This blog is an article that people who are interested in Japanese culture and want to visit Japan should read. I hope you find useful for learning about Japanese culture and characteristics.
【目次】
Japanese culture and characteristics
When listening to the impression of Japanese travelers from abroad, the following characteristics are often heard.
・Kindness(やさしさ：YASASHISA)
・Cooperativeness(協調性：KYOUCHOUSEI)
・Courtesy(礼儀正しい：REIGITADASHII)
・Friendly(フレンドリー）
I think these represent the characteristics of Japanese people well. One of the characteristics of Japanese culture is that it respects the other person.
There is a word "おもてなし：OMOTENASHI" that symbolizes Japanese people and Japanese culture, but I think that all of the above four characteristics are covered by this "おもてなし：OMOTENASHI".
"おもてなし：OMOTENASHI" is in English hospitality
Kindness(やさしさ：YASASHISA)
The Japanese attach importance to have the mind of respect for the other person.
Many Japanese have the idea that it is good to think in the position of the other person and to act based on the feelings of the other person.
We learned about it from my parents and school teachers from an early age. "Help me if there is someone in need".
I think many Japanese people will kindly respond when asked by someone visiting from abroad. Even if I can't speak English.
Cooperativeness(協調性：KYOUCHOUSEI)
The Japanese attach importance to have the mind of Cooperativeness.We believe that it is important for multiple people in different environments and positions to fulfill one mission while respecting each other.
Among the words that emphasize cooperativeness , there is the word "阿吽の呼吸:AUNNOKOKYU."
Its meaning is to match the feelings of multiple people when doing things together, and skillfully grasp the delicate timing and time.
In other words, "阿吽の呼吸" means "to understand without saying" and "to communicate with each other without using words".
In the case of sports competitions, you can improve overall power by matching the timing and movements of each other with "阿吽の呼吸".
Even in business situations, you can enhance your organizational strength by pre-reading what your boss is thinking and taking action without being instructed.
Courtesy(礼儀：REIGI)
The Japanese attach importance to have the mind of courtesy.It's famous to bow when you say hello.Especially for superiors, you should bend your waist firmly.
When pointing at a person, since it is rude if you point it with your finger, open your hand and point at the whole hand.
Do not call on a cell phone on a train or bus, and be quiet when speaking.Many visitors from overseas are confused by this scene.
The Bushido(武士道） teaching also has a teaching about courtesy.It is important to have humility to be considerate and merciful to others and to respect the feelings of others.
Courtesy is one of the expressions of kindness to others,This also leads to "やさしさ" that values respect for the other person.
Friendly(フレンドリー）
Many people have the impression that Japanese people feel shy and cold before visiting Japan, but after the visit, many people feel very friendly.
Certainly the Japanese are shy.Many Japanese value the courtesy that we talked about earlier, so it is not easy to become acquainted with the first person.If we find that we are not rude in the conversation, we will soon become friendly.
These characteristics are characteristics of the Japanese formed in Japanese culture (history).
Here are some youtube videos that are very helpful in understanding these characteristics.
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Kyoto Tachibana High School marching band！
I think watching the video of the Tachibana High School brass band introduced this time will help you understand the characteristics of Japanese people.
The band's performance is impressive and has been invited twice to the annual Rose Parade in the United States and has received tremendous praise from the spectators all over the world.
Their performance shocks and impresses the spectators.
It goes without saying that the performance of this band is the result of the enormous daily effort (practice) of the members, but this performance shows the characteristics of the Japanese people introduced earlier.
The sense of unity of the dance while playing is "阿吽の呼吸", everyone is in tune with each other, and a great performance is exhibited.
The sound that the tone is not disturbed while dancing is wonderful.You can imagine the rigor and effort of each day's practice, as it is a technique that they can do with lung capacity that they trained during practice.
During the performance, all the members smile and convey the enjoyment to everyone who is watching, and waving hands and touching between the performances to make a friendly contact.
Never make a painful look.This band shows the Japanese characteristics of respecting the other party, such as gratitude and kindness to the audience.
“Energetic, full of smiles, full of dreams” is the watchword of this band, and I feel the desire for the audience to do so.
From this band, you can feel the "おもてなし" that is characteristic of Japanese culture.
Here are some YouTube videos that have been released.
Rose Parade 2018 in USA
Disneyland(Anaheim) 2017
The first impact overseas was amazing! Introducing the 2012 video.
Disneyland(Anaheim) 2012
Introducing recent activities! Kyoto Tachibana High School Marching Band continues to evolve!
Amazing video 2020
Amazing video 2022
Conclusion in summary
If you are interested in Japanese culture and plan to visit Japan, I think that you can spend more meaningful time by understanding the characteristics of Japanese people and coming to Japan.
I think you can feel the characteristics of the Japanese people introduced here in various situations.
Please understand the characteristics of Japanese people such as tourist spots, hotels, guest houses, restaurants, taverns, convenience stores, etc. and try to talk with them actively.
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