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How to Send a Japanese Condolence Telegram (Chouden): Wording, Addressing, and Choosing a Service
When you can't attend a Japanese funeral, a condolence telegram (chouden) is the standard way to send your condolences formally. This guide covers when to send, who to address it to, how to write the message, which service to use, and how to handle situations like unknown chief mourner, corporate funerals, and religious variations.
Japanese Business Card Exchange: How to Give and Receive Business Cards
In Japanese business culture, the card exchange ritual can feel deceptively simple — but how you present and receive a business card speaks volumes about your professionalism. This guide walks through the four-step process, multiple-person exchanges, what to do when things go off-script, and how to manage cards after the meeting.
Japanese Business Phone Etiquette | Answering, Calling, and Transferring
Every phone call at a Japanese company is answered in the company's name — the person who picks up shapes the caller's entire impression of the organization. This guide covers the essential patterns for receiving calls, making calls, and handling transfers.
Japanese Business Manner Basics: 21 Points Every New Professional Should Know
From answering the company phone for the first time to sending your first client email and exchanging business cards without freezing up — what new professionals need isn't willpower, it's a clear set of patterns to follow. This guide covers 21 key points across greetings, appearance, language, reporting, phone calls, email, card exchange, seating, and remote work.
Japanese Business Visit & Reception Etiquette: Seating, Tea Service & English Phrases
In Japan, the moment you notice a visitor, the impression of the entire reception is largely set within seconds — standing up to greet them, confirming their company name, the person they're meeting, and connecting them to the right contact in a matter of moments.
Japanese Resignation Farewell Etiquette: Email Templates, Speeches & Gift Sweets
In Japan, resignation farewell messages tend to grow longer the more heartfelt you try to make them — but in practice, the format that communicates best is one that conveys 'announcement' and 'gratitude' concisely. This article covers the appropriate timing for internal and external farewell emails, how to structure a 1–2 minute speech, and how to choose parting gift sweets.
Japanese Online Meeting Etiquette: Zoom & Teams Fundamentals
In Japan, online meeting etiquette is determined less by how well you speak and more by how considerate you are to the other party. Even for a new employee joining their first external business meeting, joining five minutes early and confirming that your audio works, your face is well lit, your background is tidy, and your display name shows both your company and full name will dramatically change the tone of the entire meeting.
Japanese Honorific Language (Keigo): A Practical Guide for Business
In Japan, mastering keigo (honorific language) starts not with memorizing vocabulary, but with identifying whose action you are describing. If it is the other person's action, use sonkeigo (respectful form); if it is your own or your organization's action, use kenjougo (humble form); and use teineigo (polite form) to set the overall register.
Japanese Seating Etiquette (Kamiza/Shimoza): Meeting Rooms, Taxis, and Elevators
In Japan, seating hierarchy (kamiza/shimoza) follows the principle that the seat farthest from the entrance — the most comfortable and sheltered position — is the seat of honor (kamiza). Understanding this principle helps you navigate meeting rooms, taxis, and elevators with confidence.
How to Write a Japanese Wedding Gift Envelope (Goshugi Bukuro): Complete Guide
In Japan, the goshugi bukuro (wedding gift envelope) follows specific etiquette. When in doubt, stick to the basics: a white envelope with a knotted mizuhiki cord, noshi decoration, dark ink brush pen, new bills, and an inner envelope with the amount on the front and your address and name on the back.
Japanese Table Manners Guide: Washoku, French, and Chinese Dining Etiquette Compared
In Japan, business dining is a weekly reality for many professionals. Whether it's a Japanese kaiseki dinner, a French course meal, or a Chinese round-table banquet, the underlying principle is the same: show consideration for your tablemates. This guide covers shared rules across all three cuisines, genre-specific etiquette, and a side-by-side comparison to help you navigate any formal meal in Japan.
Japanese Dining Etiquette: Chopstick Basics and the Complete List of NG Chopstick Moves
At a formal Japanese kaiseki dinner or business entertaining meal in Japan, mastering three things will keep you composed: hold your chopsticks correctly, treat vessels and oshibori with care, and be considerate of those around you. This guide covers proper chopstick technique in 3 steps, 12 NG chopstick taboos with alternatives, kaiseki meal flow, kaishi paper usage, and FAQs.