Japanese Culture

Share and explain the culture and traditions of your country/region or any other place you've been to. Also post any questions you have.
Michealm
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Japanese Culture

Postby Michealm » Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:45 am

I've always been interested in Japanese culture. I'm planning a trip to go there next year on business. Is there any special traditions that I should be aware of, so I won't offend anyone? I'm an america and I just didn't want to say or do anything that will offend anyone.



Sharon
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby Sharon » Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:56 am

I can't imagine there would be anything you would do to offend anyone. Do you have any close acquaintances that has been to Japan before?

In the meantime, here is a link you may find useful. :) http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e622.html

sunny
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby sunny » Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:07 pm

Michealm wrote:I've always been interested in Japanese culture. I'm planning a trip to go there next year on business. Is there any special traditions that I should be aware of, so I won't offend anyone? I'm an america and I just didn't want to say or do anything that will offend anyone.


Hi! I hаvе sоmе tips fоr yоu:

Bоw pоlitеly whеn yоu mееt sоmеоnе, thаnk thеm, оr sаy gооdbyе. Thе dеpth, durаtiоn аnd numbеr оf bоws is sоmеthing nоn-Jаpаnеsе аrеn’t еxpесtеd tо undеrstаnd аnd visitоrs аrе unlikеly tо оffеnd if thеy dоn’t dо this pеrfесtly. If а Jаpаnеsе pеrsоn bоws tо yоu, аn inсlinе оf thе hеаd in rеturn will usuаlly suffiсе. Jаpаnеsе dо sоmеtimеs аlsо shаkе hаnds, but it’s bеst tо wаit fоr thе оppоsitе pаrty tо оffеr thеir hаnd bеfоrе thrusting yоurs fоrth.

Whеn yоu tаkе оff yоur shоеs, yоu’ll usuаlly bе givеn thе оptiоn оf а pаir оf slippеrs fоr wаlking аrоund insidе. Thеsе аrе finе оn wооdеn аnd оthеr flооring, but yоu shоuld nеvеr wеаr slippеrs in а tаtаmi rооm: rеmоvе thеm bеfоrе stеpping оn tаtаmi аnd plасе thеm аt thе rооm еntrаnсе.

Thеrе аrе а numbеr оf dоs аnd dоn’ts rеlаtеd tо thе usе оf сhоpstiсks. Thе mаin оnеs tо kееp in mind аrе tо nоt lеаvе сhоpstiсks stаnding upright in а bоwl оf riсе, оr usе thеm tо pаss fооd dirесtly tо аnоthеr pеrsоn’s сhоpstiсks. Thеsе асtiоns аrе rеminisсеnt оf rituаls аssосiаtеd with funеrаls аnd thе dеаd. Аlsо аvоid аnything thаt might bе соnsidеrеd ‘plаying’ with yоur сhоpstiсks (this inсludеs using thеm аs а spеаr, drumming оn thе tаblе, wаving thеm tо gеt thе wаitеr’s аttеntiоn, аnd using thеm tо gеt аt thаt itсh оn yоur bасk).

Good luck!

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maxen57
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby maxen57 » Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:45 pm

I've also been reading some guides from time to time because it's a dream of mine to visit Japan someday. Here are some of what I've learned:

-It's considered rudeness to offer standing elders one's seat on a train because Japanese elderly pride themselves in not being too dependent on other people despite their age. This is one of the things that I really admire about them.

-When being offered a gift, accept it with both hands.

-When being offered a drink, offer your glass being held with both hands. If you are with colleagues about to have a toast, wait until the person with the highest job status has already drank his beer until you can drink yours.

-If you are to visit someone's home, take off your shoes and wear a pair of slippers provided for the guest/s.

DreamingKpop
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby DreamingKpop » Wed Mar 08, 2017 12:00 am

Don't point your chopsticks at anyone because it's considered ruder than the middle finger. Don't leave your chopsticks crossed on your plate, bowl, or table. If you can help it don't even let the chopsticks cross when you're using them. Don't use one chopstick as a dagger to spear a piece of food, there are two of them for a reason. Never pass food from chopstick to chopstick, if you want to offer someone food, put it on their plate. Chopsticks have soulmates, so don't use chopsticks that don't match. Rinsing the food of your chopsticks in your soup or beverage is just unappealing wherever you are. They aren't toys, so obviously to use them as drumsticks, pound the table or pretend you're a vampire. No matter how pretty the chopsticks are, don't put them in your hair. When is the last time you've seen someone put a fork in their hair? Ariel from the little mermaid doesn't count, but you would look equally ridiculous. The pretty chopstick-like sticks that maiko-sans wear are hair ornaments called kanzashi. This ones kind of specific, but waribashi are wooden chopsticks that you need to break apart. If you are the type to rub them together, be careful that you don't do it with good quality waribashi because it indicates that you think they are cheap, and it's an insult. Don't spear your food, you're not in the forest with a spear. Don't take from the communal plate with your own chopsticks or eat directly from the communal plate. If you are drinking with a group, wait until the drinks are poured before you drink and when you get the chance pour for the people around you and not yourself.

pwarbi
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby pwarbi » Sat Mar 25, 2017 6:22 am

These days, tourism is a major income for a lot of countries around the world, and because of that, even though they do obviously have their own cultures and ways of doing things, I've found that they are a lot more understanding towards tourists than what they used to be. I've travelled to many different countries (although admittedly not Japan), and I've found that in most places they are only too willing to help you if you aren't sure just what you should and shouldn't be doing and they are a lot more tolerant.

I think a few years ago you DID have to be careful to make sure that you knew exactly how to act in order not to offend but now unless you do something exceptionally bad, they are more understanding and especially of people from the US or the UK because they realise that our culture is totally different than theirs, and they don't expect us to know how to act in every situation, and I'd imagine that will be the same in Japan also.

to7update
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby to7update » Sat Mar 25, 2017 3:57 pm

I was in Tokyo maybe 12-13 years ago, and I spent a month there, it allowed me to understand a bit about their culture. First, those guys work a lot, and I heard that they do work 14-16 hours per day, and say the expression "I'll retire when I am 50", well, it's a way to see it! Apart from that, they are really friendly and helpful, even if the English is not the best.

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jy76
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby jy76 » Sat Mar 25, 2017 10:39 pm

DreamingKpop wrote:Don't point your chopsticks at anyone because it's considered ruder than the middle finger.


Koreans have a similar taboo. You don't make a "come here" gesture with your hand. That gesture is only for animals. If it's directed toward a person, then it's considered extremely insulting. :( Does anyone know of other insults in other lands? How about the one where you show the bottom of your foot in an Arab land?

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Alexandoy
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby Alexandoy » Sun Mar 26, 2017 9:26 pm

I had some years of association with the Japanese when I worked in a Japanese company twice. Their hygiene is exemplary so you cannot expect to smell body odor. One thing that caught my attention is their love for smoking but they only smoke half of the cigarette and throw the half away. Another of their culture is their love for raw fish. I do not eat sashimi or sushi and they were wondering why I don't like raw fish. I was actually in Osaka, Japan last week for a short vacation and the place was spic and span, very clean even the roads and sidewalks.

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dave23
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Re: Japanese Culture

Postby dave23 » Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:01 pm

Visiting Japan and China is one of the most important things I want to do in life. From growing up looking at karate films, I've always had a desire to visit both countries. The language seems hard to understand, but I think I can learn both with determination and effort.


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