A basic overview of

Japanese BusinessEtiquette
 Situations
• Dress Etiquette

• Meeting

• Punctuality

• Exchange of visiting cards

• Gifts etiquette
 Meeting people
• Supervisor

• Kocho / Kyoto sensei

• Other teachers

• People in the community

 Greeting!
• Hajimemashite
– To shake or bow?
• Either is fine: YOU initiate

• ~ desu.
– Say your name slowly
– If you have a business card, get it ready

• O sewa ni natte orimasu

– This means “Thank you for taking care of me!”
– ONLY to people who are helping you

• Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu

– This means: “I I hope to start a good relationship”
 Business cards
• Your supervisor
– Get a meishi case
• Your kocho / kyoto sensei
– If you receive it at a table, leave it face up in front of
you and after the meeting, store it
• Other teachers
– Probably won’t give you business cards
• People in the community
– Treat them like kocho / kyoto sensei
 Omiyage
• To your supervisor
– Tsumaranai mono desu ga…

• To kocho / kyoto sensei

• To other teachers

• To people in the community

– Neighbors
– New friends
 PRACTICE!
• Amanda sensei, supervisor

• Amanda sensei, kocho / kyoto sensei

• Amanda sensei, home economics teacher

• Amanda san, elderly neighbor downstairs

 As a guest
• Be on time!!!

• When entering a home…

– O jama shimasu – I’m invading your space
– Take off your shoes in the genkan (foyer)
– If you’re offered slippers, remove them and leave them outside if entering a tatami room

• If you brought omiyage (which you did!), present it to the host / hostess
– Spirits in the States, flowers in France, junk food in Japan (sweets, dessert or snacks!)

• Giri / Ki o tsukau
– Japanese hosts will go OUT OF THEIR WAY to be gracious, so don’t push it with special requests.
• Ex: What would you like to drink?
– Japanese people will ask what your friend / host is drinking and have the same so as not to inconvenience them
– Don’t worry about that, but don’t make special requests to come off as a high maintenance guest
– The onus is on THEM to offer, and YOU to refuse…
• For dietary restrictions…
– Let the host know as far in advance
– If there are food items you can’t eat, express deep regret and use the “STOP” gesture

• Spending the night

– You’ll be offered the bath – scrub yourself down and do you washing with soap outside of the bathtub using
the pail OR shower
– Don’t drain the water, because it’ll be reused. If you’re squeamish, you can skip the bath part.

• Consider the circumstances under which you were invited…*

 As a guest ctn’d
• Sitting
– Under kotatsu
• If your legs are too long, beware kicking someone
• Cross legged is best
– Not under kotatsu
• It’s rude to cross legs for ladies
• Seiza alternatives: legs to the side (ladies), cross legged
(men)
– Position
• Least important person sits near the door – NOT you
 Dining
• Chopsticks
– Don’t play with them, use them to gesture, spear anything, etc.

• Family-style food
– If you go to a restaurant, expect to share*
– Don’t “help yourself” – the host will serve you
– Don’t hover your chopsticks over a dish

• Pouring drinks
– Pour drink for your neighbor
– If at an enkai, wait for the toast to imbibe!
– If you need more of a beverage, offer your neighbor some and they’ll do the same

• Rice
– Rice is the staple of the meal; all items prepared are meant as complements
– It’s slightly sticky to enable you to grab large clumps, so don’t mix it up or add soy sauce
– You may pick up the chawan (bowl) to eat it

• Itadakimasu
– Wait after the host is seated to eat
– If you want more of something, you can comment on how delicious it was if you’re shy to reach for more!
 Dining ctn’d
• Table Manners
– Eating Noodles
• Slurping is fine, but it’s not sucking, it’s inhaling
• Not necessary for spaghetti, though some do it
– The aftermath
• You don’t have to clean your plate
• Not always necessary to stack plates that are finished
• Keep your area clean

• Paying…
– If you’re invited by senpai, they *may* treat you
• Refuse until they seem offended
• Thank them profusely!
• Gochisou samadeshita
• A little thank you note with a “one-point English” joke or something is a thoughtful gesture

– Going Dutch is a bit different

• The designated host usually divvies up the check
• Men usually pay more than women
• Vegetarians / non-drinkers, beware…

– If you need the waiter / waitress

• Sumimasen
• Onegaishimasu
 PRACTICE!
• At a new friend’s home

• At a restaurant

• At an enkai
 Miscellaneous tips: Don’ts
• Be late or cancel
– If you are late, it’s important to apologize; the greater the inconvenience, the more ways you
should demonstrate your regret
– If you *must* cancel, deeply apologize and suggest an alternative date or solution
– You will not receive invitations again if you continue to dottu kyanseru

• Attend to personal grooming in public

– Blow your nose in private
– Mints are better than chewing gum – you can bring a toothbrush around if you need
– Do your makeup in the bathroom

• Some Western body language

– Yawning is BAD, period (kara genki)
– Fidgeting / shaking legs comes off as childish

• Be a rude communicator…
– Don’t ask why!
– Communication in Japan is like bowling, not tennis
– Complaining or commenting about how something is weird in Japan may be taken personally

• Be sarcastic
 Miscellaneous tips: Don’ts ctn’d
• WARPS

• Automatically feel that you have to take it!

– If *you* feel offended by…
• A personal question, just smile and say, Chotto
hazukashii desu…
• A comment, just make a tight smile and try to move the
conversation away from it
• A gesture (sexual harassment), you don’t have to
tolerate it and can be firm in cutting off that behavior
 Miscellaneous tips: Do’s
• Appearances count!
– Keep your hair and clothing tidy and in good condition
• Get anti-mildew stuff for your closet
• Get a fan to blow air through your closet for drying clothing
– The amount of care you put into your appearance reflects how much care you will put into
the relationship
– Keep your apartment clean and in good shape for your sanity and to increase your social
options
– Open body language – crossed arms vs. folded hands

• Thank people graciously!

• Ask questions politely

– People love to share information about themselves and their culture
– Who, what, when, where, how are fine…

• Be comfortable with silence

• Bring a stash of Western goodies just in case

– Wrapped non-chocolate mints or hard candy lasts at least a month
– Pencils, pins, postcards, blank CDs to make mixes…
 Miscellaneous tips: Do’s ctn’d

• Earnestness goes a long way

• Actions speak louder than words

• SMILE
 Resources
• Google “Japanese Etiquette”

• Big eyes and ears

• Books by Donald Richie (Temple University

professor)

• Hokkaido Highway Blues: Hitchhiking Japan by

Will Ferguson