Take the long way around…

jttinc — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:28:06 +0000

Many Japanese proverbs are worse than non-obvious. To Westerners they are actually counter-intuitive. Take the well-worn adage, Isogaba maware! It translates as, “If you are in a hurry, take the long way around.” What could be more backwards? Most of us have learned to rush here, take a short cut there, cut a corner over there, always trying to get more done in less time . The point of the proverb, however, is that if you really want to accomplish the task, you can’t cut corners; in fact, you’d be well advised to go the long way around and put in the extra effort to do each step well. That thoroughness is your only hope of truly reaching the goal. This is a cornerstone of Japanese culture and can be seen in many areas, such as the lengthy apprenticeships that lead to master of Japan’s traditional arts and skills.

When I was a young US Navy officer in Japan, I used to spend a lot of time off the Base, meeting people and practicing my beginning Japanese. One of the things I got involved in was Karate. The nearby town had a Karate dojo that followed the Shurite school of Okinawan Karate. One of my buddies, a real eager beaver, decided it would be cool to earn a black belt. He went with me one evening and rushed up to the teacher. “Sensei, how long will it take me to earn a Black Belt.” Sensei looked him over and replied, “Perhaps 3 or 4 years.” My friend didn’t want to take that much time. “How about if I put in extra time in the evenings and come in on weekends?” “Perhaps 5 or 6 years.”

What the teacher was telling him was that you can’t do a thing well if you’re focused on rushing. Over the years, I have found that to be true. Too often if you cut corners, your project ends up with a flimsy foundation and falls apart. Then ALL your time and effort is wasted. Better “take the long way around,” do a good job on each step, and surely reach the goal.

Things that must be said—Part I

jttinc — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:38:51 +0000

Gokurosama deshita. “You’ve worked hard; it’s appreciated.” Over centuries, expressions like this have become deeply ingrained in Japanese society. They provide a lubricant to minimize friction and maximize performance among 140 million people crowded onto a few small islands. Strict observance of these verbal rules was a cornerstone of Japanese life right through the high-productivity 1980’s when the Japanese economy was booming so strongly that the West worried Japan would soon be number one. After its economic bubble burst in the 1990’s and lifetime employment and other cultural staples faded away, Japan’s youth, in a backlash against a society they thought had betrayed them, moved away from these time-honored traditions, often treating them as leftovers from a society that had failed.

Nevertheless, as a foreigner, it’s fun to be able to catch these expressions and, even better, to be able to use them. To the extent that you can do so correctly, native Japanese will be flattered and impressed. I’ve introduced a few more below, along with the cultural context.

Gokurosama deshita. When someone leaves the workplace at the end of the day, or does any other good job, the co-workers turn and say this phrase. The root is kurou suru, to work hard, suffer, etc. It just means, “Hey, thanks for all your help, you did a good job.”

O-jama shimasu. When stepping into a Japanese home, this is the must-say phrase. It is directed to the lady of the house if she is nearby or, if not, spoken loudly so she can hear, wherever she is. It literally means “I’m going to be a bother.” It’s part of the fundamental etiquette of Japan, according to which one denigrates one’s self, one’s humble house, the poor food one’s serves, etc., while elevating the status of the other party.

The host in return will reply to the guest with something like, “Semai desu, ga…” Translated: there’s not much room here, but…[please bear it], and so it goes.

My favorite gets laughs because, with the advent of women’s lib, it became taboo probably 80 years ago–and that is a too-humble way of introducing one’s wife. The word for the other person’s wife is Oku-sama, the honorable person in the heart of the home. Even today, husbands use a more humble word for their own wife, kanai, the one inside the house. In the old days, however, humility was carried to the extreme and one would introduce his wife as Uchi no gusai. This is my foolish wife. As I say, today this expression is taboo and when I used it once, trying to be witty, I almost got hit with the frying pan. More such expressions on another day.

JTT Blog

Take the long way around…

Things that must be said—Part I