Yuki lives in a house in Shibuya, Tokyo. Her house is different from houses in other countries.
When you enter the house, you step into the genkan. This is a small area near the door. You take off your shoes here.
Many rooms have tatami floors. Tatami is a kind of floor mat. It is made from rice straw. It feels soft under your feet.
Yuki's bedroom has a shoji screen. This is a sliding door. It is made of white paper and thin wood. Light comes through the paper.
Between some rooms, there are fusuma panels. These are large sliding doors. They have beautiful paintings on them.
Yuki loves to sit on the engawa. This is a narrow wooden veranda. It is between the house and the garden. She reads books there on sunny days.

Every morning, Yuki wakes up early. She has many things to do before school.
First, she must remove her futon from the floor. A futon is a thin sleeping mat. She folds it carefully and puts it in the closet.
Next, she helps to prepare breakfast. Her mother cooks rice and miso soup. Yuki sets the low table in the tatami room.
After breakfast, Yuki must tidy her room. She picks up her things and puts them away. Everything must have a place.
On some mornings, Yuki helps to arrange flowers. Her mother loves ikebana, which is the Japanese art of flower arranging. Yuki is learning too.
Before she leaves, she must gather her school things. She puts her books, pencil case, and lunch box in her bag. Then she says goodbye to her family.

Yuki loves to cook with her mother. The Japanese kitchen smells wonderful.
Every evening, they make miso soup together. Yuki's mother shows her how to simmer the soup. This means to cook it slowly with small bubbles. You must not boil it too fast.
Yuki learns how to chop vegetables. She cuts carrots, onions, and tofu into small pieces. She uses a sharp knife carefully.
Her mother teaches her to season the food. This means adding salt, soy sauce, or miso paste. Good seasoning makes food delicious.
On special days, they make steamed dumplings. They put them in a bamboo basket. Then they steam the dumplings over hot water. The steam cooks the food gently.
When the food is ready, Yuki helps to serve it. She carries the bowls and plates to the table carefully. She always says "itadakimasu" before eating. This is a Japanese expression of thanks for the meal.

In Japan, the bath is very important. It is not just for cleaning. It is for relaxing.
Before you get into the bath, you must scrub your body. You sit on a small stool and wash yourself with soap and hot water. You clean every part of your body.
Then you rinse off all the soap. You pour clean water over yourself with a wooden bucket. Now you are clean.
Now you can soak in the bath. You step into the deep, hot water and relax. The water is very hot, about 42 degrees Celsius. Many Japanese people stay in the bath for a long time.
The bath is called "ofuro." The whole family uses the same bath water. So you must wash before you soak.
After the bath, Yuki gets ready for bed. She takes her futon from the closet and puts it on the tatami floor. She folds it out and places a pillow on top.
She must fold the futon away again in the morning. This is why Japanese rooms can be a bedroom at night and a living room in the day.

Today, Yuki's family has a special guest. A family friend is coming for tea.
When the guest arrives, Yuki's mother goes to the genkan to welcome her. She opens the door and smiles. She says "Irasshaimase," which means "Welcome to our home."
Yuki and her father bow to the guest. In Japan, people bow to show respect. A deeper bow shows more respect. Yuki bows carefully.
Her mother carries a tray to the living room. She puts a cup of green tea in front of the guest. She uses both hands. It is polite to use two hands when you give or receive something in Japan.
The guest brought a small gift. She holds it out with both hands and asks the family to accept it. Yuki's mother receives it with a bow and says thank you.
The guest wants to sit down. Yuki's father asks her to sit in the best seat. He uses a polite voice and gestures with his hand. He wants to offer her the most comfortable place.