to be turned into 酒 sake (sah-kay) mash, and as time passed into liquid sake.
From this stage drinking came to be used as a lubricant when socializing and especially to mark special occasions, including new business deals, and to develop and sustain relationships. Drinking then became an integral part of after-hours business (and political) negotiations because the only time it was possible to break the strict formal patterns of behavior that controlled their normal daytime behavior was when they were drinking.
Virtually all foreigners who do business in Japan are entertained in the mizu shōbai, and all should be familiar with its role in business and use it as the Japanese do. It is a vital part of the etiquette of doing business in Japan—and those foreigners who shy away from it because they don’t drink and/or don’t want to spend time in the evenings in bars or other clubs are foregoing one of the main elements in developing and nurturing relationships in Japan.
The role of the mizu shōbai in Japan is not likely to diminish significantly in the foreseeable future. It has thrived since the age of gods (among whom there were a number of famous party-goers!).
Keeping Your “Flattery Filter” Online
胡麻擂り Gomasuri (go-mah-suu-ree)
Japan’s social etiquette has traditionally been based on an extraordinary degree of formality and ritualistic ceremony that permeated the culture from top to bottom, making it essential that individuals spend a great deal of time learning and following the protocol that applied to virtually every aspect of their daily lives, and particularly so in all of their interactions with people of rank and in the need for maintaining harmonious relations with everyone.
This led to the profuse use of what came to be known as gomasuri, which literally means “grinding sesame seeds,” but in its present-day colloquial usage it means “flattery.”
In the old days sesame seeds were ground in earthenware mortars that would cause stray seeds to fly in all directions, clinging to the sides of the bowl “in a cringing way,” reminding the Japanese of the ingratiating behavior they had to assume to stay on the good side of the upper class, particularly arrogant samurai.
The use of flattery became so deeply embedded in the culture that it continues today to be a defining characteristic of the Japanese, especially where foreigners are concerned. They have found Westerners to be especially vulnerable to gomasuri and make great use of it to manipulate them in many ways—some that turn out to be fun and others that turn out to be seriously disadvantageous.
Westerners dealing with the Japanese should therefore have their flattery filter engaged at all times, and not lower their standards, expectations or requirements as a result of being smothered with gomasuri.
For a more detailed discourse on these terms, plus over 200 other key Japanese words, read the author’s book Japan’s Cultural Code Words—233 Key Terms that Explain the Attitudes and Behavior of the Japanese [Tuttle Publishing]. Also, read his book, Kata—The Key to Understanding & Dealing with the Japanese [Tuttle Publishing.]
Common Expressions
Greetings
Good morning
おはようございます
Ohayō gozaimasu
(oh-hah-yoh go-zie-mahss)
Good afternoon
こんにちは
Konnichi wa
(kone-nee-chee wah)
Good evening
こんばんは
Komban wa
(kome-bahn wah)
Good night
おやすみなさい
Oyasumi nasai
(oh-yah-suu-me nah-sie)
See you later
またあとで
Mata ato de
(mah-tah ah-toh-day)
See you tomorrow
またあした
Mata ashita
(mah-tah ah-ssh-tah)
Goodbye
さようなら
Sayōnara
(Sah-yoh-nah-rah)
Take care / stay well!
お元気でね
O’genki de, ne!
(oh-gane-kee day, nay!)
How are you?
お元気ですか。
O’genki désu ka?
(oh-gane-kee dess kah?)
I’m fine.
元気です。
Genki désu.
(gane-kee dess.)
Nice weather, isn’t it!
いいお天気ですね。
Ii o’tenki désu, ne!
(ee-oh-tane-kee, dess nay!)
It’s cold today, isn’t it!
今日は寒いですね。
Kyō wa samui désu, ne!
(k’yoe wah sah-mooey dess, nay!)
It’s hot, isn’t it!
暑いですね。
Atsui désu, ne!
(aht-suuey dess, nay!)
It’s muggy hot, isn’t it!
蒸し暑いですね。
Mushi atsui désu, ne!
(muu-she aht-suuey dess, nay!)
I think it is going to rain tomorrow.
明日は雨が降ると思います。
Ashita wa ame ga furu to omoimasu.
(ah-ssh-tah wah ah-may gah fuu-ruu toh oh-moy-mahss.)
Do you have an umbrella?
傘を持っていますか。
Kasa wo motte imasu ka?
(kah-sah oh mote-tay ee-mahss kah?)
May I borrow your umbrella?
傘を借りてもいいですか。
Kasa wo karite mo ii désu ka?
(kah-sah oh kah-ree-tay moh ee dess kah?)
Does it snow in Tokyo?
東京で雪が降りますか。
Tokyo de yuki ga furimasu ka?
(tokyo day yuu-kee gah fuu-ree-mahss kah?)
Where is the closest subway station?
一番近い地下鉄の駅はどこですか。
Ichiban chikai chikatetsu no eki wa doko désu ka?
(ee-chee-bahn chee-kie chee-kah-tate-sue no eh-kee wah doh-koh dess kah?)
Is the train station closer?
電車の駅はもっと近いですか。
Densha