Hanagoe – Japanese speaking with their nose

Have you ever noticed a Japanese person speaking with a nasal voice in a store? Today we will talk about the bizarre Hanagoe, which refers to nasal voice, a technique used by some employees in convenience stores and other Japanese businesses.

Hanagoe [鼻声], also known as bisei and bion [鼻音], refers to exaggerated nasality in speech, which is usually common in some words and dialects, but is also often seen in businesses, which can scare some foreigners.

Some sales attendants, especially in convenience stores and Japanese supermarkets, will constantly greet customers with the usual ‘Irrashaimase‘ which means welcome, as well as use other standard phrases throughout their shift…

No problem with that, but these particular nasal greetings are extremely superficial and robotic, and the calls have been stylized away from the actual words into a single syllable or perhaps two, syllables through the nose in a long rising intonation.

Some employees are taught and encouraged to use the nasal voice or hanagoe to protect their vocal cords and create a “lively atmosphere.” The first impression is important, so the attendants strive on the first word.

If you try to make a loud voice in the crowd, it will hurt your throat and you will end up losing your voice. Humming or using the nose are techniques that prevent throat strain and allow for a louder and more accessible voice, but I personally do not know this technique.

It is said that the method used is to close the mouth and throat and pronounce a bit without putting too much pressure on the stomach, and you will get that unique voice tone. However, it should not be an unpleasant mechanical voice; some Japanese people manage to have a beautiful voice.

The attendants are also encouraged to take care of their throat, keeping it hydrated, using the local accent, always smiling at the customer, and using a formal and polite language, changing the intonation according to the situation.

Did you have any idea about this? Had you noticed the nasal voice of the Japanese in the store? If you liked the article, share it and leave your comments.