⛚ Rina Sawayama via Instagram Stories
big love to Sabrina ❤️ but fellow artists creative teams… if we are clearly referencing a culture please can you do so with the research, respect and care it deserves
Shoes on tatami is jail 😭
‣ 19•10•2025 pic.twitter.com/wRRfHpBOCK
— rina sawayama archive (@sawayamarchived) October 19, 2025
Over the weekend on Instagram Stories, Rina Sawayama shared a clip of Sabrina Carpenter’s SNL performance for “Nobody’s Son.” It had a martial arts theme while Carpenter sang wearing a short white robe and black belt as a dress, and background dancers acted out a fight sequence behind her.
Zooming in on the footwear of the background performers, Sawayama wrote, “Big love to Sabrina but fellow artists creative teams … if we are clearly referencing a culture, please can you do so with the research, respect and care it deserves.”
“Shoes on tatami is jail,” she added with a 😭 emoji.
Tatami is a traditional Japanese floor mat and according to Japanese etiquette, people should never wear shoes (or slippers) on it.