Did you know that business meetings in Japan tend to be more formal than in many other countries? Developing trust is absolutely key. Learn more about specific protocols for business meetings, including when to arrive, appropriate...

The Japanese love the physical pleasures in life, including drinking, dancing, and adult nightlife. Explore the range of entertainment options, from stylish bars and foreign-influenced pubs to movie-going and the arts. The Japanese enjoy...

Do men and women in Japan still treat each other as they traditionally did in the past? Is the dramatically increasing number of women in the workplace affecting male-female relationships? Are Western influences undermining traditional...

The Japanese love to give gifts. The two main Japan-wide gift-giving seasons are July (Ochugen), when people wish each other summer greetings and good health, and December (Oseibo), to show appreciation for assistance offered during the...

The Japanese currency is the yen. Coins are available in 1, 5, 10, and 100 yen, whereas notes are valued at 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen. Japan is still mainly a cash society, and many small businesses even pay salaries in cash. Unless...

Japan consists of eight regions and 47 prefectures or provinces. Each region has its own character, making Japan a country of contrasts. Starting from the northernmost end of the Japanese archipelago, the country’s eight regions are...

Myth indicates that Japan was founded in 660 BCE by Emperor Jimmu, but the first clear records, provided by the Chinese, are from almost one thousand years later. Since its beginnings, Japan has been heavily influenced by both the Korean...

The Japanese cities of Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe rank just after Tokyo in popularity, and each is unique in its landscape, local culture, and lifestyle. In traditional Kyoto, the pace of life is less frenetic than in Tokyo, and people tend...

The island of Kyushu claims a long history of trade and interaction with Europe, evident in the numerous churches on the island, and with Korea and China, which has made the locals far more open to foreigners than other Japanese. It’s...

The Japanese use chopsticks for all varieties of Japanese food, although some restaurants that are used to tourists can provide knives and forks. Learn why you should never leave your chopsticks standing upright in your rice and other...

In Japan, corporate entertainment is an ancient tradition, and good business relationships are dependent on good personal relationships. One of the most common ways business associates and clients develop personal relationships is by...

Many of the values and basic assumptions the Japanese make about life have their origins in Buddhism and Shintoism. The primacy of the group or the collective good and the value placed on maintaining harmony are particularly strong and...

Explore the influence of religion on Japan over the centuries. Learn about Shinto, Japan’s indigenous religion, which is still practiced but serves mainly as a source of traditional customs and festivals. It has slightly more followers...

The Japanese aren’t usually avid joke tellers, but put them in a group, and they’ll sometimes do humorous imitations of friends and colleagues. Such imitations aren’t considered rude; indeed, they’re often performed in front of the...

Along with many people around the world, the Japanese are becoming increasingly concerned about the environment. Among several environmental concerns being debated, garbage disposal has become, quite literally, a burning issue. Having...

Depending on what country you call home, Japanese cooking and food preparation may be very different from what you are used to. Food in Japan ranges from traditional Japanese dishes to a wide range of foreign cuisines from around the...

Japan has a population of approximately 126 million, more than twice that of the United Kingdom and less than half that of the United States. But with 333 people per square kilometer, Japan is one of the most densely populated countries...

The Japanese enjoy socializing as much as other people, but their behavior may seem formal and unfamiliar to someone from another culture. Learn key do's and don'ts to ensure that you behave appropriately in social and business...

One major difference between Japanese and Western companies is that in Japan, no one person is usually identified as the personality or power behind a company’s policy or business strategy. Instead, ideas and strategies usually are...

In Japan, there are two emergency numbers everyone should know: 110, to contact the police, and 119, to report a fire or request an ambulance. But be mindful that you’ll have to talk in Japanese, which is especially difficult when you’re...

For all the attention Japan gets as a world leader in business and technology, it’s easy to forget how physically isolated and small the country is. This feature has impacted the Japanese perception of foreigners throughout history into...

Japan’s legal system is based mainly on the model of prewar German and Soviet legal theory. Thus, the system is grounded not in judicial precedent but in the laws of the constitution. Culturally, the Japanese aren’t very litigious; they...

Business cards, called meishi, are very important in Japan, and the presentation is traditionally very ceremonial. At one time, people used both hands to give and receive cards. Nowadays, it’s more common to use one hand only. When...

In Japan, business practices are distinctly Japanese and have their roots in the local cultural values of tradition, patriarchy, respect for age, formality, cooperation, loyalty, and consensus-building. Corporate culture in Japan is...