Old Man Behind The Wheel

Last week, we took an early Obon break and went to the Boso Peninsula, a favorite destination for short retreats throughout the year. While driving around doing some Michi-no-eki hopping we got stuck in a slow motion drive behind a minivan with a「ジジィが運転中」(Old man behind the wheel) sticker on its backdoor window. As we crept along behind the van, I couldn’t help but smile at the sign.

Dad’s Love Of Oyaji Gyagu

It reminded me of my late father-in-law who, although he never drove (his wife signed up for that duty), had the same self-effacing humor and loved telling jokes: from おやじギャグ(Japanese-style Dad jokes) to ダジャレ (puns based on similarly-sounding words). He managed to make me laugh even when my Japanese was still very limited, easily building a connection with somebody who had little undersatnding of the Japanese culture and family dynamics at the time. His jokes helped me appreciate the subtle, often untranslatable humor Japanese people use to soften interactions where directness might be considered impolite or when someone’s actions might inconvenience those around.

Similar to the 「ジジィが運転中」one, the jokes he used were often self-effacing and situational. When directed at others, they were polite and playful. When I forgot to bring the futon in before a windstorm, he simply looked at me, smiled and said 「布団が吹っ飛んだ!」Those jokes allowed us to remain open to discussing even difficult subjects while avoiding confrontation and finding common ground.

What About Humor In The Workplace?

If you have worked with any Japanese organizations, you may have noticed this pattern, too: once you become a member of the group, jokes become tools for reducing tension, building and strengthening relationships.

As in the family, humor in the workplace is calibrated based on hierarchy, shared experiences and group dynamics. It is also seldom used when communicating with outsiders. Managers, new-comers and junior workers alike use self-effacing humor to acknowledge their flaws and ask others to be patient with them. When directed at others, jokes are indirect, respectful and often sound like a praise. When I was first given a task to create a PPT presentation years ago, my manager said 「さすがMayaさん。芸術的な余白ですね！」(Maya-san, that’s an artistic use of white space!) Similar to the minivan driver’s “Old man behind the wheel”, this one became a shared moment of amusement. It also prompted me to remember that rather than having a lot of white space, Japanese presentations prioritize the inclusion of detail and context.

Next time you see a sticker like「ジジィが運転中」, you’ll know: it’s more than a joke. It’s a window into how Japanese people navigate social harmony, hierarchy, and connection. As for business people working in Japan, appreciating these nuances and knowing how to respond appropriately can be the difference between a team that works with you and a team that works around you.

After all, if a slow car can teach you a lesson in humility and shared laughter, imagine what learning to understand Japanese humor could do for your team.