the roads are getting nearer
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Thursday, July 07, 2005
` Thursday, July 07, 2005
That is possibly the only Japanese word I use with much fervent enthusiasm (aside from the equally useful arigato gozaimasu) after landing in Tokyo last Sunday. I learnt this word not from Japanese elementary classes long forsaken (actually that was only back in January this year), but from a bemused Japanese ex-colleague who found the solution to my futile attempt to communicate with the natives in daily scenarios, eg.

Service staff (in Japanese): Hello, can I take your order? What would you like to drink first?
Me (trying hard to remember nuggets of Japanese which conveniently disappear in much-needed situations): Er, sumimasen. English menu? No?
(blank stare awaiting further gibberish)
...ahh...Coca-Cola? Yes? Arigato!!
(following vigorous hand gestures describing chicken / seafood meal choices)

I am told that the word is an all-round star performer in daily Japanese conversations, convenient and adequately polite enough to be used as sorry, excuse me, (apologetic) thank you, and any other time a gaijin (aka foreigner) cannot figure out how to get out of an awkward social situation with a Japanese speaker. Typically, it is acknowledged with a kindly nod of sympathy by the affected party, or one may invite a continuous rant of Japanese in the hope that the clueless gaijin may suddenly figure out a word or two mid-sentence. Thank the heavens that most Japanese people possess meticulous manners and infinite patience with the overseas visitors.

Come to think of it, the service level in almost every shop or restaurant that I've been to in Tokyo and its surrounds had been close to impeccable, almost robotic in delivery but somewhat you would credit the people for performing their duties with a smile. However, I also realised that people on rush-hour trains, possibly like every other city in the world, tend to forget their manners when the train doors open up. It is a strange juxtaposition of culture which I will be interested in deciphering on more frequent visits to this country.

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