WEIRD Japanese Work Culture 🇯🇵 What Working in Japan is REALLY Like

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

I’ve wanted to cover this topic forever and finally got myself to put it together! I hope you found these cultures interesting 😆 Let me know which interested you most because I’d love to know!

[@AI-MusicPlanet]

Having to drink with your boss would be a lot of stress...what if you accidentally say something that offends?...next day your fired!

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

You don’t really get fired in Japanese companies, so I guess if you upset your boss the worst case is that you’ll be sent to somewhere not so nice haha

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

You don’t really get fired in Japanese companies, so I guess if you upset your boss the worst case is that you’ll be sent to somewhere not so nice haha

[@randylazer2894]

Thank you for your great insights! It seems that work culture in the US is far more relaxed, while the long hours, as you noted can really take a toll on a person, and family relationships. It is sad that some people would rather work overtime than go home, for which they need to give a very good assessment of their personal lives. It seems that the business bureaucracy is significantly worse for obtaining approvals in Japan than the US. That was a very, very good and informative video.

[@rightwired]

We were driving home from Fuji-sama through Tokyo....to back Tsukuba, saw signs everywhere, along the highway: "PLEASE DO NOT HONK, PEOPLE WORKING", and then there skyscrapers, filled with thousands of windows;, thousands of people, working into the night..like 8 pm. That needs to end. Like now. The most serene country on Earth, and no one is allowed to enjoy.

[@AI-MusicPlanet]

Thanks!

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Omg thank you so so much for this!! ☺️

[@AI-MusicPlanet]

​@@TokyoFoodieSarahCount it as a small wedding gift....so happy for you🙂

[@purpleraven8700]

Thank you for this video. I would love to know more about it!

[@Kaijapan1996]

Wow finally I wanted to know your perspective and it's here

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Yay finally! Haha

[@trialcritic7625]

I work in an American bank after working in the tech industry. I can see how different banks are, though they are changing. Hearing what you say shows how different Japanese work culture is. Thank you for the information.

[@ivvan497]

Japanese work culture is soo complicated wow. In my company things are very informal, even when interacting with my boss. I have no problems or customs I have to go through if I want to speak to my boss or make some kind of a request. Often times I even tell him to hurry up and sign/check my documents lol.

[@DominicHalsey-du2cr]

Sarah it's so interesting to get your take on the Japanese work culture in Japan How is the weather in Tokyo? Sarah do you think you will do a blog back in Okinawa again in the future?

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Glad you found it useful! I’d love to film a vlog in Okinawa if I visit again!

[@Japanwithrachel]

Omg this was so informative! Definitely have some similar customs at my company too 🙈 luckily we don’t use hanko!

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Glad it was informative for you!! 🤣 I wasn’t given a hanko at my second job but we needed it for some documents (like 1-2 times a year) so I had to get mine at 100 yen store 🤣🤣

[@AI-MusicPlanet]

good info 🙂

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Thank you!

[@vincentgraffeo9030]

Your most interesting video yet!

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Glad you think so! 🤣

[@nickteslaa]

I always wanted to work in Japan but kind of having second thoughts. 😅

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

It really depends on the company! If you work at an international firm it’s not bad!

[@AlanVByrnes]

It’s pretty bad too in New Jersey USA where I live now always so much fighting and meanness and violence between the people now it’s so bad even with my family who left else where now and my parents and remaining rest are always divided with others now!! Anyway thanks always for the help you also always do!!

[@ethanmandel2413]

I'm never working in a traditional Japanese company. I couldn't handle all the rules, both explicit and implicit.

[@pathua7692]

Nominication! It would be awesome if you go a bit more in depth on it! You know whether the message during the drink session gets realised during actual work, etc.

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

I agree! There's so much more to explore. 🤔

[@pathua7692]

@ That would be awesome! Keep up the amazing work, and also congratulations on your recent personal milestone!

[@tonyinhk888]

Very comprehensive 👏 I remember meeting Japanese consultants while working in Hong Kong, in particular their deep bows when they meet me, and a young Japanese girl who tried to distribute tea and coffee when meeting started, interesting 🙂

[@formernorcal2530]

Unhappy homelife is universal

[@flatironnewyork]

What happens if you want to socialize with your colleagues but don't drink alcohol? Is it ok to go to the drinking sessions and order a soft drink?

[@bonwatcher]

I noticed that everyone, especially the higher up you are in a company (for obvious reasons) live and die by the expectation that everyone addresses them by their title like a monarchy. Here in the US no one really addresses people by their titles. Of course politicians expect it though and name things (airports, schools, streets, etc.) after themselves. 🙄😮‍💨

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Oh yea we don’t even call them by name, but we call them by their title like “manager” or “leader”

[@Islandfist]

Sounds like Aloha Friday

[@Islandfist]

I love Japan but drinking after work would deeply annoy me. That's time for my hobbies like karate, capoeira and mma. I also don't drink or smoke at all. What's the worst that could happen if I dont take part?

[@ペン虹虹]

Sarahさんこんにちは🌞ほんと、良くも悪くも日本には伝統的な縛り見たいの沢山ありますよね笑笑 私は結構、縛りや堅苦しさがある日本が好きだったりもするんですけどね🤭けど、これから先、100年後の日本にはほとんど無くなる文化が沢山あるでしょーね。😢古き良き文化は残って居てほしいですね☺️

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

外国人には面白い縛りがたくさんあるので、動画作ってて楽しかったです😆 悪しき文化は効率化のため改善してほしい次第ですが、良い文化は残ってほしいですよね！

[@joeji7442]

Go home early! Leave by 6pm?! What!?

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Yup on go home early Wednesdays we had to leave the office by 6pm 🤣 The end of work time was 5:10pm so that’s still 50 mins of overtime lol

[@rightwired]

I have so many Japanese friends and family, that went from goofy and funny to sad and serious...all my classmates from college: Tatsuya, Sukuki, Tomoe, Sachiko...Hiroe, Megumi, Sachiyo, Mika, THREE Naokos, lol, even my nieces (21, 24) are starting to get that look. :( it makes sad. and mad. Those Japanese, who stayed in the USA, like my wife and Aya and Chiemi and Hisae..all doing well mentally. I've been saying to whomever will listen, Japan needs to fix two things, like IMMEDIATELY, that boost the economy, make more babies, lower the suicide rate. 1. (forgive my angry Jingrish (japanese englinsh) the BAKA TSUGE baka honto ni zen zen baka Corporate Work Culture: How are Japanese supposed to help the economy by "spending money" or fix the labor shortage by "make babies", when they are expected to 60+ hours a week? 2. Trash/Recycling/Gomi Management - you guys have robots that walk, and talk, and landed on the Moon, and bring me my dinner, but not to SORT and WASH trash automatically, like the USA? How much time is wasted "correctly" throwing away trash? And more forms and more stamps and more Hanko and more forms and more trash and you have to got to 4 different places to throw out your trash..c'mon! lol whut the heck 3. Between 25-30% of all houses in Japan are vacant, because it's too expensive/too many forms/ to refurbish. So people, like my brother in law Shigeru, just uses it for storage. Japan needs a home improvement boom. I worked a bank in Chicago, for almost 10 years..and my bosses -all Seven of them- were all complete morons, who left the office at 3 or 4pm.. Sadly, in America, it's not what you know, it's who you know. Everyone on the bank's Board of Directors went to the same high school. They'd hire friends and family and nieces and nephews..all dumb..and it went bankrupt.

[@Kaijapan1996]

The salary is really low in Japan guys. And the taxes are really high. She didn't mention these things.

[@toni-kaku]

Wow so many unwritten rules. It seems more stressful than work itself!

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

It really is! 😅

[@davidbee7394]

I love "most" of the unspoken Japanese rules - everyone knows the etiquette there so there is very little room for ambiguity. Unlike western countries where the government needs to put in a law to micromanage every aspect of your life (otherwise it's ok to do it).. with unspoken rules, you are brought up from an early age to socially fit in meaning everyone wants to try and do the right thing from a very early age and it's socially unacceptable to not try to follow the rules.. Love it or hate it, no-one can argue Japan (a democratic country) with it's large population, leads the world with managing peace and harmony in a country.

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Oh wow that is such an interesting insight!!

[@AlanVByrnes]

Thanks for this Sarah however I pretty much know about this from others good or bad it can be!! I still however respect you for making the video!! 🤝🤝🤝 I still would like to try and stay in Japan it’s where I feel I need to be now and there’s nothing for me in America anymore!! Thank you for understanding too which I feel you do!!🫶🫶🫶

[@ragsoh]

In Singapore, the boss sits at the head of the table. And when we exchange name-cards, we always use 2 hands to give and 2 hands to receive. If we dine in a Chinese restaurant, there is usually a lazy Susan on the dining table (those thingy that allows you to rotate your food on the dining table). If you are dining with your boss and the dish happens to be a chicken with its head on it, just pray that your boss does not rotate the lazy Susan till the chicken head faces you. If the chicken head faces you, your job in the company is very unstable. And don't talk too much in front of the boss - you are literally digging your own graveyard.

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Thanks for sharing!! The chicken head is so unique 🤣🤣

[@gabemik]

The list of reasons I would never, ever work for anyone in Japan! And as a boss, I might make employees uncomfortable with how relaxed I like to run things.

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Oh yea some people don’t like it when a boss it too relaxed 🤣

[@billisultan6224]

Hierarchy is not weird. It's pretty normal unless you are westernized.

[@TheVoiTube]

I wouldn't survive in Japan. For one I don't drink alcohol. I wouldn't play well with so much useless paperwork. None cares if human who ceashed is fit to work, but has to write apology?

[@TokyoFoodieSarah]

Haha I know right! It wasn’t a great environment for non-alcoholic drinkers 😅

[@formernorcal2530]

wow what a nightmare