Culture Shock

Japanese culture is very different from the culture that I was brought up in. This trip has exposed me to a new way of living. Throughout these first few days I have noticed things that are not typical for the everyday life in an America, yet in Japan these things are the norm.

Examples:
-Bowing when saying hello/goodbye
-Multiple ways of saying thank you ~ domo, arigato, arigato gozaimasu, arigato gozaimashita
-Very expressive towards sowing thanks/respect/attention
-Employees are very happy to serve
-Interesting foods (raw fish can get weird... whale tongue)
-"Stop and go" places to eat in a very small place
-Convenience stores on every corner
-Vending machines everywhere!
-Low technology to increase employment

We have studied culture as a whole through different dimensions. The cultural dimensions can be analyzed by: Achievement/Birthright approaches to status, Universalist/Particularist attitudes towards authority, Relationship/Task emphasis on relationships vs. logic, Individualist/Collectivist approaches to responsibility and reward, Short-Term/Long-Term orientations to strategy, Indirect/Direct methods of dealing with conflict, Neutral/Expressive conveyance of emotion, and Schedule/Flow orientated approaches to time management. I have notice that Japan and the US fall on opposite sides for each of the cultural dimensions.

The Japanese culture is very birthright focused. There is a Japanese emperor solely because the family is royalty. According to our presenter at Disney corporation: most CEO's are 60+ years of age and higher management is 45+. During our visit at the Takenaka Corporation we met with the CEO, Toichi Takenaka, and he his the 17th member of his family to run this company (406 years!).

I have noticed while in Japan that it is very much a collectivist society. On our walk to the Traffic Control Center we noticed that school children had on different colored hats. We concluded that these hats represented different classes so that the teachers could recognize what students were in what class. While at Tokyo Disneyland, I noticed a lot of people wearing school uniforms. Also some couples or families at Disneyland were wearing matching clothing.

Coming to Japan has taught me to be more direct when dealing with conflict. Thinking back in reflection... I realize that in my past I would be indirect with my problems. However, in Japan when there is a problem, people make notice. Before I thought that making notice of a problem is a bad thing, however I now see that people are willing to help if I am direct with them because then it is clear for them if they can help.