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I live in Tokyo and I think it's great. You can often see people at McDonalds early in the morning after a night out catching a nap before the trains start runn

I live in Tokyo and I think it's great. You can often see people at McDonalds early in the morning after a night out catching a nap before the trains start running. Just buy a coffee or something, grab a table, take an hour nap -- great. And this is Japan so you don't have to worry about your stuff getting stolen! Even if you sleep at the train station! I also commonly see people taking naps during lunchtime in Starbucks. Someone will come in, grab a coffee, take a nap for 30 min, drink the coffee and go back to work. There's nothing wrong with that! (other than I want the table :P) Unfortunately the corporate culture is not where it should be. There are some companies that want to be like western startups where taking a nap on the office sofa wouldn't raise an eyebrow but those are very rare. In most Japanese companies it would be totally unacceptable to sleep in the office.

eddz 10y ago
I have worked in several office environments in Japan where coworkers have frequently napped at their desks.
- msbarnett 10y ago
  Right, but as the article points out, that's socially different. Working at your desk and succumbing to sleep is tolerated whereas stretching out on the couch with the intent to sleep is not.
  - eddz 10y ago
    I have also observed this behaviour, especially from higher ranking employees.
- sevensor 10y ago
  Saw this often at the chaebol I worked for -- I think Korean work / nap culture is similar.
coldtea 10y ago
Having a broken work/life balance is "great"? They're cultures that you can see "see people at McDonalds early in the morning after a night out" all the time, without having to go there directly from working late...
- GreaterFool 10y ago
  No, you are taking "great" out of context. It is great that you can safely take a nap in a public space without fear of being robbed or worse (as one would have to fear outside Japan), without having police called on you, and with general public acceptance of such action. Nobody will think you're a bum or a mad or look at you funny. Try that somewhere else and let's see what happens! Japanese corporate culture is terrible and that is sad. I don't have an answer to that.
- jlg23 10y ago
  > Having a broken work/life balance is "great"? Broken according to which cultural paradigms? Just because we have different ideas in the west does not make them better.
pm90 10y ago
This is really great. I wish we could have a similar amount of trust in all countries but it seems rather unlikely. In all the coffeeshops in Austin, Texas at least, I've seen baristas wake up customers who are napping. But I understand why they do that: there are many homeless people around and if anyone could just take naps...

eddz 10y ago

I have worked in several office environments in Japan where coworkers have frequently napped at their desks.

msbarnett 10y ago
Right, but as the article points out, that's socially different. Working at your desk and succumbing to sleep is tolerated whereas stretching out on the couch with the intent to sleep is not.
- eddz 10y ago
  I have also observed this behaviour, especially from higher ranking employees.
sevensor 10y ago
Saw this often at the chaebol I worked for -- I think Korean work / nap culture is similar.

coldtea 10y ago

Having a broken work/life balance is "great"? They're cultures that you can see "see people at McDonalds early in the morning after a night out" all the time, without having to go there directly from working late...

GreaterFool 10y ago
No, you are taking "great" out of context. It is great that you can safely take a nap in a public space without fear of being robbed or worse (as one would have to fear outside Japan), without having police called on you, and with general public acceptance of such action. Nobody will think you're a bum or a mad or look at you funny. Try that somewhere else and let's see what happens! Japanese corporate culture is terrible and that is sad. I don't have an answer to that.
jlg23 10y ago
> Having a broken work/life balance is "great"? Broken according to which cultural paradigms? Just because we have different ideas in the west does not make them better.

pm90 10y ago

This is really great. I wish we could have a similar amount of trust in all countries but it seems rather unlikely. In all the coffeeshops in Austin, Texas at least, I've seen baristas wake up customers who are napping. But I understand why they do that: there are many homeless people around and if anyone could just take naps...