It’s funny, the things about Japan that delight foreigners who come here. The unique sound of a Japanese train crossing, sitting on tatami mats, zooming along in a Shinkansen train and receiving excellent service in shops 99% of the time. I’ve also been a fan of the unique Japanese door curtains called noren which hang above most businesses, and which are also commonly used to create privacy in doorways in Japanese homes. Since the Edo Period, noren curtains have been used to advertise that businesses are open to receive customers, and you know a yakitori shop is closed when the Master (the proprietor of a small restaurant or bar is always called this for some reason) takes his noren curtain down for the night. We’ve been posting some excellent anime-themed noren curtains to the site lately, if you want to make your home more Japanese and awesome.
Like tatami mats, noren curtains are a fun part of Japan.
