Why do Japanese send postcards in Autumn and Summer?

"The middle of July in Japan is called Risshū (立秋), which is

the start of Autumn (usually around the 7th or 8th of August),

during this time many people send friends, customers and 

acquaintances, what is known as a Shochū Mimai (暑中見舞

い) or a Midsummer greeting card.







Postcards which are sent after Risshū are called 

Zansho Mimai (残暑見舞い), which is a late summer greeting.

These can be sent until mid-September.




When writing a postcard during these times it is customary to

include greeting phrases such as

暑中見舞い・Shochū Mimai

残暑見舞い申し上げます

(shochū mimai / zansho mimai moushi agemasu)

at the beginning of the letter"

Source: Friends of Japan newsletter







#japanesecustomer #postcard #autumn #summer #greetings #communication #relationships #japaneseculture

Video: Tokyo Rainy Night Walk in Shinjuku

 

Video: Tokyo Rainy Night Walk in Shinjuku 

Source: Virtual Japan You Tube  

#japanesecustomer #tokyo #rain #night #walk #places #destination #video #4k #japan

 

Bizu are one of the most popular bands in Japan you have never heard of!

https://youtu.be/FwP0I7-jEw0

Source: You Tube

" B'z (ビーズ, pronounced Bīzu) is a Japanese rock duo consisting of guitarist, composer and producer Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto and vocalist and lyricist Koshi Inaba, known for their energetic hard rock tracks and pop rock ballads.

They are one of the best-selling music artists in the world and the best-selling in their native Japan, having released 49 consecutive No. 1 singles, 25 No. 1 albums, and 3 No. 1 EPs on the Oricon music charts, and have sold more than 100 million records worldwide."

One of there top selling singles is 

"Even if Love is Selfish, You're the Only One I Won't Hurt" (Japanese) 

                                      https://youtu.be/FwP0I7-jEw0

Source: Wikipedia

Japanese customers love coffee making them worlds 3rd largest consumers

 

Picture: Japanese pre-made coffee in a bottle - amazing!

"Japan drinks a lot of coffee. You may think it’s a tea-drinking country, but coffee consumption is off the charts. In 2021, Japan consumed 433 million tons of coffee and “only” 100 thousand tons of tea! Japan is the third largest coffee market in the world after the United States and Germany."

Source:

The supreme bean: How 'konbini' coffee conquered Japan, By Adam Douglas

https://japantoday.com/category/features/food/the-supreme-bean-how-%27konbini%27-coffee-conquered-japan

7,152 Japanese supermarket products are going to rise by up to 18 percent higher between from January 2023

"Prices for a total of 7,152 items are expected to climb from January to April, and be priced 18 percent higher on average from the current level, up from the 14 percent gain from last year to this year, according to Teikoku Databank Ltd data."

Source: Prices set to rise in Japan for over 7,000 food items on cost hike

Japan Today

December 26th, 2022

Toyota leads global car production at 10 million units

 

Picture: Japanese mountain road in Hokkaido

“Toyota…the Japanese company- held on to pole position in the global car market with sales of 10.23 million cars and trucks in 2014…North America - it’s biggest region, with about 28 per cent of volume sales…sales of 1.1 million in China this year, an annual rise of 6.6 per cent…The company is expecting 3 per cent growth in the US”

Source: Toyota’s car sales reign threatened by Kana Inagaki and Andy Sharman, The Financial Times, Australian Financial Review Newspaper, Friday 23^rd January, 2015 page 20.

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, toyota, statistics, trends, insights, manufacturing, business, cars, production, www.japanesecustomer.com, 2015, #japan, #japanese, #customer

Japanese etiquette important with credit cards

 

Picture: Japanese customers shopping

“credit cards must be returned to customers Japanese-style, with two hands and full eye contact”  Uniqlo Training…Japan is the worlds most competitive retail market..To be No 1 in Japan means….customer service”  

Shoichi Miyasaki, CEO, Uniqlo Australia.

Source: Heir Apparel by Georgina Safe, Good Weekend Magazine, The Age newspaper, Saturday January 31^st, 2015, page 24.

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, etiquette, credit, cards, style, rules, retail, quote, news, picture, culture, www.japanesecustomer, #japan, #japanese, #customer, @jcustomers

Predictability an important component of Japanese life

Picture: Japanese High Speed Train

“Predictability in social and public life makes Japanese cities the safest on earth” Taggart Murphy


Source: Ours is not to reason why, The Economist, Review of book “Japan and the shackles of the past by Taggart Murphy”, Oxford University Press, The Australian Financial Review Newspaper, Thursday January 15th, 2015, page 35.

japan, japanese, consumer, customer, culture, lifestyle, behaviour, trends, wwww.japanesecustomer.com, news, picture, quote #japan, #japanesecustomer  #consumer

“Japan is responsible for its own losses" Yoichi Funabashi

Picture: Gion Matsuri Kyoto Japan 

“Japan is responsible for its own losses. The country’s delayed adaptation to the international environment and its weaknesses in international competition in terms of industrial bases, workforce, businesses entrepreneurship, and globalization – none of these things were forced on Japan by any external actor” 

Yoichi Funabashi in the book “Examining Japan’s Lost Decades”



Source: Graceful decline in need of disruption by Greg Earl, Australian Financial Review, Wednesday, June 24th, 2015, page 41.

japan, japanese, consumer, customer, news, picture, quote, book, yoichi funabashi, examining japans lost decades, economy, business, insights, #japan, #japanesecustomer, #consumer, www.japanesecustomer.com

"In Japan relationship trust planning and risk avoidance are all very important factors" Mark Shrine

Picture: Business meeting in Japan 

"In Japan, relationship, trust, planning, and risk avoidance are all very important factors "

General Manager Japan & VP Asia, Mark Shrine, Welocalize


Source: Welocalize helping global brands grow and reach audiences worldwide
By Chris Betros
Japan Today
FEB. 15, 2016
http://www.japantoday.com/category/executive-impact/view/welocalize-helping-global-brands-grow-and-reach-audiences-worldwide

japan. japanese, consumer, customer, quote, picture, news, business, how to, insight, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanese, #quote, #news, #insight, #consumer, #customer

.."one feels lighthearted with the thought that spring has come" Natsume Soseki

Picture: Japanese cherry blossom 

"when one sees the early-flowering cherries bursting unrestrainedly into bloom before anything is out, one feels lighthearted with the thought that spring has come"Natsume Soseki


Source: Ten nights of dreaming, Hearing Things, The Heredity of Taste,
page 85
Author: Natsume Soseki

Japanese car makers have developed strong relationships with suppliers in South East Asia

Picture: Japanese car brands in Japan 

"Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi and Nissan started manufacturing in South East Asia decades ago.

Means they have entrenched relationships with suppliers and distributors."

Source: Foreign car makers face speed bumps in SE Asia

By Jeremy Grant, Financial Times, 

Australian Financial Review

Friday 10th October, 2014, page 20

Japan is the world's largest app market in terms of cash value according to report

Picture: Japanese customers 

"Japan's is the world's largest app-market for iOS and Google-Play combined, bigger than the US market and the Chinese market in terms of cash value. (source: App-Annie). "

Which are the top-grossing apps in Japan?

Japan's 25 top grossing iPhone apps

Japan's 25 top grossing Google-Play apps "

Source: Eurotechnology News. February 2015

http://www.eurotechnology.com/2015/02/

Yamanashi seen as the most popular rural lifestyle destination in Japan

Picture: Rural Japan Field

"A survey conducted by a Tokyo-based NGO has found that Yamanashi is the most popular destination for people who are considering a move to rural areas."



Source:
Small Print: March 12, 2015
Meat mishaps, no-stick natto, political mysogyny, and more ...
By Steve Trautlein, Issue 1094
Metropolis Magazine
http://metropolisjapan.com/small-print-march-12-2015

Video: 🌸 How to stop a cold with gargling

                                Video: 🌸 How to stop a cold with gargling

In Japan, many people gargle to stop a cold

Learn more here


#gargle #mouthwash #cold #sorethroat #mouthulcers #video #japanesecustomer #howto #prevention #medicine

🌸 Renting an apartment in Japan

Photo: Renting an apartment in japan #japanesecustomer

🌸Japanese Customer Experience: Renting an apartment in Japan

Japanese customers have great convenience when they rent an apartment in Japan.

Based on our experiences

* Japanese apartments have some amazing technology included:

🌸 A digital bath, that automatically fills the water and heats it to your favourite temperature, so that it is ready for when you arrive home!

🌸 A Smart Toilet that has a heated seat, dryer, and bidet



🌸 Heated floor

🌸 Digital Keyless locks


* Agents come to you with the keys and then drive you to a range of apartments.

* Repairs are done the same day - just a phone call and for example, new tatami mats can be replaced, etc.

* If you rent a fully furnished apartment, they will order new bedding for you (futons, pillows, duvet, sheets) and have them delivered free, often they will be in the apartment before you move in.

💥Japanese sobagara pillows are the world's best!! 💥

- They are 100% natural
- They mold to your neck and head
- Are refreshed in the sun
- Life-changing once you try them


* The apartment is cleaned prior to you moving in by a team of experts. (I visited my apartment prior to moving in and saw a team of three scrubbing with toothbrushes, steam cleaning, and doing the full works).
This is all included in the price and not extra.

🌸This video explains how to rent an apartment in Japan

https://youtu.be/uFDVjLEpkOY

#renting #japan #apartment #realestateagent #convenience #japanesecustomer #cx #commonsense

🌸 Foods you must try in Japan: Japanese Potato Croquette

                                   Photo: Japanese potato croquette Hokkaido #japanesecustomer

🌸 Foods you must try in Japan: Japanese Potato Croquette

In Japanese, they are known as "korokke" which is often written in Katakana as コロッケ which is used for foreign words.

Japanese Potato Croquettes are just delicious and they are very affordable! For example: at around 100 yen each

They are light and fluffy and have a unique taste based on the ingredients and the type of potato used.

Each region in Japan has its own potato variety.

The photo shows some Japanese Potato Croquettes purchased in Hokkaido, the northernmost island.

You can buy them widely at supermarkets for example Ito Yokado and some convenience stores or stand-alone food shops.

Q: How are Japanese Potato Croquettes are made?

Check the video below by Kimono Mum to learn how you can make them at home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8UFz7xJQLU

Japanese Supermarket

Ito Yokado in English

https://www.itoyokado.co.jp/special/global/en/


#potato #croquette #japanesefood #japanesecustomer #video #japan #recipe

Technology: 🌸 Digital Price Tags at supermarkets in Japan

Photo: Discounted lunchbox meal japan #japanesecustomer

Technology: 🌸 Digital Price Tags at supermarkets in Japan

Since 2009 many Japanese supermarkets have been using digital price tags. For example Tokyu

The benefits for the supermarket and customers are immense, plus the technology is environmentally friendly.

Prices can be updated in real-time

Learn more here

Source: Japan Retail News

http://www.japanretailnews.com/japan-retail-news---home/electronic-price-tags-in-japanese-supermarkets

#technology #digital #retailnews #pricetag #japanesecustomer #news #supermarket #mistakes #errors #efficiency #trust