbling about in my half awake state I started thinking about what I wanted to write about today. 

I wanted to have something more fun and light hearted – as well as an actual blog post. 

And sitting under the kotatsu while eating breakfast – the thought occurred to me “If we ever left Japan we would HAVE to buy a kotatsu.”

Now, we aren’t planning to leave Japan anytime soon. Someday we’d love to live in America again if the opportunity came up. But – it’s fun to think about what I’d miss if we did move. 

Kotatsu 

The size of a sofa table with a blanket thrown over top, you wouldn’t think this unassuming thing would be so magical. But it IS. It’s got a built in heater underneath it and in the winter time it’s beautiful. 

The worst thing about it though is that you end up NOT wanting to leave its comforting warmth. And getting up and going to bed seems to be more trouble than it’s worth. (Also – potential to be a fire hazard if you accidentally leave it on all day… I mean that’s probably much worse than laziness. Definitely.)

Bidet

I feel like most people know about this. Essentially it’s a butt and bits washer. BUTT it’s so much more! You can heat the seats and the water so in winter you don’t freeze in the non-central heated bathroom. You can feel as fresh as a daisy (seriously where did that phrase come from? Must look it up someday.) everyday. 

Plus, they have them in the public toilets here too. (Along with bathroom doors that don’t have that creepy crack in the side so everyone can see you… I guess that’s another thing i would miss here!)

Seasonal produce

Okay this one is probably odd. (The bidet isn’t odd it’s great.)

In America, I was used to getting pretty much whatever vegetable or fruit I wanted year round. Out of season it didn’t always taste great, but I could get it. 

Here at my small and delightful grocery store, they sell a lot of local fruits and vegetables. So that means – more seasonable produce. 

Plus if they do sell produce out of season – you can get several Japanese staple vegetables year round – it’s more expensive. 

For example, there were times this summer (thanks corona) that cabbage went up to about $3 per head. Now, in cabbage season I can get it for about $1 – give or take. 

Napa cabbage was about $2 for a small quarter. Now I can get a giant half for $1. And if I want a whole one – I’ve seen it on special for about $1.50. Someday I WILL make kimchi!!! But not this year. 

I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out what I can eat as well as deciding if I really want that daikon in the summer when it’s expensive (the answer is probably yes though.)

Plus it’s fun to get excited about the seasons changing! “Heck yesss it’s watermelon time! I mean summer.” (Since I can’t get watermelon often and it’s expensive when I can I have developed a mild obsession with it. It’s a problem. Send help. And watermelons.)

There’s lots of other things but I am getting sleepy and cold and it’s time to go to bed. Good night sweet kotatsu. I swear I am getting up soon to leave. 

Sometime soon I need to talk about things I miss about America. Maybe tomorrow? Next week? We’ll see!

Oyasumi!

Heather

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