It is a norm in Singapore to observe couples, friends and family members standing side by side on escalators. However, this is not the case in Japan. Only those who are on the move are seen on the right side of escalators. This scene is illustrated by Photo No.1. I was amazed at this thoughtful aspect of the Japan culture.
[Photo No.1]
Moreover, on public transport, almost no one was seen talking on the phone. In contrast, this is a rare scene in Singapore. This is in consistent with the Japanese mobile plans which emphasized on low charges for short message services as well as larger allowance of characters per message. Similarly, our mobile plans are also quite reflective of our culture. Mobile plan highlighted more on free incoming and outgoing calls rather than free messages. Even though I knew of this characteristic beforehand, it was still shocking for me to experience the absolute compliance of Japanese to this custom.
Japan is indeed very service-orientated. Employees welcome customers very warmly upon arrival of the store. This is in conjunction with the continuous bowing and nodding. In addition, most workers expressed their gratitude umpteen times regardless of the amount of stuff one buys. There was this retail assistant in a store that bow so low that I could not see his features clearly. After some research, I even learnt that bowing culture in Japan is much more than it seems.
All in all, Japanese strongly value group before self. They see themselves as part of a larger group rather than individuals. This has a very large impact on their behaviors, norms and customs. This meticulously thoughtfulness of Japan culture is indeed unique and different from that of Singapore. In my opinion, employees whom provide great services view themselves as part of a larger operational family. This therefore drives them to have an extraordinary positive working attitude.
In the first week upon return to Singapore, I was easily irritated when I rushed my way through the escalator. Furthermore, I could not stop myself from bowing spontaneously to the retail assistants in Singapore. Although these differences have not result in major complications, I do admit I have to make tiny adjustments here and there to feel fully comfortable in their culture. I believe this is also the case for Japanese coming to Singapore. With these, I learnt the importance of both understanding and compromising in preventing any possible miscommunications.
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ReplyDeleteHi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteYour sharing on the interculural differences is definitely informative and useful for us who wish to visit Japan for vacation.
To add another cultural differences between Japan and Singapore. When I was in United states, taking a Japanese language class conducted by a lecturer from Japan, I noticed how the lecturer would expect absolute silent when she was conducting the class except when we were told to have group discussion. Unlike in Singapore, lecturers are usually not bothered by chattering among the students and they are receptive to abrupt question pose to them amid their lecture.
Once again thank you for your sharing
Hello Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI think you have stated an excellent example of the intercultural difference between people here in Singapore and in Japan. They are a very gracious society and their way of life is certainly very different from us! I have also heard that the exchange of business cards in Japan is considered a very sacred ceremony and they would accept the card with both hands while bowing. Then they would examine it studiously before tucking it away neatly. If we are not sensitive to this cultural difference, we would certainly end up offending them! In Singapore, it’s more of a norm to simply accept the card and put it away. Thank you for sharing!
Cheers
Russell
To Patrick and Russell: Thanks for the sharing too!
ReplyDeleteJapanese society is indeed a very gracious society. I love the place, the mood and the food!
Cheers,
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeletethis is a very informative post. The example on the escalator shows how considerate Japanese are. In the past, Singaporeans tend to stand wherever they felt comfortable on the escalator. Those who were rushing to catch the train had to weave through the crowd to get through. However, this situation seemed to have improved throughout the years as we began to adopt the same practice as that of the Japanese.
It is evident that intercultural differences may not always result in conflicts. In the above case, the culture of the Japanese had a positive influence on that of the Singaporeans. Therefore, it is wise to learn from the different cultures and develop a better culture.
Overall, I enjoyed reading your post. Your ideas are clearly presented and I learned quite a bit of the Japanese culture from it. Thank you for this! :)
Regards,
Kesleen
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI think some parts of Singapore do adopt the practice of standing only on the left side of the escalator. One such example would be Raffles Place. This business district is full of working adults rushing their way to meet clients or back to their offices. Standing on both sides of the escalator would only irritate them since the right side is normally used for people on the move. Hence Singapore do share a similar culture with the Japanese in this case.
I am impressed with the fact that the Japanese take pride in serving their cutomers. They are always smiling to the customers and treating them with respect. This should be encouraged in Singapore too. Customers would definitely feel better when they are welcomed by smiling faces. By learning about the different cultures around the world, we may then be able to improve on ourselves by adopting a better approach in the things we do.
Thanks for sharing with us regarding the Japanese culture! =).
Cheers,
Hazel
This is an excellent post, Rebecca! It's informative, accurate (from my own observations) and insightful, especially as you compare cultural habits. I was amused reading your examples and recalling how true they are. In my mind I could see the escalators and the individuals hugging the edge in the slow lane as the more fleet-footed run up or down.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your keen and entertaining analysis!
To Kesleen, Hazel and Brad:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insightful comments that made me think even more! =)
Rebecca =)