Living in Japan Today

Living in Japan Today 

One of the Japanese peoples’ greatest strengths is the ability to adopt ideas and values from other cultures, and then adapt them to their own lives. This marvelous ability is evident in their religion, writing systems, housing, and even food. Yet the Japanese also preserve their own values and beliefs. In this chapter, we will look at lifestyles of the people of Japan, keeping in mind that living in Japan today also means honoring the past.

FOOD 

With no place in Japan being more than about 100 miles from the sea, a diet of seafood nourishes the population. Warm kuroshio currents meet with the cold oyashio currents to provide some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. Eating beef and pork was forbidden at the end of the 17th century when Buddhist teachings were enforced. This belief, combined with a lack of grazing land for farm animals, further established the habits of a fish-eating country.Health benefits of a low-fat diet composed of fish and rice, two staples of Japanese meals, have nurtured long life expectancies for the Japanese population. Fish is a main element in the Japanese diet and is eaten in a variety of ways—steamed, fried, boiled, broiled, and raw. Raw fish is considered a delicacy in Japan. Raw fish may be served as sushi, in thin slices on top of small mounds of rice that have been cooked with vinegar,rice wine,and sugar.Many visitors who try raw fish for the first time are pleasantly surprised by its delicate flavor and aroma. Another food resource from the sea is nori, a type of dark green seaweed that is pressed into flat sheets and dried. Cut into small rectangles, nori is eaten by wrapping it around rice, often with other seafood or vegetables. Rice, the main staple of the Japanese diet, is eaten with most meals regardless of the time of day. In fact, if you are not at home to prepare the rice, it is available in cooked form from vending machines! These ever-present machines are available throughout Japan and not only offer cooked rice for purchase, but also books, hot and cold drinks, compact discs, and even mobile phones! Language of a culture often provides clues to values and concepts within that culture. For example, in Japan the importance of rice in the daily diet is revealed in the word gohan, which means both “cooked rice” and “meal.” This word is extended to asagohan (breakfast), hirugohan (lunch), and bangohan (dinner). These words indicate the powerful association of rice in all Japanese meals. When traveling in Japan,tempting displays of food entice hungry customers. Realistic and appealing in appearance, plastic food models are often displayed in restaurant windows to tempt potential customers. Another delightful meal option is the obento, a box lunch consisting of rice, vegetables, fish, and often a dessert such as a red bean cake. Obento are sold at many train stations, department stores, and convenience stores. In recent years, the Japanese have been eating less rice and more poultry and meat. Chicken and pork are relatively inexpensive and fairly plentiful. Beef, however, is quite expensive and not as plentiful. Skillet dishes, such as sukiyaki (a dish of sliced meat and vegetables cooked in sweetened soy sauce), are commonly served in Japan. Tempura is another popular dish.This is a combination of various vegetables and fish deep-fried in a light batter.Udon,noodles made of wheat flour, are served in a broth with vegetables. To eat these foods, the Japanese use hashi (chopsticks). By the age of three, many children have mastered the use of hashi after using trainer hashi with special handles for their fingers. Knives,spoons,and forks are also used by all generations when eating western-style foods. Hamburgers, pizza, Chinese food, curry,and spaghetti are all available in Japan.In urban areas,one is never far from fast-food restaurants, including McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Since World War II, the Japanese diet has changed to include fast food and other westernized food options. As a result, Japanese people are growing taller and heavier. The average height for 14-year-old Japanese males has increased by more than 7 inches since 1945.The average weight for Japanese males of this age has increased by more than 30 pounds.

HOUSING

 Houses in Japan are designed for maximum ventilation. Most interior rooms have one or two walls that consist of sliding doors called fusuma. These doors can be opened or closed, along with sliding doors on outside walls, to provide a fresh breeze or to prevent drafts. When entering a Japanese home, one first steps into the genkan.This small,wooden-floored area is where you remove

your shoes, placing them neatly side by side facing the door through which you just entered. The genkan is not just a physical space, it also serves an important and symbolic cultural function. While you are physically inside the house, this transition area provides guests and family members a space to enter politely, with culturally appropriate behavior, into the home. Slippers are then put on and worn throughout the house as you take one step up (again a physical and cultural function) to enter the main level of the home. Japanese homes have a separate room for bathing, away

from the toilet room. In Japan, you clean your body before getting into the bathtub! A small plastic stool rests next to a drain in the tiled floor. Here, one sits to wash with soap and rinse off before entering the full bathtub of heated water. Once clean,you then enter the soaking luxury of a small,deep bathtub filled with heated water reaching up to your neck. Since each person enters the bathtub clean, the entire family can use the same tub of hot water. Winter is generally mild in much of Japan,with the exception of the much colder winters of Hokkaido in the north. Most houses typically have no centralized heating. Rather, rooms used for daily living are located in the center of the house and heated by small heaters. Often in winter, members of a family sit around a kotatsu,a low table with an electric heater beneath it. A quilt is placed over the kotatsu so that you can slip your legs and feet under the blanket while sitting on pillows.What a comforting way to eat, watch television, or share conversation with your family! Japanese houses are typically smaller than western-style houses. In Tokyo, homes tend to be even smaller due to population densities and scarcity of land.Since Japanese homes are small, rooms serve multiple functions such as living, eating, studying, or sleeping. To utilize space wisely, a futon (soft folding mattress) is often spread out on the floor at night for sleeping.After being aired and folded, the futon is stored in a closet during the day. Except for the kitchen and perhaps a carpeted living room (a western adaptation), the floors in Japanese homes are covered with joining straw mats called tatami. The mats are comfortable to sit on, sleep on (with a futon), and walk on without slippers. Tatami also provide a layer of insulation in the cooler winter months. Many homes are built with mixed styles of traditional tatami mat rooms and western-style carpeted rooms. Sleeping on futons or sleeping in beds is another choice being made by members of Japanese families today.

The compact size of a Japanese home is well adapted to the needs of Japanese society. Family members live together closely and must resolve conflicts in behavior. Outside the home, Japanese like to feel that they belong to a group. Importance is placed on harmony and cooperation in human relationships. Much practice at home makes this trait a more natural process in one’s way of interacting with others outside of the home.

HOME AND FAMILY 

Until recently, many Japanese lived in extended families of three or more generations. Grandparents, and sometimes great-grandparents,were important and respected members of the household. Traditions and family heritage was shared with members of the family. But rapid economic growth and the process of democratization following World War II have influenced the Japanese family. Family life is changing from an extended multigenerational family to that of a nuclear family consisting of parents and children only. Japanese lifestyle has also been influenced by urbanization and advances in technology. Widespread use of timesaving household appliances, expansion of instant and frozen food industries, and increased popularity and ease of including western-style meals are conveniences enjoyed by many Japanese families.These conveniences have freed more time for both leisure and educational pursuits, especially for women who were often restricted by household tasks. Increasing employment opportunities for women have changed the Japanese family. Delaying marriage and delaying or choosing not to have children, are changing women’s traditional roles in the family. With a present birth rate of .15 percent,the population of Japan will not be able to maintain stability and growth, an alarming concern for the Japanese government and society as a whole. Fewer extended families, combined with increased life expectancies,means the number of elderly people living on their own has also risen significantly. Additional issues of healthcare and housing for the elderly are concerns facing Japanese society today.

A CHANGING SOCIETY

 Japan is experiencing a change in the work environment as well. Employees are yearning for more emotional fulfillment from their jobs, calling for reduced working hours and more opportunities for career changes and family time.Once a source of pride and admiration for Japan, the employment market is showing worrisome trends. Rising joblessness among young people (ages 15–24) has resulted from dramatic changes in their behaviors and attitudes toward employment. Soaring numbers of university graduates do not have fulltime employment upon graduation and are not as likely to go on to graduate schools. Increasing numbers of young Japanese are also more widely accepting a “freeter” lifestyle. (Freeter is a Japanese compound word developed from the English word “free” and the German word “arbeiter” meaning worker.) More and more young people are continuing to live at home, dependent on their parents and working without regular or advancing employment. This change in attitudes toward work among Japan’s young generations has a significant effect.The collapse of the Japanese economy in the early 1990s meant fewer university graduates were hired as full-time workers by Japanese companies. Employers began to hire more part-time workers in order to reduce costs. Traditionally, Japanese companies provided lifetime employment for the sarariman (salary man). In return for employment and other benefits, the sarariman was expected to devote many hours to his work and company during his lifetime. Companies in the past typically provided their own training for university graduates. Thus, Japanese universities tended to have relative unimportance for preparing graduates with a specific, clear vision of their career goals or providing support for career planning. Today, Japanese companies are seeking to hire students who can make immediate contributions to the company. This means that universities must alter how they train students.

EDUCATION

 A young person’s educational background is a vital factor in gaining employment. Students who graduate from top universities have an advantage over others when seeking employment. To qualify for admission to top universities, students devote many hours to intense study. Students prepare for entrance exams by attending private academies (called juku) after regular school hours.The intensity of juku combined with the demands of regular homework leaves students little leisure time.Increases in suicides among youth and a troublesome trend of students showing little interest in studying are perceived as issues of an educational system needing changes. It is the desire of the Japanese to continue serious efforts to make educational opportunities more effective for students. Japanese students typically attend school for 240 days, approximately 60 days more than students in the United States.The school year begins in April.Japanese schools used to have a 6-day school week, having only Sundays off. In the past decade this changed to 2 or 3 Saturdays per month off. Presently, many schools are now following a 5-day school week at the recommendation of educational advisors. Surprisingly, neither students nor teachers are happy with the new 5-day schedule! The Japanese,it seems,recognize the tremendous importance of education both to individuals and to their country. Prior to the national education system that was established in Japan more than 100 years ago, various schools served the needs of the differing social classes. Special schools were established for children of the warrior class,for wealthy members of the merchant and farming classes, and for the children of the lower classes. The national education system developed elementary and secondary schools throughout Japan for all children. Students progress through the stages of kindergarten (often starting at age 3),elementary,secondary,and university.There are important differences between Japanese and western-style schools. Virtually every Japanese student studies the English language from Grade 7 throughout his or her final year of high school. All students and teachers clean their own classrooms and school buildings. Students are also required to memorize large numbers of facts.

Despite academic successes, impressive testing performances, and a literacy rate of 99 percent (the world’s highest), educational reforms are presently being implemented to better prepare Japanese students for the future. One change being introduced is the use of task-oriented, individualized approaches to creative problem solving. Decreasing emphasis on the massive quantities of memorization is another change for Japanese students. Many Japanese feel the entrance exams required for high schools and universities are too stressful and the curriculum too rigid. Students believe that schools need to change in order to produce more creative and flexible citizens for the 21st century.

LEISURE TIME

 Today, the Japanese are devoting more attention to leisure time than in the past. Reading, going out to eat, performing karaoke with friends, and traveling within Japan to hot springs and beaches are high on the list of leisure activities. Riding on a train in Japan, you will probably observe the Japanese population doing one of two things—sleeping (due to demands of school and work) or reading. If they are reading, there is a significant chance they will be enjoying manga,a form of Japanese comic book.Manga are written for all ages of people with a wide, wide range of topics. Approximately 40 percent of all printed items in Japan are in this comic format. A popular leisure activity, manga offer an inexpensive form of entertainment.Moreover, manga are also used to introduce subjects such as history, law, or economics. They may be used as company brochures, for advertising, or for highlighting specific hobbies such as golf or soccer. The manga industry continues to find inviting ways to keep children and adults interested in this form of entertainment. Visual effects bring the reader into the story much like movies, yet are far cheaper to produce. With golfing fees of $150 or movie tickets of $20, manga offers affordable enjoyment for many people.

Renting a karaokeroom with friends is a popular recreational activity amongst Japanese youth. Complete with microphones, a television screen,soft lighting,and low couch-style seating,these small rooms provide hours of fun for singing the lyrics to your favorite songs!

The sumo hero gently wades through an ocean of admirers. Takai Kito (1741–1789)

By the time this haiku (a three-line poem consisting of a 5-7-5 syllable pattern) was written in the 18th century, sumo (Japanese wrestling) had become a popular spectator sport. Sumo began not as a sport, but as a religious event associated with the autumn harvest. Tradition tells that sumo wrestlers from farming villages divided into two groups to wrestle. The winning side held the belief that they had been favored by the gods and would have a better harvest because of this favor. Today, sumo tournaments are held 6 times per year, with each tournament lasting 15 days. Special rituals, such as throwing salt into the wrestling ring as a sign of purification, are performed each day of the tournament. Baseball is another highly popular sport in Japan. Nearly every day of the baseball season, spectators cheer enthusiastically for their favorite teams! A major sporting event that occurs twice during baseball season is the national high school baseball tournament. Sports fans from all over Japan come to Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture to cheer for their team. The energy and enthusiasm produced by this event is phenomenal. Each team performs a number of rituals, such as attending shrines to pray and offering humble bows of thanks for a productive practice session. These rituals are done in hope of ensuring their team has done all it can to achieve success in the tournament.

ART FORMS AND CELEBRATIONS

 A blend of traditional and contemporary culture can be found in Japanese celebrations. Art forms such as chanoyu (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging), and kabuki (live theatrical performances) offer traditional rituals learned and performed in Japan. Chanoyu dates back hundreds of years to rituals of Buddhist monks. This ceremony, involving a series of steps to turn powdered green tea into a soothing hot beverage, was performed as a means of simplicity and concentration during the monks’ meditations. Ikebana was used as a way to honor Buddhist and Shinto spirits. This unique skill of arranging flowers according to strict rules offers representations of heaven, earth, and people. The colorful staging of kabuki is filled with brilliant costuming, dramatic action, and expressive facial make-up.All character roles, whether portraying men or women, are played by men as ordered by tradition. Contemporary customs and celebrations are especially evident in the lives of Japanese youth. Along with the popularity of manga and karaoke, animation has been popular in movies and television programming. Not only is this animation popular in Japan, but this concept is also reaching audiences worldwide. Countless festivals and holiday celebrations are held in Japan throughout the year. Some are celebrated in local areas only,while others are popular across the entire country.Japan’s most important holiday celebration is oshogatsu, the New Year. Companies and government offices are closed for the first 3 days of the year. The New Year is a time of togetherness for relatives. The holiday closing of schools and businesses allow families to travel by train,car,and air to gather for celebrations. Celebrations actually begin on New Year’s Eve, when many Japanese families eat soba noodles as a representation and hope for a long life.Many also go to a local shrine or temple to pray for good fortune in the coming year. On New Year’s Day, special foods and games are shared with family members and gifts of money are given to children. These activities are all done with the hopes of bringing health and happiness to the New Year. An important summer festival in Japan is Obon, or Festival of the Dead. Obon festivities begin on August 13th and continue for 3 days. Buddhist in origin, this festival honors the spirit and memory of family ancestors. It is believed that the souls of the dead return home at this time of year. Thus, homes and gravestones are carefully cleaned. Special offerings of food are placed before the family altar in homes.Small fires or lanterns are set out to guide the souls of the dead to and from their homes. In some locations, people release paper lanterns to float on rivers, guiding the souls of the departed. Children’s festivals are widely celebrated in Japan as well. On March 3rd,a Doll Festival is held for young girls to wish for growth and good health. Children’s Day for young boys, held on May 5th, is a day to wish for strength and health. Tanabata, the Star Festival,occurs on July 7th.On this day,children write wishes on colored strips of paper and tie them to bamboo branches. Shichigosan, or ‘Seven-five-three’ is celebrated on November 15th. On this day, 7-year-old girls, 5-year-old boys, and all 3-year-olds dress in kimonos and traditional clothing. The children then go to shrines with their parents to pray for continued health and growth. (Historically, these ages were milestone birthdays for having survived or overcome childhood diseases.) Agricultural,seasonal,and local festivals are also celebrated throughout the country’s landscape.No matter where one lives in Japan, a colorful event is sure to be celebrated with great honor and spirit!

A PEOPLE AND A PROVERB 

“The nail that sticks up will get hammered down.”What does this Japanese proverb mean to you? Japan is traditionally a group-oriented society in which no one individual wants to stand out. To do so shows great disrespect and dishonor. Loyalty and devotion to the group is valued and expected.This dedication reaches across all age groups, even to members of a baseball team. Many Japanese traditions remain a strong part of society.

Yet, the younger generations are beginning to question some of these traditions, viewing them as needing reform. Family relations, roles of males and females, and career options are challenging the groupthink of Japanese society. What will these changes in social cohesion bring to Japan’s future?