July 2009Archives

By Jib-kun

With a new office* come many changes.  Along with such a move also comes the inevitable question: "Where do I sit?"  My role in the office has always been a bit of an odd one.  I was living in a nice cabinet in the old office, and have moved into a more spacious cabinet in the new office.  But when it comes to finding a place to sit in the office or when I listen in on meetings, I never know where I'm supposed to sit.

The Japanese have many rules about this, all of which were new to me.  You see in the forest, you sit where you sit.  A nice patch of grass, a not so pointy rock, a tree stump, anywhere is good enough.  It's not so easy here.  I'll try to explain some of the rules they have in the office.  To understand a Japanese office, you need to understand the basic idea of the kamiza and the shimoza.  These terms refer respectively to the "higer seat" and the "lower seat" in the room.  Essentially, it relates to the status of the person, and, therefore, where in a room they are likely to be seated.  These rules are not something anyone is likely to say out loud, but those raised with the concept immediately seem to know exactly where to sit.

So, let's look at a typical office room.  Tell me, which do you think is the kamiza and which do you think is the shimoza?

Well, every room is different, but the easiest clue is the location of the door.  Generally speaking, the kamiza will be the seat farthest from the door.  So in this case, either the seat on the bottom or the right might qualify. Likewise, the shimoza will be the seat closest to the door.  Also important to consider, are other possible features of the room, such as the most comfortable chair, arrangement of the windows, and occasionally in some settings a "Tokonoma," which is a small inset in the wall which often is decorated with flowers or artwork.

The seat closest to the tokonoma is almost always the kamiza if the room has one.  Usually, the seat which is facing the entranceway is the best seat in the house.  But these rules aren't just for rooms.  Elevators, taxis, even roller-coasters have a kami-za and shimoza.

If you are not so sure, the safest bet is to do what I do.  Keep standing until everybody else sits down and then take the open chair!  Here is a photo of a meeting room at jibtv.  Which seat do you think is the kamiza?

By Jib-kun

For me, coming to Tokyo from the ancient, quiet mountains of my home was my first "moving" experience.  I mean physically moving that is!  Nothing could be more moving than a beautiful sunset viewed from the top of one of Japan's high mountain peaks.  To compare the two, I think I prefer the emotionally moving experience, over the physically moving experience.  Watching a young deer give birth in a pristine forest is actually a little bit difficult to watch for squeamish folk like me, but nowhere near as difficult as moving an entire office from one place to another.   But it was worth it!  Check out our new glorious digs!

            Moving from one office to the other is exactly what we here at jibtv.com have just done.  It was a tremendous effort, conducted with almost military like precision in a matter of only a few days, while all the while not missing a single internet beat.

            I will miss the old place.  It was my first home in Tokyo, and I was really just beginning to feel at home.  But, this new office is grand!  Spacious and beautiful, it surely will be the launching pad for even better things here at jibtv.  Of course, it's not perfect.  The old office had crumbs of food in forgotten corners and behind cabinets here and there.  A great joy in my day was coming across a half eaten, well-aged sembei behind the photocopier.  This new building has a new, completely unlived in feel, so it will be a while before it starts to wear in like a comfortable shoe.

            When moving house in Japan, the proper thing to do is go to your neighbors with a small gift.  Typically people give soba noodles, towels or detergent, saying "Tsumanai mono desu ga."  Basically they are saying, "This is a boring thing." Moving office in Japan is a bit different.  Instead of going door to door with a bag full of noodles, we received a number of gorgeous floral displays.  One after the other, they arrived with messages from different companies wishing us luck in our new home.

The flowers are beautiful, and the office is spic and span.  All the workers seem cheery and encouraged by their new environment.  Just in time for me to stake claim to a filing cabinet, set up my bed and I will be right at home again.

By Jib-Kun

            Japan Expo opened my eyes in a way that I never could have imagined.  But now, I'm back in Japan.  Returning gave me something I was not prepared for.  Reverse-culture shock!  Upon arriving in Japan and seeing all things Japanese as they are and should be here in Japan, I was haunted by the reality that "Japan" lives far beyond just these shores.

            I went through Narita with few problems. They are not used to creatures of my type, that's for sure.  I am a tiny, ancient woodland creature and for my height granted a bit overweight.  But the people at immigration were not as surprised as I would have imagined.  After all, all sorts of people in many shapes, sizes and appearance pass these immigration checks everyday and are greeted in big bold letters by the sign "Yokoso!" 

            They did however have some problems with the number and amount of my souvenier collection.  While in France I developed wuite a taste for cheese, and three enormous suitcase filled with cheese apparently is unusual sort of luggage.  They didn't believe me at first,  that it was all for personal consumption.  But I showed them sure enough, polishing off a huge block of gruyer in seconds... this was all for me!  Being back in Tokyo felt great.  And for once I understood that word Yokoso.

            "Yokoso" is of course Japanese for welcome.  But my experience at Japan Expo has taught me this.  "Yokoso!" is a word that is not yet well known enough.  Words that are known include "Kawaii," "Sugoi," and "Kakkoi."  These are words that have quickly become international lexicon for things Japanese abroad.  The intense interest and love of all things Japanese displayed at Japan Expo was deeply moving to one who has lived here some 200 years.  I mean, I was born here, I kind of have to love it.  But now more than ever I'm fascinated by why people from such far flung places as France care so deeply about Japan.

            After being with the youth of France, as they celebrated the works of traditional Japanese culture, Anime, Manga, J-Pop music and more I have returned with an even greater hunger to understand what my country has to offer.  I have an even greater desire to share those things with the world outside.  So I ask you reader.  What is it?  What is it that fascinates you most about this country?  Send me a mail, and I will do my best to share my small corner of the world with you across these seemingly impossible miles of distance.

            Wherever we are, I have learned, you can be whatever you will.  And for those who feel drawn to things Japanese, I say... "Yosoko!"

This is the 4^th and last day of the Festival. The Japan Expo has been quite a shocking experience for me.  The fashion, music and idiosyncrasies of Japanese people are surely to be expected in Japan, but when one sees young French Japanophiles gathered en masse and celebrating their love of all things Japan, it's... astounding.  I noticed right off the bat the many people dressed as all sorts of anime characters, manga creations, and Japanese culturally inspired fashion but why do they do this?

I talked a bit with the various people I met, and they surprised me with the depth of their interest in all things Japan as well as the importance this foreign culture has in their own lives.

I also met an amateur band who kindly posed for a photo in front of our booth.  They had just made their first album with the Japanese title "Retsugo."  The members explained how their love of Japanese culture inspired them as a kind of muse.  They were French but the Japanese music allowed them to express their passions and love of a country on the other side of the world.

The camaraderie of the attendees is really something.  Many of them were quick to point out that they would be laughed at by people in their hometowns, but here at Japan Expo they found themselves amongst a mob of fellow believers and for some the experience made them feel less out of place for their unusual hobby.

All of this seemed to go against my concept of French people.  But seeing some young girls dancing para-para quickly dissuaded me of the notion that culture is some how limited to the country of origin. 

I'm not exactly a great dancer myself, but when some young people started grooving to the tunes playing at the jibtv booth, courtesy of our program J-Melo, I showed them a few moves myself.  Not surprisingly all these French language ladies cooed "Kawaii!"

I was amazed all these people would be so knowledgeable about Japan.  And when I quizzed people who were dressed outwardly as Anime fans, I was surprised to learn their interests didn't stop there.  They all expressed keen interest in ikebana, shakuhachi, kimono and endless number of other more traditional Japanese culture.  Most, if not all of their information they had gathered on-line.  This new internet connected world has created lovers of exotic cultures from far across the globe.  Yet, resoundingly the sense I got from each person I talked to was that through this foreign culture they had each found ways to express themselves. Japanese culture is today a way for French youngsters to find their own identity.

Imagine that!  Teenage French are exploring their own artistic, creative and social selves through aesthetics created in a time and place far from their own communities.  The world is getting smaller!  But if I stay here much longer eating this French food, I will just keep getting bigger.