Learning Japanese

Beginners

Everything About Japanese Culture for Businessmen

If a foreign company wants to enter the Japanese market, learning the language is not enough. Even if you speak really well, faux pas slow down your business and harm your credibility. Whether you want to create a website, post on social media or meet professionals, there are a few things you should pay attention to. You can also read about the Japanese business etiquette to know the dos and don’ts when participating in professional meetings. Colors Color meanings change depending on countries and sometimes regions, so it is important to know them in order to avoid delivering the wrong message. Black: both positive and negative, it represents elegance, sexuality…

Challenges

Reading the Air: the Best Skill When Working in Japan

If you are a foreigner working in Japan, you may have heard the phrase ‘kuuki ga yomenai’ 空気が読めない (a person who ‘cannot read the air’). It is said that women read the air better than men in Japan, but everyone is supposed to understand what is implicitly said, especially in a business setting. As you may know, the Japanese communication style is very indirect, what is said is not always what is meant. In the same way, what is not said has a meaning, you must ‘understand the atmosphere’: a silence, a look – if it is a glance or a gaze, the message conveyed is different, etc. Reading the…

Beginners

Useful Japanese Language Resources for Beginners

The most useful and important way of integrating into a culture is to learn the language. For people who are thinking of going to Japan for business, I would highly recommend for you to learn the basics. Chances are the people you encounter will speak relatively good English but it sets a good impression if you know some of the fundamentals. For example, if someone asks if you are doing well you can reply with げんきです (genki-desu) and it sets up a more intimate connection. This may sound obvious, but first impressions are everything in Japan. Knowing the language is advantageous, it will help you stand out and ensure that…