Entertaining Etiquette in Japan
Celebrating the calendar year’s end is just as important in Japan as it is in many countries, which is why December and January are big months for hosting parties and other festivities. Chopsticks New York, a resource for anything Japanese in New York and frequently a cultural guide, has noted in its current issue the essential ways of entertaining in the Japanese way (see the full text here: Chopsticks ny). Everything from pouring beverages (never for yourself) to seating arrangements (the most honored guests sit farthest from the door) have been covered. One interesting segment highlights parties, called Bureikou, which are thrown to encourage the mingling of junior employees with senior staff, where a so-called break from hierarchy is allowed to facilitate candid, easy-going conversation. Interesting and otherwise unknown to outsiders, this article is priceless and amusing to those venturing to Japan or for those hosting Japanese guests elsewhere!
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