If your travel itinerary includes Japan, here’s some helpful tips and insights into the culture and customs of Japan to keep you on the right foot
• The Japanese regard life as a mixture of the sweet and the sour. Consequently, stamina and perseverance are valued traits, which they see as being necessary to get by.
• The Japanese are extremely polite, so much so that they avoid speaking frankly, believing it discourteous. They will generally avoid a direct statement that might offend. Seldom do they give a direct “no.” And they do not give answers or make statements that they feel would disappoint the listener or cause themselves to lose face. They have a nonconfrontational society, and people favor harmony over candor.
• Nonverbal communication plays an important role in Japanese society. People generally have a sense of another’s feelings on a subject without using verbal communication. If someone cannot interpret another’s feelings, the Japanese consider that person to be insensitive.
• When visiting a Japanese home, avoid being generous with your compliments on the house and its contents — excessive compliments will embarrass your host or hostess.
• For centuries the Japanese have built their homes from wood, which they admire for its warmth and beauty. They prefer to leave the wood unpainted or stained or varnished. A Japanese proverb says that a tree has two lives — one while it is growing and another when it has been made into a useful object.
• Japan is a rich country, but it does not have the wealth-based class system found in most industrialized nations. Japan’s wealth is spread fairly evenly. There are extremely few poor people, and there are also few extremely wealthy folks.
• Japanese schools are rigorous and demanding, and students are under high pressure to succeed. But the educational system produces results. Japanese students are among the world’s best in math and science. The system does, though, sacrifice creativity for conformity. It emphasizes teamwork over individualism, requiring strict conformance among students. Deviation and individuality are not tolerated, and no one is allowed to stand out.
Helprul Resources
• Culture Briefing: Japan gives you in-depth information on Japanese culture and customs
• Bullet Japanese puts you on the fast track for real results learning Japanese
