SORABYCO | Life in Japan

When someone in your household gets the flu, the practical questions start almost immediately. Can their clothes go into the same washing machine? Should you separate dishes and chopsticks? Do they need their own room? What about towels, door handles, and ventilation? Living in Japan, these are the kinds of everyday questions that can feel surprisingly unclear. Official advice exists, but when someone is sick at home, most of us simply want to know what needs to change right now. The short answer is this: Laundry can usually be washed as normal. Used dishes can also be washed as normal. Avoid sharing towels, cups, and utensils before they are washed. If possible, let the sick person rest in a separate room. Wash hands regularly, ventilate the home, and clean frequently touched surfaces. You do not have to turn your entire home upside down just because influenza is in the house. Can You Wash Flu Laundry With the Rest of the Family’s Clothes? In many Japanese households, everyone’s cloth...

One of the least pleasant parts of summer in Japan is opening the kitchen trash can and immediately noticing the smell. Fish scraps are especially bad, but I was also surprised by how quickly watermelon and melon rinds could begin to smell. During Japan’s hot and humid summer, even a trash can with a tightly closed lid may become unpleasant before the next garbage collection day. When I first moved to Japan, I thought attaching a deodorizer to the lid would be enough. It helped a little, but it did not solve the real problem. The smell usually came from moisture and food scraps sitting in a warm kitchen for several days. After dealing with this for many summers, I slowly developed a routine using newspaper, baking soda, small plastic bags, and even the freezer. None of these habits began as part of a carefully planned system. I simply added each one after another leaking garbage bag or unpleasant smell. These are the methods that have remained part of our summer routine. Using Newspape...