On February 15, I was at a charming little house/production studio bathing under the Southern California sun. We had been wanting to do this project for a long time.

One Japanese habit that would surprise visitors is how we love eating salads. In Japan, most meals, regardless of traditional or new cuisine, are served with a salad on the side to keep things in balance. We eat salads for breakfast as well!

Cleaning in Japan may differ a bit from western societies, particularly in cleaning habits and cultural expectations that are ingrained into us. The culture that values cleanness is even reflected in Japanese vocabulary. “Clean/hygienic” is translated to kirei (きれい) in Japanese which also means “beautiful/good-looking.”

As the coronavirus pandemic has led to a shortage of medical-grade face masks and people were advised to leave those limited supplies for health care workers, Japanese people started making their own face masks in response.