Apr 2007

During about 2-3 weeks there is the very famous cherry blossom in Japan. A blooming wave starting in the south and slowly heading north.

Flowers, flowers, flowers - Nara

Parks, alleyways river shores just about where ever you look the landscape is painted of pastel rose. I the morning I can see the people of all ages admiring the blossom. Families and Business people are having picnics under the "sakura" or "Japanese cherry tree" on blue plastic sheets during these days. I was told that the start of a calender year is on January first but in Japanese minds and hearts the start of a new year is in the spring. During the spring kids start school and nature is sprouting.

Bird on blooming plumb tree

Of course we had to see this famous blossom in some special place like Kyoto and Nara. I went to those places with my French and a Korean friends. Unfortunately the sky was not that blue. But I guess you might still get a good impression looking the pictures.

There are a couple more pictures if yo check my photographies...

I guess you all heard about name card exchanging in Japan being something very important. It is in fact something quite tricky and challenging, I can tell!

Ok, here's the situation: I had to go to this meeting in Tokyo with the president of the company and another coworker. (Don't ask me why I had to go with them since I would understand about 3.74% of the topic...) However the shinkansen was paid thus it was fun.
Nobody told me but as I enter the conference room there are as many as 13 high ranking guys attending the meeting. Then we start exchanging the name cards. 13 times introducing myself, bowing high and low like a cattail in the wind... I hardly understand their names, don't have a clue what their positions are and obviously for a non Asian guy like me they all look the same. When the name-card-harvesting is finished it is common to lay then out in front of you. Make sure to remember the order for the hierarchy.

Then you think "yepp" made it... but "nope":
One week later as I enter the office half awake in the morning about 8 guys from that company are starting a further meeting. Now here's the challenge: who did I already meet and who not yet...