There’s a saying in Japan that you should have both eyes open before you decide to get married, and one eye shut after you walk down the aisle. It’s sound advice, as you definitely need to know what you’re getting into before you pledge to share your life with someone. At the same time, spending every day together is bound to bring to light the little imperfections that people naturally have (Mrs. Baseel excepted, of course), and it’s important not to get too worked up over them.

Of course, the inevitable result of trying to keep one eye perpetually closed is a wicked eye-cramp, so eventually you’re going to have to open it back up and notice something about your partner that drives you up the wall. Japanese firm Neo Marketing recently surveyed married women on the things their husbands do that they just can’t overlook.

200 women were presented with a list of unpleasant things husbands do, then asked which, if any, they could let slide. It’s worth noting that the study was focused on everyday annoyances, so major, home-wrecking transgressions like “has a mistress,” “lost our savings betting on a race horse,” and “lost our savings betting on a race horse (which is also his mistress),” were not included.

We’ve listed the top 10 pet peeves below, with the percentage of wives who cited them as a problem.

10. Not separating trash – 32. 5 percent

Japan’s got a pretty complicated system of trash pickups, which vary by city. With different days to put out burnable garbage, cans, glass, hard plastic, and softer PET plastic, some guys decide they can’t be bothered to sort it all out and just dump everything into the same trash bag, leaving their exasperated, more eco-conscious wives to do the literal dirty work for them.

9. Not putting the toilet seat down – 33.5 percent

 

Some guidebooks like to play up the differences between Japanese and Western culture, describing the former as opaque and mysterious. But in reality, some things annoy women regardless of national origin, like falling into the toilet bowl because their guy couldn’t take the half-second to flip the seat back down. This is even more inconsiderate if you’re dealing with a high-end Japanese toilet that has a motorized seat that goes back down with the push of a button.

8. Not closing the front door – 33.5 percent

Sure, as kids we’ve all rushed out the door without shutting it behind us, and we usually had a perfectly good reason.

We’re not sure why so many full-grown Japanese men apparently have the same problem, though.

▼ The roasted sweet potato trucks here are awesome, though, we must admit

7. Poor conversation skills during mealtimes – 37.5 percent

Many wives complained that during meals at home, their husbands were more interested in reading the paper, watching TV, or playing with their smartphone than in having an actual conversation together. We understand their frustration, particularly with the cads who are distracted by television or the paper, but ask that they cut their husbands a little slack if they occasionally slip a look at their smartphone because they just can’t take their eyes away from the compelling stories of RocketNews24.

▼ Along with Miyajima and Matsushima, one of the three most beautiful sights in Japan

 

6. Not putting trash into the trash bin – 43.5 percent

As we mentioned, trash in Japan gets sorted into several different categories, and so most homes have multiple bins in them. Some guys have the mental wherewithal to realize that improperly sorting the trash will bug their wives, but then apply a healthy dose of misguided logic to come to the conclusion that the best way to avoid this problem is by just leaving their trash lying around the house.

▼ Eventually the Trash Fairy will come by to pick it up and leave behind five yen coins, right?

5. Not arranging shoes neatly – 50 percent

A uniquely Japanese headache, half of wives are bothered by their husbands’ inability to nicely arrange their footwear, which are to be removed in the entryway before setting foot in the rest of the home. Usually there’s a cabinet to place your shoes in, but if not, proper manners dictate that they should be swung around with the toes pointing towards the door, side by side, with laces tucked inside.

4. “Leaving a noticeable mess around the toilet” – 55 percent

In other words, pee.

Remember guys, if your wife is nice enough to send you off with a “Have fun!” when you go out for a half-dozen Ebisus with the boys, when you come home, the least you can do is remember the two cardinal rules of inebriated urination: lights on, and use both hands.

3. Not putting things away – 57 percent

Japanese homes tend to be small, and rooms often have to serve dual purposes. It’s hard to bring in a folding table to eat on or a futon to sleep in if there’s a bunch of junk strewn across the floor.

▼　“Dinner in bed” is not an acceptable solution

2. Not turning off lights – 58 percent

Following the energy crisis that hit Japan after the earthquake and tsunami of 2011, there’s been a huge push for people to not waste electricity. This one isn’t even that hard, since most Japanese lighting is ceiling mounted and comes with a handy cord you can yank to turn off.

1. Leaving dirty laundry lying around – 60 percent

We understand. Most white-collar jobs for men in Japan require workers to wear a suit and tie, and in the sweltering heat and humidity of a Japanese summer, the first thing you want to do when you get home is peel it all off. In the winter, there’s the need to wear multiple layers to stave off the cold, and after a long day at the office, you might not want to take the time to toss a half-dozen articles of clothing in the laundry hamper. In spring and fall, you might just be plain lazy. That said, your wife probably doesn’t appreciate your personal musk filling the apartment. Particularly if your home is traditionally furnished with tatami-reed floors that you sit on, she shouldn’t have to be seated next to your damp, sweaty Uniqlo boxers.

Frankly, we’re amazed that 40 percent of the women surveyed don’t have a problem with this.

Source: Yahoo! Japan