16 Things That Are in Every Japanese Home, and We Wish We Had Them Too

It’s not for nothing that Japan is often referred to as “another planet.” All you need to do is peek into an apartment of an ordinary resident of the Land of the Rising Sun and you’ll see fridge doors that open to different sides, clothes that aren’t drying on the balcony, and hardly any potholders in the kitchen. And at the same time, almost every Japanese person has a small grill in their home.

We at Bright Side studied various blogs and made a list of very useful things many Japanese homes have in them.

1. A drain with mesh for collecting hair

Many people are aware that before taking a bath, Japanese people take a shower. The water, in this case, drains to the floor. The drain in the bathroom has a special piece of mesh that collects hair. This means that Japanese people remove hair from their drain every time they clean the bathroom. Therefore, the risk of clogging the drain is very small.

2. A floor with special texture in the bathroom

The bathroom floor has a ribbed surface so that the residents of the house don’t slip while doing various things with water.

3. A button for controlling the bathroom drainage

In order to shut the drain, all you need to do is press a button in the bathroom corner and the plug in the bathtub will close the drain. After that, all you’re left to do is set the needed water temperature on the control panel.

4. Multifunctional ventilation

Ventilation in Japanese apartments does more than just suck out humid air. It can also function as an AC and as a dryer for clothes. The necessary mode is set on the control panel.

5. A very big sink

The sink is used not only for washing hands but also for washing small babies and small pieces of clothing. By the way, sinks are made with a special part that you can seat a child on.

6. A device for heating up the mirror

Apart from temperature and water control panels, many Japanese apartments have one more button. It’s used when the mirror gets fogged up because of water procedures. It heats up so you don’t have to wipe it down.

7. A shoe closet

Right at the entryway, there is a tall closet, but it’s not meant for clothes — Japanese people store their shoes, umbrellas, and bags here. In some closets, you can adjust the height of the shelves to accommodate different types of shoes, such as boots or sneakers.

8. An intercom with a video recording function

Japanese houses are equipped with intercoms that have video recording functions. If someone calls the apartment while the occupants aren’t home, they can watch and record everything to find out who visited them and at what time.

9. A fridge with doors that open on either side

Thanks to the fact that refrigerator doors can open in both directions, the unit can fit into any kitchen layout. And this type of fridge is convenient for people who are left-handed.

10. A special shelf for kitchen appliances

Toasters, rice cookers, kettles, and other appliances are placed on a pull-out shelf equipped with an extractor hood in order to save space. Socket outlets are installed at the same level as the location of the appliances.

11. A grill or special area for cooking fish

Japanese stoves have a grill that has the gas come from the upside. Many people use this section exclusively for cooking fish.

12. Pan clips instead of potholders

Baking trays come with special pan holders. They make it so you can take hot dishes out of the oven without potholders.

13. A stove that works on batteries

Japanese gas stoves are designed differently. They’re powered by batteries that are inserted into a special compartment of the stove.

14. A closet for storing garbage

As a rule, Japanese kitchen units have a special place for storing garbage. Oftentimes, it’s not 1 but 2 or 3 containers for different types of trash.

15. A sink that prevents pipes from clogging

The drains of sinks in the Land of the Rising Sun are equipped with a special mesh. This piece collects food leftovers that are washed off of dirty dishes. When the mesh gets filled completely, it’s thrown out along with the trash it contains.

16. A cooker hood and shelf

The kitchen cooker hood also serves as a shelf where one can store spices and other small things that may be needed while cooking.

Which of these details would you like to have in your kitchen?