The Japan Insight for Business

Who Is Your “Dōki”? Understanding Workplace Relationships in Japan

What kind of relationship do Japanese people have with their coworkers?

In Japan, the people you join a company with in the same year are called 同期 (dōki).

But being “dōki” is more than simply being coworkers.

There can be a unique sense of connection, closeness, competition, and even unspoken expectations between people who entered a company at the same time.

In this episode, we explore workplace relationships and the subtle sense of distance between colleagues in Japan.

You will learn why some Japanese coworkers may become very close, while others intentionally keep a certain distance — and why understanding these relationships can help you navigate Japanese workplaces more smoothly.

What’s inside?

This 23-page PDF learning material includes:

• 🎙️ The podcast script with furigana
• Follow along with the podcast while checking the Japanese reading and vocabulary.
• 🎨 Original manga
• Learn Japanese workplace culture through easy-to-understand situations and visual storytelling.
• 📚 Vocabulary, grammar & conversational expressions
• Key Japanese words, grammar points, and expressions from the episode are explained in an accessible way.
• 🇯🇵 Common stumbling points for foreigners working in Japan
• Discover situations that may seem confusing or unexpected when working with Japanese colleagues.
• ✏️ Review exercises
• Check your understanding and reinforce what you have learned.

Who is this for?

This material is designed for people who:

• Work or plan to work in Japan
• Work with Japanese colleagues or business partners
• Study Japanese and want to understand Japanese workplace culture
• Want to understand what Japanese people mean, not just what they say

More Than a Japanese Language Textbook

The Japan Insight for Business is not a Japanese language textbook.

It is a series about understanding Japanese workplace culture through language, everyday situations, and the things that are often left unsaid.

Japanese business culture can be difficult to understand from language alone.

Our goal is to help you notice the cultural context behind everyday words, actions, and relationships — so you can better understand what is happening around you at work.

Start Here

This Episode 0 is a sample of the series.

Read through it, listen to the podcast, and see if this approach to learning Japanese workplace culture is useful and interesting to you.

You can decide whether you want to continue with the rest of the series after exploring this sample.

Welcome to The Japan Insight for Business —

where we look beyond the Japanese language and explore the culture behind it.