What is Japanese culture?

By taking this course, I felt that I did not know what Japanese culture is. Before taking this course, I have thought Japanese culture is only special things such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, temples and shrines. For example, I thought Japanese culture is just sushi. I have never thought about how to eat, how to order, eat with who and the name of other things such as agari (green tea), gari (ginger). I have thought I have to have knowledge about that special Japanese culture before study abroad. It is actually essential to know about those things before study abroad; however, by taking this course, I could understand that those are not only Japanese culture. It can be represented by not only main stuff, but also all things which related to.

Please look at this picture. Last weekend, I joined a small tea ceremony. I thought not only tea but also view, chair, umbrella, old woman's the way of serving, and all represents Japanese culture.






I g1radually noticed that Japanese culture fills around our lives. For example, I remember the first class of this course. In the class, we saw a picture from an article which has a group of Japanese high school girls’ students and a monkey. When professor asked to students that how this picture represent Japanese culture or what you can know about Japanese culture from this picture. At first, I thought it was a just normal picture and what professor was talking. Then some international students answered that it shows one of Japanese culture of group principle. I must know about it; however I did not realize it because I thought it was not Japanese characteristic but also just normal. So this course is a good opportunity to recognize as what Japanese culture not only from special events but also from daily lives by gaining the idea from international students.

Please look at this picture. They are my friends and I took this picture at the restaurant in Hirakatashi station. A woman holds up two fingers because it is Japanese culture. The other man holds up three fingers. It was also popular pose in several years ago because of the influence of TV drama. It is an interesting picture.

And also we watched about Japanese and American TV show in the class. In the class, some students said that Japanese TV show has many food shows and every announcer says “oishi.” I was really shocked because I have thought it is natural, so I did not know it was strange. I thought I had very provincial point of view.

I was really surprised at the ability of international students. They know about Japanese culture better than me; moreover by using the knowledge of Japanese culture, they can analyze about topic critically. I learned from them a lot of things. This course is really useful for Japanese students because we can spread our own view, especially about own culture. I think Japan is very nice country and protected safely therefore people tend to think Japan is the best country and what Japan do or Japanese government says is correct and nicer than other countries. So we need to be wide our view and gain the knowledge of thinking critically. If people become to do that, I think more Japanese can see different world.

Textbook problem

I examines about text book problem in Japan.
In previous semester, I learned about textbook problem in Japan.
For example, Japanese socialization class, actually we do not learn about Nanjing Massacre deeply in junior and high school because there is no specific information about it in textbook. In text book, there is information just like this. In 1937, Nanjing Massacre was happened and a lot of Chinese are killed by Japanese army. Therefore we do not know how terrible thing Japanese did to Chinese. So some of Japanese says Japanese government should mention about Nanjing Massacre deeply because it is a fact and also a part of Japanese culture. The reason why Japanese do not learn about it is Japanese government tend to hide the truth of Japanese history. The reason why Japanese government have to do that is Japanese government would like to remind us that Japan do not do bad things and Japanese are victim of WWⅡ.

Please look at this picture. This picture shows that Japanese army try to kill Chinese army.

If this picture is real, what Japanese do not know about Nanjing Massacre is very terrible.

This picture is from textbook in China. Many people are killed; however I thought who took the picture. Unless we do not know it, this picture seems unreliable.

Another textbook problem is Okinawan group suicide problem. The problem is whether Okinawans were forced to suicide by Japanese army or not. From old textbook, it is mentioned that Okinawans were forced to suicide by Japanese army; however textbook will be new a couple years after, so Japanese government tried to delete the fact. People who live in Okinawa got angry about it, and took action. After that, government admitted to remain the mention.

It means if Japanese government thinks that Nanjing massacre or Okinawans' group suicide need not teach as Japanese history, it does not appear in textbook. It means Japanese government control Japanese history and education. It seems not democracy.

Japanese government attempts to conceal the fact which has bad influence for itself. Japanese government tends to press the idea that although Japan is a really good country, relationship between China and Japan is not going well. Japan is not bad, so China is bad. So we tend to have a not good image to China. However, we have a right to know the fact. We need to be taught about true history to contribute to the world in the future.

Pictures are come from here.

http://pegasus.phys.saga-u.ac.jp/peace/jwar/jparmy.htm

http://nov.cocolog-nifty.com/blog1/cat999959/index.html

Seasonal food

I examine about spring food in Japan. Japan has some seasonal food. For example, cram and Japanese radish are seasonal foods in winter, cucumber and tomato is seasonal foods in summer. This time I would like to introduce some spring food and way of cooking.


One representative spring food is butterbur flower stalk, hukinoto in Japanese. It is an edible wild food. We can sometimes see it roadside with thaw, and when see it, we feel spring. It tastes a little bitter; however it makes us feel a breath of spring in the air. It is said that serve bitter taste in spring dish traditionally. It is because to start a new year by get rid of fat of body, and stimulate their taste.

Please look at this picture. There are two butterbur flower stalk and snow. There are still snow; however butterbur flower stalks are put in an appearance.

Butterbur flower stalk basically thrive in mountain district. It is favor of thriving in shade and humid places.

I will explain bout how to cook it.
First is to eat it as tempra. The secret is to fry in low temperature and if buds open during frying, it is said that bitterness disappear.

Please look at this picture, this is tempra and rice.

Second is put in to miso soup by shredding it.
Third is to eat it seasoned with soy source.
Fourth is to fry with oil.

Actually butterbur flower stalk is a flower and it is beautiful so, it heal people's mind by seeing, and also it can be eaten so it also make people feel spring by eating. It is a good one of Japanese culture to eat seasonal food and feel season.

Two pictures are cited in these URL.

http://www.hpmix.com/home/yamatyann/A4_4.htm

http://queenscafe.hamazo.tv/d2007-02-17.html

I used the information from here.

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/shokuzai/Fukinotou.htm

High school volleball

In Japan, as we watch a film about kokoyakyu (high school baseball), high school club activities attract Japanese people.Ｉexamine about high school volleyball because I have played volleyball for about 10 years. Therefore I would like to introduce Japanese high school volleyball. Every high school volleyball club members has a dream to participate in the festival which is called haru ko bare. It is spring high school festival the whole Japan. It holds in the first yoyogi gym in Tokyo. There is a holy place like a koshien for high school students who belong to baseball club. It holds from every March 20th to 26th. There is a slogan “Attack with youth! High school volleyball festival of spring”. Most students who could participate in that festival will be pro volleyball players. Therefore it is said to participate in this festival is an entrance for joining Japanese national team member.

In order to participate in this festival, high school students who belong to volleyball club practice really hard all most every day. Most high schools which participate in haruko are private and those schools gather many good players from junior high schools. And also those schools have famous coaches and trainers.

I would like to explain about female volleyball club.
Please look at this picture. she was a famous player of kyoto Tachibana high school in 2006. Please look at her hair style. All most all female high school volleball players are short hair like men,they wear handband, they wear long socks and supporters on their knee.

Please look at this picture. This picture shows people who are cheering. Most people are students in same high school, some of people are parents who have volleyball players. Every high school has school color. So by using school color, every school makes Tshirts, towel and megaphone.

In addition, every team has banners, so students try to put it remarkable place rather than other schools. It is also conpettition before the game. I think Japanese parents are really interested in children's activities. children are playing volleyball because it is interesting. However, Japanese parents tend to expect their sons/ daughters very much. Therefore Ithink there are some serious problems that some sons/daughters abuse or kill their parents.

funeral

I examine about Japanese funeral. Most Japanese do not belong to religion; however they attend a funeral of Buddhism style.

First, after people died, makuragyo (枕経) is done. After people died, they are conveyed to their home. They are lied on room which is enshrined Buddha, butuma (仏間). In bedside, a desk with a white cloth and some Buddhist altar fittings are prepared. After that, yukan (湯灌) is done. It means that remains of people are taken a bath. If remains are male, their bear is shaved, and if remains are female, they have their makeup and they have wear kimono. After that, they are laid into coffin.

Please look at this picture. This situation is that people putting flowers into coffin and saying goodbye to the remain. The meaning of putting flowers is that the remain does not feel lonely on his/her way to heaven. After that, people never see the remain. All people wear black suits and they are crying.

Before the day of the funeral, tuya (通夜) is held. Tuya is a funeral eve and it starts about 6 p.m. Buddhist priest comes to house and recite Buddhism, Shinto, Shingonshu, Tendaishu, Jyodoshinshu and so on with family of remain and neighborhoods. What Buddhist priest recite is different from each family’s religion. After finishing it, Buddhist priest and neighborhoods go home. Family members have to keep exchanging incense stick and candle so as not to fade out all night. It means to protect the remain from devil.

Next day, the funeral is held. Most remains are cremated in Japan; however, some areas in Tohoku, Japan, remains are committed their body to the earth.
After the cremation, furijio(振り塩）is done. It means to put a touch of salt around the house in order to purify. And the family members pick up remains’ bone with chopsticks. It calls hashiwatashi　（橋渡し）. It means that by collecting bones with hashi, chopsticks, deceased let go to heaven without difficulty.

Please look at this picture. This picture shows a funeral in Japan. At the top of this alter, there is a color picture of the deceased. There are some plates which are made from trees. Those plates are written family menbers name and relatives who bought oblations such as flowers and some foods. As you can see, funeral is really magnificent. Although, most Japanese do not belong to religion, almost all funerals are held in Buddhist style. I think it is strange. And also Japanese people tend not to have question about this situation. It is also strange for me.

I quoted two pictures from these two sites.

http://www.d6.dion.ne.jp/~r_sato/jiji-1.gif

http://hanamizuki.894.or.jp/sougi/

Calligraphy

I examine about calligraphy. Calligraphy is one of the Japanese arts.
Calligraphy is using writing brush and ink and writing letters on the paper.
There are some ways of handwriting.
In Japan, the exhibition of calligraphy has held since Showa period. Gradually, calligraphy is established as modern art.

Please look at this picture. Tools of calligraphy are ink stone, brush, paper and ink. They are called four treasures of stationary.

Ink stone is used like a palette of painting. It is used for polishing ink and storing ink. It is usually made from stone. Some of them are made from pottery and japan ware.

Brush is made from the bristle of horse, sheep and raccoon dog with tree and bamboo.

It is used for the special paper for calligraphy. Sometimes Japanese paper is used though it is expensive.

Ink is usually used India ink.
In Japanese compulsory education, elementary school students of third year or over learn calligraphy as one of Japanese class. It is provided as teaching guideline. In high school, course of art has music, art and calligraphy, so students can choose favorite one.
Please look at this picture, in Japan, there is an annual event which shows world and Japanese social condition by one Kanji in December 12th. The day is decided Kanji day (漢字の日) by the association of Kanji examination. The Kanji is written in Kiyomizu temple, in Kyoto every year openly. The Kanji is generally called Kotoshino Kanji (今年の漢字). It means Kanji of this year. This event is started in 1995. When the Kanji is announced, Shinto priest of Kiyomizu temple write it on a big paper using brush.
Last year, the kanji, 偽 (deceit), was chosen because there were many food disguise and also the problem of pension was happened in Japan.

Please look at this picture. Calligraphy is generally written in quiet place with sit on their heels; however this picture is totally different. A woman writes with standing and there are some women with instruments. Recentry calligraphy exert to many fields. It shows a changing culture.

Graduation ceremony

I examine about Graduation ceremony at school in Japan. I went to graduation ceremony of Kansai Gaidai University on last Saturday. Most female students wear onnahakama and some women wear kimono. On the other hand, most male students wear recruit suits and some men wear haorihakama. In junior high school and high school, all students wear school uniform.

In Japan, graduation ceremony is one of school event and ritual as the same as opening ceremony, closing ceremony, entrance ceremony in elementary school, junior high school, high school. According to government guideline for teaching, in graduation ceremony, so as to host a nation flag and national anthem, teachers have to instruct students.
In graduation ceremony, certification presentation is the main event. There are three certification styles. One is class teacher call their students’ name in turn, all students stand on the platform and they receive certification from a principal.

Second pattern is class representative receives certification from principal. Class teacher calls their students’ name, and then students answer and stand up. After called all students’ name, class representative stands on the platform and receive certification from principal.

Third pattern is representative of department or school receives certification from president.

In junior high school and high school, students sing aogeba totoshi(仰げば尊し) and hotarunoholari(蛍の光). These are really famous song in graduation ceremony.

Please look at this picture; this is a graduation ceremony at junior high school. What do you think about it? All students wear same uniform and line like military; moreover Japanese flag is on the center of platform. I think this situation is like communism like North Korea. To host Japanese flag shows patriotism, and also students and teachers seem to be controlled by government unconsciously.

Please look at this picture. This picture shows graduation ceremony in universoty. In graduation ceremony, most students take pictures with their professors, and their position is decided in most cases. As you can see, a professor is sandwiched between female students. This situation is called ryote ni hana in Japanese. It literally means a man has flowers in his both hands. Females are refered as flowers. I think this picture and the term represent male dominance. Female role is to make male outstand in this picture. In Japan, female position is lower than male still now, especially the position of working women. Therefore this picture represents the condition of Japanese society.

comics

I went to shopping mall in Hirakata last weekend, and I found interesting thing. There were many foods which were covered with animation characters’ plastic bag. Some of those are come from foreign countries. For example, comic of peanuts was born in America in 1950. It was written by Charles M Schulz. It have been really popular in the world and comic of peanuts was published totally more than three billion copies.

In Japan, peanuts was started to be published in 1967, translated by Shuntaro Tanikawa who is a famous writer in Japan. Japanese tend to think Snoopy is the main character of peanuts stories, because company of Sanrio sells many snoopy goods, and also peanuts’ cartoons appear Sannkei news paper on Sundays now. Peanuts’ characters entered in Universal Studio Japan, which is one of big amusement parks in Japan in 2001. Peanuts characters are really loved by many Japanese.

While peanuts become famous, those characters are used as targets of consumer by some companies. For example, Softbank which is one of Japanese cell phone companies made cell phone decorated by pictures of snoopy. It seems to target young female consumers.

Also, I went to a sweets shop in Hirakata. Almost all sweets are covered with simple case; however, a few sweets are covered by snoopy’s small plastic bag. There is not peanuts’ goods shop but they use picture of snoopy to sell sweets. I think it is interesting.

I think some comics that are from foreign countries are really popular in Japan; however they tend to be used to make a benefit by some companies. I think those comics should be used more preciously in Japan.

Japanese family

I examine about Japanese family in a holiday. Last Sunday, I went to a park around my house in Hirakata.There were many children who were playing with their parents.

Japan has a traditional concept. It is housework is for female and work for male. Most fathers leave home early in the morning and go home late at night, and also I often see mothers who ride bycicle with two children almost every day. It means that to take care of children is regarded as abslutely mothers’ work. So, traditionally holidays are only days that fathers take care of their children and children can play with their all family menbers. It is said that most boys play catch with their father. That’s why I think these pictures represent one of Japanese culture.

This culture is really important for us, because this situation also represent the condition of Japanese society. For example, still now to take care of children is regarded as exclusively female’s job; however, if male starts to take care of children rather than female, we must see different Japanese family style and it shows that the moment of generating new Japanese culture. So we need to keep our eye open Japanese families.

My hometown

Last weekend, I went back to my home town, Hyogo prefecture. It is located at next to Osaka prefecture. Hyogo prefecture seems urban place, because there is a Kobe city. However my home town is totally different from Kobe city. There are a several houses, small number of people, surrounded by mountains and many rice fields. My home town is rural, and there are full of lands, so almost all family has two houses. One is for grandparents; the other is for young couples such as their son’s family.

My home town has much snow in winter, so almost all houses have garage which has a roof.

And also in front of my house, there is a narrow road and as you can see, the road is really rough. So people change their normal car tire to snow tire before winter. A car cannot meet another car on the road. However, a car seldom passes the road. So children ski in the road.

In addition, almost all family has their own rice field. So people make snowman, yukidaruma （雪だるま）in Japanese, or Kamakura　there. My home town’s scenery is so wonderful especially winter. My home is like a row of houses and streets in old Japan and way of living is also quite old fashion, for example, there is no conbini, karaoke, and shopping mall, so I can feel relax and I can play in the natural environment, whenever I came back home. It is really fascinating.

My hometown

One of Japanese culture

Last weekend, I walked around Hirakata thinking about what represents Japanese culture. Then I found an interesting one. It is chochin （提灯）. It is traditional Japanese flashlights. People used chochin in festival or ritual as a decorarion or a sign before Edo period. After Edo period, it is said that people used chochin as a flashlight. However, now people use chochin in festival only, so, people seldom use chochin in daily lives.

However, actually I found chochin around Hirakata city.

Look at pictures, please. You can see letters in chochin.

The term oshokujitei (お食事亭) is witten in left one. It means a restrant.
The term izakaya (居酒屋) is written in right one. It means Japanse bar.
So, as you notice that still know, in some ares, chochin is used as sign.
When I found it, Iwas happy because culture continues changing, however, in some area, Japanese culture is still inherited. I think Japanese should inherite Japanese culture importantly.

Coming of age day

In Japan, 20 years old is very special.
People calls 20 years old people hatachi in Japanese.
Hatachi is one of turning points in the life because 20 years old people are regarded as adult in the society. They can get voting rights, drinking alcohols and smoking. It indicates that they have to have responsibility for their behavior.

At the same time, on third Monday in January, it is called coming of age day, and it is holiday. It is also called成人の日(Seijin-no-hi) in Japanese. ‘成’(sei) literally means developed or completed or sufficient. ‘人’ (jin) literally means people or person. ‘日’(hi) literally means a day. And coming of age day, people who became 20 in previous year and will become 20 until April in the year have a ceremony by city or small town. It is one of Japanese tradition.
In that day, almost all men just wear recruit suits and a few men wear hakama (袴). It does not cost so much, because most men do not buy new suits for that day and they do not decorate their hair and makeup. However, women’s schedules are so hard in that day. They have to get up early in the morning to put on makeup gorgeously, and then go to beauty salon to have their hair up and decorate, and finally they wear furisode. After that, they go to the ceremony. Despite the ceremony is only about three hours, women pay much money and spend uncomfortable day. However, furisode is exclusively beautiful, and most women wear furisode only twice in their lives. One is coming of age day, the other is marriage. Therefore, it is very precious time for women to wear traditional Japanese clothes. And most women take pictures another day of before that ceremony. Usually those pictures have been used for marriage meetings. They are called miai-shashin (見合い写真).

Coming of age day ceremony has another exciting event, class reunion. It is called dosokai (同窓会) in Japanese. Dosokai (同窓会) is meeting of people who studied from same teachers or in the same class. After the ceremony, junior or high school friends gather and talking and eating and drinking together. Most people go to college or technical college, so they merely meet and hang out. Therefore class reunion is absolutely good opportunity to look back on their school life or to talk about their future plan.