“So that no one accidentally sees.” Period is taboo in Japan

Maja is currently in Japan and familiarizes people with Japanese culture, showing various, interesting aspects of everyday life in the country of the Rising Sun. He tells, among others about housing conditions in Tokyo, public transport, food, grocery shopping costs, customs, etc.

The Instagramer often draws attention to the cultural differences between Europe and Japan. She also did it on the occasion of the publication of the film from March 16, regarding the purchase of sanitary napkins.

Yes it is here. On the one hand, technologically advanced, on the other hand, very traditional and conservative (Japan – ed.). Is it good? I don’t know, I’m not criticizing, it’s just a different culture and different values, it’s always worth approaching such things with an open mind, traveling teaches you that

– she wrote in the description of the published video.

“Cultural differences should be treated with respect”

The blogger explained that when she went to the store to buy sanitary pads, the local customs surprised her once again. “People here are so ashamed of everything (…) The lady wrapped it in a bag so that no one would accidentally see that I had a period” – she said, showing a tightly closed paper package.

“It’s definitely not for us – people from the West – to judge, let alone try to change it. We may have observations, some beliefs of our own, but ultimately cultural differences should be approached with respect” – summed up the blogger and traveler aptly.

“Period is natural”

. A heated discussion ensued under the film. As one commentator noted, in the opinion of “supporting” the concealment of the very existence of the period – in her opinion – men lead the way. Many Internet users emphasize that menstruation is a completely natural process and making it a taboo is a big problem.

Men are the most outraged by your surprise. The comments under this video show where Polish peasants are mentally – still in the 20th century

Comments from experts of the opposite sex blow me away. Guys, she’s not waving bloody sanitary towels in the city center, she’s carrying a box of clean sanitary towels. In fact, she should be ashamed and taboo something normal…

It saddens me that instead of talking about cultural differences and their causes, we move in the area of ​​elementary lack of acceptance/understanding of the natural processes of the human body. That the level of education we have is such that the whole subject is so shocking for many that they do not see the difference between used hygiene products and purchase. I wonder what needs to be done and how much time to normalize speaking with respect and without feeling ashamed about your own or someone else’s body?

Seriously, people, waving used pads or tampons and holding a pack of clean pads in your hand is a difference. Do you really hate the view of sanitary towels, tampons or the topic of your period? Menstruation is natural, and sanitary napkins or tampons are just a hygienic measure

– we read in individual comments.

However, there are also comments expressing support for tabooing menstruation.

And that’s great, too bad we don’t have that. People are different. For me, period is a private, intimate thing and I don’t want to flaunt it. For my mental comfort, that would be perfect. I try to cover my pads discreetly. Anyway, he doesn’t parade through the city with paper

I don’t think it’s something to brag about. Same with toilet paper. Not everyone needs to know what you’re buying. And it’s just a higher level of intimacy that many Europeans haven’t grown up with….

– we read in some statements under the film.

Month in Japan

You can learn a lot about how women experience menstruation in Japan from the profile of Lady Menstruation, which popularizes knowledge about female menstruation.

“Japan has been a patriarchal country for centuries. So what is the state of knowledge about menstruation in a country dominated by men? Unfortunately (…) there is not much awareness on this subject. Girls in the fourth grade of primary school have classes during which it is explained to them the issue of menstruation and how their bodies function. Importantly, boys usually do not participate in these activities.

Ms. Miesiączka also emphasizes that despite the fact that the market offers women a wide range of very good quality hygiene products, talking openly about the period is still not popular. Women are ashamed to talk about menstruation, and often use terms that conceal the fact that they have it. Some companies adapt to this, which (similarly to the film described above) produce packaging that hides the fact that they contain sanitary towels or tampons.

Menstrual leave in Japan

Interestingly, Japan is one of the countries that introduced the so-called menstrual leave. So it would seem that the Japanese labor code cares about women. But are you sure?

The Kulczyk Foundation, which has been researching and spreading awareness about female menstruation for several years, notes that not exactly. There is a huge discrepancy between how developed it is in many areas and how conservative it is.

Menstrual leave in Japan is available to every woman, regardless of the form of employment, earnings and working hours. However, as the Japanese teacher Liza Klonowska-Siwak notes in an interview with Anna Zaleska in the Kulczyk Foundation, according to statistics, only 0.9 working Japanese women use it.

A period in our lives

Menstruation is a natural part of a woman’s life, such as sleeping and eating. Research shows that menstruation significantly affects women’s social and economic lives. One in five Polish women surveyed admitted that they had difficult access to hygiene products.

As part of the recently organized action “, we talk about menstruation in a friendly way – so that it will finally stop being taboo.

Sources: Instagram/notes_freak/Facebook/Pani Miesiączka/https://kulczykfoundation.org.pl/gazeta.pl