Japanese business manner ① Elevator

We have rules everywhere in Japan.
 
How to bow, how to exchange the business card, how to dress,,,etc.
 
Today, it is about how to ride an elevator…

To be more specific, it is not the way, but where to stand, in the elevator when you are not alone.
 
See this picture below.
 

 
This shows where to stand, depending on which position you are among the members in the elevator.
 
①→ highest  
②→2nd highest　 
③→2nd lowest　 
④→lowest  
 

The lowest person should stand in front of a console to use it for other members(push the floor button and keep the door open when other members are getting off).

 

Don’t let the highest person to do it, it is considered very rude,, !!

 

It sounds like a tiny rule, but behaving with these tiny rules will bring you so much advantage to live in Japan.

 

Top 3 good service agents for this year.

We won a prize as good customer service agent for foreigners in Japan!
realestate.co.jp, made a survay on foreign customers, and we were chosen as Top 3 good service agent for this year.
 
Thank you very much 🙂
 
We’ll keep on trying to make our customers happy
as much as possible through the provision of good service and apartment!
 

 

 

How to read Japanese room layout?

When you look at a Japanese room layout, it must be a bit difficult to understand what means what.
 
This time I am going to explain how to read it when you actually search an apartment!
 
This is one of the apartment information sheets, as an example.
 

 
On the right side you see the images, and this is the room lay out I am going use this time.
 

 
This is a one studio type room lay out image, and what it is showing are,,,
 

 
To give you more specific images,, these are the pictures for each

Kitchen
 

Bath tube and shower
 

WC
 

Wash stand
 

Washing machine place
 
These are what it is showing and it will make your room hunt easier to have this knowledge before you start! 🙂
 
We are always willing to explain thse details, ask us freely if you have any question!

The Golden rule in Tokyo

When you are new to Japan, there might be lots of things you will be surprised about Japanese behavior.
But the golden rule is, not to disturb others. THAT’S IT!
 
I am Japanese raised up by Japanese parents and grew up in Tokyo,
and this golden rule “don’t disturb others” had been taught everywhere.
From my parents, kindergarten teachers, elementary school teachers, and else,
I’ve heard a lot of times that they say “you can do whatever you want to, as long as you do not disturb others”.

 
The rules based on that golden rule are, for example,
 

To Walk the right side while walking
No smoking while walking
To Wait till ppl get off the train before you get in
No talking on the phone while you are in a train….. etc.
 

You can see that all these kind of (hidden) rules are basically from the idea “don’t disturb others”.
 
When you can’t judge if you are doing right or not, remember this golden rule and enjoy Tokyo! 🙂

Hanko vending machine? The easiest step to get your own Hanko!

Hanko, a stamp is a wooden stick with your name on it and it is  a Japanese traditional way of showing your agreement.

It is used as a signature mainly for the official documents.

The most major way to make it is to go to hanko shop and ask the craft man to make it,
but rescently there is  “stamp vending machine”, which looks easier and cheaper way.

It has different colors and sizes you can choose, and you can customize the style.

And, in 10 to 15 minuits, you have your own stamp with your name!

Many of the Donki branches have this vending machine!

One of them near us is this Nakameguro branch.

http://www.donki.com/store/shop_detail.php?shop_id=208

If you are intersted in, or need to make hanko, this mght be the good first experience to have it ! 🙂

 

 

 

(Source: http://www.hankojihanki.jp/)

Why Japanese sleep on the floor?

Although most of Japanese people use bed to sleep,
it is still common to sleep on the floor for Japanese.
Why is it??

There is no exact answer, but these are what I think are true!

1. Tatami mat
2. Shoes matter
3. Space problem

1. Tatami mat

Tatami mat is the traditional Japanese floor made of rice grass,
Which is soft and cozy to sleep on.
It use to be a major type of floor in Japan and the size of the room is measured by the number of tatami mats.
For example 6 tatami mats are the most common single bed room size in Japan.

2. Shoes matter

It might be also because of tatami mat, Japanese traditionally take off their shoes when they get into the house.
Tatami mat is soft and easy to be damaged, they do not wear shoes on tatami.
Therefore, the floor is treated as clean enough to put Futon and sleep on.

3. Space problem

Because it can be folded into two or three and put away to the storage, Futon was a space-saving way of using small space.
The room can be used as a study or dining room during a daytime, and a bed room during a night time.

These are what I(Japanese) think are the understandable reason for why Japanese use floor to sleep on.

If you are in Japan, try this traditional way and see how it fits you 🙂

Considering to buy, hold or sell property?

When you plan to buy, sell, or hold property in Tokyo,
you should give a thought about renovating it.
 
When you buy, you can buy an old and cheap apartment and renovate it by yourself.
 
When you hold and have a hard time to find a tenant, you can renovate it to make it easier to find one.
 
When you sell, of course, you can renovate it to maximize the value of it.
 
Renovation is only one of the many solutions we have, and it is not always the best solution,
but it is true that you can make a good use of it 🙂
 
Ask us if you are wondering what to do with your property.
 
We, the real estate consulting team will judge what benefit you the most.

Easy steps to Enjoy Tatami

If you are living, or thinking about moving in to Tatami house,
you might be wondering how you should treat it.
 
Actually, it is quit easy.

Don’t miss a chance to enjoy Tatami if you are here in Japan 🙂
 
Here are the 4 important points when you have tatami mat in your house.
 
1. Don’t put a carpet on it, to keep it dry.
 
2. When you use a vacuum, do it softly and follow the direction of tatami.
 
3. When you want to wipe it for cleaning, use a dry towel. Only a bit wet towel is fine but not too much.
 
4. On a sunny day, keep the windows open to make the room dry.

 

Overall, the most important point is to keep it dry, because the humidity is what a mold and a tick loves.

See? Now you know how easy it is to treat tatami, and the rest you should

do is just to enjoy it 🙂

How to make your OFF the BEST day!

Hello!
How are you?
Hope you’re all fine : )

A big typhoon is coming by Japan and
It is raining everyday these days!!!

But BEFORE this rain…
We went to Misaki harbor to enjoy our last summer day!

Swimming in the ocean…

Sleeping on the boat…

I knew this was my best way to enjoy my off!
Good food, good drink, good weather, with my colleagues : )

Want to enjoy us?

Please feel 100% free to contact us !

From now on let’s enjoy the RAINY DAYS!

Thank you.

A NEW type of communication tool!

Hello!

The summer passed… and looks like Autumn is already here!
How was your summer : )?

Today, I want to introduce you a NEW type of renovated apartment : )

Here is the plan!

What is ‘new’ about this apartment…?

There is a blackboard in the middle of the living room!

Draw whatever you want : )
Feel what your family is thinking now.
Tell them what you can’t tell directly.

It should be your new tool of communication.