Too long to stay at hospital after giving birth?

Giving birth is the hardest job for women.

In many countries, mothers check out of the hospital next day or in two days after delivery.

But mothers in Japan stay at hospital for 4-5days after giving birth for taking enough rest.

The postpartum period is considered as very important period in Japan.

What do they do at hospital for such a long time?

Mainly they take a rest, eat, sleep and breast feed a baby.

They also learn how to take care of a new born baby and yourself from a midwife or a doctor.

The doctors advise mothers not to do domestic duties too much for at least one month after checking out of the hospital.

Flu is going around-Class Closure

There is a flu going around as is every year.

If there are too many students getting flu, the class will be closed in Japan.

If a student gets flu, he or she is forced to absent school for at least 5 days.

Many families with kids who go to kindergarten or elementary school experience spiral which a kid get flu from school and give it to other family member.

When one get well, other get bad and it continues until the end of the winter.

Would you like to warm up without heater? Hanten (chan-chan-ko) will help you！

After taking shower or coming back from outside and take off your coat, you would get cold in winter.

Hanten which has been worn since 400 years ago helps you warm up.

Hanten is casual Japanese-style clothing which is usually wore in house which is easily slip on and so warm.

You merely see people wearing Hanten at outside but you would see them at country inn with hot spring.

Japanese people’s hair – not straight hair only

Do you think all Japanese people have straight hair? It seems like many people believe that Asian people including Japanese have straight hair only.

It’s not right – actually some people in Japan (I don’t know about other Asians) have wavy/curly hair. We call those, “kusege (wavy hair),” and “tennen-parma (curly hair).”

Interestingly, although there are many people who have wavy/curly hair, many schools in Japan have a rule that students can’t have their hair curled. I remember that one of my classmates who has remarkable curly hair had to bring a letter from her parents to let her teacher know that she has natural curly hair so that she is not against the rule. Well, I hope there is no such rule anymore.

Mandarin oranges (tangerines) are popular in winter

We eat mandarin oranges (we call them “mikan”) in winter a lot. They are knows as winter fruit in Japan. Almost every house has mandarin oranges at home in the season.

People regardless of age or sex love mandarin oranges as they are easy to eat and are a good source of vitamin C. And the most important thing….the taste, is very good. Some are not sweet enough, though most are very sweet and that’s why people can’t stop to eat mandarin oranges!

Of course people don’t eat an outer skin, though some people are very artistic that they make a shape with a skin like animal’s shape. I can’t do it….so it’s so impressive thing to me!

Kerosene pumps are necessary in winter

Majority of Japanese people use kerosene heaters in winter. Using a kerosene heater is cheaper than using an electric heater as a cost for kerosene is cheaper.

People buy kerosene at a gas station, and when they buy it they need to bring a tank. When they put the kerosene from the tank to the tank of the heater, a pump is used.

When I was a child there only was a basic type of pump which we can now buy very cheap. But now there are many kinds of pump and the price varies. Some are what you still need to use hands to pump, but some are not as those pumps kerosene elestricity which is nice.

When you come to Japan in winter, you can see many kerosene pumps sold everywhere.

Japanese traditional table which give you warm-Kotatsu

Kotatsu is absolutely imperative item in Japanese winter.
The Kotatsu is a table which has a heater under side and it is covered with a warn blanket, so the inside the Kotatsu is always kept warm.

It is usually placed in a living room then people get together because the Kotatsu is so warm.

Kotatsu, mandarin oranges and a cat inside the Kotatsu is typical sighs on a cold winter’s day in Japan.

It is a bit sad that the number of the young family today who do not have Kotatsu because it looks kinda old even they love Kotatsu.

Cotton sheets pack – protect the skin from dryness

In winter in Japan the air gets dry due to cold. There are many pack sheets sold at many stores.

But one of easy and cheap packs many women try in Japan is a cotton sheet pack.

What they use is cotton sheets. They put enough lotion (tonner) on cotton sheets and tear them thin, and then put them on the face. About 10 minutes later they take the sheets and put face cream.

This way brings a moist skin, and it also protects the skin from dryness. Having a moist skin is important for them to avoid aging.