Read the Air (Kuuki Wo Yomu)
Japan is a country that often uses indirect words. Therefore, Japanese people do not use straightforward words when talking to acquaintances and neighbors in the apartment so as not to cause trouble or disturbance. When a foreigner lives in Japan, he/she needs to understand how to read the air(Kuuki wo yomu) . Kuuki wo yomu is an important social technique in Japanese workplace and in society.
The meaning of Kuuki wo yomu is “understanding the situation.”
For example, Ms. Anna, a foreigner, tried to invite her colleague Mr. Yamada to karaoke, but Mr. Yamada said, “I would like to, but I have another business to do later “. But Ms. Anna said, “What? It wouldn’t be fun without Mr. Yamada, so let’s go!” After all, Mr. Yamada was forced to go to karaoke.
If you cannot do kuuki wo yomu, life in Japan, especially work, may be a little difficult, but once you get to meet a lot of people, you will become used to this custom.
