Japanese Culture

Japanese culture

The Japanese way of communication is pretty different from the one in the western world. Here is some interesting ways from MY point as a pure japanese.

Greetings
Japanese hardly or never hug when they meet even after not seeing for a long time, or when we are going to be separate for a while. Even though we are very close friends, or familiy, it's the same thing that we never give a hug or kiss or shake hands. Instead, we just wave our hands and smile. However, this is not applied to the coulpes in love.

Bow, Nod

Japanese people bow and nod a lot. This is our greetings actually. Deeper and longer we bow, it's more polite. I feel like I myself speak nodding A LOT, and I can't help it. This is our style.

Gesture
Japanese hardly talk with gestures. We feel it so exaggerating and our hands don't move naturally like Americans.

Politeness
Politeness used to be the virtue and the base of the japanese. And I want to believe that it still is. Generally Japanese are very polite. We have to respect people older than yourself. Sales people respect customers so that the talking is incredibly polite sometimes. Politeness exists the opposite of friendliness, that's why japanese are not very friendly people to strangers.

Driving manners

There are some particular rules when we drive in Japan. You have to put off head lights when you stop at the red light at night, it is said because saving the batterry or for the people in the back of your car not to be glaring. And the other rule is that when someone let you merge in the line or yield, you have to show your appreciation by putting the hazard light. It is very common.
Exporting and importing culture
This is the beauty of the cultural exchange. Japanese import western culture a lot. Especially we import entertainment things like music and movies. Japan is a huge market for American(or british also) artists. CD sells a lot and concert tickets sell a lot for very good price like $90! And the models in fashion magazines are those cocasians for some reason. And there are almost every American restaurant and shop in Japan, from "Starbuck's" to "Gap", not to mention "Burger King" and "Pizza hut".
Fortunately there are some things that we proudly export to the world. Everybody know "Godzilla" and "Karaoke"(don't pronounce it like "Karaokey"!), and also girls love fancy Sanrio products, and Prikura stickers. Japanese Manga and animation are now so popular among the animation lovers all over the world. Japanese anime is the most sophisticated and beautiful and detailed.

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