Japan: Prosperous Entertaining
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Prosperous Entertaining
Lunchtime is generally the usual 12-1. Restaurants can get pretty crowded, but it's not uncommon to find seats opening up already by 12:30 pm or so. Most business people are heading to places where they can eat fast, and not too expensively. So it might be a noodle shop, a Korean barbecue place, fast sushi or pork cutlets or a curry place. On the other hand, it won't be uncommon to see nice looking restaurants busy for lunch from 12-2 or longer. But the obvious thing you'll notice at these restaurants is that the clientele are not business people, but generally the wives of the businessmen! Also the food more often then not is non-Japanese, or at least having some foreign flair to it like a French-Japanese combo. But of course there is plenty of choice of McDonalds, KFC, Subway and more, and they are packed, but mostly with high school and college students, or young businessmen sitting by themselves.
Dinner tends to have two rounds, similar to the evening rush hour. Normal dinner time occurs around 5:30-8pm or so, with most restaurants busy then, while the businessman hangouts for the later dinners and drinks run more like 9-11pm. Of course many businessmen do also head out to eat during the earlier round, then head for drinks or possibly head home, especially the younger crowd these days.
The business entertaining has evolved over the past many years, and really has become more varied. Most people have heard of a geisha experience or perhaps Kobe beef (yes they feed beer to the animals and massage them as well - makes for good beef!). Sure these experiences do exist especially within reach of some of the most popular business districts of Tokyo such as Shinjuku, Akasaka, Ikebukuro, and Roppongi. At the same time these experiences will damage your wallet quite significantly! Also going out for Karaoke or heading to an izakaya for some drinking before heading out can happen at times.
But don't feel obligated and assume that this is going to happen all the time. Planning a nice dinner at a Japanese or Western restaurant with some drinks could do just fine. Everyone is different and as you get a feel for each other, you'll get a feel for what everyone likes to do best.
Beyond food, of course ,there is golf, but that won't happen from the start. You also don't know where to go so leave this to the Japanese host. As your negotiating of a deal progresses, a golf outing together, provided the Japanese counterparts do like to play, can go a long way in cementing the relationship still further.
When having dinner with your counterparts, it wouldn't hurt to be aware of a few customs at the table. Most likely you will be in a restaurant and they will give you chopsticks. If you can't use them, then simply ask for a fork. Almost any establishment will accommodate you today. If using your chopsticks, just remember one thing as you are eating your rice. Never stick your chopsticks upright in the rice - it's a sign of death! Just lay the chopsticks down if you are going to put them down.
As we get our drinks, consisting most often of beer in a bottle or sake in a bottle, we begin the ritual of pouring for each other. It is customary to pour each other drinks, so don't pour your own, but pour for your Japanese colleague. Same etiquette when refills come. Your Japanese counterpart likes to keep your glass full at all times. Thus, if you are reaching your limit, slow down the drinking so your glass doesn't get empty too quickly. That would be my suggestion!
According to tradition, alcohol does help create relationships. It also can create quite a round of sick Japanese businessmen if it goes too far! But it's definitely recommended to drink if you can. If you can't, just ask for your coke or juice or water and you'll be fine. I've done business in Japan over 15 years now and I don't drink or smoke.
On the first drinks, someone will perform a toast, or simply say 'cheers,' which would be 'kampai' in Japanese. Generally the most senior person on the hosting side would have the honors.
A pleasant reminder to everyone - there is no tipping in Japan!
