How to Exchange Name Cards

Name Cards are called MEISHI in Japanese.
Have you ever had trouble exchanging name cards in Japan?
Well here's a quiz.


Q) In which manner should you exchange name cards with a Japanese businessman? Choose the correct answer from below.


A) Softly throw cards on the table in front of each other.
B) Bow three times and the person who bowed faster will get to receive the other’s card.
C) Look into each others’ eyes and exchange cards at the height of breasts.

-ANSWER-
The answer is C. Name cards are referred to “face” in Japan, and treating the counterpart’s card poorly is considered to be extremely rude. It is manner to hold out cards to each other with both hands, and the more important or elderly one should receive the other’s card first at the height of his/her breast. After exchanging, put the card on top of your card holder and place it on the table (or hold it in front of you) while talking. Delicately put it away into your card holder before ending the conversation, and be careful not to stick it into your pocket or wallet. You will be considered polite if you can readily go through this procedure.

I don't know if this article can be categorized as "sustainable custom", but at least it is a custom valued heavily in Japan, and it will be important for you to remember if you want to build a sustainable relationship with a Japanese business partner!

LAByrinth—map the future INITIATIVE

LAB + Labyrinth
LAByrinth is a fashion brand of items inspired by life sciences. The all capitalized LAB stands for ‘laboratory,’ which represents its scientific aspect; labyrinth takes the literary interpretation as an intricate structure composed of intertwined passages, intersections, and dead ends—the more artistic aspect. Elaine Young, a Canadian of Hong Kong descent, founded it in 2000 in order to facilitate innovative projects pertaining to the natural harmony of the animate and the inanimate, as well as projects that provide basic needs to those who lack. She chose Tokyo as the first place for her activities because of the city's ability to absorb various culture and the fasionable people. As an initiative, she has introduced two product lines of creative biotech accessories—HOST and AMULA DNA Jewelry.

Magnificent Magnification
The former one has its emphasis on microscopic images of honeybees, fleas or even the human retinas—all beyond the perception of naked eyes. With style, LAByrinth enlarges, optimizes and apply them to bags, laptop cases, stash pockets, pillow covers, or simply print them out as art prints.

What comes into your mind about DNA?
Of course, we think of the controversial stem cell research. Of course, it rips our nerves apart simply to imagine about ultimately where the cloning technology is going to take us. However, if one 1asks the same question to Elaine Young, it is very likely that she would say, ‘fashion.’ AMULA DNA Jewelry features artistically classy lockets, which contain whimsical scientific touch—visually amplified DNA extracted from reindeers, pandas, your personal DNA, or even your pets’.

Beauty of the Unseen
LAByrinth should remind us how minute our perceptions are. Simply with an imaginative twist and turn, Elaine Young has shown and brought us closer to the unseen beauty of nature.

Website
http://www.lab-yrinth.net/

FUROSHIKI

Today, 2/23 is the day for Wrapping (TSUTSUMI) in Japan.
Japan has a culture of wrapping instead of carrying in bags that have a still shape. FUROSHIKI is a piece of square cloth, usually made of silk, that is used to wrap and carry. It comes in various sizes and color, so you can enjoy different designs for all four seasons.

When you bring a present to your friends' house, instead of carrying it in a paper bag wrap it in a FUROSHIKI so you don't have to leave extra waste. It will be elegant, and to make it even better, you can even give the FUROSHIKI as a present too.


There is a fancy FUROSHIKI shop in Kagurazaka that you may want to visit.
YAMATONADESHIKO
http://www.yamatonadeshiko-tokyo.com/about_the_furoshiki.html
The owner, Keiko, was living in France for a while. Ask her for support in choosing which FUROSHIKI for certain occasions. The photo on this article is from YAMATONADESHIKO.

The Value of 5mm

Have you ever heard of a Japanese company named "Inotech"?
I bet you haven't. It is a small company based in Hyogo Prefecture which has the best technology to make NUTS. Yes, nuts to fasten two things together.
Led by Mr. Inoue, it is a company of 32 people with the highest technology level in creating made-to-order nuts. They are making nuts that are durable as parts of space satelites, airplanes, medical devices and other machines that demand high level quality and tolerance. If you are looking for a a partner that can create the first prototype for any kind of high-tech implement, this is the company you need to speak to!

Inotech website
http://www.inot.co.jp
Only in Japanese, so contact info(at)ecotwaza.com if you are interested.

Simplicity is Virtue

EKIKAN NO ZEN (易簡の善) will be the Japanese word for saying "the virtue of simplicity". It is originaly a concept from China based on a book of fortune telling, but there was a Japanese man in the public sector who redifined this concept based on his local position in Japan during the 17th century. Hanzan Kumazawa was in charge of public infrastructure during the Edo Period. He had his own philosophy about public welfare, that "forests and rivers are the fundamentals of a country, but it is not abundant in Japan. Hence, Japan should not apply the Chinese way nor Indian way of building temples or infrastructure. We should make it simple and use less wood".
It was a concept that came from careful comparison between traditional philosophy and natural resource between the bigger countries and small island. He was a very local person with educational background of Confucism (which was the major school in the Edo period). Instead of "applying" a global way of thinking to the local circumstance, he built a new philosophy truly stemming from the local landscape and experience.
It can be applied to modern Japanese infrastructure (instead of developing huge roads and plants, make it simple and small) and also as an example to other small countries with less natural resource. It tells us the importance of keeping local philosophy instead of just applying the so-called "global standards".

KIWA

KIWA is a brand led by a 30 years old young designer, Kiwa Nishiuchi.
They make dresses from CHIRIMEN, a traditional Japanese cloth originally used for KIMONOs. CHIRIMEN is usually colored with natural ingredients. You can enjoy its unique texture, durable to folding (even rolling up) and strong to washing. Today I had coffee with Kiwa-san, and fell in love with her dress collection!

KIWA website
http://kiwa-sh.sv1.catch-cms.jp/

UCHIYAMA GAMI

There are several regions in Japan famous for making unique WASHI, and UCHIYAMA GAMI(*) from Shinano, Nagano Prefecture is one of them. Its unique style is said to have started in 1661, during the EDO period.
You can get an idea of how they make this WASHI from this page. It is in Japanese but with many pictures.
http://www.uchiyama-gami.jp/kotei.html

The unique part is that they leave the still black bark of wood on the surface of snow. When the snow melt and evaporate, it gives off Ozon, bleaching the bark in a natural manner. No need for chemical bleach. After the dark colors of bark turn white, it is dried under the sun and goes onto the next step of making pulp.
Nagano is an area of harsh winter and heavy snow, and this technology is so in harmony with the local climate!

Mr. Abe, the last heir of UCHIYAMA GAMI, is an open minded man in search for the next era of WASHI. He has collaborated with designers in Tokyo to make lighting interior with UCHIYAMA GAMI, and holds a brief case made of WASHI himself. (The brief case is lasting for over 10 years. Amazing) I hope many of us can appreciate the "process" of how WASHI is made, and enjoy its texture in everyday interior.


(*)KAMI is paper, and is pronounced GAMI when put after other words.

See more about UCHIYAMA GAMI from this Japanese website.
http://www.uchiyama-gami.jp

WASHI

WASHI, written 和紙(Japanese Paper), is a traditional paper made from wood pulp of KOZO or MITSUMATA, trees original to Japan. By soothing pulp and sometimes small pieces of thinned gold or colored pulp in water repeatedly, it is made into paper with the unique rough texture. WASHI is essencial for SHOJI (the Japanese windows you can see in Tatami rooms) or expensive Japanese-styled walls and lighting interior. People of old Japan would use WASHI for writing, and recycled it repeatedly. The traditional process, which is sadly fading away, uses no chemical ingredients, and is completely sustainable. These days, more expensive and traditional WASHI companies are in trouble because of cheep mass-production WASHI-likes are imported from other Asian countries, and the wood for pulp ingredients are no longer sustainably grown in Japan. So if you are a real WASHI fan, please don't run for the cheap WASHI-likes, but choose the ones made with best ingredients and craftsmanship!