Hospitality and Sincerity: Cultural Representation of Omotenashi in the Service Industry in Japanese TV Dramas

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-503-4_55How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Omotenashi; hospitality; shitsurai; furumai; shikake

Abstract

Omotenashi is one of Japan’s unique cultural values that embodies hospitality, particularly in the context of service. It is commonly found in public places such as restaurants. This study aims to explore how omotenashi culture is represented through attitudes and actions based from its three core elements; shitsurai, furumai, and shikake through Japanese films and television dramas. This study adopts a qualitative descriptive method with a literature review and video/documentary analysis. The data used consist of two types: primary data obtained directly from My Little Chef (2002) and Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san (2023) dramas, and secondary data obtained from books and scholarly articles. Data collection is conducted through scene sampling, focusing on service-related interactions between staff and guests.. The results indicate that the attitudes and actions represented are creating a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere for customers, understanding the needs of customers, respecting and acting politely toward customers, demonstrating sincerity in serving customers, and expressing gratitude. These qualities are rooted in cultural foundations such as zen, chanoyu, and taiguu hyougen, with the concept of ichigo ichie emphasizing the importance of each encounter. Typical omotenashi practices are a well-decorated room, inquiring about their preferences, and trying to fulfill customers request. Through its portrayal in popular Japanese media such as films and dramas, audiences outside of Japan can gain insight into how service and hospitality function within Japanese society.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Reny Wiyatasari
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/19
TI  - Hospitality and Sincerity: Cultural Representation of Omotenashi in the Service Industry in Japanese TV Dramas
BT  - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Culture and Sustainable Development (ICOCAS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 474
EP  - 485
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-503-4_55
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-503-4_55
ID  - Wiyatasari2025
ER  -