You are here:
- Home
- Cultures
- Japanese Culture
- Japanese Culture
Japanese Culture/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| Japanese Culture | 12/20/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: I could have easily searched the internet about this question. But I wanted to hear it from an ... A: Nice of you to introduce why you ask such a 'simple' question. It is not so simple anyway, because ... | ||
| Handmade Japanese Sachet | 10/16/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: I recently purchased a handmade sachet made of red silk and intricately stitched, triple matted and ... A: Apologies for reacting late. Things have been rather hectic and I didn't see the e-mail. Red is the ... | ||
| Japanese honorifics | 9/20/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: I'm a student and am currently working on a study of literate translation. Meaning; I try to find ... A: What a great subject to investigate. Can you please tell me for what kind of education you are doing ... | ||
| Japanese culture | 9/2/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: We are doing a sociology project about culture ad we chose Japanese culture. We have a few questions ... A: It's nice to hear that you are interested in the Japanese culture. I have been interested in this ... | ||
| Gift Giving to Japanese employer's representative | 3/21/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: my husband works for a Japanese company in the tourism industry in Australia. He has worked for ... A: In such a case, a personal gift, particularly relating to your country or your culture, would be ... | ||
| ABC Radio Australia- Japanese Culture expert | 3/15/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: I produce a radio program on ABC Radio in Australia. I was looking for somebody who could speak ... A: Here I am, such a terrible reader. I thought you meant 845 am your time (I know, it doesn't say that ... | ||
| ABC Radio Australia- Japanese Culture expert | 3/15/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: I produce a radio program on ABC Radio in Australia. I was looking for somebody who could speak ... A: I am indeed interested to talk about this because there are some fascinating cultural aspects that ... | ||
| Japanese Culture and Language | 1/14/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: I have lots of questions i love Japan. First, Is the Japanese Culture always traditional in every ... A: and for your questions. It is nice to be able to discuss this. About culture; it is important to ... | ||
| Japanese & business cards | 1/7/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: When meeting with Japanese business men who are coming to the US, and they are people I have met ... A: As to your first question, there is no need to do it again, since it was already done. It is not a ... | ||
| Gift for japanese businessmen visiting US | 1/7/2011 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: In 2 weeks I have a meeting with 3 Japanese businessmen from a company that is a client of mine. ... A: As I am not Japanese, my answers might not be informed enough. That is why I will refrain from ... | ||
| Professional Gift | 8/10/2010 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: The doctor my mother works for has a Japanese girlfriend, a very nice woman in her mid-40's. She ... A: Gifting is a ritual in itself for the Japanese. They will be very happy to receive a thoughtful ... | ||
| Understanding of Time Differences | 7/27/2010 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: How do the Japanese people as a whole deal with time? To clarify do they have to be on time are they ... A: The Japanese are very driven. This is in their nature. They have developed a sense of urgency when ... | ||
| Major Summer Holiday | 6/15/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: We are trying to develop business with a number of Japanese companies. We work with many European ... A: The major summer holiday in Japan is called Bon (or o-Bon), which is the Japanese festival of the ... | ||
| Gift at an interview | 5/5/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: Is it appropriate to give a gift to a Japanese businessman whom you will be interviewing with for a ... A: The short answer is no. A gift in a japanese business situation is properly a tribute for patronage ... | ||
| Pre-WWII Netsuke | 4/26/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: My father was stationed in southern Japan during 1947-1950 and he collected about 75 Netsuke that he ... A: The best way to get your netsuke evaluated is to contact one of the major netsuke associations ... | ||
| Netsuke evaluation | 4/13/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: my mother has a lovely little ivory netsuke of some considerable age - its a little sitting dog. ... A: The best way to get your netsuke evaluated is to contact one of the major netsuke associations ... | ||
| School and eating in Japan | 4/7/2010 | Jewel |
| Q: I've been hoping to become a future foreign exchange student in Japan for quite some time now. I ... A: America has school closed over the summer because (waaay back when) the children would help with the ... | ||
| Netsuke evaluation | 4/5/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I have four nestsukes made of mammoth ivory depicting father and son. I want to know their value. ... A: The best way to get your netsuke evaluated is to contact one of the major netsuke associations ... | ||
| Gift for a newborn | 4/1/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: Many years ago a friend had bought a gift for the birth of my son. It is a boat with (I believe) a ... A: The short answer is that I don't know. There are paired dolls (typically a prince and princess) for ... | ||
| Water images | 3/26/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I guess this isn't business so much but I'm wondering about water in Japanese Culture. I've heard ... A: I guess the good meanings of water are associated with its purity, permanence, and productivity. ... | ||
| Spring Break | 3/22/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I am half Dapanese but when are the approximate dates for spring,summer and winter break?? A: Spring break is from March 26 to April 5; Summer vacaton is from July 21 to August 27; Winter ... | ||
| Gifts for family of visiting Japanese student | 3/21/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: i read thru all of your questions before posting. I have a japanese student visiting & going to ... A: Renee, Thank you for your follow-up question. If you really want to proceed with your gift-giving, ... | ||
| Gifts for family of visiting Japanese student | 3/21/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: i read thru all of your questions before posting. I have a japanese student visiting & going to ... A: You've been more than generous so far in welcoming and taking care of the Japanese student. There's ... | ||
| Number of subjects in a school day | 2/22/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: how many subjects are there in 1 school day A: In the municipal middle school that my nephew attends, there are 5 classes (each lasting an hour) ... | ||
| Baby Shower | 1/19/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: A friend of mine is having a baby shower for his wife whom is a budhist and japanese. I would like ... A: There is no tradition for baby showers in Japan, although many Japanese living in the U.S. have ... | ||
| Japanese School Hours | 1/10/2010 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: When does school start in Japan? I've heard that in Japan school starts in the middle of the day. Is ... A: Japanese schools generally start at 8:30 in the morning and continue until 3:30 in the afternoon. ... | ||
| Holiday gift for Japanese client | 12/15/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: We have a small consulting business and our largest client is a Japanese firm. We wish to thank this ... A: Generally, gifts are needed only for face-to-face meetings. And generally, gifts in Japanese ... | ||
| Japanese-themed gift | 11/29/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: As the Christmas season rears its festive head, I'm panicking over a gift for my boyfriend. I would ... A: Gosh there are any number of ways to organize a gift basket that would work, from a small theme to a ... | ||
| Japanese-themed gift | 11/29/2009 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: As the Christmas season rears its festive head, I'm panicking over a gift for my boyfriend. I would ... A: Your boyfriend will be very happy with your gift as it is very thoughtful. I like your idea. ... | ||
| Japanese-themed gift | 11/29/2009 | Jewel |
| Q: As the Christmas season rears its festive head, I'm panicking over a gift for my boyfriend. I would ... A: What you are thinking of doing is a great idea. The Asian markets are always adding and changing ... | ||
| Bell as gift | 11/10/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I'm going on a school trip in which I will meet youths from a Japanese School. I've already bought ... A: A bell is a good gift. We Japanese like bells - smalls ones, big ones. The sound of bells is how we ... | ||
| Wedding gift | 11/5/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I have a corporate customer who is a Japanese National on assignment in the USA. He recently eloped ... A: There is nothing in our tradition that would suggest any type of gift in this situation. Any gift ... | ||
| Phone interview with US subsidiary of Japanese firm | 11/2/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I have a phone interview with a US subsidiary of a Japanese company and I was told that cultural fit ... A: Not knowing the subject of your phone interview, I can only provide general pointers, but here goes: ... | ||
| gift giving | 10/7/2009 | Philip Lafeber |
| Q: I am living in Okinawa and feel a little confused with the gift giving cycle! A neighbor helped ... A: It is a nice question you are asking. I didn't know much about Okinawa (well, I still don't) but I ... | ||
| Gift of money | 9/29/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: Over 20 years ago we hosted a Japanese exchange student. Today I received a check (large amt) from ... A: The problem seems to lie with her family, rather than with Japanese culture. The reason for this is ... | ||
| Gogyo, Mitsubishi | 9/20/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I have been having trouble getting definitive answers to the following questions and do not want to ... A: What you’re referring to is called the gogyo-setsu theory in Japanese, which comes from the ancient ... | ||
| にvsで | 9/12/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: ん I know it's the wrong category, but the expert on the Japanese language is currently ... A: The difference in the use of "ni" and "de" that are particles that show place happens with the ... | ||
| protocol with Japanese guests | 9/6/2009 | Jewel |
| Q: The mother of our son's girlfriend is in the US visiting from Japan. She speaks no English. Her ... A: Not knowing the mother is difficult, but I think a dinner at home would be the best option here ... | ||
| Meaning of a gift received from a client | 8/12/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: I am an executive chauffer and one of my clients from Japan who was in the states for about 1 yr. ... A: Not everything has a deep meaning. It seems that the two pieces of cloth are what are called ... | ||
| Teaching in Japan | 7/28/2009 | Tai Yamanaka |
| Q: a read many of your answers regaurding the school year in Japan but I read elsewhere that during the ... A: Students are not required to attend school regularly during their summer vacation, but they have ... | ||
Philip Lafeber
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Are you doing business with the Japanese? Do you wonder how to approach them, what to do and what not to do? I am happy to provide some advice.
Experience
I have worked for a Japanese company for 6 years and taught myself how to work with the Japanese and also some of the Japanese language. Also, my wife is Japanese, which is why I have also learnt about Japanese in private life.
Education/Credentials
None. All based on experience.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.