House & Furniture: How To Talk About The Home In Japanese

New house, who dis? You’ve moved to the lovely country of Japan. You’ve found a beautiful modern Japanese home with 3 rooms and 2 baths, and you’re itching to finish furnishing it for a home tour that will make you feel like a star of Architectural Digest’s Open Door series. However, you’re just not ready yet. You still need to go to the store to get a couple more lamps, some pillows for the guest room, curtains for all of your 10 windows, extra blankets to keep you warm, a pantryful of food, and many more. Oh my, what a laundry list!

Since you use household items on a daily basis, learning what they are called in Japanese (or whatever your target language is) is essential. The vocabulary is not too difficult to memorize, because you can use real items to help you remember their names. Sometimes, the words even sound similar to its English translation like "curtain" in English is カーテン or ka-ten in Japanese.

If you ever visit the homes of your Japanese neighbors, remember these housekeeping rules:
    ●    Arrive on time
            ◦    It is best to come on time to avoid inconveniencing the host. If you are running
                  late, call the host to let them know.
    ●    Don’t invite others without asking for permission
            ◦    Avoid inviting others without permission, because doing so is impolite and
                  disrespectful.
    ●    Bring a small gift
            ◦    Bring your host a small gift like a box of desserts, a bottle of wine, or a small fruit
                  basket. This is a gracious way of thanking your host for the invitation.
    ●    Take off your shoes before entering the house
            ◦    Take off your shoes and place them neatly at the edge of the genkan.

Unsplash: Chris Lawton