'GETTING TO KNOW YOU … ‘ OR WHAT WENT ON IN THE HOT-SPRINGS

Following long-established custom, my bank's Japan branches facilitated an annual weekend staff trip to one of Japan's famous hot-spnng resorts. Because of the opportunities for fraternisation and confidential tete-a-tetes across the normal chains of command, attendance at these events was always high.

V. never attended these outings, nor did T.B. show any inclination to do so. As for me, I had always participated, as indeed did most of our Dutch staff. The places where we spent the night were usually large, traditional ryokan inns in the mountains specialising in large group parties. The banquet itself was always a grand affair, the size of the rectangular hall seldom smaller than 150 tatami. The egalitarian nature of these gatherings was emphasised by the wonderful tradition of changing into a hotel-kimono on arrival at the inn. But democracy only went so far: the organisers always insisted that members of senior management sit in front of the tokonoma.

This year's outing was an unusual one: it was a combined trip with the staff of our Tokyo branch. Our destination was Nishiura, easily accessible from both directions. The organisers had insisted on a joint venture with Tokyo, to ‘get to know our Kanto colleagues better’. It was a successful tnp, with the two groups mixing freely, but I noticed that when I approached they sometimes smiled awkwardly. I later heard that it was during this outing that the plans were laid for action against management in support of higher salaries and better working conditions. It was that action that would trigger my transfer to Tokyo later that year.

The atmosphere in Nishiura did not betray these hooded consultations. Indeed, the mood got jollier and more suggestive as the evening progressed, and it seemed likely that some of our female members were unable to resist the advances from the questing warriors among us. But whatever the nature of the goings-on — political or erotic — discretion was the name of the game. It was another Japanese trait I had learned to admire.

Meanwhile, back home life was settling into a routine of sorts, marked by well-balanced meals, cultural pursuits, writing and translation work, and proper if at times reluctant observance of social obligations: Dutch dinners and dub meetings, invitations from bank customers and Japanese banks, visits from Nagoya relatives.