Changing Impression

Before I took this lecture, I didn’t interest in own culture so much. I also didn’t have enough knowledge about my country. When a foreigner asked a question of something strange Japanese culture, I always replied vague answer. I didn’t research well about Japanese culture because I am in there now. I misunderstood that I know everything my culture. I think I did research well only for homework. But now, I realized Japan is very strange country comparison with foreign countries. I felt so through the class. Japan is strange but here is so beautiful country. Peculiar flowers in Japan have atmosphere to fascinate many people and comfort. I didn’t realize its attraction before.

First photograph is at Kyoto Fuji Festival. Every year in this season, its flower always come out. Japanese playing card (花札) has its picture. When I went to the festival I felt comfort than before.
As you know second photograph is a cherry blossom. This is a symbol of Japan. In 1912 a president of Tokyo send its to Washington D.C. for both friendship.

Recently, I try to close pay attention to own country. I consider I must experience Japanese culture more than before, though I am Japanese. Before I leave Japan, I would like to do it and take photographs of Japan.

You can read this page in English about Washington D.C. cherry brrosom informaton in detail. http://aranishi.hobby-web.net/3web_ara/sakura.htm

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Japanese politics

We had a schedule for Saturday before 1992.

Japanese government proposed lots of politics since I was born here. Most of them were not related to me in direction. Sankyu(産休) which I told before on this blog would relate to me when I have a child with working. I really expect the politic. Anyway what I could feel happy and thank for the governor was a politic of Syukyu Hutsuka sei(週休二日制) in 1992.
週：week　休：holiday　二日：two days　制：politic

You might guess the politic function. It means that students who are elementary school or junior high or high should take two days holiday which are on Saturday and Sunday. It introduced for participating in a community service. Before the politic, the students must go school including on Saturday. When the government introduced the politic, I could remember my excited. Despite of their new idea, it resulted in decreasing study ability. Then Yutori Education spread over the politic, Japanese study ability score was getting lower.

Next picture is about Complement text books. It introduced this April. The books will cover student’s knowledge which will not be leaned in a class. The governor expects that it will work well. Our generation was just Yutori Education. We must have lack of knowledge than people who went to school before 1992. I have experience that Japanese
society look down on the Yutori Education generation. So I also expect the text books.

Please look this page to learn more the politic.
http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/652.cfm

Japanese Sport

Today’s topic is Japanese sport! I would like to introduce Sumo. I have not been to Kokugikan(国技館) in Tokyo where Sumo is played. I really want to go and see Sumo until I will die. Foreigners might think that most Japanese well know about Sumo same as Baseball. But most Japanese especially young people have not been to there. In addition to that, most young people and rarely a few adults don’t have interest in Sumo. I mean Sumo is loved by aged people in Japan, because Sumo is really traditional and old sport. I think that it is very noble sport. So it is difficult for young people to have interests it.
Aiko-sama who is a princess in Japan and born December 1, 2001 loves Sumo. Media broadcasted that Aiko-sama went to Kokugi-kan with her family when she was 4 years old. Then we were surprised that she memorized Shikona(四股名) of Rikishi(力士) who is player of Sumo. To memorize Shikona is difficult for even adults because it is long. Aiko-sama also memorized techniques of each player. I do not know about Sumo well. In other words a ditch between young people and Sumo is deep.

You can look more pictures about His Majesty.

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/yoshi883t/c/57d4396020e7d33138d1713900147441

Gender in Japan

Today's topic is Gender in Japan. I often feel gender discrimination in Japan. Japanese is sensitive to gender issue. Recently, many ideas come up in Japanese society to protect women’s position. For example, every company keeps a rule of San-kyu(産休). Pregnant can get 6 weeks rest before their birth and 8 weeks rest after it. Then, they also can earn salary even if they don’t work at all. It is a one of example which is useful for only women. Men sometimes complain about it. I will show pictures like that.

First picture is a coupon for only women. It says if you bring and show this to a clerk only women can save 100 yen when they eat Yakiniku-tabehoudai(焼肉食べ放題). Sometimes when I order course at Izakaya, men should pay much than women. It means that most of men usually eat too much than women. But I think it depends on men.

Another coupon is at Kaikatsu club(快活クラブ). It is located rout 1. This is an Internet cafe. This picture says if women come and order sweets on Tuesday and Wednesday, they can eat it with 50%off. It is called as Ladies day (レディースデイ). Most movie theaters introduce it. All women can go there just 1000 yen on a particular day. It is to call women customers for getting large sales. But, this is complained by men sometimes. Many companies try to call women customers with variety coupons these days. It sometimes get bad images from men. If you have an interest, please search various coupon for only women.

Religion in Japan

Today's topic is Religion in Japan. We cannot explain easily about religion in Japan. I of course know that my relision is Buddhism. I'm sometimes fascinated a vague power from Buddhism symbol. But actually, I cannot believe it sincerely. I just follow Buddhism rules or ways only a time when something important is happened, for example, a marriage or a funeral. Thus I have no relision(mu-syukyo無宗教). This situation is very vague and complicated. It is hard to explain my religion. So I'd like to introduce my fascinated symbols.

First picture is about Takuhatsu(托鉢). It is one of a religious austerities. Ascetics should have spend lives with at least money during a religious austerities to discard greed. So they need to gain money from devotees. You can see these people nearby temples. I met him at Todaizi(東大寺). I often see a person on sizyo-ohashi(四条大橋) where is in front of a station of gion-sizyo(祇園四条).

Second picture is about people who cover with smoke. It was said thet its custom was came from zukou(塗香). Zukou meant that religious austerities and devotees were put on incense stick which was included water to remove wicked heart from their bodys. Today we rub its smoke into our heads. It means that we desire to be intelligent. Sometimes old people rub its into their knee or waist. They believe that it can remove pain or desease.

If you have interested in religious austerities, you can look some pictures. The pages are all English. http://www.tenzo.net/english/eng-home.htm

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Globalization/The Japanese Version

Today's topic is Globalization. I didn't really care affects by Western culture until I watched the TV show in the class. Japanese use lots of English in daily life. Most Japanese people may say that using English is very cool and fashionable. That's why we use English to titles, music words, clothes and so on. I can remember that I often was asked "Why does Japanese people use English on the T-shirts?" " Why Japanese singers use English in their songs?" So, our lives fill with English. I couldn't appropriately answer, but this is sure that I have been studying English because I had have been affected by strange English in Japan.

As we watched the TV show, from 30 to 40 years ago Japanese were especially affected by Westerner. So, I tried to ask these people about English affects. This Takoyaki shop is located in front of Mandai which is located nearby Hirakata civic hospital(枚方市民病院). The shop sign say "フレンド"(Friend). I asked shop owner who is around 60 years olds.

Me: Why did you choose the word not "友達" but "friend"?

Owner: As you know, friend means intimate. So I want to come to this shop intimate atmosphere. Why chose English is fasionable and swanky.

This woman answered fasionable either. A shop sign in English has something power for collecting many customers to the shop. Japanese may believe so.

Can you recognize the picture is sushi restaurant? I couldn't recognize at first. There is the shop at Shinsaibashi. This shop sign is like including Chinese and Western culture to Japanese sushi!! I of course love sushi. I was very hungry when I took the photo. But I didn't enter the shop. I didn't WANT to enter it. Because Sushi is Japanese culture, if foreign culture make it, it's so untrustworthy. I of course had an interests but I couldn't incline toward entering the shop. Foreign culture sometimes may go Japanese culture down in value.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Photographing Japan:Yurie Nagashima

http://www.switch-pub.co.jp/library/photo/026/#

http://www.switch-pub.co.jp/library/photo/026/#

Yurie Nagashima was born in Tokyo 1973. She won a Parco prize while she was at Musashino-Art college. She also won Kimura Ihei award in 2000 which was a same worth as Akutagawa award in the book world. (Akutagawa award is the most valuable book-award in Japan.) She became a famous woman photographer after taking semi nude of her family. She were working to open her exhibition in foreign countries.

She forcused on her family particularly her husband in her photojournals "Not Six". It means "a good-for-nothing" or "scoundrel". We can say it "ろくでなし". So, she used its word as a colloquial expression. I picked up two pictures from her photjournal "Not Six". She has taken a photo of her husband naturaly for seven years. He changed from others to a boyfriend, husband and a menber of family for her. She took natural photos in her life. I can feel comfortable from her book. I want to buy it. People who bought her photojournal "Not Six" from the Internet praised her natural "love" with her husband. Additionally, they said that they want to take a lover's photo or express their "love" with photos like Yurie Nagashima. So, we can feel same feeling from her photo. Can feel only Japanese? I really hear foreigner's opinions.

Souces:http://www.switch-pub.co.jp/library/photo/026/#

You can see opinions who bought the book but this site is Japanese.http://www.amazon.co.jp/not-six-%E9%95%B7%E5%B3%B6-%E6%9C%89%E9%87%8C%E6%9E%9D/dp/4884180143

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.