Tokyo Heart

Who Should Be Trained - the Japanese Managers or the overseas employees? The male managers or the women?

_{Raicho Hiratsuka, founder of Seitō}

My friend, Yoshihiro Udagawa- “Yoshi” to his friends (jp.linkedin.com/pub/yoshihiro-udagawa/2/193/a0), who is an expert Communications and PR Manager/Consultant, brought up a very interesting point during our lunchtime conversation today.

We were talking about the recent increase in articles and information regarding the need for more women in management in Japanese companies.

We also discussed the ability of Japanese managers to manage local employees when the managers are posted to the company’s overseas operation.

Most articles we read talk about how the women need more training (e.g., job training, or psychological training, or confidence training) to enable them to move into the management ranks. Or, the articles talk about how companies need to do more to promote women to management positions. However, as Yoshi points out, when he asks most Japanese male managers why they should have more women managers a typical answer is, “Because the company said we need more female managers.” In other words, no clue as to the real reasons women can be, and should be, promoted to management positions.

When Japanese managers are posted overseas the coaching or training yen is typically spent on some sort of “cultural training” for these managers before (sometimes after) they take up their assignment. They may learn more about the culture of the country they are being assigned to through a bit of cultural sensitivity training. They may be taught more about the local customs and language; or, they may get some information on various labor rules and regulations.

Yoshi thinks companies need to take a look at both of these situations (women managers and overseas postings) from the other side of the coin.

Companies should hold diversity training sessions for their male managers to teach them more about the advantages of hiring women manager or promoting capable women into management positions. Just promoting “because the company says we need more” is not a valid reason, in Yoshi’s opinion. The women may get promoted, but the men working with them, or for them, still won’t really understand why that lady is now a manager.

Likewise, Yoshi contends that companies should put more effort into training the local (overseas) staff on how Japanese manage companies, what is expected of them when they work for a Japanese company, and how to work under a Japanese manager. As he points out, the Japanese managers aren’t likely to change their style drastically just because they are managing an operation
overseas. After all, they are working for a Japanese company, they probably have been working for their company for many years, and they’ll most likely return to working for that company in Japan.

I think that what Yoshi is saying makes sense.  What do you think?

 

 

Take a Day Tour of Yanaka (Tokyo)

The Yanaka area of Tokyo (in Taito Ward) is a wonderful
place for a day's outing. Start at the south exit of Nippori Station (Yamanote
line). Exit the station, turn left, at the end of the walk take the steps to
your left up to Tennoji Temple. It was founded over 500 years ago, but was
destroyed in 1868 in the battle between Tokugawa loyalists and the Imperial
forces. It's been rebuilt and the current temple grounds are peaceful and nice
to see. Upon entering you'll see the temple's main treasure, the bronze Buddha,
which dates from 1690.

Leave the temple and walk straight ahead to Yanaka cemetery
where many famous people are interred. Just before the koban (police box) look
to your left and you'll see the site of the foundation of a former five story
pagoda. It was burned down by two lovers in 1957 just before they committed
suicide.

At the koban take a right turn and walk to the end of the
street. There you'll see a plaque (in English and Japanese) dedicated to Kano
Hogai (1828-1888) who was a painter during the early Meiji period. The entrance
to Choanji Temple is behind this plaque. Kano's tomb is in this the temple's
cemetery. The temple is noted for three stone stupas dating from the 13th
century. These were erected for the repose of departed souls. You'll see the
stupas, each in a different shape, next to the small Buddhist statures.

Leaving Choanji turn left. There's a shop in an old house
across the street selling Estonian goods if you're looking for some unusual souvenirs.
Take a left at the first street (just a few meters from Chonaji's gate) and
walk along a few meters to see the Edo era temple wall. Turn around, come back
to the main road, and turn left.

This will lead you to Kannonji Temple. The head priest of
this temple was the brother of two of the 47 ronin, the master less samurai who
avenged their master's death and then committed seppuku (ritual suicide) in
1702. Their story became a popular kabuki play.

Walking on along this street there are a couple of places to
eat - take your pick of Italian, curry, or otherwise if you're hungry - or wait
a bit for a wider choice of menus. You'll also see the small crafts shop,
Sandara, on the right side of the street. Another shopping opportunity!

Just past Sandara you'll find Asakura Choso Museum, although
as of early November 2012 it's closed for renovations. It was built in 1936 as
the home and studio for Asakura Fumio, a Western style sculptor known for
creating realistic statues. Continue on along the street then take the next
left (right takes you back to Nippori Station). At the "Y" take the
right street and go down the steps to Yanaka Ginza, which is an old fashioned
shopping street filled with dozens of small shops, places to eat, and snack stands
selling "kurokke" (meat and potato deep fried croquets), which you
can buy to nibble on as you walk along.

Before entering Yanaka Ginza, to the right of the
overhead steel beam arch, stop in Midori-Ya to see the finely made bamboo
baskets (and other goods) that are crafted by Suigetsu Buseki. Not for the
faint-of-wallet these baskets fetch a handsome price, but they are truly works
of art.

At the end of the street take a left. As you walk along look
for the sign for the 10 yen manju (bean paste cakes) shop. It's on the left
side of the street. You'll see a white sign with 10 yen and more Japanese on it
and there'll be a couple of red cloth covered benches in front of the shop. Buy
a pack of 10 manju for 105 yen (must pay that 5 yen tax), have a free cup of
green tea (hot or cold), and sit on one of the benches to rest, drink your tea,
and enjoy the sweet manju.

Leaving this shop continue along the street to the traffic light.
A bit before this light look to your left where you'll see the billboard for
the puppet shop. Turn left and walk to the end of the short street and go on in
to see these fabulous handmade puppets. If there are at least three people who
are willing to pay 500 yen each the shop staff will put on a 30 minute puppet
show for you. You can also order a custom made hand puppet that looks like you.
They cost 30,000 yen and the current waiting time (as of November 2012) is
about two months.

Exit the puppet shop and come back out to the street and
turn left, where you'll see the restaurant Oshimaya at the corner by the
traffic light. It's on the 2nd floor (up the steps) about an open garage. Here you
can have a delicious lunch of soba (buckwheat noodles), udon (flour noodles),
oyako-don (chicken and egg rice bowl), or tempura. A cold beer goes down nicely
too after all that walking.

If you take a right at the stoplight you'll see the sembei
(Japanese rice crackers) shop call Kikumi Sembei. Even if you don't want any
sembei it's worth having a look to see and photograph the 135 year old wooden
building. If you're tired keep going past the sembei shop where you'll find
Sendagi Station.

Otherwise, turn around and head up the slight hill. On your
right you'll see the washi (Japanese handmade paper) shop, Isetatsu. They have
some beautiful paper, nice papier-mâché articles, furoshiki (large wrapping
cloths) that can be tied into handbags, and framed artwork.  All would make a nice gift or reminder of
Japan.

Continue on up the incline and across from the elementary school
is another temple, Daienji. It's rare in that it houses both a Buddhist temple
and a Shinto shrine under one roof. It also hosts a chrysanthemum fair during
that flower's blooming season.

Leaving Daienji, cross at the crosswalk in front of the
school, turn left and take your first right (just beside the school). At the
end of this street turn left and a couple of minutes later you'll come to the Daimyo
Clock Museum (entry 300 yen). If you like old clocks, and want to see some that
show how time was monitored in ancient Japan, have a look in this one-room
museum.

Leaving the museum's overgrown garden, turn right, then left
on the street you just walked along. Look for the oddly shaped pine tree on the
corner and turn left to go down the hill. Before you get to the traffic light
look for Imojin Owariya on a corner (left side). Stop by and enjoy a treat of
their homemade ice cream (140 yen for a cone at the take-away window). You
should be able to see them making bean paste cakes in the window. Carry on through
the traffic light to Nezu Shrine on your right. Here you'll find brightly
colored orange torii, ancient cedar trees. It also has thousands of azalea
bushes and when they bloom in April the crowds are tremendous.

Leave the shrine by the gate to your left where you'll see the orange colored torii. Climb the
steps and turn right to walk under the torii (mind your head). At the end of
this short stroll turn right, down the hill, to the T-junction. Turn left and walk
450 meters to Nezu station to catch the Chiyoda subway line to end your Yanaka
tour and take you to your next destination.

Suspended Hearts at Lake Miyagase

Lake Miyagase, a man-made lake located in Kanagawa Prefecture, is one of the reservoirs serving Tokyo and Yokohama. Nestled in the Tanzawa mountain range it's a short drive from Tokyo via the Chuo Expressway (exit at Sagamikohigashi).

On the west side of the lake (on Route 64) there is a visitor's center. This center has several restaurants and souvenir shops and parking is 300 yen for the day. If you eat at one of the restaurants check to see if they have parking coupons available. Some do, making your parking free.

In the visitors' center you can get a map of the area (Japanese only) and they also have maps of the various hiking trails around the lake. They had a large map on the wall showing the various bear sightings that have occurred this summer. If you plan to hike make sure you're well prepared and have the proper equipment and a bear bell to make noise to, hopefully, scare away the bears. These may be low elevations mounts (around 750 meters), but they are still mountains, densely forested, and trails can be treacherous even on the lower mountains.

The lake is behind the shops. Walk down the 120 steps to the large open grassy area. This is a good place for the kids to run around, play frisbee, or fly kites. Dogs are welcome, but they have to be kept on a leash and they're not allowed into the grassy park area.

 

From the steps you'll have a great view of the 315 meter long pedestrian only suspension bridge. From the play area walk along the small river where you can even wade in the cool waters. Small kids seem to have a great time playing in the crystal clear water.  Following the path you'll come to a canoe (kayaks, actually) rental center, but it was closed the day we were there. On the other side of the stream there is a BBQ area where you can rent all the equipment and they even supply the food if you want to have a family picnic.

Walk along the short boardwalk over the small marsh area where you'll see ducks. Follow the road around to the other side of the lake, up the ramp, and onto the suspension bridge for a walk back to the park. Along the way you will likely see the boat that cruises the lake. Take a cruise if you want or ride the min-train (no track, rubber wheels) that goes around the complex.

 

After your walk around the area head back up the steps and enjoy a nice cold cup of kaki-gori (shaved ice) or a refreshing soft cream ice cream cone.

 If you go during the Christmas season you can enjoy the Christmas light-up. A 30 meter tall fir tree is festooned with 10,000+ lights and there is a Christmas lights arch. Other trees around the park are also decorated.  

Getting there:

By train and bus: Take the Odakyu Line to Hon-Atsugi Station. Then, take a Kanagawa Chuo bus to Lake Miyagase. The bus ride takes approximately one hour.

By car: There are a number of ways to get there, but this is the easiest: Take the Chuo Highway to the Sagamiko Interchange. From there, turn left onto Route 20, then right at Sagamiko Station -  make your way to route 412 and head west.

You can find a map (Japanese only) at this site: Lake Miyagase Access Map

I recommend plugging in the phone number for the park into your car navigation system - this should lead you to the visitor center area.

 

 

Average Hearts in Japan vs. World Averages

Are you average?

What, exactly, is the meaning of average?

According to Collins English Dictionary it means, the typical or normal amount, quality, degree” of something.

But, averages vary from country to country. And, since we live in Japan, I researched some Japan averages versus some western averages.

Since the thing we observe most every day is other people let’s look at some comparisons of averages for humans.

As an American, I’ll make most of the comparisons between Americans and Japanese, but I’ll throw in a few European and other Asian averages just to keep things balanced.

According to the US National Center for Health Statistics, the average American male is 5’ 9” (175 cm.) tall and the average weight is 190 pounds, or about 86 kilos. This isn’t to say that’s a healthy weight, it is just the current average. Of course, the older one is, the more one can weigh and still be considered in the healthy range. For example, in my age group, about 81 kilos is considered a healthy
limit. But then again, this is for someone 175 cm tall. So, in my case, I can either lose a couple of kilos or I can grow another 5 centimeters taller. 

For American women, who average 164 cm, the average weight is about 59 kilos. 

In Japan, men average about 171 cm in height and weigh 62 kg.  Japanese women average 159 cm tall and weigh 43 kg.

Diet, of course explains a lot of the difference in averages, but as we all know, thanks to places like MacDonald’s and other fast food, Japan is slowly catching up to America. Eating all that fast food may soon cut into the average Japanese life span, which according to the CIA World Factbook’s 2011 estimates is an overall 82 years - that’s 79 for men and almost 86 for women.  That beats the US’s average of 78 overall (and 76 for men, 81 for women). But, it falls behind a few countries like Monaco where the overall average is close to 90. 

According to the USDA, Americans eat 38 kg of beef each every year. Japanese eat about 14 kg.  But the worldwide champions of beef consumption are the Argentineans at 56 kilos and central Europeans manage to consume about 13 kilos each.

On the other hand, says the National Maritime Fisheries Service, Japanese eat much more seafood. The average Japanese goes through 27 kg of fish and shellfish each year compared to only about 24 kg per American. And those beef eating Argentineans I mentioned earlier?  Only 8 kg per person.  

So, how do the people of the world get out and about to buy that beef or their daily serving of fish?
Well, in the USA many will use their cars. Of course, that’s also true in Japan if one lives in the countryside rather than a major city like Tokyo or Osaka.  According to data compiled by the Japan Automobile Inspection & Registration Information Association the average home in Japan has 1.09 cars. A study done by Experian showed that the average number in America is 2.3 cars per home with 35% of households having 3 or more cars. The Aussies run a close second though with 1.7 cars per
household.

So if you’re an average Japanese you’re going to eat twice as much fish as you do beef. You’ll only get to drive a car sometimes because someone else in your home may get the keys first, but on a positive note you’ll live to a ripe old age which, by the way, gives you more time to eat ice cream because the average Japanese only eats less than 1/10th of a liter per year compared to the average American and Australian who eat almost 14 liters per year.

Great place for lunch or dinner - and they serve more than just tofu

I visited this great restaurant this week and wrote the following review for TripAdvisor so thought I'd also share it with my readers here on Tokyo Hearts. With a footprint of over 2,000 square meters Tofuya Ukai sits on the site of a defunct sake brewery.  Walking through the restaurant you'll see old sake brewing vats, one that held a 1,000 bottles worth of sake and another that held 3,000 bottles.

The grounds were originally part of the Tokugawa (shogun) clan's holdings and on the far side of the grounds Zozoji Temple is another popular Tokyo attraction. In the late 16th century the shogunate's grounds comprised an area of 826,000 square meters. The restaurant is surrounded by peaceful gardens, a waterfall, and Momiji (Japanese maple) trees that turn beautiful shades of red and gold in autumn.

Tofuya Ukai offers a variety of separate dining rooms that can hold anything from a single diner to large groups. I know of one company that held a gathering there for 50 people. The floors of the rooms are tatami, but diners are given a comfortable Japanese chair - a chair with a backrest, but no legs - and one’s legs go into the foot well under the table (this is known as a “horigotatsu”). Price wise it is not for the faint of wallet. Lunch, served from 11:00 - 15:00, offers a choice between two set menus at 5,500 or 6,500 yen. We had the “take” (bamboo) course (5,500 yen) and it was plenty of food. The dinner menu gives you a choice of 3 courses from 8,400 yen to 12,600 yen. In addition to the expected tofu dishes the menus include other dishes such as sashimi, beef, and a variety of vegetables.

Tofuya Ukai is located a pebble-throw away from Tokyo Tower and makes for a wonderful, and very tasty, Japanese dining experience. Plan to spend a reasonable amount of time there. It’s not the sort of place you rush through a meal. Dishes are served one at a time and the waitresses somehow know when you’ve finished your current course and they’re there and ready with the next course.

The restaurant is part of the Ukai chain of restaurants, each with a different theme, and some located outside of Tokyo. Another one to explore, if you have time to get out of the city, is Ukai Toriyama, which is located on the slopes of Mount Takao, about a 90 minute train ride from Shinjuku Station on the Keio Line.

More info on the website: English website for Tofuya Ukai

 

The Wheels of Justice

An autumn day, a long straight road in Hokkaido, not another car in sight and off we went!  With my
rental car's wheels eating up the road at 625 revolutions per kilometer I was zipping down the highway on the way to Niseko. Whoa! What was that red flash? Uh-oh! The infra-red camera on the overhead stanchion just took my picture.  And a pretty clear picture - good likeness - it was as I eventually found out.

Those 625 revolutions per minute turned out to be 92 kilometers per hour on a highway with a posted speed of 50 km per hour. Now, the police do have some allowance for lead footed drivers, but it turns out that allowance is only 10 km. Which means I was 32 km over the "allowable" amount. And so the saga begins. 

A few weeks after returning to Tokyo from that September drive I got a phone call from a friendly policeman (everyone was friendly throughout this whole process) in Hokkaido informing me he had a picture of me, my rented car, and a little odometer in the corner of the picture showing 92 km
per hour. We talked for about 30 minutes (in Japanese since he spoke no English) and what could I do but admit that yep, it was me, and yep, I saw the red light flash, and yep, I guess I was speeding. I told him why - figured he needed something to talk to the other cops about the rest of the day.  Okay, he said and told me that the next step would be a notice in the mail and a visit to my neighborhood police headquarters since I had no plans to be back in Hokkaido in the near future.

So, a couple of months later, in November, I got that postcard and off to Takaido police station I went (after making an appointment, of course). I had a nice "chat" with the traffic officer there and he
kindly wrote out my statement for me, which he then read back to me, and I put my "hanko" on it to approve it.  Yeah, that sure was a pretty clear picture of me and my wife in that little car.

 A couple of months later, in February, I got a post card that this level of law-breaking activity (remember, I was 32 km over the allowable limit) meant 6 points against my license and a 30 day suspension of my license (no mention of the fine yet). The post card was in Japanese, but they had a
sentence in red (in Japanese of course) that said "If you don't understand Japanese bring your own interpreter."  Okay, so if you don't read Japanese how are you supposed to know about that?  Hello, does the word "logic" mean anything to anyone out there?  

Anyhow, the card said I could spend the day in the Chofu driver's license center, taking a "remedial" course, for which I had the honor to fork out 13,800 yen. Taking, and passing, the course meant I could probably erase the points and cut the license suspension down to one day. Off I went early in the morning to be there in time for the 08:30 registration start (no car allowed that day!). As I walked up to the window to register I was immediately pulled aside, in a friendly manner, and asked if I understand Japanese since the whole day's course would be only in Japanese.  Assuring them I did I was next asked if I read Japanese because there was a 40 questions test at the end of the day and
the time limit for that was only 30 minutes. Well, yes, I do read some Japanese, but I told them I reckon it isn't good enough to ensure that I could get through all 40 questions in the time allowed, so we both really h'mmed and hawed about that. With a look of great consternation on his face the official took me up a floor where I was asked the same question and gave the same answer. After much sucking of air the other official asked if I read English.  Assuring him that I do he said that's good because they also have the test in English (as it turns out they gave me both the English and the Japanese copy during the test - good thing they did because I had to refer to the Japanese for a handful of the questions in order to understand the "English"). 

Just in case you ever have to do this here is what the one day course consists of: 

1. Morning:  lectures on the driving rules and regulations. Listen carefully because they will
actually be telling you the questions and answers to that test you'll be taking later. 

2. Lunch break. There's a cafeteria downstairs in the basement. 

3. After lunch: more lecture, more hints for the test. 

4. Driving around the course taking turns with your fellow traffic criminals and an examiner (when you get to the fake railroad crossing make sure you stop, open both front windows, and state that you are listening for the train - because that first train in the morning just might zip through without
tripping the signal).  Then a few minutes on the simulator, which is actually harder than real driving! 

5. Written test. 

6. Movie time - watch what traffic law disobedience can cause.  

7. Test results. Assuming you've passed (I did, scored 100) you will be told that the points have been erased and you can drive again after midnight.  But, for the next one year, if you accumulate 4 points you'll get to do this all over again - but for two days! 

8. Down to the window, pick up your license, go home. 

So, you thought it was all over?  Oh... no...! Not yet! 

Next comes a postcard (about a week or so later) telling you to go to the Prosecutor's Office where you'll spend another hour or two restating the facts of your crime. Here, at least, if you don't speak Japanese they will provide an interpreter.  The prosecutor inputs your statement into the computer, prints out a copy, and you hanko it (or sign it if you don't have a hanko).  You are then given a choice of going to court and arguing your case (good luck with that!) or saying no thanks, just send me the fine. 

A couple more weeks go buy and you'll get a registered letter telling you how much your fine is. In my case, first offense, stated guilty as charged, it is 60,000 yen (cost to date, 73,800 + train fares, so
about $1,000).  Oh, you do get the option of paying the fine or working it off in some sort of community work (somebody's gotta pick up all that trash the "nature lovers" in Japan toss out of
their car windows) at the rate of 5,000 yen per day. The prosecutor assured me that if I decided to do this it wouldn't be like the movies with a chain around my leg swinging a big hammer and breaking rocks! 

So that's the end of it, right?  Wrong! That's just the letter telling me what the fine is and a note in it (in Japanese, of course) telling me that I'll get another letter telling me how to go about paying my fine.  Oh boy! I can hardly wait!  But, meanwhile, you can bet I'll lighten up the old lead foot and stop for those red lights!

 

 

Hina Matsuri (Dolls Day Festival)



Today, March 3rd, is Girls' Day in Japan. It's also called Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival).

Those who have sets of Hina Dolls display them in their homes on a platforms - in steps - and the steps are covered with a red cloth. The dolls are called hina-ningyoh.   They represent the Emporer, the Emporess, and their attendants. The dolls are typically dressed in traditional royal court dress replicant of Japan's Heian period, which is when the practice of displaying these dolls started.

In those days people believed the dolls possessed the power to protect against bad spirits.

The stores in Tokyo were quite crowded today as people went about buying some of the traditional foods and snacks served on this day. For example, colored hina arare, which are small crackers flavored with sugar or soy sauce and and hishimochi, a diamond-shaped colored rice cake.  People also eat Chirashizushi (sushi rice flavored with sugar, vinegar, and topped with raw fish and other ingredients).

A soup called ushiojiru containing hamaguri (clams) in the shell is also served. Clam shells in food are deemed the symbol of a united and peaceful couple, because a pair of clam shells fits perfectly, and no pair but the original pair can do so.

Families generally start to display the dolls in February and take them down immediately after the festival. A Japanese superstition says that leaving the dolls on display past March 4 will result in a late marriage for daughters in the family.

This day is also called momo no sekku (Peach Festival)" because of the peach blossom season on the old lunar calendar. In fact, I bought branches of peach blossoms for my wife today so we can display them in our home.

When our girls were small, and living at home, my wife and our daughters would enjoy taking the dolls from their storage boxes each year and arranging them on their special stand. My wife still displays the dolls, but in a smaller fashion, as well as decorating with the peach blossom branches.

You can buy your own set of hina dolls in most department stores in Japan or in any of the stores that specialize in ningyo (dolls). A traditional set of dolls can be very expensive. There are various grades for the sets, and some full sets will set you back a pretty yen as they cost more than a million yen (US$12,000). Of course, there are much cheaper sets, and even some made of paper, but those won't - naturally - last very long. And, you can buy a royal couple only version, with only the Emperor and the Empress dolls.

Of course, the boys have their day too. Well, at least it used to be called boys' day, but not it has become children's day - that's coming up May 5th. I'll write more about that when the time comes.

Meanwhile - happy Dolls Day! And, here is a picture of a full 7 tiered set of the dolls.

 

Those Setsubun Beans

With freezing temperatures in Tokyo, and even some snow just a few days ago, it's hard to believe that the first day of spring is just around the corner.

But, February 3 is Setsubun (seasonal division). In its association with Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) Setsubun used to be thought of as a type of New Year's eve.  This was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil - clean out the bad spirits of the old year -  and drive away disease-bringing bad spirits for the new year

This special ritual is called mamemaki, which means bean throwing (maki can also mean scatter or plant, but in this case the beans are thrown). 

If you want to keep it really traditional the bean throwing should be performed by the toshiotoko of the house. The toshiotoko is the male who was born on the corresponding animal year on the Chinese Zodiac (this year is the year of the dragon), or if there is no toshiotoko the male head of the household can throw the beans. The best beans to use are roasted soybeans, known as "fortune beans (fuku mame). These can be purchased in many stores. The beans are usually thrown out the door, but they may also be thrown at a member of the family wearing a  demon mask (also available in a variety of stores, temples, or shrines), while the people throwing the beans say "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa Uchi!" (Demons out! Good luck in!)

 [Oni (Demon) Mask]

The beans are supposed to do a purification of the home by driving away the demons (the evil spirits) that bring bad luck and bad health. After throwing the beans many people eat roasted soy beans; one for each year of one's life, and one more for bringing good luck for the new year.

Some shrines and temples will have Setsubun ceremonies too where priests and special guests will throw roasted soy beans (some may even be wrapped in gold or silver foil), or small envelopes with money, candies and other small prizes. Some of the bigger shrines might invite celebrities and/or sumo wrestlers. Check a shrine or temple near you to see if any Setsubun ceremony is going on - it's another good Japan photo opportunity.

 

Western Holidays in Japan

Japan has 15 national holidays per year. This compares to 10 in the USA and France and 16 in India. In addition to national holidays many companies in Japan close for several more days during Oshogatsu (New Year) and Obon (in July).

Very few of these Japanese national holidays serve any commercial purpose with the exception of sales for travel agencies during Golden Week (April - May), osetchi ryori (traditional New Year's food) sales during the new year, beauty salons for coming of age day, and perhaps some presents for  children on children's day.  

On the other hand, adoption of western holidays seems to be solely meant to open the purse strings of Mrs. Suzuki and all her family and relatives.  Christmas, one of the west's most holy holidays is not much more than a season to sell cakes, toys, and other presents here in Japan (of course, it's exploited for pretty much the same reasons in the west).  

When we lived in Japan in the 1980s the only Halloween costumes we saw were on the American children in our neighborhood who went to school parties, or to a few home parties, and maybe a bit of door-to-door Trick or Treating in the neighborhoods with high foreigner populations.  That has certainly changed! Now, even driving out in the countryside I have seen pumpkins carved with various designs  - some typical, some not. There are even costume parades in many areas and of course, many bars take advantage of the "holiday" to hold costume parties and offer special Halloween drinks.

I asked a few friends - Japanese and foreigners - what they think of this growing trend of adopting foreign holidays in Japan.  Below are the responses (J = Japanese; F = Foreigner):

F:  most Western holiday celebrations here are simply the fondest dreams of merchants coming true. Valentine's Day,  Halloween and Christmas are great opportunities for any company that deals in romance, confections or toys to suck in some major cash. 

F: Christmas that starts in November, Santa dressed in blue, yucky cream sponge cakes, and celebrating in bars on Christmas "ibu," [eve] work as usual December 25, Christmas dinner with sushi on the table - these are the only times I've ever felt homesick in Japan. I sometimes wonder how the Japanese would feel if we all suddenly started doing Bon-odori in gaudy yukata wearing shoes and socks and with a brass band thrown in Times Square or Piccadilly Circus. All put together by commercial interests of course!

J: Halloween has become a profitable business for bars and pubs. The Halloween party is now adopted as a seasonal event in bar businesses.  St. Valentine's day brought profit to chocolate makers and it seems that there are businesses behind the newly introduced holidays. Since the mid-80’s, the Affiliation of Book Stores Union is attempting to promote Saint George's Day in April as a day for presenting books to loved ones. It seems they have been unsuccessful though.  I wonder what holidays we Japanese will be “adopting” next.  

J: I read in a book that few holidays tap into the American psyche so closely as Halloween. I cannot understand why this is so. My guess is that the spirits of ancestors of both immigrants from abroad and native Indians might all be there to act on inhabitants to celebrate the unity of all people.

J: Personally it is OK with me.  Japanese have always been a very flexible people. And the advertisers and merchants want to take advantage of any reason to make a special day to sell special items. So I expect that there will be more and more. They may introduce, Chinese new year plus The Songkran of Thailand, Mahatma Gandhi Day? Ramadan? Who knows?

F: I don't mind.  The more the merrier.  I just wish that those adopting someone else's holidays also try to understand the origins and rationale for those holidays.  I'm not saying that those from the countries where the holidays come from understand their own holidays either.  Take Japanese holidays.  After talking to several young Japanese, I realized that I know more about the origins of their holidays than they do.  But if someone were to adopt the ways of somebody else, at least he must know what exactly it is he is adopting.

J: In my view, Japanese adoption of many western holidays has gone a bit too far. In essence, such adoption has been limited to  commercial/business effect of such holidays without much appreciation of the spiritual/social backgrounds of such holidays in their original jurisdictions.

ME-RI KU-RI-SU-MA-SU EVERYONE!

Heartful try at Texas BBQ in Tokyo

I gave the new Texas BBQ restaurant in Azabu Juban a try today – their first day of serving lunch. Obviously, there are many kinks for them to work out yet. I can’t say I fully recommend it, but you can give it a try and “rate” for yourself if want to after reading this.

What works:

1. Friendly owner, Craig White
2. Um, that’s about all

What doesn’t work (yet, hope time will improve it):

1. Surly wait staff (other than Craig). Nary a smile in the bunch; what, they left their happy faces at home this first day of lunch business?
2. Tinny music – either the speakers are low quality, or the volume is too loud, or just bad acoustics?
3. Pulled Pork (menu item) – a bit bland – I even asked Craig if the recipe has been “localized” but he said not so (sounds like they may still be experimenting with the flavor).
4. Small portions – maybe a small sandwich and what may be Tokyo’s smallest portion of coleslaw (positive note, the coleslaw was tasty) will fill up a 42 kg. Japanese woman, but the guys (and ladies with bigger appetites) are gonna leave there definitely unsatisfied.
5. Tiny menu selection – 2 items (BBQ Beef & above Pulled Pork). But, Craig says they are adding a BLT with home cured bacon later this week or next. (Wonder how that portion will be…?). Some baked beans to go with the BBQ would be nice…
6. Price – too much for lunch, especially given the portions. 1200 yen for the beef & 1100 for the pork (and that teensy-weensy serving of slaw) – coffee an extra 200 yen (maybe the next time the waiter will remember to bring the milk so my guest doesn’t have to walk over and ask for it). Over priced for the neighborhood – for anywhere in Tokyo, for that matter, for this style restaurant. There are (literally) dozens of places in the vicinity to have lunch (with more food) for well under that price – including coffee.
7. What happened to my reservation? First day foul-up perhaps, and fortunately I was early enough that we got a decent table, but I had reserved to take a friend there for a birthday, which Craig acknowledged when I made the reservation a week ago. Most restaurants in Tokyo will offer the birthday guest a dessert or small treat to celebrate, but not so at White Smoke – at least not for this guest’s birthday. Not even a “happy birthday” to my guest even though I reminded Craig that I was there to buy a friend a birthday lunch. Guess where I will NOT be taking anyone else for their birthday.

Overall rating = 1 star out of 5. Give it a try if you just have to see what Texas BBQ is (supposed to be) about, but don’t go with great hopes and expectations. Maybe dinner is better. I haven’t tried that and not sure if I will given today’s experience.

In case you do want to try it the location is 3-11-2 Moto Azabu, Minato Ku, Tokyo. Mime Azabu Building, 1st floor. That’s in Azabu Juban almost near the end of the main shopping street that runs from exit #4 of the Azabu Juban Station.

Out to Pasture?

According to a recent report in the Nikkei, McDonald's in Japan is reinstating a mandatory retirement age of 60 from next year (Jan. 2012). The supposed intent is to 'nurture younger workers within McDonald's corporate culture.' In fact, this year McDonald's started appointing age 20-something employees to management level positions. They say that shows that they are placing more importance on promoting younger staff. 

Seven years ago McDonald's was actually considered an innovative company because they instituted a performance based wage system vs the traditional seniority system (pay per number of years there).  Then, in 2006 they abolished forced retirement.

Now, the company says they "moved too quickly" by shifting emphasis to individual performance and they should have waited till they had a process in the corporate culture to groom successors. So, now they will add one's ability to groom successors for their jobs to the evaluation system.

The average age of McDonald's employees in Japan is around 35-36. Those who are age 60 will be permitted to stay for another year or more. And, since the labor law in Japan does have an age discrimination clause, they will introduce a system for rehiring workers who are not yet 65 on one-year contracts.

By the way in case you were wondering - about 23% of Japan's poplulation (about 29 million people) is over 65 and that will grow to nearly 40% by 2050. But, do they buy burgers 'n fries? Maybe not. The burger buying population, assuming they are mainly in the 15-40 age range is about 18 million.

So, is McDonald's really making progress with this move or are they just perpetrating more of that oh-so-common-issue in Japan, worker age discrimination...

 

 

A Jindaiji Sunday

A sunny August Sunday.

10 km bike ride to Jindaiji temple & botanical garden park (the temple was founded in 733 - second oldest in Tokyo after Asakusa's famous Onarimon).

Lunch under a canopy of trees in a soba restaurant that is "hidden" behind the cemetary. Okay, not very well hidden since there is a sign (in Japanese only) pointing to it.  Cold soba dipped in a light soy sauce broth with a side of lightly battered tempura and a plate of oden (normally a winter dish, but good most any time of the year). A cold Kirin Lager for me and bottle of Jindaiji Beer for Madam Wife to chase it down (well earned beers after the bike ride!).

Smoke wafting from the firepit on the trail just above the soba restaurant helped keep the mosquitos at bay - only had to shoo 3 of them away. I refuse to share my lunch - and my blood - with these little bug(gers).

The cicadas serenaded us throughout lunch - the cicada's "song" is the true sound of summer in Japan. The cicadas in Tokyo this year are said to be "kuma-semi" - or "bear cicada" - the largest of the species in Japan. I've seen a couple of them lying on our balcony - they fell out of the trees that front our property - yep, they're big this year!

Took a bit longer route home through Mitaka and Inokashira Park and a stop-by in Hamadayama to sample a couple of Baskin-Robins 31's flavors - also well deserved after the 10+ km bike ride back (at least, well deserved in MY humble opinion!). Oh well, there goes the calories lost in the bike ride.....

Not a bad way to spend a few hours on a sunny Sunday in August in Tokyo.

One more reason why we live in Japan

Down to the garage, into the car, and off to the movie we went. Or so we thought. Turned the key. Nothing. Uh-oh. I knew that battery had been sounding a bit weak the last few days! A quick phone call to the and a promise to come to our place and install a new battery while we caught the train to Roppongi and the theater dealer - see the advantage to having your car serviced by the dealer every few months? And to having a condo concierge so we could leave the key. Home from the show and, yep! new battery installed. Wonder if we could get that same sort of service if we lived in the USA? Sure, there's AAA, but you've got to wait for them to show up, just like you would JAF in Japan.

Oh, the movie? The Tree of Life. My rating - 2 out of 5 stars, but I reckon Madam Wife rates it higher.

 

In September 2010 China made the decision to stop shipments of rare earth to Japan. The stoppage lasted for two months. The breakdown in the international relationship came when Japanese authorities arrested a Chinese fishing boat captain whose boat had collided with two Japanese Coast Guard ships. The fishing boat and the Coast Guard ships were within the vicinity of a group of small islands that both countries lay claim to. The islands are known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the  Diaoyu Islands in China.

 

Rare earth metals are a set of seventeen chemical elements in the scientific table. They are used in a wide variety of technology goods including monitors, DVD players, smartphones, tablet PCs such as the iPad, and especially in the nickel metal hydride batteries that are needed to run hybrid cars. They even have military uses such as in missile guidance systems. When supplies are cut off manufacturers can quickly run through their stockpiles.

China has been producing about 95% of the rare earths mined and sold around the globe with Japan being the biggest importer for the last several years.  Although the USA actually has some of the largest known deposits of rare earth elements it has also been importing most of its rare earth needs from China since the 1990s , according to the U.S. Geological Survey, when Chinese companies increased production and drove down prices. U.S. mining companies found it hard to compete with these prices. However, with worldwide demand expected to grow from 125,000 tons in 2010 to 225,000 tons by 2015, the rare earth oxides facility at Mountain Pass, California is being reopened. The first phase of its mining project is expected to be operational by next year after nearly a decade of no production in the U.S.

China's dominance may soon be coming to an end though with Japanese scientists' discovery of huge deposits of the minerals in mud on the ocean floor in international waters near Hawaii. This discovery could expand the known deposits of rare earth materials by a thousand times. University of Tokyo associate professor Yasuhiro Kato has been quoted as saying, "The deposits have a heavy concentration of rare earths. Just one square kilometer (0.4 square mile) of deposits will be able to provide one-fifth of the current global annual consumption." Kato led the team that made the discovery. The finding is detailed in the scientific journal Nature Geoscience, and the deposits can apparently be easily extracted.

 

 

Want a free umbrella?

Pedaling away, off we went under a leaden sky, no raincoats, no ponchos, no umbrellas. Destination.....one of our favorite soba (buckwheat noodles) shops for a Sunday afternoon lunch. We figured we could get there, eat, and get back home before the rain started.  WRONG!

As we finished our meal we could hear the rain drumming against the wooden facade of the soba shop. We figured we could wait it out & ride our bikes home with no more than a bit of dampness. WRONG AGAIN!

As we paid our bill we asked the shop assistant if there was a 7-11 or something similar nearby where we could buy an umbrella. Rather than direct us to a store the shop owner volunteered a couple of umbrellas that had been left behind by other customers in the past. We said we would return them, but no need, said the waiter. These were spares that, if they didn't give them away, they would have to discard. One was actually a pretty nice umbrella - fashionable and probably fairly expensive when bought. The other was very serviceable. In fact, the waiter opened up and tested the umbrellas before giving them to us - he even discarded one of those "throw-away" type that are so often abandoned here & there in Japan - the clear plastic ones that sell for 100-300 yen. (Oh, and this is where the title of this posting comes from - it's not the first time I've been given an umbrella by a restaurant - so if you're caught out without one when the rain starts - and you're in a restaurant just ask where you can get an umbrella. Chances are you'll be offered one, at least here in Japan, that is.)

Well, riding home holding an umbrella was a first for me. I've seen people doing this hundreds of times, but I never figured it was something I would want to try. The gusting winds made it a bit more of a hassle, but all-in-all it was easier than I had thought it would be, cramped right hand not withstanding.

Now, if I had only had a umbrella attendant like the one in the picture below.....

Hearts in Tohoku

The road from Nikko to Lake Chuzenji used to have 48 curves. That has been mercifully cut down to 30 - but many of them are switchbacks. We've been on that road when it takes 2+ hours to travel the 14 or so kilometers.

Now, with few people willing to visit Tohoku, which is where the lake is located - even though it is about 160 kilometers from the damaged nuclear plant - the drive time is much shorter. Today it only took about 20 minutes and the parking lots that are normally overflowing were either completely deserted or only held a few cars (and most of those were trout fishermen).

Sadly, for the businesses that depend on the tourists coming in to spend a few yen, the number of people visiting the region is way down. We stopped for lunch in a restaurant on a hill overlooking Lake Chuzenji and there were only about 10 customers in the place - they have room for a couple hundred as they usually get buses full of customers.

We went on up the road to Yu-no-ko (Lake Yu), which is a small lake with a loverly waterfall at the southern end that drops 70 meters from the lake to the base. The air has a slight sulphur smell thanks to the hot springs in the area - thus the lake's name - which means "warm (or hot) water" - even though the water is not really hot in the lake. It's not so cold either and there are 4 species of trout in the lake. There were several people fishing today. Some in boats, some in waders, some from the shore and most all were catching a few trout.

Photos below are from Lake Yu.

Unfortunately, the drive home wasn't quite as smooth as someone decided to crash & burn (well, we don't know if they burned - sure hope not) on the Tohoku Expressway and there was one area of 14 kilometers that was going to take 2 hours to cover.  No way! We got off the highway & took the local roads. I don't know that we saved any time, but it was more interesting than sitting on the expressway watching the back end of the car in front of us for 2 or more hours.

This sign tells us that Mt. Nantai, a sacred mountain is what we can see in the distance & it tells us that the lake is 1,475 meters above sea level.

Actual photo of Mr. Nantai - way back behind the lake

The southern end of Lake Yu - where the waterfall starts

Trout fishing on Lake Yu

Lake cat - Where's my fish!!??

Lake stump!

Winter took a toll on the tree around the lake.

Golden Week - Day 2 - means 2 Scoops

Golden Week - day 2 - out & about & enjoying a warm & sunny wonderful spring day:

> Bike ride through Wadabori Park & along the Zempukuji River - well, many years ago it was a river - now it's lined in concrete like a canal - but still a great place to walk / ride / jog. Lined with sakura trees, plenty of grassy areas, many people picnicking along the river today.

> Circled the ponds that are the source of the Zempukuji - folks with tripods & cameras hoping to get shots of the birds that nest in the reeds of the ponds

> On over to Kichijoji for a cruise through a very crowded Inokashira Park. Musicians, magicians, story tellers, flea markets, and more - something for everybody.

>Then, on to a soba lunch at Yoshimura along Inokashira Dori - as they say on their card, "proudly serving fine soba and sake for three generations." And yes - it is very good soba (and the cold Heartland draft beer goes well with it)

> Wheeled on down the road to Hamadayama for two scoops at the recently opened Baskin-Robbins

> Figured after that late soba lunch I'd be too full to do dinner - but Madam Wife knew better - she did up a nice cheese & light foods dish that went well with the glass of La Cabotte (courtesy of our favorite wine merchant Eric Dahler - you can find him here on FB if you want a good wine merchant)

> A bit of 'puter time & that's the day. No traffic jams to fight, no reservations to worry about. Yep - a pretty good Golden Week day!

Chichibu - spring blossoms - photos

Situated in western Saitama Prefecture the Chichibu region (and the city of Chichibu) lies to the west-northwest of Tokyo. That was our destination today as we set out on a bright & sunny Easter Sunday morning for a drive to the low-elevation Okuchichibu mountains of the area.

Since we went by car we made our way out the Chuo Expressway to the Ken-Oh Expressway link where we headed north. Exiting at the Iruma interchange we were very thankful that we weren't headed south like the bumper-to-bumper line of cars making their way to the outlet mall in Iruma City. The heavy traffic meant well over an hour of inching along for those folks headed in that direction before they would even get to the mall and then who-knows-how-long before they could get a parking space. Been there. Done that. No thank you ma'am! Never again!

The sakura blossoms are all finished in Tokyo, but the Chichibu region still has a few flowers on the sakura trees and with other trees and shrubs in full bloom the landscape was alive with color today as you can see in the photos below.

The tree in this next photo is also typical of several we saw - with both white and pink blossoms.

Bridge scene along the route.

As we headed east we came across this huge display of koinobori- "carp streamer" - which are carp-shaped wind socks. They are traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate Tango no Sekku, a traditional event which is now designated as a National holiday, Children's Day, which will be on May 5th this year.

The display is on the hillside by the Jinryu River in the town of Kanna. There are 800 flags in the display. The town usually holds a festival when the koinobori are put on display, but one of the residents told us that the festival was cancelled this year in light of the earthquake and tsunami last month.

Along the route we stopped for a short walk through the Onouchi Valley. Unfortunately, it was a very short walk as the old footbridge that crossed the river apparently was washed away some time ago. However, this new suspension bridge remains and offers a good view of the small waterfall in the valley.

There are more interesting hikes and walks in the Chichibu region than this little valley, but it does have a small area jam packed with shakunage shrubs (Tsukushi rhododendron / part of the azalea family), which should be in full bloom in the next few days.

Oh - and one last bit - spotting a 500 yen car wash we pulled in to get a few days of post-rain filled days worth of grime off the old chariot. Madam Wife was amazed that for 500 yen they not only washed the wheels, by hand, with a brush, but they also wiped the car dry and even gave the interior a quick wipe to get rid of accumulated dashboard dust. Japan service "strikes" again!

Earthquake, Tsunami, Tragedy - yet the Sakura blooms (and a street level view of the tsunami)

It's been a while since I've posted to this blog and of course, much has happened in Japan since my last posting. The Great East Japan Earthquake (so named by the prime minister) and the subsequent tsunami, followed by the nuclear plant isues, have been on probably just about every news channel and other media in the world.

I've also written a few articles during this time, which you can read at www.majiroxnews.com if you want.

An old army friend in the states also sent me the link to this YouTube Video. It's a street level view of the tsunami inundating the camera person's town. Frightening to watch and heart breaking to see the damage it caused.

Despite the news reports that friends and family around the world have read - trust me - Tokyo remains safe. The radiation levels are safe. The water is safe. People are going about their business and getting on with their lives. Yes, there are minor (minor given the comparison to what the poor folks up in Tohoku have been through and continue to live with) inconviences. Some trains may be delayed at times if power outages occur, but those are - thanks to the great efforts of everyone to conserve electricity - very limited. Dairy products are in short supply because of the ban on such products from the Fukushima area. Same with some vegetables. But short supply doesn't mean no supply and the necessary items are very available.

With April upon us the sakura trees are beginning to blossom. Today we walked along the Sumida River with old friends and the trees are from 30% to 50% in bloom. The news reports tell us that the yakata-bune (the boats that ply the Sumida River with cherry viewing party goers enjoying food and drinks) are experiencing a major downturn in business - 80 to 90%. Certainly, the yakata-bune we saw on the river today were mostly empty. However, one park beside the river was very well populated with o-hanami (blossom viewing) parties. So was the park behind our home when my wife walked through it yesterday. People were sitting on the usual blue plastic sheets, eating, drinking, talking, playing music, and having a good time.

Life can, must, and does go on.

More shaking

Awoke this morning - always a positive! - to learn that Niigata and Nagano both had earthquakes this morning around 04:00. Magnitude 6. Less than Miyagi's 8.8 yesterday but still major.

News reports say 1300+ now dead or missing.
And warnings of major aftershocks for the next month.

Chiba, which is along the east coast, like Miyagi is (& where Narita airport is located) & Ibaragi prefecture, just above Chiba, has severe damage too.

Download the eq survival manual at

http://www.seikatubunka.metro.tokyo.jp/index3files/survivalmanual.pdf

Hoe Hearts

Spring was in the air this balmy March 6th Sunday as I set out for my 10,000 steps walk (actually did over 11,000).

Within a minute of leaving our condo's front door I knew that spring must really be just around the corner (I had just gone around the corner) when I spotted this fellow, shovel in hand, tilling the soil for his summer garden.

Those little stakes mark out one of the 126 mini-garden plots in this field that are available for rent by residents of our ward. A quick online check showed me that there are actually 1,564 of these little plots available around the ward for a small rental fee of 3,000 yen. I know that some people manage to rent a couple of them and one restaurant in our neighborhood (Happy Go Lucky - Mexican Restaurant) uses the vegetables they grow for some of their fresh, tasty dishes during the summer & autumn months.

Would you like to try your hand at "gentleman farming"? Click here if you want to see a list of all such spots available in Tokyo.  You'll have to be able to read Japanese (or use Google Translate) to find out about the procedure for applying. Or, you can call your local ward office and ask.

Many people enjoy growing their own vegetables and getting a bit of dirt under their fingernails on the weekends. Some even have all tools to avoid the dirty fingernails; like this little tractor I spotted in another field a few blocks further on. This was a bigger field so the tractor may be used by just one farmer in this field or it may be for community use - no signs spotted for information.

Some even go to great lengths to have fresh veggies and maybe a few flowers year round as evidenced by this roof top greenhouse I saw.

Others may have a few pots on their veranda. That's what I did last summer with my tomato garden. Okay, my tomato plant. But the two tomatoes I got from it were good!

Of course, vegetables are not the only use for a nice garden and this condo building courtyard I spotted decided to make good use of their common courtyard by planting flowers, trees, and even a nice stone lantern.

So, there you go! Farming in Tokyo. Break out that hoe. Dust off that shovel. Head to the plant store and stock up on a few seedlings and next thing you know your family will be dining on home grown corn and maybe even organic goodies!

A manual for surviving in an earthquake

Our hearts go out to all those lost and injured in the Christchurch earthquake this week and the many lost in countless other earthquakes in many countries in the past.

Living in Japan we have personally experienced numerous earthquakes over the years and we have been fortunate; no injuries, no damage.

Japan has an average of 6 earthquakes every day. That's over 2,000 per year or roughly 20% of the total in the world. Most are very small and not even felt by many people, but every few months we get a good shaker. In 1995 more than 6,400 souls perished in the great Hanshin earthquake (Kobe) when a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the region.

In November 2010 a 6.6 magnitude quake caused large buildings in Tokyo to sway, but Japan's earthquake construction regulations kept them from toppling over.

What can you do if the "big one" strikes? Read the downloadable Earthquake Survival Manual (it's bilingual) that was prepared by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.  Download it today at: this site.

Foreigners working for Japanese companies

Many of my connections on LinkedIn were generous enough to give me their input. Names are mentioned where I can, anonymity is respected where requested, and although I couldn't include all the comments I thank each and everyone who gave me their input.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nihongo hansemasu ka? Can you speak Japanese?

Many foreigners who work in Japanese companies can answer that question in the affirmative with a resounding “Hai!” Morgan Shimizu, an American working for Aero Asahi Corporation said that working for a Japanese corporation “has taught me how and when to say things as well as when not to say things.”

Timothy Marshall, a New Zealander working in the semi-conductor industry for Samco, Inc. confirmed this. He said, “I learned the word anisotropic in Japanese before I learned it in English!”

Will the need to speak Japanese continue or will English become the lingua franca for Japanese corporations? Japan news reports have been awash lately with talk of Japanese  companies globalizing operations, hiring more foreigners, holding meetings in English, and requiring Japanese staff who hope to be promoted to management positions to undergo English language training. One such company is Rakuten, operator of Japan’s largest Internet mall, which has reported it will make English its official in-house language by the end of 2012 as part of its efforts to go global. However, one non-Japanese Rakuten employee, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid work repercussions told me that while Rakuten may be requiring Japanese managers to learn English working there has actually helped him learn more Japanese because as he stated, “The business language is 98% Japanese.”

However, not everyone finds working in a Japanese company beneficial to learning the language. 29 year old Dane, Steffen Johnstad-Moeller, who until very recently worked for a Japanese shipping company says, “Actually I learn more from taking [Japanese language] classes. When people speak internally they speak way too fast for me to understand, so I didn’t learn more Japanese than if I would have been working for a foreign company.”

Regardless of the language used when working for a Japanese company one may wonder if discrimination ever rears its ugly head. The situation varies from company to company, but in most cases there is surprisingly little discrimination against foreign workers. When asked if he ran into any discrimination issues Samco’s Marshall stated, “Quite the opposite. Being a foreigner I am able to speak my mind without being judged, unlike my Japanese colleagues.”

Patty Nameishi, Business Consultant and Principal at US-Japan Connect is an American female who has also worked for Kenzo, Tange, and Associates told us that when it came to discrimination it was actually just the opposite;  “They were too nice to me because I was a foreign woman.” 

As Shimizu emphasizes, “Japanese do not intend to [discriminate]. It seems that they are unaware when they do such things (such as the simple question ‘Why are white people so fat?’).”

There are, of course, pluses and minuses to working for a Japanese company. Professionalism and loyalty to employees are often cited as one of the more positive aspects. “Not worrying about whether or not I’ll have a job next week” is one of the pluses pointed out by Shimizu. On the other hand he says the atmosphere can sometimes be a downer for someone who enjoys a bit of joviality; “There are no real big laughs in the office. People are very impersonal.” 

Marshall really likes the close friendships, relations and support that you build with your new ‘family’ but he would like to see less risk adversity and resistance to change from his Japanese colleagues.

Still, that loyalty and stability can also lead to a lack of basic rights. As one Osaka based foreign designer, who asked to remain anonymous told us, “In a Japanese company the employee is generally entitled only to the basic right of having stable employment. Other than that, it seems as if you are at the complete disposal of the company. They are entitled to ask anything of you, and it will always be culturally difficult to refuse. Workers accept this, and thus are required to make family, health and personal sacrifices in order to meet the demands placed on them.”

The how’s and why’s to a job in a Japanese company are as varied as the foreigners who work in them. As a Japanese speaking American, Andy Kato, who works in the medical devices industry joined his company through a recruiter who had a specific mandate to find Japanese speaking American with extensive business development experience. Kato hopes that working for a Japanese company will help him with his goal of someday owning his own company. He says that working for a Japanese company will help him “learn what makes successful Japanese companies tick while understanding why they cannot deliver outside of Japan.”

Marshall, who was introduced to his company through his university professor chose a 150 person Japanese venture business over a famous big 4 consultancy firm because he wanted to be involved in international business from the start of his career. According to him, “It’s been a blast!  In three years I’ve taken over leadership of our European area, signed on new distributors and agents, and visited customers in America, Russia, Australia, Germany and Italy.”

So, what advice do these foreigners have for others who hope to work for a Japanese company now or in the future?

Kato says, “You must always be flexible and prepare yourself for anything uncustomary. Make sure you understand the balance of power in the company before you sign the contract.”

Shimizu advises that, ”You surrender your independent thoughts. You might join as a web designer but if you are asked to go to sales you really don't have a choice. Once you become part of the family you act as part of the family.”

Nameishi, with her 20 years of Japan experience sums it up by saying, “Embrace the culture; enjoy the journey, do not be afraid to ask questions when you do not understand, and do not be afraid to share your opinions - just do so very gently and respectfully.”

 

 

 

 

Heartful service

Thursday night brought heavy rain to Tokyo. Not so unusual, so why do I mention it?

Normally, when we have a rain filled night our morning papers are delivered wrapped in a thin clear plastic bag. But the Friday paper didn't get the plastic treatment and was delivered with wet corners, which I assume happened as the rain soaked the delivery man and the motorbike he rides to make his rounds.

Okay, so we got a paper that was a bit wet. Sure, a little more bother to turn the pages without ripping through the wet places, and the newsprint is a little harder to read on a rain soaked section, but I figured no big deal. I could still read it and the delivery guy was probably a lot more miserable tooling around in the cold rain than I was reading a damp newspaper at my warm dining table. (Of course, if I eventually make the switch to an iPad and an online paper, and THAT gets wet then I will have a problem.)

Arriving home on Friday evening I found a fresh, dry newspaper waiting for me. Odd, I thought. Did something super newsworthy happen that caused the Herald Tribune or the Asahi Newspaper put out a special evening edition? Nope, that wasn't the case.  My wife said there was a letter with the paper apologizing for delivering a wet newspaper that morning and for any inconvenience caused by having to decipher wet newsprint.

Now comes the part where my wife (who is Japanese, remember) and I don't quite see eye to eye.  My thoughts were, if the delivery guy knew the paper was wet when he delivered it why not just keep that wet paper in his basket and give me a dry paper instead of bringing another (same) newspaper later that day when the sun was shining, so his customers could have a dry paper. It's not like the one he delivered in the morning wouldn't dry out, or I need to save that paper for some reason, or that I had called and complained (I didn't).

Madam Wife however took a more Japanese view. She said that the delivery man thought about his customers and knew that most of them like to read the paper early in morning before leaving for work or the day's chores. And, it was most likely that all the papers were wet (my thought interjected here - okay, he knew it was raining, it had been all night, so why no plastic to begin with or at least some protection over the papers in his basket?) and he didn't want to keep people from reading the news even if it meant reading a watery version. But, because of the inconvenience caused he later delivered a fresh, dry paper along with an apology letter (sort of reminds me of those company heads and politicians who do the deed then bow to the cameras to apologize - maybe empty but has meaning to the Japanese).

Service above and beyond or apologizing after the horse escaped from the barn.....?

So, there you have it faithful readers. Just another small insight into the differences in western and Japanese thinking. But, having said that, it does show the service mentality that is still one of the key good ingredients to life in Japan and that's just one of the things that keeps me here in good old Nippon.

Old Hearts to Pay More

Japan's insurance companies are planning to up the price that older drivers have to pay for their car insurance effective from April 2011.  Drivers 70 and over will be paying 8% more for their insurance premiums.

The reason is, according to Sompo Japan the insurance company that plans to be first with this rate increase, older drivers have more accidents. Other insurers are sure to follow this practice as they say their profitability in the auto insurance line of business has decreased due to this aging of the Japanese society. As Japan ages, with nearly 25% of the population in the 65+ bracket, insurance companies are looking for ways to increase profitability.

It isn't only the insurance companies that are concerned with the increase in the number of accidents by these older drivers. The National Police Agency launched a cognitive test, which was formulated with the help of dementia experts, and is a requirement for anyone 75 and over when they renew their license. In the first year of this test (2009 - 2010) over 760,000 people were examined and it was determined that 39 of them have dementia. More than 14,000 were found to be suffering from declining memory (hey, no wonder we can't find our keys!) and judgment (we can beat that train!) and another 25% have memories that are "somewhat" declining.

Not only is Japan's population decreasing After this year's Coming of Age ceremonies, held on Jan. 10, which is for anyone turning 20 it was announced that only 0.6% of Japan's population is now 20 years old. With fewer & fewer young people, and the gray hairs taking over, it looks like the police are going to be busier than ever giving these cognitive tests, as long as those aging policemen can remember where they put the pencils!

Parcel Hearts

USING TAKKYUBIN (PARCEL DELIVERY SERVICE)  IN JAPAN

One of the great services offered in Japan is home-to-home, or business-to-home, or business-to-business delivery service for documents, sports gear, computer equipment, food, wine, and just about anything else you can think of that needs to be delivered quickly and economically. You can even have your luggage sent to or from the airport so you don’t have to bother lugging it on and off the trains on your trip home. One of the most widely used services is the shipment of golf clubs from home to golf courses and back, which makes it a lot easier for the golfers to take the train to their next game without the hassle of lugging a bag full of clubs along.

There are a variety of companies offering delivery services with some of the more commonly know names being Yamato, Kuroneko, Pelican, and Sagawa.

You can have the package picked up at your office or home by calling one of the Takkyubin companies to arrange the date and time. If your Japanese isn’t up to par for this have someone help you with the call since it will be rare to get an English speaker on the phone. You’ll also need to complete a shipping form (motobarai form). Motobarai means that you, the sender, will pay the shipping charge. If it isn’t convenient for you to wait at home for the delivery man to pick up the package you can also drop your package off at a Takuhaibin Service Center or most any convenience store such as 7-11, Lawson, or Family Mart, or any shop displaying a takuhaibin sign. Many stores also have an in-house service to ship your purchases to your home or office so you don’t have to carry them around all day as you continue to shop or make your way home on a crowded train.

 

Delivery is typically done the next day, but in some cases same-day delivery may be possible depending on location and time of shipping.  Sending packages (or golf clubs) to more distant destinations like Hokkaido or Okinawa may require two days.  It’s even possible to specify drop-off times such as “between 09:00 – 11:00” in most instances.

Shipping is very reasonably priced. The actual amount depends on the size and weight of the parcel, the type of goods you are sending, and the destination.  The following chart shows expected amounts:

Regular parcel (30 cm x 30 cm x 30cm, less than 10 kg)
Within the greater Tokyo area: 1,200 Yen
From Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto: 1,300 Yen
From Tokyo to Kyushu: 1,600 Yen
From Tokyo to Hokkaido: 1,600 Yen
From Tokyo to Okinawa: ,2300 Yen

Suitcase (80 cm x 40 cm x 30cm, less than 25 kg)
Within greater Tokyo area: 1,800 Yen
From Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto: 1,900 Yen
From Tokyo to Kyushu: 2,200 Yen
From Tokyo to Hokkaido: 2,200 Yen
From Tokyo to Okinawa: 3,900 Yen
Tokyo to Narita Airport: 2,400 Yen
Osaka/Kyoto to Kansai Airport: 2,400 Yen

But, what if you are shipping something to someone that they’ve asked you to send and you don’t want to pay the shipping costs? In that case, the Takkyubin companies offer a C.O.D. service known as chakubarai which means “pay on arrival.” Even Japan Post offers chakubarai for packages sent through its Yu-Pack service.

To use chakubarai the sender simply completes a chakubarai form, instead of a motobarai form. Both forms are only available in Japanese, so as per the phone call to the Takkyubin company, if you don’t read Japanese get someone to help you complete the form. Names and addresses can be done in English, but it helps the Takkyubin company if you they are done in Japanese). The delivery charge is collected in cash when the package is delivered to the recipient. Takkubyin companies generally add 100 yen onto the shipping charge for chakubarai service. 

However, in the event the recipient’s address is wrong, or he or she rejects the package, or they are just never home and cannot be reached, the Takkyubin company will bring the package back to you for and you will be required to make payment. Takkyubin companies do make multiple delivery attempts and phone calls to try to deliver the package though before bringing it back to you. Keep in mind that if you are sending a package using chakubarai you should provide the Takkyubin company with the recipient’s full name, home and mobile phone numbers, and an accurate address.  Do not use “in care of" as the package may not be delivered and you’ll get the package back and a bill to boot. It’s also a good idea to ask the recipient to provide a back-up address such as their office in the event they are never home during the very broad delivery hours.

As for packaging, the Takkyubin companies are quite liberal. Unless you are sending fragile items you may use just about anything for the package. It’s quite common to send items in a cardboard box or even just a simple shopping bag. Those heavy duty plastic or paper bags that you get when you buy goods from many department stores, and some supermarkets for example, can be used as a shipping package. Just make sure they are sealed tightly with strong tape and that the shipping label is securely affixed.

If you send a lot of package you may want to look into Hacoboon, which is a discount service from Yamato.  

Registration and delivery ordering is done online. The payment is also online if you register a credit card. An ID will be generated with each delivery order. You then take the package to any Family Mart and enter the ID into the terminal to get a voucher, which you give to the cashier. The cashier will check for any outstanding payments before printing out the invoice for the package. You can also elect to receive an e-mail notice when the invoice has been printed and the package has been delivered.

 

Statistical Hearts

On Monday I attended a dinner where a doctor from Tokai University Hospital gave a talk about "anti-aging" and the effects of the aging Japan population statistics.

Here are a few facts from the doctor's speech:

+ It took a few thousand years forJapan's population to hit 100 million in 1967. By 2050 - only 93 years later - it is expected to go under 100 million as Japan's population ages & fewer babies are born.

+ 20%+ of the population is over 65. By 2030 that will be closer to 35%.

+ By 2050 Japan's GDP will rank #8 . 1, 2, 3 will be China, India, USA.

Like many countries in the world, Japan is aging, but it still has the longest life expectancy in the world at an average of 82.6 years (males 79; females 86.1).  That compares to the USA's 78.2 (M-75.6; F-80.8) and is leaps and bounds ahead of Swaziland's 31.9 average.

Obesity is creeping into Japan (supersize me seems to be the growing motto of some fast food places), but still far behind the USA. Obesity levels:  Japan 3.2%; USA 30.6% (Percentage of population with BMI over 30).

Japan is the slimmest industrialized nation and people fight fat to ward off the dreaded metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, or as it is better known here “metabo,” is a combination of health risks including fat around the stomach, high blood pressure and high cholesterol; all issues that can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

In fact, Japan is so "metabo" concious that the lawmakers actually set a maximum size for waistlines for those 40 and older: 85 centimeters (33.5 inches) for men and 90 cm. (35.4 in.) for women. This "metabo law" is supposed to stave off health risks related to obesity and save money for the national health system in the long run.

This has brought about an upswing in the number of people going to gyms, buying fitness equipment (call right now! operators are standing by!), and guzzling herbal diet remedies in an effort to shed a few kilos. But, some doctors say that many Japanese are already too thin as it is.

One professor of medicine at Tokai University who is also one of the leading critics of the law said, "The amount of food calories which the Japanese intake is decreasing from 10 years ago. So there is no obesity problem as in the USA. To the contrary, there is a problem of leanness in young females.”

I'll attest to that! Just look at the "skinny" young ladies - and in fact many young men - as you walk around the streets of Tokyo. (Note, I haven't noticed this same lean "problem" when visiting the coutryside since people there tend to drive more than walk, hence fewer calories burned per day?)

Now, if I could only come up with a recipe for Metabo Ice Cream.....

 

 

 

Know Your Ice From A Hole In The Ground.....

...especially if the ice in the hole was once sent to government officials at the Edo Castle during the Edo period (1603-1867). The hole in this instance is actually a 21 meter deep cave near Mount Fuji known as the Narusawa Ice Cave.

 

Below is an English version of the above "map" courtesy of this website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/269269763/

 

With a beautiful autumn day beckoning us last Sunday (Nov. 7, 2010) we headed out for a visit to this cave, as well as the nearby Wind Cave, and Lake Sai (Saiko).

The temperature in the cave on this sunny day was 0C (32F). That's enough to preserve a little of the ice that builds up in the cave over the winter months, but I expect it will be more interesting when the dripping water builds up the ice pillars that grow to 3 feet or more in height.

Entering the cave requires a bit of caution as the steps are wet and slippery, but there are thick bamboo handrails to hold on to so it's not a problem for most people. In fact, many of the kids who came out of the cave were begging their parents to let them go in again. There is one part that requires a low duck-walk and do be careful of your head as the ceiling is low in a few places (ouch! personal experience). It's actually a pretty small cave and the walk through it can be done in about 10 minutes.

The ice cave (Hyouketsu in Japanese) was formed in the year 864 when Mt. Nagaoyama erupted. As the lava cooled the cave was carved out by hot gasses and molten lava flowing out. In the winter the underground water freezes creating the ice pillars that sometimes connect the ceiling and floor. These pillars usually grow from February to March and the nature guide for the area says the best month to see them is in April. On the day we visited, even after an especially hot summer in Japan, there was still a bit of ice in the cave.

Entrance to the cave costs 280 yen for adults (130 for children), but you can buy a 500 yen ticket that also includes entrance to the Fugaku Wind Cave (Lave Cave). Having bought the multi-ticket we left the ice cave and drove a couple of minutes down the road to the Wind Cave (on the Japanese website it is also called "Lave Cave"). You can also walk through the forest from the Ice Cave to the Wind Cave (about 15-20 minutes).

The trail from the parking lot to the Wind Cave is a 2 or 3 minute walk, but take time to have a look at the tree roots to see how tenacious these trees were to have grown in the magma from the lava flow. The roots grow along the magma and seek all the crevices to establish their hold on the rocks.

This cave is a bit longer and about halfway through the cave you'll come to the ice pond. At this time of the year there is only a tiny bit of ice in the pond, but I expect it will be like a mini skating rink come winter. Just past the ice pond are racks holding cans full of acorns and other seeds. The cave was used to store these seeds for periods of 2 years or more. There are also cans of silkworm cocoons, which were kept in the cool cave to keep the silkworms from maturing into moths, thus producing silk for a longer time.

Leaving the caves we headed down Route 710 for Saiko (Lake Sai). This is a small lake, but on the day we were there the lake was dotted with small boats full of people fishing. The trees were just beginning to wear their autumn outfits and within the next week or two the sides of the mountains surrounding the lake should be bursting with autumn colors. Driving past the lake we make a short stop at the bird sanctuary, but we left that for another day since we weren't prepared for the longer hike necessary to see the park and birds. Continuing along the north shore of the lake we came to Cafe M, which I definitely recommend for a lunch stop. Sitting out on their open deck, with a view of the lake and some nicely colored momiji (Japanese maple) trees beside the deck, we enjoyed the warm fall day as well as Cafe M's great food. I had their homemade Chinese style pork sandwich in pita bread while my wife had their salmon cream sauce pasta. Both were excellent and I suspect their homemade desserts would be just as good, but the portions were generous and we were full enough - another thing for "next time." The ladies at the next table were enjoying the homemade (see a trend here?) ginger ale. I missed that on the menu so that's also for next time.

Departing Saiko we headed for Kawaguchiko (Lake Kawaguchi). With the maple trees in full autum splendor, and hundreds of people walking the sidewalks and crossing the road, the traffic around this lake inched along, but given the beauty of the trees we enjoyed the (very slow) ride. From Kawaguchiko you can return to Tokyo or do as we did and make your way to another of the 5 lakes, Lake Yamanaka and from there drive back to Tokyo via the backroads through Doshimura and either go past Lake Sagami and catch the Chuo Expressway back to Tokyo; or avoid the Sunday expressway traffic and follow the regular highways back to Tokyo.

Getting there: From Tokyo take the Chuo Expressway until you come to the Kawaguchiko branch (to your left). Follow this branch of the expressway to the Kawaguchiko exit and follow highway 139 to the cave's entrance (it's clearly marked). A map is available here: http://fujigoko.info/icecave/ice-access.html

If you're not driving take the JR Chuo Line to Otsuki Station (one hour by limited express from Shinjuku). Chagne to the Fujikyuko Line and go to Kawaguchiko Station (55 minutes) then take a bus to the cave (25 minutes).

Subtle aging Hearts

I saw a commercial for a Panasonic toilet on TV this evening. Why is this remarkable, you may well ask.

The commercial was for a toilet that cleanses and sanitizes with each flush. Again, what's so remarkable?

Nothing so remarkable about that, but the subtle part was that the toilet has handles.

 

Without coming right out and saying it the underlying message is that Japan's population truly is aging and by seeing this sort of handles arrangement in an everyday commercial the subliminal message is there - your next toilet should have handles because you're getting old!

Today, being Sunday, we went for a hike to one of the places we go once or twice a year; Nishizawa Keikoku (Valley) in Yamanashi.

As we hiked up the trail and climbed up the rocks and even the wooden steps that the prefecture has built into the trail, the pace was set by a large group of people in front of us. Yep, you guessed it, all people in their late 60s or early 70s (actually, I rather liked the pace, but it is a bit slower than even we early 60-somethings typically do on our hikes).

Japan is not the only country with an aging population of course, but Japan's seniors do seem to be a very active lot.

Yet, when it comes to work, Japanese companies still don't seem to have grasped the fact that the 55+ crowd is still a very productive group of people. Just try finding a job if you're in your 50s - nearly impossible; in your 60s - even more so. In fact, even for many in their 40s the job market remains closed. I've met dozens of people over the last 5 years who are in this age range (40+) and believe me, more companies reject them because of age than one would find believable. What a shame - so much talent just going to waste - and even though there are labor laws that make age discrimination illegal; well, good luck!

 

Sports Day - good for the Heart(s)

Oct. 11 - Sports Day - a National Holiday in Japan and since it is on a Monday it means we all got a 3-day weekend to engage in some sports and enjoy the outdoors.

Unless, of course, it's a rainy Saturday to start the weekend. No outdoor sports today, but yours truly did get up and away from the keyboard long enough to head to the gym and get an hour in for a decent workout.  Of course, the berry tart I had at the Cafe-Restaurant Milieu probably made up for any calories worked off at the gym. BTW, if you haven't been to Milieu yet get yourself on over. Not fancy, but very good food and very, very reasonable prices (2,100 yen for 3 courses + coffee!).  And that's at dinner time.  Lunch is only 1,200 yen.

Sunday started out a bit wet, but Mother Nature decided we had had enough rain & she parted the clouds to show us some nice blue sky before noon. With half a day of decent weather left we decided to take a short drive (distance depends on how you go - we opted for the Ome Kaido route - not the shortest, but more interesting than the expressway) out to the Tama River to see if any trees were putting on their autumn dresses yet. Nope - still all pretty green, but the river was running fast & deep & we were able to watch several kayakers (although they call them canoes here) practicing for the canoe races to be held on Monday.  

Below are a few photos of the canoes and their wet riders as they surged through the rapids and around the rocks.

Starting "line" for the canoe races

Practice makes perfect!

Through those gates!  Now back again!

Time for a breather.....

Walking along the Tama is an easy hike (okay, walk) for just about anyone regardless of physical condition (or not). Plan on about 90 minutes for a round-trip walk starting from the free parking lot that is on the west side of the river, up to the fishing area, and back down the other side. More time for stopping and looking - so maybe 2 1/2 hours or so altogether. The east side is fairly flat, all paved, and a very easy walk. The west side has a few ups & downs, some steps, and some areas where the trail is dirt or stones.

You can pack a picnic and stop along the river to watch the activities as you eat your lunch. You may see rafters (yes, you can take a raft ride down the river & through the "rapids"), the boulderers (like rock climbing, but on big boulders), the fishermen (get a license if you're gonna try this), and the kayakers - canoers (canoeists?).

Or, you can buy lunch at one of the restaurants along the river from coffee shops to soba restaurants (this one below requires a hike up a steep hill / steps):

           Soba restaurant on top of the hill

Coming back we opted for the expressway since it was dark (dark at 17:30 in Japan at this time of the year) and quicker - even with a bit of the inevitable traffic jam. Using the express you can get on the Ken-o, which connects to the Chuo or you can follow highway 411 and the signs for the Chuo.

Monday - actual Sports Day - and we decided that a bicycle ride was the way to spend this nice sunny day. Three hours of actual riding, with a stop for a bit of lunch & a cold Asahi Draft added to that 3 hours, and a break to watch the show put on by the 80 year old gentleman who is famous (but we don't know his name) for his Buyoh style dance that seems to be his interpretation of the angst for lives lost in wars (at least that was a bit of the explanation in the newspaper yesterday). He supposedly has been doing this for years & has done his dance all over the world.  

Preparations.....

Up close.....

We left the show a bit puzzled as to the meaning of each dance, but he definitely had an appreciative audience if the paper & tissue wrapped donations tossed his way were any indication.

The fnal hour of our ride took us along the backroads till we came to the junction of the Kanda & Zenpukuji Rivers. We opted to follow the Kanda River and that took us most of the way home till we hit the big fence where access is blocked for flood control construction. But a slight detour and it was home again time - and a nice cold Michelob to wrap up a great Sports Day (whoops, there goe those calories again!).