As the new business and academic year takes its toll and Japan collectively sniffles with a case of the May blues, people all over the country are hiding under their blankets and calling in sick (probably using paid vacation days rather than actual sick leave, but that’s another story). When you’re feeling under the weather, it’s always nice to have someone to fluff up your pillows, cook you comfort food and generally feel sorry for you.

Japanese website My Navi Woman surveyed Japanese women in their 20s and 30s, asking them: “When you get a cold, who do you want to be by your side looking after you?” You may – or may not – be surprised to hear that boyfriends came in at a measly third place, with only 22 percent of women saying they’d want their man to care for them.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the rankings, and at what reasons Japanese women gave for wanting (or rejecting!) someone’s love and attention.

In first place: 58% of respondents chose their mother, in a not-remotely shocking move that is reminiscent of that survey showing that Japanese people like to drink green tea. Fear not – the other answers are more interesting!

Image: zazzle

Reasons women gave for wanting their mama to look after them included:

“She’s always looked after me from when I was little, so she knows what to do.”

“She’ll do everything: cooking, laundry… I’m spoilt.”

“I want her to make o-kayu [Japanese rice porridge] for me.”

▼ O-kayu: like gruel, but without the Victorian orphanage connotations and great for colds!

okayu

Image: Japanholic-girl

Next up, in second place, 28 percent of women said they just want to be alone when they’re sick:

“When I’m feeling lousy, all I want is to be left to get better.”

“I don’t want to give my cold to anyone else, and I also don’t want anyone to see what I look like when I’m sick.”

Boyfriends came in third, with 22 percent (the women being surveyed could choose more than one option, just in case you were wondering why these percentages total more than 100):

“I want to feel loved.”

Other reasons were a bit weirder:

“He can hug me to keep me warm, and go and buy me medicine.”

“I want him to see me when I’m down and feel sorry for me.”

And in joint fifth place, only chosen by a surprisingly low 2.7 percent of women, come best friends, and brothers and sisters.

▼ “My rice gruel not good enough for ya?”

Bennett_sisters_boxing

Image: Wikipedia

Do you want to be fussed over when you have a cold? Or would you rather be left alone? Let us know in the comments!

Source: My Navi Woman
Top image: karada nōto