Breaking norms in Japan: startups, service, and fashion
After a couple months in this extravagant country and being able to take in this surreal fantasy, I have been able to perceive my experience here in a different lens. I came to Japan with high expectations. I heard about its promises of tech modernization, leading trends in fashion, and the exceptional standards in the working culture and service industry. Japan ranks second in patent applications globally, often develops fashion trends months ahead of the world, but almost a quarter of Japanese companies have employees work 80 hours or more overtime a month. How true were these claims? I investigated.
Note: these thoughts were collected halfway through my summer in Japan
The rise of Startups in Tokyo
Amongst the existing technology corporations following outdated rigid business structures, are such young startups experimenting with cutting edge technology. What a lean startup approach allows these companies to do is capitalize on the modernization of Japan and its resources, while rapidly generating efficient and iterative solutions to new ideas. While the company roams in the self-driving car space, Japan is noticing large investments in robotics, internet of things, and networking industries as well. In fact, privately owned Japanese start-ups are currently experiencing a boom in venture capital with a record of ¥271.7bn ($2.5bn) in 2017 (Japan Venture Research survey). This hub of startups may change the shape of Japan and the possibly inferior working culture currently present. They may be necessary to grow technologically and to the goal of competing with the rising startups in China, Singapore and the rest of Asia.
Realities of the Service Industry
One of the most compelling reasons you should visit Japan is for the high standard of service in Japan — you will feel welcome the moment you step into the country. From restaurants greeting you in and out of the room to your items being cared with utmost respect, all with no tipping, it really makes it hard to miss the lackluster service on a morning Timmy’s run. I grew a love for Japan’s kindness when I was chased two blocks out of a café for forgetting part of my order. I learned that this high regard for service stems from the culture of respect that is so prominent among the people. When speaking to some locals working in service jobs, though, I also came to the realization that for many of the youth entering these jobs, they are pressured to serve above and beyond due to the expectations people have of them as well as demands from their employers. These high-pressure situations and expectations are possibly deteriorating; leading to mental health issues that one could not guess from seeing the smiles on their faces as they take your order.
Japanese Self-expression through Fashion
When it comes to fashion, Japan features some of the most unique fashion trends in the world and luckily for me, I lived 10 minutes away from the fashion capital of Tokyo, Harajuku. Aside from some of the most coveted designer brands including Supreme (Japan houses 6 supreme stores), A Bathing Ape, Stussy, NEIGHBORHOOD, and Adidas Y-3, Harajuku also treasures many local designers influencing the fashion culture of the world. It was very rewarding to enter these stores and speak with the designers to learn more about the origins of Japanese fashion trends. While my primary interest was in streetwear, I noticed a spectrum of styles, from colorful and kawaii clothing to dark and gothic. In fact, Yami-Kawaii is the name of a Harajuku subculture that describes a “sick-cute” genre, a submergence of the two. These designs feature dark messages converted into cute styles, as a potential form of mental health release. True fashion expression, however, is only seen through the local people. The people create and spread ideas, and this was evident throughout taking the subway or visiting the beach: youth were dressed in all colors and strange but seamless looks. While the older population were conforming, I looked toward youth to lead the way in breaking the norms of Japan.
It is this variety of themes and breadth in unique ideas that makes Japan such an interesting place. Being abroad has heavily enhanced my everyday life, from going to work to my interactions with locals. While these idiosyncrasies have hit me by storm, I am beginning to call this place home.
