How Japanese Corporate Camaraderie Pushed Me Beyond My Self-Imposed Limits

Japanese business culture can inspire personal transformation

A scene from the 39th Annual Yokota Striders Frostbite Run, held on January 19, 2020 at Yokota Air Base, Japan (photo taken by the author).

Before 2013, I had never jogged more than five kilometers at a time. This wasn’t because I was out of shape or disliked physical activity. I’ve consistently lifted weights since I was in high school, and cycling has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember (not to mention hiking, swimming, and more).

Long distance running, however, had always eluded me. I was an asthmatic adolescent, and when I finally outgrew that, I learned I had flat feet, which caused shin splints and knee pain every time I tried to do more than a pre-gym warmup run. Eventually, I gave up on running, believing that it just wasn’t “my thing.” Moving to Japan in 2009 didn’t change that — until I started working in the head office of a large Japanese company a few years later.

In her book, The Culture Map, Erin Meyer is quick to point out that successful Japanese business relationships depend heavily on equally fruitful personal relationships. This concept usually manifests in the form of the evening nomikai (drinking party) that Japanese corporate life is famous for. However, the culture in the company I worked for was different. Besides the occasional night out for food and drinks…