Hikaru Just’s Post

The New Year tradition of buying 'fukubukuro' or lucky bags, is a much-anticipated activity embraced by shoppers in Japan. 'Fukubukuro' contain an unseen assortment of heavily discounted goods, with stores often opening early and shoppers queuing outside. While also providing fun, 'fukubukuro' are an important part of the tradition of 'ōsōji' – the annual Japanese custom of cleaning and tidying which takes place during December to start the new year afresh. Learn more about Japan's passion for 'fukubukuro' here: https://bit.ly/48KmCeN

"Vu-san, I notice you're in Mitoyo, Kagawa quite often. Do you have a client there, or do you visit frequently?" Two months ago, I received this message from Toma , an ex-Googler originally from Kagawa. He now splits his time between Tokyo and Kagawa, where he's transformed a beautiful old house with a sea view into an inn. We met last month in Tokyo with Michiko, his wife to chat about Takuma, agreeing to see each other in Kagawa if our paths crossed. Since then, we've met up a few times in Kagawa, leading to some interesting synchronicities: - The Family Mart I frequent is also Toma's go-to – it's the "last convenient store" before the route to his home. We both also love Picasso, the local supermarket chain in Kagawa. - Kagawa is famous for its udon, and last night at dinner, I discovered that the udon restaurant I frequent in the train station near my home in Tokyo is actually part of one of the two largest udon chains originating from Kagawa! No wonder the taste was so familiar and delicious. - This morning I met Shimada, a real estate agent who later told me that he helped Toma acquire his house! - Shimada, it turns out, is friends with a chef at Soychiro Tofu restaurant in Nio city, where Toma, Michiko, and I enjoyed dinner last night. While Mitoyo is a small city with around 59,000 people, the odds of all these connections seem extraordinary. Especially considering that a year ago, I didn't even know where Kagawa, Japan's smallest prefecture, was! These experiences remind me that we are more connected than we realize. Life and the universe have a way of bringing us together. So let's slow down, pay attention, and embrace the serendipitous moments that make life so rich and surprising. Who knows what connections and adventures await us just around the corner? #ikiguys #writing #reflection #life #learning #synchronicity #kagawa #japan

🛬 Back at home but still thinking about my Japan experience: I love a word in Japanese that encapsulates what I believe service should be everywhere: OMOTENASHI. 🎎 It describes Japanese hospitality, careful attention to detail, and selfless service to others; they take it very seriously! From buying a coffee at a coffee shop to packaging your purchase at a retail store, the experience they provide with this attention to detail is mind-blowing. One feels honored and very well taken care of; it wows you! So, I have been thinking about improving our processes and platform by questioning whether they delight our clients and allow them to fulfill their needs quickly and easily. 🧐 Are there companies or platforms that have delighted you as a customer? #Japan #Business #JapaneseCulture #OrganizationalCulture

Yesterday. Yesterday.. which was January 18th, I bought this fresh orange juice from a vending machine. And the design of the cup was for Christmas. 🤣 It made me smile because of this easy-going nature in Singapore and I like it. (Or are more places the same in Southeast Asia?) In Japan, right after December 25th, all designs of products, poster ads, decorations, or whatever it is, are immediately changed. It feels like a blend of professionalism and perfectionism. But it doesn’t really matter if that's not the norm. What do you think? Do you like this easygoingness, or do you think it's a bit unprofessional to have a Christmas cup now? (By the way, I am fully aware that this is to avoid a waste.) It's a sort of cultural difference. I am Japanese living in Singapore over 6 years, posting cultural gaps. Check my small new business for corporate finance training as well. World Finance Edu #culture

"Only in Japan!" sighed my nephew when we left a restaurant. He continued talking and comparing the experience we had in the restaurant. For those of us who had worked, lived or visited Japan would understand his expression. This brings me to a topic close to my heart - customer service. In my Service Excellence training workshops; I have incorporated the concept of OMOTENASHI as one of the modules taught in class. What is OMOTENASHI? It is an integral part of Japanese culture and is deeply rooted in the belief of treating guests with the utmost respect, anticipating their needs, and being attentive to every detail. This mindset extends not only to restaurants or hotels, but also to various aspects of Japanese life and businesses such as retail shops, transportation services and even public facilities. It has become a symbol of Japanese hospitality and has gained international recognition, inspiring businesses around the world to adopt its principles in order to provide exceptional customer experiences. In fact, the term has gained increased awareness internationally through the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. To the Japanese, hospitality and respect is part of their everyday life. "Service for the sake of giving, not receiving" meaning the service is done without the expectation of a tip or reward. Don't you think that's Amazing? Have you had any "Only in Japan!" moments? Please, do share... Would like to share one example of OMOTENASHI experience in daily activifties - Shinkansen (bullet train) cleaners bowing to the train as it pulls into the station. 👇 #hospitality #serviceexcellence #culture

*QN13082024-02* QUESTION: Founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923, *X* is the largest Japanese brand in its category, followed by Nikka. When it was first released in Japan, its smoky flavor palate was met with strong criticism. Torii had to quickly pivot from the original brand concept and switch to a lighter, fresher style that soon became a nationwide success. In the 1940s, before it was a household name in the United States, it was an inexpensive Japanese brand known as Torii Shoten, then Kotobukiya. The brand officially changed its name in 1963 to *X*. *X* got its biggest worldwide advertisement via a 2003 pop culture output *Y* , where *Z* repeats the phrase “For relaxing times, make it *X* time” over and over again. *What brand is X ?* *What pop culture output is Y ?* *Who is Z ?*

𝗢𝗢𝗣𝗦! 𝗜 𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗞𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗔 🥢 16 years in Seoul taught me one thing: success in Korea isn't just about what you know, it's about how you eat. In my latest article, I'm spilling the kimchi on 𝟳 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 I wish I'd known before moving to Seoul. 🧠 #4 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. (𝘏𝘪𝘯𝘵: 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴) 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲? -. Boost your cultural intelligence -. Avoid costly faux pas -. Impress Korean clients and partners -. Gain a competitive edge in the Asian market 🔑 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: 1. The exam day hair secret 2. Sticky snacks for success 3. Ghostbusting with soup 4. The chopstick catastrophe 5. Drinking etiquette mastery 6. The seaweed soup paradox 7. VIP seating strategy 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧: In Korea, every meal is a business opportunity. Are you prepared? 👉 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gnebwT-5 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Which rule surprised you the most? Share in the comments! #KoreanBusiness #CulturalIntelligence #GlobalStrategy #AsianMarket #ExpatLife #koreanculture

Related to my latest post about emotional values, a tip for doing business in China? You can consider making your products "Meng" (萌), especially if your target customers are younger generations. What is "Meng" (萌)? "Meng" describes the feeling or response people have when they encounter something adorable, sweet, or innocent. It's that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you see a cute puppy or a baby's smile. It's similar to what "kawaii" conveys in Japanese culture, which means an affection for innocence and cuteness. The inherent charm of "Meng" (萌) in the Moomin characters significantly contributed to the popularity of our Moomin products in China. Adding extra "Meng" (萌), such as in design and product presentation, further boosts the appeal. What do you think, is 'Meng' worth considering? #china #retail #ecommerce #digitalmarketing #sales #onlineshop

You can’t go wrong with this list. The toughest concepts to achieve? Wabi-sabi and Mono no aware. TL;DR The 10 Japanese concepts I shared: Omoiyari: embed compassion in your life, work, and product design. Ikigai: live with purpose and passion. Wabi-sabi: be grateful, see beauty in imperfection, and strive for excellence, not perfection. Mottainai: embrace essentialism, and live sustainably. Shin-Gi-Tai: keep a healthy body and a sound mind. They are the path to mastery. Shu-Ha-Ri: learn the basics. Imitate, then innovate. Kaizen: embrace change and strive for small and continuous improvements. Mono no aware: detach from material things, outcomes, and old beliefs. Omotenashi: give without expecting a reward. The world gives to the givers. Ho-Ren-So: over-communicate. Report problems even if you don’t have an answer.