When I first came to Japan, I expected it to open itself up for me. Essentially, I expected it to provide me with experiences, cultural understanding, and friendships as I lived in the country. I have now come to realize this is not the case.
Living different and new country, I learn’t, does not mean that it will open itself up to you. I learn’t that for me to make Japanese friends and attain a significant cultural understanding of Japan, that I must put in the work.
-I am the one who has to go past my comfort levels to explore and understand Japan.
-I am the one who has to put time and effort into relationships.
-I am the one who needs to create the experiences and learn for myself here in Japan.
Japan will not do these things for me, I have to do them.
Through this semester, I have been waiting, waiting for the moment I will be surrounded and enveloped by a deep understanding of Nippon. Waiting for a “deep connection” to develop. But I am still waiting…
The reason why I wait, I believe, is because I have not done enough. I have not ventured off on my own, asked enough questions, or informed myself enough. I have learnt that I need to learn how to live here, how to communicate here, how to be here.
My changing impression of Japan is that it is not a delicious cake that will feed itself to me, but rather a slippery nut, that only the tools of courage and knowledge can open…
The people in this video are playing the Shamisen in the “Tsugaru Jamisen” style. A style that was developed by a blind man who would play for food infront of peoples houses in Tsugaru city, located in Aomori (blue forest) prefecture. Tsugaru Jamisen’s style uses the strokes from the bachi (pick) as to hit the Taiko, the drum or body, to create a precussion sound that is almost exclusivly found in this stlye. “Tsugaru Jamisen” Shamisen’s are characterized by having larger necks, thicker strings, and larger Bachi. Supposidly, the reason for the Tsugaru Jamisen being a larger version of its fellow music making brethren is so that that artists playing them would be able to play above the howling blizzards raging outside during northern Japans frozen winters.
OOOO YEAH!
I also had the opportubity to participate in ”traditional” shamisen lessons. A few months back I found myself in a room chalk-full of Japanese people, a rather common experience here in Japan. What was uncommon about this occasion was that the people surrounding me were all holding and playing traditional Japanese instruments, Shamisen.
It was my first time to see and hear the instrument which caught my attention 9 months ago. It was beautiful. The buzzing of the lower notes, the synchronicity of melodies between students and teacher, and the occasional out of tune/off beat mishaps, all created an atmosphere which I have never experienced.
You cant buy such a thing.
I was honored to be able to sit in on this class, and even more honored to receive a free-of-charge private lesson after everyone was finished playing.
I would like to thank my Japanese teacher Shiomi (See-Salt) Sensei, for introducing me to Komori Sensei, another Japanese teacher who practices the Shamisen at this classroom. I would also like to thank Komori Sensei for being so kind as to meet with me and guide me to and from Shamisen lessons.
Hierarchy in Japanese society is much more defined than in Western society. As a result, social positions of power in relation to groups are often well defined and implemented. In school clubs these hierarchical relationships are divided into two separate categories: senpai (senior member) and kouhai (junior member). Whether it be the school’s karate club, art club, or tennis club, senpai/kouhai play a large role in both the clubs and the Japanese education system.
School clubs meet anywhere from a few times a week to everyday (including weekends). Within these school clubs, skill does not move one up the heirarcal ladders, rather, positions of power are assigned depending on the club members year in school. So those who are older are considered senpai to younger club members, and those who are younger are considered kouhai to older club members.
Senpai are seen as the leaders of the club and are expected to teach, guide, punish, and praise the kouhai in accordance to club rules and club expectations. Senpai are not expected to do any of the clubs dirty work, such as setting and cleaning up, as task such as these are reserved for the lower ranking kouhai. Kouhai are not only expected to do the clubs dirty work and follow advice given by their senpai, they are also expected to use keigo (a polite form of Japanese) when addressing their senpai, bothinside and outside club hours.
Within school clubs the members learn how to take orders, give orders, to follow, and to lead throughout their club career. They also learn to how use keigo as well as how to be a successful member of a group,both essential tools for being a successful member of the Japanese workforce.
In conclusion, the relationship between the senpai and kouhai serves as an educational tool for students within Japanese schools as it functions to teach them how to to be a successful members of a group and therefore productive members of Japanese society.
Fuzzy knee-length boots, sparkly sliver pants with jacket to match. A dozen-or-so shiny jewel encrusted accessories hanging from a purple handbag, all toped off with cleanly plucked and shaved eyebrows, beautifully dyed and groomed dyed shoulder-length hair, eye make-up, and a dash of lipstick.
To a westerner this description may conjure up images of fashion found on woman or, those who wish to be like women. In Japan, on the other hand, this description could very well be describing a man.
Japanese men's fashion magazine. Models look girly... but that's ok!
In contrast to Western beliefs, In Japan this description of a man would not be seen as a “confused citizen”, but rather as a person with his own distinct style. Its not that every man in Japan dresses this way, or agrees with this style, but there are a large number of men who are embracing their feminine side. As a result, the gender barriers within Japanese fashion are much less visible as they are in Western culture.
What is the reason for this you might ask? Well, although Western dress was originally introduced as the standard dress for Japanese during the Meiji period (1868-1912), the western beliefs of what is considered feminine and masculine did not transfer as strongly. Perhaps this is due to the fact that traditional Japanese dress had little difference between genders in comparison with to Western dress (Takeda 1998), resulting in a fashion society with a diverse range of clothing, accessories, and cosmetics for both men and women that we see in Japan today.
Men's eyebrow grooming set founds in nearly every "Sunkus" convenience store.
In the Japan’s native religion, Shinto, there is no concept of sin, rather it is believed that impure or evil acts contaminate individuals and thus upsetting the god living in the local shrine.
If there is a death in the family, one is unable to enter the shrine for a year after its occurrence as it is believed that they are impure for that duration of time.
Women are also seen as impure during menstruation and are also not allowed to enter Shrines for the duration of their menstrual cycle.
When entering a shrine you pass through a Torii (Shinto gate), symbolizing the passing of one from a impure realm, the outside, to a pure realm inside the shrine.
People are also expected to wash their hands and face at the sink located near the entrance inorder to remove impurities.
Last weekend I was a human playground. Attending my little host brothers sports festival, I did not expect to be the center of attention for all the 3-7 year olds within a 50 meter radius. Beyond the failing and screaming children, I was able to get a good glance of what a Japanese sports festival is all about.
“Sports” in this context is much different from the what it represents back home. When you hear the words “sports festival” your mind my conjure up images of the track and field days of your elementary school years. Perhaps some good old team sports such as soccer, baseball, or basketball, might squeeze their way into that definition as well. Well, the Japanese sports festival has quite different intentions.
As family members gather to watch their children compete on their own or in a team, they set up temporary sitting spaces with tarps, coolers, and of course, sitting-chairs. It is with these families that the children came in abundance. The striking amount of young families had a striking amount of young children. One thing that I was able to observe, was that my host sister, Momona, is not the only Japanese 5 year old that loves to use humans as playgrounds.
She kept on chirping to get my attention
Parents watching thier children - I was the only foreigner
It was not uncommon to see small children climbing all over their parents, or anyone within a safe vicinity from the faces familiar to them. Even I, with the incredible talent of escaping such dangerous situations, could not avoid the onslaught of human-climbing toddlers. For 5 hours they clung to me, trying to climb my shoulders, sitting on me as I tried to nap, and getting me to flip them around in all different directions.
Anyway, it was fun! And I am sure the Kaori and Hideo, my host parents, appreciated the little relief I gave them from their ultra-clingy daughter, Momona.
Yes, I was there with my host family. They brought food, beer, and snacks to last for the duration of the day. I could tell that they appreciated me taking the time to watch their oldest child, Tatsuki (7), participate in the schools anuall sports festival.
Shouji and Friends
Homemade Japanese Bento (Lunchbox)
And here is where we get back to the “sports” portion of the sports festival.
It started with all the children lining according to their grades and classes. After an encouraging announcement from the school head, followed by a popular Japanese song, the festival began. The sports in the festival consisted mainly of individual races, group races, dances and other group oriented activities. Actually, the only activity where the children competed individually were the foot races.
Group races were quite innovative. For one event, 2 teams of about 30 students each would compete in a relay race style. 4 students from each team would pick up a large platform, on which a large plastic panda was placed, run to a designated point and return back to their group of eagerly awaiting team mates, switch, then do it again till the whole team had gone. The trick was not to let that wobbly panda on top of the platform to fall when running, cause if it did, horrible amounts of time would be lost.
Another group race had a similar relay feel. 3 at a time, children would run to a designated point all holding the same large piece of bamboo. Once the reached the destination they would spin twice, then run back to their group. What I liked about this event is that when they ran back to their group, the students holding the bamboo, would hold it high, pass it over all their group members heads till they reached the back of the group, then they would come back to the front of the group passing the piece of bamboo down low so all the members had to jump over it.
Phew! other group activities included; tug-of-war, throwing colored balls into baskets, and other stuff that I cannot think about right now.
The most impressive thing about the Japanese sports festival was the dances. In the entire day there were about ten, full-length, dances. Ranging from traditional to modern dances, the children preformed dressed in full costumes with all the other children of their grade. It was quite amazing to see that children ranging from grade 1 to grade 6 were able to preform such elaborate dances on such a mass scale. Each dance lasted for more than five minutes, and had more than 80 students preforming. It made me wonder if the children back in Canada could achieve such an amazing feat!
When I first did my research before coming to Kansai Gaidai, I was shocked at the long reach of globalization and it’s influence the campus. When I found out that there is a MacDonald’s and a Seattle’s Best Coffee on Kansai Gaidai’s campus, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was shocking to find that the only two restaurants that were not cafeteria’s on campus are chain organizations originating from the United States.
Although being a minority has become a daily part of my life here in Japan, I have never felt its effects so strongly as I did when I participated in the local festival in Ayumi’s hometown district, Kise.
Kise, being in the countryside of Aichi Japan, home of Nagoya city, is a place with little foreigners. And its small annual festival thanking and asking Shinto gods for good harvest, in which I participated, is not one that would be found in any travel guide. The only reason why I was able to find out and join the festival celebrations was because Ayumi’s family invited me. As a result, I was the only foreigner out of the hundred or more participants, dressed in full festival gear.
Either with awe, curiosity, or disgust, nearly everyone stared and gawked at my white skin, curvy face, and deep eyebrows.
I was very aware of myself as a foreigner.
Who looks out of place?
The festival was great. First we all met in an area just down the street from Ayumi’s house, to prepare, drink sake, and eat dried minnow’s much like one would snack on chips. From there, after the six shots rang from the some of the first guns that ever arrived in Japan and notes blown from Takayuki’s and No-chan’s seashell horns, we proceeded to march down to the local shrine. Along the way we chanted “Hosai, Hosai, Hosai!” and stopped in designated areas to watch children preform choreographed fights with wooden weapons.
Children watch their peers in coreographed fights
After the fights people would cheer and throw in pre-wrapped 10 yen coins for those who preformed. Often those younger in age would throw the coins as hard as they could into their peers faces for a good chuckle.
Followed by more gunshots, the group would then proceed its journey to the shrine, stopping twice again for more choreographed fights.
Guns fierd from the 1600's - Hilt shot from foot.
Before entering the temple, purification rites were preformed by people shaking wet bamboo chutes so that drops of water would fall onto those passing by.
Drops from bamboo = Purity?
Upon entering the temple, people began eating and drinking the free alcohol and food provided. Food was then thrown from the temple balcony, to those eagerly awaiting below.
More choreographed fights were preformed, as those who gathered and watched drank and ate, and drank and ate. Takayuki would even toot on his horn just for fun!
Snacks! - Dried fish
As the festival passed, various drunken people talked to me, a drunken Alec. Many conversations were held, and many words were misunderstood, but we all knew what we had in common… BOOZE~!
Connecting cultures around the globe... ALCOHOL!
Once the darkness came, with lit chouchin (lanterns) we ran back to the to our original meeting spot, then dispersed back to our residences to continue eating and drinking.
Chouchin - Lanterns
I fell asleep, from intoxication, in Ayumi’s living room while those around me ate various raw sea creatures.
Did mention that I won the most amazing box of kleenex at the temples raffle. In my drunken state it was my way of breaking the ice with the most hesitant of the Japanese. I would run up to them, spin in a circle, then offer a fresh piece of kleenex which I procured from inside my happi (festival garb).
Animated movies, video games, and manga are not viewed in the same way here in Japan as they are in western society. “In Japan, culture is not so clearly divided between adults and children. Therefore, comics, animations, and games, which are regarded as “children’s entertainment” in American and European culture, are not so controlled in Japan, and those targeted at adults are widely available” (Ichiya p.2). As a result, the markets for such entertainment products are larger in Japan compared to those markets found in the west. These large markets provided Japan with a strong base which allowed the industry to flourish economically and therefore led the country to become the world leader in production of video games, anime, and manga.
Japans influence on the global entertainment industry has created new forms popculture, revolving greatly around animated/simulated experiences, that have transcended international borders, age, sex, and language barriers.
They can be kind, curious, playful, polite, shy, sociable, and funny, but at the same time cold, serious, strict, rude and lacking a sense of humor. Yes, the people of Japan come in a wide variety of colorful, and dreary, personalities. One moment you are faced with smiling children, teens, adults, and old people who want to strike up a conversation with you, and the next moment people of the afore mentioned age groups will stare at you like your doing something wrong.
Much like my own Canadian brethren, there are a variety of good and bad Japanese people.
