Japan History and Culture

Japanese Business Card Exchange (meishikoukan,名刺交換)

The exchange of business cards is an elaborate ceremony in many Asian countries, especially in Japan.

Japanese ceremony for a card exchange is called “meishikoukan”, is an essential part of Japanese business etiquette. The business card is a representation of your status in society. Japanese consider their traditions and culture very important, proper business etiquette demands one treats the business card with respect and honour.

Traditionally, the vertical set-up was used for Japanese business cards. The horizontal layout has become the norm. Addresses are in a different order than in English. The country appears first, then the state, the city with the zip code in front, then the street address. Usually the person’s name is written in Japanese using both kanji and romaji (typically kanji is on the obverse of the card, and romaji is on the reverse), along with the person’s title and the company for which he/she works. Other important information is usually provided, such as business address, phone number and fax number.

How to exchange business cards in Japan

In Japan, after a person has introduced him/her, Use both hands to present your card, and received with both hands with a slight bow. The business card should be printed in both languages; it should be printed in your home language or English language on one side and Japanese on the other. If you receive more than one business card at once, leave them lying on the table in front of you neatly until the end of the meeting or carefully insert them into a business card holder. It is important to deal with another’s business card with care.

In a business situation, business cannot begin until the meishi exchange process is complete.

Yotsuya Kaidan or Oiwasan story (四谷怪談 )

One of the most famous Japanese classic ghosts (yuurei) story is Oiwasan, the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today, which was written in the Edo period, which lasted from 1603 to 1867.

Summary of the Oiwasan story

A long time ago (in the Edo period), a woman named Oiwa was married to a Samurai man named Tamiya Iemon and they lived in Yotsuya in ancient Tokyo. Even though Iemon didn’t have a job, Iwa was happy because she was carrying a baby. However, Iemon was depressed due to unemployment. One day, Iemon was attracted to the lovely daughter of a wealthy family. She quickly fell under his spell and agreed to marry him. One night Iemon put a particularly horrible poison in Oiwasan’s food. The poison does not kill her, but the poison hideously disfigured the right side of her face became deformed and her hair to fall out. After she died, Iemon married his new wealthy bride. Iemon was not happy because he was tormented by Iwa’s ghost. It appeared everywhere around him. And many strange things happened and all of the people who had mistreated her died.

Japanese Carp Streamers song (Koinobori song)

All over Japan you will see this carp streamers (koinobori) flying in the wind, sometimes as early as from March until the 5th day of the 5th month. The 5th of May is called Children’s Day (kodomo no hi) in Japan.

This is a famous short Koinobori Song often sung by kids and their families.

Japanese:

屋根(やね)より高(たか)い鯉幟(こいのぼり)

大(おお)きな真鯉(まこい)はお父さん

小(ちい)さな緋鯉(ひごい)は子供(こども)たち

面白(おもしろ)そうに泳(およ)いでる

Romaji:

Yane yori takai koi-nobori

Ōki na magoi wa o-tō-san

Chiisa na higoi wa kodomo-tachi

Omoshirosō ni oyoideru

Translation:

Higher than the roof-tops are the koinobori.

The large Black Carp is the father.

The smaller Golden Carp are the children.

They seem to be having fun swimming.

Japanese Carp Streamers( Koinobori, 鯉幟)

Carp streamers or carp-shaped windsocks are also known as “koinobori” in Japanese decorate the landscape from April through early May, in honor of Children’s Day (kodomo no hi) on May 5, on this day parents who have a newborn baby boy celebrate their son’s birth by flagging carp streamers in the sky, above the roofs of houses, outside shops, and in the countryside, strung out over rivers. This day was designated as Boys Day or tango no sekku.

The carp streamer is a Japanese symbol of masculinity and success in life, the large koi are a symbol of the courage, strength and determination to overcome all obstacles, it stands for courage and the ability to attain high goals  because it the most spirited of fish, its ability to swim up a waterfall. The Japanese families traditionally flew koinobori from their in front of house to honour their sons.

The streamers are made by colourful decorated paper, cloth, nonwoven fabric etc .The sizes of streamer generally with length 100 meters, and weight 350 kg was made in Kazo, Saitama.

The koinobori set are consists of streamers, made of paper or cloth, from the top of the bamboo or wooden pole down.

The top of the pair of two arrow- shaped spokes wheels (yaguruma) with a ball-shaped spinning vane, symbols of warfare.

The top of the carp streamers is represents the streamer with colorful stripes (Fukinagashi). This one is of five lucky colors, but sometimes they are made of red and white (koohaku) only, another auspicious combination. These streamers were used during battle in olden times to indicate the whereabouts of a brave warriors.

The largest and uppermost, black carp streamer represents the father of the house (Magoi).

The red carp streamer represents the mother of the house (Higoi).

The blue carp streamer one represents the boy.

The other carp streamers are children.

A koinobori set can cost anything from 10,000 yen (US$100) to 60,000 yen (US$600). Ours was 40,000 yen and some change. Not cheap by any means, but you only have to buy them once, you use them year after year, and up close they are actually pretty freaking cool.

Flat Marbles (Ohajiki, 御弾き, おはじき)

Ohajiki is a traditional game for Japanese children, especially girls. In the past, they used roll shells, pebbles or pieces from another game, but now they use flat ball made with small coin-shaped colures ceramic, glass or plastic, and whose diameter is 1-1.5 cm The name of game came from playing by snapping or flicking (“hajiki” in Japanese word) with the fingers.a game similar to marbles. This game became very popular as an indoor game for girls during the Edo period (from 1603 to 1867).

How to play

1. All players sit down on the floor and all players place the same number of ohajiki on the floor, and then do jan ken pon (rock, paper, scissors) to determine who goes first.

2. The first player gathers everyone’s pieces using one hand and then scatters ohajiki 20 pieces on a table or on the floor.

3. The player can only touch the disc, Shoot (flipping or snapping) one of the two pieces to hit another. If the player successfully hits one of the other players’ discs she can keep it.

4. But if player cannot hit, player does not get to keep any of them, then it is the next player’s turn. The person who acquires the most pieces is the winner.