What is "sekihan" or "osekihan"?
Sekihan or osekihan is a typical celebratory rice dish served on special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and festivals. Glutinous rice is steamed with red beans and takes on a pinkish color from the liquid that comes out of the beans. Sekihan always has something to do with happy occasions, so it is had by […]
“People might betray a person. However, efforts will never betray a person.”
Shigenobu Nagamori is probably one of the most popular company executives in Japan now. So his business method and thinking is very influential among many business executives in Japan. Let us look at his thinking briefly. “People might betray a person. However, efforts will never betray a person.” (Shigenobu Nagamori, Founder, President & CEO of […]
Match Made: After a Long Engagement, Japan and India Tie the Knot
India-Japan Relationship BANGALORE—It’s a marriage made in heaven: The bride brings to the altar the world’s fastest-growing middle class—young, well educated and with money to spend—and the groom the world’s most advanced manufacturing technology and billions of dollars worth of soft loans to fund badly needed infrastructure projects. India and Japan need each other. Their […]
What is "Nengajo?" In Japanese business, it is essential practice.
Nengajo is translated as New Year’s Cards in English and its shortened form, “gajo,” is also used. The custom of sending nengajo traces back to the Meiji period (1868-1912), when postcards were first issued in Japan. Until then, people visited their relatives and acquaintances to greet them at the New Year, but nengajo enabled people […]
What is AKB48? Why is it popular? Part of Japanese show business
Watching an AKB48 concert is like spending time at a French maid café – except better. This explains why while pretty French maidens are desperately handing out flyers on the main strip of Akihabara’s Electric Town while the tiny AKB 48 Theatre is packed with fans. AKB48 is a group of 48 young female entertainers […]
What is Japanese Style Presentation?
The Dynamite Presentation that Backfired In Japan a dynamite presentation just might backfire. As an interpreter, I have been in many sales presentations. I recall this one meeting between a small American firm and a large Japanese multinational. By American standards, the presentation was sensational. There was lots of white space, lots of photographs, and […]
What is Japanese people’s attitude toward work?
1. I can get something other than money. (2) 2. I have misgivings about the future of my work. (1) 3. I want to keep the same job for a long time. (5) 4. I am looking for a job that suits me or one I enjoy. (3) 5. I want to experience various kinds […]
Exploring the Source of Motenashi, Japanese-style Hospitality
Exploring the Source of Motenashi, Japanese-style Hospitality Why do Uniqlo’s services captivate people around the world? Japanese-style services are now drawing envious stares from many countries. Despite the fact that there are cultures of hospitality all over the world, why does only the Japanese one attract people’s attention? How different is Japanese hospitality from that […]
Cup Noodle and Its History, the first instant noodle in the world
Cup Noodle's History The product introduced here is Nissin Food Products’ Cup Noodle, the world’s first cup noodle. Fittingly, this year celebrates the 110th birthday of Momofuku Ando, the father of cup noodles. To commemorate the 110th birthday of the great inventor is the history of its developments about Cup Noodle. It helps when you’re busy. […]
Japanese Sense of Humor on Business
Japanese Sense of Humor on Business Suzuki, one of my Japanese clients, was making an emergency visit to his company’s US subsidiary. Something had gone very wrong with one of their suppliers, and there were two days of meetings to discuss possible solutions. “I get so frustrated when the Americans start joking around. This is […]