Four Weeks!

Today marks my one month anniversary working at the HQ. I’m sharing this cartoon drawn by the talented French artist Florent Chavouet in his book 'Tokyo Sampo' to celebrate this all-important milestone in my salary(wo)man’s life.

Culture Clash

Japanglish: creepy coffee whitener

To kickoff our week-long English training, this Monday all new employees were made to take a 2 hour long course on “How to understand foreigners for dummies”. Lucky us the lecturer was an entertaining jovial American who could tell very good jokes in Japanese. It felt like a legitimate baby class in Anthropology, yet I doubt this will help us understand the Japanese better or make the company more global.

Gist of the lesson: the land of the rising sun is one of the most homogeneous countries of the world. From Hokkaido to Kyushu, people receive the same education, are taught to aim similar aspirations and have similar expectations. In this kind of society, non-verbal communication (interpreting body language, being attentive to manners, reading the air…) takes a leading role in everyday interactions. Many things are left unspoken, leaving culture to explain.

Japan is thus a “High Context Culture” (E. T. Hall, 1976), and in order to avoid misunderstandings it has invented a myriad of rules that are to be followed, cheers ‘groupism’ to boo individualism and has a very strong power-hierarchy.

Some silly rules that are followed without being questioned: wear tights even in the searing heat of the summer, no sleeve-less clothes, always obey your superior, love and refer to manuals, be polite, don’t express your opinion, go with the flow.

Coming from a “Low Context Culture” I pretend ‘no understand Japan’ and get away with everything! Life is wonderful.

Bento Box Time!

The bento at the top-left was bought at Tokyo Station and eaten in the bullet train that would bring us, 39Jishuu-sei (trainees), to the factory that would host us for our 3-week long 'apprenticeship'. ¥ 1,050 - all veggie.

The other ones were eaten at lunchtime in the factory's canteen. ¥270 - but mostly meat or fish. Yet so yummy for your money!

And I quickly learnt how to barter meaty food for those cherished vegetables that the boys hate so much. And bring a banana and an orange that would inevitably be split among my group (4 people).

Good times.

Now, back in Tokyo, it feels like a relatively relaxed bootcamp.

Dance Dance Dance

Golden Week, the longest national holiday of the year* is about to finish. Just came back to Tokyo from a trip to Shikoku, which, despite being one of the four main islands of Japan, is an oasis free from tourists. Beautiful desolate nature, warm and welcoming people and heart-filling food! Being easily accessible from the tourist hotspots, I would definitely recommend you to visit Shikoku to get a true sense of what ‘rural’ Japan is.

But here is an artist from Ehime prefecture, Shikoku, whom I discovered at the Bansuisou, in Matsuyama city. TCHINAI Kyousuke’s (智内・兄助）paintings have me mesmerised. The profane and the traditional are beautifully entwined with dazzling touches of gold leaves.

北の火祭　咲きのぼる葵

因果　（１９９３）

More can be seen here and here.

* Nine days for lucky me, but five for most people

雨 （ｒａｉｎ）

Yes, spring has come
This morning a nameless hill
Is shrouded in mist. 

Basho
( 17th c.)

Just discovered Stephen Cairn. He is a photographer based in Gifu prefecture, Japan.
Japan becomes so beautiful on a rainy day. Mist envelopes the mountains, and everything becomes so tranquil, as if shrouded in secrecy.
It has been raining today.

Health & Safety at work

I’m half-way through our month-long graduate training.

The first week (post 3 and 4) was based at the HQ in Tokyo, whilst the last three are taking place in a small town, 4 hours west from the capital by bullet train. It’s an industrial town that developed thanks to The Company, who, for the record, still keeps a strong presence by being the biggest employer of the area. 30.000 people dwell here. There are no cinemas, theatres or restaurants open on Sunday, but I go backpack over the week-end, so that’s ok.

 

Today was my first day working with the factory’s labourers. Most of them make heavy manufactures, i.e.: industrial boilers, coal tanks and other sexy things. I could be romantic and say they are all prols, but except for the hammer and rough traits, they all like their drinks, cars and families. A nice bunch of people!

Things that surprised me today:

♥ ラジオ体操 (Radio Taiso, or Radio Exercices): 

 At 7.55 AM and 12.55 PM, our team of prols and us (a group of four) gathered outside and started doing a series of simple movements, like bending, twisting and jumping, to the rhythm of a cheesy music transmitted by crackling loud speakers. I was amused and ashamed, as it was my first time, but Japanese do it since primary school.

These exercises are also called Calisthenics, and were introduced to Japan in 1928 to commemorate the Emperor Hirohito (sounds vaguely military…). Meant to strengthen group morale, etc.

Radio Taiso is also nationally broadcasted on radio and tv.

Made in Miyagi, after the 11/03 Earthquake-Tsunami-Fukushima:

 

♥「指差し呼称」「確認よし！」（Pointing and Calling）:

According to Wikipedia, “it is a method of occupational safety or avoiding mistakes by pointing at important indicators and calling out the status loud.” We thus had to point at our partner’s safety helmet, work clothes, shoes and so on whilst calling them out and say “check!” if they were fine. This is meant to reinforce conscious decisions and actions (in this case) related to safety.

It only exists in Japan, Taiwan and S. Korea, but I had only seen it done so far by Japan Railways (JR) train conductors.

Action Week: the Arrival of Spring in Japan

When I went to see David Hockney's exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts of London, a whole room was dedicated to big paintings of hawthorne in full spring bloom. I thought I'd borrow its accompagnying description which tells so well the anticipation that people in Japan have for Sakura blossoms.

"He has learned accurately to anticipate the arrival of hawthorn blossom in spring and to recognise its early signs of growth. He refers to the period as Action Week, indicating his mindfulness that spring, unlike winter and summer, is shortlived and must be painted with some urgency. He rises early to paint nature in all her wild exuberance … (the blossom) is as if a thick white cream had been poured over everything … just an intense visual pleasure."

'花見' (HanaMi) - People enjoying life in Yoyogi-Koen, Tokyo

Sakura Trees lit up at night in Ueno-koen, Tokyo

An ephemeral joy for the senses - sakura blossoms last no longer than a week.

The last three pictures were taken today. I am now 300 km away from Tokyo for a three week-long work experience at one of the company's factory. As we have the week-end off, I decided to cycle to a hill-top to see the sakura trees and the sea. Luckily, as I was toiling my way uphill, an old couple stopped to give me a lift. And once up there, another lady gave me some tofu-doughnuts because I was a foreigner! Oh, I love people.