What Is “Essential Service” by Global Standards? Rethinking Japan’s Excessive Hospitality
Japan’s service industry is often said to be “the best in the world.”
Wherever you go, you are greeted with a smile and polite words like “Welcome” or “Thank you.” From the outside, this may strengthen the impression of Japan as a “kind and gentle nation.”
However, after living abroad, I began to question the hidden side of this “excessive service.”
Scripted Smiles and Empty “Thank You’s”
In Japan, you are always greeted with “Welcome” when entering a store.
Of course, some say it sincerely, but many are simply following the manual.
“Thank you” or “Please come again” without genuine feeling sound nothing more than a “recital.”
Whenever I encounter such situations, I wonder, “What is the point of saying it at all?”
Service in London: “Giving Your Best When It’s Needed”
On the other hand, my experience in London was the complete opposite.
There was no forced smile, and formal greetings were minimal.
But in truly important moments, the response was astonishingly sincere and professional.
If someone was struggling, staff or even passersby would naturally offer a helping hand.
If a parent with a stroller was facing stairs, several people would rush over to help carry it up together.
It wasn’t about “always being cheerful,” but rather “giving your all when it truly matters.”
That was the essence of service I witnessed in London.
Focusing on the “Essence” Rather Than Excess
I feel that Japan’s overly polite service sometimes loses sight of the true essence.
In a clothing store, you may be bombarded with unnecessary chatter when you only came to buy clothes.
Even in medical settings, too much energy may go into surface-level niceties, weakening focus on their actual expertise.
In London, doctors and staff dedicated themselves to their specialties and only offered care when truly necessary.
It wasn’t coldness, but rather a mindset of “focusing only on what truly matters.”
Lessons as a Hairdresser
As a hairdresser, I also feel that this “focus on the essence” is vital.
Of course, conversation and communication with clients are important.
But at the core of my role is “designing beautiful hair.”
Rather than unnecessary words, precise techniques and proposals are what bring real value to clients.
This is the essence of service that transcends nationality or culture and applies to everyone.
Service Is Not “Pleasantries” but “Essence”
Japan’s service is admired around the world.
Yet smiles and greetings performed only by the manual do not truly reach people’s hearts.
What matters is not “excessive customer service,” but the attitude of focusing on what the other person genuinely needs.
That is the “essence of service” I learned from living abroad and what I practice as a hairdresser.
✂️ TAKA’s Note
What I value most is “not doing unnecessary things.”
I focus solely on delivering the true value that clients are really seeking.
