When I traveled to Italy 20 years ago and was hopping city by city, my Italian friend asked me why I don’t take one month vacation to stay longer and travel over decent time frame. I answered her that in Japan people can take maximum one week summer holiday, given the travel time by plane, I could stay there maximum for five nights.
I would like to share with you why Japanese are allowed to take such short holidays, my prospects on new normal about Japanese holiday style after Corona, and the business opportunity for Western service provider to tap Japan market.
The reasons are as follows:
- DNA as farmers
- Team spirits
- Cost
- DNA as farmers
Basically, Japanese people are called as farmers. Since B.C 10C, we have been doing rice cultivation and our Japanese culture, society, and community have been developed over faming. Farming, you know, requires a lot of human labors, almost no spare time. Therefore, I feel in Japanese DNA, this diligence necessary for farming and cultivation has been embedded over the long term. Even under the modern society, people may feel guilty when they have “vacant” time and we are spontaneously driven to the work to which we can devote all of our resources.
- Team spirits
Team means two senses: internally and externally. Many Japanese may think: we should not take such long holidays simply because our clients would not allow us to do. To satisfy our clients, we must support them all over the year, 24 hours. Sounds like Seven Eleven. Panasonic, Honda, Kyocera, Sony, etc, they are Japanese companies which contributed and developed “made in Japan” brands establishment. They had worked very hard to satisfy their clients. Staffs had encouraged each other and delivered their best outcomes in tight time frames. This attitude eventually allowed them to win the race under the global field. Once they had achieved to such height, they would be comfortable with maintaining same work-life style.
- Cost
Assuming one family consisted of father, mother, two elementary school children, and assuming one-week holidays staying in a resort in Japan, how much the budget would be? Roughly, it may cost 5000 to 10,000 USD. Thus for one month, how much should they spend ? Only one week holidays looks significant burden, so fathers would not want to have much longer holidays than one week.
Above are three principle reasons why Japanese are allowed to take only one week holidays. Furthermore, I would like to analyze Japanese vacation style After Corona New Normal.
Now companies have been taking telework and workers have preferred living in local and better environments. However, the problem is that Japanese need to learn how to spend holidays. In Western society, people put high importance on holidays, for the work efficiency, close communication with family, fulfill yourself, and personal networking etc. Probably it would be good services/ products that educate Japanese people how to enjoy their resort time.
We are helping to set up Virtual Italian tour: Viva! Italia ! On-Line and arrange the tour on “Italian Vacation” shot on July 5th 16:00.
If you are interested in the contents, please let me know.
Yuko Tomizuka
ytomizuka@abrilsjp.com
- Tags
- blue ocean, educate, holiday, Japan, vacation
