Many young people enjoy watching Japanese animated films, and those who have visited Japan might know that the Japanese often sleep on the floor. But why do so many people choose to sleep in cupboards? In fact, sometimes we don’t pay much attention to this issue, but if we look closely, we can discover why the Japanese prefer sleeping in cupboards.
The most concrete example that illustrates this is Doraemon. As children, many might not have noticed, but surely now, when watching again, many will ask themselves why Doraemon always sleeps in the cupboard in Nobita’s room.
Regarding the reason Doraemon sleeps in the cupboard, most netizens believe it is necessary for the development of the story. Some even suggest that Doraemon is afraid of mice, and sleeping in the cupboard helps him avoid them when they run into the room.
Japanese people often sleep on the floor.
For the Japanese, a room can be used for sleeping, and once all bedding is rolled up and stored in the cupboard, the room becomes a common living area for eating, reading, etc.
In fact, Japanese families have a special type of cupboard for storing futons and bedding. The space in these cupboards is much larger than that of regular wardrobes, which is why many people enjoy curling up inside for a nap, especially children.
Some houses do not have separate bedrooms, so they directly use the living room as a bedroom.
In reality, their living spaces in Japan are quite small. Some houses even lack separate bedrooms, so they directly use the living room as a sleeping area, which may seem cluttered and unattractive to outsiders. Therefore, if you sleep directly in the cupboard, you won’t face this issue; when the cupboard doors are closed, the room’s space remains intact and does not affect others in the house.
Capsule hotel in Japan
Moreover, Japan is a country that frequently experiences earthquakes, so wardrobes in their homes are often designed with two levels, and sleeping inside can provide personal protection. If something falls from the ceiling, they are less likely to get hurt. The capsule hotels in Japan were inspired by many people’s habit of sleeping in cupboards.
However, this habit has also caused some individuals to encounter significant inconveniences. In 2008, in Kasuya, a small town in Japan, a 57-year-old man began to notice a small amount of food mysteriously disappearing from his refrigerator.
At first, he thought he might have miscounted and was slightly paranoid, but when he started to monitor and accurately record the remaining food in his refrigerator daily, he realized something was amiss. It wasn’t just a mistake; food was indeed vanishing from the refrigerator. He then suspected he was a victim of a petty thief and decided to install a camera in his home connected to his mobile phone to monitor the apartment while he was out.
One day after the camera was installed, while this nearly 60-year-old man was outside and turned on his phone to check the feed, he saw someone wandering around in the kitchen.
He immediately called the police to investigate. They found the house locked with no signs of forced entry at the door or windows. The police then began to search the house, looking for anyone who might be hiding inside.
When the police started to open cupboards for inspection, everything seemed normal in the wardrobe, but when they opened one cupboard where the man stored his futons, they noticed something suspicious. In an unused compartment, a woman was curled up inside.
Cupboards for bedding are often larger than regular wardrobes.
After being discovered by the police, the woman revealed that she was Tatsuko Horikawa, a homeless woman with no place to live. She had entered the house after the owner left without locking the door.
Horikawa stated that she had been living in the owner’s wardrobe for about a year, eating anything stored in the refrigerator, and using the owner’s bathroom when he was out.
Although she lived in the cupboard, the woman was described as “clean and tidy” in the police report. Despite having lived in this man’s house for a whole year, it seems Tatsuko Horikawa never stole money or other items from the home where she was “squatting.” She simply needed a place to stay, and thus chose to hide in the cupboard because it provided enough space for her to sleep and was also very discreet.
However, the woman was arrested for trespassing and was suspected of having invaded other homes in the area.
