Q. Why aren’t presents opened in front of the giver? Answer: There are scenes in American movies where a person receives a present, quickly rips off the wrapping and uncovers the present. Even a present nicely wrapped in beautiful Christmas wrapping paper is roughly ripped off. Many Japanese viewing the scene cannot help but feel […]
Q. Why don’t the Japanese look the other person in the eye when speaking? Answer: Etiquette prescribes that fixing one’s eyes on the chest of the other when speaking leads to a better impression and instills in the other a desire to hear what one has to say. An expression referring to a person who […]
Q. WHY DO JAPANESE OFTEN SLEEP ON TRAINS? Answer: Until recently, people who slept on trains were mostly businessmen, but the younger people now have also begun to sleep on trains. This is due in large part, especially in the cities, to the grueling and long commute to work and to school. A commuting time […]
