I'm staying in the Shinjuku area which is just west of Ginza, where I will be staying starting Dec. 1-5. The area is very busy with business people on the go. I also notice children always walking together in various sized groups. I found out that this is common place since Japanese children are taught about the importance of group dynamics, not the individual.
My cold/flu is getting worse by the hour, so I need to ease back and try and get a handle on this.
I have able to find out some interesting facts and information on the culture, habits and expectations of the Japanese.
CLEAN- I still just can't get over that you don't see anything that would even resemble trash, graffiti or garbage. It is not usual to see someone pick up someone's trash along the streets. You also can find shopkeepers up before day break sweeping and hosing off the front of their businesses. There are plenty of tress in Tokyo proper, but you don't find any leaves on the streets or grassy areas. I found it is very important to the Japanese that they show a positive face to foreigners and especially tourist...Parisians could learn a few things about this. It is not unusual to find school children cleaning up the school buildings and grounds before leaving for the day.
POLITENESS - No matter where you go and no matter the person's rank, title or commonality of the person, you can always expect a greeting of the head bowed or as much as a bend at the waste...several times in some cases. There is almost a shyness of the Japanese in meeting other people. It is important that the Japanese do not sound loud or boisterous especially around foreigners. Also, no one starts to eat or drink until someone, usually the host or the most senior of the group, starts first.
PUNCTUAL - This is one I could live with because it is something that was always one of my pet peeves. All the trains, buses, subways especially are punctual. When I was catching the Bus to take me from the airport to the hotel, the schedule called for a 2;40 arrival and a 2:50 departure. Needless to say , it arrived at 2:40 and left at 2:50. It was also interesting at the bus stop, that the three exact uniformed men that were helping to load luggage, all stood in a perfect line and bowed to the bus and its people as it left the curb.
KIND-The Japanese people are so very kind to their own people as well as foreigners. When they visit another family or a business associate, one always brings a gift. Amongst their own friends and family it would generally be food. In business, a bottle of wine or fine liquor is appreciated. I was reading where General MacArthur came into Japan after WWII to administer the reconstruction of the cities, he was struck by the kindness of the people so much that he insisted his troops carry the same kindness in return.
HARD WORKING-This is a quality that is ingrained in the Japanese soul, It is a interest dynamic that wasn't always there before WWII. Many of the Japanese products produced up through the 1950's were notorious for the poor quality and effort by its workers. When one had something that broke one would say, "Must be made in Japan". I now can say the economics class that I took in the 70's is paying off, because I remember learning about Dr. Edwards Deming. Deming was bought over from the US to teach theJapanese business principles primarily in Quality Control (QC). Part of the QC process was the mindset of the workers to produce a quality product and this resulted in a more dedicated employee. To this day, most workers will stay extra time after their "contracted" hours to finish a project or provide additional customer service. There is no such thing as "overtime". It is considered rude to leave at the exact time of the contracted work day.
RESPECTFUL-Japanese are very considerate people, especially as one gets older. Senior citizens are considered teachers of the young. As with many Asian families, all family members will live together, on the same street or in the same neighborhood.
INTELLIGENT-The stereotype of Asian and especially Japanese people being intelligent is due to the intense pressure of the youth to get the most out of their education. There is a series of testing throughout the Japanese educational system that "guides" the student toward a certain career based on these year end testing days. This also puts pressure on the children because it is important to them not to disappoint their parents.
GROUPING- I think I mentioned this previously but grouping is a way of life young and old. A word of advice to any English speaking teachers in Japan. Unlike in America, where the group is often disliked because sharing the workload with other students inevitably means that it gets divided unequally, Japanese students thrive off of grouping. They prefer not to have to voice their opinions alone, but would rather share ideas with their peers and make a group decision. I remember again reading about Deming and his success with quality control and its success in altering the mindset of the Japanese. It is interesting that I used a lot of these principles in my own management style. Hire smart, hard working and loyal people, make them part of your inter-circle and give the group a sense of empowerment. That business acumen is referred to as "Japanese Style Management".
Okay end of lesson.
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