| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Bell as gift | 11/10/2009 |
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 |
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 |
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 of money | 9/29/2009 |
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 |
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 |
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 ...
|
| Meaning of a gift received from a client | 8/12/2009 |
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 |
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 ...
|
| Japanese School Vacations | 7/6/2009 |
Q: How many vacations do Japanese schools get, and how long are they?
A: There are some Japanese schools with two semesters and others with three semesters, but the length ...
|
| Family | 6/19/2009 |
Q: How many children can a couple have? Also can they adopt a child from other countries? Can they ...
A: Unlike in China, there is no limit to the number of children Japanese couples may have. There are ...
|
| First and last names | 6/6/2009 |
Q: I would want to know about the first names and last names in Japan, is last name then first name?? ...
A: Yes, the Japanese convention is to state the family name (i.e., surname or "last name") first, ...
|
| Introductions | 6/2/2009 |
Q: How would someone be introduced and/or introduce themselves in Japanese schools and businesses? What ...
A: A person being introduced or introducing oneself in Japanese schools and businesses would do so just ...
|
| Japanese school uniforms | 5/15/2009 |
Q: What do high school students wear to school? What do private school students wear to school?
A: In Japan, there are more schools that have some sort of uniform, than those without, unlike the ...
|
| Gift for Japanese Friends Moving Away | 4/29/2009 |
Q: Japanese friends who have lived here in the US for several years will be moving soon. What would be ...
A: In Japan, there are cases when money is presented as parting gift, but in the case of friends, a ...
|
| Education and age taboos | 4/24/2009 |
Q: Hi I was just wondering if you could tell me if there were any taboos in Japan relating to education ...
A: Taboos are items that certain communities are not supposed to do or to discuss, so that by their ...
|
| Colors and types of flowers appropriate for Japanese funerals | 4/17/2009 |
Q: On 4/26/09, our Aikido dojo will be celebrating the anniversary of our founder's death (Morehei ...
A: In Japanese funerals, right after the person has passed away, decorative flowers are chosen in white ...
|
| Honorifics in business situations | 3/4/2009 |
Q: I recently have been communicating frequently with a Japanese customer, and have been addressing him ...
A: In the business context, the highest honorific is "sama." You would use this form for anyone higher ...
|
| Namban-jin | 3/3/2009 |
Q: The word Namban-jin is currently translated by "barbarians from the south", but it is likely that ...
A: "Nam" is the phonetic reading of "minami," which is the South. "Ban" means "savage" or "barbarous." ...
|
| Japanese Business Expressions | 2/26/2009 |
Q: Can you give me the Japanese words for the expression "big company disease"? Also, do you have a ...
A: "Dai kigyo byo" is the direct translation of "big company disease" and is normally used to refer to ...
|
| Gift for male business client | 2/10/2009 |
Q: Are flowers an appropriate gift for a Japanese male business client? If so, are there any ...
A: There is nothing in Japanese culture that says flowers shouldn't be sent to male clients. Assuming ...
|
| Student ages in Japanese schools | 12/4/2008 |
Q: how old are the students when they enter high school? how old are are the students when they enter ...
A: Japanese students typically spend 1 year in kindergarten, 6 years in grammar school, 3 years in ...
|
| Japanese Education | 12/4/2008 |
Q: What is the Taditional Customs of How Japanese people educated.
A: Japanese typically go through one or two years of pre-school (kindergarten), followed by six years ...
|
| Appropriate New Baby Gift | 11/17/2008 |
Q: We are close friends with the Sushi Master at our favorite place. We would like to give a gift for ...
A: There is no special gift for sushi chefs that would be more appropriate than another. Also, there ...
|
| Gifts for parents and relatives | 11/6/2008 |
Q: I will be traveling to Tokyo for my son's wedding soon. I have met his fiance but not family. I ...
A: There are no rules for determining what is appropriate as gifts for parents and relatives of your ...
|
| Ronin | 10/22/2008 |
Q: I have a Japanese friend who has been disowned by her family and considers herself Ronin. I am ...
A: What happened can happen in any society, and not just in the Japanese culture. Disownment is an ...
|
| Addressing female business executive | 10/21/2008 |
Q: I am unsure of how to address a female business executive I work with primarily by email. She ...
A: Yes, as an American, it is okay for you to use -"san" and that would not sound contrived. It would ...
|
| Addressing female business executive | 10/21/2008 |
Q: I am unsure of how to address a female business executive I work with primarily by email. She ...
A: Here's a two-part answer to that question. The really uptight, proper consideration is that (1) ...
|
| Gift for Japanese wedding | 7/27/2008 |
Q: A Japanese coworker will be marrying in Japan soon. I am not invited to the wedding but know the ...
A: While there is no tradition of bridal showers and such in Japan, we often give presents for the ...
|
| Fun in Japanese Schools | 7/25/2008 |
Q: Some of these thoughts have been running through my mind for a while now, and I would love to ask ...
A: The short answer is no, students in middle/secondary schools in Japan do not have time to attend ...
|
| Baby Gift | 7/14/2008 |
Q: Our friends in Japan have recently had their first child. Are there particular gifts that would have ...
A: The short answer is no, there are no particular gifts that mean more than others. The traditions ...
|
| Japanese School Hours | 7/12/2008 |
Q: How many hours are in a school day. How many days are in a school week?
A: For grammar schools in Japan, there are three 6-hour days and two 5-hour days a week. A school hour ...
|
| Ukiyoe techniques | 7/10/2008 |
Q: i want to know, what material (ink, wood and paper) they used when making ukiyoe since edo. is there ...
A: The wonderful and awesome thing about Ukiyoe is that it is only done with a block of wood, some ...
|
| Appropriate flowers | 5/2/2008 |
Q: I work for an architectural firm and one of our projects will be breaking ground in a couple of ...
A: The short answer is that there are no quick and fast rules. While there are preferences for colors ...
|
| Japanese business culture: lawsuits/depositions. | 4/11/2008 |
Q: I have read many articles on Japanese business culture. I am wondering if you have any insight into ...
A: This is a pretty broad question, so let me provide some general responses. 1. Japanese culture is ...
|
| Wedding gift | 3/27/2008 |
Q: I soon will be attending a Shinto wedding in Japan. What is the protocol for the wedding and ...
A: Many Japanese have Christian and Buddhist weddings, but most have Shinto ceremonies, so that the ...
|
| Hierarchy in japan | 3/15/2008 |
Q: what are the japanese terms for senior person, junior person and those who are equal to each other?
A: The most common terms in use are "meue" for a senior person, "buka" for a junior person, and "doryo" ...
|
| Proper etiquette | 3/11/2008 |
Q: if a japanese woman who is serving me bows to me should I bow back? if so when you bow do you look ...
A: When someone (anyone, including those who serve you) bows to you, you should acknowledge that ...
|
| Japan's schooling | 2/14/2008 |
Q: Is Japan's schoolling helpful to their technilogical advances?
A: The short answer is Yes, absolutely. Through its 6-3-3 (6 years of grammar school, 3 years of ...
|
| Japanese school year | 1/13/2008 |
Q: When does the Japanese school year begin and end? Also, is there a school vacation during the school ...
A: The Japanese school year starts in April and ends in March of the following year. We have a series ...
|
| Opening greeting to a high level Japanese businessman | 11/15/2007 |
Q: I am looking for the proper greeting or opening to a very high level japanes businessman for an ...
A: Yes, you should use the last name of the recipient in the opening address. In fact, in a Japanese ...
|
| Opening greetingr to a high level Japanese businessman | 11/15/2007 |
Q: I am looking for the proper greeting or opening to a very high level japanes businessman for an ...
A: The short answer is that there is no special way for addressing high level Japanese businessmen if ...
|
| Greeting Japanese government employees | 11/7/2007 |
Q: I have been asked to provide a briefing for three Japanese government employees (equivalent to State ...
A: Initial meetings with Japanese always begin with an exchange of business cards. The visitor hands ...
|
| Greeting Japanese government employees | 11/7/2007 |
Q: I have been asked to provide a briefing for three Japanese government employees (equivalent to State ...
A: The short answer is that you should treat them like you would any other visitors from a foreign ...
|
| Timing of gift Giving | 11/6/2007 |
Q: When is the appropriate time during a business meeting to give your Japanese visitor a gift? At the ...
A: There doesn't seem to be a set time for presenting a gift, since I remember exchanges of gifts both ...
|
| Clock as gift for a Japanese business man | 11/3/2007 |
Q: Is there a problem to present a gift to a key leader in a Japanese company that has a clock in the ...
A: As with many ancient cultures, and living in a close-knit society, the Japanese obssess about ...
|
| Thank you gift? | 10/13/2007 |
Q: I've taken a year of college Japanese from a Japanese instructor at my institute, and she is ...
A: The important thing is the thought, and that you care enough to want to send her something to ...
|
| Netsuke evaluation | 10/6/2007 |
Q: I have 6 netsukes I dont know what they are made of or how old they are...how do I find this out ...
A: The best way to get your netsuke evaluated is to contact one of the major netsuke associations ...
|
| Japan school year | 7/21/2007 |
Q: If Summer vacation starts on July 21 and on March 24 is the end of the school year for all other ...
A: The Japanese school year starts on April 5 and ends on March 24 in the following year. This simply ...
|
| number 4 | 7/9/2007 |
Q: i need some assistance with a Japanese cultural belief. Could you please provide me with an ...
A: In the Japanese language, the sound for the number 4 and the word "death" are homonyms, meaning that ...
|
| Japanese School System | 7/5/2007 |
Q: I've been wondering this for quite some time now: How long is the Japanese school year? What ...
A: The easiest way to answer is to provide you a list of the actual dates. The Japanese school year ...
|
| Appropriate Gift to Dignitaries and Business Associates | 6/29/2007 |
Q: My client is a Colonel in military public affairs and has been assigned to Japan for the next 3 ...
A: Don, Thank you for your follow-up question. There’s not any one good answer to your question, since ...
|
| Appropriate Gift to Dignitaries and Business Associates | 6/28/2007 |
Q: My client is a Colonel in military public affairs and has been assigned to Japan for the next 3 ...
A: In business and official meetings, it’s always a good idea to bring gifts. While they are called ...
|
| Being a guest in someone's home in Japan | 6/18/2007 |
Q: I am leaving for Japan soon with my girlfriend to visit her cousin and his wife. They recently had ...
A: Jason, I can certainly see the irony of your situation. Just to recap, though - 1. The refusal to ...
|
| Being a guest in someone's home in Japan | 6/18/2007 |
Q: I am leaving for Japan soon with my girlfriend to visit her cousin and his wife. They recently had ...
A: I am afraid that the position that your girlfriend's cousin has taken is perfectly normal and ...
|
| Gift for ill friend | 6/3/2007 |
Q: A Japanese friend was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and she returned home to Japan, where ...
A: The important thing, and this is probably true in all cultures, not just in the Japanese, is that ...
|
| Job interview in Japan | 5/25/2007 |
Q: I am an Indian national - an engineer by profession carrying 5 years of international experience in ...
A: It seems that the Nippon Steel subsidiary was impressed with your 4-year career in China, that you ...
|
| Netsuke evaluation | 5/1/2007 |
Q: not sure what its worth or what its made of.I want to now what its worth and to find out about it,i ...
A: There are netsuke made of various materials, icluding ivory and different types of wood. The ...
|
| Kimono | 3/19/2007 |
Q: How much do kimonos usually cost? Can you tell me in yen?
A: There is no one answer to your question, because the price of kimonos vary widely, depending on the ...
|
| Hierarchy | 1/7/2007 |
Q: To an outsider, Japanese corporations seem to be strictly hierarchical. Are they? If yes, which are ...
A: I would say that while there are individual corporate differences and differences between ...
|
| Japanese retailers | 12/18/2006 |
Q: What are some names of big japanes retailers or chains? preferably ones that don't have stores in ...
A: Mitsubishi, Mitsui & Co., Nissho-Iwai, Marubeni and Sumitomo are the largest trading companies in ...
|
| Learning Japanese | 11/30/2006 |
Q: is the Japanese language easy to learn and if i wanted to learn it where do i find information ...
A: Japanese is considered one of the most difficult languages for a westerner to learn, primarily ...
|
| Japanese interview questions | 11/5/2006 |
Q: What are some typical Japanese job interview questions? Are there any questions that I might be ...
A: The answer depends a lot on whether you are interviewed in Japan or elsewhere. If you are being ...
|
| Dressing in kimono for Halloween | 10/13/2006 |
Q: I work for a Japanese company here in America. I have been with Seymour Tubing for several years. I ...
A: Dressing in kimono should be fine. Dressing as a geisha would take more skill, but neither should be ...
|
| Japanese education | 9/15/2006 |
Q: Here are the questions i have to answer for this project. 1. How does this culture influence social ...
A: 1. Japanese educational system. 1.1. The Japanese educational system is traditionally built on the ...
|
| Netsuke | 8/24/2006 |
Q: Tai. I was wondering if I can ask you about netsuke? So, I've heard there are different netsuke ...
A: You're right that there are all sorts of netsuke, made of all sorts of materials (ivory, box wood, ...
|
| Geisha | 8/24/2006 |
Q: what is the meaning of the word geshia?
A: Did you mean to ask about "geisha"? If so, they are traditional Japanese courtesans. The word refers ...
|
| what are geisha's? | 7/26/2006 |
Q: Some people say that a Geisha is a japnese hore and then others say different like,they are just ...
A: Geisha are courtesans. Think of them as skilled professional entertainers who are hired for private ...
|
