First news...
I finally got my new passport! It took 6 weeks but I have it!
Next news...
My camera lens came back... It works like new and I am out about $90 for repairs.
Nothing much else going on around here. The other Wednesday, between classes, I stopped for lunch at a chain restaurant.
Do you know what this is?
No... Well, that is the back side. This is the front side.
Still don't know? It is a key. And it fits into the lock like this.
The restaurant was Japanese style and in the entryway, there was a place to take off shoes and put the shoes into the shoe cupboard... which was trying to look like old style shoe cupboards of another era of Japan. The pieces of wood have numbers and the Japanese syllabary on it which corresponds with the cupboard shelves. It is unusual to take off shoes at the less expensive restaurants like this but this chain is trying to be as Japanese as possible.
And here is a picture of my house shoe cupboard.
Okay.... if you insist.... This is what the inside looks like. Mostly cat and dog treats in there on the top shelf.
In Japan we end up taking off our shoes almost everyplace... Most people know about the custom when entering a house... but did you know that Japanese children take off their shoes before entering the school? The children have "indoor" shoes... sort of like soft sneakers, which they wear inside the school. This is also true at the kindergarten.
Looking at my own shoe cupboard photo makes me think I'd better go clean it out. See you later!
Do you know what this is?
No... Well, that is the back side. This is the front side.
Removing outdoor shoes at the entrance is the reason why the floors are so shiny, like yours. It is also good for the feet to be shoeless from time to time.
ReplyDeleteMost keys have been removed from the locks in the restaurant; the shop must have been crowded.
PS. I am glad you got your camera lens and passport back. Don't forget to get your residence stamp transferred into your new passport.
ReplyDeleteShoes come off in all Swedish homes too. I work at a nursery school and shoes are left on shelves by the doors. It sure helps with keeping floors clean, (they still get dirty but not as bad). When we visit American homes we usually take our shoes off. My husband has become very Swedish, at least when it comes to shoes.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got your passport and camera back!!
ReplyDeleteI am sure the carpets in Japan are much cleaner than most carpets in the US!
ReplyDeleteWe remove our shoes when we come into our house or someone's home. I am not sure I would like to remove my shoes at a restaurant. (I get the heeby-jeebies when I remove my shoes at the airport: how many other bare feet have trod that security line before mine?!)
ReplyDeleteSo nice to know that you are all set for your summer travel with the passport and camera lens.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the saga of the passport has finally come to an end. I love your new quilted critters hanging above the geta-bako. I'm so glad I can finally catch up on your posts.
ReplyDeleteThis is just another reason why I love reading your blog...so very interesting reading about the culture and your life!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness your passport arrived in time - hope you have a wonderful trip!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a shoe cupboard like that in my foyer but there isn't room, and I'm the only one who takes shoes off anyway. I leave a pair of slip-on clogs at the front and one at the back door to put on quickly when I step outside to get the mail or water plants, and only wear slippers in the house. When I notice now much dirt gets tracked into the foyer floor, I congratulate myself on the cleaning I'm saving in the rest of the house, but no one else does it!