so I worked for a japanese company for 4 days...

it was for a trade fair in america and two of the three members of the company were pretty fluent in english, but the 会長 didn't speak a word. it was an art gallery and I'm an artist who would love to show in japan, and... anyways, I managed a difficult lunch with the boss and showed him my work and he seemed to like it. after lunch one of the two lower-level guys said I should submit a packet of images and a resume to the kaichou so I did the next day, but then at the end of the day missed an opportunity to say goodbye properly before his return flight. (he went home a few days before the fair's end)

so i figure two birds with one stone, I'd send a proper formal goodbye letter and at the same time open an avenue for further conversation after they all return home... I wrote the below email, and asked one of the two guys (who I'd become friendly with by this point) to give me some edits if possible:

XXXXXXX・ギャラリー
XX会長

XXXXX・XXXXXXです。
このアーモリーショーの体験をいただき、
本当にありがとうございます。

御社の協力に対して感謝の気持ちを表したいのです。

なお、私の油絵の写真と履歴書を見通していただき、
重ねてお礼申し上げます。

今後ともを付き合いのほど、
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

XXXXXX・XXXXXX

and this is what he gave me:

XXXXXXX・ギャラリー
XX会長

XXXXX・XXXXXです。
アーモリーショーを体験させて頂き、本当にありがとうございました。
御社がこのような機会を与えてくださったことに対し、改めて感謝の気持ちを表したいと存じます。

また、私の油絵の写真と履歴書に目を通して頂いてことも、重ねてお礼申し上げます。

今後ともをどうぞお付き合いの程、よろしくお願い申し上げます。

XXXXX・XXXXX

Perhaps I'm just waxing romantic about the beauty of formality in the japanese language, but I think this is particularly well written. I get a similar feeling when reading Shakespeare, which seems stilted and awkward at times, but in such a particular way that simultaneously appears graceful and elegant, if such a thing is possible. It just tickled me in my magical j-funny bone and made me want to share... perhaps you all think I'm a weirdo but maybe you'll get a kick out of it like I did.

cheers,

Hehe, it's nice to know I'm not the only wierdo who finds formal Japanese beautiful. You're right, I think there's something particularly nice about that letter

dtcamero Wrote:また、私の油絵の写真と履歴書に目を通して頂いてことも、重ねてお礼申し上げます。

This confused me a little though. Shouldn't it be 頂いたことも？Can somebody explain, thanks.

HonyakuJoshua: Let's not mess up a perfectly good thread with completely irrelevant personal attacks......

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@HonyakuJoshua: completely off topic rant. If you need a little breather, just ask, I'll be happy to oblige with a temporary ban.

@dtcamero: In retrospect I see your comment that HonyakuJoshua was referring to, was a direct attack at HonyakuJoshua as well. That comment is now deleted.

Dear Admin, I see your point, yet believe that all posts should be restored and this thread stickied for entertainment value...

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Will you drop the disguised sarcasm please? You don't like Joshua, he doesn't like you. We get it. Move on.

I actually enjoyed reading the letters - I noticed that both nao and mata are used - is there a difference in nuance?

I thought 尚 would be better because it is more formal, and that's what a business email reference book of mine recommends using in most circumstances... But I imagine there is a stylistic concern particular to this context that he thought trumped general use

I personally love this crap. I google up examples and read it out loud because I don't really hear it much on japanaese tv because obvious it's a tv a show and not a read out formal letters spiel ''