This entry is a follow up to the two previous posts on Honne and Tatemae. I recommend reading those, before proceeding to this post.
https://psndoadan.wixsite.com/website/home/honne-vs-tatemae
https://psndoadan.wixsite.com/website/home/is-tatemae-lying-research-comment
Hostels can be pretty social environments. One night, while I was at the library-lobby in Osaka working on this blog, a guest who was sitting beside me began conversation. He is borned and raised in Japan, and spent the last 6 years of his life living in Tokyo. Recently his blogging business gained enough autonomy for him to quit his job in Tokyo and travel throughout Japan while working full time on his online business. We spoke a lot about entrepreneurship and influencer marketing. He shared with me that he has plans to create a Youtube channel to speak about Japanese culture to a western audience. I told him about the field trip and the classes I was taking, along with the blog post I was currently writing about honne and tatemae. I asked him if I could get his perspective on the topic, and he cheerfully agreed.
I sent him my questions online, and a couple of days later he responded.
1. How do you define honne and tatemae?
Honne is personal thoughts and emotions.
Tatemae is the way of adjusting to keep harmony with others.Â
2. Do you still feel like yourself when using tatemae?Â
Yes I feel.
It is not a black and white.Â
Even In tatemae, we can have our honne. It is a balance. I can be black, white and gray. The way of having tatemae depends on people too.Â
3. Do you think that people from other countries also use tatemae?
I think So.
You try to be nice, right?Â
Even if you don't like something, if the person likes it, I guess you won't say "oh I don't like it" or so. Â
4. How often do you use it?Â
Daily basis
5. Is it clear to you when you are using your honne self and your tatemae self?
As mentioned above, it is not clear.
His website is a platform that connects bloggers in Japan. If anyone reading this post is interested, I will attach the link below:
16/ June/ 2019
Tokyo, Japan