Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
Nov 22nd 2011, 8:57 am
#16
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
Cheers Bahtat. As I said, it's being held down at the swimming pool so we'll be sandals on. Socks in the Tropics? Are you kidding?
Still haven't bought anything yet but have had a couple of ideas. I know a couple of speciality shops. One does teas. One does chocs. Yeh the chocs will most likely melt in this climate. I'm thinking Teas at the moment
Still haven't bought anything yet but have had a couple of ideas. I know a couple of speciality shops. One does teas. One does chocs. Yeh the chocs will most likely melt in this climate. I'm thinking Teas at the moment
Nov 22nd 2011, 3:49 pm
#17
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
Tea's good. Earl Grey is popular. Plus it often comes nicely packaged to starr with, which is a plus.
And you're British, goddamit, so of course socks. Especially with sandals.
And you're British, goddamit, so of course socks. Especially with sandals.
Nov 23rd 2011, 7:33 am
#18
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
I'll see what they've got. I imagine it'll be all Malaysian teas, since they grow the stuff here. I'll report back.
Nov 27th 2011, 8:11 am
#19
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
Re: Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
Dozo worked a treat - cheers Gen Togo 
Took some specialty teas and that seemed to be OK too.
It wasn't really Japanese as such. A few Japanese there but mostly a melting pot of all sorts of different expats.
Thanks everyone.
Took some specialty teas and that seemed to be OK too.
It wasn't really Japanese as such. A few Japanese there but mostly a melting pot of all sorts of different expats.
Thanks everyone.
Dec 22nd 2011, 3:35 am
#21
Just Joined
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 25
Re: Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
Our Japanese neighbours have invited us to their housewarming party. The guy speaks no English whatsoever. I get on with lady quite well in a combination of her broken English (she's learning English bless her) and sign language. I know absolutely no Japanese. Not one word. And clueless about etiquette. So help me out folks.
Maybe a couple of little easy phrases. What to do. What not to do.
Maybe a couple of little easy phrases. What to do. What not to do.
Dec 26th 2011, 10:11 pm
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 208
Re: Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
Definitely shoes off. If you were taking me, check that I didn't have any holes in my socks before we left home.
Chopsticks. Worst possible thing is to leave them sticking up out of your rice bowl--never, ever do that. If you're not using them (and they're only to be used for eating, not pointing with or catching flies), place them on their rest. Equally worst thing is to pass a piece of food from your chopsticks to someone else's. Both actions associated with death. And unlike in China, food is to be taken from the serving plates to your own plate (in small quantities), and then eaten from your own plate: don't eat directly from the serving plates. And don't be fazed by everyone taking food from the serving plates with their own chopsticks (you can use the blunt end to do so, but it always comes across a bit twee), its just how its done. I was recently in China with colleagues and the rest of the non-Chinese contingent insisted on serving spoons, rather than follow the lead of their Chinese hosts and just dig in. Don't know if our hosts took offence, but it did seem a bit insensitive.
Don't be surprised if your host (or anyone else) lights up a cigarette mid-meal.
Burping's ok, farting isn't. Chewing with your mouth open is not unusual.
Being drunk isn't frowned upon like it is in the west, although behaving like a complete arse is.
"This is delicious" = o'ishii desu (oh ish ee dess)
"That was delicious" = o'ishikatta (oh ish e katta)
"Nice to meet you (for the first time)" = hajimemashite (haj e me(t) mash te)
All in all, just try to follow the lead of your hosts and any Japanese guests, but don't worry--they know we're uncouth barbarians and they make allowances
As to a present: Definitely not money. A cake or biscuits is often best, especially if you can get something typically English. But whatever you take, make sure its gift-wrapped exquisitely, and preferably then in a pretty bag. I'd advise against booze--few Japanese really appreciate good wine, sake is very individual, and with whisky or brandy the Japanese love expensive stuff to drown with ice and water, which really shouldn't be encouraged.
Ganbatte!
Chopsticks. Worst possible thing is to leave them sticking up out of your rice bowl--never, ever do that. If you're not using them (and they're only to be used for eating, not pointing with or catching flies), place them on their rest. Equally worst thing is to pass a piece of food from your chopsticks to someone else's. Both actions associated with death. And unlike in China, food is to be taken from the serving plates to your own plate (in small quantities), and then eaten from your own plate: don't eat directly from the serving plates. And don't be fazed by everyone taking food from the serving plates with their own chopsticks (you can use the blunt end to do so, but it always comes across a bit twee), its just how its done. I was recently in China with colleagues and the rest of the non-Chinese contingent insisted on serving spoons, rather than follow the lead of their Chinese hosts and just dig in. Don't know if our hosts took offence, but it did seem a bit insensitive.
Don't be surprised if your host (or anyone else) lights up a cigarette mid-meal.
Burping's ok, farting isn't. Chewing with your mouth open is not unusual.
Being drunk isn't frowned upon like it is in the west, although behaving like a complete arse is.
"This is delicious" = o'ishii desu (oh ish ee dess)
"That was delicious" = o'ishikatta (oh ish e katta)
"Nice to meet you (for the first time)" = hajimemashite (haj e me(t) mash te)
All in all, just try to follow the lead of your hosts and any Japanese guests, but don't worry--they know we're uncouth barbarians and they make allowances
As to a present: Definitely not money. A cake or biscuits is often best, especially if you can get something typically English. But whatever you take, make sure its gift-wrapped exquisitely, and preferably then in a pretty bag. I'd advise against booze--few Japanese really appreciate good wine, sake is very individual, and with whisky or brandy the Japanese love expensive stuff to drown with ice and water, which really shouldn't be encouraged.
Ganbatte!
Jan 4th 2012, 9:37 pm
#23
Sidecar Falcon
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,504
Re: Japanese etiquette etc.... HELP!!!
You should also start each meal with a Japanese person/family with the phrase:
Itadakimasu (Ee-ta-da-key-ma-ss) meaning 'let's eat'
And end the meal with:
Gochisosamadeshita (Goh-chee-so-sa-mah-deh-shta) which roughly translates as 'thank you for the food'.
You can give money as a gift if you like, especially to kids, but it should be concealed in an envolpe or at least wrapped in some tissue paper or something, and should not be handed bare across the dinner table (which is a mistake I made during my first trip there).
Itadakimasu (Ee-ta-da-key-ma-ss) meaning 'let's eat'
And end the meal with:
Gochisosamadeshita (Goh-chee-so-sa-mah-deh-shta) which roughly translates as 'thank you for the food'.
You can give money as a gift if you like, especially to kids, but it should be concealed in an envolpe or at least wrapped in some tissue paper or something, and should not be handed bare across the dinner table (which is a mistake I made during my first trip there).
Last edited by DigitalGhost; Jan 4th 2012 at 9:48 pm.
Jan 12th 2012, 12:17 pm
#24
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Far North Queensland
Posts: 17,625
