Japanese custom at work
Are you curious about Japanese culture? I noticed a couple, too. The company I work for as a temp is a publically traded traditional Japanese company. We do stretch every morning on the music before we start working. When we pass by each other, or happened to be in the bathroom (or in a lunch room) with anybody you work with, we say “Otsukare-sama” (I would translate this to be thanking for a good job they are doing at work) with bowing lightly. But not necessarily that you have to know this person; all you need to know is that he or she is on the same floor, and about 200 people share that floor… Personally, I didn’t like to follow this but the custom is the custom. Now I learned that just bowing will also gives the same effect, so I guess it has a meaning of giving a nod or recognizing the presence of the others; just being polite. That’s right. Most people are nice and polite in here. I lost my cell last month. Somebody actually brought it to a Koban (police box). One of my friends forgot her wallet in a public bathroom of a train station. The wallet was waiting for her at the lost and found office in the station (Although this somebody took 10% of the cash prior to taking it to the office, who cares when you got everything else back?).
