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Blog #18

1.     When they are asked about their religion, most Japanese answer they are Shinto and Buddhist. Why do they belong to two religions at the same time?  Why don’t they think it’s contradictory?  Explain why you think so.

I believe it's because they have a different mind set of things then we do in the US. They are open to new idea’s and concepts. They takes the best of two unique things and practice both. The term that represent this is Iitoko dori. They are just more flexible and fluid when it comes to concepts and practices of religions. Also it seems the two religions compliment each other. So while they aren't totally the same, they aren't totally different either.

2.     Considering Zoto, “Public and Private” and “giri” have deeper relationships. Thinking about those two concepts while Japanese people do “Zoto”, which scene of this film is a good example that “‘Private gifts’ that are not considered as important” (p.240) ?

One scene is the gifts that they were given by their neighbors. They didn't seem to really think much of it. This could be because the Japanese give a lot of gifts already and the meaning because less special. Where in the US if you are given a random private gift it has alot more meaning because we dont give gifts as much as the Japanese.

3.     Daigo was a cellist, but his orchestra was dissolved, and he takes a job as “Nokanshi.”  What kind of job is “Nokanshi”?  From the film, what is the general perception of this job? How does Daigo feel about his job? Describe the transition of Daigo’s wife perception toward his job.

The Nokanshi it the ritual prepared of dead bodies. They take the body through several rituals and cleansing in front of the family. The general perception of this job is that it is taboo or wrong to normal people. Not many people wanted to take the position and Daigo’s wife was upset that he did, even though he was making good money. It seems that Daigo seemed to get into what he was doing. At first when his wife found out what he did she was disgusted with it, but the more she learned the more she came around to it and i think eventually respected what he did.  

4.     Japanese funerals have many rituals and customs.  In your opinion, what is the biggest difference between the Japanese funerals you saw in the film and the kind of funerals you have been to?  The biggest difference is that the dead bodies aren't prepared or cleaned in front of the family. In the US this is all done ahead of time and could be considered wrong to do such a thing in front of the family in a funeral  

5.     Movie—What does the stone that Daigo has mean? Daigo and his father would exchange stones as meaning the stone he was given last was rough in texture which is supposed to mean his father was concerned about him.  

6.     Movie— Was Daigo able to meet his father? What kinds of situation was it? His father had died and Daigo got to prepare and cleanse his body, which could be like a last moment between the two of them.

7.     What other PRIOR Japanese key concepts do you see in this film? Explain what and why you think so.  Just like the rest of the movies we saw, I saw gambari in this film. Daigo and his boss both worked around the clock and did some really tough jobs. Also I saw Haragei. I saw this between the communication of Daigo and his Father and how they used stones to express their feelings to one another.

8.     What did you learn about the Japanese culture through the film?  What do you think about the movie overall?

I learned  the extent to which they pay tribute to their loved ones and all of the rituals they have for death. I thought the movie was extremely interesting and was probably the best out of the ones we watched in class.

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Blog #17

Zoto - The Japanese Custom of Gift Giving

“Seasonal gifts called Ochugen and Oseibo, are also given to express the feelings of appreciation, the former in July and the latter in December.”.

I picked this quote because in The United States we don't really have similar practices. We give gifts to one another but they are for holidays, birthdays, or events. We don't really have a seasonal gift giving. I find it interesting because it seems in Japan you give them to represent a meaning between two people, while in The US we give them because that's what you're supposed to do.

“On New Year's Day, they traditionally receive New Years cards, not only from relatives and close friends but from old friends, bosses, business partners, colleagues and almost all of one's acquaintances.”

This quote stuck out to me for several reasons. First, New Years isn't one of our biggest holidays and certainly isn't the biggest or most celebrated. Second, the range to which we give out cards and gifts to during it or even are largest celebrated holiday is much smaller.  In my own case, my family sends out New Years cards to close family and friends. They certainly don't send them out to nearly all of their acquaintances thought. The differences is they aren't expected to in the culture of The United States.

Soshiki - Japanese Funerals

“Shinto is a surprisingly flexible religion with few taboos and restrictions: as a result “ It has readily accepted foreign ideas, beliefs and customs.” .

While many religions are practiced in The US, there are several main ones. Those being Christianity, Judaism and Islam.  I would consider all three of them to be quite different from Shinto, In regards to the rigidness. Each of those religions have set do’s and don't's, they follow doctrines and guidelines created along time ago. They aren't very flexible or inviting to new ideas or concepts. This is why I would consider a majority of our culture of religions to be different to that of the Japanese Shinto.

“It takes forty-nine days after death to be judged, so the bereaved family holds special services for the departed soul during these forty-nine days.”

I find this quite interesting, simply because of the extent to which they pay respect to their ancestors. It seems in the US, we pay respect to them via a funeral immediately after they’ve passed and then we simply mourn them until we have moved on. We don’t hold a litany of events in tribute to them or anything like that. It just sticks out to me the amount of effort that Japanese people put into paying respect to their lost loved ones.

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Blog #16

1. Considering iitoko-dori, the textbook mentions that “the process of iitoko-dori, which has given rise to relative rather than absolute ethical value system, has also result in serious negative consequences” (p.130). Did you find a scene that explains it well? Describe the scene and write the reasons why you think so.

I had trouble getting a clear sense of this term in the film, But one thing I did catch was it seemed the military was stuck between two times. In one scene you have the rapidly advancing machinery and weapons, But then in another scene you have soldier fighting and practicing with stick spears from the older times. I felt as if Japan was stuck between advancing with the more modern countries and being stuck with its older roots.

2. Considering Ikuji, how do you see Keiko (Suzu’s sister in law) child bearing? Use the citation of textbook and explain the DIFFERNCES between textbook and Keiko. Explain why you think so.

Keiko does follow some of the path the book explains for Japanese childbearing. But she falls short on being a mother that should be imitated. A lot of times Keiko doesn't have her daughter follow her steps or repeat after her, she simply tells her what to do. I think she lacks patience in this subject.

3. Considering Ryosaikenbo, in the movie, there are much the Ryosaikenbo concepts, for example “In Japan, it is still believed that boys and girls should be brought up in different ways” (p.181). Did you find a scene that explains it well? Comparing with American culture nowadays, do you feel it is fair or not? Explain the reasons why you think so.

In the movie Keiko’s daughter was raised doing chores, such as cleaning and cooking. The older women of the house did the same. While the men didn't have to do these things. I don’t feel it’s fair at all, women should not be expected to carry out all these duties in adulthood, so why should that be the learn thing they learn when they are younger. I think that if we do this, then we are simply reinforcing the idea that this is what is expected of women when they are older.

4. Considering Danjyo Kankei, unlike the tradition of Danjyo Kankei, did you see in the movie that men (husband, father in law, or good male friend) are subservient to females (wife, mother in law, sister in law, prostitute friend)? Explain the scenes and why you think so.

I didn't really feel as if I saw this very much. They men seemed to be the head of the household still. I only felt like their might of been a glimpse of this between Suzu and Tetsu. But I believe this was only so because they were childhood friends and Suzu treated him as such. Overall I didn't think this was present in the film.    

5. MOVIE- Why did Suzu lose her right arm?

Suzu was walking with Harumi when she noticed a bomb she went to grab Harumi but the bomb exploded and she lost her arm.

6. MOVIE- What was the relationship between Syusaku and Rin?

It seems that Syusaku was in love with Rin and wanted to marry her, but couldn't because her family was poor and she was sold off.

7. What do you think the meaning of her right arm?

Well it could be a reminder of what happened that day, but I didn't really think it had a significance other than her being injured. But I guess as she moves forward throughout her life and moves on, it will always be a reminder.

8. My grandfather who just passed away was 100 years old. He was 1 km away from the ground zero. My grandmother was in Kure and she saw the mushroom cloud like Suzu saw. Do you have similar story in your family? If you do (would have), can you see the historical facts differently or not? Explain the reasons why you think so.

I never lost anyone loved ones from war, but I have had family members serve in the war. It;s interesting to see their perspective of things. It paints a different picture. When they tell you first hand what happens in their situation, it certainly makes you see the facts differently. Just because you have more detail on what's happening,  not just the big picture. Sometimes it's the small details that make a big difference.

9. What Japanese key concepts that you have learned before (other than current 4 concepts) did you see in this movie? Explain why you think so.

I think the term I saw most clearly in this film was Gambari. They whole country was determined to win the war. Regardless of what part they were playing in it they were all working extremely hard. Another term I saw clearly was Uchi to Soto. I saw this in the family setting. At first suzu was clearly the outsider. She was treated poorly and was a true part of the family. But I think towards the end she was more accepted and would be considered Uchi.

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Blog #15

Danjyo kankei(p.61): Male and Female Relationships in Japan

“It was only after World War II that all people had equal rights guaranteed by the new constitution, regardless of sex. In addition, the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was enacted in 1986 with the goal of abolishing employment discrimination against women. Women’s position in society has thus gradually improved, but it is also true that discrimination is widespread in spite of changes in the law ”

This quote stuck out to me because it paints a picture of a situation that parallels to that of which The US went through. We similarly to Japan, went through a time when women wear widely discriminated against in society. They had specific roles and were not supposed to deviate from those. When then went through a time of advancement where in the role of Women in society has greatly improved. But we just as Japan, still face discrimination against women regardless of the laws. It’s interesting to me how parallel two uniquely different countries are in this area.

“At this time, if women had sexual relationships with men other than their husbands, they were severely punished. While men were openly allowed to keep mistresses.”

In The US for a majority of the population neither sex has been openly allowed to cheat in marriage. Nor is it ok for a man to punish his wife for cheating. While we were never this extreme I do think it at one point in time was more acceptable for men to cheat rather than women. I believe this shows the father extent that women were discriminated against in Japan compared to that of The US,

Iitoko dori(p.127): Adopting Elements of Foreign Culture

“People in Japan often find themselves in the unusual situation of believing in two different religions simultaneously .”

I choose this quote because it really blew my mind. In the US it is quite uncommon for someone to believe in two different religions. In fact, I’ve never come to know anyone who has. I’ve known people who have converted from religion to religion. But for this to be common practice in Japan really shows our differences. In the US it doesn't seem like you just get to pick and choose what you want. While in Japan that seems to be exactly the case.

“The Japanese are able to change their values in short time and with little difficulty.”

I find it quite amusing that Japan which has a long and extensive history filled with tradition and common values is now able to rapidly change and accept new ideas. While The US which has had a very brief history finds it very hard to do so. The two are polar opposites but not in the way I would have thought.

Ikuji(p.135):Childrearing Practices in Japan

“Cooperation was emphasized rather than individualism, and because people people were protected within the group   .”

While in The US we do teach our children to cooperate we strongly encourage individualism. In fact I would say that it is a cornerstone of The US. We highly value one's individual worth, not so much the group worth.

“One is the tendency in Japan for behavior to be “learned by imitation of parents rather than linguistic analytical explanation””

This is interesting because it is not the approach that most parents in The US use to teach their children. Rather than teaching imitation we try to teach understanding. I think we do this because one situation is never the same as another. If you understand systematically the meaning than you can apply that to a vast swath of different situations, but if you merely know know to repeat/imitate a situation then you will be in trouble when you are faced if a slightly different situation. I find this interesting because it can be seen reflecting throughout situations all over Japan and The US..

Ryosaikenbo(p.179): The Social Expectations of Women in Japan

“Japanese women today, however are troubled by the social expectations of females in Japan, because a great many working women have the additional pressure of doing housework and are expected to be “good wives and wise mothers” as well as pursuing their careers..”

This is another situation that is parallel to one we face in The US. From my own experience my mother was mainly tasked with raising me and my siblings, along with pursuing her own career. I think this is something that a lot of women are faced with in The US. The stigma that its women's duty to raise the children still lingers regardless of the advancements we have tried to make. In my own situation I think my mother herself thought it was her job to raise me and my siblings.

“Mothers expect their daughters to do housework but rarely force their sons to do these chores, because they want their daughters to be “good wives” who serve their husbands.”

I picked this quote because while The US and Japan have parallels on this topic this is something that isn't quite the same. I have a sister and in my own situation as a child we were both forced to do chores, clean and etc. I never felt as if my parents made her do anything I didn't have to do. In fact, in my own bias I would say that I often had to do things outside of the normal things we each had to do. This may be an anomaly in The US but I still think that we are quite different than Japan on this topic.

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Blog #14

1) What are you going to compare and contrast?

The difference in wealth disparity between The US and Japan.

2) What Japanese key concepts are you going got use?

Gambari and Shu don ishiki

3) Thesis Statement:

The wealth disparity in The US is far greater than in that of Japan, due to our different values and economic structures.

4) Sources:

http://fortune.com/2015/09/30/america-wealth-inequality/

http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21643202-problem-not-super-rich-secure-v-poor

https://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-may-be-exception-to-pikettys-thesis-1423451451

5) What format are you going to use: MLA

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Blog #13

1. Considering Nemawashi, the textbook mentions that “important decisions have been made well in advance through the process of Nemawashi” (p.161).  Did you find a scene that explained it well? Describe the scene and write reasons why you think so.

Yes,  Jiro didn't really have a choice in going to Germany or not. The decision had already been made for him. I would say this was a fairly big decision and in most situations the person would be asked if they wanted to go or not. But here the decision was already made and this seems to represent Nemawashi.

2. Considering Sempai and Kohai, Sonkeigo, Kenjyogo, and Teineigo expressions are shown in the oral conversation. However, nowadays it is shown by attitudes how to interact with other people (sempai to kohai /kohai to sempai), for example “third year students have great power in junior high and senior high schools” (p.191).  Watch the relationships between characters and describe the relationships that explain Sempai-Kohai relationships well.

The relationship that I see Sempai-Kohai in the most would be between Jiro and the Italian Plane designer Caproni. Jiro obviously respects Caproni a lot and I think considers him his senior/superior. Also it seems that Caproni understands this and treats Jiro as his almost pupil/inferior.

3. When Jiro asked Kurokawa to borrow his in-law-suite in order to spend time with Naoko, Kurokawa said “I can hardly approve of an unmarried couple living together”. Which Japanese concepts Kurokawa depended on to say that? Write the reasons why you think so.

Firstly, I think that Kurokawa was effected by the concept Shudan Ishiki .I feel as if Kurokawa had his own social code of behavior and if he allowed two unmarried couple to live together in his household he would be breaking it. Also I felt like The Japanese Ie System had a big part to play n in it. For when reflecting on the Ie system there are norms and almost protocols that you follow to keep tradition and this may have gone against those norms which didn't sit right with Kurokawa,

4. Considering Omiai, Obviously Jiro and Naoko were not Omiai. If their situation were Omiai, do you think they would have married? Because of their love, Jiro ended up to be a widower. Is this happy ending for him or not? Explain why you think so.

Yes, I think they would have married. I think that in terms of the circumstances it was probably as happy as a situation Jiro could have had. Because of their love he didn't really have any other choices but to be a widower. I think he would have been happier if that wasn't the case. But What could he have done about it>

5. Considering Nemawashi, the textbook mentioned “It is particularly difficult to take a totally opposite stance in Japan since opinions and emotions are often taken together as a whole” (p.161). It seems a little different in the movie when Jiro had a meeting to discuss the newest airplane” Why do you think it is different from what the textbook described? Think about the relationships between people in the meeting.

I think it is different in the movie because his co-workers and bosses do not respect Jiro. They don't respect him because they think he is crazy for his ideas. While jiro has those ideas because he just doesn't want to build war machines. I think if there was more respect from the two sides then the situation would have played out more along the lines of the book.

6. Movie—What did Naoko do when her health got really bad?

After her health got bad she moved back into the countryside to die. I think she did this so they wouldn't see her get really sick and die.

7. Movie—What did Naoko say in Jiro’s last dream with Mr. Caproni? Why do you think she says that to Jiro?

Naoko said Jiro must live on. I think she said this so Jiro wouldn't feel as if his life had no purpose. They had been defeated in the war and Jiro had been surpassed in his designs so it may have felt like he was a failure.

8. Jiro ended up creating his Zero fighter airplane used for the War. If you were Jiro, would you pursue your dream even if it would use for the bad situation?

That's a tough question to answer because in times a situation can be both bad and good. For Jiro it’s hard to tell if his situation was truly bad or truly good. I think I would just go with my gut instinct at the time.

9. What Japanese key concepts that we have learned before (other than current 3 concepts) did you see in this film? Explain why you think so.

Gambari, I see this throughout the entire movie in many of the characters. They work relentlessly to pursue their dreams and passion or build designs or fight. Shudan Ishki, I see this throughout the many different social relationships and behaviors that each group has in the movie.

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Blog #12

Nemawashi(p.159): Laying the Groundwork in Japan - “This is a clear example of a business situation lacking Nemawashi. What should the planning chief have done before the meeting?First, he should have met members individually, explained his ideas and asked for their support”. This is no different than the common tactics used in American business culture. I think that they parallel each other because regardless of culture difference making preparations beforehand always leads to a increased chance of success. In fact, in American culture there's a saying that says “give me six hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend four sharpening the axe”. I think this saying represents the similarities between this topic in our two cultures.

“First, the Japanese generally decide things by unanimous agreement. Although the boss has nominal decision-making power, in fact, everyone must agree” This is something that isn't quite the same in American business culture. Typically the people with the most superiority have the majority of the decision-making power and what they say goes. Normally everyone doesn't agree, but none the less a decision gets made. While both cultures try to do work in advance to get things together they do them for different reasons. This shows a difference in the cultures. While one does it to get total agreement, the other does it to get the top management on board which is enough to pass.

‘

Sempai-kohai(p.187): Seniority Rules in Japanese Relations - “The older people become, the more they earn or the greater their chances for promotion. Such seniority rules have deeply permeated all aspect of Japanese life.” While in the older periods of the American culture we might see some resemblance, not as much anymore. In today's time companies are beginning to become more focused on the results that an employee is producing rather their age. This is something that is starkly different in contrast with that of japanese culture. I think the difference lies in the fact that American culture does not respect people for simply their age, rather we respect them for what they have done or can do.

“It is common in sports clubs for kohai to clean the rooms, collect balls, and manage the equipment for their semapi..” Through my experience I can say that this is very present in American culture. I have played sports in junior and high school and never experienced such a thing. I think as a younger person in a sport we show a lot of respect to the older athletes but it seems to end their. I think the difference lies in the fact that JApanese culture values seniority more than American culture does.

Omiai(p.165): Arranged marriage in Japan.  “Not so long ago, people thought that men should work and women should stay home and care for the family, but today a large number of women are able to find jobs and make a living,”.This is the exact same thing that has happened in American culture. In the past women were expected to be stay at home mothers. That was the norm, but today that norm is completely gone. Women are no longer expected to do that and many are choosing rather to pursue careers. I find it interesting that Japanese culture has paralleled us on this topic, because from everything I have learned it seems that Japanese culture is a bit more rigid.

“To begin the process of omiai, a nakodo(go-between) helps make an initial exchange of information between two individuals and their families.” This is not something that is typical in American culture. In fact I find it a bit weird. To me it comes off more of a business type setting than finding love. I certainly wouldn't like this situation. But after learning about Japanese culture it kind of makes sense  that they would do this. Because of the formality and rigidness of said culture.

Haragei (p.103)An Implicit Way of Communication In Japan - “On one hand, one can “read other people’s minds” by using Haragei, or guess what others are really thinking , allowing it to be used as a kind of social lubricating oil to avoid arguments.”. This is a common practice in American culture. It’s something that I practice on a regular basis for the same reasons. It allows me to better understand people when they are providing me with enough information, as well as avoid topics that might cause a confrontation.

“On the other hand, there is a negative side to this concept in which people hide their real thoughts and feelings, and it is often said that Haragei is used in business and politics as a deceitful means of communication in which people hide their real motives in order to gain power and advantage”. This is something that is very common in American culture as well. In fact I would say that this subject is possibly more common in American culture than it is in Japanese, based off the limited knowledge I have of Japanese culture. A Lot of times Americans tend to be out for himself.”Taking care of number one” is a common phrase that represents this. People use this concept to make sure they prosper regardless of the others around them. I think it's something that all culture experience. Simply because their are always people out there who are selfish, regardless of their cultural background.

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Blog #11

What makes YOU American? Write your answer of B#11 about what makes you American. If you already wrote it, just cut and paste here. Make sure it is half page long. (20pts)  What makes me American is my entire life existence. My birth certificate or the fact that I live here doesn't make me American. It’s everything that I've been exposed to, that makes me american. The ecosystem in which I was brought up is what made me who I am. Because that ecosystem was The United State of America, that's what makes me American. I could simply give up my Residency and become a citizen of another country but I don’t think that would make me British or Indian. Because I haven't been exposed or experienced the unique situations that makes those countries their own. Each country has their own unique customs and cultural norms and without fully experiencing those things it would be hard to consider yourself a part of that country. While I’m not saying that you have to be born or raised in a country to become a part of that country it takes more than simply getting a citizenship. Every body has a part to play in making their country what it is and one country is different to every person. But to be a true part of that country there has to be a meaningful imprint from each.

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Blog #10

1.  Today’s Japan is very much like the West. The Japanese wear jeans and T-shirts, listen to Hip Hop, dance at the club to the dance music, sit on the couch, etc.  In modern Japan, geisha in Kyoto Gion district symbolize the old, traditional Japan. What kind of arts and lifestyle of traditional Japan does geisha, “a person of art,” maintain and practice? Today the geisha maintain many of the older traditions of Japan. They wear the traditional clothing such as the Kimono. Also they still practice the traditional art forms such as dancing, painting and playing the shamisen.

2.   Considering Bigaku, the Japanese sense of aware means “people are aware of the beauty of full blossoms, of course, but are more touched and deeply moved when these blooms are falling or beginning to wilt” (p.37). Can you find a moment in which you can relate to this Japanese aware in your life? Describe your example and experience. Explain the reasons why you think so. In my own life I see this alot in graduating from high school and moving away from my childhood friends. I had a great group of friends, we spent a lot of time together. But I didn't fully appreciate everything I had until it was gone. That is life though, only “nothing” last forever. You learn to appreciate things for what they are, not what they are not.  

3.   Comparing with the other Japanese films we have watched in this class, in Memoirs of Geisha, do you think it lost ma or aware because they speak English? Why? Why not? Explain the reasons why you think so.  When comparing the film to the others we have watch I see similarities and difference. I don't however think that ma or aware were completely lost. I think because they lack english translation or context their presence went under the radar.

4.   Considering Kisetsu, are there any events (e.g. Tanabata, Omisoka, etc) where you appreciate Kisetsu in the U.S.?  Find one and explain what it is. If you were Japanese, how would you enjoy the events differently from Americans.  I don't think that American culture has a equal to Kisetsu. While we do have holidays and celebrations, none that truly celebrate the season. The closest celebration in my culture to that of Kisetsu would be the New Year. Which celebrates the ending of one year and the beginning of another. If I Japanese I would have a stronger connection and meaning to the celebrations.

5.   Considering Otogibanashi, in the film, can you discover “sense of emotional beauty, of a feeling of aware, which embodied in feelings such as patience and pity” (p.172). Describe the film and explain why you think so.  In the film, I think you discover this sense of emotional beauty through everything that Sayuri had to go through to become a Geisha.

6.   Explain Wabi-Sabi with your own words. Compare the sense of aesthetics in your country with the notion of Wabi-Sabi in Japan.  In my mind Wabi-Sabi is a sense of tradition of refined practice and moral elegance that is never complete. In my country we lack that tradition, but we have a diverse sense of aesthetics that range from person to person.

7.   In the film, what scenes do you see Wabi-Sabi? Describe the scenes and explain why you think so. In the film you see Mameha continually practicing and performing as a geisha despite her years of experience I think this shows the continual imperfect beauty of Wabi-Sabi.

8. Movie- how did Hatsumomo end up? What is the relationship between Sayuri and Chairman at the end? Do you think Sayuri is happy about the her life or not? Why do you think so?  It seems that Hatsumomo lost everything because she couldn't accept the reality of the situation.  At the end it seems they have a romantic relationship because they kiss. I think Sayuri is happy because she got what she wanted.

9. Movie-Who did Okaasan adapt? What do you think Pumpkin’s life? Okaasan adopted Sayuri. Pumpkin ended up betraying her friend because she didn't want to live in her shadow.

10. What Japanese key concepts that we have learned did you see in this film? Explain why you think so. In the film, the concept that I recognized most was Gambari. To become a Geisha was a tremendous amount of work and dedication and to complete such a task would require a lot of Gambari.

11. What do you think about the movie overall? Share your personal opinions. It’s not something I would watch in my personal time. Nonetheless, it was a interesting look into a completely different sphere of life that before watching I didn't know existed.

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Blog #9

Bigaku (p.35) - The Japanese Sense of Beauty

“Since ancient times the Japanese people have demonstrated the ability to take in foreign ideas and cultural forms” . The US started as an country of immigrants and that still hold true today. For that reason I believe my cultural and that of the Japanese cultural are very similar on this topic. Similarly to the Japanese, very often take in foreign ideas and weave them into our cultural.

“As a result, many people are beginning to ask where one can find original Japanese culture and its deep sense of beauty”. I see similarities and differences when comparing with my own culture. My culture is not stagnant, it is very fluid and ever changing. So older generations tend to get stuck in the past and question the ways that different from their own. But just because it's not the traditional way of doing things doesn't mean it lacks beauty.  

Kisetsu (p.153) - The Japanese Sense of The Seasons

“Because the rainy season brings soaring temperatures and very high humidity from June to July, Japanese architecture is designed to protect people from the elements.”. The United States operates in a very similar matter. With our country being much larger than Japan we see the different types of architecture in each area's unique environment. For instance in the hotter desert environment of Arizona and New Mexico we see many adobe style homes using clay tile and light colors to protect from the scorching sun. While in the beach fronts of our coastal areas we see homes built a floor above the ground in case of flooding.

“There are many annual events in Japan that are closely connected with the season.”. While we have event that's are connected to the seasons, they don't have the same meaning that the Japanese do. For instance Christmas is connected to the winter season, but only because that's when it takes place. Winter has no meaning to the actual holiday itself. While It seems that the Japanese events have meaning tied to the actual season.  

Otogibanashi (p.171) - Folktales of Japan

“In Japan, as well, there are many folktales that are still popular among the people”. While my country has some folktales of its own organization, a lot of the folktales we use are adopted from different cultures. Also folktales aren't very popular outside of the adolescents of my culture.  They is definitely a difference between the two culture and it's interesting to see that folktales are still popular among a lot of Japanese. Because it shows their values.

“There are also a lot of wonderful tales with happy endings .” Its interesting to see that a lot of folktales of the Japanese end happily. Most of the tales i’ve heard end tragically. I think this is because the nature of which the tales are used in each culture. While in my culture the tales are often used to teach a lesson to a child, while in the Japanese culture they are used to express the beauty or nature of something.

Wabi-Sabi (p.223) - Simplicity And Elegance as Japanese Ideals of Beauty

“Simplicity and elegance are often considered two of the essential aesthetic qualities of Japanese culture” To compares this to my culture would be like comparing black to white. They are the complete opposite. The qualities of my culture are complexity and un-polished. I think this really shows the difference of the two cultures because the difference flows through all the other aspects of the cultures.

“Although millions of people continue to learn calligraphy, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement, most do so not to develop their own distinct inner sense of beauty but simply as an imitation of models.”. While in my culture we don't learn these same skills we go about learning in the same way. We simply learn to imitate something. It seems that both of our culture lack the desire to learn the concept or thought of something. We simply learn to know it, we don't learn to understand it. This is interesting because I would of thought that Japanese culture would have differed from my culture on this subject.

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Blog #8

1. Considering The Do Spirits of Japan, Zen Buddhism is “ So thoroughly integrated into the Japanese psyche…” (p.73). What kinds of aspects did you see in the film? Explain the reason why you think so. From the begin you see the dedication of of the military people to their country. They are willing to give up their lives for their country and leaders. Also you see the dedication to training, they are very persistent to their work.

2. Movie—Considering Hedataru to Najimu, what was the relationship between Kentaro, Keko and Kageura the first time they met? Why do you think Kageura act like that?  Kentaro and Keko were obviously keeping their distance from Kageura. They seemed to be nervous neither side was talking much. Also Keko said stuff that angered Kageura and he wanted them to leave. No relationship was being built between the two sides.

3.Movie— Considering Bushido, what is the perspective of old people (Hasegawa,etc) toward Miyabe? What word did they use to describe Miyabe and why did they use the word.  Excluding the two outliers all of the old people kept on calling Miyabe a coward. They said he valued his life more than his country. This was obviously not something they were ok with. They were all willing to die for their country while Miyabe was not. Which is why they thought he was a coward.

4. Movie—Considering Hedataru to Najimu and Shudan Ishiki, the sense of “uchi to soto” is more reinforced. What was Miyabe’s situation in the Kamikaze (around 1914). Think about the relationship between Miyabe and Izaki and answer the question and explain why you think so.

Originally Izaki is upset with Miyabe and doesn't understand why he did what he did. But after Miyabe explains why he doesn't want them to kamikaze Izaki seems to understand. He gets that he just wants them to go back to their family. In the end Miyabe doesn't really seem to have a choice but to Kamikazi the ship. But he seems to come to grips with what he has to do.

5. Movie—Miyabe said to Izaki, “I don’t want to die” and Izaki felt an “intense loathing”. Why is that? Use the Japanese key concepts and explain why you think so.   I think Izaki felt loathing because he was practicing Bushido while Miyabe was not. Miyabe wanted to live, while Izaki wanted to die for the honor of his country. He saw this as a cowardly act.

6. Considering Shudan Ishiki, what is the negative effect of groupism in this film?  Explain it comparing with Kamikaze and suicide bombers.  When looking at the groupism in the film and taking into consideration Shudan Ishiki, we see a very normalized unhealthy group control. In the normal group setting it would be against the ways of the group to not want to die for your country, this caused many people to die even if it was against what they wanted.

7. What is the connection between this film and “The Last Ronin”?  Do you see “bushido” in this film? How do you think it affected this war? Explain the reasons. I see bushido in both films. In each of the films the soldiers were willing to sacrifice themselves for their country or masters. I think this affected the war by causing the casualties to be a lot higher than they should have been. The Japanese soldiers never gave up and were willing to kill himself to honor their country even though they know they'd lost.  

8. Considering Haragei, Haragei related to Amae, Aimai, and Honne to Tatemae, etc “~concepts are important in maintaining face and not hurting the feelings of others” (p.104). Did you see Haragei in this situation, the war? Did you see Haragei more because the situation is the war? Find the scenes and explain why you think so. When looking at the film I saw Haragei the most in the soldiers. Miyabe was the only soldier to really speak his mind about how he didn't want to die. While I feel as if other soldiers also wanted to live but just didn't want to go against the groupism or be considered the outsider.

9. Movie- To whom did Miyabe switch the plane and why did he do it? Miyabe switched planes with Oishi because he knew that plane wasn't going to be able to fly. So he was pretty much saving Oishi and sacrificing himself.

10. Who do you think the person who saved Matsuno with bloody sword was?  I think it was Kageura. He most likely did this because of his relationship with Miyabe.

11. Considering the prior concepts we learned in our classes, which one did you see in this film? Explain why you think so. I saw a lot of Bushido in the film. Mostly I saw this in the soldiers through their dedication to their country.

12. What do you learn from this film? Tell us the most striking fact from the film. I learned how dedicated the soldier were to their country. The most striking fact from the film was the amount of soldiers willing to kamikaze for their country.

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Blog #7

Hedataru to Najimu (p.109) - Japanese Personal Space

“(Keep about 90 centimeters from one’s master to keep from stepping on his shadow).” . When comparing this quote I see similarities and differences.  In our culture things aren't so rigid. We respect each others space, but also we don't try to avoid stepping on people's shadows or staying exactly 90 centimeters away. This makes me feel as if japanese culture overall is a lot more rigid and structured than my own.

“People in Japan believe that giving gifts shortens the distance in between them”. I don't really see any difference between this custom in Japan and the custom in my country. People give gifts for many reason and one of them is to strengthen their relationship with someone who may not be close yet. This is quite normal and I have done it myself.

Shudan Ishiki (p.195) - Japanese Group Consciousness

“In Japan, group members create their own social code of behavior.”. This is very common in my own culture. This is what I would call a group social norm. I’ve seen it in my own personal experiences working in multiple different companies. Each company has their own code of behavior and appropriate way to act crete by the members of the company.

“What benefits the group is mostly regarded as the right thing.”. From my own personal experience I would say that japanese culture and my own culture are very similar on this subject. But looking outside of my personal culture I’ve be raised in the culture of my country and Japan have differences. In my country  their our people who think of only themselve and there are people who put the group first. So it's hard to compare the two not knowing each culture well enough. But I would say they aren't far off base from each other.

Do (p.71) - The Do Spirit of Japan

“In all forms of activity, Zen emphasizes the importance of acting naturally, gracefully, and spontaneously”. I would say that the majority of my own country lacks Zen. For we typically aren't graceful or spontaneous in all the task we perform. This seems as if it's a completely different mindset that we don't have.

“The purpose of such discipline  is not only to learn new skills but also build character and a sense of harmony in the discipline.” We like the Japanese repetitively practice skills to learn them. But where we differ is we don't practice this discipline to build character. We are more single minded. Which seems all to tie back into the different mindsets that Japanese culture and my own culture have.

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Blog #6

1. Magoza demonstrated Bushido from the very beginning. He pledged his life to his lord and carried out  a task that he knew would bring him hardship. This represent the loyalty aspect of Bushido.

Magoza also represent Bushido when he was selling his urn to the the wealthy trader. He used honesty when telling him what he paid for it and what he wanted even though the merchant would have paid him a lot more.

2.

It seem’s as if Giri is taken much more seriously. In the movie they samurai represent giri when they go to revenge their master. They do this because they serve their lord without thinking of themselve. While an obligation isn't to such an extent.

3. Bushido is the way of the Samurai focusing on loyalty to one's lord above all else While Giri is more of an obligation or moral duty to do something less focusing on the loyalty aspect. Bushido can be seen in the movie when Magoza pledges his life to his master out of loyalty. While Giri can be seen when the other guy delivers gold to the retainers of the old samurai.

4.  You can see aspects of the Ie system with the family household of the Chaya Merchants. The patriarch of the family says that his eldest son is to take over the family business. Also you can see it when they talk of the girl marrying the son and what her duties would be such as being skilled in fine arts. But she was not expected to work. Both of these scenes represent different aspects of the Ie system.

5. One conflict that comes into effect that is caused by the Ie system is Kane most stays home all day and just performs fine arts. She says that she is bored and lonely while Magoza is gone performing business. This represent the problem of women not having a fulfilling duty in the Ie system.

6.When comparing to American Culture I would say that women are treated more fairly and are less likely to have a expected role in the household simply because of her gender. Compared to what I’ve seen in my experience women in America are far more independent and have their own careers than that of women in Japan.

7. The term that represents this is Bushido. Kichi knew that Magoza’s only reason to live was to serve his master. He didn't think that Magoza would just abandon his lord in hopes of saving his life. So Kichi was confused at what would cause Magoza to flee.

8. I think he was very loyal till the end. When looking at the terms we’ve learned from the textbook I think Magoza will honor the way of Bushido and carry out his duty to get Kane married to a merchant. Putting his own wants aside.

9. So far I think they’ve used Bushido, Giri and Chinmoku. I think these were used so effectively because a lot of the movie was based on the Samurai and the Samurai display these concepts very well.

10. I think this movie was a great representation of the term Bushido and how seriously they serve their master. They pledge their life to their lord and will carry this out till the end.

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Blog #5

Bushido(p.42): The Way of the Warrior - “When the opponent tries to strike you, your eyes at once catch the movement of his sword and you may strive to follow it. But as soon as this takes place, you cease to be master of yourself and you are sure to be beaten… Therefore, do not even think of yourself.”  This is quite an interesting quote because it truly shows the mindset of Bushido. To be master of yourself you most completely put yourself out of the picture. This shows the true courage of the Samurai. Today in my society it is completely the opposite. One hardly does a single thing without thinking about how it affects oneself. This shows the difference between modern day society and that of the time of the Samurai.

“Bushido means the determined will die. This implies that all samurai has to live admirably and honorably in order not to have regrets when they die” This is a type of dedication and determination that few people in my society have these days. They spend their living days being un-admirable and un- honorably and they die with regret. They are not dedicated to anything in their life and it shows. I think that there is this difference in my society because people are handing everything they want and never have to work or fight for it. While the samurai had to do this everyday of the lives.

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Giri(p.95): Japanese Social Obligations- “People who received goodwill from others in the rice fields wanted to return that goodwill, and those who provided assistance must have expected something in return.” This is something that is very common in my society with a few slight difference. Firstly tight knit communities and neighbors tend to lend a helping hand without wanted something back. Should you need to borrow something or just need a hand you can usually count on a neighbor or friend to be their. While this isn't the same exact thing, whereas in japan it seems more of trading labor for labor during different periods.

“Today, the concept continue to play an important role in contemporary Japanese society in the custom of giving presents in the summer and at year’s end.” In the western society we doing almost the exact same thing. We send New Year’s and holiday greeting cards to friends and family. We do this most likely for similar reasons. To show compassion and goodwill to other people. These cards are a symbol of the love and respect you have for others.

The Japanese Ie System(p.119): “In this system, people worshipped their ancestors because it was believed that they provided the foundation of the existence of ie and looked after their family and guaranteed its welfare,”. I would say that a majority of my society is not this superstitious and certainly doesn't hold their ancestors to the same degree as the Japanese do. We have respect for our elders, it's just that we view them in a different way. We say that when they die they watch over us, but we don't necessarily worship them.

“The position of the women was low in the Ie system, since it was believed that they were inferior to men, even if they married well they were in a week position because they could be sent away for any reason.” Throughout the history of my society and even as i’ve grown up the place of the women in the household has changed dramatically. From being expected to be a stay at home mom, cook, clean and raise the children the norm has changed. Women are more empowered and tend to have careers outside of raising their children. This is quite different than the aspects of the ie system.

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Blog Post #4

1) In the scene in the park Endo wants to give Kirishima a dress. She says that she doesn't wear it anymore because it is to pretty so Kirishima should have it. I felt as if Aimai was present in this scene. It seemed as if she wanted to give her a present but was very ambiguous about it. This can be seen a virtue in Aimai because she is trying to be modest. 

2) In the film when both Kirishima and Endo are on the beach I think there's a lot of Aimai present. I believe this because even though they talk about how they feel about each other they aren't specific. All they really come out and say is they like each other. I feel as if there was a lot more that you had to read in-between the lines to figure out.

3) One of the differences between American and Japanese schooling is how respectful and quite the classes are in Japan. In the scene when Kirishima was being scolded for sleeping you can see there was no talking or disrespect to the teacher throughout the scene. 

4) In the scene in the park Endo says that Nakano said that Kirishima glared at her while she walked by. Endo said she never saw Kirishima glare at anyone. I believe this shows the two different sides of Uchi to Soto. Endo being in the in-group and Nakano being in the out-group. 

5) I feel as if Kirishima used Honne to Tatemae. I think this because she obviously didn't want to hurt Endo’s feelings. She might of thought Endo would be upset if she didn't listen to the CD she gave her. So she decided to not tell the truth to spare her feelings. 

6) In this movie a lot of meaning had to be read between the lines. I think this gave the audience the chance to kinda make it mean what they felt it should. The silence allowed the audience to make the movie say what the thought fit best. This allows the film to be interpreted from many different angles. Which really gives it more depth and meaning.

7) Kirisha went to a private art university.

8) Nothing they ended up splitting ways even though that wasn't what they wanted.

9) They obviously used Aimai in the ending of the movie, there was a lot of ambiguity with everything. It was left for the viewer to kind of read in between the lines about what it all meant. 

10)Because this film was so different than american movie I had a very hard time getting interested in it. They concepts they used like Aimai and stuff caused to much ambiguity for me to really get a grasp on the movie. I think that is because I’m just not used to that type of concept and its portrayal in the movie.

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Blog #3

Aimai: Ambiguity and The Japanese (9)

“For to express oneself ambiguously and indirectly is expected in Japanese society.” I would say that this is quite different from my own society. This is different because while there are occasions of ambiguous communication in my society it is not something expected out of society. I feel as if my society is less tolerant of this because it can lead to unnecessary confusion.

“In Japan, however, if you go against someone and create a bad atmosphere, your relationship may break off completely.” I find this very different and odd. In my culture it is very normal to have very differing opinions and to expressly state those opinions to those you disagree with. This is not considered rude, it is simply expressing oneself. In most circumstances it would not lead to an end of an relationship.

Uchi to Soto: Duel Meanings in Japanese (217)

“Yet inside wall consist of sliding doors made of paper so that privacy is kept to a minimum. The family stays together most of the time and moves from one place to the next, depending on whether it is eating, relaxing, playing or sleeping.” I find this very interesting because it shows the dynamic of a japanese family. In my culture things are quite different. While family come together in their home for certain things such as eating dinner or watching a movie, it seems we have a quite a bit more alone time. We have much more privacy in our homes and use it for more personal time rather than family time.

“Third the household itself was considered to be far more important than the individual members.” In my culture it  seems that we value individuality far more than we do unity. It is because of this that we differ in opinions on this topic. While family unity is very important I don't think we value it as highly as we do our own independence.

Chinmoku: Silence in Japanese Communication (51)

“Husbands and wives tend not to use overt verbal communication and try to understand each other by non verbal communication, especially when they try to express tender emotions.”. Will I understand this slightly, I would find it extremely hard to communicate such intricate feelings in such a primitive way. I feel as if this would lead to confusion or ambiguity.In my culture we tend to be very verbal in our commuincation of feelings.

“The Japanese may also be silent not only to avoid conflict with others, but to hurt someone or keep them at a distance.” This I can relate to. Sense my culture is one of a lot of verbal communication when we want to hurt someone or give them a message, we simply stop communicating with them. This give them the cold shoulder and is basically a nonverbal message of anger or disappointment. This is something that I think is very common in my culture and very similar to that of the Japanese culture.

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Blog #2

I didn't find any of the concepts to understand. I guess if I had to choose one, Honne to Tatemae would be the one most different from my own culture and experience. In my culture when don't say things just to save face as much as in Japanese culture Also we don't read between the lines as much as Japanese culture. On average we are more upfront.

In relation to Gambari, Jiro expects the same hard work that he has relentlessly put into his work from his two sons and it shows. As Jiro put it he was never around during his children's younger ages. He work from son up to son down in his restaurants and when we was home his children thought he was a stranger. But he convinced his two sons instead of going to college to come work for him. He taught them the way of Sushi and Gambari and it seems as if their entire relationship is based around those two things,

I don’t think so. It is possible that he may be on the same level as Jiro some day. But I think it would be extremely hard for him to exceed him in any way, only because Jiro is at such a high point of Gambari.

I believe during the entire film Jiro shows Kenkyo. By others he is described as the world's greatest sushi chef. But he is very modest about his abilities. He does not boast or show any sign of such. Also he seems to point out his flaws several times rather than his strengths. Such as never being around during his two sons childhood.

Even though Yoshikazu was the one who prepared the sushi. It is Jiro who leads the restaurant.The restaurant excels at such a high level because Jiro demands it and his employees know this. Even though he may not be cooing all the sushi is presence of running the restaurant is what makes his employees strive for the best.

I believe Amae is present because even though Jiro is dependent on his second son to run his restaurant he is dependent on him to carry out his legacy. Jiro says that he pushed Takashi out because he knew he was ready and he wanted him to do this for the rest of his life.

One advantage is you can exceed in whatever you pursue if you practice Gambari.I think this because in the US there are endless opportunities for people who just put in the hard work. One disadvantage is that you could get burnt out. From overworking you could start to loose interest and desire for whatever you are pursuing.

“When the kids were younger I used to work from sun up to sundown. They never saw me, one time I was home sleeping during the day and my son told my wife that a stranger was sleeping on the couch.’. I choose this because it truly shows how much time and effort Jiro put into his restaurant.