Author: Adelaide Downey

I felt like a classic anime character as I left my host family’s house this morning. I was running late for my train and I just barely made it in time for my bus. I rushed into my classroom just as the last bell was ringing, breathing a sigh of relief. Unfortunately it was all too soon. As I sat down in my seat, I realized that I was getting many strange looks from my classmates along with a worried stare from my homeroom teacher. Thankfully my homeroom teacher was also an English teacher. He lifted his hand and motioned towards my ears.

“Eve-san, you have earings?” He asked me. Oh, that explains it. I quickly put down my bags and took out my earrings. I had forgotten to take them out this morning like I usually do. Ear piercings are against Japanese school dress code, along with any other forms of jewelry and even painted nails. In fact, piercings of any kind are very uncommon in Japan, even for older people. Usually the people who get ear piercings in Japan are rule-breakers, or people who are trying to look tough. However clip-on earrings are quite common and acceptable, although of course not at school. The school I attend has a very strict dress code and, like most schools in Japan, school uniform.

Read more about Eve’s typical school day in Japan on her recent blog post.

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I am sure many people back in the United States have heard about the super moon eclipse that took place on September 27 this year. The amazing phenomenon surely lured many people out of their homes during late hours of the night to observe the moon and sky. If you were one of these observers then congratulations for two reason; Not only did you get to see the rare super moon eclipse, but you also subconsciously took part in the Japanese Moon Festival that was held on the very same night.

The festival is held every year during autumn and the participants relax in beautiful surroundings while eating their odango (a type of Japanese sweet dumpling resembling the moon) and moon gazing. Japan is well known for its interest and appreciation for the beautiful simplicity of nature, and it expresses this interest through festivals such as The Moon Festival.

My host family and I drove to Korakuen garden for The Moon Festival, which is among the top three of the best landscaped gardens in Japan. We walked through the garden and enjoyed its beauty as the sun was setting. I especially loved the large koi ponds and the gurgling streams that flow all throughout the garden, and the crisp scent of autumn in the night air.

As I sat in the grass, eating my odango and gazing at the night sky, I felt a strong appreciation for nature. With that appreciation I realized just how important nature really is in Japan. The Japanese people tend to have a lot of appreciation for things that, to a foreigner, my at first seem insignificant. Activities like moon-gazing in autumn or cherry blossom viewing in the spring are just a couple of examples of nature-based activities that play a huge role in Japanese culture.

Read more about how Japan celebrates nature through festivals, pottery and recycling on Eve’s blog post!

“Please take off your shoes at the door” said Kyoko, my host mother for the next ten months during my study abroad program, as I stepped into my new home for the first time. The Japanese equivalent of a mudroom is a small area covered in tile with a wooden step up to the rest of the house. On the tile were multiple sets of shoes, all whose toes were facing the door. I removed my shoes as I was asked and placed my feet on the tile. Kana and Rina, my new sisters age 16 and 8, look at Kyoko uneasily. Since Kyoko is the only one in my home who speaks English, she explained to me my error.

“We don’t stand on this tile without wearing shoes” she says as she glances uncomfortably down at my feet. I apologize quickly and step up onto the wooden floor. She smiles warmly at me and assures me that it is okay since it is only my first day in this home.

After our shoes were off we headed straight to the bathroom, removed our socks, and stepped into the shower to rinse off our feet. Not all people in Japan wash their feet when they arrive home, but the my host family family does. After doing this we stepped out and washed our hands at the sink. Most homes in Japan do this.

This was my first experience with Japanese customs of this kind, but it is certainly not my last.

Read more about what Eve has learned about Japanese culture on her blog post!