Well, it`s the last of my full days at Taga. I was sad last Wednesday when I made my speech to the teachers in the morning. There will be things I miss about this work. The people and the friendly atmosphere. Everyone working together. Although plenty I won`t miss but I don`t want to think about negatives now because I`m just happy.
My ending here has been good. I feel that I have made enough time for everything and everyone I want to. I have visited everywhere that I wanted to visit. I have said goodbye to all of my schools well. I have (and will say goodbye to all my friends well), I`ve made and given and bought meaningful presents for everyone. So I have no regrets I think.
One thing I have been very touched by is the fact that two of my non-base schools have given me enkais – very enjoyable evenings. Aswell as my being paid for (and enkais are expensive) I was given lovely gifts and flowers as appreciation. I have a feeling that it is not usual to have enkais with non-base schools like this especially with an ALT that has only been here one year as I have– and I have been told that it`s because of me and my personality that Kita and Tokai both wanted to. I am very touched by that – I think they did appreciate me. Sure, I didn`t stay late into the evening working on students club activities. I always left on time. I didn`t really mark much students work. But I did make the extra effort in my own way. In ways that I thought were important. I made friends with the teachers I was teaching with. I always took time to talk with them. And I think they must have appreciated that more than I realized before. To practice their English with a native speaker is a rare opportunity for a busy high school teacher. I was an open personality. I was happy around and about the school. I always smiled at people even if I couldn`t talk to them. I was always open to them. It`s such an easy thing to do – just to be open and friendly to people, but perhaps the other ALTs don`t do it so much. Evan probably didn`t as he found the atmosphere at Taga cold – but I have found it the complete opposite – all you`ve got to do is be friendly.
I`m sure I was appreciated for my lessons too – I did have some good ones I remember. When the good ones worked well it was great – getting all the students up and doing something different. Getting a good compliment from the JTE after a good lesson is great. Getting them all concentrated on an activity is great. And it`s true that when you get a student coming up to you, saying they can`t do it, and you give them a hint, and then they work it out for themselves and you see the realization on their face and you get a really big genuine smile from them – THAT, is a REALLY GREAT FEELING.
I`m pleased with the lessons I gave them. My personality was in them – my love of maps, cultural differences, modern culture, places in the world, UK culture, Japanese culture are all what I am interested in so I designed my lessons by that. And I think they did work well overall. I`m liked by my students so they must have respected me in my lessons – not seen me as horrible, nor as a joke teacher. I`ll miss being in the street meeting them everywhere – being said “harrow Bea-sensei!” to everywhere. It is almost like being a minor celebrity in this town – but it`s nice to be liked.
I was so worried about the big speech in Japanese I had to make to all of the school on that stage with the microphone. I fluffed up the bowing (as predicted). My voice was nervous (as predicted) but it was all worth it because I got a really long and warm round of applause from that giant hall (Yao commented that) and I felt very appreciated. It was a lovely way to end. The Japanese love their formailities - I have resented them, felt frustrated by them. But the appreciation you get from doing them is there. It was the first time the students had heard me speak Japanese I expect, and perhaps they respected me for doing it in Japanese and realizing what a hard thing it was for me to do. They still all wave and say hi to me enthusiastically when I see them so perhaps some are sad to see me go.
I`m sad to go too …. But I don`t want to stay! This year in Japan has been the best year of my life so far. I have learnt so much. I have experienced so much. I have grown so much. I have grown up so much. I`ve got new ideas of how I want to live my life in England to be as fulfilled and healthy as I have in Japan. I have truly widened my horizons and I am REALLY REALLY HAPPY.
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Yukata YoKATA!
It`s within my final month in Japan. And yet still! I have sizeable realizations about aspects of Japanese culture being why they are.
The latest eye-opener to me concerns explaining how and why the Japanese move how they do. I`ve always been quite bemused by how the Japanese move. And impressed by it! They tend to move quite quickly. But not in large extensive strides – the manner that most people would move in the west in, if they wanted to get somewhere quickly; they move quickly in a sort of running trot. Small, fast moving steps. Quite lightly on the floor so they are not making thuds. (I have to add an NB here to say that this movement is more typically found among women. Though, men do do this small trotting run also a lot (in addition to regular striding also). It is SO COMMON in a working environment. If there is a phone call someone will leap up from their desk and do the small trotting run to the phone. If someone asks someone to do something/ come here/ go over there – they will do it in the small trotting run.
I noticed it as a difference from a western way of moving because – although on the surface it is something small – it is obvious enough to strike me as a difference. I imagine that in western countries, in the work place people will slump up from their desk to get the phone. And perhaps trudge over to the phone. Because they are tired from getting up from their chair. Obviously people do move quickly in the west. With those big strides. But I would say generally this is done when there is a large distance to cover. Not within the room of an office. In Japan the fast movement is done over small distances.
When I had noticed this in the past I had always assumed that this interesting aspect of the Japanese was tied up with their strong work ethic. The importance to be a very keen and hardworking and enthusiastic contributory member to the working organization. But this weekend I realized this, was not the only reason.
At the weekend I went to another one of April and Jeff’s wicked parties in the countryside of Fukushima. This time the theme was national dress. What with us Americans, British and New Zealand being a bit thin on the ground re national dress someone suggested that we all buy ourselves yukata (the more informal summer version of the Japanese kimono, and where those). So, me Andrew and Jean went to buy ourselves new Yukata and all the rest of it (all the ties, and the obi belt, and hard structures, and undergarments that all strap you into this quite uncomfortable outfit).
We had a fun day the day after Yukata shopping when Tomoko drove us up into Fukushima, we went to a nature area, went on some fun slide thing which you pay money in a vending machine to use (nature rarely ever just natural in Japan). Went to eat soba in the restaurant, went to the kids park area. Jean sighed that we wouldn`t be doing any walking or exploring or anything. Which I might have sighed at before too. But to be honest I`m used to how the Japanese enjoy nature (unless you are a serious hiker). You should not overexert yourself or find ANYTHING even the tiniest bit strenuous. So we went on the ride, we ate, we mooched around the play park.
Then we went to our favourite café for coffee and cake. (I had tea and a pudding though!). Then we went to the onsen. Not that we had earnt the nice café or the onsen in any way! But the Japanese don`t think like that. If they`re having time off, every aspect of the day should be purely enjoyable and relaxing and JUST fun.
And then after a quick shower and go in the onsen us girls got changed into our yukata. First the undergarment – a kind of white hospital dressing gown, then we had to wrap a towel into a square shape and tie it with a cotton tie around our stomach (just under boobs!). The reason for this is – what is attractive to the Japanese – at least traditionally anyway – is for women to be totally flat all the way down. Therefore you put enough folded towels against your rib/ stomach area to make your stomach come out to the same level as your boobs so you go straight down with absolutely no womanly curves to be seen. Then you put on the yukata itself, pulling back the collar so you show off the back of the neck which is meant to be sexy. Then the obi is tied – Tomoko did a brilliant bow on the back of mine. Then a stiff thing is shoved in between the obi and the yukata. And there`s another tie that goes on somewhere but I can`t remember exactly. All of this amounts to a phenomenally restrictive outfit in which it is very hard to move. You can only take small steps in a yukata/ kimono because you are wrapped up almost like a mummy in all the fabric. And that`s not even considering the ridiculous wooden platform clogs that women have to wear where it is impossible to do anything other than take small steps.
So – my great realization is – that it is the Japanese traditional outfit (which is still very popular today) that is a principle cause of how the Japanese move how they do. It`s not only to look cute – but also strongly caused by the clothing (though the clothing style could of course have been designed over time to create and reinforce this style of movement that is thought attractive. All the movments that associate with the Japanese – the little run, the small slow inward steps in tea ceremony, the kneeling, the bowing: all of these movements are the easy ones to do when you are tied up in a yukata/ kimono so THAT IS WHY. What a great realization J
As an important end note to this subject I have to say how popular the Japanese traditional dress is, to the Japanese people. People love wearing yukata (despite how restrictive and comfortable I found it). There is a genuine fondness for them. I guess that people do find the look of them very attractive. I have to say – they are not something I have found instantly attractive as a clothing style – it is afterall very opposite from western fashions past and present, but, the yukata and kimono style has grown on me over the course of this year. I didn`t buy one for ages because I didn`t like them at first. But, now I finally bought one and tried it on and went to the party in it – I surprised myself and quite liked the look of myself in it! Me and Jean had a lot of fun running about like Japanese people in our yukata, having little races, pretending to serve tea to people, excessive amounts of bowing! (Bowing by the way – is one of the few movements it is possible to do very easily in a yukata. Another very interesting fitting little finding of this evening when I tried one on for the first time … given that the Japanese bow so much!)Given that the Japanese are usually entirely unfussed by fakeness – and do partake in a lot of ungenuine activities – which has pissed me off in the past – this genuine affection and use of their traditional dress in all daily life today is something that makes me feel really happy. Yuakata and kimono are sold everywhere – they are not just a novelty item that live in the past. They are part of Japan`s present. People wear them in summer in all the millions of big and totally insignificant festivals up and down this country. I see women in kimono at train stations throughout all the seasons. Like the tea ceremony which is genuinely alive in all the tea ceremony clubs in schools and the lessons women will take, and like the ikebana (flower arranging) classes and Japanses dance groups (that are always present in festival shows in large numbers from elderly participants though adults, young adults, teenagers, factory workers, kids) there are, these are the aspects of Japanese culture that is not superficialised in anyway. They are genuinely maintained through the will of the Japanese. And that makes me pleased :)
The latest eye-opener to me concerns explaining how and why the Japanese move how they do. I`ve always been quite bemused by how the Japanese move. And impressed by it! They tend to move quite quickly. But not in large extensive strides – the manner that most people would move in the west in, if they wanted to get somewhere quickly; they move quickly in a sort of running trot. Small, fast moving steps. Quite lightly on the floor so they are not making thuds. (I have to add an NB here to say that this movement is more typically found among women. Though, men do do this small trotting run also a lot (in addition to regular striding also). It is SO COMMON in a working environment. If there is a phone call someone will leap up from their desk and do the small trotting run to the phone. If someone asks someone to do something/ come here/ go over there – they will do it in the small trotting run.
I noticed it as a difference from a western way of moving because – although on the surface it is something small – it is obvious enough to strike me as a difference. I imagine that in western countries, in the work place people will slump up from their desk to get the phone. And perhaps trudge over to the phone. Because they are tired from getting up from their chair. Obviously people do move quickly in the west. With those big strides. But I would say generally this is done when there is a large distance to cover. Not within the room of an office. In Japan the fast movement is done over small distances.
When I had noticed this in the past I had always assumed that this interesting aspect of the Japanese was tied up with their strong work ethic. The importance to be a very keen and hardworking and enthusiastic contributory member to the working organization. But this weekend I realized this, was not the only reason.
At the weekend I went to another one of April and Jeff’s wicked parties in the countryside of Fukushima. This time the theme was national dress. What with us Americans, British and New Zealand being a bit thin on the ground re national dress someone suggested that we all buy ourselves yukata (the more informal summer version of the Japanese kimono, and where those). So, me Andrew and Jean went to buy ourselves new Yukata and all the rest of it (all the ties, and the obi belt, and hard structures, and undergarments that all strap you into this quite uncomfortable outfit).
We had a fun day the day after Yukata shopping when Tomoko drove us up into Fukushima, we went to a nature area, went on some fun slide thing which you pay money in a vending machine to use (nature rarely ever just natural in Japan). Went to eat soba in the restaurant, went to the kids park area. Jean sighed that we wouldn`t be doing any walking or exploring or anything. Which I might have sighed at before too. But to be honest I`m used to how the Japanese enjoy nature (unless you are a serious hiker). You should not overexert yourself or find ANYTHING even the tiniest bit strenuous. So we went on the ride, we ate, we mooched around the play park.
Then we went to our favourite café for coffee and cake. (I had tea and a pudding though!). Then we went to the onsen. Not that we had earnt the nice café or the onsen in any way! But the Japanese don`t think like that. If they`re having time off, every aspect of the day should be purely enjoyable and relaxing and JUST fun.
And then after a quick shower and go in the onsen us girls got changed into our yukata. First the undergarment – a kind of white hospital dressing gown, then we had to wrap a towel into a square shape and tie it with a cotton tie around our stomach (just under boobs!). The reason for this is – what is attractive to the Japanese – at least traditionally anyway – is for women to be totally flat all the way down. Therefore you put enough folded towels against your rib/ stomach area to make your stomach come out to the same level as your boobs so you go straight down with absolutely no womanly curves to be seen. Then you put on the yukata itself, pulling back the collar so you show off the back of the neck which is meant to be sexy. Then the obi is tied – Tomoko did a brilliant bow on the back of mine. Then a stiff thing is shoved in between the obi and the yukata. And there`s another tie that goes on somewhere but I can`t remember exactly. All of this amounts to a phenomenally restrictive outfit in which it is very hard to move. You can only take small steps in a yukata/ kimono because you are wrapped up almost like a mummy in all the fabric. And that`s not even considering the ridiculous wooden platform clogs that women have to wear where it is impossible to do anything other than take small steps.
So – my great realization is – that it is the Japanese traditional outfit (which is still very popular today) that is a principle cause of how the Japanese move how they do. It`s not only to look cute – but also strongly caused by the clothing (though the clothing style could of course have been designed over time to create and reinforce this style of movement that is thought attractive. All the movments that associate with the Japanese – the little run, the small slow inward steps in tea ceremony, the kneeling, the bowing: all of these movements are the easy ones to do when you are tied up in a yukata/ kimono so THAT IS WHY. What a great realization J
As an important end note to this subject I have to say how popular the Japanese traditional dress is, to the Japanese people. People love wearing yukata (despite how restrictive and comfortable I found it). There is a genuine fondness for them. I guess that people do find the look of them very attractive. I have to say – they are not something I have found instantly attractive as a clothing style – it is afterall very opposite from western fashions past and present, but, the yukata and kimono style has grown on me over the course of this year. I didn`t buy one for ages because I didn`t like them at first. But, now I finally bought one and tried it on and went to the party in it – I surprised myself and quite liked the look of myself in it! Me and Jean had a lot of fun running about like Japanese people in our yukata, having little races, pretending to serve tea to people, excessive amounts of bowing! (Bowing by the way – is one of the few movements it is possible to do very easily in a yukata. Another very interesting fitting little finding of this evening when I tried one on for the first time … given that the Japanese bow so much!)Given that the Japanese are usually entirely unfussed by fakeness – and do partake in a lot of ungenuine activities – which has pissed me off in the past – this genuine affection and use of their traditional dress in all daily life today is something that makes me feel really happy. Yuakata and kimono are sold everywhere – they are not just a novelty item that live in the past. They are part of Japan`s present. People wear them in summer in all the millions of big and totally insignificant festivals up and down this country. I see women in kimono at train stations throughout all the seasons. Like the tea ceremony which is genuinely alive in all the tea ceremony clubs in schools and the lessons women will take, and like the ikebana (flower arranging) classes and Japanses dance groups (that are always present in festival shows in large numbers from elderly participants though adults, young adults, teenagers, factory workers, kids) there are, these are the aspects of Japanese culture that is not superficialised in anyway. They are genuinely maintained through the will of the Japanese. And that makes me pleased :)
Saturday, 18 July 2009
For the SAKE of it.
My mood swings quickly in Japan. It`s because of the whole intensity of the situation I think. Either nice things happen and I`m so overwhelmed by the niceness of people (like the enkai with the Hitachi kita teachers on Friday – where we went to a wonderful Japanese sushi restaurant – fantastic food – great conversations – and I was given two beautiful presents), or I`m so pissed off with the stupidity of certain situations.
I still can`t get over the time wasting – the life wasting of working in a Japanese organization. We are just here for the SAKE of it. Nobody thinks about things objectively from outside of the structure. The structure is how it is so we just do it. Teachers work until late but on Friday I stayed late to wait for the teachers because of the enkai. They say they`re busy – but to be honest the teachers room didn`t look massively busy to me. They were chatting, reading newspapers – some were working but it didn`t seem all that efficient to me. Why ON EARTH don`t they just get their work done and GO HOME and see their family instead staying at work until some stupid hour.
I have realized in my time here that people just like to fill the allocated time. Nobody stops to think and suggest how things could be made more efficient – perhaps that meeting isn`t necessary for EVERYONE to attend/ necessary at all. They must adore their structure as some kind of safety net.
I think about the spot club activities – staying at Kita I heard the band practicing until 6 (3 hours after school) – and I know this will happen everyday. Yet they didn`t sound very good. You would think – for a band that practices 3 hours a day and weekends too would be world class for that amount of practice! But for me it is a kind of proof – that this system isn`t effective. They`re filling time in the band practice. Just going through the motions. Not really trying to improve. Just happy to be with each other and fill the time. (I`m not ranting at the fact they like to be together – the group spirit that is created as a result of this time filling doing a collective activity is quite an amazing thing). I just wish they could step outside of themselves sometimes and relax – follow another interest – do something independent. But perhaps they don`t want to.
And the sport – when I cycle to my yoga class at 6 on Monday evening I always see the football team training hard. And I know that’s the case every evening. And the weekends too. I remember my supervisor in response to my exclaimation at this saying – yes – but the Japanese aren`t amazing Olympians despite this vastly different level of practice between Japanese students and others around the world. Which is true. Which is also proof of ineffectivity of the excessive practice. I remember talking to Joel – an ALT in Ooarai who participates in basketball – he told me his theory – that it is just endless training – endless little drills – they only play in competitive games for the last 15 minutes of practice. And I can believe it! I went along to badminton club because I was interested in it but I only wanted to do it for an hour I said.
My theory is that the reason these kids aren`t particularly good at what they do – is because the motivation for doing it doesn`t come from them. They do it because of the teachers. They do it because of the structure. They do it to fill the time. To be in the community of the school. The competitive and internal motivation doesn`t come from them personally in general.
They`re doing it for the sake of it – like so many things in Japan. Japanese people have an amazing ability to keep going with things/ put up with things that they don`t like. Teachers complain about the fact they have to work so long in the evening – because “everbody does”. But many have complained to me – so why the hell don`t they change this ridiculous situation! Why doesn`t someone speak out against the structure. It strikes me as crazy, but they just live within the structure – for safety. I can`t work in this way. So I`m getting out.
I won`t miss the work life. But I`ll miss the social life a lot. And Japan itself. Of course I`ll miss Japan. But if I`m being objective here – I suppose that much of what I like about Japan itself is inextricably linked with how they work – the politeness, the civic mindedness, the safety, the consideration of others, the kindness – it is created by the manner of growing up and working in the such structured and community intensive settings that frustrate me so much.
I still can`t get over the time wasting – the life wasting of working in a Japanese organization. We are just here for the SAKE of it. Nobody thinks about things objectively from outside of the structure. The structure is how it is so we just do it. Teachers work until late but on Friday I stayed late to wait for the teachers because of the enkai. They say they`re busy – but to be honest the teachers room didn`t look massively busy to me. They were chatting, reading newspapers – some were working but it didn`t seem all that efficient to me. Why ON EARTH don`t they just get their work done and GO HOME and see their family instead staying at work until some stupid hour.
I have realized in my time here that people just like to fill the allocated time. Nobody stops to think and suggest how things could be made more efficient – perhaps that meeting isn`t necessary for EVERYONE to attend/ necessary at all. They must adore their structure as some kind of safety net.
I think about the spot club activities – staying at Kita I heard the band practicing until 6 (3 hours after school) – and I know this will happen everyday. Yet they didn`t sound very good. You would think – for a band that practices 3 hours a day and weekends too would be world class for that amount of practice! But for me it is a kind of proof – that this system isn`t effective. They`re filling time in the band practice. Just going through the motions. Not really trying to improve. Just happy to be with each other and fill the time. (I`m not ranting at the fact they like to be together – the group spirit that is created as a result of this time filling doing a collective activity is quite an amazing thing). I just wish they could step outside of themselves sometimes and relax – follow another interest – do something independent. But perhaps they don`t want to.
And the sport – when I cycle to my yoga class at 6 on Monday evening I always see the football team training hard. And I know that’s the case every evening. And the weekends too. I remember my supervisor in response to my exclaimation at this saying – yes – but the Japanese aren`t amazing Olympians despite this vastly different level of practice between Japanese students and others around the world. Which is true. Which is also proof of ineffectivity of the excessive practice. I remember talking to Joel – an ALT in Ooarai who participates in basketball – he told me his theory – that it is just endless training – endless little drills – they only play in competitive games for the last 15 minutes of practice. And I can believe it! I went along to badminton club because I was interested in it but I only wanted to do it for an hour I said.
My theory is that the reason these kids aren`t particularly good at what they do – is because the motivation for doing it doesn`t come from them. They do it because of the teachers. They do it because of the structure. They do it to fill the time. To be in the community of the school. The competitive and internal motivation doesn`t come from them personally in general.
They`re doing it for the sake of it – like so many things in Japan. Japanese people have an amazing ability to keep going with things/ put up with things that they don`t like. Teachers complain about the fact they have to work so long in the evening – because “everbody does”. But many have complained to me – so why the hell don`t they change this ridiculous situation! Why doesn`t someone speak out against the structure. It strikes me as crazy, but they just live within the structure – for safety. I can`t work in this way. So I`m getting out.
I won`t miss the work life. But I`ll miss the social life a lot. And Japan itself. Of course I`ll miss Japan. But if I`m being objective here – I suppose that much of what I like about Japan itself is inextricably linked with how they work – the politeness, the civic mindedness, the safety, the consideration of others, the kindness – it is created by the manner of growing up and working in the such structured and community intensive settings that frustrate me so much.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Fakery in Japan
Now this is a funny thing. Some aspects of humanity you think are universal. And it`s only when you live 12 hours by plane from your home country that you find out that they`re not!
And I love that.
There are a lot of things you can learn when travelling to another “close-by” country. Other European countries do do things differently/ behave differently. But even some thigs are European-universal. By just experiencing a European way of life and outlook and discovering those things that are similar to your country you would be forgiven for taking this European-wide similarity and applying it universally to the world.
Sometimes you really need to travel right outside of your segment of this sphere, right from the north to the south, or, the west to the east in this case to really discover what are global universals and what aren`t. It`s funny to discover things that you assume were. And are in fact not.
(I realize this is getting rather abstract, so I`ll give it some concrete).
I came to this thought after an experience on my birthday came to trigger one of these realizations that I periodically have here.
My birthday party had turned into a weekend event. I wanted to go shopping in the days, dancing in the night – desperate to do Tokyo properly because it is a fabulous city and I hadn`t been there nearly enough. (It was an absolutely fabulous birthday which I will describe in the next blog post).
One of the several distinct shopping areas – Ikebukuro, was suggested (by my students and friend Tomoko, so I was enthusiastic to go there. Ikebukuro slightly reminded me of Oxford Street, and then Covent Garden in London in character as we followed Tomoko through the streets to where we were going shopping. We were looking out for “Sunshine City” in the Tokyu building. A shopping mall type experience then. To be inside a shopping centre wouldn`t have been my choice as I did want to experience Tokyo. Rather than a generic shopping centre. But, I`m always keen to follow Japanese people, because as a foreigner, you usually have some typically Japanese experience as a result rather than doing things I normally would ……
…. AND WE SURE DID!
Lunch was on all our minds by 12 – quickly too, so we get straight to the shops. Tomoko though, had that covered. Shes obviously done some research before – armed with google map printouts and what was available in the Sunshine City complex. She said we`d be going to a gyoza and ice cream bar. Gyoza aren`t my favourite food in the world, nor Andrew`s or Jean`s who are trying to be healthy, but we just went along with her anyway, because it`s not the done thing in Japan to stand out and make a fuss.
I first got the hint that this was going to be one of those weird, unique, only in Japan-type experiences when Tomoko mentioned the \300 entrance fee. “What?” An entrance fee just to a gyoza place??!” So, we paid our \300 into the machine (this, by the way, is something in many Japanese food establishments that doesn`t make me bat an eyelid anymore, but for British peple perhaps it is a bit weird buying your lunch ticket of whatever meal-drink bar – sald bar – bread bar – dessert combo deal you`re going to go for) and put our tickets through the automatic gates and entered.
IT WAS ENTIRELY BIZARRE.
No natural light, fake brown paneling – odd plastic cartoon structures here and there – a Christmas tree – a fake shrine – a fake chapel – dark. And then the fake festival too! We had entered some kind of alternative reality theme park world. Except there weren`t rides. This was in a shopping centre. Which was in regular Tokyo outside. Everything was totally weird – almost as if we were in a theatre set of phantom of the Opera in certain areas.
At first I think us gaijin felt a little put out a good well-meaning Tomoko had brought us into this strange dark place that we couldn`t get out of now we had our entrance tickets- we were in. All we had wanted was a quick bite. The Chinese dumpling shop outside of Zara would have been good for me!
But quickly we got into the swing of experiencing one of these “only Japan!” places. They had created this fake festival atmosphere inside the place. With gyoza stalls crammed together just like you would find at a real festival! Tight pathways to walk between the stalls on to create the crowded festival atmosphere. Even the funny fish tanks that you can find at festivals you find there. An open area of small stalls and tables for casual seating (which you would find ONLY at a FESTVAL in Japan). And the crowd was there! There were so many people pushing around these gyoza stalls. We bought our gyoza slightly overwhelmed by all the choice and sat on the low tables in the dark fake festival seating area to eat them. Then we went to the ice cream area up some fake Disney type grand house staircase to the ice cream palce where there was so much different kind of ice cream. Turkish ice crea. Soft cream. Belgian. Giant cabinets with loads of different hagen daaz pots. And the slot machine areas with the high pitched intense sounds to the side. It was consumerism and consumption gone made. (Again this aspect of Japan that I have mentioned before – when we work, we WORK. When we don`t work, we REALLY DON`T WORK. We go to strange lands like this a spend and buy, and eat and drink!) As we were eating our ice creams finding a funny bench opposite some strange structures with flashing lights we noticed people with headsets and wearing packs. Holding their packs up to the sky and occasionally grabbing to hit the lights then walking on. Andrew and Tomoko asked what they were doing. It turns out they were playing some kind of ghostbusters game, where they were hunting ghosts. Entirely bizarre. And all the more so because these were adults doing this. Not kids. Young men and women – probably on a date one couple.
A fake festival had been created inside a shopping centre with ghostbusters. And finally I am coming to the point in this post. The Japanese don`t seem bothered by fakeness. At all!
I think that in the west, we highly value originality and genuineness. I had assumed this was a universal, but various experiences in Japan and China have made me think this is not the case. Obviously we have such things as theme parks and laser Quest in England, which the only thing I can think of with a small relation to this. But for the Japanese it goes further. In this alternative reality we were in that lunchtime there was also fake shrines. And a fake church. That would NEVER happen in the west – to make a fake religious place. Because that is something serious for many people. And it just wouldn`t be done. But the Japanese view fake things the same as real things. They are just as happy to have their photo taken outside a fake shrine/ festival as a real one.
This lack of bother surrounding fake things extends into other more serious aspects of Japanese life. A wedding for example. For Japanese a church wedding is very fashionable these days. But the Japanese aren`t Christian. They just want a fake Christian wedding. They don`t think this is weird in ANY WAY. There are fake Christian chapels all over the place in Japan. And there is a recognized job in Japan to be a FAKE PRIEST. And I am NOT JOKING. It is even better if you manage to get a western fake priest as opposed to Japanese (so good extra career for some gaijin here!)
These fake Christian weddings are so popular in Japan at the moment. It is not for a select funny few. Most couples want this. (Though, I have to be fair and say, many will also have a ceremony at a shrine too).
But the point remains. The Japanese aren`t bothered by fakeness. To the westerner, genuinity is highly valued. We like to see things that are old, that are the original. Like our churches and old buildings for instance. We like them. We are proud of them. But in the east an original shrine is not particularly valued. They are rebuilt every 40 years. (This is the same in China).
Can you imagine the equivalent – rebuilding a catherdral every 40 years???!!
It is a funny moment when you come to realize that something like really valuing something that is genuine, is not so important to everyone across the whole world, as I think I thought.
And I love that.
There are a lot of things you can learn when travelling to another “close-by” country. Other European countries do do things differently/ behave differently. But even some thigs are European-universal. By just experiencing a European way of life and outlook and discovering those things that are similar to your country you would be forgiven for taking this European-wide similarity and applying it universally to the world.
Sometimes you really need to travel right outside of your segment of this sphere, right from the north to the south, or, the west to the east in this case to really discover what are global universals and what aren`t. It`s funny to discover things that you assume were. And are in fact not.
(I realize this is getting rather abstract, so I`ll give it some concrete).
I came to this thought after an experience on my birthday came to trigger one of these realizations that I periodically have here.
My birthday party had turned into a weekend event. I wanted to go shopping in the days, dancing in the night – desperate to do Tokyo properly because it is a fabulous city and I hadn`t been there nearly enough. (It was an absolutely fabulous birthday which I will describe in the next blog post).
One of the several distinct shopping areas – Ikebukuro, was suggested (by my students and friend Tomoko, so I was enthusiastic to go there. Ikebukuro slightly reminded me of Oxford Street, and then Covent Garden in London in character as we followed Tomoko through the streets to where we were going shopping. We were looking out for “Sunshine City” in the Tokyu building. A shopping mall type experience then. To be inside a shopping centre wouldn`t have been my choice as I did want to experience Tokyo. Rather than a generic shopping centre. But, I`m always keen to follow Japanese people, because as a foreigner, you usually have some typically Japanese experience as a result rather than doing things I normally would ……
…. AND WE SURE DID!
Lunch was on all our minds by 12 – quickly too, so we get straight to the shops. Tomoko though, had that covered. Shes obviously done some research before – armed with google map printouts and what was available in the Sunshine City complex. She said we`d be going to a gyoza and ice cream bar. Gyoza aren`t my favourite food in the world, nor Andrew`s or Jean`s who are trying to be healthy, but we just went along with her anyway, because it`s not the done thing in Japan to stand out and make a fuss.
I first got the hint that this was going to be one of those weird, unique, only in Japan-type experiences when Tomoko mentioned the \300 entrance fee. “What?” An entrance fee just to a gyoza place??!” So, we paid our \300 into the machine (this, by the way, is something in many Japanese food establishments that doesn`t make me bat an eyelid anymore, but for British peple perhaps it is a bit weird buying your lunch ticket of whatever meal-drink bar – sald bar – bread bar – dessert combo deal you`re going to go for) and put our tickets through the automatic gates and entered.
IT WAS ENTIRELY BIZARRE.
No natural light, fake brown paneling – odd plastic cartoon structures here and there – a Christmas tree – a fake shrine – a fake chapel – dark. And then the fake festival too! We had entered some kind of alternative reality theme park world. Except there weren`t rides. This was in a shopping centre. Which was in regular Tokyo outside. Everything was totally weird – almost as if we were in a theatre set of phantom of the Opera in certain areas.
At first I think us gaijin felt a little put out a good well-meaning Tomoko had brought us into this strange dark place that we couldn`t get out of now we had our entrance tickets- we were in. All we had wanted was a quick bite. The Chinese dumpling shop outside of Zara would have been good for me!
But quickly we got into the swing of experiencing one of these “only Japan!” places. They had created this fake festival atmosphere inside the place. With gyoza stalls crammed together just like you would find at a real festival! Tight pathways to walk between the stalls on to create the crowded festival atmosphere. Even the funny fish tanks that you can find at festivals you find there. An open area of small stalls and tables for casual seating (which you would find ONLY at a FESTVAL in Japan). And the crowd was there! There were so many people pushing around these gyoza stalls. We bought our gyoza slightly overwhelmed by all the choice and sat on the low tables in the dark fake festival seating area to eat them. Then we went to the ice cream area up some fake Disney type grand house staircase to the ice cream palce where there was so much different kind of ice cream. Turkish ice crea. Soft cream. Belgian. Giant cabinets with loads of different hagen daaz pots. And the slot machine areas with the high pitched intense sounds to the side. It was consumerism and consumption gone made. (Again this aspect of Japan that I have mentioned before – when we work, we WORK. When we don`t work, we REALLY DON`T WORK. We go to strange lands like this a spend and buy, and eat and drink!) As we were eating our ice creams finding a funny bench opposite some strange structures with flashing lights we noticed people with headsets and wearing packs. Holding their packs up to the sky and occasionally grabbing to hit the lights then walking on. Andrew and Tomoko asked what they were doing. It turns out they were playing some kind of ghostbusters game, where they were hunting ghosts. Entirely bizarre. And all the more so because these were adults doing this. Not kids. Young men and women – probably on a date one couple.
A fake festival had been created inside a shopping centre with ghostbusters. And finally I am coming to the point in this post. The Japanese don`t seem bothered by fakeness. At all!
I think that in the west, we highly value originality and genuineness. I had assumed this was a universal, but various experiences in Japan and China have made me think this is not the case. Obviously we have such things as theme parks and laser Quest in England, which the only thing I can think of with a small relation to this. But for the Japanese it goes further. In this alternative reality we were in that lunchtime there was also fake shrines. And a fake church. That would NEVER happen in the west – to make a fake religious place. Because that is something serious for many people. And it just wouldn`t be done. But the Japanese view fake things the same as real things. They are just as happy to have their photo taken outside a fake shrine/ festival as a real one.
This lack of bother surrounding fake things extends into other more serious aspects of Japanese life. A wedding for example. For Japanese a church wedding is very fashionable these days. But the Japanese aren`t Christian. They just want a fake Christian wedding. They don`t think this is weird in ANY WAY. There are fake Christian chapels all over the place in Japan. And there is a recognized job in Japan to be a FAKE PRIEST. And I am NOT JOKING. It is even better if you manage to get a western fake priest as opposed to Japanese (so good extra career for some gaijin here!)
These fake Christian weddings are so popular in Japan at the moment. It is not for a select funny few. Most couples want this. (Though, I have to be fair and say, many will also have a ceremony at a shrine too).
But the point remains. The Japanese aren`t bothered by fakeness. To the westerner, genuinity is highly valued. We like to see things that are old, that are the original. Like our churches and old buildings for instance. We like them. We are proud of them. But in the east an original shrine is not particularly valued. They are rebuilt every 40 years. (This is the same in China).
Can you imagine the equivalent – rebuilding a catherdral every 40 years???!!
It is a funny moment when you come to realize that something like really valuing something that is genuine, is not so important to everyone across the whole world, as I think I thought.
Compulsory Gaijins?
When I used to be in the evenings a little more often than I am now sometimes I listened to a BBC World Service programme called “The Forum”. It is quite intellectual where four different people with entirely different areas of expertise come to discuss their areas of research/ art/ whatever in a deep discussion. Somewhow their totally disparate subjects are blended together well in a very clever way by some BBC researcher. I really like it, particularly one aspect of the hour long programme in the middle. The 1 minute idea. Basically, one of the invited people is asked to present an idea that they think will change the world. And to explain it in one minute.
Sometimes the ideas are really small – like having silence time in schools, and sometimes they are much bigger. Several months ago one person suggested that everyone should spend an extended period of time (say, a year) living in a foreign country.
I occasionally think this, and it came back to me recently. Living in Japan has been a brilliant experience for me. To come here has been the biggest challenge of my life, but without a doubt, the best thing I have decided to do. To talk about travel as widening your horizons is really a bit of an understatement. This 10 months in Japan has completely blasted open my horizons into entirely new dimensions! Except to put it like that makes it seem as though there was some explosion in my brain that occurred when the plane touched down and when I stepped out of Narita airport. Which did not happen at all, obviously. This horizon expansion is something incremental as I have experienced more and more of the Japanese way of life, values and how they do things. To the extent it has now become very big as I feel I have learnt so much more about life. I feel very widened is the best way I can think to describe it.
Living so outside of my culture and heritage in an other, I can view my culture, my upbringing, English values and way of life from the outside and from a place where things aren`t done in the same way. It has been refreshing I suppose. The best thing is that it makes you question a lot about your home culture and YOU! and why things a done in the way they are. Often I have found good things. And it is nice to appreciate them. And to not see them as something inevitable and normal. Because the fact they don`t exist here shows they`re not.
For me, one of my favourite aspects about living abroad is that I can now pick and choose from these two very different ways of living and working, how I want to live my life. (Obviously, you can only recreate the personal aspects of each culture that you like where you eventually decide to be – you can`t just bring back society-wide changes along with you! I won`t be able to bring back the safety of Japan with me).
I love the fact I have questioned the way English people do things, I love the fact that I want to have tatami mats in my own flat one day. I love the fact I want to ride my bike more. I love the fact I want to run around an office at work! I love the fact I want to eat like Japanese people. I love the fact I have discovered these things because I have lived in Japan.
I feel that my life has been made so much more richer, and I have so many more options for how I want aspects of my life to be, because of this experience abroad.
So, for me, living abroad for this time has been fantastic. Not only in terms of creating me more choices for my future, but also how much I have learnt about ME. The amount you learn is vast when you are a gaijin, in whatever country you go to, I am sure.
But to make it compulsory – a year abroad. That`s something I wonder about. For someone like me, who is fascinated by the different countries and cultures of the world, and takes such an active interest in them, it is not altogether that surprising that this year has been so successful. But imagine forcing it on other people. I guess it would widen their horizons. But some people don`t feel the need for it – like Mum for instance. Should someone who is happy where she is be forced to leave for a year? I don`t think so. But yet the benefits if you do do it though, are undeniable. But Mum and Dad both have lived in another culture – and they are connected to Europe and have knowledge of the French/ Italian way of things so they have already this experience perhaps.
Perhaps every YOUNG person should do it. Particularly in today`s globalised world we need to understand and be sensitive to other cultures more. (My latest job idea is to be a cross-cultural consultant for businesses operating overseas – the amount of help that having cultural knowledge has to businesses is definitely big I think).
It has benefitted me massively - so maybe more people should do it. Though, I am wary of this bright little idea, and it`s effects on the environment what with people developing relationships criss-crossing the globe. It`s hardly going to do much for reducing plane travel I don`t think.
Sometimes the ideas are really small – like having silence time in schools, and sometimes they are much bigger. Several months ago one person suggested that everyone should spend an extended period of time (say, a year) living in a foreign country.
I occasionally think this, and it came back to me recently. Living in Japan has been a brilliant experience for me. To come here has been the biggest challenge of my life, but without a doubt, the best thing I have decided to do. To talk about travel as widening your horizons is really a bit of an understatement. This 10 months in Japan has completely blasted open my horizons into entirely new dimensions! Except to put it like that makes it seem as though there was some explosion in my brain that occurred when the plane touched down and when I stepped out of Narita airport. Which did not happen at all, obviously. This horizon expansion is something incremental as I have experienced more and more of the Japanese way of life, values and how they do things. To the extent it has now become very big as I feel I have learnt so much more about life. I feel very widened is the best way I can think to describe it.
Living so outside of my culture and heritage in an other, I can view my culture, my upbringing, English values and way of life from the outside and from a place where things aren`t done in the same way. It has been refreshing I suppose. The best thing is that it makes you question a lot about your home culture and YOU! and why things a done in the way they are. Often I have found good things. And it is nice to appreciate them. And to not see them as something inevitable and normal. Because the fact they don`t exist here shows they`re not.
For me, one of my favourite aspects about living abroad is that I can now pick and choose from these two very different ways of living and working, how I want to live my life. (Obviously, you can only recreate the personal aspects of each culture that you like where you eventually decide to be – you can`t just bring back society-wide changes along with you! I won`t be able to bring back the safety of Japan with me).
I love the fact I have questioned the way English people do things, I love the fact that I want to have tatami mats in my own flat one day. I love the fact I want to ride my bike more. I love the fact I want to run around an office at work! I love the fact I want to eat like Japanese people. I love the fact I have discovered these things because I have lived in Japan.
I feel that my life has been made so much more richer, and I have so many more options for how I want aspects of my life to be, because of this experience abroad.
So, for me, living abroad for this time has been fantastic. Not only in terms of creating me more choices for my future, but also how much I have learnt about ME. The amount you learn is vast when you are a gaijin, in whatever country you go to, I am sure.
But to make it compulsory – a year abroad. That`s something I wonder about. For someone like me, who is fascinated by the different countries and cultures of the world, and takes such an active interest in them, it is not altogether that surprising that this year has been so successful. But imagine forcing it on other people. I guess it would widen their horizons. But some people don`t feel the need for it – like Mum for instance. Should someone who is happy where she is be forced to leave for a year? I don`t think so. But yet the benefits if you do do it though, are undeniable. But Mum and Dad both have lived in another culture – and they are connected to Europe and have knowledge of the French/ Italian way of things so they have already this experience perhaps.
Perhaps every YOUNG person should do it. Particularly in today`s globalised world we need to understand and be sensitive to other cultures more. (My latest job idea is to be a cross-cultural consultant for businesses operating overseas – the amount of help that having cultural knowledge has to businesses is definitely big I think).
It has benefitted me massively - so maybe more people should do it. Though, I am wary of this bright little idea, and it`s effects on the environment what with people developing relationships criss-crossing the globe. It`s hardly going to do much for reducing plane travel I don`t think.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
In My Brain amoung the Rice Fields
I had a funny feeling last week when I was in the car with the usual gang – Gaku-chan, Vince, Jean and Andrew, Yuki, Tomoko and Yumiko in the car driving behind as we were heading north into Fukushima prefecture. We were doing a great daytrip - a walk in a nice forest (marked and paid for trail of course, with omiyagae shop at end) and then heading for V.G. cheesecake at our favourite coffeeshop after, and then the outdoor onsen, and then restaurant dinner. Perfect day. And it was a seriously beautiful drive on these mountain roads in the north of Ibaraki and Fukushima. Through mountainous tree-covered landscape and the stepped rice fields in the valley areas. They`re full of water with little green shoots growing through in this season and they`re particularly beautiful. But I suddenly had a feeling of not belonging to this landscape. I`m always quite interested in landscapes all around the world, I think because of my love of geography. So I do love all the different kinds of natural landscapes of all around the world. But I had this quite strong feeling of not belonging to this landscape of rice fields, and mountains where cedar trees cover the all slopes. I had a strong feeling that this landscape doesn`t come from where I come from. And therefore it meant that I felt that I did not belong here. It felt like quite a fundamental feeling. And it surprised me how I`ve kept thinking about it since then. Because I have been here for 10 months now – it`s not like this landscape surprised me. It`s more that – I have been here for 10 months, I have good friends here, I really enjoy my social lifestyle here, and in general I do things that I like to do. So in a way I am “at home” in the sense I have created (with quite a lot of luck of the town, particularly the people in this town) a home and a lifestyle that I like here. (All be it, always knowing that I want to leave because it is too far from my family). So I do, in the social sense, feel happy and at home here. But, last week – I had this important feeling created from the rice fields and mountains, and the small Japanese settlements where the houses look all different, that this is DEFINITELY NOT MY HOME and definitely not where I come from.
I should perhaps feel surprised that it has taken me 10 months before I have felt this feeling of not belonging here. But actually, I CAN understand it. The reason I have enjoyed Japan so much is because of my attitude here. I have been totally laidback. Been totally receptive to the way Japanese people do things, totally accepting of ALL the TINY, LITTLE DIFFERENCES that make up my life here. Been totally accepting of “oh yeah there`s another rice field over there, next to that house in a town!” My attitude has been whatever – lets do whatever! OK fine – you tell me! That`s the way to discover a new culture by keeping your assumptions about how things should be right down inside you and not near the surface at all. Especially in my beginning few months I would NEVER make a suggestion about where to go/ what to do/ what to eat/ when to do these things – I would never impose at all so I could experience Japan TO THE MAXIMUM.
They are small things all these differences, but just recently my brain has been thinking in a way where I just step out of myself. I see that all these tiny differences in my lifestyle here that have joined together to created something huge. It IS huge the difference of my life in Japan. But if I try to describe it I can only list small insignificant things. It doesn`t seem much when I try to list them. I can`t list them even, because I forget what they are. Because individually they are SO insignificant. But all I know is that they have culminated into something quite big for me.
It`s as if the rice field moment I had last week has suddenly made me look at myself from the outside. When I was on the morning train with all the commuters and school kids I suddenly saw all these asian faces being different from me – almost for the first time! It sounds stupid and is a small exaggeration but I never thought about being so different from the rest of the people in my environment before. Having this thought only occurs to me when I see another unknown westerner on the train – which is definitely a rarity – I look at them and think about how odd they look, without really considering that odd looking foreigner is actually me. Everyday! Everywhere.
I should perhaps feel surprised that it has taken me 10 months before I have felt this feeling of not belonging here. But actually, I CAN understand it. The reason I have enjoyed Japan so much is because of my attitude here. I have been totally laidback. Been totally receptive to the way Japanese people do things, totally accepting of ALL the TINY, LITTLE DIFFERENCES that make up my life here. Been totally accepting of “oh yeah there`s another rice field over there, next to that house in a town!” My attitude has been whatever – lets do whatever! OK fine – you tell me! That`s the way to discover a new culture by keeping your assumptions about how things should be right down inside you and not near the surface at all. Especially in my beginning few months I would NEVER make a suggestion about where to go/ what to do/ what to eat/ when to do these things – I would never impose at all so I could experience Japan TO THE MAXIMUM.
They are small things all these differences, but just recently my brain has been thinking in a way where I just step out of myself. I see that all these tiny differences in my lifestyle here that have joined together to created something huge. It IS huge the difference of my life in Japan. But if I try to describe it I can only list small insignificant things. It doesn`t seem much when I try to list them. I can`t list them even, because I forget what they are. Because individually they are SO insignificant. But all I know is that they have culminated into something quite big for me.
It`s as if the rice field moment I had last week has suddenly made me look at myself from the outside. When I was on the morning train with all the commuters and school kids I suddenly saw all these asian faces being different from me – almost for the first time! It sounds stupid and is a small exaggeration but I never thought about being so different from the rest of the people in my environment before. Having this thought only occurs to me when I see another unknown westerner on the train – which is definitely a rarity – I look at them and think about how odd they look, without really considering that odd looking foreigner is actually me. Everyday! Everywhere.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
To Be In Love In Japan
Now there`s a difficulty. Of majestic proportions. For me, the language barrier alone is the sole humungous problem to this issue. But even to those ALTs with half decent Japanese/ those who can have a basic conversation, the creation of a relationship across this giant culture gap is pretty-much a non-starter.
Except that it`s not. There are ALTs with Japanese boyfriends/ girlfriends, but to the rest of us without – we just talk with incredulity at how this is ever achieved. The Japanese are so shy. I guess people are always shy when they like someone. But add to this shyness, the intense apprehension of/ shyness towards foreigners. Foreigners confuse Japanese just as much as I am confused by the behavior of Japanese. Which still now, is a lot.
Many ALTs complain that it is very hard to know if a Japanese person is attached at all! Because Japanese are not at all touchy-feely in public. You will rarely see a couple holding hands in public. In fact this is one thing foreigners in relationships have complained about – that there is no acknowledgement of the relationship in public at all. There is really no way of knowing if they`re attached unless they`re married and have a ring on their finger. I don`t really have a clue whether my guy that I like has a girlfriend or not.
But aside from that. The real problems with relationships in Japan are actually getting there in the first place. Subtle cues which are understood between 2 people from the same cultural background cannot be relied upon to have the same meaning to the other individual AT ALL. This makes it all excessively difficult to feel your way through, and understand what on earth is going on in their head.
It is my view that many Japanese are rather afraid of foreigners. I feel that sometimes in conversations. (Though, this could well be because of the fact that I tend to have conversations in English, and therefore naturally would always be the more confident partner in the conversation because I am the native tongue). I am typically more confident. I have the hang of knowing how to make them laugh, I lead the conversations often. Naturally, of course, because it`s my language. So they laugh with me.
The problem of speaking English all the time and not being able to have much of a conversation in Japanese is actually this. I am typically the conversation leader. I guide it, to topics that we can easily talk about, that will be familiar to both of us, that they can cope with based on their level of English. It`s great to be able to do this. And it`s why I have many Japanese friends. But, there is a problem in being a conversation leader rather than a conversation follower. It doesn`t give the other person much of a chance to volunteer their own thoughts/ feelings/ talk from a completely open space. By following a conversation leader like me, everything is a reaction to what I say. It means I never get to know what they really think because it`s all a reaction to what I say (and often agreement - because they are Japanese - and it`s a very Japanese thing to agree, and build consensus, especially when forming new friends).
Of course, this is by no means the only cause of me not knowing what Japanese people really think. The Japanese are notorious for this anyway. Saying things just to please people when their true thoughts are kept hidden. For the other party to guess at. Which is fine if you have grown up in this culture, and you know those subtle cues, and that subtlety of the language and the body language which must be quite different to the west. But the gaijin is really left a bit clueless with Japanese subtlety.
Most foreigner friends of mine, I imagine, would have difficulties with these subtleties of the language. The most ridiculous thing in my case is that my difficulties are with the blatantly obvious bits of conversation too. I can`t hardly have much of a conversation where I find out something I don`t really already know. I can only have conversations where I basically pretty much know what they`re going to say. (eg that`s beautiful isn`t it?, or sounds fun, or lets do this etc). It`s so base level it`s silly.
What a ridiculous situation to be in really. In a way it`s obvious to me that many people like me. I receive a lot of compliments much of the time and many Japanese people do tend to like me because I do tend to find making small talk with the ones who have a basic command of English really quite easy. But, taking things to the next level is fantastically difficult.
It`s obvious in the way someone looks at you that they like you. I guess maybe that is universal.
I can tell this from the Yoga boy. He`s often sneaking a look at me, and me him, and he`s very smiley and we enjoy chatting before and after the class. If we both spoke the same language – or even a related one would be good – it would be easy by this stage. But, his English is not as good as many of my Japanese friends and communication really is that bit more difficult. He said he liked the circus. I`m so keen to go and see a show in Tokyo at the moment. So I was so excited as I was researching it earlier this week to show him, and suggest we go. But, my god. So difficult to establish that suggestion!
The funny thing is I`m not even shy of making all the moves!. That`s the good thing about Japan I think. It has made me so much more confident with men. Because you have to be! The one certainty in all this uncertainty surrounding making a relationship in Japan is that you KNOW Japanese men are slightly scared of western women and would therefore NEVER make a move. So, I`m happy to make all the suggestions. The problem I have – is not with the confidence in making the suggestion – it is getting the meaning of the suggestion across in the first place!!
I really wanted to go with him to see the circus show in Tokyo. But turns out he`d already been! I THINK. But, to ask if he would want to go again – impossible. To do all that subtle suggesting, hinting language that I would do with native English people – impossible. So, we were left, leaning against the gym timetable at the end of our class, just grinning, head against the wall in frustration. Me wishing I could speak Japanese, him wishing he could speak English better I expect, both us probably not really wanting to leave and see you on Monday, but doing that anyway. Arghargh! Impossible situation.
Except that it`s not. There are ALTs with Japanese boyfriends/ girlfriends, but to the rest of us without – we just talk with incredulity at how this is ever achieved. The Japanese are so shy. I guess people are always shy when they like someone. But add to this shyness, the intense apprehension of/ shyness towards foreigners. Foreigners confuse Japanese just as much as I am confused by the behavior of Japanese. Which still now, is a lot.
Many ALTs complain that it is very hard to know if a Japanese person is attached at all! Because Japanese are not at all touchy-feely in public. You will rarely see a couple holding hands in public. In fact this is one thing foreigners in relationships have complained about – that there is no acknowledgement of the relationship in public at all. There is really no way of knowing if they`re attached unless they`re married and have a ring on their finger. I don`t really have a clue whether my guy that I like has a girlfriend or not.
But aside from that. The real problems with relationships in Japan are actually getting there in the first place. Subtle cues which are understood between 2 people from the same cultural background cannot be relied upon to have the same meaning to the other individual AT ALL. This makes it all excessively difficult to feel your way through, and understand what on earth is going on in their head.
It is my view that many Japanese are rather afraid of foreigners. I feel that sometimes in conversations. (Though, this could well be because of the fact that I tend to have conversations in English, and therefore naturally would always be the more confident partner in the conversation because I am the native tongue). I am typically more confident. I have the hang of knowing how to make them laugh, I lead the conversations often. Naturally, of course, because it`s my language. So they laugh with me.
The problem of speaking English all the time and not being able to have much of a conversation in Japanese is actually this. I am typically the conversation leader. I guide it, to topics that we can easily talk about, that will be familiar to both of us, that they can cope with based on their level of English. It`s great to be able to do this. And it`s why I have many Japanese friends. But, there is a problem in being a conversation leader rather than a conversation follower. It doesn`t give the other person much of a chance to volunteer their own thoughts/ feelings/ talk from a completely open space. By following a conversation leader like me, everything is a reaction to what I say. It means I never get to know what they really think because it`s all a reaction to what I say (and often agreement - because they are Japanese - and it`s a very Japanese thing to agree, and build consensus, especially when forming new friends).
Of course, this is by no means the only cause of me not knowing what Japanese people really think. The Japanese are notorious for this anyway. Saying things just to please people when their true thoughts are kept hidden. For the other party to guess at. Which is fine if you have grown up in this culture, and you know those subtle cues, and that subtlety of the language and the body language which must be quite different to the west. But the gaijin is really left a bit clueless with Japanese subtlety.
Most foreigner friends of mine, I imagine, would have difficulties with these subtleties of the language. The most ridiculous thing in my case is that my difficulties are with the blatantly obvious bits of conversation too. I can`t hardly have much of a conversation where I find out something I don`t really already know. I can only have conversations where I basically pretty much know what they`re going to say. (eg that`s beautiful isn`t it?, or sounds fun, or lets do this etc). It`s so base level it`s silly.
What a ridiculous situation to be in really. In a way it`s obvious to me that many people like me. I receive a lot of compliments much of the time and many Japanese people do tend to like me because I do tend to find making small talk with the ones who have a basic command of English really quite easy. But, taking things to the next level is fantastically difficult.
It`s obvious in the way someone looks at you that they like you. I guess maybe that is universal.
I can tell this from the Yoga boy. He`s often sneaking a look at me, and me him, and he`s very smiley and we enjoy chatting before and after the class. If we both spoke the same language – or even a related one would be good – it would be easy by this stage. But, his English is not as good as many of my Japanese friends and communication really is that bit more difficult. He said he liked the circus. I`m so keen to go and see a show in Tokyo at the moment. So I was so excited as I was researching it earlier this week to show him, and suggest we go. But, my god. So difficult to establish that suggestion!
The funny thing is I`m not even shy of making all the moves!. That`s the good thing about Japan I think. It has made me so much more confident with men. Because you have to be! The one certainty in all this uncertainty surrounding making a relationship in Japan is that you KNOW Japanese men are slightly scared of western women and would therefore NEVER make a move. So, I`m happy to make all the suggestions. The problem I have – is not with the confidence in making the suggestion – it is getting the meaning of the suggestion across in the first place!!
I really wanted to go with him to see the circus show in Tokyo. But turns out he`d already been! I THINK. But, to ask if he would want to go again – impossible. To do all that subtle suggesting, hinting language that I would do with native English people – impossible. So, we were left, leaning against the gym timetable at the end of our class, just grinning, head against the wall in frustration. Me wishing I could speak Japanese, him wishing he could speak English better I expect, both us probably not really wanting to leave and see you on Monday, but doing that anyway. Arghargh! Impossible situation.
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Too Formalised Society
I am finally getting around to writing this a long time after much of these events happened. This is because the months of March and April have been rather strange for me. March was filled with all the occasions surrounding the end of the school year. As a result I had few lessons. The obvious apprehension of everyone in the office as people speculated who might be leaving/ the difficulties of negotiating who would take on what extra responsibilities in the life of the school for the coming year. It`s an unsettling time for everyone, - nobody likes this change that is forced upon them. But it is all present in Japanese society – this changeover in companies – I`m sure ultimately the Japanese believe in its` “greater good”, for the benefit of the company/ organization etc, but on a personal level – it is not a nice/ relaxing time.
So resulting from all this change – and the inevitable meetings that accompany it, me teaching regular lessons has been rather thin on the ground. Even when the new term started a couple of weeks ago it has taken until mid-April for me to teach again due to all the entrance ceremonies/ medical checks for students and the like to be over and done with. At first I was grateful for the cancellation of my lessons – easy life for me! But it got to the stage when I resented being confined to my chair/ confined to the teachers room on my own while the rest of the Japanese staff were in meeting after meeting dealing with new teachers/ new students/ new job roles/ new everything. Not to mention all the school all the school leaving/ entrance ceremonies at this time of year too.
The operation of Japanese society is formed by/ structured by HUNDREDS of formailities/ traditions and rituals. Some treasured I`m sure, some disliked but generally accepted and taken with the view that they are important for the good of the company and society.
I have been rather overwhelmed with all these formalities and rituals in the last couple of months. April – the changeover season in Japan is overrun by these.
I have mixed feelings about all these formalities. They, (again), create a structured manner in which you should mark/ behave according with the year in year out custom associated with the passing of this event/ occurrence.
In many ways my feelings towards this are contemporary to those of my feelings about the school day of the students. I resent that the life of the students aged 16-18 in Japan is vastly more structured compared to their counterparts in western countries. Every period of the day is a lesson (the concept of a free period for these late teens is unheard of, and provokes incredulity when I have mentioned it to teachers here in the past). The club activity every student should belong to structure their after school, weekend and holiday hours. Seeing as the teachers teach the lessons and run the after school club activities this wide-ranging structure that exists over most of their waking hours, exists for the teachers/ all adults too.
There is a lot that I think is wrong with this excessive structure present in Japanese society. There is little time for freedom of expression, freedom to think for yourself, to do something outside of the set structure.
And I have the same view towards the vast number of formalities I have witnessed and been a part of in these past couple of months too.
We have had welcome parties (where seating is decided by ballot – can`t possibly sit next to your friend who might be leaving this year), goodbye parties (and when I say parties I mean a formal event with LOTS of speeches at set times etc), leaving ceremony for leaving teachers at an assembly with a speech from each leaving teacher, speeches from each leaving teacher at the party, speeches from each of the 3rd grade teachers at graduation party, clapping the 3rd grade teachers in the staffroom meeting, clapping the new 1st grade teachers 2 weeks later (mostly the same bunch), waving off the leaving teachers as they left the school for the last time, presentation of leaving certificates to the leaving teachers in the principle`s office with all the other teachers crowded in to applaud, moving around all the desks for the start of the new year (just in case people got TOO comfortable where they were).
The number of rituals that happened at this time of year is huge and I haven`t even mentioned all the special bento lunches (often with food that carried some meaning based on the event), and all the meetings to establish the new additional roles and responsibilities for the teachers. (Teachers don`t just teach in Japan – they have budget responsibilities/ timetable creation responsibilities/ recommending universities for the students – (yes! It does seem that the teachers research universities for the students! Unbelievable!)/ social event organizers (the team in charge of organising these formal enkai parties)/ international affairs responsibility …etc.
As in the case of cultures all over the world, often people love their special traditions. Maybe the Japanese like their coming and leaving rituals, but for me the whole thing is far to formalized. All the structure surrounding coming and leaving hardly leaves space for individual expression of your actual feelings. Most of what is said is outwardly in the form of a speech (read: several). I obviously should acknowledge the Japanese peculiarity that at enkais people will get up and pour drinks for the people for whom the enkai is in honour (leaving their cooked food that has been served to them almost straight away – VERY bizarre), so in that way, they have a chance to talk to their leaving friends individually. But in my impression, the enkai is such a socially pressured environment. That culture of continuous drinking. (Incidently, when talking to a colleague about the importance of drinking alcohol to the Japanese people – which is very important by the way – I found out that the word for drinking does not just physically mean the act of drinking alcohol; there is also a social aspect to the meaning of the Japanese word for drinking). For me, all this formality and the rituals (flay, flay …! Male cheerleading, throwing leavers in the air, endless speeches, singing the school song) at the office enkai is too much pressure, and I certainly value the freedom of a less structured social environment in and outside the workplace.
(NB: this enkai situation I guess only applies to the biggest whole-school enkais – smaller ones – perhaps of the volleyball club teachers for example – I`m sure are more like a social situation that I could identify in England for example).
As a result, I have been welcoming the return to normality, and teaching classes again. Though all this was quite fun. But afterall – teaching is the job I came to do. And these past months I have been not doing it. Stupid really. I enjoyed the break for a while but then it was really tiresome. Just wasted time. (But I suppose not wasted in terms of the insight into the culture I have got from this). But, I can`t imagine putting up with it next year aswell.
So resulting from all this change – and the inevitable meetings that accompany it, me teaching regular lessons has been rather thin on the ground. Even when the new term started a couple of weeks ago it has taken until mid-April for me to teach again due to all the entrance ceremonies/ medical checks for students and the like to be over and done with. At first I was grateful for the cancellation of my lessons – easy life for me! But it got to the stage when I resented being confined to my chair/ confined to the teachers room on my own while the rest of the Japanese staff were in meeting after meeting dealing with new teachers/ new students/ new job roles/ new everything. Not to mention all the school all the school leaving/ entrance ceremonies at this time of year too.
The operation of Japanese society is formed by/ structured by HUNDREDS of formailities/ traditions and rituals. Some treasured I`m sure, some disliked but generally accepted and taken with the view that they are important for the good of the company and society.
I have been rather overwhelmed with all these formalities and rituals in the last couple of months. April – the changeover season in Japan is overrun by these.
I have mixed feelings about all these formalities. They, (again), create a structured manner in which you should mark/ behave according with the year in year out custom associated with the passing of this event/ occurrence.
In many ways my feelings towards this are contemporary to those of my feelings about the school day of the students. I resent that the life of the students aged 16-18 in Japan is vastly more structured compared to their counterparts in western countries. Every period of the day is a lesson (the concept of a free period for these late teens is unheard of, and provokes incredulity when I have mentioned it to teachers here in the past). The club activity every student should belong to structure their after school, weekend and holiday hours. Seeing as the teachers teach the lessons and run the after school club activities this wide-ranging structure that exists over most of their waking hours, exists for the teachers/ all adults too.
There is a lot that I think is wrong with this excessive structure present in Japanese society. There is little time for freedom of expression, freedom to think for yourself, to do something outside of the set structure.
And I have the same view towards the vast number of formalities I have witnessed and been a part of in these past couple of months too.
We have had welcome parties (where seating is decided by ballot – can`t possibly sit next to your friend who might be leaving this year), goodbye parties (and when I say parties I mean a formal event with LOTS of speeches at set times etc), leaving ceremony for leaving teachers at an assembly with a speech from each leaving teacher, speeches from each leaving teacher at the party, speeches from each of the 3rd grade teachers at graduation party, clapping the 3rd grade teachers in the staffroom meeting, clapping the new 1st grade teachers 2 weeks later (mostly the same bunch), waving off the leaving teachers as they left the school for the last time, presentation of leaving certificates to the leaving teachers in the principle`s office with all the other teachers crowded in to applaud, moving around all the desks for the start of the new year (just in case people got TOO comfortable where they were).
The number of rituals that happened at this time of year is huge and I haven`t even mentioned all the special bento lunches (often with food that carried some meaning based on the event), and all the meetings to establish the new additional roles and responsibilities for the teachers. (Teachers don`t just teach in Japan – they have budget responsibilities/ timetable creation responsibilities/ recommending universities for the students – (yes! It does seem that the teachers research universities for the students! Unbelievable!)/ social event organizers (the team in charge of organising these formal enkai parties)/ international affairs responsibility …etc.
As in the case of cultures all over the world, often people love their special traditions. Maybe the Japanese like their coming and leaving rituals, but for me the whole thing is far to formalized. All the structure surrounding coming and leaving hardly leaves space for individual expression of your actual feelings. Most of what is said is outwardly in the form of a speech (read: several). I obviously should acknowledge the Japanese peculiarity that at enkais people will get up and pour drinks for the people for whom the enkai is in honour (leaving their cooked food that has been served to them almost straight away – VERY bizarre), so in that way, they have a chance to talk to their leaving friends individually. But in my impression, the enkai is such a socially pressured environment. That culture of continuous drinking. (Incidently, when talking to a colleague about the importance of drinking alcohol to the Japanese people – which is very important by the way – I found out that the word for drinking does not just physically mean the act of drinking alcohol; there is also a social aspect to the meaning of the Japanese word for drinking). For me, all this formality and the rituals (flay, flay …! Male cheerleading, throwing leavers in the air, endless speeches, singing the school song) at the office enkai is too much pressure, and I certainly value the freedom of a less structured social environment in and outside the workplace.
(NB: this enkai situation I guess only applies to the biggest whole-school enkais – smaller ones – perhaps of the volleyball club teachers for example – I`m sure are more like a social situation that I could identify in England for example).
As a result, I have been welcoming the return to normality, and teaching classes again. Though all this was quite fun. But afterall – teaching is the job I came to do. And these past months I have been not doing it. Stupid really. I enjoyed the break for a while but then it was really tiresome. Just wasted time. (But I suppose not wasted in terms of the insight into the culture I have got from this). But, I can`t imagine putting up with it next year aswell.
Monday, 9 March 2009
End-of-Year SPECIAL DAYS
There seem to be a lot of special events these days at school – or at least, times that would just pass by as regularity in England but are marked out as special in Japan. The way they are marked out – it seems to me – is by having special more expensive bentos (lunchboxes delivered to the school) that are nicer than usual. Most of the teachers order them and I did too – they are really good.
So on graduation day inside the bento was o`sekihan – rice with red azuki beans that I just LOVE. This rice is always cooked for a celebration. (And when a girl starts her periods incidently). I could understand having a special meal for graduation.
But then it was special bento time on tueday aswell. Tuesday was entrance exam day for the junior high school students who wanted to get into Taga in April. So we had a special bento again! That day I (we) ate tonkatsu (deep fried pork – really nice). Tonkatsu is traditionally eaten on days like exam days because it means good luck and hard work. I love the fact that certain Japanese foods are associated with meaning.
Then on Wednesday, another special bento – because it was marking day! Everything is made into such an occasion in Japan. In England I imagine, marking the school entrance exam would happen with each teacher in their own room trying to get it done at the end of the day according to the mark scheme. But in Japan it was an occasion. We all left the teachers room at 9 o`clock in the morning and went downstairs to the special conference room. Us English teachers all around a table working together other subjects sat together around other nice tables – the vice principal and principal at the head of the room just there to show their presence I imagine – can`t imagine they were doing anything. Just being THERE FOR THE TEAM.
All teachers were involved of course – a true group effort. So even the P.E. teachers (of which there are several at Taga) were present and distributed around to mark the exams of other subjects. It was fun, and at times like that I can see why the Japanese love their community spirit. It was nice working together. We were all consulting each other, some teachers (unsurprisingly the school nurse, and home economics teacher) came and served us tea. Then after an hour or so every teacher was presented with a big bag of snacks to keep us going through the hard work. I`ve often commented that the Japanese don`t tend to eat much when they work. But sometimes they surprise me – on this occasion they were just eating and eating continuously. Nearly finishing their huge bag of snacks. The Japanese have this funny ability to sometimes eat nothing for ages and then not eat much for dinner, and other times eat loads and loads. It confuses me! Of course we had a special bento that day too. But there`s no special food for marking I was informed by my supervisor – so my rice and tempura and lots of other nice little bits of this and that had no special meaning then.
Today is another special day. The Very Important Meeting in which all teachers are present to decide which students will enter Taga next year. Like the graduation ceremony and marking day, all schools in Ibaraki do this on this day. I am not in this meeting because it will be solely in Japanese. The meeting can go on for several hours as teachers debate which students should be selected. For those whose exam marks are at the borderline for getting into Taga all the teachers discuss the club activities the students have been involved in at their school, and the recommendation letters from the junior high school. Many teachers won`t contribute at all in this meeting but I was initially surprised to learn that the P.E. teachers have a lot to say. This is because Taga is a school in which the sports club activities are very important. Therefore, the ways in which students can contribute to this aspect of school life is VERY significant in the selection process of the school.
A 10 minute break just occurred and the teachers just came back to the room. Yuji told me that ultimately, despite it seeming very egalitarian (that`s what I was thinking as I was writing this – having all teachers involved in the meeting/ in the decision) only the principal has the final decision. He said that the unlike the structure of a company which is like a pyramid, the structure in Japanese schools is like a pen-top – (all the teachers on the same level of importance, including the vice-principal) and then just 1, the principal at the head, at the top of the whole organization who has the ultimate power over everything. (He has this supreme influence even though he is retiring this year by the way).
I wish I could be a fly on the wall of this meeting. I want to find out who has influence/ I want to find out if the women talk at all! But I`m confined to the teachers room because of my lack of Japanese – hey ho.
So on graduation day inside the bento was o`sekihan – rice with red azuki beans that I just LOVE. This rice is always cooked for a celebration. (And when a girl starts her periods incidently). I could understand having a special meal for graduation.
But then it was special bento time on tueday aswell. Tuesday was entrance exam day for the junior high school students who wanted to get into Taga in April. So we had a special bento again! That day I (we) ate tonkatsu (deep fried pork – really nice). Tonkatsu is traditionally eaten on days like exam days because it means good luck and hard work. I love the fact that certain Japanese foods are associated with meaning.
Then on Wednesday, another special bento – because it was marking day! Everything is made into such an occasion in Japan. In England I imagine, marking the school entrance exam would happen with each teacher in their own room trying to get it done at the end of the day according to the mark scheme. But in Japan it was an occasion. We all left the teachers room at 9 o`clock in the morning and went downstairs to the special conference room. Us English teachers all around a table working together other subjects sat together around other nice tables – the vice principal and principal at the head of the room just there to show their presence I imagine – can`t imagine they were doing anything. Just being THERE FOR THE TEAM.
All teachers were involved of course – a true group effort. So even the P.E. teachers (of which there are several at Taga) were present and distributed around to mark the exams of other subjects. It was fun, and at times like that I can see why the Japanese love their community spirit. It was nice working together. We were all consulting each other, some teachers (unsurprisingly the school nurse, and home economics teacher) came and served us tea. Then after an hour or so every teacher was presented with a big bag of snacks to keep us going through the hard work. I`ve often commented that the Japanese don`t tend to eat much when they work. But sometimes they surprise me – on this occasion they were just eating and eating continuously. Nearly finishing their huge bag of snacks. The Japanese have this funny ability to sometimes eat nothing for ages and then not eat much for dinner, and other times eat loads and loads. It confuses me! Of course we had a special bento that day too. But there`s no special food for marking I was informed by my supervisor – so my rice and tempura and lots of other nice little bits of this and that had no special meaning then.
Today is another special day. The Very Important Meeting in which all teachers are present to decide which students will enter Taga next year. Like the graduation ceremony and marking day, all schools in Ibaraki do this on this day. I am not in this meeting because it will be solely in Japanese. The meeting can go on for several hours as teachers debate which students should be selected. For those whose exam marks are at the borderline for getting into Taga all the teachers discuss the club activities the students have been involved in at their school, and the recommendation letters from the junior high school. Many teachers won`t contribute at all in this meeting but I was initially surprised to learn that the P.E. teachers have a lot to say. This is because Taga is a school in which the sports club activities are very important. Therefore, the ways in which students can contribute to this aspect of school life is VERY significant in the selection process of the school.
A 10 minute break just occurred and the teachers just came back to the room. Yuji told me that ultimately, despite it seeming very egalitarian (that`s what I was thinking as I was writing this – having all teachers involved in the meeting/ in the decision) only the principal has the final decision. He said that the unlike the structure of a company which is like a pyramid, the structure in Japanese schools is like a pen-top – (all the teachers on the same level of importance, including the vice-principal) and then just 1, the principal at the head, at the top of the whole organization who has the ultimate power over everything. (He has this supreme influence even though he is retiring this year by the way).
I wish I could be a fly on the wall of this meeting. I want to find out who has influence/ I want to find out if the women talk at all! But I`m confined to the teachers room because of my lack of Japanese – hey ho.
End-of-Year ENKAI
The whole celebration and special events marking the end of the school year are as much for the 3rd grade homeroom teachers as for the graduating students. On the graduation day teacher`s morning meeting these teachers stood up and everybody else applauded them very warmly. It`s a big achievement GETTING YOUR STUDENTS TO THE FINISHING LINE! here in Japanese schools. During the ceremony they stood up and were applauded again by all.
The end of year enkai that evening was a party basically in honour of those third grade teachers. We sat down (knelt on floor of course!) to the meal – the third grade teachers were all seated on one side of the room. Within 5 minutes of starting eating following the kampai most of the second and first grade teachers had jumped up, and moved around to near to third grade teachers, crouching behind them, to serve them drinks, to ensure their galss was never less than half full, to chat to them, to congratulate them profusely.
Given that I`ve been in Japan a long time now (over 6 months) I feel quite used to the Japanese way of eating and drinking when out. You should always serve others drinks, watch for their glass never becoming empty, and the food is not eaten like a western meal. In a Japanese drinking party enkai setting – the drinking goes on for the whole evening (same as England) – but unlike England the eating goes on for the whole evening too. Japanese food is very bitty – lots of different small, beautifully presented dishes are brought out by the waitresses through the course of the evening (same for everyone). When the food is in front of you it is not the style to eat it all at once just because it is there. The food will be eaten slowly throughout the 3 hour period, because Japanese people like to eat while they drink. So, it was not so surprising for me to see several delicious dishes being served – and most of the teachers eating a little, and then jumping up to talk to others sitting a little way from them or seeing how they could serve the 3rd grade teachers for 20 minutes or so. I think it takes a while for westerners to get used to this style of eating where food in front of us is usually eaten straight-away. When I think of the whole evening from an English perspective it is very very different.
One of my home friends emailed me to say my drunken enkai sounded much like a meal he went to for the leaving of one of the teachers at the school he works at. I can imagine going out for a meal in England. But this was so far removed from that. Essentially, it is the extreme formality and hierarchy so present in the enkai setting, combined with the extreme, rapid drunkenness that occurs.
Aside from the obvious differences of it being a Japanese establishment therefore – take off shoes – slippers on – own tatami room – karaoke machine in room – low down tables – kneeling required etc, the differences is in the behavior. People were marked in to check they were all there. The enkai was moved to start at 5 o`clock because everyone had school the next day, but to allow for the fact people had to get drunk at an enkai (as that is what is done) and to allow for the second enkai (the after-party) it was decided that 6 would be too late for all this to happen so it was moved.
The speeches – so many speeches by everyone. Several at the start – by the principal, the vice principal, the heard of the 3rd grade as I expected. But then, in the middle of the enkai later on each homeroom teacher stood up and gave their own little speech and then another by the head of the 3rd grade and principal and vice. It just showed me how important their students are too them. One teacher talked about the girl in her class who had been suffering from anorexia. Another teacher read out an emotional letter she had received from a student that day. Teachers love to talk about students who have had difficulties in the past who have overcome them now – through the hard work and care collectively from the parents, teachers and he student working together to overcome the problem as the child grows up in the school. That`s what gives them so much pride and involvement I think.
Another difference which I almost take as normal these days is the hierarchical nature of many aspects of Japanese society. At the enkai it was a little bit more obvious than usual. All the teachers sat on 2 lines of group tables at the sides of the room. However, the principal, vice, head of the third grade and the older women who works in the office had their own individual tables at the head of the room. At the end of the meal when vast plates of soba noodles were brought in to share for the ordinary teachers on the group tables these 4 important people were given their own plates of soba. Just to make it obvious that they were more important. Although, seniority might be obvious in an English workplace by the head having a nice big office, with a nice view, I certainly doubt that such a separation would occur in a work drinks/ meal. But in Japan, I couldn`t really imagine it any other way. I would feel awkward with the principal next to me certainly (but perhaps that`s because I`m young).
The enkai ended with everyone in a circle hugging, drunkenly singing the school song – many men red faced from the alcohol, one male teacher crying from the emotion and alcohol. One teacher in the centre conducting us all. Everyone was in high spirits. And typical to Japanese form and order at the end the enkai ended. Exactly as specified - at 8 o`clock, exactly 3 hours after it had started. So names were taken of who was attending the second enkai at the karaoke bar and everyone else went off on their way.
The end of year enkai that evening was a party basically in honour of those third grade teachers. We sat down (knelt on floor of course!) to the meal – the third grade teachers were all seated on one side of the room. Within 5 minutes of starting eating following the kampai most of the second and first grade teachers had jumped up, and moved around to near to third grade teachers, crouching behind them, to serve them drinks, to ensure their galss was never less than half full, to chat to them, to congratulate them profusely.
Given that I`ve been in Japan a long time now (over 6 months) I feel quite used to the Japanese way of eating and drinking when out. You should always serve others drinks, watch for their glass never becoming empty, and the food is not eaten like a western meal. In a Japanese drinking party enkai setting – the drinking goes on for the whole evening (same as England) – but unlike England the eating goes on for the whole evening too. Japanese food is very bitty – lots of different small, beautifully presented dishes are brought out by the waitresses through the course of the evening (same for everyone). When the food is in front of you it is not the style to eat it all at once just because it is there. The food will be eaten slowly throughout the 3 hour period, because Japanese people like to eat while they drink. So, it was not so surprising for me to see several delicious dishes being served – and most of the teachers eating a little, and then jumping up to talk to others sitting a little way from them or seeing how they could serve the 3rd grade teachers for 20 minutes or so. I think it takes a while for westerners to get used to this style of eating where food in front of us is usually eaten straight-away. When I think of the whole evening from an English perspective it is very very different.
One of my home friends emailed me to say my drunken enkai sounded much like a meal he went to for the leaving of one of the teachers at the school he works at. I can imagine going out for a meal in England. But this was so far removed from that. Essentially, it is the extreme formality and hierarchy so present in the enkai setting, combined with the extreme, rapid drunkenness that occurs.
Aside from the obvious differences of it being a Japanese establishment therefore – take off shoes – slippers on – own tatami room – karaoke machine in room – low down tables – kneeling required etc, the differences is in the behavior. People were marked in to check they were all there. The enkai was moved to start at 5 o`clock because everyone had school the next day, but to allow for the fact people had to get drunk at an enkai (as that is what is done) and to allow for the second enkai (the after-party) it was decided that 6 would be too late for all this to happen so it was moved.
The speeches – so many speeches by everyone. Several at the start – by the principal, the vice principal, the heard of the 3rd grade as I expected. But then, in the middle of the enkai later on each homeroom teacher stood up and gave their own little speech and then another by the head of the 3rd grade and principal and vice. It just showed me how important their students are too them. One teacher talked about the girl in her class who had been suffering from anorexia. Another teacher read out an emotional letter she had received from a student that day. Teachers love to talk about students who have had difficulties in the past who have overcome them now – through the hard work and care collectively from the parents, teachers and he student working together to overcome the problem as the child grows up in the school. That`s what gives them so much pride and involvement I think.
Another difference which I almost take as normal these days is the hierarchical nature of many aspects of Japanese society. At the enkai it was a little bit more obvious than usual. All the teachers sat on 2 lines of group tables at the sides of the room. However, the principal, vice, head of the third grade and the older women who works in the office had their own individual tables at the head of the room. At the end of the meal when vast plates of soba noodles were brought in to share for the ordinary teachers on the group tables these 4 important people were given their own plates of soba. Just to make it obvious that they were more important. Although, seniority might be obvious in an English workplace by the head having a nice big office, with a nice view, I certainly doubt that such a separation would occur in a work drinks/ meal. But in Japan, I couldn`t really imagine it any other way. I would feel awkward with the principal next to me certainly (but perhaps that`s because I`m young).
The enkai ended with everyone in a circle hugging, drunkenly singing the school song – many men red faced from the alcohol, one male teacher crying from the emotion and alcohol. One teacher in the centre conducting us all. Everyone was in high spirits. And typical to Japanese form and order at the end the enkai ended. Exactly as specified - at 8 o`clock, exactly 3 hours after it had started. So names were taken of who was attending the second enkai at the karaoke bar and everyone else went off on their way.
End-of-Year GRADUATION
Lots of lessons have been cancelled because students (in all grades) are preparing for graduation. The 2nd and 1sts will help decorate the hall (red and white fabrics stripes all round the walls). Third graders will be taught how to bow/ how long to bow/ when to bow (during the ceremony there is a lot of bowing/ standing up sitting down, and everybody needs to be familiar with the process. There is a lot of bowing to the Japanese flag aswell, and the singing of the national anthem. This made the ceremony itself very formal. Like an English prize giving, but the bowing and to the flag was something different, that added to the formality.
3rd grade female homeroom teachers will wear their kimono for this special occassion. It used to be that mothers did as well, for the graduation ceremony of their child, but in the past 10 years Japan has changed. I saw no mother wearing kimono. In fact the parents were quite casually dressed. A definite change from 10 years ago my supervisor said.
Students seemed very surprised when I told them graduation does not happen in England. Graduation is the biggest and most serious assembly event in the school calendar. (Japanese schools don`t have weekly assemblies like English schools). Although, important, everybody hates it. It is 2 hours long and we all sit in the un-centrally heated (of course) gym hall. The 1st and 2nd graders must also endure this, sitting in rows at the back. Again, typical of Japan for a whole community to have to have this experience together even though this ceremony is totally irrelevant to them.
The end of the school year is a highly emotional time for the 3rd graders and their homeroom teachers who have been with them, so involved in their lives all the way through these past 3 years. The students will be leaving, diverting off, the close, safe community splitting up. So it`s a difficult adjustment to make I guess. Many students cry during the graduation ceremony. The school band play the school song over and over while the students precess in and out with their teachers – it was one of those emotion-inducing songs if you knew it`s significance of being played at every graduation. Some homeroom teachers cry too. The ceremony around this time of year is, in a way, as much for these 3rd grade homeroom teachers who`ve got their students to the end, as it is for the graduating students themselves. They were applauded in the staffroom, they applauded themselves in their separate room, the enkai later that afternoon was in honour of them. During the graduation ceremony itself they were clapped by all. You could just tell – they were elated from their achievement of reaching the end with their students – ready to let them fly off into the world, ready because of their hard and caring work over the 3 years.
3rd grade female homeroom teachers will wear their kimono for this special occassion. It used to be that mothers did as well, for the graduation ceremony of their child, but in the past 10 years Japan has changed. I saw no mother wearing kimono. In fact the parents were quite casually dressed. A definite change from 10 years ago my supervisor said.
Students seemed very surprised when I told them graduation does not happen in England. Graduation is the biggest and most serious assembly event in the school calendar. (Japanese schools don`t have weekly assemblies like English schools). Although, important, everybody hates it. It is 2 hours long and we all sit in the un-centrally heated (of course) gym hall. The 1st and 2nd graders must also endure this, sitting in rows at the back. Again, typical of Japan for a whole community to have to have this experience together even though this ceremony is totally irrelevant to them.
The end of the school year is a highly emotional time for the 3rd graders and their homeroom teachers who have been with them, so involved in their lives all the way through these past 3 years. The students will be leaving, diverting off, the close, safe community splitting up. So it`s a difficult adjustment to make I guess. Many students cry during the graduation ceremony. The school band play the school song over and over while the students precess in and out with their teachers – it was one of those emotion-inducing songs if you knew it`s significance of being played at every graduation. Some homeroom teachers cry too. The ceremony around this time of year is, in a way, as much for these 3rd grade homeroom teachers who`ve got their students to the end, as it is for the graduating students themselves. They were applauded in the staffroom, they applauded themselves in their separate room, the enkai later that afternoon was in honour of them. During the graduation ceremony itself they were clapped by all. You could just tell – they were elated from their achievement of reaching the end with their students – ready to let them fly off into the world, ready because of their hard and caring work over the 3 years.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Eating, Japan!
I have finally decided to deal with this little beast of a subject. Before I totally forget how completely different eating in Japan is (foods, food habits, how the habits relate to the culture etc) compared to that in the UK/ west in general.
I have already become completed accustomed to much of it now, so I have had to train my mind to bring English food and habits into the forefront of my brain for this post.
Seeing as I`m at school I`ll start with the school lunch. The big difference number 1, comparing a typical Japanese workplace, with a typical English one, is that many more workers will bring in a homemade packed lunch (bento) from home. There also is the option to buy the school lunch bento box which you can order in the morning and is then delivered to the teachers room (or office) at lunchtime (12 o`clock in Japan. Some schools lunchtimes even run from 11.30 to 12.30. I was curious about this earlier standard lunchtime compared to England. My supervisor said it`s because in Japan, it is not standard to have a mid-morning coffee/ snack break at 11 ish as in the UK).
An endearing feature of the Japanese workers and their homemade bentos is the fact they bring them into work wrapped up in a teatowel (always wrapped on the diagonal with a neat little knot at the top – unless the bento box they bought came with it`s own little cloth bag to be carried in – in which case the teatowel is unnecessary). It is very sweet. I think I am going to start doing it. I clattered around with my noisy plastic bags to prevent leaking. It`s just not so neat. But these days I just mainly buy rice balls for lunch in any case.
The bento box itself is an interesting thing. It is typically divided into two separate boxes. One box to put your rice, and the other to put your morsels of vegetables/ meat/ fish/ pickles. This is necessary because the Japanese don`t like to have their perfect rice being touched by any other food. The non-rice box is also likely to contain dividers so that you can put each different type of small vegetable/ meat/ fish/ pickle in a different section, so that these foods don`t have to touch each other either. This definitely reflects the slightly anal, small, little, controlled culture of Japan. (or perhaps it just reflects the fact they are all just in love with Japanese rice SO MUCH). Rice comprises half of the lunch. Most Japanese will eat rice as their carbohydrate for each meal of the day. They have a big lunch, I suppose, compared to the typical English lunch of a sandwich, yoghurt, fruit, chocolate. In Japan, they just have a lot of rice. After this kind of lunch Japanese (and me) aren`t hungry for fruit etc. (Japanese don`t eat very much fruit really). This rice heavy lunch also accounts for why they don`t snack much in the afternoon either like westerners will do much more.
The compartmentalized bento lunch (shop bought and made at home) is reflected in the experience of going out for a Japanese meal. So it is clearly traditionally how the Japanese like to eat. You will sit down, not to one plate, but typically to about 6 small plates. You might have one slightly more major dish, but still each person will have a several other mini-plates with morsels of this or that. (To take a recent example of the last meal I had in a Japanese restaurant. I had a big bowl of tempura (deep fried vegetables and seafood) on top of rice (actually, unusual in this case that the rice wasn`t separate – curious – normally ALWAYS is), then also there was a small plate of sushi, a plate of pickles, a plate of seaweed, a bean cake, a miso soup. And this was a cheap 5 quid meal! As was evident, the Japanese do eat big meals. This is something I have noticed in Japan. Japanese people do eat big portions (particularly of rice). I often always finish my food in Japanese restaurants too. In fact it is the chubby westerners who often complain they can`t finish. Slightly ironic – because the Japanese are so tiny in comparison. (But the difference must be in the snacking, Japanese people don`t have big snacks – see later on).
This style of a tray of plates/ succession of new dishes being presented to you as you eat is very common in Japanese restaurants as well as the more down-grade “family restaurant” – (which is great food also, certainly not to be likened to their UK equivalent which would be the chain restaurant).
Another common way of eating out Japanese style is the ordering of lots of little dishes and everybody has their own plate in which they pick and choose from the central selection. This is the way you eat when you go to an Izakaya. This is a type of Japanese pub. In these places you will go with a group of people and order dishes to share. This style is also mirrored in a nabe or sukiyaki or shabu-shabu meal in which the cooking is done on the table in an electric pot. The host (or others) add raw vegetables and meat periodically and pick them out to their own little individual bowl when they`re done after a few minutes cooking in the broth. Delicious – that winter style food.
Bitty eating is how the Japanese like to eat. I ate like that at home too – so suits me fine!
It is a very different way of eating, when you compare it to a western meal of just one plate of food. The components all touching. The active method of cooking the food on the table doesn`t exist in England. But it is so common in Japan. Not only is there the winter warming foods like nabe, sukiyaki, and shabu-shabu (so named because the meat makes a sound like shabu-shabu when it is bubbling in the boiling broth), but also there is the Japanese BBQ where you melt some lard and fry your meat and veggies on your table, gengis kahn (a similar idea), okonomiyake (where you mix vegetables, seafood, meat, mochi – whatever!) in a bowl with pancake batter and an egg, then turn the whole mixture out on the frying plate in the centre of your table and let it cook into some kind of filled pancake.
All of this is traditional Japanese – at first I was surprised that it was – because it so unlike the delicate sushi and sashimi, the stereotype. But, thinking about it, this is very Japanese. Everybody sharing the same, together the same, it relates back to the communal, community culture of everybody wanting to be the same.
This way of eating many different types of food altogether though, means that Japanese restaurants and people do provide interesting experiences of western food. I went to a party in which western food was served like Japanese. All the dishes were presented on the table. There, set out on the low table was a shepherd’s pie, a quiche, a cheese fondue, a plate of vegetable and meats to dip in it (is all I can remember now). Everyone had their plate, and they picked a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. It was totally bizarre! But kind of fun!
Western restaurants are another interesting experience. Because the Japanese like to order several dishes to share, portions are rather smaller – to account for this. I didn`t realize this initially. So once, in an Italian restaurant with some other foreigners, I ordered a seafood pizza. The others who had been living in Japan longer than me ordered about 3 dishes each. I thought they were just being really greedy westerners, but when the food came my pizza was quite diminished in size! I ended up having a spag Bolognese as well! So now I know to order several things in this particular chain! Not all Italian places are like this one, though. In most, ordering a starter and a pasta will be sufficiant.
But I prefer this portion size. When I finish a spaghetti meal in English restaurants I often feel so full because the portion sizes are vast. But, pastas in Japan, being slightly smaller, are much better sized.
Bar rice, portion sizes in Japan are smaller. This then accounts for the smaller sized population. The Japanese abroad exclaim just as much about the giagantic bottles of milk you can buy, as we gaijin exclaim about the bite-sized packets of cheese you can get here. Packets of snacks and sweet treats are smaller. I suppose that one of the things that should shock me, but does not anymore, is the total lack of chocolate bars. What you buy is packets of tiny individually wrapped chocolates about the size of after eights.
Teachers may snack on a couple of these mid-afternoon, or a little bean cake, or a tiny sweet (Japanese people love sweets), or a rice cake, or an individually wrapped little biscuit that arrived on their desk because some teacher went away.
They will of course do this covertly. It`s not really the done thing, to be seen eating in Japan (I guess it looks like you`re not working). That will also be why Japanese people eat their lunch so damn fast! In about 5 minutes! So they can be back working. I find it extreme again (like much of Japanese society) to think about the speed at which they eat at work. And then the long and drawn-out eating process of going out for a Japanese meal. People will eat very slowly. Picking the food from the central dish. Or waiting as more food is brought out – you never know how much is coming!) Funny Japanese.
Japanese tastes, as well as Japanese eating habits are also very different to the west. While they traditionally use very little oil or butter in their cooking, their food will often be very salty or sugary (which goes really well with the big portion of rice). The Japanese love pickles with their food (the bright yellow pickled giant radish – the daikon, the pickled plums – umeboshi). There is a big pickle section in the supermarket, aswell as a lot of tofu, (which I now like!), natto (not yet…!). The taste in meat is different too. Japanese love very fatty meat. Thinly sliced very fatty meat will often be much more expensive than an ordinary beef steak. As you would expect the fish is so fresh in Japanese supermarkets – it make me want to eat it raw it looks so good.
So, this has overviewed Japanese food. It`s a lot to cover. I LOVE Japanese food. To the extent that I now go out for meals much mre frequently than I ever did in England, and buy ready meals (sushi and Japanese sweet omlette) that I`ve kind of forgotton how to cook! I`m going to miss it so much when I`m in England.
I have already become completed accustomed to much of it now, so I have had to train my mind to bring English food and habits into the forefront of my brain for this post.
Seeing as I`m at school I`ll start with the school lunch. The big difference number 1, comparing a typical Japanese workplace, with a typical English one, is that many more workers will bring in a homemade packed lunch (bento) from home. There also is the option to buy the school lunch bento box which you can order in the morning and is then delivered to the teachers room (or office) at lunchtime (12 o`clock in Japan. Some schools lunchtimes even run from 11.30 to 12.30. I was curious about this earlier standard lunchtime compared to England. My supervisor said it`s because in Japan, it is not standard to have a mid-morning coffee/ snack break at 11 ish as in the UK).
An endearing feature of the Japanese workers and their homemade bentos is the fact they bring them into work wrapped up in a teatowel (always wrapped on the diagonal with a neat little knot at the top – unless the bento box they bought came with it`s own little cloth bag to be carried in – in which case the teatowel is unnecessary). It is very sweet. I think I am going to start doing it. I clattered around with my noisy plastic bags to prevent leaking. It`s just not so neat. But these days I just mainly buy rice balls for lunch in any case.
The bento box itself is an interesting thing. It is typically divided into two separate boxes. One box to put your rice, and the other to put your morsels of vegetables/ meat/ fish/ pickles. This is necessary because the Japanese don`t like to have their perfect rice being touched by any other food. The non-rice box is also likely to contain dividers so that you can put each different type of small vegetable/ meat/ fish/ pickle in a different section, so that these foods don`t have to touch each other either. This definitely reflects the slightly anal, small, little, controlled culture of Japan. (or perhaps it just reflects the fact they are all just in love with Japanese rice SO MUCH). Rice comprises half of the lunch. Most Japanese will eat rice as their carbohydrate for each meal of the day. They have a big lunch, I suppose, compared to the typical English lunch of a sandwich, yoghurt, fruit, chocolate. In Japan, they just have a lot of rice. After this kind of lunch Japanese (and me) aren`t hungry for fruit etc. (Japanese don`t eat very much fruit really). This rice heavy lunch also accounts for why they don`t snack much in the afternoon either like westerners will do much more.
The compartmentalized bento lunch (shop bought and made at home) is reflected in the experience of going out for a Japanese meal. So it is clearly traditionally how the Japanese like to eat. You will sit down, not to one plate, but typically to about 6 small plates. You might have one slightly more major dish, but still each person will have a several other mini-plates with morsels of this or that. (To take a recent example of the last meal I had in a Japanese restaurant. I had a big bowl of tempura (deep fried vegetables and seafood) on top of rice (actually, unusual in this case that the rice wasn`t separate – curious – normally ALWAYS is), then also there was a small plate of sushi, a plate of pickles, a plate of seaweed, a bean cake, a miso soup. And this was a cheap 5 quid meal! As was evident, the Japanese do eat big meals. This is something I have noticed in Japan. Japanese people do eat big portions (particularly of rice). I often always finish my food in Japanese restaurants too. In fact it is the chubby westerners who often complain they can`t finish. Slightly ironic – because the Japanese are so tiny in comparison. (But the difference must be in the snacking, Japanese people don`t have big snacks – see later on).
This style of a tray of plates/ succession of new dishes being presented to you as you eat is very common in Japanese restaurants as well as the more down-grade “family restaurant” – (which is great food also, certainly not to be likened to their UK equivalent which would be the chain restaurant).
Another common way of eating out Japanese style is the ordering of lots of little dishes and everybody has their own plate in which they pick and choose from the central selection. This is the way you eat when you go to an Izakaya. This is a type of Japanese pub. In these places you will go with a group of people and order dishes to share. This style is also mirrored in a nabe or sukiyaki or shabu-shabu meal in which the cooking is done on the table in an electric pot. The host (or others) add raw vegetables and meat periodically and pick them out to their own little individual bowl when they`re done after a few minutes cooking in the broth. Delicious – that winter style food.
Bitty eating is how the Japanese like to eat. I ate like that at home too – so suits me fine!
It is a very different way of eating, when you compare it to a western meal of just one plate of food. The components all touching. The active method of cooking the food on the table doesn`t exist in England. But it is so common in Japan. Not only is there the winter warming foods like nabe, sukiyaki, and shabu-shabu (so named because the meat makes a sound like shabu-shabu when it is bubbling in the boiling broth), but also there is the Japanese BBQ where you melt some lard and fry your meat and veggies on your table, gengis kahn (a similar idea), okonomiyake (where you mix vegetables, seafood, meat, mochi – whatever!) in a bowl with pancake batter and an egg, then turn the whole mixture out on the frying plate in the centre of your table and let it cook into some kind of filled pancake.
All of this is traditional Japanese – at first I was surprised that it was – because it so unlike the delicate sushi and sashimi, the stereotype. But, thinking about it, this is very Japanese. Everybody sharing the same, together the same, it relates back to the communal, community culture of everybody wanting to be the same.
This way of eating many different types of food altogether though, means that Japanese restaurants and people do provide interesting experiences of western food. I went to a party in which western food was served like Japanese. All the dishes were presented on the table. There, set out on the low table was a shepherd’s pie, a quiche, a cheese fondue, a plate of vegetable and meats to dip in it (is all I can remember now). Everyone had their plate, and they picked a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. It was totally bizarre! But kind of fun!
Western restaurants are another interesting experience. Because the Japanese like to order several dishes to share, portions are rather smaller – to account for this. I didn`t realize this initially. So once, in an Italian restaurant with some other foreigners, I ordered a seafood pizza. The others who had been living in Japan longer than me ordered about 3 dishes each. I thought they were just being really greedy westerners, but when the food came my pizza was quite diminished in size! I ended up having a spag Bolognese as well! So now I know to order several things in this particular chain! Not all Italian places are like this one, though. In most, ordering a starter and a pasta will be sufficiant.
But I prefer this portion size. When I finish a spaghetti meal in English restaurants I often feel so full because the portion sizes are vast. But, pastas in Japan, being slightly smaller, are much better sized.
Bar rice, portion sizes in Japan are smaller. This then accounts for the smaller sized population. The Japanese abroad exclaim just as much about the giagantic bottles of milk you can buy, as we gaijin exclaim about the bite-sized packets of cheese you can get here. Packets of snacks and sweet treats are smaller. I suppose that one of the things that should shock me, but does not anymore, is the total lack of chocolate bars. What you buy is packets of tiny individually wrapped chocolates about the size of after eights.
Teachers may snack on a couple of these mid-afternoon, or a little bean cake, or a tiny sweet (Japanese people love sweets), or a rice cake, or an individually wrapped little biscuit that arrived on their desk because some teacher went away.
They will of course do this covertly. It`s not really the done thing, to be seen eating in Japan (I guess it looks like you`re not working). That will also be why Japanese people eat their lunch so damn fast! In about 5 minutes! So they can be back working. I find it extreme again (like much of Japanese society) to think about the speed at which they eat at work. And then the long and drawn-out eating process of going out for a Japanese meal. People will eat very slowly. Picking the food from the central dish. Or waiting as more food is brought out – you never know how much is coming!) Funny Japanese.
Japanese tastes, as well as Japanese eating habits are also very different to the west. While they traditionally use very little oil or butter in their cooking, their food will often be very salty or sugary (which goes really well with the big portion of rice). The Japanese love pickles with their food (the bright yellow pickled giant radish – the daikon, the pickled plums – umeboshi). There is a big pickle section in the supermarket, aswell as a lot of tofu, (which I now like!), natto (not yet…!). The taste in meat is different too. Japanese love very fatty meat. Thinly sliced very fatty meat will often be much more expensive than an ordinary beef steak. As you would expect the fish is so fresh in Japanese supermarkets – it make me want to eat it raw it looks so good.
So, this has overviewed Japanese food. It`s a lot to cover. I LOVE Japanese food. To the extent that I now go out for meals much mre frequently than I ever did in England, and buy ready meals (sushi and Japanese sweet omlette) that I`ve kind of forgotton how to cook! I`m going to miss it so much when I`m in England.
Monday, 16 February 2009
Old People
I have a had a problem with some rather dominating and overkeen old women in Japan, but that`s another story (and I have it under control now in any case).
There are a lot of old people in Japan. Objectively. This is not just a statement resulting from feeling overcome by the enthusiasms of my old women friends earlier this year. It is widely know to most people that Japan, like all modern, developing economies, has an ageing population. This is obviously true from living daily life here.
England, being a developed economy aswell, also has an ageing population, however I feel this far less obviously than I do in the case of Japan. Why? Because I would say old people really are more invisible in Biritsh society. In Japan it is different. They are out there, on the streets, in restaurants, being active, meeting up with friends for lunch, going to the gym, going on trips, keeping up hobbies and interests (eg Ikebana, learning English, volunteering teaching English).
In Japan the elderly are much more out there in society, doing stuff, together on the trains going places. I don`t remember ever having this feeling about the elderly in England. They are just cooped up more at home I think.
Maybe the health of these 2 elderly populations is the reason for the difference in participation in wider society. The Japanese are undoubtedly a very healthy population with their traditional fish and rice based, low fat diet, and active sports instilled in them from day 1 at school.
This healthy lifestyle is most true for the elderly. It is only the younger Japanese who are being tempted by the fast food and burgers (and nikuman!) that is now widely available in the combinis. The elderly though, stick to their traditional very healthy ways. And so live long. The Okinawans are the longest living community in the world.
Obviously if you are a healthy old person then you are still going to be out there, doing stuff. Perhaps it is just the case that more old people are sick in the UK. But there is also another aspect to this. It seems, (perhaps due to the numbers of elderly) that there is more for them in Japanese society. To me there seems to be a huge range of clubs and activities for older people to do here. I`m not particularly familiar with the situation in this respect in the UK, but my impression is that it is old people`s homes, and bingo clubs. Nothing much which uses any brain or skill that you might have. I do feel, that in comparison to the situation in Japan, provisions and opportunities and older people in general are overlooked. Obviously there are adult education classes – but it is not quite the same. Short courses, perhaps lasting a term or 2. It is not quite the same as the wide spread of community centres with wide ranges of activities in literally every insignificant (and significant) settlement of Japan. The community centre activities I guess are dominated by older people. To be a majority in an organization in your town is also a positive boost for old people. It must therefore be easy for other older people to easily fit in and come out of their home. In England I think we have just got into a cycle of old people retreating into their homes because of a lack of a social life, and lack of activities they want to do outside of their home.
The difference is, old people are out in Japan. They are obvious. The rest of the population don`t overlook them. They are more respected. Another reason for the difference must be something I always mention and am always aware of in Japan. The community spirit of people.
These old people have lived in a society with this strong spirit of community for decades and decades. Ultimately, the result is people with very strong bonds with their friends outside of your family, that have been formed and strengthened throughout all of this time, working together, working on something together, having breaks together, talking together. This community spirit, together with being physically healthy and active means that the many old people of Japan still have a wide and active, not superficial or patronized social life. A big difference from the UK I think.
It has to also be mentioned though – a key difference to explain the out-there-ness of the old people in Japan, is the safety of Japan. The streets are safe everywhere. The streets at night are safe. Crime is so low in Japan (apart from theft of umbrellas! I think is most common). I feel so much safer in my daily life in Hitachi, out in the streets, on public transport, compared to the UK. And it must play a big part in the life of old people. It is safe for frail, old people to be out on their own. They are free to go anywhere, even at night (though they go to bed so early this isn`t common!). In England you frequently hear about old people being mugged or accosted by some chav. This makes them and others afraid to go out (either correctly or incorrectly). In Japan this doesn`t happen, so old people do not feel restricted to go out out of fear, and are therefore more present for everyone to see in the wider society.
Having interests, and friends gives meaning to your life, which helps you live long. But also, respect by the wider society exists in Japan to the elderly, from the rest of the Japanese. I don`t think this character of respect is particularly the same. I think there is more of a feeling in England that old people don`t really have much to offer society anymore. But in Japan, longevity is respected and admired. I think there is a respect of the wisdom of old people. People are more linked to the older members of the family.
In addition to New Year, the other big festival in Japan is O-bon in mid August. This is a 3 day festival of the dead ancestors. People will travel to their home town – perhaps where the grandparents still live, and will make visits to the graves of dead ancestors. (side point – graveyards are on tiny plots of land and crammed crammed full of Buddhist gravestones compared to a typical English church graveyard!) There is a stronger awareness and link to the old generations of families here I think - also because older people live so damn long.
I think in Japan the elderly play a big part in the workings of society so they are respected and appreciated, and the old people themselves benefit from this wider respect. Many Japanese companies/ organizations would not work without the grandparent generation to look after the kids while the parents spend most of their waking hours at work.
I think the elderly have a better time of it in Japan compared to England. And I`ve learnt something because of this. To not overlook people, or patronize them, because they are interesting, and can still be good lunch dates etc (in moderation!!!!)
I`ve already been engaging with the older people I know in in my life more (in letters and emails) and my dominant motivation for this has changed. From a slight sense of duty (which is how it is often made out to me to be from Dad) to a sense that I genuinely want to have a meaningful communication with them because they are interesting people.
When (if?!) I have children I am going to emphasise that communicating with healthy older people shouldn`t be a duty – you should change your attitude so it is something you genuinely want – because you should want to talk to people that have led long lives, and therefore have interesting things to say and good advice. Sometimes I think though, the problem with old people is that they get in to a mode of losing interests so they think they have nothing to say (but perhaps this is society`s fault for the general view of no worth of older people).
I read in an article that to have a strong reason to live is also a strong factor in the longevity of the Okinawans. The Okinawans reason for their longevity is longevity itself! They find a lot of value in living a long time so they can pass on their wisdom and experiences of living well to the future generations. I want English old people to be healthy and socially active and present in society, and have a strong reason to keep living like those people.
There are a lot of old people in Japan. Objectively. This is not just a statement resulting from feeling overcome by the enthusiasms of my old women friends earlier this year. It is widely know to most people that Japan, like all modern, developing economies, has an ageing population. This is obviously true from living daily life here.
England, being a developed economy aswell, also has an ageing population, however I feel this far less obviously than I do in the case of Japan. Why? Because I would say old people really are more invisible in Biritsh society. In Japan it is different. They are out there, on the streets, in restaurants, being active, meeting up with friends for lunch, going to the gym, going on trips, keeping up hobbies and interests (eg Ikebana, learning English, volunteering teaching English).
In Japan the elderly are much more out there in society, doing stuff, together on the trains going places. I don`t remember ever having this feeling about the elderly in England. They are just cooped up more at home I think.
Maybe the health of these 2 elderly populations is the reason for the difference in participation in wider society. The Japanese are undoubtedly a very healthy population with their traditional fish and rice based, low fat diet, and active sports instilled in them from day 1 at school.
This healthy lifestyle is most true for the elderly. It is only the younger Japanese who are being tempted by the fast food and burgers (and nikuman!) that is now widely available in the combinis. The elderly though, stick to their traditional very healthy ways. And so live long. The Okinawans are the longest living community in the world.
Obviously if you are a healthy old person then you are still going to be out there, doing stuff. Perhaps it is just the case that more old people are sick in the UK. But there is also another aspect to this. It seems, (perhaps due to the numbers of elderly) that there is more for them in Japanese society. To me there seems to be a huge range of clubs and activities for older people to do here. I`m not particularly familiar with the situation in this respect in the UK, but my impression is that it is old people`s homes, and bingo clubs. Nothing much which uses any brain or skill that you might have. I do feel, that in comparison to the situation in Japan, provisions and opportunities and older people in general are overlooked. Obviously there are adult education classes – but it is not quite the same. Short courses, perhaps lasting a term or 2. It is not quite the same as the wide spread of community centres with wide ranges of activities in literally every insignificant (and significant) settlement of Japan. The community centre activities I guess are dominated by older people. To be a majority in an organization in your town is also a positive boost for old people. It must therefore be easy for other older people to easily fit in and come out of their home. In England I think we have just got into a cycle of old people retreating into their homes because of a lack of a social life, and lack of activities they want to do outside of their home.
The difference is, old people are out in Japan. They are obvious. The rest of the population don`t overlook them. They are more respected. Another reason for the difference must be something I always mention and am always aware of in Japan. The community spirit of people.
These old people have lived in a society with this strong spirit of community for decades and decades. Ultimately, the result is people with very strong bonds with their friends outside of your family, that have been formed and strengthened throughout all of this time, working together, working on something together, having breaks together, talking together. This community spirit, together with being physically healthy and active means that the many old people of Japan still have a wide and active, not superficial or patronized social life. A big difference from the UK I think.
It has to also be mentioned though – a key difference to explain the out-there-ness of the old people in Japan, is the safety of Japan. The streets are safe everywhere. The streets at night are safe. Crime is so low in Japan (apart from theft of umbrellas! I think is most common). I feel so much safer in my daily life in Hitachi, out in the streets, on public transport, compared to the UK. And it must play a big part in the life of old people. It is safe for frail, old people to be out on their own. They are free to go anywhere, even at night (though they go to bed so early this isn`t common!). In England you frequently hear about old people being mugged or accosted by some chav. This makes them and others afraid to go out (either correctly or incorrectly). In Japan this doesn`t happen, so old people do not feel restricted to go out out of fear, and are therefore more present for everyone to see in the wider society.
Having interests, and friends gives meaning to your life, which helps you live long. But also, respect by the wider society exists in Japan to the elderly, from the rest of the Japanese. I don`t think this character of respect is particularly the same. I think there is more of a feeling in England that old people don`t really have much to offer society anymore. But in Japan, longevity is respected and admired. I think there is a respect of the wisdom of old people. People are more linked to the older members of the family.
In addition to New Year, the other big festival in Japan is O-bon in mid August. This is a 3 day festival of the dead ancestors. People will travel to their home town – perhaps where the grandparents still live, and will make visits to the graves of dead ancestors. (side point – graveyards are on tiny plots of land and crammed crammed full of Buddhist gravestones compared to a typical English church graveyard!) There is a stronger awareness and link to the old generations of families here I think - also because older people live so damn long.
I think in Japan the elderly play a big part in the workings of society so they are respected and appreciated, and the old people themselves benefit from this wider respect. Many Japanese companies/ organizations would not work without the grandparent generation to look after the kids while the parents spend most of their waking hours at work.
I think the elderly have a better time of it in Japan compared to England. And I`ve learnt something because of this. To not overlook people, or patronize them, because they are interesting, and can still be good lunch dates etc (in moderation!!!!)
I`ve already been engaging with the older people I know in in my life more (in letters and emails) and my dominant motivation for this has changed. From a slight sense of duty (which is how it is often made out to me to be from Dad) to a sense that I genuinely want to have a meaningful communication with them because they are interesting people.
When (if?!) I have children I am going to emphasise that communicating with healthy older people shouldn`t be a duty – you should change your attitude so it is something you genuinely want – because you should want to talk to people that have led long lives, and therefore have interesting things to say and good advice. Sometimes I think though, the problem with old people is that they get in to a mode of losing interests so they think they have nothing to say (but perhaps this is society`s fault for the general view of no worth of older people).
I read in an article that to have a strong reason to live is also a strong factor in the longevity of the Okinawans. The Okinawans reason for their longevity is longevity itself! They find a lot of value in living a long time so they can pass on their wisdom and experiences of living well to the future generations. I want English old people to be healthy and socially active and present in society, and have a strong reason to keep living like those people.
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Being Gay in Japan
Japan is an extremely advanced society in several ways: it leads the world in robotics technology (I think), they have a very modern (mostly) and efficient public transport system, their toilets are space age … (mostly). So in many ways they are developing on a level ahead of other modern societies.
However, there is a significant number of aspects to Japanese society that is way behind, say, the UK. Homosexuality is a huge issue which demonstrates well, the backwardness of Japan.
I was in my usual 4 o`clock Wednesday English conversation class with the home economics teacher (Yumi – 40) and her very young looking assistant (… - 31). Both are very typical Japanese women, fitting the kawaii stereotype of Japanese women that I have described before. Their home economics room is full of pink, girly things, perfumed air. Little lace mats cover the table. Pretty blankets and soft pink things are around the place. They are typical Japanese women. The only aspect which is unusual about them is that they are not married. I wonder if they worry about this. Because certainly, the level of worry from their their parents generation about lack of husbands is always present I have gathered (from my numerous dealings with old women!).
Yumi wants to improve her spoken English, and she did initiate this weekly conversation class that we have. It is a bit of an effort for me – I`m not being paid. But I suppose I am happy to do it. They give me a perfect Christmas present. And give me nice biscuits and cakes and things, and we`ve become friends I suppose. So that is my payment. After a busy Wednesday, sometimes it`s tiring, but I see it as a sort of replacement for a club activity – which I do not do.
Anyway, last week, we got on to the subject of my holiday to Okinawa. I had just booked it 2 days before. They enquired who I was going with, and I said my friend Andrew – a boy who was a friend, not a boyfriend. To provide extra clarification because I wasn`t sure that they had grasped that subtle difference, I said he was gay.
I was not at all prepared for the huge exclamations of shock and amazement that preceded to follow in the next hour.
“Gay!!!????” Yumi said, in a VERY incredulous, quite loud voice. They were both SO shocked, and SO surprised. I can hardly describe how shocked they were. They were giggling like little girls, embarrassed almost. I was so amazed by their reaction that I was keen to talk about it more, and find out more about their opinions. They were keen to talk about it too, because homosexuality, according to them, is something that is never talked about, or occurs in any Japanese circles, outside of Kabuki-cho (the gay district of Tokyo).
So I immediately decided to tell them about my circle of 6 closest friends at home, in which there was 2 homosexual relationships – 1 lesbian couple, and 1 gay couple.
Yumi and … just didn`t believe it! They thought I was having a big joke with them. It was so way out of the norm for the, and I had to reiterate and emphasise many, many times before they believed I was telling the truth. Obviously, I think my situation does deviate from the norm. But most people, I would say, have 1 gay friend. In Japan though, this is DEFINITELY not the case.
They were expressing so much shock, that I was incredulous at them, to an equal level. Then Yumi said, “oh, I wish I had a gay friend. It would be so much fun. They are so beautiful, and it would be so much fun”.
I was a bit confused by this and asked her further. I mean, I know a lot of people who are gay, and they certainly aren`t more beautiful, or more fun than the rest of the population.
It turned out, that both Yumi and …`s view was that a gay person, was what I would call, a transvestite. They thought that all gay men dressed up as women, they thought that all gay men wore makeup. (I didn`t actually ask them what was their expectation of a lesbian – perhaps they hadn`t ever considered this question before).
I quickly went on to explain no, no, no this wasn`t the case at ALL. I explained about my gay friend who works as a teacher in a senior school in England. (“He works as a teacher??!!! Shockshockshock!), about my gay friends who work for charities. Yumi and … could hardly believe that that there were gay people working in normal, regular jobs. Until I kept re-emphasising that the men wore normal clothes like other men, and they didn`t wear makeup.
After all of this explanation of homosexuality, I was keen to find out about the Japanese view of homosexuality. Was their view typical? Yes, it was. Most Japanese would think like this they said. I was amazed. Because up until that afternoon I had just assumed the situation of homosexuality was the same as in the UK (but without the problem of over-zealous Christians – so perhaps even more open than the UK). In my Japanese ALT community the situation is the same as I find it back at home – there is a couple of gay men in the group (and a transvestite actually). All the 20 something, 30 something Japanese that we hang out with know that Andrew is gay. It`s totally normal, just like in England. Andrew has a semi-relationship with a Japanese guy, and I think Daryle has in the past too. So I had just assumed it was the same.
But, I think that this experience of my Hitachi and ALT community is different from mainstream Japanese society. Perhaps because they hang out with foreigners, so therefore are not typical.
Yumi was obviously familiar with the word gay. Which was obviously used in Japanese. But she also told me about the Japanese word for gay, which literally translates as “sistermans”. (Mans is an incoreect form of men).
Sistermen. So that goes some way to account for why they think that all gay men look like women.
How did they know about homosexuality in Japan I asked. Seeing as it was clear from these women that represented that vast majority of Japanese society at least their age and above, that they hadn`t encountered any homosexual people in their day-to-day life.
Homosexuality doesn`t exist in Hitachi, it wouldn`t exist anywhere in local places like this, they said. Their only knowledge of homosexual culture comes from the TV. Homosexuality in Japan only really exists in Tokyo. In the gay district of Tokyo, Kabuki-cho. They know that gay bars exist – but only really there.
Once you are outside of Tokyo gay people cease to exist in Japan. I raised the word hidden, to account for the situation outside of Tokyo. But they were skeptical that there could be more than a really tiny number of gay people that lived outside of Tokyo, in these “local” places.
(I often find that Japanese people use the word local to describe non-city, country areas – it must be an incorrect translation to English of the Japanese use of the word local to also describe rural areas).
I`m sure it`s the same the world over. Cities are more cosmopolitan than country villages, cities are more ahead in terms of the development of new trends, views, fashions, what`s acceptable, and the countryside is more conservative and traditionalist. So, this is clearly the situation here.
Gay people aren`t openly gay (if they exist at all – according to Yumi and …) in local places like Hitachi. But the significant point is though, that Hitachi City, isn`t exactly a local place! It really is a big town/ sprawling settlement. But Yumi and … were quite adamant. There would be no openly gay people here. No teacher at Taga could ever be gay (heeheehee!! – Y and …).
It`s interesting to think about this. I`m sure it will change in the future. Japanese society is interesting because it is in many ways extremely liberal. No fundamental religions, an acceptance of porn that is present in the mainstream, but yet ignored by the most of the mainstream. So, in a way, I am surprised that being openly gay hasn`t made it beyond kabuki-cho in Tokyo. However, all 3 of us did think that this change would surely come in the next 10 years or so.
Japan – is it advanced, or behind us? Maybe the answer is that it depends on the area. It is Tokyo that is advanced in it`s open-mindedness. Gay culture is evident there. It is beyond Tokyo where you get all the conservativism – the little old women staring at you if you dare eat on the train, the men in their 1980s style glasses. Maybe the answer is also generational. Yumi and … are 40 and 31 respectively. My ALT friends and their gay Japanese friends (who happen to live near Tokyo fyi) – that would also account for the differing experience of gay culture in Japan. The difference between the metropolis of Tokyo and the rest of Japan, is huge. There is so much more individualism in Tokyo. The fast pace of the city. It is a world away from Ibaraki. And universes away from actual isolated country-bumpkin places in Japan.
But other big cities won`t be too far behind Tokyo I shouldn`t think. In Sapporo we went to a transvestite show. I found it interesting to look at the other audience members there. Regular office men and women I think. People Yumi`s age, I suppose. I wonder if these transvestites were their only experience and knowledge of the gay community in Japan too.
I wonder what it`s like to be unsure if you are gay or not if you live in the local places of Japan. What must you think of yourself if you find yourself fancying people of the same sex as you, but having no inclination to want to dress up as a girl. There is no presence in open society of anyone really like you. So you stay hidden I guess. Just like the olden days…
I felt I understood something more about Japan then. And Yumi did too! She said she was reallt culture shocked by my stories, to find out about the open gay culture in England (…well it`s all relative to Japan!)
However, there is a significant number of aspects to Japanese society that is way behind, say, the UK. Homosexuality is a huge issue which demonstrates well, the backwardness of Japan.
I was in my usual 4 o`clock Wednesday English conversation class with the home economics teacher (Yumi – 40) and her very young looking assistant (… - 31). Both are very typical Japanese women, fitting the kawaii stereotype of Japanese women that I have described before. Their home economics room is full of pink, girly things, perfumed air. Little lace mats cover the table. Pretty blankets and soft pink things are around the place. They are typical Japanese women. The only aspect which is unusual about them is that they are not married. I wonder if they worry about this. Because certainly, the level of worry from their their parents generation about lack of husbands is always present I have gathered (from my numerous dealings with old women!).
Yumi wants to improve her spoken English, and she did initiate this weekly conversation class that we have. It is a bit of an effort for me – I`m not being paid. But I suppose I am happy to do it. They give me a perfect Christmas present. And give me nice biscuits and cakes and things, and we`ve become friends I suppose. So that is my payment. After a busy Wednesday, sometimes it`s tiring, but I see it as a sort of replacement for a club activity – which I do not do.
Anyway, last week, we got on to the subject of my holiday to Okinawa. I had just booked it 2 days before. They enquired who I was going with, and I said my friend Andrew – a boy who was a friend, not a boyfriend. To provide extra clarification because I wasn`t sure that they had grasped that subtle difference, I said he was gay.
I was not at all prepared for the huge exclamations of shock and amazement that preceded to follow in the next hour.
“Gay!!!????” Yumi said, in a VERY incredulous, quite loud voice. They were both SO shocked, and SO surprised. I can hardly describe how shocked they were. They were giggling like little girls, embarrassed almost. I was so amazed by their reaction that I was keen to talk about it more, and find out more about their opinions. They were keen to talk about it too, because homosexuality, according to them, is something that is never talked about, or occurs in any Japanese circles, outside of Kabuki-cho (the gay district of Tokyo).
So I immediately decided to tell them about my circle of 6 closest friends at home, in which there was 2 homosexual relationships – 1 lesbian couple, and 1 gay couple.
Yumi and … just didn`t believe it! They thought I was having a big joke with them. It was so way out of the norm for the, and I had to reiterate and emphasise many, many times before they believed I was telling the truth. Obviously, I think my situation does deviate from the norm. But most people, I would say, have 1 gay friend. In Japan though, this is DEFINITELY not the case.
They were expressing so much shock, that I was incredulous at them, to an equal level. Then Yumi said, “oh, I wish I had a gay friend. It would be so much fun. They are so beautiful, and it would be so much fun”.
I was a bit confused by this and asked her further. I mean, I know a lot of people who are gay, and they certainly aren`t more beautiful, or more fun than the rest of the population.
It turned out, that both Yumi and …`s view was that a gay person, was what I would call, a transvestite. They thought that all gay men dressed up as women, they thought that all gay men wore makeup. (I didn`t actually ask them what was their expectation of a lesbian – perhaps they hadn`t ever considered this question before).
I quickly went on to explain no, no, no this wasn`t the case at ALL. I explained about my gay friend who works as a teacher in a senior school in England. (“He works as a teacher??!!! Shockshockshock!), about my gay friends who work for charities. Yumi and … could hardly believe that that there were gay people working in normal, regular jobs. Until I kept re-emphasising that the men wore normal clothes like other men, and they didn`t wear makeup.
After all of this explanation of homosexuality, I was keen to find out about the Japanese view of homosexuality. Was their view typical? Yes, it was. Most Japanese would think like this they said. I was amazed. Because up until that afternoon I had just assumed the situation of homosexuality was the same as in the UK (but without the problem of over-zealous Christians – so perhaps even more open than the UK). In my Japanese ALT community the situation is the same as I find it back at home – there is a couple of gay men in the group (and a transvestite actually). All the 20 something, 30 something Japanese that we hang out with know that Andrew is gay. It`s totally normal, just like in England. Andrew has a semi-relationship with a Japanese guy, and I think Daryle has in the past too. So I had just assumed it was the same.
But, I think that this experience of my Hitachi and ALT community is different from mainstream Japanese society. Perhaps because they hang out with foreigners, so therefore are not typical.
Yumi was obviously familiar with the word gay. Which was obviously used in Japanese. But she also told me about the Japanese word for gay, which literally translates as “sistermans”. (Mans is an incoreect form of men).
Sistermen. So that goes some way to account for why they think that all gay men look like women.
How did they know about homosexuality in Japan I asked. Seeing as it was clear from these women that represented that vast majority of Japanese society at least their age and above, that they hadn`t encountered any homosexual people in their day-to-day life.
Homosexuality doesn`t exist in Hitachi, it wouldn`t exist anywhere in local places like this, they said. Their only knowledge of homosexual culture comes from the TV. Homosexuality in Japan only really exists in Tokyo. In the gay district of Tokyo, Kabuki-cho. They know that gay bars exist – but only really there.
Once you are outside of Tokyo gay people cease to exist in Japan. I raised the word hidden, to account for the situation outside of Tokyo. But they were skeptical that there could be more than a really tiny number of gay people that lived outside of Tokyo, in these “local” places.
(I often find that Japanese people use the word local to describe non-city, country areas – it must be an incorrect translation to English of the Japanese use of the word local to also describe rural areas).
I`m sure it`s the same the world over. Cities are more cosmopolitan than country villages, cities are more ahead in terms of the development of new trends, views, fashions, what`s acceptable, and the countryside is more conservative and traditionalist. So, this is clearly the situation here.
Gay people aren`t openly gay (if they exist at all – according to Yumi and …) in local places like Hitachi. But the significant point is though, that Hitachi City, isn`t exactly a local place! It really is a big town/ sprawling settlement. But Yumi and … were quite adamant. There would be no openly gay people here. No teacher at Taga could ever be gay (heeheehee!! – Y and …).
It`s interesting to think about this. I`m sure it will change in the future. Japanese society is interesting because it is in many ways extremely liberal. No fundamental religions, an acceptance of porn that is present in the mainstream, but yet ignored by the most of the mainstream. So, in a way, I am surprised that being openly gay hasn`t made it beyond kabuki-cho in Tokyo. However, all 3 of us did think that this change would surely come in the next 10 years or so.
Japan – is it advanced, or behind us? Maybe the answer is that it depends on the area. It is Tokyo that is advanced in it`s open-mindedness. Gay culture is evident there. It is beyond Tokyo where you get all the conservativism – the little old women staring at you if you dare eat on the train, the men in their 1980s style glasses. Maybe the answer is also generational. Yumi and … are 40 and 31 respectively. My ALT friends and their gay Japanese friends (who happen to live near Tokyo fyi) – that would also account for the differing experience of gay culture in Japan. The difference between the metropolis of Tokyo and the rest of Japan, is huge. There is so much more individualism in Tokyo. The fast pace of the city. It is a world away from Ibaraki. And universes away from actual isolated country-bumpkin places in Japan.
But other big cities won`t be too far behind Tokyo I shouldn`t think. In Sapporo we went to a transvestite show. I found it interesting to look at the other audience members there. Regular office men and women I think. People Yumi`s age, I suppose. I wonder if these transvestites were their only experience and knowledge of the gay community in Japan too.
I wonder what it`s like to be unsure if you are gay or not if you live in the local places of Japan. What must you think of yourself if you find yourself fancying people of the same sex as you, but having no inclination to want to dress up as a girl. There is no presence in open society of anyone really like you. So you stay hidden I guess. Just like the olden days…
I felt I understood something more about Japan then. And Yumi did too! She said she was reallt culture shocked by my stories, to find out about the open gay culture in England (…well it`s all relative to Japan!)
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Snow Flurries and Slow Ferries
I`m just back from a 5 day holiday to Hokkaido and am feeling really pretty happy. :-D
It is nice to look back on it and remember the fun things that happened, and to look at the great photos that people have. I remember being frustrated at aspects of the trip at the time, but now I`m enjoying my good memories!
To take the overnight ferry from Oarai port, in my home prefecture of Ibaraki to Tomakomai was brilliant. Far and away better than travelling by plane. It was fun to arrive at the port at sunset after work on Friday evening. To see the ocean, see our ship, climb on board with far less fuss than taking a plane. Cheap travel is still the mentality of my age group – and it was a lot of fun to be sleeping in the big room and laying out your futon with everyone else. After the extensive evening buffet we all played cards together, ate ice cream, laughed a lot, and just all in all I had a lot of fun just being with all the ALT gang again. The ocean itself did behave to its name and was very pacific??! (peaceful!, maybe). Beautiful, beautiful scenes from the deck of ferry the following morning under a clear blue sky. The clear skies are something I haven`t stopped appreciating during the autumn and winter in Japan. We even saw some dolphins in the distance from the ship.
Sapporo is a lot colder than Ibaraki. And though snow makes a beautiful scene, I am damn glad Ibaraki isn`t like that. I found that I could be outside wrapped up and enjoying the outside, for about 1 hour. After that time the cold must break a way through to my skin and my bones after persevering it`s way through all my layers, because after that time I suddenly get cold. At that point we usually duck into a restaurant or café to reheat ourselves with supergood Japanese hot chocolate or ramen if we`re hungry.
After arrival we headed out to view the ice sculptures which were beautiful tinged with blue. At the time of the sunset they were most beautiful. Lights lit them from behind and it was just pretty. Of course, I knew to expect, at an occasion like this, cameras would be out in force. I can accept it by getting into that mode too. Obviously photo-taking is fine, but why to so much excess?
Excessive photographs, excessive omiyagae purchases/ purchasing time, standardized tourist itineraries are the features of the Japanese holiday experience I knew to expect on this IAJET trip to Hokkaido. I don`t like them, but I put up with it, because I can`t physically do holidays I want, by myself, independently. Other typical features which drive me crazy is the commercialism of all sites of (tourist) interest. Even many ice sculptures contained adverts within them. Sometimes I feel Japan corrupts too many things with it`s commercialization of history and nature. With the consumerism surrounding historic and natural sites. I hate holidays in which these things dominate. I`m sure that off-beaten track places exist in this country, but such places are so beyond my reach and capability that I have to stick to these situations.
These negative aspects, plus the next famous place, next must-see site mentality does frustrate me, but my feelings of enjoyment now are evidence that I did have a good time despite these frustrations.
One of the things I enjoy most about going on holiday is the eating out! I`m not a very good/ interesting cook – and going on holiday means I have to eat out all the time - :-D Every local area in Japan has a particular food speciality and Hokkaido is famous – so rightly – for ramen. Ramen is the most delicious yellow noodles, in the most delicious broth with crab, perhaps some stir-fried bean sprouts, and spring onions, and maybe some minced meat. IT…IS…SO…GOOD! There is a famous alley way in Sapporo called ramen alley. A tiny alleyway with little ramen shops one after the other. We seeked out ramen alley on our very first afternoon in Sapporo and the reputation did not disappoint. It is not only the food but the whole experience that is so wonderful. To step inside this hot little space after being out in flurries of big snow flakes with my glasses steaming up immediately! Watching the cooks cook my ramen so rapidly – because they have probably owned their little shop for years. Being in such close proximity at the bar with the other customers, and just across the bar from the steaming woks and giant pots of broth. A cooking area just behind the bar with the cooks work rapidly to feed the consistent fast flow of customers coming in and out (ramen shops are quick turnover places). Customers crammed on to stools the other side of the bar slurping ramen. It is a brilliant experience and I frequented ramen alley four times during my three days in Sapporo!
Aside from ramen and nama-caramel (fresh caramel – omigodomigodomigod!!!), and mitokoibito (langue de chat biscuits and white chocolate), ghengis kahn is famous in Hokkaido. I guess because Ghengis Kahn liked this kind of meal. It is Japanese style barbeque where you melt some lamb lard on your cone shaped griddle pan and fry up lamb, cabbage and bean sprouts. After a serious adventure trying to find the restaurant in a serious blizzard, this kind of fatty lamb meal (unusual for Japan) was just what I needed!
There are many things that are distinctive about Hokkaido, and not only the food. The food in any area of Japan you are in is always made out to be distinctive. Food is localized here, definitely more so than England, but sometimes I get the feeling it is definitely exaggerated for commercial reasons – (omiyage etc).
But Hokkaido is legitimately very distinctive from Hitachi life. What struck me most as our little train made its way from the city of the ice and impressive snow sculptures, to the town of Otaru (next stop on the snow festival tourist trail – to see the lighted canal – for 1 hour! – very beautiful though), was the difference of the landscape. Not only the different shaped mountains. The mountains were bigger, more majestic and snow covered. But, also the difference in the human environment. At certain points the coloured buildings looked Scandinavian, other times the swirling snow which covered lower looking houses made the environment seem Russian. The town of Otaru itself had brick buildings! – something I had never seen before in my life in central Japan. Those brick buildings almost had a European feel to them – very surprising to me!
To experience difference – in cultures and in landscapes is the reason why I love to travel. And the fact I experienced it in Hokkaido was what made the trip very enjoyable. I spent one very nice hour in a café halfway up the TV tower with Lauren. We were lucky to be given the best seats with a perfect view of the main drag with the snow sculptures at the bottom. We could see huge mountains in the distance which wasn`t possible to see from the ground. Although we never made it to those mountains, in terms of walking in them, I was very happy I was able to enjoy that view of them. They looked so vast – stretching out – like a huge giants blanket on a bed I thought was how best to describe them. Different from the shape of the mountains in Hitachi which I also love. But the Hitachi mountains have a different feel. You can see them, neat range after range in an orientation running to length of Honshu main island from the Pacfic Ocean to the Sea of Japan if you climb up. These Hokkaido ones were just vast – speading in all the directions beyond. Hokkaido is a huge huge, mountainous island, and I could really understand that from that view!
That`s why I loved my trip. The slightly faked up experiences which tend to feature in Japanese tourist areas, the “meat fest” in the bar with the foreigners in it, the waiting about for everybody because you`re in a group and people aren`t punctual I gloss over!
It is nice to look back on it and remember the fun things that happened, and to look at the great photos that people have. I remember being frustrated at aspects of the trip at the time, but now I`m enjoying my good memories!
To take the overnight ferry from Oarai port, in my home prefecture of Ibaraki to Tomakomai was brilliant. Far and away better than travelling by plane. It was fun to arrive at the port at sunset after work on Friday evening. To see the ocean, see our ship, climb on board with far less fuss than taking a plane. Cheap travel is still the mentality of my age group – and it was a lot of fun to be sleeping in the big room and laying out your futon with everyone else. After the extensive evening buffet we all played cards together, ate ice cream, laughed a lot, and just all in all I had a lot of fun just being with all the ALT gang again. The ocean itself did behave to its name and was very pacific??! (peaceful!, maybe). Beautiful, beautiful scenes from the deck of ferry the following morning under a clear blue sky. The clear skies are something I haven`t stopped appreciating during the autumn and winter in Japan. We even saw some dolphins in the distance from the ship.
Sapporo is a lot colder than Ibaraki. And though snow makes a beautiful scene, I am damn glad Ibaraki isn`t like that. I found that I could be outside wrapped up and enjoying the outside, for about 1 hour. After that time the cold must break a way through to my skin and my bones after persevering it`s way through all my layers, because after that time I suddenly get cold. At that point we usually duck into a restaurant or café to reheat ourselves with supergood Japanese hot chocolate or ramen if we`re hungry.
After arrival we headed out to view the ice sculptures which were beautiful tinged with blue. At the time of the sunset they were most beautiful. Lights lit them from behind and it was just pretty. Of course, I knew to expect, at an occasion like this, cameras would be out in force. I can accept it by getting into that mode too. Obviously photo-taking is fine, but why to so much excess?
Excessive photographs, excessive omiyagae purchases/ purchasing time, standardized tourist itineraries are the features of the Japanese holiday experience I knew to expect on this IAJET trip to Hokkaido. I don`t like them, but I put up with it, because I can`t physically do holidays I want, by myself, independently. Other typical features which drive me crazy is the commercialism of all sites of (tourist) interest. Even many ice sculptures contained adverts within them. Sometimes I feel Japan corrupts too many things with it`s commercialization of history and nature. With the consumerism surrounding historic and natural sites. I hate holidays in which these things dominate. I`m sure that off-beaten track places exist in this country, but such places are so beyond my reach and capability that I have to stick to these situations.
These negative aspects, plus the next famous place, next must-see site mentality does frustrate me, but my feelings of enjoyment now are evidence that I did have a good time despite these frustrations.
One of the things I enjoy most about going on holiday is the eating out! I`m not a very good/ interesting cook – and going on holiday means I have to eat out all the time - :-D Every local area in Japan has a particular food speciality and Hokkaido is famous – so rightly – for ramen. Ramen is the most delicious yellow noodles, in the most delicious broth with crab, perhaps some stir-fried bean sprouts, and spring onions, and maybe some minced meat. IT…IS…SO…GOOD! There is a famous alley way in Sapporo called ramen alley. A tiny alleyway with little ramen shops one after the other. We seeked out ramen alley on our very first afternoon in Sapporo and the reputation did not disappoint. It is not only the food but the whole experience that is so wonderful. To step inside this hot little space after being out in flurries of big snow flakes with my glasses steaming up immediately! Watching the cooks cook my ramen so rapidly – because they have probably owned their little shop for years. Being in such close proximity at the bar with the other customers, and just across the bar from the steaming woks and giant pots of broth. A cooking area just behind the bar with the cooks work rapidly to feed the consistent fast flow of customers coming in and out (ramen shops are quick turnover places). Customers crammed on to stools the other side of the bar slurping ramen. It is a brilliant experience and I frequented ramen alley four times during my three days in Sapporo!
Aside from ramen and nama-caramel (fresh caramel – omigodomigodomigod!!!), and mitokoibito (langue de chat biscuits and white chocolate), ghengis kahn is famous in Hokkaido. I guess because Ghengis Kahn liked this kind of meal. It is Japanese style barbeque where you melt some lamb lard on your cone shaped griddle pan and fry up lamb, cabbage and bean sprouts. After a serious adventure trying to find the restaurant in a serious blizzard, this kind of fatty lamb meal (unusual for Japan) was just what I needed!
There are many things that are distinctive about Hokkaido, and not only the food. The food in any area of Japan you are in is always made out to be distinctive. Food is localized here, definitely more so than England, but sometimes I get the feeling it is definitely exaggerated for commercial reasons – (omiyage etc).
But Hokkaido is legitimately very distinctive from Hitachi life. What struck me most as our little train made its way from the city of the ice and impressive snow sculptures, to the town of Otaru (next stop on the snow festival tourist trail – to see the lighted canal – for 1 hour! – very beautiful though), was the difference of the landscape. Not only the different shaped mountains. The mountains were bigger, more majestic and snow covered. But, also the difference in the human environment. At certain points the coloured buildings looked Scandinavian, other times the swirling snow which covered lower looking houses made the environment seem Russian. The town of Otaru itself had brick buildings! – something I had never seen before in my life in central Japan. Those brick buildings almost had a European feel to them – very surprising to me!
To experience difference – in cultures and in landscapes is the reason why I love to travel. And the fact I experienced it in Hokkaido was what made the trip very enjoyable. I spent one very nice hour in a café halfway up the TV tower with Lauren. We were lucky to be given the best seats with a perfect view of the main drag with the snow sculptures at the bottom. We could see huge mountains in the distance which wasn`t possible to see from the ground. Although we never made it to those mountains, in terms of walking in them, I was very happy I was able to enjoy that view of them. They looked so vast – stretching out – like a huge giants blanket on a bed I thought was how best to describe them. Different from the shape of the mountains in Hitachi which I also love. But the Hitachi mountains have a different feel. You can see them, neat range after range in an orientation running to length of Honshu main island from the Pacfic Ocean to the Sea of Japan if you climb up. These Hokkaido ones were just vast – speading in all the directions beyond. Hokkaido is a huge huge, mountainous island, and I could really understand that from that view!
That`s why I loved my trip. The slightly faked up experiences which tend to feature in Japanese tourist areas, the “meat fest” in the bar with the foreigners in it, the waiting about for everybody because you`re in a group and people aren`t punctual I gloss over!
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Education - Creator of 2 Wildly Different Societies
I`ve mentioned this before – that Japanese students are considerably more immature than their western counterparts of similar age. The difference really does strike me strongly on occasions. It occurred to me again yesterday when I was planning a lesson concerning the differences between school in Japan, and school in the UK. As I made the list it was so apparent that the reason for their immaturity lies totally in the differences in the system of education.
People in Japan like it when everybody is the same. When everybody has the same. When everybody does the same. And this is reflected in the system of education. By age 16-17 in England students have already done some major subject selection – down to the 4 AS Level subjects they will be studying. They have made some big limiting choices and as a result students across the year could be studying very different things.
In Japan this selection just does not happen (there is some minor selection – but nothing too significant so as to differ your education from your peers). At age 18 in Japan, all students will take their end-of-school exams in 9 subjects. (This in itself, is I think better to the English system which becomes far too narrowed too early in my view).
But that isn`t the point I want to make. The result of this, is that all students are in having all the same lessons up until age 18! This is really surprising for me in comparing this to England. By age 18, I was in small classes, of about 15 students. We were having in depth discussions in the subject. We had relatively grown up relationships with the teachers because of the small classes. When I think about the development level of the third graders here (age 17-18), I am a little embarrassed really. They are still in these big classes (with a kind of dynamic that I left behind in year 8 – 9 (age 14). They are still learning - every single lesson of the day - with everyone in there homeroom class (in their homeroom classroom for that matter). All together - everyone the same - so everyone happy. This situation - of every student being the same, every student studying the same is, I think a one of the reasons for the immaturity. Students aren`t given the opportunity to separate, to develop their interests to a more in depth level. The fact everyone is still kept lumped together - at age 18 - regardless of strong interest of lack thereof in the subject, is a reason for an immature way of learning, and therefore immaturity itself.
I wonder how it is that everyone across the world manages to end up at the same educational level when they come to university/ do university exchanges etc. Or maybe they don`t. From my view here, I initially can`t understand how the students are able to study their 9 subjects in the detail we study our 3. They can`t. So there is be a fundamental difference in the education system – how all these subjects are taught. These fundamental differences will be the reasons for the huge differences between Japanese and UK society.
Perhaps in England we are given more individual project work to do. Perhaps we go slower with the textbook. I don`t know how subjects like Biology and Geography are taught here. But it must be in a significantly different way from this – just so that they manage to cover the same material!
I know that languages (English) is definitely taught in a different (read totally crap/ ineffective) way here. They are effectively learning paragraphs on some obscure subject in the textbook (the strange blood-sweat like secretion from Hippo`s skin, the history of light, to take two typical examples), writing translations based on a word list at the bottom of the page, to help them, or the teacher writing the translation on the board. Then answering questions using the formation of the question to identify the correct sentence in the passage to copy out, without having a clue what they are writing about, but, often producing the correct sentence none the less. Most of the words in the passage are forgotten as soon as they finish the lesson (because they are often so obscure that they will not often meet these words again).
This is how Japanese students are able to study English all their school life, and say very little. It is a phenomenally bad method of teaching, but is widespread.
Students are able to pass the school exams because the exams are so closely related to the textbook. Students are told which part of which lesson will be covered in the exam. This means that they can then memorise these strange textbook lesson words/ structures long enough to enable them to pass the exam.
The system of examination is another aspect of the education system which is key to note, in trying to understand the Japanese system. In England, to get into university, students must pass the national exams to achieve the required grades. Although in Japan, at age 18, there are national exams – these are only for the High Level students. Most of the students in most of my schools are not even put in to take these exams. As a result, all the exams that my students study for, are school based. The teachers (presumably) set the exam, they can teach exactly what will be on the exam, they can emphasise their teaching to what will be on the exam, to do their best to ensure that the students will mostly pass.
Perhaps these are reason why students in Japan are able to study 9 subjects and pass their age 18 exams. The lessons must have to be more intensive too, surely. Much less time for open discussions in lessons etc.
There are other Japanese education system features that are also important to appreciate in considering how the Japanese system can be how it is, and how this leads to immature students and the end of their time (and more generally – a different society!): The very heavy role of the teachers in getting the students through the education system. In England, by age 18 the onus to get through the exams, is definitely primarily on the student. If they can`t be bothered, then that really is their problem. They are afterall, age 18. However, in Japan, teachers are far more implicated in this problem. And to solving it. As I have mentioned in a previous blog, teachers will counsel students individually who have problems with their work. It is standard to have period 7. During this period (which is by the way, outside of the contracted work hours of teachers) teachers will run extra classes, for those students who didn`t do so well in their exams. Giving them that extra push, extra help, extra motivating force to get them to pass. This is for students up to age 18! They all have the teachers behind them like this! This doesn`t happen in England. If the student isn`t working, they are told to work, or get out. But in Japan students will always have the teachers coaxing them on, all the way. Alright for younger students maybe, but this is a major reasons why Japanese kids are more immature in their attitudes to work than western kids. Cram schools are the extreme end of this extra pushing. The cram school – an evening school for students who have difficulties with subjects, are very common. Many students will attend these schools – several evenings a week (after their regular school, after their club activities etc) for the extra pushing from the teachers to help. All of this is, in my view, so removed from the British method. Where students are left significantly more alone in their study. Of course most British teachers will give extra help. But frequently it would be that the student would identify that they wanted the extra help, and therefore the student would ask for it (in sixth form at least). In Japan it is the opposite way around. The teachers will take the first action. And this I think is a fundamental problem with the Japanese system. It helps to account for how British students are more mature, and the Japanese students are far less so.
The fact that students in Japan study 9 subjects seriously, and British students would take 3, obviously leads to some rather significant differences in the timetable. One most obvious difference is the free periods. Yao positively laughed out loud when I mentioned the words free period. The word is totally alien in the Japanese education system. They have nothing like it. They could have nothing like it! Independent study periods – for students aged 16-18??!! It would never work. School is somewhere where students are always shepherded to work. To be suddenly left with an hour to study independently, would be a totally bizarre situation to put Japanese students in. It would not work. But it does work in England. People in my school did get on and work in the free periods (generally). It`s because we were used to being independent more. Compared to the Japanese, we had a much more mature attitude to study.
It does feel a little strange going on about the virtues of the British education system. Because before I came to Japan I would never have thought of it as an example of a good system particularly. Certainly when I read about the education systems of more freer learning, and play in Scandinavia, British schools stressing excessively over health and safety concerns there are many ways in which I think the British system can be improved. However, I think this system, although definitely not perfect, does produce an important characteristic – independence, and self-motivation in students, which the Japanese system as it currently stands, does not.
There are of course several positive aspects to the Japanese system that should not be overlooked, (and are presumably the reason why the Japanese system came about, and why it continues). As a result of the 9 subjects all students study, as a result of the compulsory P.E. lessons, as a result of the compulsory all-life-consuming club activities (2-3 hours everyday after school + both weekend days) Japanese students` time is filled all the time by structured, productive activity producing healthy individuals who co-operate and work well with others.
English kids will most likely get home from school and watch TV. There is some virtue in the fact that presumably Japanese students are having a much healthier lifestyle. Both physically – as club activities are mostly sport. And in terms of developing good relationships by working with, communicating with, playing with real people (rather than developing a one-sided relationship with a screen). The strong community bonds that are developed during all this time that is spent at school (with your school family) must also be a good thing.
There are many aspects to Japanese society that is hugely better than the west. And I do think the reason fundamentally comes back to the education system where the values of community, the group, the team are so reinforced. Groups are predominant in the school life (your group is your homeroom class (with who you will have all of your lessons (ie – all your time from 8.30 – 4.30) – up until age 18!), and after lessons your group is your club activity 4 – 6/7pm and weekend days). The predominance of groups in the education system, and the application of group accountability (all members of a group are held at least partially accountable for the indiscretion of one of that groups` members) are some of the reasons why Japan is such a safe society, why the elderly aren`t a overlooked part of society (they are in general extremely present, active and healthy in Japan, taking an active role in groups and Japanese society – a big difference to the UK, I think),why Japanese people are courteous, polite and public spirited.
However, I can`t help thinking, that in spite of these positive effects the values in the education system have created, there are also negative effects that a Japanese person without an outside view would recognize. All these activities may create healthy young people, but surely people should have unstructured free time, without a leader telling you what to do. The lack of enough freedom to construct your own activities (or, equally importantly, relax!) is also problematic I think. The problem with the Japanese system, I believe, is that there is not enough freedom. Not enough freedom from structure, not enough freedom from leaders.
I think, it is the heavily structured, and heavily teacher-led days of young Japanese people have been a primary reason for the creation of a society that is so different from the individualist west, but is also the primary reason for their immaturity.
People in Japan like it when everybody is the same. When everybody has the same. When everybody does the same. And this is reflected in the system of education. By age 16-17 in England students have already done some major subject selection – down to the 4 AS Level subjects they will be studying. They have made some big limiting choices and as a result students across the year could be studying very different things.
In Japan this selection just does not happen (there is some minor selection – but nothing too significant so as to differ your education from your peers). At age 18 in Japan, all students will take their end-of-school exams in 9 subjects. (This in itself, is I think better to the English system which becomes far too narrowed too early in my view).
But that isn`t the point I want to make. The result of this, is that all students are in having all the same lessons up until age 18! This is really surprising for me in comparing this to England. By age 18, I was in small classes, of about 15 students. We were having in depth discussions in the subject. We had relatively grown up relationships with the teachers because of the small classes. When I think about the development level of the third graders here (age 17-18), I am a little embarrassed really. They are still in these big classes (with a kind of dynamic that I left behind in year 8 – 9 (age 14). They are still learning - every single lesson of the day - with everyone in there homeroom class (in their homeroom classroom for that matter). All together - everyone the same - so everyone happy. This situation - of every student being the same, every student studying the same is, I think a one of the reasons for the immaturity. Students aren`t given the opportunity to separate, to develop their interests to a more in depth level. The fact everyone is still kept lumped together - at age 18 - regardless of strong interest of lack thereof in the subject, is a reason for an immature way of learning, and therefore immaturity itself.
I wonder how it is that everyone across the world manages to end up at the same educational level when they come to university/ do university exchanges etc. Or maybe they don`t. From my view here, I initially can`t understand how the students are able to study their 9 subjects in the detail we study our 3. They can`t. So there is be a fundamental difference in the education system – how all these subjects are taught. These fundamental differences will be the reasons for the huge differences between Japanese and UK society.
Perhaps in England we are given more individual project work to do. Perhaps we go slower with the textbook. I don`t know how subjects like Biology and Geography are taught here. But it must be in a significantly different way from this – just so that they manage to cover the same material!
I know that languages (English) is definitely taught in a different (read totally crap/ ineffective) way here. They are effectively learning paragraphs on some obscure subject in the textbook (the strange blood-sweat like secretion from Hippo`s skin, the history of light, to take two typical examples), writing translations based on a word list at the bottom of the page, to help them, or the teacher writing the translation on the board. Then answering questions using the formation of the question to identify the correct sentence in the passage to copy out, without having a clue what they are writing about, but, often producing the correct sentence none the less. Most of the words in the passage are forgotten as soon as they finish the lesson (because they are often so obscure that they will not often meet these words again).
This is how Japanese students are able to study English all their school life, and say very little. It is a phenomenally bad method of teaching, but is widespread.
Students are able to pass the school exams because the exams are so closely related to the textbook. Students are told which part of which lesson will be covered in the exam. This means that they can then memorise these strange textbook lesson words/ structures long enough to enable them to pass the exam.
The system of examination is another aspect of the education system which is key to note, in trying to understand the Japanese system. In England, to get into university, students must pass the national exams to achieve the required grades. Although in Japan, at age 18, there are national exams – these are only for the High Level students. Most of the students in most of my schools are not even put in to take these exams. As a result, all the exams that my students study for, are school based. The teachers (presumably) set the exam, they can teach exactly what will be on the exam, they can emphasise their teaching to what will be on the exam, to do their best to ensure that the students will mostly pass.
Perhaps these are reason why students in Japan are able to study 9 subjects and pass their age 18 exams. The lessons must have to be more intensive too, surely. Much less time for open discussions in lessons etc.
There are other Japanese education system features that are also important to appreciate in considering how the Japanese system can be how it is, and how this leads to immature students and the end of their time (and more generally – a different society!): The very heavy role of the teachers in getting the students through the education system. In England, by age 18 the onus to get through the exams, is definitely primarily on the student. If they can`t be bothered, then that really is their problem. They are afterall, age 18. However, in Japan, teachers are far more implicated in this problem. And to solving it. As I have mentioned in a previous blog, teachers will counsel students individually who have problems with their work. It is standard to have period 7. During this period (which is by the way, outside of the contracted work hours of teachers) teachers will run extra classes, for those students who didn`t do so well in their exams. Giving them that extra push, extra help, extra motivating force to get them to pass. This is for students up to age 18! They all have the teachers behind them like this! This doesn`t happen in England. If the student isn`t working, they are told to work, or get out. But in Japan students will always have the teachers coaxing them on, all the way. Alright for younger students maybe, but this is a major reasons why Japanese kids are more immature in their attitudes to work than western kids. Cram schools are the extreme end of this extra pushing. The cram school – an evening school for students who have difficulties with subjects, are very common. Many students will attend these schools – several evenings a week (after their regular school, after their club activities etc) for the extra pushing from the teachers to help. All of this is, in my view, so removed from the British method. Where students are left significantly more alone in their study. Of course most British teachers will give extra help. But frequently it would be that the student would identify that they wanted the extra help, and therefore the student would ask for it (in sixth form at least). In Japan it is the opposite way around. The teachers will take the first action. And this I think is a fundamental problem with the Japanese system. It helps to account for how British students are more mature, and the Japanese students are far less so.
The fact that students in Japan study 9 subjects seriously, and British students would take 3, obviously leads to some rather significant differences in the timetable. One most obvious difference is the free periods. Yao positively laughed out loud when I mentioned the words free period. The word is totally alien in the Japanese education system. They have nothing like it. They could have nothing like it! Independent study periods – for students aged 16-18??!! It would never work. School is somewhere where students are always shepherded to work. To be suddenly left with an hour to study independently, would be a totally bizarre situation to put Japanese students in. It would not work. But it does work in England. People in my school did get on and work in the free periods (generally). It`s because we were used to being independent more. Compared to the Japanese, we had a much more mature attitude to study.
It does feel a little strange going on about the virtues of the British education system. Because before I came to Japan I would never have thought of it as an example of a good system particularly. Certainly when I read about the education systems of more freer learning, and play in Scandinavia, British schools stressing excessively over health and safety concerns there are many ways in which I think the British system can be improved. However, I think this system, although definitely not perfect, does produce an important characteristic – independence, and self-motivation in students, which the Japanese system as it currently stands, does not.
There are of course several positive aspects to the Japanese system that should not be overlooked, (and are presumably the reason why the Japanese system came about, and why it continues). As a result of the 9 subjects all students study, as a result of the compulsory P.E. lessons, as a result of the compulsory all-life-consuming club activities (2-3 hours everyday after school + both weekend days) Japanese students` time is filled all the time by structured, productive activity producing healthy individuals who co-operate and work well with others.
English kids will most likely get home from school and watch TV. There is some virtue in the fact that presumably Japanese students are having a much healthier lifestyle. Both physically – as club activities are mostly sport. And in terms of developing good relationships by working with, communicating with, playing with real people (rather than developing a one-sided relationship with a screen). The strong community bonds that are developed during all this time that is spent at school (with your school family) must also be a good thing.
There are many aspects to Japanese society that is hugely better than the west. And I do think the reason fundamentally comes back to the education system where the values of community, the group, the team are so reinforced. Groups are predominant in the school life (your group is your homeroom class (with who you will have all of your lessons (ie – all your time from 8.30 – 4.30) – up until age 18!), and after lessons your group is your club activity 4 – 6/7pm and weekend days). The predominance of groups in the education system, and the application of group accountability (all members of a group are held at least partially accountable for the indiscretion of one of that groups` members) are some of the reasons why Japan is such a safe society, why the elderly aren`t a overlooked part of society (they are in general extremely present, active and healthy in Japan, taking an active role in groups and Japanese society – a big difference to the UK, I think),why Japanese people are courteous, polite and public spirited.
However, I can`t help thinking, that in spite of these positive effects the values in the education system have created, there are also negative effects that a Japanese person without an outside view would recognize. All these activities may create healthy young people, but surely people should have unstructured free time, without a leader telling you what to do. The lack of enough freedom to construct your own activities (or, equally importantly, relax!) is also problematic I think. The problem with the Japanese system, I believe, is that there is not enough freedom. Not enough freedom from structure, not enough freedom from leaders.
I think, it is the heavily structured, and heavily teacher-led days of young Japanese people have been a primary reason for the creation of a society that is so different from the individualist west, but is also the primary reason for their immaturity.
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