2008年5月14日水曜日

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.

2008年5月1日木曜日

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.