Osaka Osekkai Lab promotes hospitality toward foreign visitors

Terumasa Yamada has always felt that his fellow Osaka residents are friendly, amiable and willing to offer a helping hand before they are asked. However, this spirit of osekkai (お節介, "officiousness") has not necessarily been extended to foreign visitors. Osaka Osekkai Lab is a group of volunteers that aims to change precisely that: Yamada said many of his acquaintances who operate shops and businesses could not work up the courage to talk to non-Japanese people because they can't speak English. This trend was why Yamada and other volunteers established Osaka Osekkai Lab in 2015. Its main activity is to increase the number of Osakans who can talk to and help foreign travellers in need.

Osaka Osekkai Lab has hosted various events where participants can learn simple English phrases in a fun way and feel confident in speaking the language. It also organizes workshops for participants to improve their osekkai skills. In one workshop, Osakans can learn how to casually communicate with foreigners with just three English phrases. Another workshop offers tips on how to approach foreign visitors in need of assistance at train stations and other places. One particularly popular method for learning the language and osekkai is playing "Okini! Osaka Osekkai Game." The "sugoroku" board game is themed on railway lines running in the Kansai region, with each station represented by squares. Players roll a die to move from station to station to reach the goal of Namba Station. They are required to speak English to introduce must-see spots in the region or explain how to transfer from one line to another when they stop at each station.

Click to expand...

In Japan, お節介 is not generally considered a positive trait. While it is common and polite in other cultures to show initiative and concern for those around you, this is not necessarily true in Japan. Helpfulness and interest in others will sometimes be interpreted as interference and nuisance. Or perhaps, it's just a handy excuse not to lend a helping hand.

Link:

thomas said:

In Japan, お節介 is not generally considered a positive trait. While it is common and polite in other cultures to show initiative and concern for those around you, this is not necessarily true in Japan. Helpfulness and interest in others will sometimes be interpreted as interference and nuisance. Or perhaps, it's just a handy excuse not to lend a helping hand.

Click to expand...

I just saw a segment on tv recently regarding 無人 (no staff) shops in Japan including clothing boutiques. There is a kiosk where a shopper can ask questions via a video link but otherwise there are no staff interactions. The people shopping there said they liked it because when shopping at other stores they feel pressure from the clerks and don't like to be approached by staff.

mdchachi said:

I just saw a segment on tv recently regarding 無人 (no staff) shops in Japan including clothing boutiques. There is a kiosk where a shopper can ask questions via a video link but otherwise there are no staff interactions. The people shopping there said they liked it because when shopping at other stores they feel pressure from the clerks and don't like to be approached by staff.

Click to expand...

I feel like we have had those for years. Never a staff member around when you need them.....

I was a bit surprised that the Diaso I went to in Nara city only had self checkouts. It was a bit annoying as they are everywhere here and I hate them.