If you have worked in a Japanese company, you probably know what chourei is.  Chourei, translated literally as morning-bow, is the short meeting or assembly of people in an entire company, a section, or a department, done first thing in the morning before the actual work begins.

Its main purpose is to disseminate information like (1) meetings scheduled for the day, (2) who will leave for a business trip, (3) introduction of new employees, (4) who will take a leave the next day, and many others.

Attendance checking or reporting is also usually done in chourei, so if you plan to be absent or if you are going to be late for even only a minute, you should call or email your boss or co-employees so that they know what to report about you in the chourei.

The procedures for doing chourei differ from company to company but there are certain elements that are common like reporting plans for the day and listening to some hitokoto (brief talk or speech).  Some companies even conduct taisou or group calisthenics.

This is how chourei is typically done: (dialogue translated to English)

(The chime rings and the lead stands and calls everyone's attention)
Lead: Let's begin the chourei.
(Everyone stands.)
Lead: Let's do the chourei for today, May 28, 2010, Friday.  Good Morning!
(Lead Bows)
Everyone: Good Morning! (in unison)
(Everyone bows.)
Lead: Let's check today's attendance.
(Some employees, usually the team leaders, report who the absentees are.)
Employee 1: Mr. X is going to see his doctor and Ms. Y is late due to some train delay.
Lead: Please report the day's schedule for each section.
Team Leader 1: Today, we will have a meeting at 10:00. Let me introduce to you our new employee. Blah blah.
Team Leader 2: Please don't forget that today is the deadline for your sales report. Blah blah.
Lead: Any other reports or announcements?
Employee 2: I will need to go to the city hall so I will leave early this afternoon.
Employee 3: Tomorrow, I need to attend the PTA meeting so I will take a half-day leave.
Lead: If there are no more reports ..., but before that, tomorrow it's your turn Mr. Z to lead the chourei. Ok, so for today's hitokoto.
Lead: <Boring hitokoto>
Lead: Please do your best again today.
(Lead bows.)
(Everybody else bows.)
(Everyone starts working.)

You may be wondering what people say in a hitokoto.  Well, nothing important really, just a short comment on whatever topic you like.  You don't have to comment on your personal life because the Japanese don't.  Sometimes it's hard to think of what to say, especially if you don't speak Japanese well.

If you can't think of anything to say, you can just comment on the weather, the most delicious food you ate lately, or the place you went to the previous weekend.  Remember to make it short because no one likes long boring speeches especially in chourei where everyone is standing. I try to say my hitokoto in about 5 sentences. 

Below are videos of actual choureis courtesy of youtube.

So what do you think of chourei or hitokoto? Do you think it's a good part of Japanese culture? Or do you think it's just a waste of time?

*Photo courtesy of http://i-ichiba.designpocket.jp