An Odd Meditation on the Japanese Attention to Detail

If one has ever planned a picnic, been forced to complete government paper work, or for that matter – tried to do just about anything in Japan – it’s easy to see that, things are done, well, a bit differently here. In particular, the attention to detail can often be considered, let’s say, crippling in its magnitude, but of course this is compared to my American obsession with finding the quickest way from point A to point B, and not really giving a shit how I get there, just as long as I do, with little details taking a back seat to the "big picture." To complete something in the Japanese way can often stretch into infinity in terms of preparation and completion. Apparently, the Japanese have a bit more time on their hands, from their point of view to get things done exactly, and I do mean exactly, correct – that is, in a Japanese definition of correct.

In America, we have a word for this hyper-attention to detail. We call it: obsessive-compulsive disorder. To give you a brief example, I’ve seen people stressed out over the relative color of post-it-notes for hours on end, leaving them in a fit of anxiety feared by any modern cardiologist. This is apparently not considered irrational behavior in Japan, or maybe I just work with a bunch of psychopaths, and don’t know it.

Now, I must stress that I am by no means implying that attention to detail is not a good thing when doing something, like, well, building an airplane, a bridge, or any other structure that my fragile life will be dependent upon, but when bagging groceries? Hmmm? In Japan’s defense, this cultural trait pushes them to create really wonderful electronic gadgets, carpentry, artwork, gardens, very nice looking fruits and vegetables, and did I mention the 4-cylinder engines? But, it can be argued, from a westerner’s point of view, that it often causes them to uselessly spin their wheels to no end over minor points while the post-it-note color has yet to be decided.

This leads us to the way. There’s a way to do everything in Japan I have found - even a way for pulling into a gas station properly. Defy the way, and panic ensues. I have had many Japanese people confess to me that this is one of the sources of foreigner anxiety disorder. Tension develops to various degrees when encountering a foreigner because the typical Japanese person will just assume, not only will this person have no idea how to correctly “do” something, but will probably just fuck everything up in the process. After two years of living here, I have just given up getting involved in anything, even as menial as sweeping a floor, for fear I may break routine, cause severe stress, and eventually induce fainting. Therefore, even if we consider something to be pointless and trivial, if it is part of the way, it will be done, and it will be done properly.

So sit back, watch, and just stay the hell out of the way until called upon, is my philosophy for the newcomer to Japan. Or, screw it, because they’re the ones that thought hiring a bunch of crazy foreigners to come to Japan and teach English was a good idea in the first place, weren’t they? Cultural exchange is a two way street, so introducing them to a little “foreign style”, while at the same time acknowledging that we are in their neighborhood, can be a good thing. Just make sure your heart is in the right place, or, well, remember the fainting thing?