Business Manners
Guides on Japanese business etiquette
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.
Japanese Business Dining Etiquette | Seating, Ordering, and Payment Basics
At business dinners in Japan, people often freeze when it comes to seating assignments and when to handle the check. These are two of the most common anxieties in new-hire training — but once you see the whole event from entry to departure as a single flow, the hesitation points become much easier to manage.
How to Write Business Emails | Subject Lines, Body Text, and Signatures
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