We never had the space, but now we do!

我們從來沒有這樣的空間，但現在我們有了!

So we're going to buy our first one!

所以我們要買我們的第一個!

It's going to be in our tatami room and we're going to let the kids do homework on it and play on it and stuff so...

它將被放在我們的榻榻米房間裡，我們將讓孩子們在上面做作業，在上面玩耍，所以......。

Here's to foreigners trying to buy their first Kotatsu table.

為試圖購買第一張小松桌的外國人乾杯。

[Life in Japan Theme Song]

[生活在日本的主題曲]。

So a Katatsu table, for all my foreign relatives and friends,

是以，為我所有的外國親戚和朋友準備了一張片子桌。

It's a table low to the ground—actually they have tall ones too, but most of them are low

這是一張低矮的桌子--實際上他們也有高的桌子，但大多數都是低的。

It's got a heater underneath it and then you cover it with blankets

它下面有一個加熱器，然後你用毯子覆蓋它。

And you sit under the blankets like this

而你像這樣坐在毛毯下

Ah! You go under there and the heaters on...

啊！你到下面去，加熱器開著......

And pretty much you just hibernate all winter.

而且幾乎你整個冬天都在冬眠。

This show the underside of the table

這顯示了桌子的底面

So there's a controller to control how much heat you have

所以有一個控制器來控制你有多少熱量

And then the heater underneath which keeps everything nice and warm.

然後下面的加熱器使一切都保持良好和溫暖。

This will be really fun to try this winter.

今年冬天，這將是非常有趣的嘗試。

Nice looking, isn't it?

看起來不錯，不是嗎？

Oh that one's so... oh! I like the grey with it.

哦，那個太......哦！我喜歡灰色的搭配。

With the grey or is it blue? It's kind of blueish gray, huh?

用灰色還是藍色？它是一種藍色的灰色，是吧？

And now for the rug that will go under it all.

現在是要在這一切之下鋪上地毯。

I think we figured out what size we want.

我想我們想出了我們想要的尺寸。

I just don't know.. which one.

我只是不知道......哪一個。

This is the nice thing about having a van — is to be able to load up the purchases and take them on back.

這就是擁有一輛麵包車的好處--能夠裝上購買的東西並把它們帶回去。

Alright, we've got our purchases...

好了，我們已經得到了我們的採購...

Sarah's going to scooter those purchases on over

薩拉要把這些購買的東西滑行過去。

Momma chan's got hers there,

陳媽媽把她的放在那裡。

And Daddy's got his

而爸爸有他的

Oh yea. Woo whoo Sarah!

哦，是的。Woo whoo Sarah!

We just moved into this apartment, and the kids entered into new schools.

我們剛剛搬進這個公寓，孩子們進入了新的學校。

So many changes at once is not easy,

一下子發生這麼多變化並不容易。

but one of the benefits to our move is the extra room we picked up in the process

但我們搬家的好處之一是我們在這個過程中獲得了額外的空間。

— a traditional Japanese tatami room, perfect for a Kotatsu table.

- 一個傳統的日本榻榻米房間，非常適合擺放小松桌。

I wonder if I should put my rug down first.

我不知道我是否應該先把我的地毯放下。

Yes, definitely

是的，當然

Let me vacuum.

讓我吸塵。

OK!

好的!

First, the rug!

首先是地毯!

I'm going to do it this way.

我打算這樣做。

Oh yea.

哦，是的。

So many of our Japanese friends warned us about Kotatsu, saying once you get one, you will never want to get out of it.

我們的許多日本朋友提醒我們注意小松，說一旦你得到一個，你將永遠不想離開它。

We think the kids will love it and will make for the perfect surprise when they get home from school today.

我們認為孩子們會喜歡它，當他們今天從學校回家時，會成為一個完美的驚喜。

It's Becca & Anna's first day at their new junior-high school, so they might need an extra pick-me-up for when they get home.

這是貝卡和安娜在新的國中學校的第一天，所以他們回家後可能需要一個額外的提神劑。

Oh that rug is soft.

哦，那塊地毯很柔軟。

We hope this will do the trick.

我們希望這能起到作用。

Let there be Kotatsu!

讓我們來看看小松吧!

How long has it been that you've wanted a Kotatsu table? A long time...

你想要一張小松桌有多長時間了？很久了...

My friend Yoshiko offered me one and I almost took it

我的朋友Yoshiko給了我一個，我差點就接受了。

But it just would not have fit in our house.

但它在我們的房子裡是不合適的。

Our old house

我們的老房子

But now that we have a 4LDK and we have space,

但現在我們有了4LDK，我們有了空間。

And one of them is a tatami room even,

而其中一個甚至是一個榻榻米房間。

Perfect. Perfect.

完美。完美。

It's meant to be.

這是命中註定的。

Instructions because I have no clue what I'm doing.

說明，因為我不知道自己在做什麼。

Oh, here's the heater part so this is the bottom.

哦，這裡是加熱器的部分，所以這是底部。

Oh yep — under the table.

哦，是的--在桌子下面。

I need to screw these onto the legs.

我需要把這些東西擰到腿上。

We're going to need some tools. Let me get a screwdriver.

我們將需要一些工具。讓我拿一把螺絲刀。

Hard to think of using a heater on a day like today, but soon enough.

在今天這樣的日子裡很難想到要用暖氣，但很快就會有了。

I wonder if that says point in or point out.

我不知道這句話說的是點進去還是點出來。

Man, they could use some English instructions.

夥計，他們可以使用一些英語說明。

Take the power cord, leg bolts and hexagon wrench from the packing box.

從包裝箱中取出電源線、腳螺栓和六角扳手。

OK, number 2.

好的，第2個。

Place your feet on a horizontal surface.

將你的腳放在一個水準面上。

These are the feet.

這些是腳。

Align the leg screw holes with the inside of the table.

將腿部螺絲孔與桌子內部對齊。

Align the screw holes in the middle plate with the screw holes on the legs.

將中板上的螺絲孔與腿上的螺絲孔對齊。

Insert the leg mounting bolts from the top

從頂部插入腿部安裝螺栓

And tighten with a hexagonal wrench.

並用六角扳手緊固。

Oh my, we're going to need a wrench!

哦，我的天，我們將需要一個扳手!

No, it's one of those IKEA-looking things.

不，它是那種看起來像宜家的東西。

Oh, OK.

哦，好的。

I got it!

我知道了!

Ok, so we lifted the table onto the two legs,

好了，我們把桌子抬到兩條腿上。

And now bolt. That's right.

而現在是螺栓。這就對了。

I helped the wife, a.k.a. girlfriend...

我幫助妻子，也就是女朋友......。

I am the wife.

我是妻子。

I'm the wife, I'm the chef, I'm the cleaner...

我是妻子，我是廚師，我是清潔工......

I'm the washer... I'm the homework maker/keeper/teacher

我是洗衣機...我是家庭作業的製作者/保管者/教師

I'm a bunch of stuff.

我是一堆東西。

You're the Free Bird.

你是自由之鳥。

I'm a Free Bird!

我是一隻自由的鳥!

That was a special gift from someone in Brazil.

那是來自巴西某人的特殊禮物。

So far, so good.

到目前為止，一切都很好。

Easy.

容易。

Usually Nitori products are much easier to put together than IKEA.

通常，NITORI的產品比宜家的產品更容易拼裝。

They have 3 steps instead of 20.

他們有3個步驟，而不是20個。

He does work, folks.

他確實在工作，夥計們。

Yes, I asked Ruth to videotape — videotape?! What year is this?

是的，我讓露絲錄影--錄影？今年是什麼年？

To record me doing this so you can see that I do help too.

把我做這些事的過程記錄下來，這樣你就可以看到我也在幫忙。

When it's a two-person job usually then it just doesn't get recorded.

當它是一個兩個人的工作時，通常就不會被記錄下來。

But it is Ruth who, if she could have her dream house, I think there would be a wood-working shop in it.

但是，是露絲，如果她能擁有她的夢想之家，我想裡面會有一個木材加工廠。

Is that correct, Ruth? That is correct.

這樣說對嗎，露絲？是的，沒錯。

Sarah would work with you in it, I'm sure.

莎拉會和你一起工作的，我相信。

So would the girls

女孩們也會

So the top piece of wood sits on top of this with the blanket sandwiched in-between it.

是以，最上面的那塊木頭就放在這上面，中間夾著毯子。

And then a heater cranking, and you're sitting on a nice warm rug underneath!

然後一個暖氣片搖動，你就坐在下面一個漂亮的溫暖的地毯上了!

Make room for Daddy!

給爸爸騰出空間!

I think you did yours way tighter than I did mine.

我認為你做的比我做的要緊。

OK.

好的。

Plugged in.

插上了電源。

Oh I think this screws into the Kotatsu table.

哦，我想這是擰在小松桌上的。

A little zip-tie action happening here.

這裡發生了一個小小的拉鍊動作。

Let's get the blanky, the kotatsu futon.

讓我們拿著毯子，小松被褥。

We got the "warm." They have a "super warm."

我們得到了 "溫暖"。他們有一個 "超級溫暖"。

And we ain't never putting it back in this box.

我們不會再把它放回這個盒子裡。

Get it out before it's dead!

在它死掉之前把它弄出來!

Oh, it's beautiful!

哦，太美了!

It is pretty.

它是漂亮的。

And you buy it according to the size of your Kotatsu table.

而且你要根據你的小松桌的尺寸來購買。

So they have these specific sizes for it.

是以，他們有這些特定的尺寸供其使用。

Ooh!

哦!

It's even prettier than I remember!

它比我記憶中的還要漂亮！"。

Wow! Let's put the board on top. Here we go.

哇哦!讓我們把板子放在上面。在這裡，我們走了。

Does it matter which way? No.

哪種方式有關係嗎？不重要。

It's nice because when there's not Kotatsu on top of it, it does screw it in.

這很好，因為當上面沒有小松的時候，它確實把它擰進去了。

Yea, that is nice.

是的，這很好。

All of our phones are like [chiming sound]

我們所有的手機都像[報時聲]。

OK, Ruth's going to try it out. First time!

好了，露絲要去試試。第一次!

Oh yea Baby.

哦，是的，寶貝。

When it's cold outside... this is nice.

當外面很冷的時候......這很好。

Oh how cool is that?!

哦，那是多麼酷的一件事啊!

I think the kids are going to dig this.

我認為孩子們會喜歡這個。

And it can also be used as a normal table, so we're going to show what that is like here.

它也可以作為一個普通的表格使用，所以我們將在這裡展示它是什麼樣子。

That piece just slides off,

那一塊就這樣滑下來了。

The blanket pulls up,

毯子拉起來了。

And then that goes down

然後，這就變成了

And you can screw in the bottom part.

而且你可以把底部的部分擰進去。

Nice.

不錯。

And this side too

這一邊也是

Now we are switching the big old ugly lamp for a new one that we bought

現在，我們正在把那個醜陋的大燈換成我們買的新燈。

Which will go right above here.

這將在這裡的正上方。

This is a light.

這是一盞燈。

The table was done, but before we could finish the rest of the room, the girls got home from school. What would they think?

桌子完成了，但在我們完成房間的其他部分之前，女孩們從學校回家了。她們會怎麼想？

Hi!

你好!

How are you?

你好嗎？

Is that a kotatsu?

那是一個Kotatsu嗎？

Yea but I took the Kotatsu part off for right now

是的，但我現在把Kotatsu的部分拿掉了。

You're not going to put it up higher Nate?

你不打算把它放在更高的位置上，內特？

It's coming down.

它要下來了。

I turned it on and nothing.

我把它打開，什麼也沒有。

Pull it.

拉開它。

Whoa! But it pulls the light down.

哇!但它把光拉下來了。

It pulled the light down? Yea, it did.

它把燈拉下來了？是的，就是這樣。

Looks like Daddy didn't quite install it 100%.

看起來爸爸並沒有100%地安裝它。

Well what do you think Anna cakes?

那麼你覺得安娜蛋糕怎麼樣？

It's really Tatami-ish

這真的是榻榻米式的。

Even the light, don't look at the light.

即使是光，也不要看光。

Daddy got it up, Daddy fixed it.

爸爸把它弄起來，爸爸把它修好。

I have barley tea, I'm going to get my barley tea.

我有大麥茶，我去拿我的大麥茶。

Oh, it's right here.

哦，它就在這裡。

That's barley tea in there? Yea.

那裡面是大麥茶？是的。

OK, now I have to sit "real-ish"

好了，現在我必須 "真實地 "坐下來了

Oh, very proper.

哦，非常合適。

Very good.

非常好。

We were looking forward to seeing how Joshua and Sarah would react to the surprise,

我們期待著看到約書亞和薩拉對這個驚喜的反應。

but before that, we wanted to hear how the first day of the new school went.

但在此之前，我們想聽聽新學校的第一天是如何進行的。

Becca, how was your first day of school?

貝卡，你上學的第一天過得怎麼樣？

Did anything stand out?

有什麼突出表現嗎？

Yes, our school is huge.

是的，我們的學校很大。

And there's a pool that's on the third floor

還有一個游泳池，在三樓。

A pool on the third floor!

在三樓有一個游泳池!

And the gymnasium is on 2.5 floor.

體育館在2.5樓。

Kind of — it's in-between, kind of, a floor.

算是--它是介於兩者之間的，有點像，一個樓層。

Interesting.

有趣的是。

Did your shoes fit you ok? Yea.

你的鞋子合適嗎？

Your backpacks are ok? Yea.

你的揹包還好嗎？是的。

Did you like them?

你喜歡它們嗎？

Soon, Joshua and Sarah were home and this time we were ready to properly reveal the surprise.

很快，約書亞和莎拉回家了，這一次我們準備適當地揭開驚喜。

Here comes the homework!

作業來了!

The homework crew!

作業組!

What?

什麼？

You're going to have to open it up, OK Sarah?

你得把它打開，好嗎，莎拉？

Wait, I want to wait for Joshua.

等等，我想等約書亞。

Joshua!

約書亞！

3, 2, 1

3, 2, 1

[Singing] It's a place where you do your homework... It's a place where you do your homework...

[唱]這是一個你做功課的地方這是一個你做功課的地方... ...

No Joshua, you're right where Anna is.

沒有約書亞，你就在安娜所在的地方。

Anna go back to your spot so he can sit where he's supposed to.

安娜回到你的位置上，這樣他就可以坐在他應該坐的地方。

The best thing about the school is that it's only like a 5 minutes walk — to me.

學校最好的一點是，對我來說只有5分鐘的路程。

That is so much closer

那是如此的接近

OK guys, homework time. Here we go!

好了，夥計們，家庭作業時間。我們來了

Kotatsu is a Japanese winter tradition,

Kotatsu是日本的一項冬季傳統。

and for the full experience we'll have to wait until it gets cold, put on the blanket and turn on the heater.

為了獲得完整的體驗，我們必須等到天氣變冷，蓋上毯子，打開暖氣。

And for the perfect Kotatsu snack, look no further than some winter tangerines.

而對於完美的Kotatsu小吃來說，沒有什麼比一些冬季的橘子更重要了。

We're looking forward to incorporating this into our family culture.

我們期待著將其納入我們的家庭文化。

Next time on Life in Japan

下一次是在日本的生活

As Fall comes to Tokyo, we get to enjoy Kotatsu just like it was meant to be

秋天來到東京，我們可以享受小松的樂趣，就像它本來的樣子。

as our family begins to settle in to our new home.

當我們的家庭開始安頓在我們的新家時。

A new adventure begins as I head off with some friends to the highest bus stop in all of Japan.

新的冒險開始了，我和一些朋友前往全日本最高的巴士站。

From there we make a cold ascent to one of Japan's tallest peaks.

從那裡，我們進行了一次寒冷的攀登，前往日本最高的山峰之一。

Subscribe and don't miss the next Life in Japan.

訂閱，不要錯過下一期《生活在日本》。