What is Honne in Japanese culture?

 

In Japanese culture the interplay of a number of themes are important to understand in verbal communication styles and relationships.

Honne

This is seen to describe the individuals real self or natural self or what one feels in reality.

Tatemae

To follow and behaviour in an outward way toward a standard or rule, 

for example: being polite in society.

This can therefore be described as surface behaviour.

In summary, what a person might say and do at work versus at home maybe very different.

Overall, Japanese culture is tatemae oriented and foreigners must learn to tell the differences between the two concepts as a way to better communicate and build relationships

Source: Deciphering the Japanese Cultural Code,

International Marketing Review, Autumn 1986

#japanesecustomer #japan #culture #group #behaviour #rules #honne #tatemae #communication #relationships

What is Gaman and what does it mean in Japanese culture?

Photo: Lunchtime meal in summer, somen cold noodles

Gaman is an important concept to understand when understaninding and dealing with Japanese customers

Essentially it means that Japanese often tend to sacrifice their personal feelings and opinions ahead of the group or company.

In terms of customer service in Japan, store workers self-sacrifice to provide an outstanding level of service and this may include personal hardships such as long hours, a hard commute and paying attention to small details in order to please the customer.

Foreigners working with Japanese must deeply understand this concept as Japanese customers have very high service standards which are cultural specific.

Source: Deciphering the Japanese Cultural Code,

International Marketing Review, Autumn 1986

#japanesecustomer #japan #culture #group #behaviour #rules #gaman #standards 

"Japanese are "group-centric" their groups exclude everyone, including other Japanese from the in-group" (Nakane, 1972)

"Japanese are "group-centric" 

their groups exclude everyone, 

including other Japanese

from the in-group. 

This means establishing trust 

by consistently reciprocating

 favours (giri-ninjogiri-ninjo)" (Nakane, 1972)

Source: Deciphering the Japanese Cultural Code, 

International Marketing Review, Autumn 1986

#japanesecustomer #japan #culture #group #behaviour #rules

Japanese Saying #2

Picnic at Fireworks event in summer

Japanese Saying

前 お 見ながら 足元 わせれず




Mae o minagara ashimoto waserezu





"While looking ahead, don't forget your feet"

#japanesecustomer #japan #japanese #saying #culture #phrase #lifestyle #knowledge 

Picture: Japanese Green Tea with wooden spoon

 Picture: Japanese Green Tea 

#japanesecustomer #greentea #leaves #health #benefits #natural #japan 

New Starbucks cherry blossom drink launch 6th February

A new Starbucks Cherry blossom-themed drink with launch in Japan on Thursday 6 February for 230 yen (US$1.56).

The drink will be called "Sakura Matcha with Sakura Jelly"

and is supposedly aromatic like the smell of actual cherry blossoms and comes in a chilled cup

It is a great-looking cup!

Image by Starbucks

Source: Sora News 24 

Starbucks Japan unveils first sakura drink for cherry blossom season 2024 by Oona McGee 

#japanesecustomer #sakura #cherryblossom #hanami #starbucks #japan #new #drink #launch

Audio Book: 🎧 There is no such thing as a an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura

Review by JapaneseCustomer.com:

"Kikuko has created an amazing insight from the worker's view of a range of temporary jobs she shares with us. For example: A bus company, a rice cracker company, and a hut in a park perforating tickets for an event. 

What stood out when I listened was the holistic detail provided by the employee at each job, for example: how she got the job from the temporary recruitment agency, how it was sold by the recruiter, why she was put forward, her initial impression, her first day, her bosses and co-workers, what the role entailed, the highs and lows of the role, the psychological impact, the relationships, the silence, how she thought of the job when away from the office, boss relationship and what type of person they were (could they be trusted, etc), co-workers were they real or fake and was the relationship tainted by the nature of her role, the role itself and her relationship with the boss. 

Plus you also get the complexity of the culture in language, body language, rituals, customs, etc. It feels like you are actually in the job. 

You are seeing, hearing, and feeling the whole job. On audiobook, this is magnified by the voice of the narrator which adds a whole new level of depth to the stories and your overall experience of the topic. 

A very insightful and powerful story of temporary work from the worker's holistic view, wow!

 Buy the Audio Book here 

#japanesecustomer #author #audiobook #kikukotsumura #novel #japan #japaneseliterature #english #review🎧

 

Funfact: What is Genkouyoushi and how do I use it?

Fun Fact: 

Genkouyoushi or in Japanese Kanji 原稿用紙 is a specific type of printed writing paper
 
It can can be used to write horizontally (yokogaki) or vertically (tategaki)

Source: Wikipedia

Correct use of genkō yōshi (400 square sheet shown):

1. Title on the 1st column, first character in the 4th square.
2. Author's name on the 2nd column, with 1 square between the family name and the given name, and 1 empty square below.
3. First sentence of the essay begins on the 3rd column, in the 2nd square. Each new paragraph begins on the 2nd square.
4. Subheadings have 1 empty column before and after, and begin on the 3rd square of a new column.
5. Punctuation marks normally occupy their own square, except when they will occur at the top of a column, in which case they share a square with the last character of the previous column.

The paper comes in two variations, 

paper with 

1. 400 squares per page or 

2. 200 squares per page and 20 squares per line. 

It is normal to put one character or punctuation per square.

#japanesecustomer #writing #paper #japan #japanese #language #funfact #picture #news

What is Giri- Ninjo in Japanese culture?

 

Picture: Making sushi rice at home

"Giri-ninjo is viewed as obligation in return for a favour... Giri-ninjo operates in nearly all interpersonal relationships. Because parents lavish amae on children, children must repay their parents by taking care of them in their old age" 

Amae = the unconscious desire found in Japanese cultures to depend on others to do things for them

Source: Deciphering the Japanese cultural code by Rosenbergh L and Thompson, G

#japanesecustomer #japan #japaneseculture #quote #picture #business #relationships #dependence #girininjo

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