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Common sense habits that keep viruses out of Japanese homes.

By on March 30, 2020

In this time of coronavirus threat, the Japanese case numbers seem to be lower than the rest of the G7 countries.

This may be routinely connected to common sense habits practiced in Japan.

photo by seikatsuzaka

When you’re welcomed to somebody’s house, the common expression you would most likely hear is “come in.”  But people in Japan say “Douzo, o-agari kudasai” (Please come up). That’s because a Japanese traditional-style genkan (entryway) more often than not, is elevated by 5-10 cms high by design. This helps contain any dirt that is tracked in from the outside. After removing the shoes, people immediately place shoes in the shoe cabinet by the genkan. People don’t walk in barefoot. They immediately slip into room slippers as they come up to prevent bringing dirt and debris into the house.

The Japanese use separate slippers in toilets too. People who are not as hygiene-obsessed as the Japanese may be puzzled by this but the reason is scientific.The toilet is a breeding ground for bacteria. Every time you flush the toilet, the waste mixes with the flushing water sending plumes of microbes up into the air. These microbes land on surfaces including slippers. Using a separate slipper for the toilet helps reduce contact between the unclean toilet floor and the floor in the rest of the house.  Children at day care centers are routinely trained to do this at an early age.

Japanese people prefer to take a bath at night. Doing so keeps bed linens, pillows and duvets free from germs, mites and bugs. Most families wash their linens every week.

81% of Japanese households have electronic bidets.  Still, the average Japanese goes through about 3 rolls of toilet paper every week (2018 figures), with people in Kumamoto using up to 3.7 rolls a week on average. People in Japan use toilet paper for cleaning the sink and toilet seats too, so the actual number of rolls used for hygiene purposes is much less.

It is common knowledge that most illness-causing viruses and bacteria and foodborne illnesses are spread through hand to hand or hand to food. Thus, cleaning a kitchen sink is very important for the Japanese.

A Japanese website for homemakers conducted a survey among housewives to find out how often they clean the kitchen. Although kitchen cleaning routines are different for each household, a majority of housewives say they clean it everyday.

According to a study by Nielsen, 67 percent of people in the world do laundry at least two times a week, and only 31 percent said they do laundry every day.  In contrast, a study conducted by Asmarq, reveals 70% of Japanese households ( 20s and 40s age group) with children, do laundry everyday. Again, this may not resonate with families trying to reduce their electricity consumption but a Japanese-authored study in 2015 investigated the role of contaminated clothing in the transmission of influenza. The study shows the severe acute respiratory virus survived on hospital gowns routinely worn by college students of the Wakayama Medical University School of Health and Nursing Science.

Daily washing with a detergent will be very effective at reducing the risk of transmitting any infection.

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