Japan In Perspective

I was extremely fortunate in that my first visit to the fabled and mysterious island nation of Japan lasted almost four months. While we did many of the usual tourist things during our time over there, we also lived with Sandra & Jay in a very Japanese area, and thus had both the time and the opportunity to view everyday life in Tokyo intimately. As such, even the most ordinary things, a trip to the neighbourhood store, a stroll around the park, a meal at a local restaurant or just a ride on the subway system, would yield unusual and interesting experiences for the Western traveller. Now that I have been back home for a couple of months, I have reflected on the experience and offer the following personal views of the Japanese people and their culture.

1. The Japanese are geographically, linguistically, and psychologically very distant from North America.

It is obvious that Japan is on the other side of the world physically; it takes a 12 hr flight from Vancouver just to get there.

What was not so obvious is that at first glance many, many things appear "wrong" to the visitor from the West. A few examples immediately come to mind;

• they don't shake hands, they bow; always from the waist and with arms straight; the lower you bow the more you respect the other;
  
• 'Yes' means 'I understand' - not necessarily that I agree;
• It is impolite to say 'No' to anythings and it is rude to phrase a question in such a way that it elicits a negative response;
  
• they drive on the 'wrong' side of the road;
  
• their year is derived from the reign of the current Emperor, not from a single historic date;
• they have two different electrical systems in use, and 3 entirely different cable delivery systems;
• rice is eaten with every meal, it is always the last dish eaten (always by itself) and should never be consumed with beer. Rice is so important in this society that it earns the revered title of O-Gohan, which roughly means The Honerable (Glorious / Holy) Rice.
• tipping is an insult, not a favour, (note, this custom is rapidly being adapted to Western values in Tokyo);
• when paying in a store the money always has to be placed in a little tray, never given directly to the clerk. However, your change will be given directly back to you; not put in the little tray.

Linguistically, Japan's historical isolation has resulted in a very different language system. I speak and read both English and French fluently; this was of little use in understanding their language. Some examples of the challenges faced:

• Instead of the familiar Noun - Verb - Object structure of European languages, the Japanes use Noun - Object - Verb structure. (i.e. We, big red car, drive.)

• There are no plurals; the speaker might be talking about one, several or many things and often you can never be certain. (examine the structure above closely);

• they use different 'counters' when speaking about different things such as people, animals, objects, big objects, days of the week, etc. Thus you need to know at least 10 different counting systems to be able to refer to things correctly, and some of these counters have up to three completely different numbering systems in themselves. English uses a single counting system for everything.

• to read Japanese you need to know three completely different alphabets. If you want to learn to read Japanese in Arabic text, (which English uses), you need to learn yet another system.

• they read from the right to the left and from the bottom to the top; exactly opposite that of English;

• the language you would use for someone of your status is different from that used with the boss, or different again from the language used with someone you consider your inferior. Thus, the very words that you use must be chosen very deliberately and carefully.
  

All the same, the Japanese are not reluctant to embrace a foreign word that denotes a concept or commodity that they did not have heretofore. Examples are Gift-o, Knifu, Forku, etc.

Psychologically, the Japanese are closely tied to the group; not to the individual, as is common in North America. This comes from the historical reverence placed on elders and from living closely together in small and tight spaces. Most Japanese families sleep together on mats placed in the daytime Living Room. There is almost no open space in the nation and no personal privacy for people. As a consequence, behaviour is rigidly controlled by cultural and social mechanisms in order to minimize conflict with the group. There is a Japanese proverb that states 'It is the tallest nail that gets the hammer'.

As a result of this conditioning and culture, the Japanese are unfaillingly polite, considerate and helpful to others. We experienced many, many overwhelming instances of their kindnesses and concer for other during our travels in Japan. One need only stop and look at signs or maps in the subway and someone will offer to give directions, take you there or make sure that you are able to resolve your problem. Complete strangers shared food with us, helped us order in restaurants, and even took us to their home for tea and conversation. Westerners are cold, indifferent and inconsiderate by their standards, but they do cut the Gaijin [foreigners] some slack in this regard. They tolerate us as being 'different' and self-centered, but would not accept this behaviour from fellow citizens.

As a result, Japan is a very safe and orderly society. Anyone can walk around Tokyo at night in safety. The streets are clean and tidy, people are orderly and there is almost no graffiti in evidence. I have noted that few bicycles are locked in the suburbs and I have even seem women leave their purse sitting in the front basket while inside a local shop. Murder is rare; a case anywhere in Japan will make the Tokyo newspapers.

2. In Japan, work is taken seriously and is an honourable endeavour.

Japan is a hierarchial society with younger people respecting the older ones, and workers respecting their supervisors and bosses. However, even the lowest of workers take their work seriously and believe it to be a vital and important function that must be performed to the best of their abilities. I have seen sweepers, flagmen and garbagemen dressed impeccably, working deligently and exercising great care and respect for the task at hand. Most of all, they respect themselves, with neat and tidy dress, polite manners and a dedication to their occupation that is not begrudingly performed if pressed. I once turned around to glance back at a display in a store to note that three employees were bowing deeply to me, the 'customer', as thanks for merely strolling by their wares! Gas station attendants bow to the driver, and will stop traffic to allow the person to leave. There is a phrase that the merchants will softly intone as you enter a shop that roughly means "Welcome". This is all very striking to a person who sees a societal drift to indifference and a general decline of standards of conduct and appearance to the lowest common denominator because it is 'easier' and nobody cares, anyway.



3. The Japanese admire and will pay for quality.

Ironically, for a nation that was associated with cheap knockoffs 50 years ago, the Japanese are culturally inclined to paying for top-quality items. Their electronics, cameras, lenses and automobiles have translated this trait into a global economic empire featuring such names as Sony, Toyota, Honda, Fujitsu and Fuji as emblematic of such high standards. In the local supermarket carrots, mellons and even oranges can be individually wrapped and of the highest standards; they would look upon much of our produce as 'garbage'. They view electronics such as TVs, cameras and computers as disposable items; they are junked about every 3rd year for the new, improved model. People mistake the small and minimal houses, vehicles and furniture for being cheap; not so, the Japanese demand the best and will pay for it. It is no coincidence that the only Canadian spirits that can make a dent in the market are Ice Wine, and high quality scotch and whiskey.

4. The Japanese view an absence of mistakes as perfection

The Japanese predelection to reticence makes them suspicious of verbosity, and also makes them reluctant to be exposed to the group as incapable. Thus, mistakes are to be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately, this obsessive concern has consequences. I have been told that the Japanese airline pilot uses actual 'stick-time' to practise for the simulator runs. They want to have a perfect score when demonstrating their skills to the Japanese Aeronautical Board. Westerners use the simulator to make mistakes so this doesn't happen in real flying.

Likewise, a professional hockey coach told me that domestic Japanese players who have never been overseas will practice fanatically until they can do the drills impeccably, and yet be totally incapable in a real game. Most Japanese, when asked, will sheepishly admit that they speak "only a little English" when they are quite capable, indeed. However, they will make the odd mistake, and that is seen as unacceptable.

5. Japanese Culture favours a 'Bottom-Up' approach

Westerners start with a concept and work downwards to the details. It is most important to get the concept right. The Japanese start at the bottom; get the details right, and then work upwards to derive concepts and principles. Their widespread belief is that understanding arises from careful attention paid to small details - something that is often overlooked in the West. This fact, as well as their attention to quality and the dedication of their workers, gave the Western automakers and electronics industry some tough lessons to learn when Japan broke onto the world stage in the 1970s.

6. The Japanese create communities on a human scale

Most people in Tokyo do not own, and do not need, a car to conduct their daily lives. They have a superb subway and rail system that can take people anywhere in Japan with speed, comfort and safety. The joke is that people will run to catch the subway car so they won't have to wait the 3 minutes for another one! I can remember once waiting for a subway for a long time and realized that I had been there for 10 minues!

Likewise, the entire city is built on a scale attuned to a human walking. Subway stops are placed roughly a 20-minute walk between. This means that most people can catch a train with at most a 10-minute walk. The Japanese build many, small shops to provide local service, rather than large but distant Big Box stores and malls that are so huge that you have to drive between the stores! In Japan there can be 5 or 6 restaurants in a single block; some with as few as 6 stools and a couple of tables. These are family owned and not franchise chains.

Most of your daily needs can be met by a short stroll in the immediate area, or by a short bicycle ride. The merchants will say hello to you as you walk by on the street, and your 'community' is your neighbourhood. Manufacturing is not zoned as it is in the West. You might find a car repair shop, a light manufacturing plant or a small lumberyard on the same block where you live. Even if you go downtown and make a large purchase, say a bigscreen TV, home delivery is cheap and efficient.

Contrast that to Western suburbs, which demand a multi-kilometre ride in the SUV land yacht just to pick up a quart of milk, and you drive from Big Box to Big Box to get all the 'stuff' you need.


Conclusion

Lest the reader think that I am enchanted with all things Japanese, I should also point out that there are things that Japan does not do so well. Their rigid social structure can confine creativity, results in cruel punishment for offenders and creates pressure on individuals who exhibit individualistic tendancies. Some institutions, such as their banking systems and the inability to use electronic payment methods, are outdated and archiac. Japanese do not like substitutions on the menu, and react negatively to any change in 'the plan'. The Japanese also believe that any non-native is not one of 'them', no matter how long the person has lived there.

However, the Japanese have a lot to teach us about living, working and playing together in large numbers within a confined space and with a limited use of resources.






The Japanese seem to have stuck a more appropriate balance between individual freedom and the group; between the right to consume and the consequences to society, and for workers and all members of society to be responsible and accountable for their actions. We would do well find ways to adopt some of their best ideas into our culture and society.

When speaking of humanity's first visit to the moon, which occurred in December 1968, one of the Apollo 8 astronauts stated that it was remarkable that mankind (read that as a simple contraction of 'humankind' for anyone who is obsessive about retroactively labelling people as chauvinists) had to leave earth in order to discover it. I totally agree. Having spent four months in Japan I think I now know Canada and Canadians a little better. I have had one of the most interesting and enlightening experiences of my life, and I thank Japan and the Japanese people for the pleasure of allowing Jean & myself to get to know them.

And a special thanks to Sandra and Jay for being the perfect hosts and allowing us to also discover the Japan that they are so fond of.


Doug-San (Not) In Japan

Saying Sayonara For Now.