American dining tables vs. Chabudai
In almost every traditional household in the world there is some form of what represents a dining room table, as the American culture has coined it. Specifically, in American culture there is sometimes a separate room that is dedicated to being the “dining room”. In this room regular or formal dinners might take place. It is the room where a family would gather for Thanksgiving dinner and have special plates and silverware that are only used for that occasion. The traditional tables used in this culture are meant to sit four to eight people at a time.
(Traditional American dining room table)
These tables are typically 28 through 30 inches high from the ground, having enough space to fit chairs, stools, or benches. This is the main difference from traditional Japanese dining tables.
(Scene from Japanese anime, Toradora, that shows the “chabudai”)
Since Japan is such a small country, their living spaces tend to be smaller also and, in an effort, to have less things or clutter in their homes, the Japanese have their dining tables, much like other furniture in their homes, lower to the ground. Japanese traditional homes have bamboo floor mats called tatami; these mats are all throughout the living spaces of the homes and people sit on them at their “dining tables”. These tables are called chabudai and are “short legged” tables.
(Scene from Japanese anime, Anohana, that shows how some homes have space below the table for a more “normal” sitting position)
In some Japanese homes the table sits like a coffee table, about half the size of a traditional American dining room table and just above the table. However, in other homes like in the picture shown above, there is space below the table so you can put your feet and legs into like you are sitting in a chair almost. A typical chabudai have pillows or cushions for people to sit on and they are always very comfortable. When it gets cold in Japanese homes, the kotatsu is used. This is a way people stay warm, there is a heat source under the table with a blanket or other heavy material in order to keep the heat in.
(An example of the kotatsu, that is used to keep warm)
Japanese people are seen as being more interdependent; they are a more relational people so it would make sense that they eat in a more informal way then in American culture. American dining room tables are sometimes seen as very formal and the opposite of relational. As mentioned before, Japan is a small country, so the living spaces are typically going to be small areas. Having furniture lower to the floor is seen as a way to save space.
http://www.iris-estrie.com/why-is-japanese-furniture-so-low/
https://www.animeimpulse.com/blog/2019/2/19/the-ultimate-guide-to-kotatsu-tables
