Anyone know Japanese customs? Please Help!?

Question

WE ARE HAVING OUR JAPANESE FRIEND OVER TO OUR HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE WANT TO MAKE HIM FEEL COMFORTABLE IN OUR HOME,DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS TO WHAT WE COULD DO?WE ARE NOT SURE IF HE HAS EVER BEEN IN AN AMERICAN HOME BEFORE.PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

YES, MRS. B.. GIVE HIM A HUG AND KISS FROM ME..LOL

Answer 2

hi i'm japanese but lived in US for 3 and a half years.
as Java Jive mentioned, he needs to adjust himself to
american way of doing things.
of course you can greet him in japanese when he arrives, such as
"ohayo" (good morning)
"kon ni chiwa" (good afternoon)
"kon ban wa"(good evening)
but if you are worried too much and can't be relaxed he will feel that and can't be relaxed either!
first you need to enjoy being with him.
and if you find something different in what we do you can explain or ask him to explain to you.

Answer 3

Good question.
It's customary to take one's shoes off before entering a house in Japan, so don't be surprised if he or she does.
Japanese always say "itadakimasu" before eating. It's the equivalent of saying grace. It literally means "I will receive this." So don't be surprised if your friend looks like he or she is looking for something to say before eating. Just let them know that in the states people don't necessarily say anything.
Also, afterwards Japanese don't say "thank you" if someone cooked a meal for them. They say "gochisosama deshita." which is pretty hard to translate into English, but basically means "You went to the trouble of doing something for me." So again, just let your friend know that saying "thank you" will be enough.
I think a BIG, very important aspect of culture difference comes into conversation. I read an article that summed it up pretty well. Japanese conversations are like golf, American conversations are like tennis. Whereas tennis is active, and one player smashes the ball to the other, and they do this back and forth, in Japanese conversation, people sit and wait for their turn to speak. Japanese will not push their way into a conversation, or fight. If you interrupt them, they will listen patiently and attentively until you are completely finished and then begin to speak. They'll let you trample all over them. So bear that in mind, and allow your friend time to finish what he or she has to say before butting in. Japanese people are excellent listeners, and it may be a chance for you to build some listening skills yourself.
Also, Japanese will often say "uh huh" or make sounds that SOUND like they are AGREEING with what you are saying. In truth, these sounds simply mean that they are listening to you, not necessarily that they are agreeing with what you are saying. Western businessmen frequently complain about this misleading custom. In the US, when we nod our head and say "mm hmm", it means "Yes, I like what you're saying." In Japan, it means "I'm listening and thinking about what you're saying."
Japanese culture tends to be very rigidly structured. There is a proper way to do everything, and in order to maintain society harmony, one must follow this structure. Some linguists did a survey, asking 100 English speakers and 100 Japanese speakers what they would say to someone who a) saved them from drowning and b) gave them a present. The English speakers' answers were quite varied, whereas the Japanese speakers were 95% THE SAME. Exactly the same. This is to say, Japanese people don't deal with spontaneity too well, or sudden surprises. Don't be surprised if you invite your friend out and she or he has a million inane questions (what time are we going? What time are we coming back? How many people will be there? What exactly will we do there?). If you have any pets, don't just spring them on your guest, she or he will get confused. But don't worry about being too rigid yourself. In my experience, a lot of Japanese like Western culture because of its ability to let go of structure. For some Japanese people, it's a chance to break free and go a little crazy. It just helps to be aware.
Oh, and as a general rule, Japanese people loooove alcohol, so feel free to let the booze flow.
There are very few conversation topics that are taboo in Japan, so don't worry about that. In fact, I think Americans are more uptight about that kind of stuff.

Answer 4

he needs to adapt to living in America. so teach him that we shake hands instead of bow. but try google

Answer 5

For one, you can greet him by saying, "Ohayo!" {Good morning}

That'd be a nice start...