03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

News Sport Weather Shop Earth Travel

Menu

In Depth Anthropology

The Japanese art of (not) sleeping

The Japanese dont sleep. They dont nap. They do inemuri. Dr Brigitte
Steger explains.

ByBrigitteSteger/ImagesbyAdrianStorey
6May2016

ThisstoryisfeaturedinBBCFuturesBestof2016collection.Discovermoreofourpicks.

TheJapanesedontsleep.ThisiswhateveryonetheJapaneseaboveallsay.Itsnottrue,
ofcourse.Butasaculturalandsociologicalstatement,itisveryinteresting.

IfirstencounteredtheseintriguingattitudestosleepduringmyfirststayinJapaninthelate
1980s.AtthattimeJapanwasatthepeakofwhatbecameknownastheBubbleEconomy,a
phaseofextraordinaryspeculativeboom.Dailylifewascorrespondinglyhectic.Peoplefilledtheir
scheduleswithworkandleisureappointments,andhadhardlyanytimetosleep.Thelifestyleof
thiseraisaptlysummedupbyawildlypopularadvertisingsloganofthetime,extollingthe
benefitsofanenergydrink.Canyoubattlethrough24hours?/Businessman!Businessman!
Japanesebusinessman!

Manyvoicedthecomplaint:WeJapanesearecrazytoworksomuch!Butinthesecomplaints
onedetectedasenseofprideatbeingmorediligentandthereforemorallysuperiortotherestof
humanity.Yet,atthesametime,Iobservedcountlesspeopledozingonundergroundtrainsduring
mydailycommute.Someevensleptwhilestandingup,andnooneappearedtobeatall
surprisedbythis.
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 1/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

AnthropologistBrigitteStegerhasfoundthatJapanesesocietytendstobemoretolerantofcatchingsleep
inpublicaconceptknownasinemuri(Credit:AdrianStorey/Uchujin)

Ifoundthisattitudecontradictory.Thepositiveimageoftheworkerbee,whocutsbackonsleepat
nightandfrownsonsleepinglateinthemorning,seemedtobeaccompaniedbyanextensive
toleranceofsocalledinemurinappingonpublictransportationandduringworkmeetings,
classesandlectures.Women,menandchildrenapparentlyhadlittleinhibitionaboutfallingasleep
whenandwherevertheyfeltlikedoingso.

Ifsleepinginabedorafutonwasconsideredasignoflaziness,thenwhywasntsleepingduring
aneventorevenatworkconsideredanevengreaterexpressionofindolence?Whatsensedidit
maketoallowchildrentostayuplateatnighttostudyifitmeantthattheywouldfallasleepduring
classthenextday?Theseimpressionsandapparentcontradictionsledtomymoreintensive
involvementwiththethemeofsleepformyPhDprojectseveralyearslater.

"
Sleepcanbeloadedwithavarietyofmeaningsandideologies

Initially,Ihadtofightagainstprejudiceaspeoplewerereluctanttoconsidersleepaserioustopic
foracademicenquiry.Ofcourse,itwaspreciselysuchattitudesthathadoriginallycaughtmy
attention.Sleepcanbeloadedwithavarietyofmeaningsandideologiesanalysingsleep
arrangementsandthediscourseonitrevealsattitudesandvaluesembeddedinthecontexts
inwhichsleepisorganisedanddiscussed.Inmyexperience,itistheeverydayandseemingly
naturaleventsuponwhichpeoplegenerallydonotreflectthatrevealessentialstructuresand
valuesofasociety.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 2/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Wetendtoassumethatsleeptraditionallycentredaroundtherisingandsettingofthesun,butdaily
rhythmshavealwaysbeenmorecomplicated(Credit:AdrianStorey/Uchujin)

Weoftenassumethatourancestorswenttobednaturallywhendarknessfellandrosewiththe
Sun.However,sleeptimeshaveneverbeensuchasimplematter,whetherinJapanor
elsewhere.Evenbeforetheinventionofelectriclight,thedocumentaryevidenceshowsthat
peoplewerescoldedforstayinguplateatnightforchatting,drinkingandotherformsofpleasure.
However,scholarsparticularlyyoungsamuraiwereconsideredhighlyvirtuousifthey
interruptedtheirsleeptostudy,eventhoughthispracticemaynothavebeenveryefficientasit
requiredoilfortheirlampsandoftenresultedinthemfallingasleepduringlectures.

Nappingishardlyeverdiscussedinhistoricalsourcesandseemstohavebeenwidelytakenfor
granted.Fallingasleepinpublictendstobeonlymentionedwhenthenapisthesourcefora
funnyanecdote,suchaswhensomeonejoinsinwiththewrongsongataceremony,unawarethat
theyhavesleptthroughmostofit.Peoplealsoseemtohaveenjoyedplayingtricksonfriendswho
hadinvoluntarilydozedoff.

"
Doctorsareadamantthatcosleepingwithchildrenwillhelp
themdevelopintoindependentandsociallystableadults

Earlyrising,ontheotherhand,hasclearlybeenpromotedasavirtue,atleastsincethe
introductionofConfucianismandBuddhism.Inantiquity,sourcesshowaspecialconcernforthe
workscheduleofcivilservants,butfromtheMiddleAgesonwards,earlyrisingwasappliedtoall

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 3/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

strataofsociety,withgoingtobedlateandrisingearlyusedasametaphortodescribea
virtuousperson.

Anotherinterestingissueiscosleeping.InBritain,parentsareoftentoldtheyshouldprovideeven
babieswithaseparateroomsothattheycanlearntobeindependentsleepers,thusestablishing
aregularsleepschedule.InJapan,bycontrast,parentsanddoctorsareadamantthatcosleeping
withchildrenuntiltheyareatleastatschoolagewillreassurethemandhelpthemdevelopinto
independentandsociallystableadults.

Thehabitof'inemuri'isconsideredquitedifferentfromsleepingatnight,oreventakingapowernap
(Credit:AdrianStorey/Uchujin)

MaybethisculturalnormhelpsJapanesepeopletosleepinthepresenceofothers,evenwhen
theyareadultsmanyJapanesesaytheyoftensleepbetterincompanythanalone.Suchan
effectcouldbeobservedinspring2011afterthehugetsunamidisasterdestroyedseveralcoastal
towns.Survivorshadtostayinevacuationshelters,wheredozensorevenhundredsofpeople
sharedthesamelivingandsleepingspace.Notwithstandingvariousconflictsandproblems,
survivorsdescribedhowsharingacommunalsleepingspaceprovidedsomecomfortandhelped
themtorelaxandregaintheirsleeprhythm.

"
Onacertainlevel,inemuriisnotconsideredsleepatall

However,thisexperienceofsleepinginthepresenceofothersaschildrenisnotsufficientonits
owntoexplainthewidespreadtoleranceofinemuri,especiallyatschoolandintheworkplace.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 4/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Aftersomeyearsofinvestigatingthissubject,Ifinallyrealisedthatonacertainlevel,inemuriis
notconsideredsleepatall.Notonlyisitseenasbeingdifferentfromnighttimesleepinbed,itis
alsovieweddifferentlyfromtakinganafternoonnaporpowernap.

Howcanwemakesenseofthis?Theclueliesinthetermitself,whichiscomposedoftwo
Chinesecharacters.Iwhichmeanstobepresentinasituationthatisnotsleepandnemuri
whichmeanssleep.ErvingGoffmansconceptofinvolvementwithinsocialsituationsisusefulI
thinkinhelpingusgraspthesocialsignificanceofinemuriandtherulessurroundingit.Through
ourbodylanguageandverbalexpressionsweareinvolvedtosomeextentineverysituationin
whichwearepresent.Wedo,however,havethecapacitytodivideourattentionintodominant
andsubordinateinvolvement.

Inthiscontext,inemuricanbeseenasasubordinateinvolvementwhichcanbeindulgedinas
longasitdoesnotdisturbthesocialsituationathandsimilartodaydreaming.Eventhoughthe
sleepermightbementallyaway,theyhavetobeabletoreturntothesocialsituationathand
whenactivecontributionisrequired.Theyalsohavetomaintaintheimpressionoffittinginwith
thedominantinvolvementbymeansofbodyposture,bodylanguage,dresscodeandthelike.

Businessmaysaytheyaresufferingfrom"anattackofthesleepdemon"(Credit:AdrianStorey/Uchujin)

Inemuriintheworkplaceisacaseinpoint.Inprinciple,attentivenessandactiveparticipation
areexpectedatwork,andfallingasleepcreatestheimpressionoflethargyandthatapersonis
shirkingtheirduties.However,itisalsoviewedastheresultofworkrelatedexhaustion.Itmaybe
excusedbythefactthatmeetingsareusuallylongandofteninvolvesimplylisteningtothechairs
reports.Theeffortmadetoattendisoftenvaluedmorethanwhatisactuallyachieved.Asone
informanttoldme:WeJapanesehavetheOlympicspiritparticipatingiswhatcounts.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 5/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Diligence,whichisexpressedbyworkinglonghoursandgivingonesall,ishighlyvaluedasa
positivemoraltraitinJapan.Someonewhomakestheefforttoparticipateinameetingdespite
beingexhaustedorilldemonstratesdiligence,asenseofresponsibilityandtheirwillingnessto
makeasacrifice.Byovercomingphysicalweaknessesandneeds,apersonbecomesmorallyand
mentallyfortifiedandisfilledwithpositiveenergy.Suchapersonisconsideredreliableandwill
bepromoted.If,intheend,theysuccumbtosleepduetoexhaustionoracoldoranotherhealth
problem,theycanbeexcusedandanattackofthesleepdemoncanbeheldresponsible.

"
Inemuriorevenfeigninginemuricanbeemployedasasign
thatapersonhasbeenworkinghard

Moreover,modestyisalsoahighlyvaluedvirtue.Therefore,itisnotpossibletoboastaboutones
owndiligenceandthiscreatestheneedforsubtlemethodstoachievesocialrecognition.Since
tirednessandillnessareoftenviewedastheresultofpreviousworkeffortsanddiligence,inemuri
orevenfeigninginemuribyclosingoneseyescanbeemployedasasignthatapersonhas
beenworkinghardbutstillhasthestrengthandmoralvirtuenecessarytokeepthemselvesand
theirfeelingsundercontrol.

Thus,theJapanesehabitofinemuridoesnotnecessarilyrevealatendencytowardslaziness.
Instead,itisaninformalfeatureofJapanesesociallifeintendedtoensuretheperformanceof
regulardutiesbyofferingawayofbeingtemporarilyawaywithintheseduties.Andsoitisclear:
theJapanesedontsleep.Theydontnap.Theydoinemuri.Itcouldnotbemoredifferent.

DrBrigitteSteger,SeniorLecturerinModernJapaneseStudies,UniversityofCambridge.This
piecewasfirstpublishedinCAM,theUniversityofCambridgesalumnimagazine.Readmore
fromCAMhere.

PhotographybyAdrianStoreyalsoknownasUchujin("Alien"inJapanese).BorninEngland,
StoreyiscurrentlybasedinTokyo,whereheworksasafilmmaker,editorandfreelance
photographer.

Join600,000+FuturefansbylikingusonFacebook,orfollowusonTwitter,Google+,LinkedIn
andInstagram.

Ifyoulikedthisstory,signupfortheweeklybbc.comfeaturesnewsletter,calledIfYouOnly
Read6ThingsThisWeek.AhandpickedselectionofstoriesfromBBCFuture,Earth,Culture,
Capital,TravelandAutos,deliveredtoyourinboxeveryFriday.
Share this article:

Related Stories
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 6/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Related Stories

In Depth

Theworld'smostextremesleeptalker
Thesecretsinonemansbizarrenightramblings

Sleep

In Depth

Thepeoplewhostoppedsleeping
Theterrifyingfateofpatientswith"fatalinsomnia"
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 7/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Theterrifyingfateofpatientswith"fatalinsomnia"

Sleep Humanbody Neuroscience

In Depth

Dosanddontsforrestfulsleep
Howtogetthrougharestlessnight

Sleep Psychology Brain

Health

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 8/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Thepeoplewhobarelysleep
Howtosurviveonfourhourspernight

Sleep Genetics Brain

The Best Of Future

ThesolarfarmthatdwarfsCentralPark

HowAfricaisdefiningtheenergyfutureoftheworld

Theshipsthatwecouldntlivewithout

Afleetofcolossalvesselskeeptheworldrunningwhatsitlikeonboard?

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 9/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Thesadfateofbeatingheartcorpses

Thebodycanliveonlongafteryouarepronounceddead

ThepilotwhostoleasecretSovietjet

Itwasadefectionthatshooktheworld

More amazing Future stories

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 10/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Future Now

TheimportanceofthePizzaPrinciple
Andotherwaysthatfastfoodrevealssecretsoftheeconomy

Economics

In Depth

ThehiddenmessagesofPeterPan
JMBarriesclassictaleoffersunexpectedinsightsintothehumanpsyche

Psychology Neuroscience Britain

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 11/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Future Now

HowVRhelpsMexicosdeadlieststate
Thepioneeringsurgeonusinganunlikelywaytorelievepain

Medicine

Personology

Thesecrettolivingameaningfullife
Yourambitionsdonotneedtobeconfinedbyyourpersonality

Psychology

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 12/13
03/02/2017 BBCFutureTheJapaneseartof(not)sleeping

Neurohacks

Whywontpeoplelistentoreason?
Theexplanationforwhypeopledisagreewithyou

Psychology

Taste of Tomorrow

Theexoticfoodsthattrickyou
Thefamousdishesthatarentwhattheyseem

Food

Around the BBC

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160506thejapaneseartofnotsleeping 13/13