One cultural
difference I can never get over is how people in the West use the same cloth to
clean countertops and to wipe their wet hands. I know this sounds petty, but
every time I see it, my inner Japanese obāsan dies a little inside. (lol)
If you’re
not familiar with why, it’s because in Japan there are distinct terms—and
distinct cloths—for different purposes: tefuki for hands, daifuki for
the table, fukin for dishes, and zōkin for the floor or ant dusty surfaces. Think about
it: the cloth is already dirty after wiping the counter—why would you then use
it to dry your freshly washed hands or, worse, your dishes? To me, it feels
extremely unhygienic.
