“True hospitality consists of
giving the best of yourself
to your guests.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

A little more than seven years ago, I came across an interesting article online. The title was “11 Beautiful Japanese Words That Don’t Exist in English.” It was the subtitle that caught my eye — “Untranslatable words from Japan, the polite and nature-loving country.” I was intrigued by what I read.

The polite and nature-loving country. Those words accurately describe my experience of Japan and Japanese people since my first visit there in 1998. Japanese people are the epitome of politeness. From respectful bowing to the tradition of gift-giving, the people of Japan have made a name for themselves as gentle, humble, peace-loving, courteous, and hospitable people. When I travel to Japan, the experience begins at the departure gate at San Francisco International Airport, where the All Nippon Airlines (ANA) staff enthusiastically welcome passengers for boarding. That same level of courtesy and graciousness can be observed throughout the flight across the Pacific and upon arrival at Narita Airport in Tokyo. In fact, it can be seen just about everywhere in Japan.

The Japanese have a word for this art of selfless hospitality — Omotenashi. It is considered to be a cornerstone of Japanese culture. Whether they are welcoming someone into their home, school, workplace, or business establishment, Japanese people see it as a privilege to be able to anticipate their guest’s every need. 

It’s amazing that Japan could develop such a well-deserved and much-admired reputation a mere seventy-plus years after the conclusion of World War II. I wasn’t alive in 1945, but I know that Americans’ perceptions of Japan were notably different at that time in history. I am curious to know how a country, any country, could change public perception in such a brief time span.

In the business world, it’s called “re-branding” — taking steps to change the public’s perception of a product or organization. Schools use this strategy, as well. It takes time. It takes buy-in from all stakeholders. And, when done well, it can be incredibly effective. Unfortunately, some efforts at “re-branding” are nothing more than putting a fresh coat of paint over a tainted product, which is why the strategy does not always achieve its intended outcome. Re-branding has to be done well. In Japan, they accomplished this. It has been done well.

It’s been said that “All saints have a past, and all sinners have a future.” The people of Japan do not disown their past. They have, however, chosen a very different future for themselves, and it seems to be serving them well. Perhaps the time has come for the United States to consider a re-branding process — one characterized by honesty, integrity, and a firm desire to reclaim the values on which our country was founded. 

It would be nice if, some day, I could come across an article about the United States which referred to our country as “the polite and nature-loving country.”

Tomorrow, I’ll write about another of my favorite words in the Japanese language.