Expectations

Recently I've spent some days in Beijing (China) and was completely surprised by the lack of similarities with Japan [i]. Of course I was prepared for the obvious differences but I didn’t expect an almost completely arbitrary social world. I was influenced by a typical misassumption. As soon as my expectancies have been disconfirmed I remembered myself to never underestimate the vast diversity of our world [ii]. People in general are used to stereotyped categorizations like ‘Asians’ and ‘Europeans’. The more you travel through this world the more you will learn about the absurdity of race-classifications.

China is also a more collectivistic society but not at all comparable with the Japanese value-based psychology. As far I as I can tell now, Chinese people are In comparison to Japan more direct and touchy. My unofficial Beijing guide for instance often grabbed my hand in order to show me the right way or not to get lost. On the other hand approximation between two strangers isn’t likely to happen in Japan. As an example for directness I have a little anecdote about the use of chopsticks. I can use the latter pretty well but I have not the right technique. In Japan I have heard several times the phrase “You are so good at using chopsticks”; in China however, the first comment I have witnessed was “You use your chopsticks wrong”.

I guess my surprise was influenced by my life in Japan. I have got really accustomed to the Japanese politeness; hence Chinese directness felt rude in the first place [iii]. Yet both countries are equally hospitable. In the service industries the costumer is king [iv]. Though in Japan this notion is taken as vital. Especially in restaurants I really feel like a king. Still, I merely encountered politeness through rituals, phrases, and undivided attention. After getting used to hearing typical phrases over and over again I couldn’t distinguish between shallow politeness and honest kindness any longer.

(Gladly there are exceptions: In the southern parts of Japan I truly enjoyed my Izakaya-visits. Foto-copyright by D.Winkler)

Endnotes:

[i] Maybe my experience is not that authentic because I only have been to Beijing. As most metropolitan cities Beijing has its own culture and lifestyle. I experienced this also in Tokyo. The capital only slightly reflects Japanese society as a whole.
 

[ii] Not even to mention the many regional differences.
 

[iii] In Japan people maintain a social face (tatemae) and rather hide their true feelings/opinions (honne) in most public settings. This distinction is not so observable in China.

[iv] I guess that is universal (etic) but how costumers are treated varies culturally (emic). In Japan I even heard the phrase ‘Costumer is the most important thing’. Although I’m not fond of the formulation ‘thing’ I can comprehend it in this context.

Mamonaku…

The Japanese train system is one of the most renowned on planet earth. I can truly approve that it lives up to its reputation. The rail-net is immense and the amount of trains in operation likewise. There are more possibilities to get from point A to B than in most other countries with an acclaimed public transport system. Travelling by train in Japan is simply convenient. This is why I had the strangest encounters inside of trains. It’s fascinating to observe several people with different intentions commuting together in one small wagon. If you take for instance the first subway in the morning departing from Shinsaibashi, you will meet people who are heading to work while others have just returned from clubbing.

(An empty train: A very rare sight in Japan)

The most notable characteristic for Japanese trains are their punctuality. Many businessmen and office-workers rather commute by train because they are fond of the fact that trains are always on time. In fact, the use of trains has become so intensively part of Japan’s work life that it influenced the culture’s sense of time. In this regard commitment to punctuality has also its downside. The pressure of being punctual once led a young train conductor to take risks which could have been avoided if Japanese society would value time differently. For trains even delays of two minutes are unlikely. Knowing this the train conductor tried to catch up and missed to slowdown before a crucial curve. Eventually he and several passengers died.

Thank goodness this was an exception, and hopefully it has changed society’s mindset a bit. We are no machines, human failure is natural. Of course it’s important to take one’s duties serious but what’s the meaning of time and punctuality if life can be over in one second? The phrase ‘safety first’ sounds a bit old-fashioned but it’s certainly a good life-lesson if you consider the consequences of taking life-threatening risks for the sake of punctuality.

Sakura Sakura

In my first post I’ve recommended to visit Kiyomizu-dera during spring and autumn. As one of the most famous places in Kyoto it is often very crowded, especially during hanami (Cherry blossom viewing) and momijigari (maple leaves viewing). In September this didn’t bother me so much. After arriving in Japan I was satisfied with seeing many places which are characteristic for the county’s history. Back then I felt more like a tourist who has the eager desire to see all the well-known places in the Kansai region. However, after I’ve inured myself to the fact that I’m a temporary-resident, my natural instinct of avoiding crammed places returned. The Kansai region has so much more magical and sometimes even ‘unspoiled’ places to offer. Hence, Kiyomizu-dera is not the only place worth a visit during sakura- and maple leaf time. Here are some impressions of Japan’s changing leaves and its sheer beauty.

Info: The post’s title is referring to a traditional Japanese folksong. Here you find a modern interpretation of Sakura Sakura by ukulele-prodigy Jake Shimabukuro.

“Oishii desu ne”

If you ever informed yourself about Japan’s demographics you will probably have read that the country has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world. After living there for several months I really wonder how this is possible in a society where the majority still follows the philosophy “live to work”. An average company employee ends his life with several hundred days of commuting (Tsuukin), overtime work (Zangyou), afterwork obligations (Tsukiai-Zangyou) [i] and family matters; and all this combined with lack of sleep, as well as physical burnout and psychological stress. The later is actually one of the main factors harming one’s lifespan. So, I’m asking again: how can an intense working society lead the oldest-population rankings? Apart from a well working national health care system and the country’s affinity to wellness and harmony, I experienced the effects of one – and probably the most important – factor by myself: traditional food. 

(This is one of the common dishes you get in a Japanese fast food restaurant. Picture-copyright belongs to Nosfelix.)


When I came back to Austria I was insanely happy to consume all the food I couldn't get in Japan. Unfortunately I ended up having severe stomach problems afterwards. Maybe that was the object lesson for committing the sin of gluttony. However, when I came back to Japan I iterated this "sinful process" with my favorite Japanese dishes without painful consequences. Hence the deadly sins provoke no effect in Japan [ii]. No, now seriously, I guess my stomach got totally accustomed to the easily digestible Japanese food. Japan’s traditional eating culture is in general very balanced and healthy. Even most fast food places can’t be compared to other countries when it comes to quality. In Austria especially children use to say “everything that looks healthy doesn’t taste good”. Of course taste varies from person to person, but I really enjoy the healthy and – at the same time – tasteful dishes here [iii]. Now it also makes sense to me why “Oishii” (delicious) is one of the most frequently used words in Japan…

Endnotes:

[i] This term is especially referring to the consumption of afterwork-entertainment with colleagues.

[ii] Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins in catechism.

[iii] I’m by no means saying that there is no healthy food in Austria. In Japan it’s just more usual to use healthy ingredients without the addition of flavor enhancers.

References: 

The statistics I’m referring to can be found here.

There and back again

It has been a while since my last post. Between my return to Hirakata and now I experienced a lot. I didn't have time to keep on track because of my travels and other circumstances. But now that I have time I will share my experiences again with anybody who is interested in Japan and its cultural uniqueness.

This time however I will emphasize more on actual blogging-characteristics. Until the end of May I will continuously post short entries about my personal observations and intercultural experiences throughout this year’s spring time.

What else is new? Well, I moved out of the Dormitory into a rented flat and I got officially registered for the J.T.T.A. Student League. I also changed the blog’s default design in order to visualize the pictures’ contrast and colors more effectively.

Changing Impressions a.k.a. Goodbye for a while…

The fall-semester is drawing to a close. In these four months I have experienced many things and will be able to reminisce about many memories, both good and bad. All in all it wasn’t as much of a cultural shock as one would have expected for someone visiting Japan for the first time. Maybe it would have been different in Tokyo (as probably in most metropolitan cities), the mother of Japanese Popular Culture, and other strange things and inventions. However, besides all the obvious and not-so-obvious differences, we [i] share many commonalities. The most important one is: we are all human-beings made up of the same elements. This may sound a little bit cheesy but eventually it’s true.

What I sincerely respect about most Japanese people is their will to help and to communicate regardless of the many language barriers. I guess one will only encounter this neat phenomenon if she or he makes the first move. Yesterday for example I went to an Okonomi Yaki restaurant with a German friend of mine. To our left four elder ladies were obviously speaking about us. I greeted them and all of a sudden they started chatting with us. Actually they just wanted to mention how handsome we were [ii]. Nonetheless, this little anecdote doesn’t show that it’s easy to cultivate friendships with Japanese. Unfortunately there are still too many cultural values which I’ll probably never fully accept, let alone inherit. Basically, most encounters begin and end with some conversation I would call “small-talk”. However, I could never imagine an old lady in my hometown complementing me whatsoever. My dear readers, that’s Japan! You have to expect the unexpected.

What impressed me the most besides the people I have met was the astonishing harmony between the crowded cities and the rural places within. My image of the crowded landmarks and cities I’ve described in some of my previous posts changed after I have found some silent places surrounded by busyness. Even in Tokyo you will find peaceful and calm venues if you dare to search. Strictly speaking it’s all a matter of perspective.

(The crowded Shinjuku/Tokyo in contrast to...)

(... an ancient spot near Harajuku/Tokyo)

Speaking of perspective, lately I’m really worried about losing my thorough attention to detail. Moreover it is this habit which was the reason for neglecting many opportunities [iii]. The winter-break is coming in handy. I’m going to “visit” my native country and will consequently be able to take a step back from Japan (not only physically). In this respect I’m really wondering if my attention for detail will return after the end of my relatively long absence from my hometown… until daily routine and habit (no matter in which form or context it may be) will prevail again.

Endnotes:

[i] Me as speaking for both the visitors and the Japanese
[ii] That is actually something I experienced a lot. Groups of girls often talked about me even though they knew I was close enough to hear everything. Either they thought I couldn’t understand them anyway or they assumed that I believed they were thinking that I can’t understand them and at the same time actually hoped that I get anything of what they were talking about. Confusing, I know...
[iii] And yes, I was effectively able to accustom myself to the life here. Maybe it was because of the university system which had more of an international than a Japanese feeling.

“SADucation” – A critical view on Japan’s education system

For a few minutes please go ahead and reminisce about your school times. Imagine being a teenager again, what thoughts and expectations you had back then. Now imagine your future depending on one exam and what feelings you would have gone through the week before the truth is revealed; whether you have passed or not. Even though you probably have other origins you can now somehow imagine how most Japanese school kids feel, because in Japan this isn’t just a vision; it’s reality.


Japanese junior- and high school pupils are trimmed to be perfectly prepared for such important moments which may be either promising or traumatizing. This rigid grading-method is causing unhealthy pressure on several teenagers. I heard of pupils suffering from chronic headache or nose bleeding caused by sleeplessness and depression. Their daily schedule usually is very strict. They don’t have time for relaxation and a healthy sleep-rhythm. However, many pupils seek relaxation and social-contact within club-activities which are an important part of the school system and of Japanese society as a whole. Club-membership is taken very serious because this is the only “class” which is usually designed and delegated by the pupils themselves. Therefore it may also be very stressful, especially for newcomers who initially will feel the squeeze of the hierarchy within. Unfortunately the typical school-day doesn’t end there. A high percentage of pupils participate in cram-schools which are giving them an opportunity to study even more or to keep up with the “better pupils”.


The overall quality of the national schools seems to be good but especially in private schools you can imagine that education and school activities are connected with high costs. If you can afford good education for your children they will probably have more perspectives than children who are attending schools without a proper reputation. But capitalism isn’t the only issue. Unfortunately it’s the competitive aspect which I’m really worried about. Competition is actually a very positive value but in Japan’s education it seems to be missing its pristine signification. The worst aspect is that the “competitors” have to decide about their educational career at an early stage. This has also an undeniable impact on their dreams and perspectives. Pupils who are unable to decide are either willing to do what their classmates do or are going to let their parents decide; important decisions which normally don’t fit the children’s individual personality.


So, why putting so much pressure on children? They have to deal with profound questions which shouldn’t be forcefully decided. Teenagers in their puberty and many even after are developing their psychology and are still in search of a proper identity. As for me I couldn’t imagine to be part of such a harsh educational system. In fact it took me a while to be sure about my future perspectives and retrospectively I’m glad the way everything worked out. Japanese pupils should get this chance too, because naturally everybody develops at a different pace. It seems to me that pupils who tend to be slow and who aren’t ready to decide, are at the same time considered to be noncompetitive and therefore weak. Strength and honor are still considered to be achievable values, whereas weakness remains disgraceful.

I have compassion for the Japanese adolescence. However, the problem is to be found in the Japanese working class. Its subjects have also suffered from the described education but obviously they don’t care about their offspring. Japan governmental system grants every citizen her/his right to vote. But do they use their right properly? Japanese society in general lacks of political interest and an awareness of their ability to change a system which needs a new and socially fair constitution since decades. The problem is to be found in the education itself. Group discussions for example are the exception at school. Pupils are in general too tired and timid to discuss. Frontal education constitutes the common state inside the classrooms. Sadly there is no space left for critical pedagogy.


University is the ultimate goal of a paradigmatic educational path (as long as you or your parents are able to afford it). Since the beginning of this semester I didn’t encounter any case of negatively stressed students. In fact I – as an international student who participates in the Asian Studies Program – was more stressed than most Japanese students I met so far. They told me something like: “University is more or less the leisure time between the tough school times and the sometimes even tougher occupation(s) later on.” I picked up some rumors saying that it doesn’t even matter what your major is, as long as you get a degree in the end. So some students possibly end up in business companies learning everything from scratch. Primarily traditional companies prefer employees who still can be “formed” rather than graduates with specific knowledge or expertise.


Recently I’ve visited an elementary school and was able to interact with some of the children there. I couldn’t feel any negative energy or pressure inside of the school facilities. Maybe the whole visit was staged but I think elementary schools are a safe and appropriate place for kids at these ages. The kiddies were full of energy, jumping around, singing, dancing and playing games with me and each other. It’s truly sad when I watch these “Genki kids” having fun, knowing at the same time what most of them have to go through in the near future.


All the statements above are based on experiences I made, first- and second hand reports I witnessed, and discussions I was part of since I’m in Japan. Hence they are not supposed to reflect a validly contemporary national status nor are they meant to be the last word.

For a brief description of the Japanese school system and organization please have a look at this website. I recommend reading this prior to posting a comment, especially if you don’t get my points and complaints.