Japan: Changing perspectives

I'm not quite sure what I was expecting when I came to Japan, but I can say that I didn't experience any giant culture shock that most people expect. After a few days, I mostly forgot that I was half a world away from home. I guess what I did come to understand is how Japan compares to other countries. Japan is said to by high-tech, fast-paced and modern. This is really only partially true. While quick to grow in some areas, Japan is slow to change in others. Take a look at my other posts on homelessness, gender equality, social flexibility and insulation in houses.

Society aside, what did I learn? Well, that's difficult. My years of interest in Japan, as well as lack of any other goal, led me to learn about most of the vastly different or "perspective changing" areas. I could say, however, that my perspective on Japan changed once I started looking seriously into studying here, and the act of coming to Japan really just solidified what I had learned. In high school, my only real exposure to Japan was through Japanese TV, movies and music. I thought it would be fun to study in Japan, but I had no idea what it was really like here. Once I got to college and started seriously studying Japanese life and culture, I tried seriously to understand the “reality” about Japan, not just the bits and pieces that somehow make their way to the US. It seems that there is a giant invisible filter in the Pacific that only lets the weird and exciting things about Japan through. I find a lot of people have some strange ideas about what it is like here. Now I can really say that Japan isn't that weird, a least no weirder than other places. Things are just different, and usually even with the craziest thing you find here, I'm sure if you think hard enough, you can match it with an equally, or stranger, example from your country. Go ahead, try it.

Entertainment in Japan

Since I came to Japan, I have watched TV almost everyday. From this, I have made a few observations about what I have seen. To say that all Japanese TV is the same would be wrong, though I can't help but think every time I see a new show "Isn't this the same thing that was on yesterday?". Aside from the usual news, sports and kids programs that almost every country has, I have noticed three types of shows that dominate a good portion of the airtime, especially during primetime.

1. The comedy show.
A panel of well known comedians sitting around in a crazy decorated set in front of an audience. Video clips or some type of crazy competition are shown and the panel members give funny responses, then cut to the reaction of the other hosts.

2. The amazing fact show.
Again, a panel of well know TV personalities view video footage of strange foreign customs, historical events or other amazing, but not well known sights. An announcer or the host will pose a question to the panel/viewer "How are they able to make such a thing?" or "Where did this idea come from?" etc.. The panel then explains their theories which range from clever, to comically stupid. Then, queue a video explaining the answer along with a little box showing people going "eeeeeh!?".

3. "Food porn"
The same formula as above, but instead with slow motion close ups of various food and the preparation. These shows always seem to come on during dinner time. While in the US, there is an entire network devoted to food, it is more focused on information about cooking, how to make it, or the drama between chefs in high stakes competitions. Not so much about the drool factor. I can understand the popularity of such shows here, as I have found that Japanese people really like eating, and often in quantities I can't compete with.

Sports in Japan: Tenkara

The majority of popular sports in Japan today were imported from the west. However, while searching for an interesting topic for this post, I found an unusual connection between Japanese and western sports. This would be fly fishing. Today, fly fishing is usually thought of as a largely American or British past time, that emerged as a popular activity in Scotland and Northern England in the 19th century. Since then, the hobby has spread to many other countries. In Japan however, the method of tenkara fishing ("from heaven") is very similar to it's western counter-part, yet dates back almost 430 years. During the Edo era, tenkara was a popular hobby of samurai, who were not allowed to publicly practice martial arts. The sword becomes the rod and the action and strategy of fooling the fish becomes more important than actually catching one. With only a small amount of materials needed and the solitude and connection with nature, I can see how the Zen aspect of tenkara would be appealing to the samurai.

It's no surprise that fishing is an important past time in Japan. Afterall, fish is essential for food here, but with tenkara, eating the fish is of little concern.

Jewelry with a Samurai Spirit

TenkaraUSA

Religion in Japan

While most Japanese do not practice religion regularly, 84% identify with more than one religion, mainly a combination of Buddhist and Shinto beliefs. Religion does not seem to be a main concern of many Japanese, but on certain occasions such as new years, matsuri or funerals, traditional rituals are performed by many who do not normally practice religion.

Like the US, Japan has freedom of religion, as well as separation of church and state contained in it's constitution. Consequently, as in the US as well, the reality is often more complicated. Soka Gakkai is a shinshuukyou, or "new religion" based off of Nichiren Buddhism. Founded in the 1930's, it is Japan's largest religious organization and since the 1960's has had questionable connections to the political process. The New Komeito party was created by Soka Gakkai in 1964, though now they are tecnically two sepperate organizations, many criticize New Komeito members for their connections to Soka Gakkai. Many Japanese people are suspicious of shinshuukyou religious, fearing cultist behavior and fundimentalism. Though Soka Gakkai is more or less a peaceful organization, other, more strange groups have given the public reason to fear some new religions. An obvious example is Aum Shinrikyo, the doomsday cult that carried out the 1995 sarin nerve gas attacks in Tokyo.Survey on religion
Statistics
Crazies

Gender in Japan

Recently, at Kansai Gaidai there was a showing of the Vagina Monologues. A few of my friends were in it and I decided to go; not so much because I wanted to see the play, but because I was curious about some things. At first I was surprised that they were able to perform the play at all. Even in America some people feel uneasy about it, but then again is was written in such a was as to cause controversy. The second thing I was curious about was what kind of reception it would get. Would many Japanese students come? What would they think about it?
While fairly common on college campuses in America, the Vagina Monologues have only been performed a handfull of times anywhere in Japan. The show was performed half in Japanese, half in English and I would say that given the language barriers,(many of the english portions were done by non-native speakers in addition to the Japanese parts) the performance was a good one. There was only one Japanese performer however and I think the significance would have been much greater had their been more participation by Japanese students. For those who do not understand the reason why such a production is so strange here, the answer is simple: Japanese people in general just don't talk about these kinda of issues. While in America, the typical reaction to something offensive or uncomfortable would be protest or "Think of the children!" outrage, in Japan the response would be censor it, ignore it or hide it. I discussed this same idea earlier in my post on the homeless. Even the Japanese translation of the name was deemed by the traslator, Keiko Itoh, too offensive, thus the Katakana title (ヴァギナモノローグ）. I asked several Japanese students what they thought about the show and found it difficult to get a response more than "it was interesting...". Japanese that attended the show were mostly all college students studying foreign culture, so it is not surprising to me that I did not find anyone who disliked it. Some say Japan is not ready for this kind of in-your-face discussion of sexuality and gender, but it certainly can benefit from the message.

The first showing in Japan
MORE..
For those who haven't seen it.

Politics: Homeless in Japan

Since the economic decline during the 1990's Japan is forced to deal with an increase in unemployed and homeless in it's major cities. Osaka has the largest number at around 7,000 by the official count, but the real number is closer to 10,000. Most people not familiar with Japan would be surprised by this fact. The government is taking steps to deal with this increasing problem, however it seems that it is treated more as an aesthetic problem rather than a social one. When I first arrived in Japan, I didn't seen any signs of homelessness. The fact that I live near a major metropolitan area, yet didn't see these things intrigued me. I knew that there had to be a good deal of unemployed people in the Osaka area just like any other large urban center. It turns out that local governments try their best to keep the homeless out of sight and out of mind. With the lack of government aid, an interesting thing has happened; Large groups of homeless people have joined together to form a sort of co-op style of living in the shanty towns of Tokyo and Osaka. They have their own elected officials and night time safety patrols. With the growing size and complexity of these shanty towns, public officials worry about the the image of the areas in which these people live. Often times the inhabitants of these shanty-towns are forced to relocate or consolidate in out of side areas. Public officials claim that park renovations and public beautification projects as grounds for eviction.
As global recession looms, Japan must come to terms with a social problem that will only get worse with time. Simply putting these people out of sight will accomplish nothing


Osaka Shanty Town
Al Jazeera english report


.

Globalization and Japan

When speaking about globalization, what usually comes to mind is economics; the integration of national economies into a larger global system, through foreign investments, trade and multinational corporations. The whole picture of globalization is the transformation of all facets of life, from regional structure to a collective global one. This includes culture, media, communication, economic and political forces. The theoretical end point being a homogeneous global society where conventional boundaries between nations have more or less disappeared. So where are we today? Thomas Friedman describes it as "globalization 3.0", 1.0 being a system where nations drive globalization, 2.0 where multinational corporations are the main proponents, and 3.0 where individuals have an influence in globalization.

So what is Japan's place in globalization today? No doubt large corporations like Toyota and Sony come to mind when people think about Japan, high tech exports are the driving force behind the Japanese economy. Japan also must import %55 of its food in order to sustain it's population. So clearly, the global system has not just benefited Japan, it is essential. With America being one of Japan's top trading partners, its no surprise that many American companies sell their products here. These products however are often altered to fit Japanese tastes, and in some cases are exclusively marketed in Japan. If the McDonald's Ebi burger or Fanta jelly soda was sold in the US, I doubt they would be very popular. For the same reasons, you don't see root beer or Dr. Pepper in Japan, while many other Coke products can be found. This is most likely because most Japanese people I have talked to that have tried it say that it tastes like medicine. This is an important part of global business; no matter how willing a company is to do business in other countries, some things just never catch on with local tastes.

Traditional Japanese Culture: Youkai

Supernatural beings and monsters can be found in the stories of any culture around the world. Japan in particular has a great of these tales in it's traditional culture. The Japanese words youkai or obakemono are used to describe a wide range of mythical creatures found in old stories told throughout Japan. Some are common everywhere in Japan, while other creatures are tied to local legends. What I find most interesting about youkai are the sheer number and diversity of these creatures, ranging from the beneviolent to the mischeivious, to downright strange. When I think about the monsters of european based stories, they seem to all have similar roles. Witches, goblins, werewolves, vampires; they are almost always exclusivley evil and seem to always want to eat us. This isn't the case with a most youkai, something I find much more interesting. While stories about youkai have are very old, you can still find youkai "appearing" these days.
I took this picture along a waterway near Makino. Along with pictures describing the dangers of entering , such as strong currents and broken glass, the sign also warns children of possible Kappa attack. Kappa can be described as small water imps that are a cross between a turtle and a duck. The bowl shaped area on the head is a pool of water which is the key to the kappa's power. If a clever human is able to trick the kappa into bowing or in some way spilling the water, the kappa becomes weak, allowing the human to escape. Legends about dangerous monsters as a way to keep children out of trouble seems to be common in most any culture's history.
The tanuki is another youkai often seen today. No doubt many foreigners wonder about the odd looking statutes with giant testicles found outside of many stores or resturants. A tanuki is a sort of mischievious raccoon-dog based off of a real animal native to Japan, Nyctereuctes procyonoides. Tanuki are known to use their transforming abilities to satisfy their love for sake, women and food. They are able to take many different forms, as well as disguise useless leaves as money. While not usually harmful to humans, they can very very troublesome and enjoy playing tricks on travelers. Youkai are also popular in manga and anime. One well known example is Studio Ghilbli's Pom Poko.


An index of youkai
Pom Poko Trailer

Japanese Pop Culture

There is a new fad gaining popularity in Japan today; one that has both influences from the west and Japan's past. This would be the tattoo. To older generations, tattoos were synonymous with Yakuza or other undesirable people. "The shift to tattooing criminals began in earnest around 1720. Facial marking replaced nose and ear amputation as punishment, and tattoos were used to single out criminals as a way of warning others against committing the same crimes."-JapanToday
This in a way helped create organized crime in Japan; by forcing those shunned by society to band together. There were, however two types of people that were allowed to have tattoos. One being men of very high status, the other being people like samurai or firemen, who would often be killed in such ways that they body would not be recognizable by any other means. Even with the influence of western media, where tattoos are popular, many young Japanese still have to deal with the pressures of the old generations. There are still bathhouses which do not allow customers with tattoos and workers must be cover tattoos when on the job as not to give the customer the wrong impression.

Tattoos come into the Mainstream
The Art of Irezumi

The Japanese People

When I first started thinking about this week's topic, I found myself at somewhat of a roadblock. "Japanese People" is a very broad subject and there were so many ways I could go. When I took a step back, I tried to think of what impacts me the most about the Japanese. This would be the difficulties of dealing with an unfamiliar and fairly subtle social structure. When in social situations, I often pay close attention to body language and the tone and choice of words people use to communicate. In America at least, I felt that I was pretty good at reading people's feelings, but here, I often get thrown off. It's not that Japanese people use unspoken communication in any unusual way. It's just different. Since I came to Japan, I have had many Japanese people tell me that my Japanese is very good. When hearing this, I do what is expected when you receive a compliment in Japan. Deny it and say, "Oh, no no, I am not good at all". In reality, I am not so much thinking of this when I respond, more so that my Japanese really is not very good at all. I still do not know if people actually think that I very good or not. Outward appearance is held in high regard here. Is the cashier at the 7/11 really that grateful when she thanks you in one long stream of keigo after purchasing a coffee? No. Probably not, but what is important is appearance. Everything thanks you here. Payphones, elevators, automatic doors, ATMs. I really wouldn't be surprised if a found a toilet that thanked me as well.

On a related note, it is thought that the way Japanese society puts such a high importance on maintaining the internal and external self, certain anti-social behaviors can emerge, such as Hikikomori.
And if you need practice controlling your social awkwardness, you can buy a Miteru Dake DVD.

Neighborhood Hirakata

The Hirakata suburbs are full of tightly packed houses and winding streets. The Japanese seem to share a seemingly contradictory idea of neighborhood dynamics; that is, privacy and closeness between neighbors. I talked with some Japanese students and found that in neighborhoods with mostly families or in rural areas, people know their neighbors well and see where they live as a common connection. Similar to what we saw in the neighborhood Tokyo video. At the same time however, I noticed how an individual's home is separated from the public world as our reading's talked about. At night, everyone returns home behind frosted glass and high walls. Gates are shut and shades are closed. But even with all these barriers, walking by the houses you can still guess what's going on inside. You can hear who's arguing, who's child is crying and who is watching baseball on TV. There is a desire for privacy, but also a general curiosity and concern for the overall behavior of one's neighbors.

Historically, the Japanese neighborhoods or cho were self-regulating entities. If one family was in violation of a law, all those living in the cho would feel the repercussions. I am curious to see if any of this kind of concern over others in one's neighboorhood has remained to this day in less urban areas. I asked several Japanese students about their experiences with this in childhood, but I have yet to get many solid answers. I think some more research is in order.

Janky John's Cook Shanty

Recently, a friend and I made a discovery while walking to Makino staion. Within sight of the station, along side of the canal, there is a small, old and pretty dirty looking restaurant with a name I could not read. So I decided to give it my own name: Janky John's Cook Shanty. I figured we should give it a try despite the look of the place. The food was surprisingly good and very cheap. Afterwards I realized that I have never had this kind of experience in America. A place like this run by one old guy would not be known for anything good in america, but from what I have heard, small places like this are all over japan. Some of the best yakisoba, udon or okonomiyake can be found in tiny shops like this one. This is something I admire about Japan, in contrast with the endless amount of bland chain stores I am used to.