Who can read Japanese characters?

cockroachfarm

cockroachfarm

Joined
Jan 6, 2001
Messages
4,399
Hiragana?

My wife does a lot of work with Japanese investors and she always gets a truckload of little gifts from them. One of the most recent was a beautiful box of "handmade" buns of some kind ("handmade" is the ONLY English word anywhere on the packaging). They're about 3 inches square, soft, and look like little Danishes! (Haven't tasted one yet) Does anyone know exactly what they are, and if there's any kind of symbolism behind giving them?

264988349.jpg


264988346.jpg


TIA. :)
 
just guessing, but it may have a sweet bean paste inside. kind of a reddish color. very tasty.
 
The text is mixed, kanji and syllabary.
Typical Japanese, making it as hard to read as possible. :p
 
Thanks. We're not afraid to eat them :) - we just wondered if there's some kind of symbolic meaning to having them given to you as a gift. Usually she gets stuff like hand-tied silk scarves, Coach Leather wallets, Cross pens, expensive keychains, etc. (The packaging seems to be obsessed with the English word "handmade" ;) ) Her business is infused with protocol so we just wondered if there was any kind of reason to be given these, in addition to "Here's some buns, see you at Starbucks!"
 
Yea its really hard to read and translating it would take a long time. Shame I didnt go on with my japanese classes.

Anyway, its fine to eat. Technically if your given food and you dont eat and enjoy it its considered rude. Gift giving is just part of japanese business etiquette; usually the higher up you are the more expensive the gift. A lot of times its not even what the gift is but the whole "ceremony" with it. Another example of "its the thought that counts" I guess.
 
ziptrickhead said:
Yea its really hard to read and translating it would take a long time. Shame I didnt go on with my japanese classes.

Anyway, its fine to eat. Technically if your given food and you dont eat and enjoy it its considered rude. Gift giving is just part of japanese business etiquette; usually the higher up you are the more expensive the gift. A lot of times its not even what the gift is but the whole "ceremony" with it. Another example of "its the thought that counts" I guess.
Click to expand...

I understand. My wife has been dealing with high-level Japanese industrial investors for over 30 years so she's pretty much an expert on business and social protocol. I was quite surprised at a dinner she took me to few years ago at the great respect she was shown by all these very high-level MALE Japanese executives - CEO's, CFO's, etc.)

At a meal, eating what is offered to you would be taken for granted. In this case, we'd be eating these things long after the presentation anyway because it certainly wouldn't look right for her to chow down on these buns while she's taking a group of executives from Japan along an automotive assembly line! ;)

I wasn't looking for an exact translation, just a rough idea what that little folder says. Personally, I'm more interested in an explanation of the symbolic nature of this particular gift. Usually she gets fine leather articles or crystal or stuff like that. I guess they like her! :)
 
Well, I didnt mean to eat it right there on the spot lol.

I could see about getting some of it translated but im not making any promises on that. I dont know, but im sure that paper is just a history of the company that makes it or something. The japanese have gotten really good at making french pastry. Personally I dont think giving this particular gift has any significance, but im not exactly an expert. Looking at my own culture (i guess you could call me chinese), giving food as a gift isnt exactly a rare occurance.
 
well if those have have a red paste in them they are called anpan but i don't think thats what it is and the red paste is azuki bean paste which is a little red bean that is used in a lot of Japanese sweets it has a gritty texture that i have never cared for. I'm half Japanese but i cant read much Hiragana or katakana sorry. They may just be some sweet bread which are common in Japanese bakery's.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top