When traveling, it's not uncommon to encounter cultural differences that you weren't expecting. From country to country, traditions and expectations vary, whether it's the local tipping culture, dress code, or even dining customs — and here are some tricks from Rick Steves for avoiding culture shock. However, one difference that can catch people off guard is personal hygiene. And for many Japanese tourists visiting the United States, there's one small bathroom staple that's particularly off-putting:
cotton swabs.
An article from Japan Today revealed the top things Japanese tourists find most disappointing when visiting the U.S. (these unique U.S. travel experiences won't disappoint, however), and among these, surprisingly, is the quality of the cotton swabs. Sourcing the experience of a Japanese traveler to America, the swabs were described as "low quality," "disappointing," and "crappy," with cotton that's loosely packed and prone to unraveling, and not nearly as effective as what they're used to back home.
Apparently, in America, earwax hygiene is not taken nearly as seriously as it is in Japan, and that's painfully clear to those used to something better. It turns out that we've all been accepting subpar swabs without even realizing it. In Japan, ear cleaning isn't just about hygiene; it's a comforting ritual, sometimes even a bonding experience between family members, particularly between a mother and her children. Along with cotton swabs, a traditional tool called mimikaki is often used; this is usually a bamboo or metal-made object shaped like a scoop. It helps scoop out the earwax, rather than push it in, which cotton swabs are often guilty of doing.
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Why Are Japanese Cotton Swabs Different?
You wouldn't think cotton swabs could be a cultural talking point, but they are. And in Japan, apparently, cotton swabs are a completely different ball game. For starters, they're often colored black, not white. And that's not just for the aesthetic reasons, Japan Today points out, it's practical. The black coloring helps you see the wax more clearly on the swab. This seems to be a unanimous opinion amongst users.
In fact, threads of people on Reddit and Qora credit these swabs as exceptionally satisfying, allowing you to see the removed wax much clearer against the dark contrast. Others also say the black swabs are made with much sturdier materials, so they are less likely to bend and fall apart in your ear. "You'll never go back to white cotton swabs," writes one converted Reddit user. Some theories even suggest the difference in cotton swabs is to do with different earwax types. Who knew?
Japanese cotton swabs can be textured and ribbed, which we must admit, makes a lot of sense. (After all, Japan has always been living in the future.) Some even come with double-ended tips, one for cleaning and one for fidgety jobs like fixing makeup or applying skincare. Maybe it's just a cotton swab, but apparently, once you've tried the good stuff, it's hard to forget. So, the next time you're in Japan, maybe skip the souvenirs and grab a box of cotton swabs instead!
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Read the original article on Islands.
