Playing the Geisha Game in Present-Day Japan!

  Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 TOKYO–During the 1600s in Edo (Tokyo) a special class of women entertainers who were skilled at playing the shamisen, singing, and dancing gradually came to be known as geisha (gay-ee-shah). Famous courtesans in Japan’s numerous red-light districts regularly hired geisha to help them entertain their high profile customers.

 

    The geisha also performed for private parties in inns and restaurants. As the decades of the Edo era (1603-1868) passed, their training became more formalized and strict, and the profession grew in stature.

 

    Although geisha did not work as prostitutes it became customary for them to form intimate liaisons with affluent men who patronized them regularly and treated them more or less as mistresses.

 

      With the deterioration of the licensed gay quarters following the downfall of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1867, the social status of prostitutes began to drop and that of the geisha to rise. Their training was expanded to include lessons in etiquette, grace, flower arranging, the tea ceremony, and in how to be stimulating conversationalists, making them among the most accomplished women in the country.

 

    Within a few decades the position of prostitutes and geisha had completed reversed. Geisha were the most elite of public women, and prostitutes the lowest. Wealthy businessmen and high-ranking politicians began to vie with each other to make the most famous geisha their mistresses.

 

    It was, in fact, common for men of wealth and power to marry their geisha mistresses, with one notable example being Hirobumi Ito (1841-1909), who played a key role in the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 1860s, became the chief architect of Japan’s first constitution, and served as prime minister four times.

 

    Since Japanese wives did not participate directly or publicly with men in business or in politics, and therefore could not act as hostesses for their husbands or other men, geisha came to perform this valuable function, dressing up meetings and making sure things ran smoothly.

 

     As late as the 1950s, Tokyo alone had over a dozen large so-called geisha districts, which consisted of clusters of ryotei (rio-tay) or inn-restaurants that called in geisha to serve their customers. The services of the geisha were so costly that only wealthy businessmen and high-ranking politicians and government bureaucrats could afford to patronize them.

 

     Then the rapid transformation of Japan into an economic super power from the 1950s to the 1970s saw the equally rapid rise of thousands of cabarets and night clubs that featured hostesses as drinking, dancing and conversational companions, with fees far below what geisha inns charged.

 

     The more attractive the hostesses, and the more skilled they were in entertaining men, the more they could earn. This naturally attracted some of the most beautiful and socially talented young women in the country. Hundreds if not thousands of these remarkable women became millionaires. Like the geisha of an early day, many of them married well. One married the then president of Indonesia, Sukarno, and became an international celebrity.

 

     The reign of the huge businessmen-oriented hostess cabarets and nightclubs ended in the late 1980s when Japan’s economic bubble begin to deflate. The geisha survived the economic fallout but they remained on the fringe of Japan’s entertainment world. In Kyoto, in particular, there are well-known geisha districts, with many of the women in the trade being third and fourth generation geisha.

 

    In the evenings in Tokyo’s Akasaka district, which borders the country’s government center, one can still see geisha being delivered to ryotei and ryokan in rickshaws pulled by men wearing traditional Edo age garb.

   Most geisha now voluntarily enter the profession when they are in their late teens. Their training is less formal and less comprehensive—often as little as a few weeks, as opposed to years in earlier times.

 

     But today’s instant geisha are just as fascinating, just as entertaining, if not more so, than their predecessors. And they are almost always more attractive because today their popularity and success is more dependent upon their looks.

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boye Lafayette De Mente

_________________________________________________

Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

 

In Japan Good Design is Everywhere!

 

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO—In the 1960s and 70s a number of Japan specialists and media pundits predicted that Japan would become the world’s largest economy—bypassing and overshadowing the United States.

 

    Those predictions were naïve to say the least, but Japan has in fact become a world leader in a number of key areas that include technological advances in several scientific fields, particularly in the creation of new materials.

 

     This development is especially remarkable because invention and innovation were virtually taboo in Japan from the mid-1600s until the last decades of the 19^th century, putting the Japanese some 200 years behind the Western world in scientific research and technology.

 

    But there is one area in which the Japanese have been more advanced than Westerners—intellectually as well as technologically—for well over a thousand years, and that is in the world of design and in the creation of arts and crafts that are superior in both design and quality.

 

    As far back as the 7th century Korean immigrants began bringing sophisticated Chinese art and craft technology to Japan. During the golden Heian period (794-1185) this technology and the accompanying master/apprentice system of training were integrated into Japan’s common culture.

 

     Each generation of artists and craftsmen raised the bar on the standards of design and quality until they reached the level of a fine art. When the first Westerners showed up in Japan in the 16th century they were astounded at the technological ability of the Japanese and the quality of their crafts.

 

     But it took the Japanese almost exactly one hundred years—from the 1860s to the 1960s—to get out from under the influence of foreign importers and to begin incorporating these traditional design and manufacturing skills into their export products—and the rest, as the saying goes, is history.

 

    Today, the philosophical and ethical principles that are the foundation of Japanese design and product quality are being adopted worldwide, creating what is now being called a new era of design.

 

    I have been promoting the traditional elements of Japanese design since the 1950s, and in 2006 published a new book on the subject entitled Elements of Japanese—Key Terms for Understanding & Using Japan’s Classic Wabi-Sabi-Shibui Concepts.

 

     The book identifies 65 concepts that constitute the heart of the Japanese design process and the products that result—beginning with the terms honshitsu (hone-sheet-sue) and seizui (say-zooey), which refer to the essence of Japanese design, and ending with Zen, which teaches one how to distinguish reality from all of the illusions that become embedded in our minds.

 

    The book offers new insights into the historical and cultural developments that are at the roots of the new international aesthetic movement—from wa (wah), harmony; kaizen (kigh-zen), continuous improvement; and mushin (muu-sheen), empty mind, to mujo (muu-joh), incompleteness.

 

    Despite the inroads that have been made in Japan by Westernization and modernization since the 1860s the traditional design and quality concepts are alive and well, and they are tangible and visible for all to see.

 

     Even in crowded Tokyo and other Japanese cities the evidence of good design and quality are visible on subways and trains and in the streets—on advertising posters, on storefronts, in product displays, in the architecture and interior furnishings of shops and restaurants, in buildings and offices.

 

    For the discerning foreign visitor in Japan, just a few days can be an extraordinary aesthetic and cultural experience that is the highlight of the trip. If you look closely, the whole country is a virtual museum of modern and traditional art that adds an emotional, intellectual and spiritual ambiance to daily life.

 

    And it is possible for those who are more highly tuned to both the beauty and functionality of Japanese design to literally step back in time before the appearance of Western concepts in the country, when only Japanese designs existed, by simply going through a door—into a traditional inn, restaurant or home.

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boye Lafayette De Mente

_________________________________________________

Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

Visitors Can Watch Svelte Female “Samurai” in Sexy Training Bouts!

 Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO—In Japan’s hundreds of commercial dojoh (doh-johh), or martial arts gyms, throughout the country it is now common to see young women wielding wicked-looking “swords” made of sheathes of bamboo, and shouting ki (kee) or some other sound at the top of their voices.

 

    These young women say that they have taken up kendo (ken-doh), or “the way of the sword,” because it provides them with a direct connection with Japan’s traditional culture and makes them feel “more Japanese,” filling a void in their lives.

 

    This new phenomenon is being analyzed left and right by sociologists, psychologists and run-of-the-mill commentators, some of whom question the motives of the young women. One popular theme is that the women are not so much interested in regaining the spirit of the samurai as they are in “looking good” in skin-tight clothing as they cavort on the dojo floor.

 

    Another explanation is that the young women find that practicing with a makeshift sword is an empowering experience because it allows them to demonstrate that they can become skilled in doing something that was traditionally seen as a male thing.

 

     Practice in using swords was a major part of the lives of the warrior class that ruled Japan from 1192 until 1868, particularly male members, who were required to begin engaging in daily practice drills from the age of seven.  Some female members of the samurai class did practice the art of kendo but it was not something that was absolutely required of them.

 

    The samurai class was abolished in 1870 and the wearing of swords was banned shortly thereafter, but kendo itself did not disappear. The military, the police and high schools inaugurated kendo programs as a means of developing character and a fighting spirit.

 

    In more recent decades the spirit of the samurai has been kept alive in the public mind by kabuki, noh, movies, and long-running television serials. The appearance of the Tom Cruise film The Last Samurai in 2003 resulted in several books on samurai becoming best sellers, including one that was originally published in 1716 and another one that was first published in 1905.

 

      Now there is a full-fledged kendo boom going on in Japan that is part of a revival of the samurai spirit, which provided the foundation of the traditional culture for many centuries, and is now seen as an antidote to some of the Americanization that has significantly weakened the spirit of younger Japanese.

 

      There is no doubt that practicing kendo dramatically increases one’s courage, self-confidence and outgoing spirit—something that most young Japanese girls of today already have in abundance without any kendo training…but the ritual of kendo training adds more courage, self-confidence and aggressiveness to their character.

 

     Residents and visitors to Japan who would like to see some of these young women going through their kendo paces can catch the action at Tokyo’s Shinjuku Sports Plaza dojo and the Iguchi Community Center in suburban Mitaka.

 

     Kendo masters point out that the moves in this new “samurai exercise” are not the traditional moves of genuine sword fighters. They say it is an adaptation of the “art form” of sword fighting developed for kabuki, noh and the movies, in which there is no physical contact.

 

    Regardless of what it is—or might be called—no-contact kendo provides both a good workout and an opportunity for women to express themselves physically in a very dramatic fashion without the possibility of being injured or regarded as masculine.

 

      But not all young Japanese women who have taken up the “sword” to develop a stronger spirit choose the no-contact form. In virtually all of the high school, police and military kendo training centers throughout the country there are female practitioners who hold their own against their male counterparts.

 

    Watching such bouts it is obvious that these intrepid young women get some kind of rush out of the experience.

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boye Lafayette De Mente

_________________________________________________

Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

A Japanese Cultural Custom Worth Emulating!

 

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO—One of the most enviable facets of life in Japan is the fact that several million present-day Japanese (some say as many as 10 million) regularly write haiku (high-kuu) poetry.

 

     Haiku readings and contests abound, including an annual national event that is sponsored by the emperor and empress at the Imperial Palace. One of the greatest honors a Japanese poet—professional or amateur—can aspire to is an invitation to attend one of these palace poetry celebrations.

 

     Poetry has played an important role in Japanese life from prehistoric times. As in most ancient cultures, the early Japanese used verbal chants and songs that were essentially poetry to commune with nature and the gods. When they adapted the Chinese system of writing to their language between 400 and 600 A.D. their chants, songs and poetry were among the first things to be transcribed into the Chinese ideograms.

 

   In the beginning, Japanese scholars, Buddhist monks and others imitated the poetic forms that were imported from China with the ideographic system of writing. But over the generations, the character of the Japanese language and the cultural penchant of the Japanese to standardize everything they did resulted in the creation of the form that became the haiku that is known today.

 

      Japan’s famous samurai warriors, who ruled the country from 1192 until 1868, were often as renowned for their ability to compose haiku as for their skill in swordsmanship.

 

   In fact, until the changes wrought by mass industrialization and the importation of Western culture from 1945 on, it was almost mandatory that all Japanese write haiku.  It was simply a part of their psyche…an expression of their Japanese identity.

 

     It is because of the existence of the precise, unvarying form for haiku and a cultural compulsion that goes back for thousands of years that so many Japanese today continue to write haiku, and why it plays such an important role in their intellectual and spiritual life.

 

   The dedicated 5-7-5-syllable form removes all challenges from structuring a haiku poem. Haiku magazines frequently carry articles about the “limitless power of the fixed form,” pointing out that anyone can compose a poem simply by filling in the seventeen syllables.

 

   Others say that writing and enjoying haiku provides a common link for the Japanese to communicate with each other across generational gaps in a society that has become so complex that people tend to wall themselves off from each other.

 

   One of the attractions of haiku poetry is that its meanings or messages can be interpreted in more than one way, and this interpretation generally depends upon the sensibilities and intellectual prowess of the individual reading it. Another element of haiku poetry is that it is written for the benefit of the writer. As long as its message is clear to the author, he or she reaps its full benefit.

 

    In addition to hundreds of private haiku clubs throughout Japan, schools on all levels sponsor haiku events, and many cafes and coffee shops provide venues for haiku readings.

 

   Haiku has become one of Japan’s most successful cultural exports, with hundreds of thousands of people worldwide not only enjoying translations of Japanese haiku, but also writing their own poems in English and other languages.

 

   Some time ago I put one of my old Japan hand writer-friends, John Shepard Leinfelder, to the test by asking him to compose a haiku poem on the spot. He did, and I have since had it prominently posted in my office. He wrote:

The tanuki frowns—

Why do good friends part so soon?

Really a pity!

 

   The set form and traditions of haiku provide a unique way for ordinary people of all ages to enjoy and benefit from the power of poetry. The Japanese practice of writing haiku as a universal cultural expression is a custom worth emulating.

  

Copyright © 2008 by Boye Lafayette De Mente

_________________________________________________

Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

 

The Wisdom of Proverbs In Japanese Culture!

 Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO—Proverbs, which might be called distilled folklore, are apparently indigenous to all cultures, and often reveal more about the philosophy and psychology of a people than what they are generally given credit for.

 

   Japanese culture is especially rich in kotowaza (koh-toh-wah-zah) or proverbs not only because it is ancient and has been very sophisticated for a long time, but also because of the influence of Shintoism, Buddhism, Taoism and Zen Buddhism—all of which (many say) are more philosophically and metaphysically profound than Christianity.

 

   Still, the most profound proverbs, with only slightly different wording, can be found in virtually all old cultures—an obvious sign of the universality of humanity, despite racial and cultural differences.  Some examples of Japanese proverbs:

 

   Oya kohkoh wo shitai toki ni oya wa nashi. (Oh-yah koh-koh oh she-tie nee oh-yah nah-she)

   By the time children realize the virtue of their parents and what they owe to them, the parents are gone.

 

   Oya no iken to hiya zake wa ato de kiku. (Oh-yah no ee-kane toh he-yah zah-kay wah ah-toh day kee-kuu.)

   Just as it takes time for cold sake to make one pleasantly mellow, it takes time for children to recognize the wisdom of their parents.

 

   Kawaii ko ni wa tabi wo saseyo! (Kah-wah-ee koh nee wah tah-bee oh sah-say-yoh!)

   Parents should let their children experience some of the hardships of life for their own good. [Note: This piece of ancient wisdom, forgotten or ignored by many affluent families, is one of the problems of the modern-day world.]

 

   Atama hagete mo uwaki wa yamanu. (Ah-tah-mah hah-gay-tay moh uu-wah-kee wah yah-mah-nuu.)

   A bald head does not stop philandering. [Note: In fact, it seems that bald heads are so seductive that some women seek them out!]

 

   Bijin ni toshi nashi. (Bee-jeen nee toh-she nah-she.)

   Beautiful women have no age.

 

   Deru kui wa utareru. (Day-rue kuu-ee wah uu-tah-ray-rue.)

   A protruding nail (or person!) gets hammered down. (Note: Still basically true in Japanese society, and the subject of serious debate because of its negative influence on the economy and society in general.)

 

   Hyaku bun ikken ni shikuzu. (He’yah-kuu boon eek-kane nee she-kuu-zuu.)

   Hearing 100 times is not as good as seeing once. (Note: Ask any traveler!)

 

   I no naka no kawazu, takai wo shirazu. (Ee no nah-kah no kah-wah-zuu, tah-kigh oh she-rah-zuu.)

   A frog in a well does not know the ocean. (Note: A narrow mind equates very well with a well…so the world is full of “frogs.”)

 

   Kunshi hyohen. (Koon-she he’yoh-hane.)

   A wise man changes his mind. [Note: This indicates that many politicians are not wise in the first place.]

 

   Musume o miru yori, haha wo miyo. (Muu-sue-may oh me-rue yoh-ree, hah-hah oh me-yoh.)

   Look at the mother instead of the daughter. (Note: Many husbands wish they had!)

 

   Sake wa honshin wo arawasu. (Sah-kay wah hoan-sheen wo ah-rah-wah-sue.)

   People reveal their true selves when drunk. (Note: Belief in this saying is the reason why it is common for Japanese to go out of their way to get new colleagues and business contacts drunk at the first opportunity.)

 

   Makeru ga kachi. (Mah-kay-rue gah kah-chee)

   He who is defeated wins. (Note: Look at Japan today!)

 

    Kane areba baka mo danna. (Kah-nay ah-ray-bah bah-kah moh dahn-nah)

    With money a fool can be a lord. (Note: Need we say more!)

 

   Binbo nin no ko takusan. (Bean-boh neen no koh tock-sahn)

   Poor people have many children. [Note: And often follow religions that promote uncontrolled fecundity.]

 

   Tabi no haji wa kakisute. (Tah-bee no hah-jee wah kah-kee-sue-tay)

   Travelers have no shame. (Note: They do things they wouldn’t do at home… which obviously is one of the primary reasons for traveling!)

 

   Business people dealing with Japan, as well as recreational travelers, can get a lot of mileage out of their relationships with the Japanese by now and then tossing a well-known kotowaza into their conversations. Of course, it had better fit!

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boye Lafayette De Mente

_________________________________________________

Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

 

New Romantic Elements Adding to Ambiance of Life in Japan!

 

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO–A new phenomenon in Japan based on enjoying dark nights prompts memories of a time in the late 1950s and early 1960s when residents of Tokyo and other cities were not able to see the stars at night because of thick clouds of pollution that totally obscured the skies.

 

      Children who had never been in the countryside at night, away from the cities with the worst pollution, had never seen the moon or the other wonders of the night sky.

 

     But Japan’s pollution problem had been mostly resolved by the mid-1960s, and now both residents and visitors alike can enjoy an element of life that recalls the days of preindustrial Japan, when moon-viewing, star-gazing and the ambiance of city lights at night – viewed from the hills within and surrounding the cities — were an important part of the ambiance of Japanese culture.

 

     Entrepreneurs operating restaurants and other businesses located in high-rise buildings in the major cities have modernized this ancient custom by providing onsite “view concierges” to point out to patrons interesting places within the cities that can be seen at night.

 

     These nighttime sightseeing services are being used by people in general, particular out-of-town visitors, as well as young men looking for especially romantic date places and memorable spots for proposing marriage.

 

     Tourism companies have also begun adding some of these high-rise view spots to their nighttime itineraries – recalling the time in early Japan when there were dozens of nationally famous view-spots around the country that attracted thousands of travelers annually, all of whom traversed the country’s network of great roads on foot…on cultural and recreational journeys that could last for months.

 

     [Today these same spots attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually – with one of my favorites being Matsushima Bay, about 40 train minutes from Sendai, north of Tokyo. Matsushima means “Pine Islands,” and refers to the hundreds of pine tree-clad islets in the bay—presenting a sight that is sublime in its beauty. It is one of Japan’s famous “Scenic Trio” of sights so compelling they cannot be adequately described– the other two being Amanohashidate on the Japan Sea coast north of Kyoto, and Itsuku Island in Hiroshima Bay.]

 

     In keeping with the Japanese penchant for formalizing and institutionalizing things, the new “view concierges” are certified as trained “view navigators” who have attended seminars on the history of their areas, color psychology [!] and other topics, and have passed examinations.

 

    These nocturnal tour guides include taxi drivers, employees of hotels and others who have a special interesting in knowing more about their cities and providing a unique service to residents and visitors.

 

     One restaurant in Yokohama [Next Yokohama Bay] has become so popular because of its spectacular nighttime views of the bay that all of its seats are normally reserved from weeks to months in advance.

 

     Another even more dramatic element in nighttime touring is that offered by airships over Tokyo, Osaka and other cities. These tours, which generally last for about an hour and a half, can cost over a thousand dollars, but that has not been an obstacle to their success.

 

     Unlike helicopter tours, the cabins of airships are located some distance away from their engines, significantly reducing the noise and providing a much more comfortable atmosphere for passengers.

 

     Visitors who do not have the time — or money — to book airship tours or patronize restaurants with view concierges have only to visit any of hundreds of high-rise office and other buildings in Japan that have whole floors devoted to restaurants with view windows. Many also have observation decks that provide extraordinary views night and day.

 

     In Tokyo the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower in the famous Roppongi entertainment district has the best observation deck. It is on the 52nd floor and is circular, so you can walk around it and get a 360-degree view of Tokyo, including Tokyo Bay, Odaiba Island, Rainbow Bridge, the Imperial Palace Grounds, the clusters of high-rises in the cities major business, hotel and shopping districts, and Mt. Fuji some 60 miles away.

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

_____________________________________

Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

 

In Japan You Need to Know When and When Not to Smile!

 Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO–In earlier times the Japanese were known for smiling when they were embarrassed and when referring to personal tragedies, and for not smiling in situations that Westerners considered funny and not injecting humorous comments into speeches and other formal situations.

 

During the long samurai era (1192-1867) a smile or a joke in a formal situation could get you shortened by a head.

 

But the Japanese had then and have now a highly honed sense of humor and love puns, jokes and all kinds of comedy. There was and still is, however, a very strict sense of time and place for smiling and joking.

 

In offices and other workplaces a smiling face can get you labeled as insincere and not worthy of promotion to a higher position—or doing business with you if you are an outsider. Joking behavior in such places can get employees assigned to the basement or to the boonies.

 

Furthermore, noted Japanese social critic and author Tomomi Fujiwawa says the Japanese born after 1970 have gone so far in substituting smiles for seriousness and sincerity that it has begun to have a deleterious effect on their ability to deal effectively with problems.

 

In an interview published by the Japan Economic Weekly Fujiwara is quoted as saying that there is now too much smiling in Japan and that he fears for the future of the country.

 

He says that the constant smiling that one sees in restaurants and stores gives an impression of peace and harmony, but in reality it can be and often is misleading and can make genuine communication difficult or impossible.

 

Fujiwara adds that people who have become conditioned to smiling their way through life become susceptible to “running amok,” when they encounter challenges or obstacles that they cannot deal with by smiling—something smile-prone Americans might take into account.

 

But the spread of smiling has certainly not been all bad for Japan. One of the primary traits of the Japanese born and raised before the spread of less restrained behavior was a deep-seated feeling of being fundamentally different from people in the rest of the world, of not feeling at ease with foreigners and experiencing extraordinary stress when dealing with them.

 

This feeling no longer exists among post-1970 Japanese and has dramatically subsided in those who are older – and is one of the reasons why most resident foreigners and foreign visitors generally find dealing with the Japanese a pleasant and rewarding experience.

 

That said, foreigners in Japan should not automatically assume that their habitual smiling and banter is appropriate for all situations, and should restrain themselves when they are in workplaces during office hours.

 

The Japanese penchant and love for humor is on full display afterhours, especially in entertainment places—and that is when you can let it all hang out!

 

If you want to bone up on what drives and controls the Japanese there are two books you should read: KATA—The Key to Understanding and Dealing with the Japanese, and Japan’s Cultural Code Words—233 Key Terms That Explain the Attitudes and Behavior of the Japanese, both available from Amazon.com.

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

_____________________________________

Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

 

Japanese Mindset, Lifestyle Undergoing Remarkable Changes!

 

 

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO–The ongoing presence and purity of Japan’s traditional culture in so many areas of life is one of the most amazing aspects of modern Japan, particularly so since from the early 1870s the Japanese as a whole have adopted foreign lifestyles with a skill and speed that is astounding.

 

     The primary reason for this susceptibility and virtual obsession with change was the fact that historically life in Japan was so structured, so homogenized, so intellectually limiting that people hungered for change…for almost anything new.

 

     In fact, from the mid-1600s until 1867/8 the reigning Shogunate government did its best to enforce a law that banned virtually all change. And again from the 1870s to the mid-1900s the new nationalistic government controlled the lives of the people to the point that generally they were still not free to innovate or invent on their own.

 

     But all of this was to change dramatically following the introduction of personal freedom (democracy!) into Japan at the end of World War II in 1945. With their knowledge, ambitions and skills unleashed for the first time in the history of the country the Japanese began an incredible flow of inventions and innovations that have continued to transform their lives—not to mention the lives of millions of people around the world.

 

    These changes were so “un-Japanese-like” that most Westerners who were intimately familiar with all areas of Japanese history simply could not see or accept them. [In 1954 the dean of foreign correspondents in Tokyo told me that I should go home because Japan would “never amount to anything!” and there was no future in staying there!]

 

     In fact, it was not until the early1970s, by which time Japan had technologically and productively passed the United States in many areas, that Westerners in general and Americans in particular began to realize that Japan was on the verge of economically colonizing the world.

 

     This resulted in hundreds of thousands of American and European business leaders flocking to Japan to learn why and how the Japanese had succeeded in transforming their tiny country into an economic superpower. Large numbers of these visitors whose businesses were in peril went with their hands out, seeking loans and investments to salvage their mismanaged companies.

 

     Many American companies did not survive, and it took some ten years for the survivors to learn and implement the production techniques and management practices that had catapulted Japan into the forefront of so many industries, and finally begin to turning their own companies around.

 

     The Japanese continue to be world leaders in scientific and technological advances that are having fundamental affects on virtually every field of human endeavor.  There are so many basic breakthroughs that Japan-watchers have a hard time keeping up with them.

 

     Some of the new things introduced in recent weeks and months will result in major business and lifestyle changes. One that immediately comes to mind is technology developed by apparel maker Konaka Company for producing fabric for suits that makes it possible for them to be washed at home in a shower instead of being sent to dry cleaners.  Following the Japanese penchant for catchy and unusual brand names these new suits are known as “Shower Clean Suits.”  Detergents do not have to be used to get the suits clean and ironing is not necessary if they are dried in the shade.

 

     Not surprisingly, the “shower suits” are selling like the proverbial hotcakes, resulting in dry cleaning businesses having to increase their prices to remain profitable – which is boosting the sales of the shower suits and putting more pressure on dry cleaning establishments to continue raising their prices…!

 

     This new technology will undoubtedly spread to most if not all other kinds of wearing apparel that now requires dry cleaning, obviously threatening the existence of dry cleaners in general.

 

     Another break-through product that could have a far wider impact is the development of a paint that reflects light and keeps painted surfaces from 15 to 30 degrees cooler than those painted with regular paint, including white paint.

 

     This new paint technology, developed by the Tokyo firm Nagashima Special Paint Co., and called Miracool, works with any color of paint, including black, which means it has widespread use on buildings, sidewalks, blacktop highways, etc. The paint is sold by Miracool Co., a subsidiary of the developer.

 

     Another recent fascinating Japanese development: a pillow with a built-in sound system that calms, soothes and otherwise “mothers” newborn babies. The developer: advanced medical equipment maker TLS Co., in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture.

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

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Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to:

www.boyedemente.com.

Another “Only in Japan” Tale!

 Boyé Lafayette De Mente

TOKYO–In ancient times in Tokyo [meaning in the 1950s] I wrote a weekly column entitled “Only in Japan” that covered events, ideas and products that were unique to the country.

 

     Many of these things appeared humorous or childish to the average Westerner, but some of them, particularly unusual products and odd brand names, went on to become huge commercial successes.

 

      Among these early things was the name “Walkman” that Sony chose for its new portable radio, and a variety of children’s products introduced by Sanrio Company under the brand name “Hello Kitty.”

 

     The Walkman brand name took a little while to catch on overseas, but in Japan it made perfect sense…you could listen to the tiny radio while walking around.  Hello Kitty products were an instant hit in Japan because they were terminally cute – and the Japanese have an obsessive addiction to cuteness.

 

     It turned out that most Westerners are also turned on by cuteness if it doesn’t go to extremes, and Hello Kitty products are now bestsellers world-wide.

 

     Despite all of the fundamental changes that have occurred in Japan in the last 50-plus years there are still many “only in Japan” things that add to the ambiance of life.

 

    A new and intriguing “only in Japan” phenomenon is printing popular comic and animation characters, as well as the profiles of famous comedians, on toilet paper.

 

     “Character toilet paper” has, in fact, become one of the country’s hottest souvenir and gift items among younger Japanese and foreign tourists alike.  And by toilet paper standards, the rolls are not cheap – going for more than twice the amount of plain paper.

 

    Animation studios, entertainment companies and others have boarded the character toilet paper bandwagon, opening their own retail shops.

 

     The owner of Tokyo Atom Shop in Tokyo Central Station says that some of his customers – both local commuters and travelers – buy up to 50 rolls at a time to give as gifts.

 

     The shop at the National Museum for Emerging Science and Innovation sells a line of character toilet paper called Astronomical Toilet Paper. I don’t know what “astronomical” refers to, but it apparently appeals to young women, said to be the main buyers.

 

     Toilet paper sold at a shop called Yoshimoto TV Street in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, owned by media giant Yoshimoto Kogyo, features profiles of comedians that the company represents.

 

     The comedians obviously don’t object to their descriptions being printed on paper that is used to wipe indiscriminate derrieres.  One, in fact, is quoted as saying he finds this new form of publicity quite amusing.

 

     Without intending to resort to ribaldry, the most amusing toilet incident I ever witnessed occurred at a bar that used to be across the street from Shimbashi Station just south of the famed Ginza shopping mecca.

 

     One evening in the mid-1950s I took an American friend and his wife to the bar for a few drinks. After a while the wife, who happened to be quite tall, noted that she had to go to the toilet. I pointed to a narrow hallway, and said: “First door on the right.”

 

     The toilet was about the size of a telephone booth and squat-style, with an elongated ceramic “bowl” over an aperture in the floor.  My friend’s wife had a bit of difficulty getting into the toilet, but she did it.

 

    Once inside the toilet she was able to squat down easy enough but when done she could not stand up or pull up her panties.  Finally, in desperation, she opened the door and waddled out into the hallway in full view of the bar patrons. There, she stood up, nonchalantly pulling her undies up at the same time.

 

     As she approached our booth, her husband and I were nearly choking in an effort to avoid laughing but she was smiling broadly. “Go ahead and laugh before you bust a gut!” she said.

 

     Toilets in present-day Japan include the most high-tech commodes and urinals in the world. They take your temperature, check your blood pressure, analyze your leftovers, and if you want, transmit the results to your doctor.  How times have changed!

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente

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Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to: www.boyedemente.com.

Japanese Technology May Result In Self-Cleaning Houses!

 

Boyé Lafayette De Mente

 

TOKYO–Modern conveniences have take much of the drudgery out of keeping houses and buildings clean—at least to the eye—but in addition to the ongoing problems of keeping bathrooms and kitchens free of unsightly visible blemishes, there are less visible as well as completely invisible problems that can seriously affect the health of the occupants.

 

   Japanese scientists have created robotic devices that do much of the work once done by housewives, maids and cleaning personnel but these robots only go so far and do so much, have not yet become commonplace, and do not address more dangerous threats presented by homes and buildings.

 

     Now, a Japanese research team at Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. has come up with technology that makes it possible for buildings to sanitize themselves, eradicating bacteria and mold, destroying toxic compounds like formaldehyde, and in fact, clean away dirt.

 

     This new technology makes use of the reaction of photo-catalysts to the presence of light, both natural sunlight and fluorescent lighting, to degrade and destroy both visible and invisible contamination that plagues houses and public places—this includes keeping the sides of toilet bowls and wash basins clean, deodorizing toilets, sanitizing counters, tables and other surfaces, and keeping mirrors from clouding.

 

     The secret of the home-and-building cleansing and sanitizing technology lies in the photo-catalytic materials that Matsushita scientists have created, and is said to just be the beginning of other potential applications for the technology.

 

     One of the more interesting uses of the technology—developed by the Yokohama Waterworks Bureau—is to combine a “water curtain” with the glass of windows that have been coated with a photo-catalyst. When sunlight strikes the windows it causes the water to spread out in a thin layer over the glass, turning each window into a kind of self-contained refrigeration unit.

 

     Another even more exciting use of the technology, developed by Nippo Corporation, is in road-paving material containing photo-catalytic materials that will suck in and destroy smog-causing nitrogen oxides contained in car exhaust. This paving material was introduced in 2008.

 

     Another technological innovation in Japan that will take the old finger-print way of identifying people another step forward is being introduced by NEC Corporation. This new technology reads both fingerprints and finger vein patterns, with both biometric functions incorporated in one small device.

 

    The device reads both the finger prints and finger veins in approximately one second, and therefore competes handily with the individual print and vein readers marketed by Hitachi, and palm vein readers marketed by Fujitsu—with the advantage that it is just one unit.

 

    So far, the market for fingerprint and veinprint readers has primarily been offices and buildings that require high security measures, and ATM’s, but it is expected that the technology will spread to private homes, eliminating keys which can be lost as well as compromised, and to computers and other things.

 

     And still in the extraordinary innovation scene in Japan, we now have socks and stockings that give you a foot massage.  There are five places on the soles of our feet that are “pressure points”—that is, nerve endings that connect with various other parts of the body.

 

    Acupuncturists and masseuses have long been aware of these pressure points and use them in the ministrations. Now all you have to do is to wear a “tsubosto” sock or stocking, and every time you take a step you massage yourself.

 

     These socks and stockings have tiny protrusions made of a titanium-silicon alloy that connect with the therapeutic pressure points on the feet. The very small “bumps” apply gentle pressure to the nerves.

 

     The socks are made by Tsubosto Co. in Tokyo’s Nakano Ward…and are imprinted with such images as butterflies and flowers to make the tiny protrusions less noticeable when you take your shoes off. I haven’t tried them, but I’m going to get a pair at the first opportunity.

 

Copyright © 2008 by Boye Lafayette De Mente

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Boyé Lafayette De Mente is the author of more than 50 pioneer business, cultural and languages books on China, Japan, Korea and Mexico, including SPEAK JAPANESE TODAY – A Little Language Goes a Long Way! [available from Amazon.com]  To see a list and synopses of his books go to: www.boyedemente.com.