Originally Posted by
nishimark
A bit off topic, maybe, but related to talking about time in Japan. The term "Good morning" (ohayou gozaimasu) is used the first time that day when you meet someone who you routinely work with, even if it's actually in the afternoon. Well, at least in my part of Kansai. The first few times I experienced it, I would want to show them my watch and the actual time, but of course just kept quiet. My experience in the US was that people were rather precise about saying "Good morning" or "Good afternoon" based on the time. Not so much in Japan.
In Tokyo I have seen this up until midday but by the afternoon it switches to Konnichwa. There is something embarrassing about coming after everybody already started the work day. If you are out of the office for meetings etc., when returning to the office and encountering fellow staff, the greeting is time of day reliant.