Leisure

It`s interesting to think about the recognized enjoyable activities to do in Japan.

Enjoyable activities have to be obviously enjoyable in Japan. It`s something I notice again and again. It`s something that frustrates me at times, but now I am feeling mild about it and I`ll just describe it.

I have a theory as to why aswell: In Japan everybody works hard, hard, hard. Five days a week, 6 days a week, 7 days a week from early in the morning to late into the evening. So, of course when they`re not working, they really have to be “not working”. They have to be doing something obviously fun. They have to be told that their having fun, by doing a recognized “fun activity”. It`s like a world of extremes. The office enkai is an example. Getting drunk is needed – it has to be extreme. The fun can`t be mild. Because the work is not mild. The work is extreme. (Of course people like to get drunk all over the world). Why the extremes? Why can`t you have a working day where you have time for a balance. Where, for example, you have time to do an activity you enjoy on a regular basis for example.

The leisure time of the Japanese takes up so much of my thinking time as I try to understand how it is like it is. I love being in parks as part of my leisure time, and Japanese parks are instantly interesting to me aswell. In Japan, in my experience, it is rare that I have come across just a park. There is always an amusement park attached to it (and a zoo in the case of Hitachi Kamine park). Why is this? Because just a park, that you can walk around in, is just not obviously fun enough.

Japanese is so full of contrasts however. Many people have the view of the zen Buddhist gardens of Japan. And this is an aspect of Japan that does exist. There are beautiful Japanese gardens. (Though I haven`t actually been to one yet – though I`m convinced they do exist – they must!).
There must be that contemplatative side of the Japanese people somewhere: where they can appreciate their surroundings quietly, and enjoy it. Afterall, I think the Zen Buddhist tradition with all the meditative customs that come with that originated here in Japan.
But, this side of Japanese society it is not obviously present. And it is not something that I have seen in my time here. In my experience to visit an old temple is a purely superficial experience. Everybody traipses along the designated tourist route to see the sights of the day – whatever they maybe. – a temple building, a garden, a waterfall, a mountain, a garden. They look like commuters. All in a line. There is no spontaneity, there is no extra interest. To me, it seems like they visit these places because they know that this is an enjoyable thing to do. They walk to the designated viewing platform for the subject today – and photograph it. They don`t experience it. They don`t have time. After the photo they move on, following the line of people along the special route, to the next object of interest.
Of course, this aspect of tourism does exist everywhere, and I hate it everywhere. But, it`s striking to me here.

Where is the deeper meaning for the Japanese people in their lives? Is it their family? If it is, they have a strange way of showing it in my view, because they don`t hardly spend any time with their family because they`re at work all the bloody time!!
So perhaps it is their work. Perhaps working towards the common goal of their company is the aspect of their lives with the most meaning to them.
How people spend their leisure does have some kind of reflection on what people value their lives and perhaps the fact that Japanese people take such few holidays away from work, for this leisure time is the most notable fact here!