The surprising truth of bars on windows

I remember when I first came to Japan, I was quite taken aback by the unsightly bars on the windows of kitchens, bathrooms and toilets. I assumed they were for crime prevention. In fact, all these years I have assumed they were crime prevention. I was today years old when I learned they are actually for safety!

Because I thought they were for crime prevention, they made sense. They are the rooms that you need to leave the windows open most for air flow and ventilation. And it seemed a logical, if unattractive, way to be able to do that. However, it crossed my mind today, that maybe the bars on the window were to keep animals. rather than burglars, out. Seen as Japan has a large amount of wild animals that could be tempted to enter the house for food. So I decided to look it up! 

Well, as it turns out, neither are correct. The real reason for bars on the window in Japan is building code! Japan's building code strongly encourages (and in some cases requires) fall prevention measures for windows above a certain height. This is to prevent people falling out! Bars are the simplest, cheapest and most durable solution.