7 Common Items You Find In Asian Households
From a Hapa’s perspective…
The next time you visit an Asian household, look for the following seven items. When you see one, you will have this “Ahah” eureka moment, recalling that you read about this item on a blog awhile back.
While some of these items might stand out, others will be less obvious, so keep your eyes peeled.
1. A Good Ol’ Shoe Rack
Right when you step into an Asian person’s household, you are generally asked to take off your shoes. Asians do not like to have outside dirt spread all over their house.
I grew up taking my shoes off and on while entering and exiting the house. I never realized this was strange to most Americans until I started visiting some Caucasian relatives.The first time I entered my Caucasian aunt’s house, I asked if I needed to take off my shoes.
Furrowing her brow, she replied: “No, but feel free to do whatever makes you comfortable. Please make yourself at home.”
I was ecstatic. “What! You mean I don’t have to take off my shoes? Are you sure?”
After obtaining her approval, I scurried around in my tennis shoes on the hardwood floors. It was a nice mini-vacation that broadened my perspective. My perception of what was “normal” was expanded.
I didn’t think twice about wearing shoes inside the house until I returned home.
Initially, I was bummed that I had to once again take off my shoes inside the house. But I soon began to realize that the overall cleanliness of the action was commendable. Now, I happily take off my shoes and slip into comfortable slippers.
If you don’t do so already, then would you consider adopting a “no shoes” policy in your house?
2. Quintessential Asian Slippers
Asian households would not be complete without slippers. These are an absolute, “must-have” item.Trying to replicate an Asian household? Make sure to get a few varieties of slippers.
In Korean households, you will even find a variety of slippers for all household shoe sizes. Each pair of slippers is carefully arranged, when visitors come. Otherwise, good luck trying to find a matching pair.
In Japanese households, there are special slippers that you wear ONLY in the bathroom, and slippers that you wear for the rest of the house. I guess in theory, the bathroom floor is dirtier than the rest of the house. I felt like it was a bit redundant and would sometimes “forget” to wear slippers in the bathroom.
But if I side-stepped the rules and one of my Japanese relatives noticed, then I would be scolded for not wearing the proper footwear. I just felt like if I really had to use the bathroom, why waste time putting on special slipper?
Even in the Japanese schools, you are required to wear special slippers that have a rubber sole. When I spent a month in my cousin’s school, I had to buy the specific brand of shoes that was designated for my school. There was only one brand, and you had to buy it. Or else!
I am not a huge casual slipper fan, but I do find them useful on hardwood floors to keep my feet warm. Recently, I purchased these wonderful Haflinger slippers that provide ultra-support and are very comfortable. These slippers are amazing. Good luck trying to get me out of these bad boys.
Do you wear slippers?
3. Beautiful Asian Decoration
All Asians tend to decorate their homes with stunning artwork to highlight their ancestry. Adorning their homes with tapestries such as these, invites conversations about their rich, Asian cultural history.
All Korean parents tend to have some piece of art that highlights their Korean heritage. Similarly, my Japanese household has an expensive Japanese doll that was given to us by a family member. We cherish its sheer beauty.And for my mother, it’s a beautiful reminder of her homeland.
It’s also similar to a Caucasian household’s display of modern art pieces, classic artwork, or art from their various travels.
What kind of artwork do you have in your house? What does it represent?
4. Bags Galore
Asians are some of the most resourceful people I know. Maybe it’s their obsessive need not to waste anything, since they grew up with scarce resources. Or, maybe it’s their innate desire to save the planet.
Or perhaps, it is out of sheer necessity. In the tiny country of Japan, the population cannot sustain itself, if people weren’t raised to reduce, reuse and recycle.
As my Japanese friend once said, “we have to recycle, or else we will be covered in trash!”
My mother brought this fundamental concept with her to San Francisco. Every time we went shopping, my mother would make sure that we grabbed some extra bags. Instead of throwing the bags away , we would reuse them in one of the following ways:
A. Collect garbage.
B. Carry snack foods for traveling.
C. Hold wet items such as swimsuits.
D. Transport dirty shoes from one spot to another.
E. (If we had a dog) Pick up its poo.
After San Francisco mandated an ordinance on plastic bags, requiring supermarkets to charge people $0.05 for using them, Asians have started collecting reusable and compost bags.
When the law was first put in place, supermarkets and companies started to give away free reusable bags. So my mom and I collected as many as we could. And we now have an impressive collection of free or dirt cheap reusable bags.
Walk into any Asian household, ask for a bag, and you will be introduced to their collection of bags.
Do you reuse bags or other household items?
5. Love of Tea
Asian love their tea. Without a doubt, every Asian household will have an assortment of teas.
We often have some expensive Japanese sencha or matcha green tea, but at the time this was taken, we were out. Darn. Time to get more.
When you visit a Japanese household, it is customary for the host to offer tea and some light snacks to the guest. So please don’t feel shy about accepting their offer, as that is how they show their respect for the guest.
My personal favorites are matcha green tea, genmaicha (toasted brown rice tea) and vanilla chai tea. Delicious!
What are your favorite teas? Have you tried genmaicha? I highly recommend it.
6. To-Go Boxes
Have you ever eaten at restaurants with Asian people? They generally take food to go. I know I do. Thus, in typical Asian households, you will find leftover containers in the refrigerator.
The need to be resourceful sometimes doesn’t make sense. Even if my mother hates the taste of the food she is eating, she will still continue to eat it. I used to be the same way.
But when I started to visit my Caucasian relatives, I realized that they were not afraid to throw away food at home and in restaurants. I ended up taking on 1/2 of that habit.
If I don’t think something tastes good, then I refuse to eat it. In a country where food is readily available, why should I force-feed myself foods that taste gross?
I didn’t take on all of my Caucasian relatives habits though. I always bring a doggy bag home.
Do you take a doggy bag home ever? If not, then why not?
7. Collection of Free Things
One of the quintessential items in an Asian household is a collection of free things that range from useless trinkets to useful shampoos. For some reason, free things make us excited. And vacations become slightly cheaper with the hoarding of free items such as conditioners and body wash.
And what’s even better is a good deal. My mom will brag for days about an awesome deal that she secured.
Mom: How much do you think all of this toilet paper cost? Guess.
Me:I don’t know.
Mom: Guess, I said guess!! Come on. Guess!
Me: Ugh fine, $5?
Mom: Haha…Nope. It only cost me $1.99 for this entire stack of toilet paper! I’m so happy!
One of the best things about my mom is her ability to enjoy the smallest details of life such as securing a good deal. She’s easy to please. And from her I learned two things: enjoy the small things in life, and collect the free stuff. You never know when it might become useful.
Oh and she inspired my love of free library books.
Do you like free things? What is the best thing you have ever received that was free?
Thanks for reading my blog!
If you liked this post, then please comment on it. And please read my previous article about growing up 1/2 Japanese in San Francisco.
Read this Buzzfeed article, if you were also raised by Asian parents.
