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The Need for Introducing Japanese Manners to Caregiver Candidates for the
Elderly in Japan

Conference Paper · September 2018

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 International Conference on Japanese Language Education, 8-9 September 2018

Literature and Culture

The Need for Introducing Japanese Manners

to Caregiver Candidates for the Elderly in Japan

Fajria Noviana (Universitas Diponegoro)

fajrianoviana0701@gmail.com

Abstract
This research is a qualitative research which used 40 final level students of Nursing Study Program and Nurse
Profession of STIKES Cendekia Utama Kudus as research subject. The purpose of this research is to determine
the readiness of caregiver candidates in matters relating to Japanese manners, through the introduction of etiquettes
that apply in everyday life in Japan. This introduction of etiquettes is held as an effort to make interaction easier
and to make social relationships smoother for caregivers for the elderly, who will work in homes and nursing
homes in Japan. As the result, it is known that the caregiver candidates for the elderly in Japan from STIKES
Cendekia Utama Kudus as research subjects must be taught enough with knowledge about basic manners
prevailing in everyday life in Japan, so that when they came to work in Japan, they will not meet troubles in
interaction nor social relationships. In addition, the Indonesia's 5S culture (Senyum, Sapa, Salam, Sopan, Santun)
can also be practiced in Japan, because it demonstrates thoughtfulness to make others feel comfortable.

Keywords: Caregiver; Japan; Japanese manners; Social relationship

social relationships. For this reason, it is

1. Introduction
considered very necessary for Indonesians who
As fellow nations located in the Asian
work in Japan to be introduced and practiced
continent, Indonesia and Japan are nations that
about Japanese manners, considering that
uphold etiquette in daily life. Even some manners
Japanese manners must have similarities and
which applies in Indonesia and Japan have
differences with Indonesian. Meanwhile,
similarities.
especially for Indonesian caregiver candidates for
As a nation that still adheres to manners in
the elderly who will serve in Japan, the
their daily lives, Japanese people, especially
smoothness of social relationships is not only
those who are adults to the elderly, will be very
needed in the work environment, but also within
happy if people who interact with them
the family and community, considering that later
understand and practice such manners, especially
they will have to serve and build social
if the person is not Japanese. Mastering general
relationship with the elderly Japanese citizens
manners that apply in daily life plays an
who are in their own homes or in nursing homes.
important role in smoothen social relationships
Therefore, it is necessary to have knowledge
between individuals in Japan, and that include
about general manners that apply in everyday life
social relations in the family, the community, and
in Japan, as an effort to facilitate interaction and
the work environment.
social relationships for caregivers for the elderly
People who live in Japan, whether they are
who will be placed in homes and nursing homes
Japanese citizens or not, need to have smooth
in Japan.
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©International Conference on Japanese Language Education, Literature and Culture 2018
The Need for Introducing Japanese Manners to Caregiver Candidates for the Elderly in Japan
Research Objective
The purpose of this research is to determine
the readiness of caregiver candidates in matters
relating to Japanese manners, through the
introduction of etiquettes that apply in everyday
life in Japan. This introduction of etiquettes is
held as an effort to make interaction easier and to
make social relationships smoother for caregivers
for the elderly, who will work in homes and
nursing homes in Japan.
2. Literature Review
Manner
In online version of Kamus Besar Bahasa
Indonesia, etiquette is defined as "manners; chit
chat". Meanwhile, according to Online
Cambridge Dictionary, manner is defined as:
a. the way in which something is done;
b. the usual way in which you behave towards other
people, or the way you behave on a particular
occasion; and
c. polite ways of treating other people and behaving
in public.
From some definitions that mentioned above, it
can be said that in general, the word manners is
how someone behaves well or politely, when
interacting with others.
Caregiver
In Buku Ajar Keperawatan Gerontik, the
word caregiver defined as a provider of health
care for children, adults, and the elderly who
experience chronic disability in their physical or
psychic (Stanley and Patricia, 2006). Meanwhile,
according to Bandiyah (2009), caregiver is
©International Conference on Japanese Language Education, Literature and Culture 2018
“…individuals who help taking care for and
provide comfort to the elderly to improve the
health status of the elderly, help the elderly
accept their condition, and help the elderly
face death by being treated humanely until
death comes.”
As for Mitnick (2009), she added that a
caregiver is not limited to professional caregivers
only, but also includes parents and other family
members. Therefore, based on some of the
explanations above, it can be said that caregivers
are individuals who come from family members
or paid professionals, who provide care to people
who are sick and who are physically or
psychologically incapacitated. However, the
caregiver discussed in this paper is limited to paid
professionals.
3. Research Method
This research is a descriptive qualitative
research. This study took the data which is found
in the field in the form of responses from the
research subjects. Those data then processed with
interactive model data analysis technique. This
data analysis technique consists of three data
analysis components, namely data reduction, data
presentation, and conclusion drawing. Data
reduction is a reduction in unnecessary data by
selecting data in the field. Data presentation is the
presentation of news written in a narration
accompanied by a table and analyzed using the
appropriate theory. Finally, conclusions are
drawn from the results obtained in the field.
This research used primary data and
secondary data. Primary data is obtained from the
response of the research subjects directly which
is done in a Focus Group Discussion (FGD).
71

Meanwhile, secondary data is obtained from
various sources that support primary data such as
books, dictionaries, journals, and others obtained
from print and online sources.
Research Subject
The subjects of this study were 40 final year
students of the Undergraduate Nursing Study
Program from STIKES Cendekia Utama Kudus.
This activity is held in February 2018 and took
place in the STIKES Cendekia Utama practice
laboratory in Kudus.
Research Procedure
In this research, there are several stages of
research activities which are divided into before,
during, and after field data collection stages.
In the before field data collection stage, after
the theme and type of manners that will be
introduced to the research subject is determined,
then proceed with asking permission from the
campus STIKES Cendekia Utama Kudus, where
several students will eventually be used as
research subjects.
In the during field data collection stage, first
the research subject was divided into groups of
four people. Each group is then asked questions
about Japanese manners before being taught
about actual Japanese manners. After that, the
research subjects were asked to practice what
they had learned in a short dramatized
presentation using Japanese, because all research
subjects had also attended basic level Japanese
language training for Undergraduate Nursing
Study Program students.
Finally, at the after field data collection stage,
data obtained in the field and from literature
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©International Conference on Japanese Language Education, Literature and Culture 2018
Fajria Noviana (Universitas Diponegoro)
studies are processed with interactive model data
analysis technique.
4. Finding and Discussion
Caregiver Candidates’ Knowledge About
Japanese Manners
In general, the research subjects, who will
later become caregivers for the elderly, have lack
of knowledge about Japanese manners. If these
students try to find out, actually there are many
articles and videos about Japanese manners on the
internet that they can read, watch, and download,
because to get printed books about Japanese
manners in Kudus is impossible. In fact, STIKES
where they are studying is equipped with
computer laboratory facilities and internet
networks that are quite good. In addition, these
students were actually quite technologically
literate, considering that almost all of them had
social media such as Facebook and Instagram,
and often streamed Korean films and dramas.
From the finding above, it can be said briefly
that curiosity and self-interest in learning of the
research subjects are very low.
Japanese Manners Introduction
Japanese manners that being introduced to
research subjects are including basic things that
someone should know when he or she interacts
with someone in Japan, both in the family and
community environment as follows.
1. Queuing culture
A culture of discipline and orderliness makes
Japanese people always think that everything
must go according to plan and rules, so that
everything will be able to be done optimally.
One of Japanese order behaves reflected in a
The Need for Introducing Japanese Manners to Caregiver Candidates for the Elderly in Japan
queuing culture that is so entrenched and
becomes a personal awareness of Japanese
people. They always wait for their turn
patiently in the queue, anytime and anywhere.
2. Get acquainted
If you get acquainted, you should remember
the name clearly. Do not hesitate to ask the
person to mention his name again if you are
not sure.
In exchanging business cards, accept with
both hands then read what is printed on the
business card then keep it carefully, because
Japanese people really appreciate the name
card they received.
3. Neighboring
Neighboring manners in Japan have no
significant difference with Indonesia. Both in
Indonesia and Japan, when someone meets their
neighbors, they will greet each other and maybe
make a little talk. If someone has just moved in a
new place, then as a new citizen in the
neighborhood he or she should give a small gift
to the neighbors as an introductory greeting. If
someone gets a gift from a neighbor, then he or
she is obliged to give back a gift of the same value.
Finally, all residents are strongly advised to
become Chounaikai members that is similar with
RT / RW in Indonesia. This Chounaikai has same
activities as the activities of residents in RT / RW
in Indonesia, including community service,
holding bazaars at certain times, etc.
4. Visiting
Japanese houses usually have genkans. Once
you get in genkan, place the shoes with the
tip facing the exit or place it on the shoe
cabinet if it provided. Be sure to bring a little
gift to the householder, such as cakes, drinks,
or fruits. The gift can also be something that
©International Conference on Japanese Language Education, Literature and Culture 2018
is unique of some place that is not too
expensive.
5. Eating
Japanese people usually eat with family members,
colleagues, friends, or themselves. Below are
things that must be considered when eating.
a. Do not use hands directly to hold or take
food;
b. Do not use teeth to cut food into smaller
pieces;
c. Do not mix food in one plate or bowl, but
leave it in each plate or bowl;
d. Take the rice bowl close to the mouth when
eating using chopsticks;
e. Do not stick chopsticks vertically over food;
f. Do not use your own chopsticks when taking
food that is served for all members;
g. Always eat all the food that are served up;
h. Make a sound when sipping noodles from a
bowl using chopsticks;
i. Do not speak when your mouth is full of
food;
j. Say itadakimasu before you eat and
gochisousamadeshita after;
k. Pay bills directly at the cashier if eating out,
without the need to tip the waiter.
6. Nomikai
Nomikai is a gathering with the main activity is
drinking, which is part of the Japanese tradition.
Because the main activity is drinking (alcoholic
drinks), then this gathering is only done by adults,
such as university students and office workers.
Nomikai is a means to build intimacy with friends
or co-workers, so nomikai invitations can be
considered as friendship invitations. Therefore,
refusing this can be considered as not interested
in making friends. Below are things that must be
considered when participating in nomikai.
73

a. Came on time, because drinks and food can
only be enjoyed when everyone who’s been
invited has arrived;
b. Pour drinks for others;
c. Say hello and have a chat with everyone;
d. Drink and eat all that are served;
e. Doing toast by saying kanpai;
f. Do not tell anybody about embarrassing or
inappropriate events that might occur in
nomikai
7. Apologizing
In Indonesian, if you want to express regret
or apologize to others, you can just say
"sorry" in almost all situations and conditions.
Meanwhile, Japanese expressions of apology
differ according to feelings, conditions, and
to whom the apology is addressed. The
Japanese expressions of apology consists of
five expressions, namely shitsurei shimasu,
gomen kudasai, gomennasai, sumimasen, and
moushiwake gozaimasen.
Caregiver Candidates’ Readiness in Japanese
Manners
Of the seven Japanese manners introduced to
caregiver candidates for the elderly who are the
subject of this research, it turns out that only
queuing culture that these students really
understood, though unfortunately is not always
done. Research subjects also had a very good
understanding of Japanese on time culture, which
was almost always done by them. In addition to
these two things, apparently nothing else that
related to Japanese manners was understood.
Thus, it can be said that these caregiver
candidates did not have sufficient knowledge
about Japanese manners when data collection was
conducted.
74
©International Conference on Japanese Language Education, Literature and Culture 2018
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Fajria Noviana (Universitas Diponegoro)
5. Conclusion
From the results of this research, it is known
that the caregiver candidates for the elderly in
Japan from STIKES Cendekia Utama Kudus as
research subjects must still be equipped with
sufficient knowledge about basic manners that
apply in everyday life in Japan, so that when they
are live in Japan and serve the elderly they will
not experience obstacles in establishing social
relationships. In addition, 5S culture that applies
in Indonesia (Senyum, Sapa, Salam, Sopan,
Santun) can also be practiced, because this 5S
culture person shows that he or she cares for the
comfort of others.
6. Acknowledgement
This acknowledgement adressed to STIKES
Cendekia Utama Kudus for giving permission
and facilitating this research activity. I hope that
the results of this study can be used as input for
the development of the Undergraduate Nursing
Study Program, which organizes the caregiver
programs for the elderly in Japan.
References:
Bandiyah, Siti. (2009) Lanjut Usia dan Keperawatan
Gerontik. Yogyakarta: Nuha Medika
Bramble, P. Sean. (2005) Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to
Customs and Etiquette; Japan. Singapore: Marshall
Cavendish International (Asia) Pte, Ltd
Editor. (2018) Online Cambridge Dictionary,
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/m
anner
Kemdikbud. (2018) Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia Daring,
https://kbbi.kemdikbud.go.id/entri/tata%20krama
Mitnick, Sheryl et. al. (2009) Family Caregivers, Patients
and Physicians: Ethical Guidance to Optimize
Relationships. J Gen Intern Med 25(3):255–60
Stanley, M, dan Patricia G.B. (2006) Buku Ajar
Keperawatan Gerontik 2nd ed. Jakarta: EGC