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.

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.

Sacred Shinto rope or Shimenawa (注連縄, しめかざり)

Shimenawa are sacred rope with strips of white   paper (gohei). These ropes made from  rice straw or hemp which is braided before being bound with string. A wood or wire insert is often used to cause the shimenawa to preserve its shape.

The Shimenawa for decorations Japanese New Year (OShogatsu or shogatsu), used for ritual purification in the Shinto Religion. These are usually hung from the shrine gate (torii) and before above entrance of houses or a shrine precinct, the inner sanctuary of a shrines or a ritual site, to ward off evil spirits. Japanese people used to mark trees that are believed to be inhabited by spirits called Kodama. Cutting down these trees is thought to bring misfortune.

Izumo Taisha Shrine, also called as Izumo Ōyashiro (出雲大社) has the giant a sacred rope (shimenawa), lengths and weights of 13 meters, 5 tons, and 8 meters, 1.5 tons respectively. They change it every three years.

Sacred straw festoon (Shimekazari, 玉飾り)

Shimekazari(標飾り)is one of New Year’s decorations, many house and companies   hang on the top of the house entrance or in the kitchen above the stove for block the invasion of bad luck or wards off evil spirits and welcome the gods (Shintoism God). Some even decorate the front of their cars with shimekazari after a car wash. These are made from sacred twisted straw rope hung with strips of white paper and pieces of straw ,shaped into one or more rings.

These consist of propitious decorations, most commonly an orange because orange (daidai is a small citrus)) sounds like “many generations”. It is a wish for fertility and lots of descendants, kelp (Konbu) sounds similar to the word, yorokobu (to be happy), a lobster, ferns with white-backed leaves, folding fan and attached to them. It has a modest and simple one. The lettering says daikichi, which means best luck, and that little cat is a manekineko. It is holding a golden coin in one paw and beckoning with the other. It is beckoning for more coins. each one of those decorations is significant, symbol of a prayer for longevity, academic success, prosperity and so on.

Japanese horseradish (Wasabi, わさび)

Wasabi is a root vegetable or above-ground root-like stem of this plant that is grated into a green paste. It is a strong, a fiery hot flavor which quickly dissipates within a few seconds and leave a lingering sweet taste, with no burning aftertaste in one’s mouth.

Wasabi can grow in the ground, but commonly it is cultivated in clean water running down the mountain valleys and the temperature must be mild (heat must be avoided).When the wasabi plant grows to nearly 20 inches tall, with green leaves on the head, the rhizome grows above the root and the plant is ready for harvesting.

Wasabi is most famous a staple condiment in Japanese cuisine. It is the light green paste that accompanies sashimi (raw seafood) ,sushi, noodle dishes, However, it is also used for many other Japanese dishes. Essentially, people dip sashimi (raw seafood) slices in a mixture of wasabi and soy sauce. Wasabi is said to be effective as an antidote to prevent food poisoning. That is one reason that wasabi is served with sushi and raw fish slices.

Many “wasabi” powder and paste products that is widely available in supermarkets and even some restaurants. Wasabi powders have to be mixed with water to contain only very little or no real wasabi at all and are made of colored horseradish instead. This is due to the fact that cultivation of real wasabi is relatively difficult and expensive.