What is omotenashi, the Japanese art of hospitality?

In some cultures, being well at home is all about making sure that others feel well when visiting, by welcoming them in the right way. In Japan, for example, hospitality is like an art form, and even has a name: omotenashi. You can’t really translate the concept into English; the meaning of the term goes a lot deeper than “hospitality”. It also has connotations of mindfulness.

In Japanese culture, knowing how to welcome others and being totally focused on your guest go hand in hand. So you could say omotenashi is the ability to anticipate a guest’s needs before they can even think of them themselves. Hence the idea of being fully available for your guest, right from the moment they arrive. The most obvious example in Japanese culture is serving tea.

Where does omotenashi come from? So you’re saying it’s not limited to the home environment, are you? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance.

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