Japanse Culture - Basic Japanese manner, etiquette & communication

It is very hard to learn about each and every countries' culture and manners(etiquette).

Regular things you can do here is a big no-no if you go to a different country.

In Japan, if they see you as foreign country people, they understand if you do not have the proper manners. However, if you know at least a few, you will gain their respect. Today I will explain the traditional basic Japanese etiquette - manners when you go to Japan : )

Bow

You know the Japanese bow a lot, but that bow has many angles to show respect.  I learned this when I first got a job at a hotel business in Japan.

Konnichiwa(Regular bases) - 15°
Irassyai mase  - 30°
Hajime mashite(Nice to meet you) - 30°

Great to see you again - 45° - 90° (depends on how much you respect to the other person)

Thank you very much - 45°
I am so sorry - 45° - 90° (depends how deep you apologize)
In business scene - 30°

 President Obama and Japanese Emperor:

You can see President Obama's respectful attitude.

Visiting somebody's house

When Japanese people invite you to their home, you should feel very special, because the Japanese don't invite many people to their home.  They do not have many house parties, get togethers, etc.

1. Keep on time to get there. ( You should be there on time or 5 min earlier ) If it is for business, arriving 10 minutes earlier is common.

2. Bring a gift.  (Please refer my Gift Blog - click )

3. When you go into their house, take off your shoes and arrange your shoes   

    (point toes toward the entrance)  Most houses have slippers, so wear

     it, but when you go into Tatami room, you have to take it off.

    When you use the bath room they usually have another slippers for the

    bathroom, use it and don't forget to change the slippers when you go back to the room  : )   

4. When they serve food - Try to say "Itadakimasu" - (Thank you for the 
     food) before you start eating.
    Please try to sample each food. (Even if you don't, I'm sure they will hand out every dish to you -
    Yes, this is Japanese way!)

5.  When you share dishes with somebody and they don't have anything to take,  use the back of the
      chopsticks to take the food onto your plate.   Some people says this is unclean, so it depends on that
       house people.  If they say you don't have to, it is not nesessary.
    
6.  After you finish your meal, please say "Gochisou sama deshita" (Thank you, it was delicious!).
     Do not stack up oily dishes together.  Most Japanese houses don't have a dish washer, so it is easier
     for them to wash if you do that way.

I will add some eating manners:

* Please do not stick chopstick onto rice - if you want to leave chopstick, leave it on a chopstick rest.

* Please do not pass food with chopstick to chopstick.

-These 2 things are most NO-NO things in Japanese table manner because these are for buddhist alter.

Sometime I see people doing these at Japanese restaurant  : (

Communication with Japanese people -

1. "Honne and Tatemae"

Honne and tatemae are such an integral part of the Japanese social behavior.  Japanese people use this all the time. "Honne" is honest feeling and "Tatemae" is the facade," is the behavior and opinions one displays in public.

Since Japan is to maintain wa or harmony at all points of time, opinions are never openly expressed, emotions are not shown, and public confrontations are rare.

Non-verbal message is very important to deal with Japanese people.  You have to see their facial expressions and tone of voice.  

Do not expect Japanese person say "NO" - because they never say "NO" directly.  They use "maybe", "probably" or  "OK" but it means "No"!

When my daughter asks me something, I also use those words and she knows it means "NO!"  ^_^

2. Japanese may ask you personal questions.

When you have a conversation with Japanese people, they sometime asks you personal questions.
It doesn't mean anything - they just need some topic to have great conversation with you.
I sometimes did this when I moved to U.S and my husband said that "I can't believe you asked that!" -WELL.. SORRY... I didn't know that!

Also, sometimes they say "Did you lose your weight?" or "Did you gain your weight?" In most countries this is very rude comment, but not in Japan.  Behind those words, there is a meaning of  "we care about your health, is everything OK?"  ( Interesting, right?)

Another interesting facts:
* Do not blow your nose in front of people.
* Vampire teeth are a cute symbol for Japanese girls. (They consider it cute if you have vampire teeth, so
   they don't fix it on purpose)