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April in Japan, Spring has begun in real earnest.
Many Japanese people go to see the cherry blossoms and have lunch boxes
with sake under the cherry blossoms by day and even by night.
I really hope they enjoy viewing cherry blossoms with good manners.
Talking about manners, it reminds me of traveling Europe on business last
November with Yamashin gentlemen, Mr. Goto, Mr.Inui and Europe Sales
office adviser, Mr.Kitajima. We have been to the Champagne region in
France to spend our holidays.
3 hours by car from Brussels, Reims is a provincial capital of the Champagne
region and is located 150 km east of Paris. From Reims to Eperney,we have
traveled the old Champagne Route by car. We enjoyed some Champagne
Maison Tours (factory tours) and wine tasting. For me, as a Champagne lover,
this tour was absolutely wonderful.
"An opportunity once lost is lost forever."
We decided then to have the best french dinner and booked "Boyer Les Crayeres",
the only one restaurant grading Michelin Three Stars in the Champagne region.
Once we went back to the hotel and changed into suits, we turned into four
refined gentlemen and went to the restaurant.
At the restaurant, we were lead first to a saloon and had a glass of Champagne
as an aperitif while choosing our meals from a menu. (no English only in French)
After a while,we were invited to a dining room and found a Japanese couple
nearby having dinner in the same room. Around the time when we started our
main courses, we were very surprised at that Japanese couple. French roll with
his left-hand and a soup spoon with his right-hand, he suck up the soup very noisily.
At the same time, she had dipped a French roll into the soup and ate it whole.
Oh my God ! Here is a Three Star restaurant "Boyer Les Crayeres" !
and.. where are their manners !!
As Japanese ourselves, we were deeply ashamed for them.
"Fine manners need a full stomach" are words of the sages.
Frankly speaking, Japan has become a rich country now.
In the international society, Japan has a very high status even in
the field of political, economical, cultural and so on. Also it is
impossible to work right now without local or overseas interchange.
I think that good manners and etiquette is the minimum skill needed for
business execution. It is too late for most Japanese now to learn
proper manners.
Even personnel in respected, big Japanese companies, who have become
succesful executives and managers themselves, most of them know very
little table manners. Not only table manners, their manners are absolutely
deplorable.
Seemingly like interfering in other people's trifling affairs, it is very difficult
to teach manners to grown-ups and respectable members of society.
But without learning manners, they continue to be boorish, crude, unrefined
and sometimes vulgar forever.
Fortunately, we Japanese, have a wonderful and magnificent traditional culture
like the tea ceremony, the art of flower arrangement and so on.
We can feel elegance, refinement, dignity, and grace from a tea master.
Japanese people, specially the young, needs to learn more about proper manners.
Members of Yamashin Filter Group also needs to learn much more about manners.
I dare to give advices about good manners to Yamashin members not only for our
customers but also for their families.
I hope for your continuous patronage and support on the Yamashin Filter Group.
Thank you.
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