“Some time during the Heian Period (794–1185), the size of a room was commonly determined by the amount of space a person occupied while sitting and sleeping, and by the person’s social rank. A person of the first rank was… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share Image
“The two “code words” itadakimasu (ee-tah-dah-kee-mahss) and gochisoh sama (go-chee-sohh sah-mah) are very important parts of the dining etiquette in Japan. Itadakimasu, said just before eating, literally means “to receive” or “to accept,” but in this context it is an institutionalized term that has a ritual connotation, almost like a prayer. Gochisoh sama, which has the meaning of “thank you… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share
“Ippiki Ookami (Ee-pee-kee Ohh-kah-me) Japan’s Lone Wolves Some years ago in Osaka, I was introduced to a young Japanese entrepreneur who had established a small chain of shops selling cowboy clothing and accessories imported from the American southwest. When we exchanged name cards, I was immensely amused to note that he had replaced his Japanese name with “Lone Wolf.” I… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share
“More importantly, however, the formalized apprenticeship system led to higher and higher aesthetic and quality standards. The desire to make things better and better became compulsive. Japan’s traditional culture therefore tended to produce people who were korisho (koe-ree-show), or “perfectionists.” Anything less than perfect immediately caught their eye, and even if an imperfection was so slight it was barely noticeable,… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share
“One of the government edicts passed shortly after the founding of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan’s last great shogunate dynasty (1603–1868), made it legal for any shogunate samurai warrior to execute on the spot and without trial, any commoner found breaking a law or behaving in a disrespectful manner toward a samurai. This regulation was known as kirisute gomen (kee-ree-sue-tay go-mane),… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share
“An example of en maku wo haru is the tatemae (tah-tay-my), “facade” or “public position,” characteristic of Japanese behavior, which is nothing other than… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share Image
“Refusing to drink or drinking only moderately must be done with diplomacy, because the Japanese believe that the only way you can really get… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share Image
“Until the end of Japan’s Shogunate Period in 1868, businesspeople were considered the lowest of the main social classes. (There were no lawyers in… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share Image
“When foreign visitors, unaware of this code, compliment individual Japanese, it may embarrass those receiving the praise and sometimes result in their colleagues becoming… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share Image
“late as the 1950s, a foreigner who was able to speak very good Japanese would frequently encounter people who were so conditioned to believe… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share Image
“Some time during the Heian Period (794–1185), the size of a room was commonly determined by the amount of space a person occupied while… — Boyé Lafayette de Mente Copy Share Image
