Forum - View topicAnswerman - Why Do Japanese Kids Carry Handkerchiefs?
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MarshalBanana
 Posts: 5486 |
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In You Only live Twice(novel), Tiger mocks Bond for using a handkerchief. I thought handkerchiefs were a western thing, and using tissues was something that was brought over from the East.
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TheOtakuX
 Posts: 344 Location: Wooster, Ohio |
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I remember when JList used to include a packet of tissues with orders. That was cool.
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ultimatehaki
Posts: 1090 |
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thanks for answering my question so quickly! That question was always in the back of my mind.
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belvadeer
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Ever wonder why tissues were the consolation prize for losing contests or lotteries in both real life and in anime and games (like Shadow Hearts)? Well there you go. It's not surprising when you consider Japan's rather practical approach to good hygiene.
Though thinking back on it now, someone told me the tissue prizes were for wiping the tears you would inevitably shed from losing. Ouch. XD Last edited by belvadeer on Tue Jan 03, 2017 7:47 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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mgosdin
 Posts: 1302 Location: Kissimmee, Florida, USA |
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My father and brother never went out without a handkerchief or two in their pocket. I never did develop the habit, but I've got several that my father gave me that are still ready for duty some 40 years later.
Mark Gosdin |
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Jonny Mendes
 Posts: 997 Location: Europe |
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Now you got me!
In my country is still normal to many people have handkerchiefs. And even to use them to clean the sweat. I have one right now in my pocked. For the record in public restrooms we have paper towels. There was even the old tradition of gentlemen to pick up the handkerchiefs of the ladies if they drop it 
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otagirl
Posts: 111 |
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On both my trips to Tokyo there's always been air dryers in the restrooms...
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Brand
 Posts: 1028 |
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I was in Japan recently and I'd say for me it was 50/50 even in Tokyo. Some had nice Dyson style hand dryers or none at all, a few didn't even have soap. The best was the bathroom with no soap or dryers but had a place to hang your umbrella. A couple years back my friend when to Japan and gave me one of those hand towels and I was like what am I going to do with this? Was totally one of the most useful things on the trip. |
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Angel M Cazares
 Posts: 5495 Location: Iscandar |
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Weird. I suppose I have watched other kinds of anime because I have never noticed that children with handkerchiefs was that common.
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KutovoiAnton
 Posts: 956 Location: Vladimir, Russia |
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I'm more surprised that Americans usually don't carry handkerchiefs with them, rather than that Japanese always having one.
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Kimiko_0
 Posts: 1796 Location: Leiden, NL, EU |
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No paper towels or hand dryers, no central heating.. I used to think of Japan as a technologically advanced country, but I'm beginning to question that notion
But wait, does that mean they keep that wet hanky in their pocket all day? Ew. |
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18405 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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In thinking back on my trip to Japan earlier this year, I guess there were one or two places I ran across that didn't have paper towels or hand dryers, but they were definitely the exceptions. (One of them may have been one of the temples?) Of course, we were almost exclusively at international-catering hotels and touristy spots, so that may have had something to do with it. |
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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Good gravy, what would they use for that purpose then? On a related note, albeit one that digresses somewhat, does anyone still use a kerchief, as opposed to its handheld variant? May I also ask if I am the only one who still strives to pronounce the letter 'd' in the word 'handkerchief'? |
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Nom De Plume De Fanboy
 SubscriberExempt from Grammar Rules Posts: 628 Location: inland US west, pretty rural |
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And the ladies would drop them "accidentally" to give the gents the chance to do that. As Chiyo Yumehara did in an ep of the Saiki K. short, last season, I think? Minor spoiler: spoiler[ Being a psychic who wanted to avoid her, he zapped it back into her skirt's back pocket, which weirded her out a bit.] Side question: do Japanese girls have back pockets in skirts for their hankys, or is that just an anime thing? Most American skirts don't have them, I think. And yeah, I carry a calico hanky, 'cause I was raised in the rural US. I don't like white ones 'cause they stain if you check your cars oil and wipe the dipstick on them. 
Kerchiefs, or silk bandanas - some horsemen ( horse folks? ) still wear them around their necks, mostly as decoration. Although they would work over the face for filtering out trail dust, if there was enough of that floating around. My grandfather wore them 40 plus years ago on his ranch, but I almost never saw them up on his face. The really nice ones still get worn on social occasions, like weddings, if people are "dressing the part" of being rural folks. Last edited by Nom De Plume De Fanboy on Fri Nov 25, 2016 3:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ultimatehaki
Posts: 1090 |
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They're really only in school-based anime so if that's not your thing you probably won't ever see it. Or you may have just not noticed. |
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