340
Japanese culture all the way! eto reason. also may dark side din about sa Japan culture
Food
I bet every one of you has heard about hot, comforting ramen soup, delicious sushi, world-famous tofu, tempura or sashimi. Japanese cuisine offers an abundance of gastronomical delights with a boundless variety of regional and seasonal dishes. Restaurants range from mobile food stands to centuries old ryotei, atmospheric drinking places, seasonal terraces over rivers, cheap chain shops and unique theme restaurants with ninja, manga and robots. One of the most amazing facts is how chefs are trained in their profession. Food for the Japanese is an art. Becoming an itamae (sushi chef) involves years of on-the-job training and apprenticeship. Ramen masters spend all their lives on perfecting their recipes. Special dishes prepared from fugu—poisonous puffer fish—require years of rigorous training. This is why expressing your appreciation and respect to the chef is so important for the Japanese, where even is a thing. As for drinks, the most common beverage is tea. Japanese teas are among the most exquisite. Tea pouring ritual is an essential tradition. We cannot forget about the well-known sake. It is the national beverage, made from fermented rice, and often served with special ceremony
Seasons
The country has four seasons and each of them has its own unique atmosphere. Summer is a time of festivals and the only opportunity to climb mount Fuji. Autumn is famous for its spectacular colours. Winters are usually sunny and dry. In some parts there are snow falls which add to the beauty of landscapes. After that, there comes spring with its alluring cherry blossoms! Seasonal influences can be seen in local cuisine as well. Some foods are found only during their particular growing period and Japanese people eagerly anticipate those specialties.
Respect, Courtesy and politeness
Japanese politeness is well known around the world. People are kind, modest and generous with their time. They would go out of their way to help lost tourists. Respect is one of the most valued virtues instilled in childhood. Children are taught to behave in a respectful, public-spirited way. In Japan every encounter, whether it is on a crowded train or a busy street is transacted with a degree of quiet courtesy. Collective good manners is what makes co-existing possible in this small country. Dutiful behaviour is also present in customer service and it is very genuine. Whether it is a local convenience store, small family-owned shop, luxury mall, restaurant or hotel, they would always make you feel supremely welcomed and valued. What is more they would never expect any reward because, believe it or not, tipping is considered rude in Japan.
Technology
We all know that Japan is way ahead of us when it comes to technology and electronics. From transportation, to hotels to entertainment, everything is better in Japan. It is like a whole other dimension, where intelligent technologies just make everyday life easier. Japanese toilets would create a background noise to cover any sounds that the user may make. Some of them also have a warm cleansing spray, self-warming seat and built-in water-saving sink. Super fast, clean, spacious bullet trains will cut your journey from nine hours to just three. Almost on every street, you can find vending machines offering all kinds of cold drinks and useful gadgets. There are innovative underground bicycle garages that would help to keep your bike safe, automatically opening taxi doors, touchscreen menus at upscale restaurants, popular game parlours (pachinko parlours) and more. Who among us do not dream of spending at least one day in this cosmic modern Japanese world?
Street fashion
Fashion in Tokyo knows no boundaries. You would be amazed and often surprised by what people dare to wear. There are numerous styles of street fashion in Japan. What is interesting is that each style has its own name and particular characteristics. One of the most recognizable is 'Lolita' (you can find gothic, punk, sweet, classic and even 'boy style' lolita) and Ganguro which typically includes brightly coloured outfits, mini-skirts, bleached hair, a deep tan, fake eyelashes, black and white eyeliner, bracelets, earrings, rings, necklaces and platform shoes. Some other examples are Gyaru- inspired by western fashion, school girl, manga, over accessorizing, glam rock, goth, fairy tale, childlike, natural, kimono...Do you want more? Try to spot other ones when walking the streets of main Japanese cities. After some time you will start classifying them yourself. Just enjoy this awesome fashion show and you might get some inspiration for your own closet.
Art
Japanese art is different from anything you have seen before. There is ancient pottery and sculpture. Japanese ceramics are among the finest in the world. I promise you would be delighted when you see traditional ink painting and calligraphy on silk and paper, ukiyo-e paintings and woodblock prints. The same goes for architecture. It is extraordinary and quite unlike the buildings you see in the western world. Buddhist shrines, gardens carefully designed to integrate into every season, Japanese style houses. Those sights stay in your memory long after visiting Japan. Other distinct art traditions are origami - the art of paper folding and ikebana - the art of flower arrangement. Japanese minimalism is something we can learn from. It has influenced many western designs. The latest form of art that made its way into international markets is manga - modern Japanese cartooning and comics. As you can see in Japanese art, there is something to choose from, for everyone.
Clean cities and Transport
We have a lot to learn from the Japanese when it comes to managing trash. Most foreigners who have visited Japan would always go on about how clean and orderly the cities, public spaces and houses are. How do they manage to keep everything so impeccable? It is a duty of everyone to keep their surroundings clean and the Japanese take this very seriously. People are raised to be mindful of the space where they live, due to their culture, putting more emphasis on the community over individuals. In Japan, students at school have their cleaning duties every day. It is really nice to see that people just do not litter. Companies march their employees out to pick up trash around the office. Each shopkeeper cleans the street in front of his store every day. Japan has great waste management and recycling policies. There is a famous small town Kamikatsu, which recycles 80% of their trash and is aiming for 100% in a near future!
Safety
Still hesitating about travelling solo around Japan? You can relax, because it is considered one of the safest countries you could visit. There is a noticeable difference between Japanese crime rates and western crime rates and we have a lot to catch up on. In 2014, a study by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development ranked Japan as "the safest country in the world." Japan's lack of crime makes headlines, impresses tourists, and provides a point of pride for the country. This might surprise you but the reason why common crime, especially crimes against property, are so rare in Japan, is the Japanese culture. Societal shame is a very powerful force. By doing something inappropriate you don't just shame yourself. You shame your family, friends and your community. That is why politeness and honesty are so valued in this society. It is usually female travellers who appreciate feeling secure when visiting Japan. As a tourist you do not need to worry about your bag or pockets. You can just relax and enjoy your trip.
Onsen or Hot Baths
Wash away your stress and worries in a Japanese onsen -- geothermally-heated public bath. Onsens can be located indoors or outdoors. The long tradition of using onsens comes from Buddhist monks who made it their ritual to wash away sins. Samurai used the waters to heal their battle wounds. They are important part of Japanese culture and a superb place to de-stress after a long day. Enjoying Japanese bath is a once in a lifetime experience. At first it might be a little intimidating, but with time you will appreciate its relaxing and healing properties. Immerse yourself in a hot water and unwind.
and eto naman ang dark side of culture ng Japan
Work - Life Balance
The rigidity and the long hours make for an often miserable work-life balance. A Japanese adult working life consists mostly of work interrupted by brief sleep. You rarely have time to talk to your spouse, no time to play with your children, no time or energy for hobbies, and no time to relax. Japanese workers are always in a rush, and to me it seems they often don’t really have a life. Of course, this does not apply to all Japanese, and some managed to find work that combines well with having a life, but many Japanese, especially office workers, are stuck in this rat race.
Japanese also have comparatively few vacation days, and use them even less. The average Japanese uses only seven of the eighteen vacation days every year. Seventeen percent of the workers take no holidays at all. The society sees taking holidays as abandoning the company, and how dare you take more than three days vacation in one row! There are many workers in Japan who would have accumulated hundreds of vacation days – except that they are usually voided above a certain number. Another example: A Japanese expat in Germany profusely apologized to his German colleagues for taking holiday, which resulted in hilarious laughter from the Germans, because there is nothing to apologize about.
Pressure to Fit in
Mix up any of these rules, and you look uncultivated and amateurish. And this is only a very small example of rigid Japanese social norms. Even Japanese who have lived abroad for a few years often have difficulty fitting back in. For example, one Japanese female I know who works for a Japanese company abroad needed one week merely to figure out what to wear to the office when visiting the Japanese head office. Even with a standard business suit, there are many variations that can make you the oddball-out. Another one who returned from decades abroad now finds it extremely difficult to live in Japan.
Japan sometimes feels like one big tea ceremony, where everything has to be in perfect conformity with the rules. As a foreigner you never really notice this pressure. If you don’t have a Japanese face or don’t speak Japanese, then you are already outside of the system, no matter what. Nobody expects a foreigner to know any of the rules, hence foreigners have a lot of liberty. In the big tea ceremony of Japan, foreigners are the Starbucks soy latte, and are exempt from (almost) all the rules. Just don’t litter, and keep the soap out of the public bathtub.
Yet, for Japanese this pressure is unforgiving, like a straitjacket on everything you do. There is almost no escape, especially when entering working life. The peer pressure is enormous. Many Japanese who go abroad never want to return home due to the restrictive society and very stressful work life. In Japan there is also the social phenomenon of hikkikomori or extreme social withdrawal, where a person just doesn’t leave their room for months, having their parents care for them instead. Supposedly there are 700,000 people with this problem in Japan, some staying indoors for twenty years, simply because they can’t deal with the pressure of Japanese society.
Stress due to work ,,, etc..
Death from overwork and work-related stress is so common that there is even a Japanese word for it: Karoshi. The death is usually through a heart attack, stroke, or suicide. As an example, a twenty-four-year-old female employee killed herself after having depression most likely caused by the 105 hours of overtime in the preceding month.
Work is so present in Japan that many don’t even know what to do if they have some time off. Many retired people keep on working since they don’t know what else to do. Divorce rates increase since the spouses never learned to live together or talk with each other.
I find this sad, as Japan would have all the ingredients for a happy society: peace, stability, economic prosperity, health, etc. However, the long working hours and the internal constraints of society make it a pretty miserable work life. Yet, the long work hours would not really be needed, since productivity does not suffer if you reduce work hours to a (for Westerners) more normal level. Relaxed and well-rested workers are much more productive. I can tell you from my own experience that working long hours reduces productivity enormously. Yet, the long work hours in the office in Japan are often spent at the water cooler or reading the newspaper.
Government Activities
The government recognizes these problems, to some extent, and tries to work against them. There are laws limiting overtime to 45 hours per month and 360 per year, but they are only slowly being enforced. The average overtime is also only slowly coming down. Relatives of deceased workers also now find it easier to file for damages due to death from overwork.
Yet, this initiative did not work well. Many people simply did not know what to do with their free time (since they haven’t really had any before), and hence some bosses told everybody that they need to go to the nomikai drinking party at 15:00 rather than 20:00 or 22:00. In any case, “Premium Friday” is now pretty much ignored.
Overall, Japanese society blocks itself from happiness, and the government’s actions change it only slowly. Of course, not everybody in Japan is depressed. There is also lots of happiness. However, overall the workplace makes it a bit more difficult to be happy than most other countries.
Appendix: Japanese Business Card Etiquette for Beginners
Food
I bet every one of you has heard about hot, comforting ramen soup, delicious sushi, world-famous tofu, tempura or sashimi. Japanese cuisine offers an abundance of gastronomical delights with a boundless variety of regional and seasonal dishes. Restaurants range from mobile food stands to centuries old ryotei, atmospheric drinking places, seasonal terraces over rivers, cheap chain shops and unique theme restaurants with ninja, manga and robots. One of the most amazing facts is how chefs are trained in their profession. Food for the Japanese is an art. Becoming an itamae (sushi chef) involves years of on-the-job training and apprenticeship. Ramen masters spend all their lives on perfecting their recipes. Special dishes prepared from fugu—poisonous puffer fish—require years of rigorous training. This is why expressing your appreciation and respect to the chef is so important for the Japanese, where even is a thing. As for drinks, the most common beverage is tea. Japanese teas are among the most exquisite. Tea pouring ritual is an essential tradition. We cannot forget about the well-known sake. It is the national beverage, made from fermented rice, and often served with special ceremony
Seasons
The country has four seasons and each of them has its own unique atmosphere. Summer is a time of festivals and the only opportunity to climb mount Fuji. Autumn is famous for its spectacular colours. Winters are usually sunny and dry. In some parts there are snow falls which add to the beauty of landscapes. After that, there comes spring with its alluring cherry blossoms! Seasonal influences can be seen in local cuisine as well. Some foods are found only during their particular growing period and Japanese people eagerly anticipate those specialties.
Respect, Courtesy and politeness
Japanese politeness is well known around the world. People are kind, modest and generous with their time. They would go out of their way to help lost tourists. Respect is one of the most valued virtues instilled in childhood. Children are taught to behave in a respectful, public-spirited way. In Japan every encounter, whether it is on a crowded train or a busy street is transacted with a degree of quiet courtesy. Collective good manners is what makes co-existing possible in this small country. Dutiful behaviour is also present in customer service and it is very genuine. Whether it is a local convenience store, small family-owned shop, luxury mall, restaurant or hotel, they would always make you feel supremely welcomed and valued. What is more they would never expect any reward because, believe it or not, tipping is considered rude in Japan.
Technology
We all know that Japan is way ahead of us when it comes to technology and electronics. From transportation, to hotels to entertainment, everything is better in Japan. It is like a whole other dimension, where intelligent technologies just make everyday life easier. Japanese toilets would create a background noise to cover any sounds that the user may make. Some of them also have a warm cleansing spray, self-warming seat and built-in water-saving sink. Super fast, clean, spacious bullet trains will cut your journey from nine hours to just three. Almost on every street, you can find vending machines offering all kinds of cold drinks and useful gadgets. There are innovative underground bicycle garages that would help to keep your bike safe, automatically opening taxi doors, touchscreen menus at upscale restaurants, popular game parlours (pachinko parlours) and more. Who among us do not dream of spending at least one day in this cosmic modern Japanese world?
Street fashion
Fashion in Tokyo knows no boundaries. You would be amazed and often surprised by what people dare to wear. There are numerous styles of street fashion in Japan. What is interesting is that each style has its own name and particular characteristics. One of the most recognizable is 'Lolita' (you can find gothic, punk, sweet, classic and even 'boy style' lolita) and Ganguro which typically includes brightly coloured outfits, mini-skirts, bleached hair, a deep tan, fake eyelashes, black and white eyeliner, bracelets, earrings, rings, necklaces and platform shoes. Some other examples are Gyaru- inspired by western fashion, school girl, manga, over accessorizing, glam rock, goth, fairy tale, childlike, natural, kimono...Do you want more? Try to spot other ones when walking the streets of main Japanese cities. After some time you will start classifying them yourself. Just enjoy this awesome fashion show and you might get some inspiration for your own closet.
Art
Japanese art is different from anything you have seen before. There is ancient pottery and sculpture. Japanese ceramics are among the finest in the world. I promise you would be delighted when you see traditional ink painting and calligraphy on silk and paper, ukiyo-e paintings and woodblock prints. The same goes for architecture. It is extraordinary and quite unlike the buildings you see in the western world. Buddhist shrines, gardens carefully designed to integrate into every season, Japanese style houses. Those sights stay in your memory long after visiting Japan. Other distinct art traditions are origami - the art of paper folding and ikebana - the art of flower arrangement. Japanese minimalism is something we can learn from. It has influenced many western designs. The latest form of art that made its way into international markets is manga - modern Japanese cartooning and comics. As you can see in Japanese art, there is something to choose from, for everyone.
Clean cities and Transport
We have a lot to learn from the Japanese when it comes to managing trash. Most foreigners who have visited Japan would always go on about how clean and orderly the cities, public spaces and houses are. How do they manage to keep everything so impeccable? It is a duty of everyone to keep their surroundings clean and the Japanese take this very seriously. People are raised to be mindful of the space where they live, due to their culture, putting more emphasis on the community over individuals. In Japan, students at school have their cleaning duties every day. It is really nice to see that people just do not litter. Companies march their employees out to pick up trash around the office. Each shopkeeper cleans the street in front of his store every day. Japan has great waste management and recycling policies. There is a famous small town Kamikatsu, which recycles 80% of their trash and is aiming for 100% in a near future!
Safety
Still hesitating about travelling solo around Japan? You can relax, because it is considered one of the safest countries you could visit. There is a noticeable difference between Japanese crime rates and western crime rates and we have a lot to catch up on. In 2014, a study by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development ranked Japan as "the safest country in the world." Japan's lack of crime makes headlines, impresses tourists, and provides a point of pride for the country. This might surprise you but the reason why common crime, especially crimes against property, are so rare in Japan, is the Japanese culture. Societal shame is a very powerful force. By doing something inappropriate you don't just shame yourself. You shame your family, friends and your community. That is why politeness and honesty are so valued in this society. It is usually female travellers who appreciate feeling secure when visiting Japan. As a tourist you do not need to worry about your bag or pockets. You can just relax and enjoy your trip.
Onsen or Hot Baths
Wash away your stress and worries in a Japanese onsen -- geothermally-heated public bath. Onsens can be located indoors or outdoors. The long tradition of using onsens comes from Buddhist monks who made it their ritual to wash away sins. Samurai used the waters to heal their battle wounds. They are important part of Japanese culture and a superb place to de-stress after a long day. Enjoying Japanese bath is a once in a lifetime experience. At first it might be a little intimidating, but with time you will appreciate its relaxing and healing properties. Immerse yourself in a hot water and unwind.
and eto naman ang dark side of culture ng Japan
Work - Life Balance
The rigidity and the long hours make for an often miserable work-life balance. A Japanese adult working life consists mostly of work interrupted by brief sleep. You rarely have time to talk to your spouse, no time to play with your children, no time or energy for hobbies, and no time to relax. Japanese workers are always in a rush, and to me it seems they often don’t really have a life. Of course, this does not apply to all Japanese, and some managed to find work that combines well with having a life, but many Japanese, especially office workers, are stuck in this rat race.
Japanese also have comparatively few vacation days, and use them even less. The average Japanese uses only seven of the eighteen vacation days every year. Seventeen percent of the workers take no holidays at all. The society sees taking holidays as abandoning the company, and how dare you take more than three days vacation in one row! There are many workers in Japan who would have accumulated hundreds of vacation days – except that they are usually voided above a certain number. Another example: A Japanese expat in Germany profusely apologized to his German colleagues for taking holiday, which resulted in hilarious laughter from the Germans, because there is nothing to apologize about.
Pressure to Fit in
Mix up any of these rules, and you look uncultivated and amateurish. And this is only a very small example of rigid Japanese social norms. Even Japanese who have lived abroad for a few years often have difficulty fitting back in. For example, one Japanese female I know who works for a Japanese company abroad needed one week merely to figure out what to wear to the office when visiting the Japanese head office. Even with a standard business suit, there are many variations that can make you the oddball-out. Another one who returned from decades abroad now finds it extremely difficult to live in Japan.
Japan sometimes feels like one big tea ceremony, where everything has to be in perfect conformity with the rules. As a foreigner you never really notice this pressure. If you don’t have a Japanese face or don’t speak Japanese, then you are already outside of the system, no matter what. Nobody expects a foreigner to know any of the rules, hence foreigners have a lot of liberty. In the big tea ceremony of Japan, foreigners are the Starbucks soy latte, and are exempt from (almost) all the rules. Just don’t litter, and keep the soap out of the public bathtub.
Yet, for Japanese this pressure is unforgiving, like a straitjacket on everything you do. There is almost no escape, especially when entering working life. The peer pressure is enormous. Many Japanese who go abroad never want to return home due to the restrictive society and very stressful work life. In Japan there is also the social phenomenon of hikkikomori or extreme social withdrawal, where a person just doesn’t leave their room for months, having their parents care for them instead. Supposedly there are 700,000 people with this problem in Japan, some staying indoors for twenty years, simply because they can’t deal with the pressure of Japanese society.
Stress due to work ,,, etc..
Death from overwork and work-related stress is so common that there is even a Japanese word for it: Karoshi. The death is usually through a heart attack, stroke, or suicide. As an example, a twenty-four-year-old female employee killed herself after having depression most likely caused by the 105 hours of overtime in the preceding month.
Work is so present in Japan that many don’t even know what to do if they have some time off. Many retired people keep on working since they don’t know what else to do. Divorce rates increase since the spouses never learned to live together or talk with each other.
I find this sad, as Japan would have all the ingredients for a happy society: peace, stability, economic prosperity, health, etc. However, the long working hours and the internal constraints of society make it a pretty miserable work life. Yet, the long work hours would not really be needed, since productivity does not suffer if you reduce work hours to a (for Westerners) more normal level. Relaxed and well-rested workers are much more productive. I can tell you from my own experience that working long hours reduces productivity enormously. Yet, the long work hours in the office in Japan are often spent at the water cooler or reading the newspaper.
Government Activities
The government recognizes these problems, to some extent, and tries to work against them. There are laws limiting overtime to 45 hours per month and 360 per year, but they are only slowly being enforced. The average overtime is also only slowly coming down. Relatives of deceased workers also now find it easier to file for damages due to death from overwork.
Yet, this initiative did not work well. Many people simply did not know what to do with their free time (since they haven’t really had any before), and hence some bosses told everybody that they need to go to the nomikai drinking party at 15:00 rather than 20:00 or 22:00. In any case, “Premium Friday” is now pretty much ignored.
Overall, Japanese society blocks itself from happiness, and the government’s actions change it only slowly. Of course, not everybody in Japan is depressed. There is also lots of happiness. However, overall the workplace makes it a bit more difficult to be happy than most other countries.
Appendix: Japanese Business Card Etiquette for Beginners
- When to give another person your business card: At the beginning of the first meeting, but initiated by the higher rank. It becomes more complicated if you are a bigger group with different ranks. Yet there are also exceptions where the lower rank offers it first to show humility.
- How to give it: With two hands, each hand holding a corner on the longer side. Do not cover logos or text with your fingers. There is a slightly different protocol if you receive a card at the same time.
- Which side to face up: Japanese character side in the correct orientation so the other can read it, unless it is a foreigner, in which case the Latin letter side is facing up.
- What to say: Standard phrase giving your name and company, standard phrase thanking for the card.
- Body posture and movement: Of course you bow while doing it, opening up the completely new social norm of bowing (angle, duration, etc., depending on the social status).
- What to do next: The card is put in front of you on the table for the duration of the meeting, and treated with uttermost care.
- Where to store the card: The only acceptable place to store the card after the meeting is the business card holder. Never put it in your wallet, or – omygosh – sit on it in your wallet.
- Absolute no-no’s: Never ever write on the card of the other person. You may as well write on his face. Do not bend the card. In fact, always treat it with uttermost respect.