Chris Broad

“I’d later learn that in Japanese culture these long periods of silence, chinmoku (沈黙), were commonplace. It has its roots in Zen Buddhism, where silence is said to hold the secrets of existence. The Japanese proverb ‘It is better to leave many things unsaid’ captures the essence of chinmoku. Far from being awkward, in Japan silence is a natural part of daily interactions.”
― Chris Broad, Abroad in Japan: Ten Years In The Land Of The Rising Sun

“The Japanese proverb you'll hear most is Deru kui wa utareru—the stake that sticks out gets hammered down. No proverb sums up better Japan's adherence to group conformity and collectivism.”
― Chris Broad, Abroad in Japan: Ten Years in the Land of the Rising Sun