Value Village
600 questions for when you are stuck or curious on a trip to Japan
What people who come to or live in Japan usually misunderstand. 600 questions, all with sources. If reading does not settle your question, you can send a request to people on the ground.
Everything here is a draft (before legal review; sources not yet verified). Answers on beauty and health will not be published until checks under Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act are complete.
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The 600 questions start with what is most often misunderstood. If your question is not here yet, it becomes the next one. Requests that need on-site photos or a look at how things are right now are accepted at the same place.100 questions
- Q. What do people get wrong about taking shoes off indoors in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about storage in narrow spaces in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about refill packs in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about furoshiki in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about tenugui in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about single-purpose kitchen tools in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about indoor drying in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the rainy season in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about seasonal food in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the concept of shun in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about dashi in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about repairing rather than replacing in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about preventing mould in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the order of cleaning in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about waste separation in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about earthquake preparation in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the genkan in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about tatami in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about airing futons in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about seasonal bedding in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the kotatsu? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the yutampo (hot-water bottle)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the year-end clean (ōsōji)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about cleaning with baking soda and citric acid? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the household emergency bag? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about storing water for emergencies? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about "rolling stock" food storage? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about opening windows and ventilating a home in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about Japanese summer heat habits? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about Japanese gift-giving customs? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about Japanese sliding doors (shoji and fusuma)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about vertical storage in small Japanese homes? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about koromogae (the seasonal wardrobe change)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about bento boxes? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about drying laundry on the balcony in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the zōkin (Japanese cleaning cloth)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about oshibori (the wet towel)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about Japanese New Year (Oshōgatsu)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about how Japanese people layer clothes for winter? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about noise and neighbour etiquette in Japanese flats? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the Japanese habit of carrying a handkerchief? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about dehumidifiers in Japanese homes? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about cleaning windows with newspaper? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the Japanese "reset" habit of daily tidying? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the Japanese shoe cabinet (getabako)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about keeping insects out of a Japanese home? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about neighbourhood associations and the kairanban? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about torches, radios and power in a Japanese disaster kit? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about reading a Japanese food label? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about warranties and repair in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the oshiire (built-in closet) and under-bed storage? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the household first-aid box (kyūkyūbako)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about reusing bath water (nokoriyu)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about everyday tea in a Japanese home? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the nukadoko (rice-bran pickling bed)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about home-made miso and kōji? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about heated carpets and floor heating in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about balcony gardening and green curtains in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about "mottainai" and Japanese packaging? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about umbrella etiquette in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about chopsticks and Japanese table manners? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the Japanese home bath (ofuro)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the mamachari (everyday bicycle)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about indoor plants in a Japanese home? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about winter window condensation in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the kitchen sponge in a Japanese home? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about making onigiri at home? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about seasonal decorations (hina dolls, koinobori, New Year) and storing them? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the hanko (personal seal)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about Japanese seasonal greetings and the letter calendar? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about humidifiers in a Japanese winter? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about slippers and house shoes in Japan? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about neighbourhood festivals (matsuri) as a resident? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about kairo (disposable heat pads)? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the kyūsu (Japanese teapot) and everyday tea tools? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about window screens (amido) in Japanese homes? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about using 100-yen shops for the home? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the bathroom ventilation fan and bathroom drying? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about cleaning and maintaining the air conditioner? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about Japanese utility bills and saving on them? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about sudare, the Japanese summer blind? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about uchimizu, sprinkling water on the ground? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about shōji, the paper sliding screens, and re-papering them? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about drying wet shoes? The newspaper trick and what not to do Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the Japanese kitchen sink basket and drain nets? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about doyō-boshi, the midsummer airing of clothes and books? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the Japanese habit of cleaning with old toothbrushes and chopsticks? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the diatomaceous-earth bath mat and its recall? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the plastic-bag charge and Japan's "my bag" habit? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about kakeibo, the Japanese household account book? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about fūrin, the Japanese summer wind chime? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about drying persimmons and daikon at home? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the Japanese "my bottle" habit and vacuum flasks? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the chōnaikai, Japan's neighbourhood association? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about reading a Japanese weather forecast? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the yuzu bath on the winter solstice? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the gō, Japan's rice measure, and the rice-cooker cup? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about the 5 pm chime and the neighbourhood loudspeakers? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about sweeping the street in front of your house? Everyday know-how
- Q. What do people get wrong about uchiwa and sensu, the Japanese hand fans? Everyday know-how