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

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

 

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

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

Statistics: 🌸 Japanese customers density per (km2) in 2022 is 344.49

Photo: Japanese customers shopping at Shibuya, Tokyo

Statistics: 🌸 Japanese customers density per (km2) in 2022 is 344.49

Japan 344 people per square kilometre

Australia 3.33 people per square kilometre

USA 36 people per square kilometre

UK 282 people per square kilometre



Source: Worldpopulationreview.com

https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/japan-population

#statistics #density #japan #japanesecustomers #research #population #marketing #insights

Case Studies: Harvard Business bestsellers on investigating 🌸 Japanese Customers

Photo: Tokyo Japan skyline

Case Studies: Harvard Business bestsellers on 🌸 Japanese Customers

Japan: Betting on Inflation?

Uniqlo: A Supply Chain Going Global

ASICS: Chasing a 2020 Vision

Japan: The Miracle Years

🌸 Meeting with Japanese customers? Here is a guide on what to do

https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/japanese-business-culture/

#business #harvardbusiness #casestudy #japan #japanesecustomer

Interest rates: 🌸 On January 31, Japan’s long-term (home loan) interest rate reached 0.185%, the highest level in six years.

Source: Japan Property Central

                                  #interestrates #homeloan #japan #japanesecustomer #finance #trends

Japanese Customer Service: 🌸 The components explained

 Japanese Customer Service: 🌸 The components explained

''Omotenashi is a unique way of providing Japanese hospitality through thoughtful acts.

Mekubari = Paying thoughtful attention to our guests, always looking for unspoken signs or signals that you may need something. (They do this by looking and awareness of the envornment)

Kikubari = Striving to selflessly anticipate your needs and address them without being asked or for any thanks in return. (They do this by thinking)

Kokorokubari = Welcoming all guests empathetically, aspiring to make every one feel they are thoughfully considered. ( They do this by feeling with their heart).''

 

Source: 

Omotenashi - The ''kikubari '' concept

Japan Airlines

#customerservice #omotenashi #mekubari #kikubari #kokorokubari 

#japaneseculture #japanesecustomer #japan

Global Consumer Trends 2022: 🌸 over 65+ in Japan expected to be 35% of the country’s population by 2040

 

Photo: Bus stop in Japan 

"The older populace in Japan has been expanding, and those aged 65+ are expected to account for as much as 35% of the country’s population by 2040.''

Source: Global Consumer Trends 2022, Digital Seniors: Lessons Learned from China and Japan

Euromonitor

#Japan #japanesecustomer #trends2022

Japanese customers love kaki!

 

In November it is common to buy and eat 柿 Kaki (persimmon) as a snack after lunch or after the evening meal. 

Many Japanese homes have a kaki tree in their backyard and at this time of year, they are bursting with ripe fruit. 

A mature typical tree can hold grow over 50 in a season. The fruit is washed and the outer skin scrubbed and removed by a knife. 

The remaining fruit is then cut into portions to represent how many people will be eating. 

A toothpick or small fork is given to eat the portion. 

 A cup of hot green tea is often enjoyed while eating a juicy persimmon. In season a good quality Kaki can fetch as much as 450 yen at the local fruit shop. 

An even better treat is to peel the skin, soak in sake, and then to hang them to dry in the sun, these are called hoshigaki and are exquisite to the tastebuds.

Kaki is a much-enjoyed fruit in November and all the year as dried kaki. 

#kaki #persimmon #fruit #delicacy #japanesecustomer #november