Japanese work culture is a world wonder mainly when you live outside the country. Well, we are here to spill the tea on this topic in both our previous careers and as UX Designers! We share our experience of how we dealt with Japan’s work culture as foreigners while working in both Japanese and international companies.

This was a fun topic as we identified the common stereotypes our listeners would typically read about in media and we also compare Japan’s work culture with our home country, Canada, and the Philippines. So do we recommend working in Japan as a UX Designer? The only way to find out is to tune in and listen to this episode!

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Appendix

We understand our listeners aren’t living in Japan and to help understand our content, we are creating a dictionary based on the content we discuss for each episode.

Senpai- A term used to say to someone that’s your mentor, or a colleague that’s been in the company or school longer than you.

Hanami- An event to view the cherry blossoms at full bloom by drinking or having a picnic under these trees.

Dispatch company - A company that hires dispatchers (employees) and sends them to work for a company that is in need of more workers. The dispatcher will be paid and sign a contract with the dispatch company.

Hanko - A stamp that is used as your signature to “sign” official documents such as bank accounts, immigration papers, etc. Sometimes, a hanko is needed in some institutions due to traditions or cultural reasons.

Suica card - a fare card that’s used for train lines in Japan. It’s a common fare card for those living in Tokyo and surrounding areas.

Keigo- The Japanese language that is the speech to show respect. It’s common to speak this speech in business and work situations where you talk with higher-ups, seniors, or even customers.