Through Expatriate Eyes: The Astonishing Japanese Hospitality non-Japanese Marvel At

Aiping
Aiping

At the IOC General Assembly in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the host city for the 202 Summer Olympic Games will be decided, Christel Takigawa made a presentation on Tokyo, appealing for the spirit of hospitality.

Japan will host the Olympic Games, and hospitality will attract even more attention from around the world.

So what exactly is it about Omotenashi, or Japanese hospitality, that makes it so special?

What is the typical Japanese hospitality?

What kind of hospitality would be appreciated?

In this issue, we would like to look at Japanese hospitality and hospitality from a foreigner’s perspective.

TOC

Characteristics of Japanese Hospitality

hospitality

If you are interested in learning more about Japanese hospitality, which is also studied by foreign managers, please refer to this article.

Reference article: Japanese hospitality that even foreign managers can learn from 3 examples of experiences and how to entertain guests

Prince Shotoku’s 17 Article Constitution, Article 1.

“Harmony is the key to respect.”

And there is.

This is believed to be the origin of hospitality,

By doing something to someone you are doing something to them.”

This means.

Then, on hospitality in Sen no Rikyu’s Seven Rules of Rikyu

Bring water, take firewood, boil water, make tea, and serve it to the Buddha, to others, and to myself.

“Bring water, get firewood, boil water, make tea.”

As it says, do the obvious things right.

“To the Buddha, to mankind, and to me, I drink.”

Thank the Buddha, do things for others, and enjoy the joy with them.

He preached.

Omotenashi is not only about serving others, but also about experiencing the same time and the same experience together.

Do something for the other person and enjoy yourself.

It was nice to see their happy faces.

This concept of “myself too” is considered unique to Japan.

Therefore, hospitality is not only about obligation or reward,

I hope they will be pleased,

I hope we have a pleasant time together.”

The purity of Japanese hospitality is so impressive to those who see it from overseas.

Manners and Hospitality

Manners are a type of courtesy.

There is a manual and follow the protocol to be rude to others.

Hospitality is not manners, but the management of relationships in an environment of uncertainty above manners.

It can be said that it is not only a matter of how to respond flexibly within a predetermined environment or situation, but also how to respond to sudden events or in an undetermined situation.

Able to provide more than a solution to a problem to a customer in need.

We can offer more answers to those who are struggling than the answers they had imagined.

The key point is how to respond to such sudden communication with the other party.

Such attention to detail and tact is what makes Japanese hospitality so outstanding.

– Although it is not raining right now, we learned from our conversation that they will be returning home after shopping and having lunch.

It rains in the afternoon.

Then, let’s cover the bag with plastic for the customer’s purchase.

– We found out when we made the reservation that we would have children, so we prepared handmade pasta and Italian cheese, which any child would love.

– At a sushi restaurant with no price tag, I ate the owner’s recommendation.

It was one of the most impressive experiences I’ve ever had, so much so that I couldn’t put a price on it.

This is a store you can trust.

– I stayed at a hotel to take an entrance exam to a university in Tokyo.

When I was anxious to take the test from abroad, the hotel staff gently gave me a chocolate Kit Kat on the morning of my departure.

“Eat a Kit Kat and you will win! Good luck!” I was touched when he smiled and saw me off.

A service proposal and pleasant action that goes even further than the expected situation.

You could say this is Japanese hospitality.

The downside from a foreigner’s point of view, the beautification of doing too much for the other person.

The customer is God.”

When people talk about Japanese hospitality and service, they often talk about how far they have gone to serve their customers as a beautiful story.

However, those who serve customers for a living are not slaves.

In Japan, if you are serving customers, it is normal to respond to any unreasonable requests, and there is nothing wrong with protesting if you are uncomfortable in any way.

There is a social tendency to

But that feels like something different, doesn’t it?

Not all stories of Japanese hospitality and hospitality from a foreigner’s point of view are inspiring,

Unfortunately, some foreigners feel disappointed when they see management forcing employees to deal with excessive and excessive service or depriving workers of their dignity.

There is nothing better than a win-win relationship between the service provider and the service recipient.

You don’t have to go that far.

It is not hospitality if it makes people feel that they are not welcome.

Omotenashi does not mean that serving customers is the only virtue.

The beauty of Japanese hospitality is that it is based on the relationship between the service provider and the service recipient, and can provide an extraordinary experience that cannot be predicted.

It may be a very small thing, but it is hospitality that the recipient will never be able to ignore.

This is the kind of hospitality that is honored in Japan.

The Japanese spirit of hospitality that is admired abroad is not found only in ultra-luxurious inns and luxurious stores, but in every detail of Japanese life in general.

Public services, family restaurants as well as bakeries and supermarkets on street corners… We are always reminded of this in our daily lives.

This part of our business attracts a great deal of attention from around the world and provides excitement to foreigners who come to Japan every day.

Japanese Hospitality Surprises Foreigners

Public transportation is punctual

Many foreigners take Japanese trains when traveling from the airfield to the city center.

Many foreigners are impressed by Japanese hospitality from the moment they set foot on Japanese soil, and among them, the accuracy of train schedules surprises them without hesitation.

Isn’t it a given that the train will be on time?

Many Japanese would answer.

However, outside of Japan, trains rarely operate on a daily basis without delays or cancellations.

In Japan, many people take responsibility for their work to keep the trains running on time and without accidents.

And they are making efforts to ensure that the trains proceed without delay.

I think it is no exaggeration to say that this is a big part of Japanese hospitality.

“We will do the obvious things without delay.”

This is

“Bring water, get firewood, boil water, make tea.”

Doing the right thing as a matter of course.

This may lead to a

The essence of Rikyu’s hospitality can be seen here.

Convenience Stores in Japan

The full range of convenience stores in Japan and the wide variety of services they offer are a surprise to foreigners.

It is open late at night, has everything you need, and can take care of a variety of daily living needs, as well as light food and drink.

Are there such convenient stores in other countries?

It would be nice to have something like this, or it would be convenient if it were like this.

And I wish we all had.

Convenience stores in Japan are evolving day by day while pursuing the convenience that people feel.

The way someone is always looking for more convenience for someone else than they expect.

You can see a glimpse of the Japanese hospitality philosophy on top of the service.

Customer service providers who are friendly and helpful.

Japanese retailers, especially department stores, are said to be among the best in the world in terms of customer service.

Pleasant greetings, smiles, and polite language.

The way we thoroughly solve our customers’ problems.

Foreigners cannot hide their surprise.

The hospitality industry involves many hardships, but the interesting thing about the hospitality industry is that it also requires the aesthetics of relationships between people.

One meeting at a time.

Here, too, one can sense the spirit of Rikyu’s hospitality.

10 hospitality options that foreigners enjoy

If you are interested in specific examples of uniquely Japanese hospitality and cultural experiences, please refer to this article.

Reference article: 【Practice by expatriates! Examples of Japanese Hospitality and Cultural Experiences

1Cleanliness

The cleanliness of Japan always ranks high on the list of things that impress foreigners about Japan.

The people of Japan are averse to dirt, partly due to the influence of Shintoism, and everything from hotels and other accommodations to public spaces such as train platforms is kept clean and tidy.

Let’s make them feel comfortable with us.

The heart of cleanliness in the basics of hospitality.

The cleanliness that foreigners see is also full of Japanese hospitality.

2 Introduce the culture from the other person’s perspective

When we expect inbound industry, we introduce Japanese culture to foreigners.

This will be important.

At that time, Japanese hospitality is not as sincere as it should be if you introduce foreigners to Japan by saying, “This is how Japan is,” and then just throwing Japanese common sense at them.

For example, Kabuki and Noh plays are not easy to see.

Besides, many technical terms are not easy for foreigners to enjoy.

If this is the case, invite Kabuki actors to your private space and have them give you a workshop while you watch a full-scale performance.

Through our interpreters, you will be able to enjoy Kabuki in depth, so you will have a deep understanding of Japanese culture and experience the hospitality of the people you are meeting.

With just a little bit of care and attention, we hope that foreign visitors will enjoy Japan to the fullest.

3Polite greeting Sincerity

Many blogs and tweets by foreigners introducing Japan have introduced the polite greetings of Japanese store clerks.

– He greeted me with a warm smile and a warm welcome! He greeted me with a smile.

– When I purchased an item at a department store, he bowed and saw me off until I was out of sight.

– They looked me in the eye and listened intently to my small questions and responded to them.

– Thank you very much! and a big “Thank you!

I felt that it was a good idea.

Such as,

This kind of response by the Japanese hospitality industry seems to strike a chord with foreigners, who enjoy Japan with a warm feeling.

4Japanese cultural experience

I want to experience Japanese culture!

With the rapid increase in the number of foreigners who think that they would like to experience Japanese culture, there are a variety of Japanese cultural experience tours.

In this context, we would like to offer you a Japanese cultural experience that will give you a sense of Japanese hospitality.

A family member of a royal family came to Japan for a visit.

The Embassy asked us if we could provide them with an exceptional Japanese experience! We wanted to offer you an exceptional Japanese experience!

We offer an exceptional surprise experience at an exclusive Japanese-style salon in Ebisu, a certain hideaway.

It’s a ninja experience

Real ninjas jumped out and surprised the guests upon their arrival.

After that, a ninja experience by a real ninja.

The participants wore black costumes and received workshops from ninja using real objects such as shurikens and daggers.

There were also children in the audience, so they were very excited and excited.

The entire family was able to experience Japanese culture while maintaining their privacy.

We will do our best to provide you with an enjoyable time while taking into account your partner’s situation and position.

It is with such hospitality that we have guided you through the process.

5Wrapping up feelings Packaging Culture

Japan has a culture of tsutsumu.

I want to give something unblemished to my precious partner.

It can be said that this is a uniquely Japanese custom that began with the feeling of “I am a good person, but I am not a good person.

The act of wrapping something as an expression of one’s feelings toward the recipient has meaning in itself, and is said to express one’s state of mind.

Many foreigners feel Japanese hospitality in the care shown to others in this wrapping culture.

There is no end to the number of people who cannot hide their admiration for Japanese products, from the perfectly wrapped products in department stores to the attention to detail in the design of the packaging.

6 Foreign Language

Japanese people cannot speak foreign languages.

Not many foreign languages are available.

I often hear this.

Of course, not everything is written in foreign languages, but it is a fact that foreign-language signage is gradually increasing at tourist attractions for foreign visitors.

It is because foreigners often hear people say, “English is not spoken in Japan, and there are not enough signs in foreign languages. This is because we often hear foreigners say, “Japan is not communicative in English, and there is not enough signage in foreign languages,” and Japanese people have decided to prepare for this. This is because foreigners in Japan often hear people say, “Japan is not English-speaking,” or “There is not enough foreign-language signage.

I can feel their seriousness about how to provide more enjoyment to foreign tourists. I feel the seriousness and sincerity of the company’s efforts to provide foreign tourists with more enjoyment.

The hospitality of the Japanese tourism industry, which spares no effort in such efforts, is highly appreciated by foreign tourists.

7Leisurely time and space

Japanese hospitality is an experience that expands the space in your heart and mind for relaxation and ease.

Take a leisurely stroll through the Japanese garden.

Enjoy Japanese whiskey in a relaxing bar without any worries.

A time to clear the mind and do zazen in a Zen temple.

And a tea ceremony experience.

Foreigners can experience the essence of hospitality and a moment of peace and tranquility by experiencing an authentic tea ceremony while wearing a kimono and with an interpreter.

The relaxed time hidden in Japanese culture is hospitality that can only be achieved by visiting Japan.

8Seasonal Impressions

Japan’s spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons are beautiful and full of charm in every season.

The Japanese people have learned from their ancestors how to enjoy the four seasons with all of their being.

Cherry blossom viewing, evening coolness, summer festivals, autumn leaf viewing, and moon viewing.

Snow viewing and New Year’s.

And the preciousness of the sense of the four seasons, which is transmitted in the tea ceremony and flower arrangement, and

Japanese sweets, Japanese colors and sky names.

The expression of the four seasons in kaiseki cuisine.

The Japanese culture is closely connected to the four seasons, and is full of hospitality that allows visitors to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of the seasons.

9 Geisha Hospitality Professionals Professionals

Japan is known for its geisha.

This is still the voice that is whispered among foreigners.

It is not a geisha as a signifiant being,

There is no end to the number of foreigners who are impressed by the professional hospitality of geisha.

Geishas have undergone rigorous training in dance and music.

Besides, he is a master of conversation and caring.

Geisha can summon you back to a special night at any time of the day.

It is the ultimate example of Japanese hospitality.

10 Special Tailor Made Japanese Cultural Experiences

We will use Japanese hospitality to provide hospitality with a tailor-made Japanese cultural experience.

We offer such a special way to enjoy Japan.

Because it is custom-made, we are able to provide hospitality that is more personal to the recipient.

What is important for hospitality is to be able to read the situation of your partner and respond flexibly as needed.

Because it is custom-made, we are able to provide you with an emotional experience that goes above and beyond service.

From a rare and precious experience,

Such hospitality allows the guests to fully enjoy Japanese culture in the limited time they have with us.

A tailor-made Japan experience allows you to experience Japanese hospitality to the fullest.

summary

Hospitality.

Japanese hospitality seems to be very special and attracts attention from abroad because it comes naturally.

It is an expression of caring for others, which we Japanese have inherited from ancient times.

Isn’t Omotenashi, Japanese hospitality, the culture of Japan that will continue to spread such a chain of kindness throughout the world?

We would like to pass it on with great care for a long time, too.

Reference URL:

https://omotenashi.fun/omotenashi/info/

Let's share this post !
TOC