投稿者: junfujii

Why Gero Onsen is a must go tour spot in Nagoya


If you are a spa lover you must be thrilled to come to Japan, for it is a spa paradise with many Onsen towns all over Japan. And you may have heard somewhere along the line, that there are 3 best onsen. One is Arima onsen in Kobe (Osaka, Kansai area), that the famous Taiko Hideyoshi Toyotomi, one of the old ruler of Japan loved, and it is said to heal disease. Another is Kusatsu onsen in Gunma (Tokyo, Kanto area) also famous for curing disease. That’s two… Wait aren’t you forgetting the last 3 best onsen in Japan? That last one would be the onsen of beauty, Gero onsen of Nagoya Chubu area!!

What you will learn

Easy access by express train
Gero onsen is a natural beauty spa
Excellent accommodations

Gero onsen is a natural beauty spa

The hot spring of Gero is said to be the beauty onsen, you’ll definitely feel it once you touch the hot spring springing out from all around the town of Gero. The water here is slightly white and it feels like facial water, and when your skin will feel smooth after bathing.

Gero have many foot bathing spots around town and you can try them for free of charge! There are so many spots that I recommend going on sandals, for you’ll be tired of taking off your shoes and socks so many times!!

I myself have a sensitive skin and have a hard time maintaining my skin condition during the dry winter season. That’s why I go to Gero every winter so that I can control the skin condition and help it recover with the skin maintenance qualities of Gero onsen. It’s water quality is soft and relaxing and it does nit tingle and hurt like some onsen does at times.

Easy access


Gero onsen fortunately have a train station conveniently located in a place where most of the ryokan or hotels are only about a 5 to 10 minute walk through the town. It might be so fun to go by train and enjoy a walk through the onsen town looking at souvenirs.

I always love to go by train, and it has an express train to Gero from Nagoya which would take only about 90 minutes. It is fun to buy Eki-ben (lunch box) at Nagoya and eat inside the train. The train is called Wide-view Hida, and you can really have a nice view through valleys, rivers, and mountains.

The onsen town of Gero may not be of tour taste, if you prefer the modern town of Arima or Kusatsu, for it still have the old fashioned antique taste remaining. Though there would be Hida culture in the town that you may enjoy, such as tochi no mi senbei shops, or sarubobo goods shops, which I’m sure anyone would enjoy. Sarubobo goods is a must buy if you come with a child, for it is a good omen that your child would grow healthy and strong!!

Excellent accommodation

Hotels are packed with accommodation, which makes you feel like you don’t no need to go out. Usually, if you cone by express train, hotels would have a bus waiting outside to pick you up. However, like I mentioned above, unless your hotel is far away, I recommend walking through the town to enjoy the town. It also have a bus from the hotel to the station, which you may appreciate.

Moreover, in a typical onsen ryokan (hotel) in other areas, there would only be one bath. However, in most hotels in Gero, they usually have 2 to 3 baths which rotate men and women time by time. Each bath have a different concept which makes you want to try all of them!!

What’s good about onsen in Gero is that they have shampoos, facial lotions, tonics and other amenities you may need, they are ready for you to use in every bath. Most onsen in Gero provide other basic accommodations as well such as free wifi, kid’s play space, and souvenir shops. *Please check your hotel for details.

Summery

  • Gero onsen is certainly onsen of beauty!
  • Easily accessible by Wide-view Hida
    Excellent accommodation awaits tourists
  • Which means it is highly recommended to go if you stop by Nagoya area.

How Asahi Beer Nagoya Brewery factory tour will make a good family trip

If you are looking for a place to enjoy free Japanese beer while you’re in Nagoya, you should definitely consider going for factory tour at Asahi Beer Nagoya Brewery factory!!

If you are with a family and are wondering if you can take your child with you, not to worry, there are varieties of soft drinks available for kids to enjoy!

What you will learn

At Asahi Beer Nagoya Brewery factory tour is…
friendly to English speakers
can taste and enjoy Japanese beer
family friendly with lots of soft drinks

Difficult access but free of charge

10 minutes walk from nearest station

Access is a bit difficult but not too far from the nearest station. It’ll be about 10 minute walk from nearest Shin-Moriyama station of JR Chuo Line. It’ll be a walk through residential area with no landmarks, so you might want to map it on your mobile map application just in case you get lost. It was a confusing walk for a Japanese native like myself!

There are very little information signs on the street that show the way to the brewery, so it is actually a bit hard to reach. However, once you reach the factory property, there are enough signs which will prevent you from getting lost in the factory.

Of course the factory tour is totally free if charge, but you’ll need to make appointment in advance. Please check with Nagoya Brewery for vacancy.
Reference: Asahi Beer Factir Tour Official Website

You will enjoy the tour!

English guidance is available

After entering the tour entrance, clerks which will be your guide for the tour will welcome you. Tell the clerk your appointment time and your name for confirmation.

The tour equips a headset that have English guidance, so you will not miss any information. Moreover, the guide speaks fluent English, so any questions you may have will likely be answered.

During my tour, I was with a group from Singapore, but they seem to be enjoying the tour, all questions answered. Having a nice chat with the guide.

The machines are pretty cool.

It is quite surprising to see how fast and automated these beer production lines are. I never expected they would show so much of the production lines on the tour. Of course there was a room where it was private and cannot show, but you’ll get a nice view from above if the fast moving machines, you are sure to enjoy!

You can drink up to 3 glasses of beer or soft drinks

After the tour, you’ll cone back to the caffeteria space where you can choose a glass of beer or soft drink of your choice. The seats are assigned so be sure to seat on your designated table. There will be a wet towel and a small snack for each participants waiting for you to have with the drinks. You can drink up to 3 glasses in 20 minutes.

2 to 3 beers to choose from!

They would always have Asahi Super Dry, but the couplings will change from time to time. The guide told us that they usually have Dry Black, but they had something else instead when my family visited.

Lots of soft drinks

I heard from the guide that it is very rare to have so much soft drinks like Asahi Beer. Other breweries will only have tea ready and surely kids will not be happy with teas!! Here, they’ll have Calpis, ciders, teas, and coffee, the line up you see in an Asahi beverage vending machines. If you are lucky, they will have a limited editions of the soft drinks like Amao Calpis. However, for some limited soft drinks, you’ll need to take a different tour so be sure to confirm the brewery in advance.

Summary

Before taking the tour, I was a Suntory beer fan. But bow that I’ve experienced the nicest tour which my kid enjoyed, I feel like I’d rather buy Asahi now than Suntory.

Even if it is a bit confusing to reach, a good beer, and a fun time for the kids is a worth going for the tour.

Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum, where a train loving kid’s dream will come true

When you have a young child you would see them driving around toy cars and trains. Moreover, they love seeing, touching, and driving them as well.

The Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum is located in Akaike as well, and it is an admission charge free facility that children can enjoy driving trains and riding inside the tram exhibits.

Akaike is a developing suburban area of Nagoya and is on Nissin city. It is recently famous for the newly built Prime Tree Akaike shopping mall. However, there is a better area to visit if you have a train loving child!!

What you will learn

Easy access
Drivable train diorama
Tram and subway exhibits

Easy Access

The Nagoya City Tram & Subway Museum is about 5 minutes walk from subway Akaike station of Tsurumai line. It also have a parking space of about 5 cars, so it is also accessible by car.

You might want to note that there us a ticket at the Akaike station where you can exchange with a sticker and tissue. The ticket will be placed inside the entrance gate so if you want the ticket, you must ride on the subway to get to Akaike station.

The museum is located adjacent to the subway maintenance garage, which you can also tour on weekdays. *You’ll need to make appointment for factory tour.

Your kid will enjoy everything here!!!

You can drive trains in the diorama

The main event in this museum is absolutely the train diorama!! There is a huge train diorama strait in front of the entrance.

This diorama runs many trains that runs all around Japan. They include Dr. Yellow, cargo trains, express trains. They would have an explanation on the glass, so you would know what trains are currently running!!

The fun however is not just looking at the running trains, but that you can actually touch the controller panels and drive each train! They have about 6 trains running, and you can drive every one of them. Your child would enjoy driving trains through the city and tunnels on the diorama.

Subway driving simulator

There are several driving simulators placed next to the train diorama. The simulator is the city subway and you can enjoy being a train driver of a subway line.

If you have a pre schooler child, the child may enjoy train wrapping game. If you have completed the game, the museum will print out the train in a paper crafting format for free, which you can enjoy building once you get home!!

Tram exhibits

There are several trams and antique subway inside the facility, where you can actually step inside and take a seat. Usually the museum would prevent you from touching, but this museum allows you to touch almost everything. What is amazing is that your child can touch the buttons or the wipers at the driver’s seat!!

Train driver’s hats

There’s a photo space in the museum right next to the entrance. They have men’s and women’s city tram official hats. Your kid will enjoy wearing them when they ride on the tram exhibits or driving the train diorama. The hats will certainly up the fun of the museum experience!!

Summery

Nagoya City Tran & Subway Museum is a must go facility if you have a train living child!!

How Aichi Museum of Flight is family friendly tour spot on Nagoya trip to enjoy aircrafts and aviation

Nagoya area is famous in Japan as an industrious area. It famous for its Shinkansen of JR Tokai and also for semi-hometown of Toyota. It was also previously famous for aircraft industry. So actually, there are many aircraft related places you can visit and enjoy in this area, and Aichi Museum of Flight is one of them.

What you will learn

Although access is a bit tricky,
Great sightseeing spot with family in Nagoya area, where you can see and enjoy Japanese airplanes.

Access may be a bit tricky

Like all airports, Aichi museum of Flight is on the outskirts of Nagoya city, in Toyoyama town, and the access is a bit tricky.

It is located right next to Nagoya Airport, which was former international airport before Chubu Centrair International Airport opened. It means that is is not Centrair airport. f you were to be flying in from other parts of Japan, you may want to stop by to have a look, since it is conveniently located right next to the airport. Aichi museum of flight opened right next to Airport Walk Shopping Mall which had remodeled the former international terminal.

If you choose to go by train, it is probably easy to take the bus from Nagoya, Sakae, or Kachigawa stations on Aoi Kotsu. You may want to note that Aoi Kotsu bus would not take an IC card money so you might want to take extra coins for payment.

Once you are on the bus, you would not have any problem getting to the Aichi Museum of Flight.

The entrance is on the 2nd floor!!

Its only entrance is located on the 2nd floor, The most easy way to go to the 2nd floor entrance hall is from the access bridge of the Airport Walk Shopping Mall. So enter the mall, go up to the second floor via escalator or elevator, and walk across the crossing bridge to reach the ticket counter.

As all newly constructed tour spots in Japan, this facility is totally barrier free with no stress at all. It should not be a problem on a wheelchair or stroller. There are also toilets on every floor including universal toilet which is a relief fir people with strollers or on wheelchair.

Enjoyable place to go with family

Events for kids

There are workshops relating to aircrafts which kids of any age can participate. The type of workshops available, time schedule, and age group that can participate is announced on the official webpage, so it may be wise to check before going.

There are two types of workshops, the first is the hands on type with flight simulators and being an airline mechanic. Flight simulator must be elementary school and up, but mechanic experience everyone can participate.

The other type is a lab type, where you go to the science lab and can take a lecture on aero dynamics or participate in crafting workshop. This type is strict on age group and time schedule, because of the curriculum, so you may want to check this one beforehand, if you are rally interested.

The craft workshop for January 2019 was paper aircraft workshop, which my pre-school child really enjoyed very much. The paper aircraft flew like a rocket and my child was jumping around with delight, which made me think that this workshop is really worth coming for.

View aircraft liftoffs and landings

From the sky deck on the 3rd floor, you can see aircraft liftoffs and landings to the Prefectural Nagoya Airport. There are also helicopters and private airplanes that use this airport you can enjoy those planes, and moreover, there is an air-force base adjacent to the airport, so if you are lucky, you may be able to see those as well. There are also hammocks on the roof floor so that you can lay down to view the sky comfortably.

You can actually go inside the aircraft

On the aircrafts on the ground floor, you will be able to step inside and view the interior from cockpit to passenger seats. Which plane is available on which day rotates every month, and the time schedule changes every month. So you may want to check on the official website event information for the announcement.

When the YS-11 was available to view the interior, a guide will kindly explain how the plane was used, and how it is unique, and it made the moment special. On top of that, he would take a photo of the family on the stairway so that we would nit need to take turns to take photos.

Summary

Aichi Museum of Flight is a great place to visit on a family trip to Nagoya area.

Why SCMAGLEV and Railway Park is great for Shinkansen loving family tour in Nagoya trip

When you have considered a trip to Japan, and have decided to go to Nagoya, you must’ve wondered where to go other than the famous Nagoya castle, Atsuta Shrine. The Gero onsen, Shirakawa, or Takayama is in Gifu, and Toba or Ise Shrine is in Mie. Come to think of it, there are very few places to visit conveniently with a family.

Where can I fo sightseeing in Nagoya?
Is there other places to tour where it is Japanese?
But I would like it very much where it is OK to take children.
How about strollers? Can I rent them if possible?
I would like it if there is playrooms.

What you will learn

  • Great sightseeing spot with family, conveniently located in Nagoya
  • It is where you can see the old and new shinkansen bullet trains.

Easy access

SCMAGLEV and Railway Park is located only about 2 minutes walk from nearest Kinjofuto train station of Aonami line. Kinjofuto station is about 24 minutes ride from Nagoya station. Aonami line is directly connected to Nagoya station, so it would not be trouble even if you will be coming from outside Nagoya area.

What is good about it also is that Aonami line is a line from connecting Nagoya station to Kinjofuto. Which means that if you ride from Nagoya station, you will have a good chance to get a seat on your ride to Kinjofuto.

The park is mostly barrier free, so it is very easy to drive around in strollers. Should you forget to bring one, don’t worry!! You can rent them free if charge at the ticket counter. However, you will need to note that there are limit on the number of strollers available, and whether you can rent them will be according to availability.

Wonder park for children

3 Train Simulators

Sadly, 2 of these simulators are lottery, and you will need to turn in your lottery ticket into the box to the time when you want to drive. The winner numbers will be displayed on the monitor next to the service counter in the main hall. However, it and is very difficult to win, for there will be much competition. These will be Shinkansen Train Driving simulator which you can drive the N700, and the Conventional Train Crew Simulator.

If you want to avoid competition, I will recommend the Conventional Train Driving Simulator. This simulator is run on first come first serve basis. If you buy the ticket next to the simulator on the vending machine, all you need to do is wait in line until you are served. The service person will take you through the steps and you will be able to enjoy the simulator.

Many train related attractions

This really is a park for children. There are many train related attractions where children can press buttons, such as driving a miniature Shinkansen. There is also a spot where you can actually buy a train ticket and experience going through the ticket gate. Of course there are many trains from old to new where you can actually go inside and experience being a passenger.

Stamp rally

Sometimes children will get bored and start to want to go home, but not to worry, there is a stamp and quiz rally here at this park as well. This event is only on weekends, but there will be a quiz and stamp rally going on inside the park, where kids will enjoy answering and stamping on the answer sheet. So go and give your child a mission, and while filling out the answer sheet, you and your child will be occupied. This will be free of charge except for events related stamp rallies such as the one for Shinkarion. When you have answered correctly, you will win a small souvenir gift such as a small towel or clear file which small child will enjoy.

Kids playroom with Plarail

There may come a time where parents may want to take a rest. There is a playroom on the 2nd floor which small kids can enjoy building trains or playing with small slides. It is not a huge space, but there are reasonable amount of space and toys, which kids can enjoy building a train kine of their own. There are few supervisors around to help out and that is good as well.

OK to carry in food and drinks!!

The park is free to carry in lunch, or you can buy them at the Delica Station on the second floor. What is fun is that not only you can eat them on the tables on the second floor, you will also be able to eat them inside the train outside on the 1st floor. The train is air conditioned and is very comfortable.
My child was delighted to eat the Dr. Yellow lunchbox in the picture above in the train and brought hone the box as a souvenir which is still used to store his snacks!! This lunchbox also comes with a Dr. Yellow card which makes your child full of smiles.

Always doing events such as Shinkalion

SCMAGLEV and Railway Park is always doing some events. All events are announced through the official twitter accounts so you might want to check out whats going on before going. There are fun events such as the one with the robot anime Shinkalion. This event was an additional Shinkalion stamp rally, and a special booth where there were images and videos of Shinkalion anime, which kids were super excited.

Summary

SCMAGLEV and Railway Park is a great place to tour in Nagoya with family

Are Japanese business persons workaholics for real, in Japanese culture? / The Reality


When you have relations with Japanese business persons, you may have heard that Japanese people are workaholics and work tirelessly day and night. However, in this time if age where work life balance is considered priority, do they still work like this?

Are Japanese people really workaholics like people say they are? Aren’t young people changing like the rest of Millenials? What are business in Japanese business culture?

What you will learn

Relationship between business and Japanese culture
Relationship nowadays

I feel that I am credible to write this article because I have 7 years experience at a typical midsize Japenese firm. I have been working from fresh graduate where I had etiquette training, and been working as international sales, and corporate strategist.

Relationship between Japanese culture and business

The Boomers are insanely workaholics

The Boomers and people around 50 and up are surely fit the image of Japanese business people. They work late hours, go to business dinner parties, and work on weekends. They are written in their DNA that sacrificing family and private time for your company is their first priority just like their parents.It is tough sometimes because they would expect you to feel the same, although you feel “no way private time is more important to me!!” You may be surprised to find out that their schedules will be filled with business dinners or “nomikai” on weekday nights and golf rounds on weekends with clients and business partners. Thanks to the trend of work-life balance, the pressure from the boomers to do the same are decreasing. However, you must be careful because the second word they will say is lets go out for a drink. For going out with these people means talking about your work until midnight, which sometimes becomes a nightmare.

It is important to note that a lot of these persons are quite respectable persons and there are a lot to learn about business from them, but because if the different ways of thinking, their harsh characters sometimes wear you out.

The Generation X are not so much but mostly workaholics

Generation X or people around 40 are not as much workaholics as the Boomers, when you get to know them you’ll find out that most of them are. Because Generation X are middle managers and often work closely with Millenials, they understand their ways of thinking, and actually share Millenial like approach to business and private. However, most of the X’ers inherit the traits of Boomers and usually prioritize work over private time. They will try to take you out for a drink, although in a more casual way so that you can excuse yourself. The X’ers Japanese business persons are more easy to cope with compared to Boomers, but they more often still inherit the workaholic traits if the Boomers.

Japanese culture and business nowadays

Millenials and Z want more to life than work

Millenials who are around 30 and Z who are around 20 are are quite different from the Boomers and the X. Unlike the image of a typical Japanese business person, Millenials tries to enjoy life and believe there is more to life other than work. They care about their family and close friends, and try to distance from business and secure private time. Although some Millenials want to work in the style of Boomers and X’ers, you’ll be relieved to find out that most Millenials and Z’s will share the same stance to life as the rest if the world.

Summary


Generation X and up are workaholics like you hear and read
Millenials and Z share common traits like the rest of the world

How should I deal with the crowded commuters train in Japan?

When you work in Japan you might be surprised with the commuter train. A train might arrive at the station packed, filled with people where people are crammed together, and you would wonder how am I going to get into this train…? You may decide to jump into the train, but then again you might not.

One way or the other, you might start to think whether there are other way around it or not? How are Japanese people dealing with this commuters train issue? Here’s how.

What you will learn

3 ways to deal with commuters train

I feel that I am credible to write this article because I have 7 years experience at a typical midsize Japenese firm. I have been working from fresh graduate where I had etiquette training, and been working as international sales, and corporate strategist.

3 ways to deal with commuters train in Japan

Find a way to adapt to commuters train

This would be the hardest way, but there may be things you can do to make things better. From my experience, trying to adjust a few trains early may sometimes be the best solution. People want to stay at home as much as possible, and earlier you jump on the train, the more comfortable you would become.

If you really can’t do that, try to squeeze yourself to the inner space as possible. The further on you move away from the doors the more comfortable you will become.

In cities like Tokyo or Osaka, there may be other train lines available to your office. Although it nay take more time, those lines may be less crowded than the one you take now. It may make your life easier sacrificing a bit of your time than riding on a full packed train.

However, there are times you can never do anything to make the time in the train easier. So sometimes it is better to move away from trains.

Cycling to your office

Usually, the first best option and the one I would recommend would be trying a bike. In Japan, riding on a subway for 30 minutes is a distance you can easily reach on your bike. If you live in a city or a neighboring suburbs, a bicycle may be a realistic option. On my experience 5 km would be about 15 to 30 minutes and it is a distance you can easily manage everyday. In addition, when the weather is nice, it is good for a daily exercise. However, keep in mind that during the humid Japanese summer, you might want to carry extra clothes to change, for your shirts will be a mess by the time you reach the office.

Commuting on motorcycle or car

I have never tried commuting by motorcycle but if you usually ride a motorbike, it may be an option. I hear from people who commute on motorcycle that it is good since it is easy to change routes to move away from traffic jams. When you want to take a car however you may need to plan your route carefully because roads in Japan are narrow and crowded. And specific roads are are always stuck on traffic jams.

Summary

Change time or line of train where it is less crowded
Try using bicycle, if your office is a commutable distance
Try a motorcycle or car, but plan your route carefully on car

Why is decision making in Japanese business culture so unclear?

When you work in Japan, you may have a chance to propose something or an idea that you will feel is good fir the company. However when you have proposed, you may not hear an answer for maybe a month or so. When you ask for an answer, your boss will reply it is being discussed. What does t mean? Why is it so slow?

Why is decision making in Japanese business culture so unclear? How do I deal with it?

What you will learn

Understand the decision making Ringi system in Japanese business culture
Ringi proposals goes around the company
How to deal with the Ringi system

I feel that I am credible to write this article because I have 7 years experience at a typical midsize Japenese firm. I have been working from fresh graduate where I had etiquette training, and been working as international sales, and corporate strategist.

1. Japanese decision making system, the “Ringi” system.

Japanese decision making us unique in a way that decision is not by a single person, but by the company itself through the system called the “Ringi (稟議)” system. There are 3 points to know about Ringi system

1-1 Ringi proposals goes around the company

When you think about proposals, you would think that it would go from the person proposing, directly to the decision maker. However, in the Japanese Ringi system, a Ringi proposal would go to around not only the proposing division, but also divisions almost not related at all such ad Finance, General Affairs, Legal, Secretarial, and so on. When the Ringi proposal finally reaches the decision maker, you can imagine that it would have taken a lot of time to travel from the proposer. A normal lead time that a Ringi travel from out of your hand to when it comes back to you is a bout one to 2 weeks.

1-2 Decision maker change by price tag of the Ringi

In the Ringi system, decision maker to a Ringi proposal is determined by the price tag of the Ringi. Usually, there is an internal rule in a company that say if something cost above, lets say ¥200k, it needs to be approved by the Ringi system. Aside from that there would be a chart explaining the decision maker’s posts and the price range and purpose the post is responsible for. For example, a proposal for an TVC promotion cost ¥20 mil, this would need to be approved by the Executive Officer responsible for the business for the post is responsible for cost is in between ¥10 mil to ¥100 mil and the purpose is promotion.

1-3 Who made the final call is unclear

Like I mentioned above, there is a clear rule as to who would make the final call. However it is often the case with Japanese companies, the decision maker actually does not have actual approval power to make the call. For example, a proposal may be approved because it is approved in the budget, even if it is way off the line, or it is almost something else entirely because of numerous revisions. And the person who approved the budget is usually the decision maker’s boss or the boss’s boss, so he must approve the proposal to make ends meet, even if he does not like the proposal. As you can se in this case the REAL decision maker is not in the member to approve the Ringi at all, even if the Ringi proposal is covered with stamps of approval. Hence comes to the state that we don’t know who actually made the call because something may get easily approved even if no one actually APPROVE the Ringi.

2. How to deal with the Ringi system

2-1 Make sure you have your proposal on the budget

Your Japanese bosses don’t like to surprises. Whether it is a promotion fee you or your customer really need or not, it usually must be on the budget. Therefore if you would like to have your promotion fee, make sure to hide it well when you turn in your budget at the beginning of your fiscal year.

2-2 Keep your proposal materials clear, simple and to the point

Your boss’s don’t want to read through your explanatory proposal materials. If you can keep it clear and simple, that it is on the budget and the fee is not so off the target, people will stamp approval right away.

Summary

1. Decision making system in Japanese business culture is the Ringi system, and there are no real decision makers in the system.

2. When you want to make things done, make sure to have it on the budget, and keep your proposal simple and make sure the key persons are on your side.

How to deal with Japanese business card culture

In this article, I’ll answer the following questions that might pop up in your head when you work in Japan.

When I entered the room people started to wait in line holding business cards. What is it all about? Is there rules? Why do people do it?

What you will learn

3 basic rules, and how to do it
Why do Japanese people do this

I feel that I am credible to write this article because I have 7 years experience at a typical midsize Japenese firm. I have been working from fresh graduate where I had etiquette training, and been working as international sales, and corporate strategist.

1. 3 basic rules, and how to do it

1-1 Hand first to the person of the highest rank then down

There is a clear rule to the order of say greetings and exchanging business cards. Exchanging cards is usually done from the visiting persons, so if you are the visitor, you should propose to exchange cards. Look around the room and try to find the highest ranking person. It is usually the oldest so you shouldn’t have any problem finding the person. If you found him/her, greet and then ask to exchange business cards. After that, all others will wait in line behind the highest ranked person to exchange cards with you so no need to try to find the next highest rank. So you will go on and exchange cards until you have collected cards of everyone in the room. However if you were invited to a place where there are more than 20 people, it may be ok to exchange with the highest ranked persons plus people who came up to you to exchange.

1-2 Hold business card with both hands and exchange at the same time

There is an etiquette of how to exchange business cards in Japan. If you plan to do it the Japanese way. You might want to remember the manner. First hold business card with both hands your business card facing the opposing person so that they can read the words. Then say “ohatsu ni omenikakarimasu (お初にお目にかかります)“ or “nice to meet you”. Then mention your company name and your name. Then if exchanging at the same time, hand out your card with your right hand, and accept the opposing person’s card with your left hand. Then hold the person’s card with both hands, and say “choudai itashinasu (頂戴いたします)” or “I’ll gladly accept your card”.

1-3 Place the business card you accepted on your card case

You do this so that it would not touch the table directly. If you got more than one card at the same time, place the highest ranked person on your card case.

2. Why do Japanese people do this

As with the bowing, senpai, and all other Japanese business cultures, business cards seems like another formality, and also there may be a bit of animism of Shinto. When you receive a business card, you treat it as though it is the person itself, and that is why you place it on the card case and not directly on the table.

Summary

    1. Understand the 3 basic rules
    2. Japanese business card culture is mostly about formality

What are the appropriate greetings in Japanese business culture?

When working in Japan, have you ever had a time when you’ve had no idea what people where saying when you meet people in the office? You would say “hi”, but they would say お疲れ様です. At first, you would tell yourself that you must have heard wrong, but then the same scene would repeat on and on. Then you would start to wonder, there must be something appropriate to say and that I may not be saying the right greetings…

Are greetings different from other countries?
What are the basic greetings in Japan, and how do I respond to them?

What you will learn

Japanese business greetings are unique
The 4 basic greetings

I feel that I am credible to write this article because I have 7 years experience at a typical midsize Japenese firm. I have been working from fresh graduate where I had etiquette training, and been working as international sales, and corporate strategist.

1. Japanese business greetings are unique

Japanese business greetings are totally unique and are different from Western countries. This may be due to Japan developing a unique culture being an island country. This unique culture had mixed together in the industrial era in the 19th century with the modern idea of corporate culture, and seems to give birth to a distinct business culture like no other.

2. The 4 basic greetings

If you remember these following 4 greetings, you won’t need another for the rest of your business career at a Japanese firm.

2-1 “Osewani nari masu (お世話になります)”

“Osewani nari masu (お世話になります)” is basically saying “Hi” to someone outside of your company. This literally means “we appreciate doing business with you”, but is used to everyone outside your company. So whenever you meet someone in person, talk on the phone, or write e-mail, you begin with “osewani nari masu”. This applies to almost everyone, after you have met then first. Even if you don’t really appreciate doing business with a certain company, it is an etiquette to say so.

2-2 “Otsukare sama desu (お疲れ様です)”

“Otukare sama desu (お疲れ様です)” is also saying “Hi”, but to a colleague of yours. This means “I appreciate your hard work”, and is used to your colleagues and seniors. This is the most commonly used greeting internally. You would use this as the first word on the phone or on e-mail, as you would use hi.

2-3 “Shitsurei shimasu (失礼します)”

“Shitsurei shimasu (失礼します)”, literary means “excuse me” and are also used similarly. This greeting is used when entering a meeting room or boss’s room, or when you are leaving the office.

2-4 “Yoroshiku onegai shimasu (宜しくお願いします)”

“Yoroshiku onegai shimasu (宜しくお願いします)”, means “thank you for your understanding”, and are also used similarly as the English word. This is used when asking a customer’s understanding, and asking a colleague for help.

Summary


1. Japanese business greetings are unique
2. There are 4 basic greetings to remember