English version
In Japan, unless there is a disaster, you can get high-pressure water from the tap anytime—whether at home, in a friend’s apartment, or at accommodations like a ryokan or a hotel. This is an ordinary part of daily life in Japan.
There is even a Japanese saying: “Yumizu no yō ni tsukau” (湯水のように使う), which means:
[Direct Translation] To use hot and cold water
[Meaning] To spend money lavishly and without hesitation.
[Origin] The word “yumizu” (hot and cold water) is used as a metaphor for something that is abundant and easily accessible everywhere.
I once studied abroad in a Central American country. A few months after I started learning a new language, I was having a conversation with my teacher—I can’t recall the exact topic—and I said:
“Some wealthy people may spend their money endlessly, like using hot water. But that’s only a small group. Most people, to some degree, spend their money with a plan.”
The teacher looked puzzled and asked, “What do you mean? Spending endlessly like water?”
I was confused too. “Huh? Did I mispronounce something? Was my sentence structure wrong?” My mind raced, wondering what was causing the misunderstanding.
I tried again, rephrasing my explanation:
“Some wealthy people don’t care about high prices. There are people who, whenever they want something, use it easily—like turning on a faucet and having water flow out without any effort, so to speak.”
Finally, the teacher said,
“Ah, I get it now. Japan and this country think about water very differently—that’s why I didn’t understand how you were using that phrase.”
I was relieved they understood.
Where I lived, just a 30-minute drive from the capital, it was common for tap water to be available only once every three days, and even then, only for 3-4 hours at best. In other areas, the situation was even more extreme—water would come out of the tap just once a week! I was shocked.
Water is incredibly precious.
Different countries have different ways of life.
When I first started learning a new language, I didn’t know these things—I made a lot of mistakes. 💦😖
But mistakes aren’t just setbacks. They’re also great opportunities to lock new knowledge into your memory along with the situation in which they happened. 😆
Learning a language isn’t just about communication. It also gives you the chance to realize that what is “normal” in your country isn’t necessarily “normal” elsewhere. It broadens your perspective.
When you think of it that way, learning can become much more fun! ✨
