I’m in my 20s and from America, my boyfriend is the same age but from Japan.
He told me that his parents have large houses and that he has his own room. If I ever stayed in the houses, he said we’d have separate rooms to sleep in.
However, recently he told me that he’s sharing a room with his parents. To an American like me, that sounds normal if you’re under the age of 7, but for a guy in his 20s to be sleeping on the same floor in the same room with his parents is kind of… Really strange.
I’m also really curious about why he lied and said he has his own room, but now it sounds like he’s been sharing the same space with them since childhood 🤷♀️ why would you share a room with your parents if you have your own
(I asked him these questions but his answers weren’t very clear)
https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/154103n/is_it_normal_to_sleep_in_the_same_room_with_your/
9 comments
I’ve known many associates that share a bedroom as a family. The bedroom is simply the sleeping room.
Usually more than one futon of course, if the child or whomever is adult, but they are usually side by side.
There’s even a saying of “sleep like a river” (head to toe, multiple people) when groups of friends sleep in same room with large futon.
It is common for families to simply have a “sleeping room” where everybody sleeps on several, or one large, mat on the floor. It allows them to then roll up the mats during the day and use the room for other purposes.
I don’t think it’s that weird & that deep. The parents probably sleep in the tatami room on a futon and that’s what he would do too. The consensus is that futon on a tatami is superior to futon on a “normal” floor. Most newish Japanese houses I’ve been to only have one tatami room anyways.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that he was lying. He might still have had his own room with a desk etc for studying.
That’s very common to have a sleeping room. Many families also share bath water for the whole family.
most traditional japanese families share rooms, sometimes everyone sleeping in one room. this is quite common in other east asian cultures. it’s not that strange… it’s called a difference in cultural upbringing and customs. i don’t think you should be dating a japanese man if you can’t remain open minded
Are you maybe confusing something? I would bet he is trying to say he has his own room but if you came to stay there you’d take his room and he’d sleep with them. Because still in Japan some families can be conservative about this so his parents may not be comfortable with you guys sleeping in the same room if you’re not married.
But no it’s not weird, Japanese houses are small and some families will all sleep in the same room, though I’d say that’s not the majority it isn’t that strange.
I’ve never seen that but then again his family could be old style, when families used to sleep in the same room on futons. Now is it common or not? No idea.
I wouldn’t say normal.
But based on news reports I’d say it’s common if they are both dead and you are still claiming their pensions. Usually they are bundled in a makeshift mummification arrangement..
I’ll get my coat..
I don’t know man, but what ever makes you happy