Surviving Japan

Traveling to a new destination is always exciting. Knowing a little about the etiquette of the people will help do the right things without offending anyone and make your trip both successful and enjoyable. Japanese are a very sensitive people, more fastidious about etiquette and proper form. Whether you are in Japan for tourism or living, your actions have a profound impact on how others look at you. When you were a child, you may have gotten reprimanded for noisily slurping your food while eating. In Japan, you may slurp to your heart's content. When eating noodles or soup in Japan, it's not only socially acceptable to slurp, it's polite and a sign that you are enjoying your meal. In spite of the fact that Japan is becoming more Westernized, especially with younger people, it is still important to abide by their customs whenever possible. Remember to be polite and respect Japanese traditions. Travel to Japan can be a rich and rewarding adventure. But there are certain norms about Japan which a traveller has to keep in mind.

Food in Tokyo

Japanese cuisine means traditional style Japanese food, known for its quality of ingredients, seasonality of food and presentation. The typical Japanese meal consists of a bowl of rice (gohan), a bowl of miso soup (miso shiru), pickled vegetables (tsukemono) and fish or meat. While rice is the staple food, several kinds of noodles (udon, soba and ramen) are cheap and very popular for light meals. As it is an island nation, the Japanese take great pride in their seafood. A wide variety of fish, squid, octopus, eel, and shellfish appear in all kinds of dishes from sushi to tempura. Japanese cuisine is based on combining staple foods, typically rice or noodles with a soup and dishes made with fish, vegetables, tofu, meat or similar to add to the flavour of the staple foods. The dishes are typically flavoured with dashi, miso and soy sauce, usually low in fat and high in salt. Tokyo cuisine offers a large variety of dishes and regional specialities. Meat eating has been fairly rare until recently due to restrictions of Buddhism. Japanese usually use chopsticks to eat. Most restaurants display what is served by them in the form of plastic food, which is quite expensive and realistic. Before eating the meal, Japanese say “Itadakimasu” expressing thanks to the person who has prepared the food and gratitude for the food and at the end of the meal they say “Gochisosama”, a polite expression for gratitude for the meal. 

Shopper’s Paradise Tokyo

Japan is a shopper's paradise, offering everything from high-tech gadgetry and electronics to traditional arts and crafts. Large department stores, specialty shops, fashion boutiques, hotel arcades and shopping centres abound. Popular buys include cameras, watches, CD players, hi-fi equipment, silk goods, lacquer ware, Japanese dolls, and woodblock prints. People in Tokyo and basically all of Japan, love to go shopping. Tokyo shopping ranges from the crowded sidewalk and underground markets hawking black-market DVD's and faux designer jeans, to the true designer boutiques in the Roppongi Hills and the Ginza districts. They have some of the best shops in the world. Electronic goods like, computers, laptops, mobile phones, digital cameras, televisions, music systems, CD and DVD players are sold at best possible prices and a visit to Akihabara is a must.  Apart from garments, shoes and accessories, traditional handicraft items depicting Japanese art and culture are also sold out extensively. Exclusive Japanese products like good luck charms, kimonos, karate-wear, Japanese swords, paintings, green tea and special Beanie Babies are also found in abundance in the International Arcade. Shops are open from 10:00 am to 08:00 pm (including Sundays and National Holidays). Some department stores are closed on Wednesdays. Many smaller specialty shops are closed on weekends, national holidays and over traditional Japanese holiday seasons.

Art in Tokyo

Tokyo, the capital of the Land of the Rising Sun or Japan and one of the world’s most modern cities and a leading center of contemporary culture and art. Art was one of the ways the Japanese found to preserve their cultural uniqueness. This city is home to some of the world’s greatest collections of Japanese art housed in major museums and is thus a fitting place to get an overview of Japanese cultural history. The city is a mix of ancient Japanese culture and modern technological innovation. An integral part of Tokyo, its art, culture and entertainment reflect the unique artistic creativity and rich traditional heritage of its indigenous inhabitants. The residents of Tokyo have acquired worldwide popularity for their wide range of artistic creations. Japanese art covers a wide range of art styles and media, including ancient pottery, sculpture in wood and bronze, ink painting on silk and paper and more recently manga, cartoon, along with a myriad of other types of works of art. One of the major influences on ancient Japanese Culture was Zen Buddhism. The contribution of Zen to Ancient Japanese Art is seen in a Japanese Rock garden, the Japanese style garden, flower arrangement (Ikebana), architecture, Haiku or poetry, ceramics, calligraphy and other Japanese crafts. Just as an example – according to Zen emptiness is a key element. That's why the landscape in Japanese paintings is brought to life with just a few strokes of the brush. Japanese poetry - Haiku, also influenced by Zen, believes in simplicity. Zen also believes in making minimal changes to nature and emphasizes natural materials when it comes to architecture and design. You will never see a Japanese flower garden for instance. No flower beds. The elements used are rocks, water, sand and trees. The gardener takes care of the Japanese style garden helping the landscape to stay as it is. Each tree is taken care of meticulously.

Cultural and Business Norms in Japan

Etiquette in Japan can be defined as a full time occupation. Points of etiquette are particularly codified including grammar and vocabulary for polite conversation, rules of gift giving, wrapping and receiving, standards of bowing, exchanging meishi or name cards. Etiquette hinges on principles of proportional reciprocity in social hierarchies based on relative status between superior and subordinate. Relative in the terms of status, age, gender, designation, relation etc. Most people have a hard time figuring out all the customs and formalities in the Land of the Rising Sun. It is an odd mix of culture and modern high technology, and the perfect place waiting to be explored by an unsuspecting traveller. Japanese etiquette is one of the most curious and signature qualities of the country’s culture. They emphasize on politeness and honor since feudal times. When and where to take off your shoes, what kind of gift to bring for what occasion, what can be done to be a good co worker, or neighbour or friend, behaviour in public and so on. The Japanese are sticklers for details. Don’t be surprised when you make a purchase, you are expected to place cash or your credit card in a shallow tray. The cashier will take the tray, carefully wrap up your purchase and hand it to you, bow and place your change or credit card back in the tray.

Etiquette and Cultural Norms in Japan

A person is identified by their manners and behaviour and you are also a representative of your own country and bound to leave an impression. The key to avoiding any unpleasantaries when you visit a country is to know something about their culture. When you travel to Japan, you are a guest and the Japanese do not expect visitors to know every aspect of their culture, but understanding the basics helps avoid uncomfortable situations. The Japanese are extremely well mannered, disciplined and cultured. Etiquette and behaviour in Tokyo is a very important aspect, of this country as a whole. The Japanese in general are very reserved. Showing extreme emotions is out of place. They are nothing if not polite. At all times, try your very best to be utterly polite. In Tokyo, people are always well groomed and remarkably well dressed. Point to be noted when you pack your wardrobe for Japan.

Sights and Sounds of Tokyo

For decades Tokyo was visited mainly by business people connected with Japan's booming electronics and car manufacturing industries. Today, more and more people are coming to this huge, exciting megalopolis in order to enjoy its vast array of attractions and to experience a little of the culture that Japan offers visitors from overseas. Tokyo's infinite charms include temples, palaces and gorgeous, intricate gardens as well as a nightlife second to none. As for shopping, Tokyo is world famous for its boundless variety of shops and stores. Visitors in spring can enjoy the special bonus of seeing the fabulous cherry blossoms that attract vast crowds to the city parks. But a trip to Tokyo, at any time, is guaranteed to be a profoundly interesting and enjoyable experience.Tokyo is the point of entry for most visitors and business travellers to Japan. It is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Extraordinary, vibrant, fashionable, modern, a true metropolis, which still manages to reveal glimpses of its traditional past. Tokyo should be at the top of any Asian tourism agenda. It presents the mystique of traditional Japanese culture since the 17^th century, when the city was born. Its designation as the capital of Japan is fitting. Not only is it the biggest and most populous city in the nation, but it also represents the finest in Japanese heritage.

Thrilling Tokyo

Tokyo. One of the 47 prefectures of Japan, though it is called a metropolis rather than a prefecture, is located on the eastern side of Honshu, on the Kanto plain facing the Tokyo bay. It is the largest city and the country’s capital. It is the most populated urban area in the world with over 12 million people living there, not including adjacent areas. It is the seat of the Japanese Government and the Imperial Palace, the home of the Japanese Imperial family. The city is considered an Alpha + world city and ranked 3rd among global cities along with London and New York. The city was earlier called Edo meaning estuary, and was a small fishing village. In 1868, the name was changed to Tokyo, meaning east capital. Tokyo is laced with soaring sky scrappers, cosmopolitan industries, shopping arcades, extravagant bars and lounges and amid its modern flourish, the city also espouses its time honoured tradition in the form of shrines, ryokans ( guesthouses ) and museums. Tokyo has suffered a number of tragedies, including major devastation during World War II. After the war, Tokyo was completely re built. It has also suffered many earthquakes because of its location being near the boundary of 3 plates. But they are relatively quiet since 1923. Popular Hollywood movies like The Fast and the Furious, Kill Bill, Lost in Translation have been filmed in Tokyo. The energy of Tokyo borders on mania and obsession with newness that seems to make all ideas obsolete quickly. But though they are tech savvy with electronics, upgrade their mobiles with each advancement, fashions change with the blink of an eye, they are also traditional which may not be evident initially. Deep at their core, culture, religion, beliefs and respect are important to them. As the modern moves ahead, the city remains true to its origins.