Business Hotel Ocean

Here are a few points of...

by flyingkiwi

Here are a few points of Japanese etiquette that will make your trip go more smoothly.

Bowing: Japanese don't shake hands, the bow. The angle of the bow depends on the relationship between the two people. Friends may merely nod their heads while greeting the emperor necessitates a deep bow with your head down to your needs (be warned - this takes some doing but unless you plan to have an auduence with the emperor, don't worry about it too much!). Japanese who have some knowledge of the West will often put out their hands to shake. The best advice is to follow the lead of the person you are greeting.

Name cards: Everyone in Japan has a name card called meishi and business people exchange them as soon as they meet. You won't need them while travelling for pleasure but the are mandatory for business.

Names: Japanese traditionally write the family name first, followed by the given name. Usually Japanese are addressed by their family name; followed by a 'san', an all-purpose honorific meaning Mr., Mrs., or Ms. Don't call Japanese by their given names unless they specifically request you to.

Footwear: Japanese exchange shoes for slippers when they enter houses and remove the slippers when walking on tatami (straw) mats. You will also have to remove your footwear when entering a Buddhist temple. Wearing slip-on shoes will make your life easier.

Global Common 6 - Oceania/Southeast Asia

by ClareyD

Our highlight in this area was the New Zealand Pavilion with a huge lump of jade that you can touch and some very cool interactive plasma touch screens (unfortunately all the information is in Japanese).

Other pavilions in this area:
Australia, Philippine, Lao, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Brunei Darussalam, Pacific Islands, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore

Big City Happenings

by Logan575

"A whole lotta love"

Nagoya is the 4th largest city in Japan with 2.4 million people teeming in it. On the downside there are 2.4 million bicycles swerving around you on the sidewalks.

The ladies playing the drums on these boats were not happy that we were taking photos of them...Very strange

With the subway system under our belt, Nagoya is our oyster. From watching the Nagoya Dragons play on the weekend at the Nagoya Dome, to training it in for a Saturday morning Starbucks coffe and a French pastry at the JR Station/megaplex. Absolutely brilliant!!!!