Same but different

Making statements about cultural differences obviously also implies making generalisations. Let me give you some characteristics about the Swedes and Japanese respectively:

They are kind, want consensus rather then confrontation, honest, naïve and always assume that everyone has the best intentions, a bit boring, tense relation to alcohol and shy. Some characteristics of the other fellow countrymen/-women: They are polite, open minded to other cultures, consensus seekers, vague to keep harmony, inhibited and shy, but loosen up with help of alcohol. They are also nature lovers, prefer stylish and naturalistic elements in interior design and are quite concerned and often talks about the weather.

Did I lose you on which characteristics apply to which country?

…… Thought so :-)

Burdens vs. indifferences...

I have just returned from a one week business trip to Sweden. What stroke me very much arriving there is the look of the faces and expression in the Swedes appearances! Almost all and everyone looks so troubled and miserable. It is like everyone is carrying all the miseries and the entire world's troubles on their shoulders! That is a quite striking difference compared to what I see when I look around in the streets and in the trains in Tokyo, where most of the faces are quite blank and if any expression it is of calmness and satisfaction. Of course there is a lot of stress in people’s life also in Tokyo. What is reflected is yet another cultural difference and norm in Japan, to not show your inner feeling. It is even considered a bit immature and as a sign of lack of self control.

QUE

It is mid September. A couple of weeks ago I realized that I was the only women in the crowded Yamanote line that wore a tank top and sandals. Everyone around me - without any exception - had long-sleeved clothes and proper walking shoes that covered the feet (as opposed to sandals or flip flop!)
This has been the case every day lately when I commute back and forth to the office. I started to almost feel naked during my trips, being the only lady still wearing summer clothes. But I simply couldn’t force my self to put on a lot of covering clothes, thinking of that the degrees was still around 30 Celsius already in the mornings! Yesterday it was 34 degrees and I almost fainted of the heat. Nevertheless all women as saw around me was dressed “properly”, some even wearing high leather booths. WHY???

The autumn starts 1st September! It’s simple as that :)

Today the temperature was only 22 C at 05.30, when I got up. So I put on my walking shoes and wear a blouse over my tank top!

Swedish conformism

Jantelagen - the Jante Law - is a code of down-to-earth conformity formulated by Danish/Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose in the 1930s and is still very much alive, at least in small towns in Scandinavia. The “law” derives from his novel "En flygtning krysser sitt spor" ("A refugee crosses his tracks"), and takes place in an small town called Jante. The book is about the ugly side of Scandinavian small town mentality, and the term has come to mean the unspoken rules and jealousy of such communities in general.

The ten commandments of Jante are:
1. Don't think you are somebody.
2. Don't think you are as good as us.
3. Don't think you are smarter than us.
4. Don't think you are better than us.
5. Don't think you know more than us.
6. Don't think you are more important than us.
7. Don't think you will ever be anybody.
8. Don't think you can laugh at us.
9. Don't think anybody gives a damn about you.
10. Don't think you can teach us anything.

Hopefully the law is getting weaker nowadays, as the world gets smaller in the name of globalization.

Tack, tack, tack & Sumimasen!

The most common word in Sweden is probably TACK (thanks). In Sweden you hear Tack, tack, tack all the time. The Swedes seems to say thanks whenever there is a slight reason for it. I don't know the reason for this excessive use of Tack. Maybe it is a way to excuse for making trouble, in a sublime way. "Tack" for pouring my glass of water in a restaurant meaning “sorry for making you trouble”... even though the waiter is actually hired to pour my glass and I pay for the service.
The most commonly word used in Japan is probably SUMIMASEN. You hear the word all the time and the meaning is “Excuse me” or “Sorry”. Sumimasen is said initially, when you ask someone something. Or Sumimasen for not letting someone to do smth, that you actually consider would be a bad idea (like taking your chair). Also you say Sumimasen instead of “Thank you” when you might have caused someone little trouble. Like the shop assistant giving back money for a purchase says; “Sumimasen”; meaning: thank you but sorry for bothering you giving the exchange back (!)

Different habits and manners

Mobile belongings
All Japanese always wear a small towel with them. Now after living a half year in Japan I also always have one in my mobile belongings. I consider it to be one of the most useful objects in my hand bag! Can you guess why it is so useful?

Umbrella Parking
Outside many shops you often find an “umbrella parking”. If not, there is most certainly a plastic bag that you could put your umbrella in if you need to take it into the shop, restaurant or hotel. This makes so much sense when you realize how much water there would be on the floor during the rainy season, when it can rain heavily hour after hour and days after days!

Harmonious chaos

So many things can seem very peculiar when arriving to a new country! What stroke me the most arriving to Japan was: although this is an enormously big city with the most complex infrastructure & huge population there is a sense of harmony and kindness around, that seemed very unique and very impressive.

Here we go...

This is my first blog and my first posting on a Blog ever. This space will be used for "food for thoughts" when it comes to cultural differences... as well as similarities! I am from Sweden but currently living in Tokyo, Japan.