Harmony in Vietnam, Harmony in Japan

Ms. Phuong is from Bac Ninh City, a suburb of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. She enrolled in a master’s degree program at the Vietnam Japan University during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even when travel was not possible due to the pandemic, she had a positive attitude and saw it as an opportunity to be in an environment similar to studying abroad. She is preparing to enroll in a doctoral program in the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences with the goal of producing future teachers who can provide sustainable education. At the same time, she teaches English online at a university in Vietnam.

Various Tastes, Various Thoughts

She said that one thing the Japanese and Vietnamese have in common is a strong sense of harmony. Meanwhile, there are aspects that feel completely opposite. Ms. Phuong, who is a teacher and a student, feels that the biggest difference is that Vietnamese people are very curious and ask a lot of questions while Japanese people tend to be more reserved about asking questions. Interestingly, she says she noticed similar differences in the nature of restaurants. Japanese restaurants seem to have a “standard taste” for every menu item across the country. However, in Vietnam, even pho (a dish) is said to have a distinctly different taste depending on the restaurant. On top of that, customers add seasonings to their own liking.
Vietnamese people tend to speak their minds openly and directly say what they think and want to know. They express themselves fully to find relief, and even when disagreements occur, they seldom hold grudges. When I asked her how harmony could be created when everyone was doing what they wanted, she thought for a while, and then we discussed it together. Japanese people create harmony by adapting to their surroundings. Vietnamese people seem to achieve harmony by embracing the common concept that everyone has different thoughts, feelings, and circumstances.

When she learned that there is something in Japan called “tatemae” or etiquette, Ms. Phuong accepted it with flexibility, saying, “It’s good to have different types of culture. I felt that it would be great if this style of communication in Japan also became more prevalent, where people are curious and can draw closer to others while acknowledging differences and creating harmony.”

Interviewed and written by Shiori Sumida