How ‘Omotenashi’ Can Revolutionize the Way You Treat Others
Japan has so much to teach the world and Omotenashi is surely one of them.
A few days ago, I was listening to “Go and See” by Malcolm Gladwell in the middle of the night. If you don’t know, listening to Malcolm‘s podcasts has become my new obsession as I have fallen in love with his incredible storytelling.
Anyway, Go and See is an entire series dedicated to Japanese Lexus cars and how they are beyond what you think of them. Being invited by Toyota, Malcolm went to Japan and had an incredible experience that changed everything he thought about Lexus cars. So, in the very first episode of the podcast, Malcolm talks about ‘Omotenashi’ and how Lexus incorporated it in their cars.
Omotenashi is a very Japanese thing that is hard to explain but easy to experience. Later, after learning more about it, my mind was blown away. I was like — Oh my…! This is very powerful and can revolutionize the way we treat others.
I believe after finishing this article, you will feel the power of Omotenashi just like I did. And, of course, you will feel encouraged to incorporate this lovely Japanese tradition into your daily life.
Understanding ‘Omotenashi’
The world became aware of Omotenashi when the Tokyo 2020 BID Ambassador, Christel Takigawa, welcomed everyone in her speech by uttering this very word syllable by syllable.
But wait? What does Omotenashi mean in the first place?
Omote means public face (an image you wish to present to others), and nashi means nothing (no hiding, no pretending). Though there is no perfect translation for Omotenashi, it actually means “sincere hospitality.”
You can also call it “others awareness.” That means thinking from others’ perspectives and making them feel comfortable in every way possible.
Malcolm said that he forgot all his tiredness and jet lag as soon as he entered his hotel in Tokyo. He was completely overwhelmed by the Japanese hospitality.
It’s not some superficial things or services that people often do to attract their customers. It’s more than that and you can sense that — this Omotenashi comes directly from their hearts. It’s the way they treat outsiders. It’s in their blood.
How Japanese Got This ‘Omotenashi’
It is believed that this concept came from Sen no Rikyu, the great master of the Japanese tea ceremony. His unique way of entertaining his guests through chakai (Japanese tea ceremony) would give others “Ichigo ichie” or an experience of a lifetime.
“Though you wipe your hands and brush off the dust and dirt from the vessels, what is the use of all this fuss if the heart is still impure?” Sen no Rikyu said in one of his poems.
It’s about making every tiny detail right to greet and treat your guests in the perfect way possible, just like how the tea masters would select the right flowers, tea set, hanging scroll, and confections to match the season and the guests’ preferences.
Omotenashi is giving others a memorable experience by treating them with a pure heart.
How ‘Omotenashi’ Can Help You Improve Your Relationship with Others
Simon Cowell famously said, “My dad did teach me a very important lesson about people when he explained to me that everybody around you will have an invisible sign on their head, which says, “Make me feel important.””
Omotenashi is similar to that — making others feel welcome and important by thinking from their perspectives and realizing what you would’ve expected if you were them.
Omotenashi creates a bridge between you and others
When you greet and treat people with a friendly smile, listen to what they say, and do your best to make them feel important, it will definitely create a bridge between you and those people. They will be empowered by your presence and treat you the same way in return.
It builds trust between you and others
Practicing Omotenashi in your daily life skyrockets your trustworthiness. People open up to you more than ever, putting their trust in you. And it makes your life more meaningful, enjoyable, and you feel connected with others.
It dramatically improves your communication skills
Omotenashi can revolutionize the way you think about communication. It teaches you to put other people first, thinking from their perspectives; what things they need, how they want to be treated, what makes them feel good, and more. And for all of these, you must observe them, listen to what they say, and act accordingly.
Now, think about it — if you apply this to your personal and professional life, do you think there will be any chance of miscommunication? Certainly, not.
It makes you an empath
Embracing Omotenashi is putting others shoes to understand them well and then treating them with utmost sincerity and respect. It’s about making them believe that you care. And that’s why Omotenashi makes you an empath.
To Conclude
I hope you’ve understood that ‘Omotenashi’ is way different from our “serving the customers” mentality. It’s much more than a typical transactional relationship. And you can incorporate this into your daily life very easily.
Even the tiniest things like flushing the toilet correctly after using, greeting your Uber driver with a smile, a gentle eye contact with the barista, helping an elderly to cross a busy road, offering foods to your friends first in a restaurant, and so on — can make you a lovely person who has a sense of Omotenashi.
It’s simple — treat others in a way that you want to be treated.
Thank you for reading.
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