Japan has a number of sleeping arrangements that can be jarring if you didn’t grow up here. Sleeping in a futon on the floor, often in a space that doubles as your living room and/or kitchen, can take some getting used to. A surprisingly large number of pillows sometimes come filled with, by Western standards, unusual things such as buckwheat husks.
But you know what? Maybe we’re being too picky. As Shiro the Cat shows us, all you really need for a good night’s sleep is a cooking pot, and, if you’re looking to get really luxurious, a sweet potato.
In his first cat-nap demonstration video, we see little Shiro curled up inside a traditional rice-cooing pot known as a kama.
▼ A great example of space-efficient design
Of course, some of us prefer a little more privacy as we snooze. Not to worry, Shiro has a solution for that, too.
Unfortunately, even most Japanese homes these days don’t have a kama. Is there any way for those of us who have switched over to the convenience of automated electric-powered rice cookers to catch 40 winks without leaving the kitchen?
Sure! All you need is a sweet potato.
▼ After waking up, Shiro considers eating his pillow…
▼ …but thinks better of it, as he realizes nothing can taste as good as this feels.
Thanks for the pointers, Shiro. Next time we get the urge to gripe about our apartments being too small or Spartan, we’ll come visit you again. After watching your video four times, we’re so relaxed that we think we could fall asleep even without any produce.