Japanese Silence and the Art of Communication

Japanese Silence is not always what it appears to be. The Japanese concept of Ishin Denshin is the art of silent communication. It is similar to what we in the West would call heart-to-heart communicating and having and picking up on someone else’s implicit wishes or feelings.

In Japan, silence is seen as a sign of refinement and enlightenment. We tend to assume that a quiet person just doesn’t have anything useful to add to a conversation. Japanese see silence as a strength and it implies a humbleness. Lebra (1976), for example, writes:
Inward communication of unity and solidarity stems from the notion that in perfect intimacy Ego does not have to express himself verbally or in conspicuous action because what is going on inside him should be immediately detected by Alter. The Japanese glorify silent communication, ishin denshin (“heart to heart communication”), and mutual “vibrations” implying the possibility of semi-telepathic communication. Words are paltry against the significance of reading subtle signs and signals and the intuitive grasp of each other’s feelings. The ultimate form of such communication is ittaikan (‘feeling of oneness’), a sense of fusion between Ego and Alter (115).

Movies and Traditional Arts

A small example of this is in the different styles used in making movies in Japan and the U.S. and the degree to which Japanese silence can be observed. Japanese movies seem to move slower than the action packed movies of the West. Japan is more concerned with the atmosphere rather than a complex plot. Many scenes are wordless, but the viewer is supposed to get the message non-verbally and through understanding the character’s feelings. The goal of the movie is to have a heart-to-heart conversation with the audience without cluttering the movie with words that only get in the way.

People associate and attach different meanings to a word based on their personal experiences. This is why in the traditional arts most forms are transmitted via a on-on-one teaching style. The teacher often transmits the subtleties of the art form by displaying it, rather than analyzing and verbally explaining it to the student. Some often criticize it as a being a much slower process that could be misinterpreted, but in the long run I feel this process goes deeper and minor misinterpretations will be brought to light and realized over time.

I was speaking with a Japanese woman on the subject of ishin denshin one day and this is a statement she gave me that clearly shows how Japanese silence is a communicative style in their culture, “I consider someone a true friend if I can be comfortable just sitting there with them and not talking.”

Japanese silence is like a designated moment to contemplate what has just been said and communicated. This is the time to take the opportunity to respond in a well planned and thought out manner. In the West, we see silence as an awkward time and try to fill this so called “gap” with words, whether they have any real relevance to the situation at hand or not.

What is not said is just as important as what is said. This pause or silence in conversation is your time to evaluate what was said and also the things that were not said. There is great importance on reading between the lines to find the true meaning of what was said and also what was implied.

Poker Face

In Japanese there is a saying, muhyojyo na hito, for a person who is wearing a “poker face.” What we call the “Poker Face” is used to cover up negative feelings and emotions as well as protect a person’s privacy. It is similar to not wearing one’s emotions on their sleeves. In the West, we use eye contact as a way of displaying sincerity and confidence. Japanese people consider constant and direct eye contact a rude gesture that means someone is challenging or defying them. To show respect to another person Japanese may shift their eyes or look down.

Signs of affection or emotions are not usually shown in public. The younger generation is slowly changing though. However, in many of the traditional arts such as Japanese Music or Flower Arranging, silence and the art of communicating via Ishin Denshin are still predominant. Japanese silence can be misleading, but there may be a lot going on under the surface.