http://www.miwainkyoto.com Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:25:17 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Japanese are often portrayed as workaholic people lacking individuality. One symbol of that stereo-typed figure would be EREBE－TA－GA－RU: Lift girls. Those entering a large department store, for example, will usually be accorded a crisp greeting from a well- heeled young man or women, situated just inside the door for that ... http://www.miwainkyoto.com/wrapping-culture-3 Japan itself is wrapped too. It is well known for its economic power, high technology, motor vehicle industries, Manga and Anime all over the world; however, it is still wrapped with geographical, historical and political ‘packaging’ which is difficult to decode or even ‘unwrap’. Japan is a small island country off ... http://www.miwainkyoto.com/wrapping-culture-2 Hello. I am going to introduce to you a book I like. I read and wrote an essay when I was studying Social Anthropology in London. It is a good book to understand Japanese culture. I will write 3 posts using the essay. Here, the first one starts. WRAPPING CULTURE POLITENESS, ... http://www.miwainkyoto.com/wrapping-culture-1 Sometimes, perverted man came to Information Desk, only to have a conversation with girls in uniforms. Maybe we seem attractive to those who loves cosplay (costume-playing ). Well, it is no problem, because we know how to get rid of them. Here is my first experience of those perverts. One day, ... http://www.miwainkyoto.com/weirdos-annoying-customers-and-perverts-pretending-to-be-customers おはようございます！(Ohayogozaimasu) いらっしゃいませ！(Irasshaimase) Good morning! Welcome to our store! (with high pitch voice) My days start with this robot-like greeting at my department store. I call this 'robot-like' because I say this again and again bowing every time somebody goes past near me for 7 minutes. What is more, NOBODY greet back to me, ... http://www.miwainkyoto.com/irasshaimase