Gong Me Not

Most Japanese households have gongs inside their houses. When I was visiting my aunt in Tokyo I noticed that during meals she bangs the gong to call on my cousins who were kids back then to prepare and get ready to eat. I vividly remember my cousins marching out their rooms, go straight to wash their hands and sit politely on the tatami mat. I find it an unusually odd practice because it sounds so ceremonial and cold. The sound of the gong reverberates and seeps through your skin. It was as if we were going to take the communion rather than a feast. It was a different kind of experience and truly very unforgettable. That simple household routine shows how culturally different the westerners are from our eastern brothers.