In Western culture, the most important person traditionally sits at the head of the table, whether the occasion is a company board meeting or a dinner party. The same position of honor in Japan is called KAMIZA (means “top seat”) and is reserved for the person with the highest rank or a special guest and the opposite is called SHIMOZA (means bottom seat).
This is a very important concept in the Japanese culture. Thus, the difference between a person of a higher status and a person of a lower status could be quite significant. KAMIZA is the name of the seats specially prepared for people who are to be highly respected. They are usually the company’s higher management or top executives. Other than that, KAMIZA is also usually prepared for guests visiting a company. SHIMOZA is the opposite of KAMIZA seats are prepared for people with lower ranks or positions. For examples, the younger or newer employees of a company. These seats are usually nearest to the entrance of a room.
In business meeting people form one company all sit on the same side. The guest is seated in the deepest part of the room and the furthest from the door. This is considered the good side. But you don’t need to be very anxious about it. Usually receptionist will lead you or if it doesn’t happen you can just ask from attendees!
Surprisingly it will be also applied when you get taxi, lift and escalator….
If we going to details we need to spend whole day so just roughly.
Commonly, the right-side space in the car’s back seats is the KAMIZA.
As cars procced on the left lanes in Japan, passengers climb into a taxi from the left side. The facts that the space is the farthest from the back door and there is no rush to get in or out are why that space is designated as the KAMIZA. It is also considered to be another reason that at this seat you may feel comfortable without worrying about the eyes of the taxi driver.
The next comes the left-side space followed by the center space. The seat next to the driver is placed as the lowest position. The center space is tight and is occupied only when there are four passengers excluding the driver.
And for the escalator, when you going up senior person need to stand in front of you but opposite going down you need to be in front of senior person…in the lift…
Let’s have a break!!
