Gestures
Presenting your Business Card
Using both hands, offer the card to the other person. They should receive the card using both hands as well.
When you hand the card over, bow and introduce yourself.
Turn your card so that the text is right side up for the person you are giving the card to. This allows them to easily read it.
It's polite to bow after you offer greetings. How deeply you bow depends on whom you're greeting. When you greet close friends, it's more common to raise or wave your hand.
When passing someone in the hallway, bumping into a stranger, or giving way to someone.
When introducing yourself, greeting customers, or entering or leaving a conference room.
When greeting a very important customer, asking about important matters, or apologizing.
最敬礼
saikeirei“respectful bow”
45
敬礼
keirei“salute”
30
会釈
eshaku“nod”
15
1.1 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER
Culture Tips
C Culture
Weather
Convenience Stores
Talking about the weather in Japan
Making small talk by talking about the weather is very common in Japan.
It’s more common than asking someone about his or her well-being.
Instead of asking “How are you?” people are more likely to make a simple observation about the weather or temperature. It’s expected that the other person will express agreement.
Weather in Japan
There are four seasons in Japan: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each season lasts roughly for three months, as shown below. There's also a rainy season and typhoon season in addition to the four seasons.
Rainy Season
Japan has a rainy season, which is called つゆ tsuyu,from early June to mid-July.
During the rainy season, it’s むしあつ い mushiatsui, or "humid" on most days.
Occasionally, there's おおあめ ōame, “heavy rain,” or らいう raiu, a thunderstorm.
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Typhoon Season
August to September is said to be the peak season of たいふう taifū, or
“typhoons,” in Japan. Many of them pass nearby or make landfall in Japan during those months.
There are lots of convenience stores in Japan. The total number amounts to more than 55,000 as of December 2018. You can see more than one convenience store on many blocks, especially in Tokyo. Most of them are open 24 hours, every day. Convenience stores are an essential part of life in Japan.
People usually call convenience stores コンビニ konbini, which is a shortened version of コンビニエンスストア konbiniensu sutoa.