What a person says and actually thinks (本音と建前)

Authors:  Group 4   Chiemi, Yuki, Asami 

                                                        Division:  Nagano Nishi High School

Instructor: Miyao, Hisae
hisae@nagano-c.ed.jp

Introduction
   We have studied ‘Intercultural Communication’ in our class and difference between Japan and foreign counties. Then, we wanted to know not only written in the text book but also thought and culture of people in the country. Today, a lot of western culture; for example, foods, fashion, etc, are spread throughout Japan. Few Japanese wear kimono, traditional Japanese clothes, and most of youth in Japan wear jeans and T-shirts like Americans. Thus, you might think Japanese culture is disappearing recently. However, the essence of it, such as hospitality, behavior and way of thinking, doesn’t extinct. ‘Honne-to-Tatemae’ is one of them. "Honne" is what a person says to others very frankly and it is the real intention of him or her.  On the other hand, "Tatemae" is what a person says with care and ambiguously not to hurt other person, because Japanese people usually value feeling of other people. People in Japan are likely to use ‘Tatemae’ when they talk with their senior. While when they talk with family or friends, they talk by ‘Honne’. This unique culture isn't often understood by other people which have different cultures.
  However, we think Japanese society tend to think that decency is very important in public place and human relationship. Therefore ‘Honne-to-Tatemae’ remains even today. Then, we had a question, ‘Is Korean cultures same as Japan’s?’
Thus we tried to send e-mail to the Korean high school students to find the answer to this question.     (Yuki & Asami)

Results of the Survey
   In Japan, we often talk with other people by ‘tatemae’ in public situation, while we talk by ‘honne’ in private situation.
However, even in private, when we take conversations with our senior or superior , we have to use ‘tatemae’ to show our own loyalty and respect felling, because the relation between superiors and subordinates is so important in Japan. Not using ‘tatemae’ in this case, the subordinate is regarded as a rude person.  For example, a girl is asked by her senior, who changed her hair style suddenly, “How do you feel about my new hair?” Although the girl doesn’t think it isn’t good, she says “Very nice!” in order not to make her senior angry. It is a kind of Japanese traditional manner.
If the girl says her feeling frankly, “I don’t like your hair style”, the senior might get angry. Therefore, in this situation, using ‘tatemae’ is the best way for the girl. That is to say, ‘tatemae’ exists to avoid confrontation.
   In Japanese society, ‘honne-to-tatemae’ is thought as sympathy for other person.
In Korean, in other hand, this idea is difficult to be understood. However, it seems that there is the notion of ‘honne-to-tatemae’, which called ‘sonnmaumu and kochiire’, in Korea, though not as a culture.
In Japanese school, we learned to move as a member of groups, but in Korean school, individual is the main idea, so they don’t sacrifice for others.
In office, there is the same situation as this, but sometimes they try to take harmony with others to survive, because if the company perishes, they will lose their job.
(Yuki & Asami)

Conclusion
It was “Dutch account” that surprised me at between Korean culture and Japanese one, in this search.
In Japan, for example, when I have lunch with our friends, there is “Dutch account”. Especially it is important for students because they have no money, but in Korea, there is not “Dutch account”, if you and I am student. It was so surprised me.
In Japan when we get along with others, we try to made situation that we have not lending and borrowing each other, so don’t thank when you something for me, it is discourtesy.
On the other hand, in Korea, it becomes the reverse meaning. That is to say that lending and borrowing each others is thought that you don’t want to get along with them.
Thus Japan and Korea where are like histories and cultures, but actually they are different.
I understood that I must not think other culture in the same standard, if their culture is similar.   (Asami)


  What do you say when your superior ask you “how do you think about my new hair style?” If you are Japanese, you will reply “Oh, you look very nice!” even if you don’t think so. You will talk by ‘Tatemae’. But if you are Korean, you will say your real feeling. This difference between Japanese attitude and Korean’s come from their culture.
Japanese people seldom say their real feeling to others expects their friend or their family, because Japanese people treasure human relations. They always look into others face.　On the other hands, Koran people say their opinion clearly because they treasure individuality.
   Japanese people don’t talk with others by ‘Honne’. As Japanese people talk with their family and their friends by ‘Honne’. Korean people may think that Japanese people have two-faced. I think talking by ‘Tatemae’ prevent some troubles with others, because it waters down one’s language. ‘Tatemae’ is important for human relation, but I think it is some time important to disputes by ‘Honne’.
Japanese people should be more honest and Korean people should have consideration to others a little more.   (Chiemi)

  According to the result, Koreans seem to be self-centered more than Japanese.
In Japan, hone-to-tatemae is taken for granted as one of the cultures and it plays important roles; not to hurt others, treasure a mood, or to show a respect for their senior, for instance.
  On the other hand, in Korea, though the idea; honne-to-tatemae exists, it doesn’t work for others. For example, if a company lost its teamwork and broke, employees couldn’t earn money. It would be very serious problem for them. Therefore, hone-to-tatemae works only for oneself in Korea.
  Now, you might think, ‘How ugly Korean people are!’ However, is it right? Certainly, when you compare Japanese culture and that of Korea, you may be able to　say so. But we Japanese people have lived with our culture, and it is taken for granted; Korean people don’t do so on purpose.
  In our place, Japanese people are likely to be seen as a shyly mass by other countries. However, we don’t behave timidly intentionally at all.
I think culture is the thing that reflects personality of people, and it’s impossible to understand completely whether native or not, because no one decided what their culture is.
  What is vital is, we must accept positively other culture and people, not accept negatively. This attitude must be an access to understand our own country.  (Yuki)