For all of those who have sat through a female Japanese discussion group there is probably one Japanese word that will forever be etched into the recesses of your brain – ‘kawaii’. Simply translated ‘kawaii’ means ‘cute’ or ‘lovable’ and for all those budding linguists seeking to understand the roots of the word it is formed with the Chinese characters of ‘ka’ meaning ‘acceptable’ and ‘ai’ meaning ‘love’.

‘Kawaii’ plays a huge part within Japanese society and can be found almost everywhere in Japan within fashion, pop-culture, merchandise, and mascots for banks and for local governments.  Local councils even use cute road signs for road works! And for those who have noticed the high pitched voices and pigeon toed walking style amongst many Japanese females, well yes that is also considered ‘kawaii’. So what is it about Japan’s obsession with everything ‘kawaii’?

There are several theories which seek to explain the pervasion of cuteness within Japanese society. Some believe it is rooted in Japan’s harmony loving culture and their innate predisposition to avoid conflict. By appearing cute or having cute possessions, some maintain, is to appear non-assertive and willing to co-operate with others. Some other sociologists put the Japanese obsession with cuteness, especially amongst females, down to their desire to appear infantile which is connected to another Japanese socio-cultural concept known as ‘amae’ or an unconscious desire to be taken care of and be dependent on others - behaviours strongly rooted in the traditional rice cultivating communities from long ago and of course from the times of the warrior samurai where women were expected to be more submissive.

So what influence does the Japanese obsession with everything kawaii have within society as a whole? One good example is the strong desire of Japanese females to appear young and maintain their youthful look – much more so than females from Western countries. Whether it’s preventing wrinkles and sun spots with cosmetics, attaching a cute accessory to a mobile phone or luxury pen, or adopting a cute mannerism like puffing one’s cheeks in a moment of anger, appearing young and cute is high on the agenda. A recent study conducted amongst both foreigners and Japanese helps support this idea. 50 Japanese females and 50 Western females aged between 20 and 50 yrs old took a survey in downtown Tokyo asking  them how old they wished they looked. For those aged between 20 and 25 Japanese females generally wished they looked 3-5 years younger. In stark contrast western females aged between 20 and 25 on average wish they looked 2-3 years older. For women in their 40s, and 50s western females generally desired to look an average of 5 years younger. Japanese females, on the other hand, expressed a strong desire to appear at least 10 years younger and for some even 15 or 20 years younger.

The implications which stem from this obsession with cuteness for brands then, especially female targeted brands, are obvious. While there is a desire amongst Japanese females to convey status there is little desire to appear assertive and retaining their sense of femininity and youth is important. In the west, for example, many female luxury brands appeal to their female customer base by conveying an image of status, power, and individuality through their marcomms and product lines. In Japan, however,  it has been necessary for luxury brands to adapt and focus less on the image of power that luxury can sometimes convey and connect to females through more feminine accents within their marcomms and product lines. Two luxury brands which have been successful at this have been Louis Vuitton and Chanel which are constantly releasing cute designs of accessories and bags which appeal specifically to Japanese females. Some other luxury brands, however, resisted the trend to add cute designs and colors to their product lines, maintained their mature image, and consequently have struggled in the Japanese market.

Foreign jewellery brands  have had similar experiences. Why are local jewellery brands so dominant over their foreign rivals here? Because they understand the code of cuteness that permeates every part of Japanese society. Their product lines are feminine and cute and their jewellery has a refined elegance that fulfils the Japanese desire to appear cute and feminine. Many foreign brands, on the other hand, having seen success in other markets rely on product lines which convey a sense of power and  individuality – two brand attributes that do not work well here.

Banks and insurance companies, traditionally conveying very masculine images, have witnessed sharp increases in customer applications by the mere addition of cute mascots into their communication strategies. Barbie, Cabbage Patch Dolls, and Teletubbies – experienced huge success in many other markets – in Japan they struggled and in the case of Teletubbies failed completely after just 12 months. Why so? In the case of Cabbage Patch Dolls and Teletubbies they were considered ugly and grotesque and not nearly cute enough for the Japanese market. Barbie was considered too mature while its domestic rival Rika-chan, modelled after a pre-pubescent girl, was hugely successful.

So when you next hear the word ‘kawaii’ in a Japanese focus group explore the connotations of the term and implications for your brand a little further. In many western markets hearing the word ’cute’ used when discussing your brand may not be an entirely positive association, however, in Japan it can sometimes be a big part of a winning formula.

Winters in Japan can be bitterly cold and while there are fun times to be had skiing and snowboarding in the cold months, for me personally a day trip to a hotspring cannot be beaten. There are thousands of hotsprings (‘onsen’ in Japanese) scattered throughout Japan many of which have existed for centuries. They are enjoyed by both young and old for their relaxation and healing properties and with many onsens containing different combinations of minerals they are all said to have their own unique therapeutic benefits.  Due to their ubiquity and relatively low cost they are easily accessible to short-stay travellers – many located close to Tokyo.

While there are many onsens catering to modest tourists who prefer to keep their privates well and truly private, the majority of onsens require patrons to leave their sensibilities at the door and embrace the Japanese tradition of going nude. There are small towels which one can use as a modesty towel as you walk into the onsen, however, for water purity reasons no clothing or towels are allowed to enter the water. And while it may seem superfluous, it is customary that you shower before you enter the hotspring.

For travellers looking to experience a Japanese onsen while they are here, yet not keen to go the full monty, there are many resorts which allow swim wear to be worn. And many are located just one hour by train from Tokyo – easily accessible for day-trippers staying in Tokyo. For those adventure seekers looking for something truly unique check out a resort called Yunessan (http://www.yunessun.com/english/yunessun.html)  offering some interesting variations on the traditional Japanese onsen. It is one of the more reasonably priced onsens and bathers can enjoy thermal water mixed with Red Wine, Coffee, Green Tea, Chocolate, and Rose Petals all promising different health benefits – and of course they also have the traditional onsen versions for those looking for something a little more ‘natural’. 

So if you are conducting field work in Tokyo during the winter months and have a day in between groups then be sure to visit a Japanese onsen. It’s not only a trip that will warm you up, but it’s an experience that allows you to get closer to Japanese culture and Japanese nature in a way that not many others can.

Power saving has never been high on the agenda in Tokyo. The vast abundance of neo-signs and illuminations quite easily made Tokyo one of the brightest cities in the world - it was not only cool to wear sunglasses at night, but quite frankly it was absolutely necessary.  Since the March 2011 earthquake and subsequent power shortages, however, power saving has become a national obsession and both private citizens and businesses alike have all made major efforts to cut their overall power usage.

The streets of Tokyo at Christmas time are usually lined with the brightest of illuminations attracting people from all over Japan throughout the Christmas period. This year, however, local businesses and councils were faced with an interesting dilemma – how to light up the streets and attract the crowds, while at the same time fulfilling their power saving obligations. Many businesses simply turned to power saving LED lighting while some others got a little more creative. Some councils turned to bio-diesel made from used cooking oil collected from restaurants and private homes in their respective areas. Other businesses turned to solar energy generation installing solar panels on top of buildings to power their lighting.  

In summer time the hum of air-conditioners can be heard far and wide. So how did residents respond to the dilemma of dealing with the summer heat while cutting back on air-conditioner usage? Many local councils distributed fast growing vines which could be grown in front of sun exposed windows. These proved very popular and not only did they provide a cheap and long term solution to cooling in summer, but they also greened up 100s of thousands of homes throughout Japan. Many other residents simply put up blinds on sun exposed windows to keep out the heat, while many businesses in Japan encouraged workers to dress in light clothing with short sleeves, and ties were of course a no no.

Which makes one wonder just how easily our behaviour in regards to power savings can change and how simple solutions can often be the most effective when faced with the necessity to do so - a lesson every country and in fact every private citizen can learn from especially as the issue of climate change becomes ever more serious and governments fail to take action themselves.

Last year saw some monumental and fundamental changes in Japanese consumer behavior.  The March 11th tragedies shaped this to a large degree… but so did the excessively strong yen and the fact that Japan was late to embrace some larger global trends like Facebook and smartphones.  In the following post, we look at some major consumer trends for 2011 and see what’s in store for 2012.  One thing is for sure, Japan will try it’s hardest to keep us guessing throughout the year:

1. ’Jishuku’ or self-restraint
 
‘Jishuku’ is a firmly Japanese concept that resulted in ‘economic self-restraint’ after the March 11th earthquake & tsunami disasters.  The concept goes like this: The people of Tohoku suffered greatly and were unable to engage in daily activities like going out for a beer, to the movies, or simply to the convenience store for a can of Coke or a rice ball.  Through the national collective mentality, so should everyone else suffer.  All of a sudden, you had people in unaffected regions far, far away from the affected areas refusing to go out to local restaurants, cafes or even go out of the home for fear of wasting gasoline.  Local businesses and large corporations alike suffered greatly.
For 2012:  Expect this trend to be reversed as Japan as a whole gets on to the business of rebuilding.  The Japanese are some of the most avid and savvy shoppers on Earth and won’t stay away from the electronics stores and the fashion houses for much longer.  They will continue to obsess though, and will demand even better prices for the same quality.  Consumers here still have very deep pockets though, so even in tough times Japanese remain steady shoppers.  
 
2. The Maturation of Social Networking
 
It used to be that social networking in Japan was subject to the Galapagos Effect (the idea that Japan is such a strange and unique market where trends develop largely on their own without spreading and vice versa; global trends have less effect on the Japanese).  There was mixi, Japan’s version of Facebook except with one major difference; it is a closed and private network as opposed to the openness of Facebook’s.  But after the film ‘The Social Network’ became popular in Japan, Facebook has taken off.  Japanese has also become the second-most tweeted language globally; despite the fact that it is mostly spoken in Japan only.  Social gaming newtworks like Mobage and Gree became multibillion dollar profit centers in 2011.
For 2012:  Social networking will mature this year and Facebook should continue to see its membership numbers swell since Japanese users got in on the game much later than their global counterparts in both developed and developing countries.  This year will also be the year when the famed Japanese housewife makes her presence known in the online social world, and this is an area where brands really have an opportunity to get in touch with that key person who has their hands on the pursetrings.
 
3. Get ’natural’ with it.  

Social media has really made inroads in Japan especially over the last 12 months when social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and the home grown Mixi have all seen large growth in membership and usage. While Mixi has always been the front runner of social networking sites in Japan a recent Nielsen report found that Facebook is now pulling ahead for the very first time with around 11 million users. When the report came out, however, Mixi quickly issued a statement asserting their membership is actually double the 8.4 million users stated by Nielsen and the discrepancy came from the report’s failure to include mobile phone users within their findings. Around the same time, however, Mixi announced a partnership with Twitter which suggests it is somewhat concerned about the emergence of Facebook here.

The mobile phone is still a major access point to online content especially for younger users with many foregoing purchasing home PCs in preference for cheaper smartphones which now offer many of the same capabilities. However, limitations with the mobile phone became evident when the Tohoku earthquake hit in March 2011 and the mobile phone network went down. So where did people turn to connect with friends and family? They turned to social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Mixi which all experienced record use over this time. The video above gives a clear depiction of just how social media came into its own in 2011 with an illustration of Twitter usage in March.

While shaving one’s face has traditionally been a part of the male domain a recent trend in Japan has emerged for lady’s face shaving services and products. Many female targeted beauty salons across Japan now offer face shaving services not only to remove unsightly hair, but also to make the skin much clearer, radiant, and more supple.

The trend kicked off through a local Tokyo salon called Beauty Face some years ago and since its inception it has grown to over 60 stores across Japan. Not wanting to lose out to competition many more salons across the country have started to offer the face shaving service and momentum has started to build.

It is no wonder then that a new product has entered the market targeted at females who wish to shave their face in the comfort of their own homes. A beauty product manufacturer KAI has teamed up with the salon chain Beauty Face in offering these products. While the product’s main benefit is to remove unwanted hair they also claim the product can increase the skin’s moisture and natural oil levels.

The product was released in March this year so we will be watching this one closely to see if product space increases over time in-store.

Last summer, Suntory Highball cocktails were the talk of the town in Tokyo’s izakayas, bars and clubs.  Trendy youths and staid salarymen alike were bellying up to the bar to try the new drink fad; which is a mix of club soda and whiskey made popular in Japan by Suntory’s Kaku brand.  But as trends in Japan go, last year’s ‘hottest’ cold beverage is this year’s convenience store staple.  Other brands have gotten in on the game with their own ‘highballs in a can’.  Count among those Jack Daniels, Four Roses and I.W. Harper and you have some pretty stiff competition between American whiskey brands and Suntory, the domestic favorite.  But Suntory was quick on the draw and so remains the champ for now… even having created its first Highball Bar called ‘Suntory Highball Bar – Shinbashi 1923′.  The shot bar is a throwback to 1920’s era watering holes and is located near Tokyo’s trendy Ginza and the oh-so-fun eating stalls under the train tracks in Yurakucho.  Next time you are in Tokyo you can grab a highball out on the town or pop into the combini for a can.  So be like Bill Murray and for relaxing times make it Suntory time, or JD-time, or Four Roses time, or Harper time.  You pick.

In a previous article we wrote about the growing popularity of Collagen within health and beauty products and also within food and beverages. Its benefits include maintaining healthy and supple looking skin, reducing pain in joints, and generally making one look younger. It seems the trend has continued to grow and one recent company has really pushed the use of collagen to the limits – collagen with beer! The concept was created when an employee mixed collagen with a carbonated drink producing a fanatastic froth of bubbles which then quickly progressed to the idea of mixing collagen with beer. The collagen has no smell or noticeable taste, yet produces a creamy froth of delicate bubbles - creating a product which girls can enjoy on a girl’s night out or by themselves in the comfort of their own homes according to the manufacturer. So you can not only enhance the taste of beer, but beer can now also be thought of as an alcoholic beverage which makes you look younger! Who would have thought ….

It seems that disasters really do bring people together. While many industries in Japan experienced a sudden drop in sales after the March earthquake as consumers tightened their purse strings, sales of engagement rings jumped 40% in the month of April. The earthquake and tsunami reaped vast amounts of devastation across Northeast Japan killing thousands, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless, and leaving an entire nation in shock and sadness. However, like many disasters do it made everyone reflect upon what is really important in their lives evident in the sudden rise in marriage proposals and also brought communities and the nation as a whole together in many different ways. Here are just a few examples that struck me as a sure sign the sense of community here is stronger than ever:

- Companies far and wide are offering paid days off to their employees for them to volunteer in the disaster-stricken zone arranging transport and setting up temporary accommodation for their stay.

- Drop off zones have been organised within community wards across Japan where residents can donate much needed supplies from water, to blankets and pillows, and even alcohol for weekly delivery runs up north.

- Many hotels have opened up their doors in Tokyo to residents who have lost their homes or been forced out of their homes from the north.

- Local department stores, retail and clothing stores, restaurants and shopping districts have banded together with community campaigns to promote local business. Special sales, restaurant specials,    live shows and club events are helping communities come together and serving to aid local businesses in hard times.

The disaster has also exhibited the world’s deep solidarity with Japan with not only financial assistance flooding in from foreign governments far and wide, but vast amounts of privately raised donations never seen before. Private donations from the international community have far exceeded those of any other international disaster with private citizens from the US, Taiwan, UK, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and many European nations providing 100s of millions of dollars in aid for those directly affected and touching the hearts of every Japanese citizen from Hokkaido to Kyushu. While the events of March 11 will never be forgotten, nor will the solidarity shown within local communities and support shown from across the world in the months following.

Sumowrestlers serve food to tsunami evacuees