Q. No beer in the parks and beaches? Answer: A Japanese friend relates that he was relaxing on the beach in Waikiki, when a uniformed

What do I do in a church (synagogue) if I am not a member? Answer: First, the matter of dress. Most religious gatherings require conservative,

Q. What do Americans do at Christmas? Answer: Most Americans, even if they are not active Christians, feel that Christmas Eve (December 24) and Christmas

Q. What does one do at a Christmas office party? Answer: Each company is different, and some no longer have a party at all but

Q. Who does what on New Year’s Eve? Answer: While many Japanese are at home quietly enjoying New Year’s Eve with their families, Americans are

Q. What should I know to make conversations with Americans go smoothly? Answer: Americans are less at ease than Japanese are when a lull appears

Q. Is it permissible for Japanese to use Japanese among themselves? Answer: Excluding any member of a group from conversation, whether by language or the

Q. Why is eye contact important? Answer: One rule of traditional Japanese etiquette that contrasts with etiquette in the United States is how to use

Q. When I hear Americans exchanging greetings, it seems like they aren’t saying the same things, but why? Answer: The first time you meet another

Q. Do I can even older women Ms.? Answer: While some married women still prefer to be ad–dressed verbally or in written correspondence as “Mrs.

Q. What should I do if I don’t know the name? Answer: If you are walking down the street and notice that a stranger has

Q. When do we start using first names? Answer: It is customary for younger people to address a significantly older person by his or her

Q. Which is more polite: “Can you…?” or “Could you…?” Answer: In Japanese, when you are making requests, it is polite to use forms such

Q. Why can’t I say “I want”? Answer: A Japanese student once asked my American friend to write a letter of recommendation to support his

Q. Why can’t I just say “Thank you” all the time? Answer: To Americans in Japan, some Japanese seem impolite because they do not thank