Etiquette – Tips & Tricks February 2012

This month we’ve got some more cut out and keep tips & tricks on how to behave in Japan.

Visiting A Home
The first thing to remember when visiting somebody’s home is to remove your shoes! Normally your host will provide slippers to wear in their house after you’ve removed your shoes at the door.
If your host has a tatami floor, then don’t forget to remove your slippers before stepping onto the tatami. Only bare feet or socks should be worn when walking on the mat.
While we’re talking about slippers, don’t forget to change them when visiting the washroom. There are normally toilet slippers just outside the door which you should use instead.

Bathing
If you’re lucky enough to be invited to someone’s home and want to take a bath, then as usual in Japan there’s a few rules to follow.
First, you should wash your body using the shower outside the bath, then you enter the tub, which in Japan is for soaking only and not washing.
After your relaxing soak, get out of the bath and wash again with soap, making sure none gets into the bath water, then soak once more.Although it may be unlikely being a guest, in Japan it’s customary to re-use the bath water for other members of the household, so you don’t cleanse yourself in the bath water, that’s done before you get in!

Sitting
If you’re dining on a tatami mat then you may have to kneel on the floor. The formal way is called “seiza” and is basically kneeling with your legs behind. Foreigners aren’t normally expected to do this for a long time as it can be uncomfortable.
In more casual situations, men normally sit cross legged and women sit with both legs on one side. These are considered to be the correct casual way to sit for men and women respectively.

Valentine’s in Okinawa – Love On The Rock

Valentine’s day and White day are coming up in February & March.

What’s White Day?
If you’re new to Okinawa or Japan then you will of course heard of Valentine’s day, but what, you may be asking yourself, is White Day?

Traditionally in Japan, Valentine’s day is for women to give gifts to men and White day is when men give gifts to women.

Like most countries though, Valentine’s day has become increasingly commercialised in Japan, and now it’s common for women to be expected to give chocolate to male friends, work colleagues and even female friends in recent years. Like other gift giving times in Japan, chocolate given to friends or work colleagues is usually something of low value, that can easily be reciprocated one month later on White Day by men.

What To Buy
As we mentioned, Valentine’s day is for men in Japan. Chocolate is by far the most common gift. If you’re looking for something special most of the local department stores sell exclusive chocolate sets made by famous chocolatiers or hotels in mainland Japan. If you are feeling truly adventurous then you can grab some cake or chocolate making equipment in most supermarkets and bake the man in your life something special!

When White day come’s around, it’s time for men to reciprocate. If the lady in your life is bored of chocolate then why not visit one of the silver shops in Depot Island, Chatan for some jewelry hand made in Okinawa. Depot Island also has a hand made leather accessories shop and to complete your gift a great wine shop located close to the main entrance.

For the traditional flowers, as it’s not common in Japan to give roses or bouquets for a gift, then we recommend flowerdrop.net that delivers both on and off base and is used to American tastes in flowers.

Where To Go
If you want to take your other half out somewhere special then why not try out these ideas:

On a budget:
Nothing’s more romantic than watching the sun set. If the weather’s good, head out to Cape Zanpa and watch the sun set then enjoy a drink at the Royal Hotel just across the road from the beach. There’s also the Alivila hotel close by with several restaurants & bars and views of the East China Sea.

Splashing out:
Okinawa has no shortage of high end dining experiences for an amazing night out. Why not try Yoshida Asian Fusion, from our December magazine, or alternately the Naha Terrace hotel provides a luxurious dining experience at their restaurant “Fanuan”. For a truly luxurious break you can even stay over! Whatever you do enjoy Valentine’s & White Day!

Etiquette – Tips & Tricks December 2011

Continuing from last month, here’s some more etiquette advice for making living in Japan a bit easier!

Eating
In the last issue we showed you some of the do’s and dont’s of chopsticks. Here’s some more help on eating in Japan:
- It’s polite to say “Itadakimasu” before starting to eat. It’s said to express gratitude not only for the preparation of the food but also any living animals that made up the meal.
- Unlike some Asian cultures, it is considered polite to clear your plate in Japan. It’s not polite to pick out certain foods and leave the rest.
- Instead of pouring soy sauce directly onto rice or other food, pour a small amount into the provided dish.
- When dipping sushi into the soy sauce, it’s considered polite to do it sushi side down, to prevent grains of rice falling into the soy sauce.
- You can lift rice and soup bowls to your mouth to avoid spilling food. It’s also acceptable to slurp certain foods such as ramen or soba noodles. However, that’s not an excuse to slurp when in the Italian restaurant as slurping pasta is not normal!

- Lower down the scale on ways to offend is eating or drinking while walking. It’s not a big problem, but some Japanese do consider it impolite to eat while walking or on public transport.
- When you visit a restaurant you’ll often receive a wet paper towel called an oshibori. Don’t wipe your face or neck with the towel as it’s considered rude in the majority of places.
- When using a toothpick you should cover your mouth with one hand.

While on the subject of covering your mouth whatever you do don’t blow your nose at the table especially with a cloth handkerchief! Blowing your nose in public let alone in a restaurant is very rude. However, sniffing to prevent blowing is ok!

Christmas in Okinawa

Home Away From Home
Spending the holiday season in Okinawa? We’ve got some ideas to make it feel more like Christmas.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Back home you may have spent days if not weeks decorating your house with lights or admiring your neighbour’s handywork. Here in Okinawa you won’t find too many decorated houses, but there’s some great lightshows to entertain the family.
One of the most popular, organised events is the “Christmas Fantasy Show” at Okinawa Zoo Park. This year it’s taking place from Friday 23 December to Wednesday 28 December and includes a laser show, lights everywhere, fireworks and snow. Ticket prices range from 1000-2000 yen. Visit www.xmas-fantasy.com for more information.
If you live further North the Kanucha Resort has a massive display of over 1,000,000 lights from the beginning of November through to February. It’s a great location for a romantic stroll and maybe dinner in one of the restaurants. Call for details as they close to the public over the main christmas holiday.
If you want to combine some shopping with illuminations then check out the Ashibina Outlet Mall near Naha. You can view the lights and get a great deal on your christmas presents at the same time.

Yum…
No christmas celebration would be complete without some festive food. As we discussed last year KFC is often the party food of choice for both Okinawans and Japanese at christmas. If you don’t fancy KFC or have had enough turkey after thanksgiving then the great thing about living in Japan is that because it’s not a national holiday you can dine out on whatever choice of food you prefer. If you love sushi, most of the major supermarkets prepare party platters at this time of year which make a great alternative to the traditional turkey!

End of Year Traditions
The end of the year and the new year that follows are a season for more celebration in Japan than the Western import of Christmas. Traditionally New Year in Japan is the time for family to get together.
If you work for a Japanese company or are out over the festive period, you may be involved in or see “bonenkai” which means “forget the old year parties”. It’s not uncommon during the party season to regularly see groups of totally intoxicated workers out for the night, and in true customary fashion any indiscretions are forgotten at work the next day!

Final Ideas
Why not do something you couldn’t do back home over Christmas? Go diving, walk on the beach or how about reflect on the year at the Peace Memorial Park. Whatever you do have a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Etiquette Top 10 – Tips & Tricks October 2011

Living in Japan can be tough, but learn a few basic rules and life becomes a lot easier! Here’s our rundown of what to do and not to do in Japan.

Bowing
A lot more complicated than it seems, with rules including the depth and direction of the bow. Most Japanese are happy to shake hands with non-Japanese but if you want to get it right, then a semi-formal bow would be about 30 degrees from the waist.

Paying
When in shops or restaurants, if there’s a small tray next to the register then place your money there. It’s a breach of etiquette to hand the money when there’s a tray present.

Wedding Gifts
If invited to a wedding it’s normal to give a gift of money in a special sealed envelope. The amount may depend on the group of people, their status or it may be a set amount. It’s considered inappropriate to give an even amount of notes or to give 40,000 yen as 4 (shi) sound phoentically like death in Japanese.

Eating in Restaurants
There’s a variety of rules associated with dining in Japan. Here’s some of the most important (most relating to Chopsticks!)
- Unlike China it’s considered polite to clear your plate.
- Never rub chopsticks together
- Don’t pass food from chopstick to chopstick
- Don’t stick your chopsticks upright in your rice
- Don’t spear food with one chopstick
- Don’t leave chopsticks in your mouth while doing something else
- Don’t use your chopsticks as toys, putting them up your nose may make a funny photo but it’s not polite!
- Don’t point at people with your chopsticks

As you can see there are a lot of rules relating to restaurants especially chopsticks and this doesn’t cover all of them! Most of the reasons these rules apply is because certain acts such as putting the chopsticks vertically in rice relate to death and funeral traditions. More etiquette in the next issue!

Where Is Okinawa?

Okinawa prefecture is located in the far South West of Japan and consists of hundreds of islands that extend in a chain over 1000 kilometers long. The islands are broadly split into four groups that extend from mainland Japan towards Taiwan in order; Okinawa islands, Miyako islands, Yaeyama islands and the disputed Senkaku islands.

White Day Versus Valentine’s Day – Confused?

Read on for our lowdown on what to do and when and what makes Japanese Valentine’s day

different to home.

If you’re from a Western country then highly likely you’re used to lavishing gifts, cards and flowers on the lady in your life come Valentine’s day. Well now you’re in Okinawa you’re in for a surprise. Ladies – it’s time to pamper your man on Valentine’s day, you have to wait another month until March!
Valentine’s day in Japan is a time for ladies to present a gift to the men in their lives, normally chocolate. Ladies in the past have given good quality chocolate called “honmei choco”. However, it’s becoming more fashionable for ladies to give handmade chocolate as a sign that the man in their lives is the “only one”. Hence why you will see lots of chocolate and cake making ingredients in the stores. It’s also common for ladies to give inexpensive gifts of chocolate to work colleagues and male friends. These gifts of appreciation are called “giri-choco”. As Valentine’s day has become bigger and bigger business for the chocolate companies, “tomo choco” has also appeared in recent years, which is chocolate for their female friends.

White day comes around on March 14th and is a chance for men to return the favour. This is a relatively modern invention having started in 1978 by a confectionary company on the grounds that men should have the chance to reciprocate the gifts bought for them on Valentine’s day!
It’s now common for men to buy gifts of chocolate, jewellery, white chocolate or white lingerie for the special woman in their life. They’re also expected to give “giri choco” to female friends or co-workers who may have bought them chocolate on Valentine’s day.
However, the ladies have the last laugh, and their patience of waiting an extra month is rewarded as it’s expected for men to give gifts of two to three times the value of their received Valentine’s gift. The Japanese use the expression “sanbai gaeshi” or “thrice returned”
If you’re looking for a chocolate gift or to make your own then most major supermarkets have large displays of everything you need. If you prefer to go the Western way and send your loved one flowers, then check out www.flowerdrop.net for flower delivery in Okinawa with ordering and service in English.

Christmas in Okinawa 2010

Jingle bells on the rock! We check out what to eat, see and do in Okinawa this holiday season.

Food

As you might guess for a non-Christian country, Japan isn’t as crazy about Christmas as others but if there’s one thing that says Japanese Xmas food, it’s cake. Other countries have stollen or rich fruit cake, Japan traditionally has a cream sponge with fruit, normally strawberries. It’s normally eaten on Christmas Eve after maybe going out for dinner. You’ll see them especially in convenience stores and pre-ordering for this popular Christmas treat is often necessary.

Need another excuse to eat fried chicken, then Christmas is it! If you fancy some KFC instead of turkey at Christmas then you’d better reserve in advance and yes we’re serious. KFC is synonymous with Christmas dinner in Japan with queues around the block. It’s said to stem from the 1970s when expats in Tokyo mentioned while in a store that fried chicken was the next best thing to turkey which couldn’t be found in Japan. KFC saw an opportunity and marketing took over.

Celebrate

Some countries treat the 25th December as being the day for big celebration and others celebrate on the evening of the 24th. Japanese often see the evening of 24th December as a romantic celebration with dinner out, proposals and of course cake. Many children do get excited at the thought of “St Claus” arriving at their bedside overnight. Once the celebrations are over, it’s a traditional time of year to clean home and business and various items are displayed to hope for good fortune in the New Year, such as bamboo rakes and decorative palm trees at entrances.

Go Out

Don’t want to sit at home – then head on out for Christmas food or fun. Okinawa may not have the wide variety of Christmas events as back home but there are places to go and things to see.
If you are looking to celebrate on Christmas Eve why not check out the Brazilian Christmas party at Bovino’s. They’re doing an all you can eat dinner with a special Brazilian Christmas menu. It also includes all you can drink soft drinks, beer and wine as well as a glass of sparkling wine and children free under 12 years all for just ¥5000!
For a taste of a snowy winter in Okinawa, the closest you are likely to get is the Christmas fantasy at Okinawa Zoo Park.
Taking place from December 23rd to 28th, they’ve got three laser shows every day, a snow show with a Japanese style igloo or “Kamakura” as well as fireworks and much more! Tickets are available in advance with a ¥300 discount off the ¥2000 door price for adults or there’s a ¥200 discount off the door price of ¥1200 for children’s tickets purchased in advance. More information at www.xmas-fantasy.com
New Year is a much more significant time for most Japanese. Even the busiest salary man takes time off to visit Shinto shrines or Buddist temples within the first couple of days of New Year. There is a large temple and shrine just outside Foster’s Legion Gate at the intersection of Highways 330 and 81. The whole area comes alive at the New Year, with various stalls outside selling food lining Highway 330 and many hundreds if not thousands of people visiting the temple there. The road gets very busy so if you want to visit it’s advisable to walk. Enjoy your Okinawan Christmas!