It sounds difficult to believe that servants do not become too forward
under such conditions, but they never do. Their perfect taste and good
breeding forbid that they should pass over a certain line where familiarity
would go too far. The position of a servant in Japan is shown by the fact
that, though her master or mistress will speak to her as a servant, yet a
caller or guest must always use the tone of equality and address her as san
(miss). In the absence of the mistress, servants are expected to entertain
any callers, and they do this with the perfection of gentle manners and
exquisite politeness. A lady writer says:

"I remember once being very much at sea when I was taken to pay a call on
a Japanese lady of the well-to-do class. Not being able to speak a word
of the language, I was unable to follow the conversation which took place
between the charming little lady who greeted us at the inner shutters and
my friend. She was dressed in the soft grey kimono and obi of a middle-aged
woman, and her exquisite manner and gentleness made me feel as heavy as my
boots, which I had not been allowed to take off, sounded on the delicate
floor-matting compared to her soft white foot-gloves.

"My friend addressed her as san, and seemed to speak to her just as a
guest would to her hostess. We had tea on the floor, and my friend chatted
pleasantly for some time with the little grey figure, when suddenly the
sound of wheels on the gravel outside caught my ears, and the next instant
there was the scuffling of many feet along the polished wooden passage
which led to the front door, and the eager cry of 'O kaeri! O kaeri!'
(honourable return). Our hostess for the time rose from her knees, smiled,
and begged us to excuse her honourable rudeness. When she had hurried off
to join in the cry of welcome, my friend said, 'Oh, I am glad she has
come!'