Changing Impressions of Japan; Conclusion

Trains are so convenient

Though it's entirely possible (and regrettable to think) that I could have done and seen more in Japan, the experience I've had here has been one of a kind, and I wouldn't change a thing about it. I might have made more friends with exchange students than Japanese people, but ultimately that puts my own role in the world into perspective.

I realized recently, after continuing to meet new people in travel adventures, that my original infatuation with Japan was in fact visual; I love Japanese modern art, from architecture, to miniatures, to anime, etc., and this has influenced my own art quite a bit over the past few months. I've come to like many things about Japan I wouldn't have thought of before. For example, where else can you find a nan taco but at Moss Burger? Or see so many weirdly named barber shops? Oddly enough I realize now one of my biggest culture shocks was the change from rural tiny coastal town (and college town in the middle of nowhere) to decent size city of Hirakata.

Too bad one of these magic signs
didn't exist nearby in my first 2 weeks

As far as impressions of people, I have to say I'm glad they've evened out. It seemed before I left that it was either 'awesome Japan' or 'crazy/weird Japan'. Now I can just say that it's Japan. My friend's hospitality and love was balanced by the shunning by Japanese in public forum and my trouble with my host mother. I think it's quite amazing I was able to get past so quickly her comments like "Oh, you've gained weight," or my personal favorite, "Since you're a girl you should be able to help me cook and clean regularly." Somehow, despite my feminist upbringing, the infamous patriarchy of Japan was something I was able to just brush past. 

Overall, this experience has been one that has allowed me to not only come to understand myself better, but be able to see Japan and Japanese people from a closer perspective than through a screen.

Visualization in Deaf Culture

I've been incredibly hesitant to make a post on anything to do with deaf culture or gestures, as there is already a ton of stuff on that and JSL (Japanese Sign Language) on our teacher's blog by itself. However, after finding myself at Shiori's house again last Saturday, thanks to friend Fukumichi from JSL Circle, I realized this topic was the most interesting one to discuss for me.

Shiori, deaf graphic designer, taking photos

My own background with any sign language is very little. I had never met any actual deaf people before coming to Japan, and had only really learnt a little bit from a small study group I went to a couple times and from my sister learning it. My sister, who has Down Syndrome, had an easier time expressing herself through baby sign language as a child than through speaking, though she is fully capable of both hearing and speaking.

Children's book made by another hard of hearing friend in the circle.
She was kind enough to give me a copy.

I feel like my general upbringing was enclosed in the repeated idea of "different, not wrong", eventually making me continually question what normal is. Ironically I came to the country where different and wrong are pretty much one and the same word; 違う, though that doesn't mean that the meaning is lumped together in Japanese culture, as I originally thought. I have some close 'gay' friends, one of which prefers the word 'queer' to 'homosexual'. Offensiveness in words is an interesting concept, linguistically, and applies to deaf culture also.

Perhaps having so much fun spending time with Shiori and her friends during the group at her house was not only a matter of being in an incredibly friendly learning environment, but also the increase in visual stimuli and it's usage in communication. I heard a student from my teacher's other class, which was more Body Language in Japanese Society (or something), complain that the class is just a lot of learning JSL. Thinking about it now, it would make a lot of sense to learn such things in learning about body language. I realized that after spending about 4 hours with people who couldn't hear, I started using my hands and face much, much more not only to talk with people who could barely understand my fumbled attempt at JSL, but also with people who could hear me fine, English or Japanese speakers.

I thought this shot was great; we kept breaking Shiori's
little globe, and we'd repeatedly have to put it back together
again. Perhaps a metaphor?

Hopefully I can keep using this knowledge in the states, too. Though, I might more commonly just ask people how many older brothers they have when I'm upset with them. Either way, the experience was worth it.

What do Japanese People Do?

Upon realizing I seemly haven't done anything lately, I will fill in this post on what Japanese people do with what little I picked up about Japanese hand crafts.

My host mother knits and does "fancy work" (i'm still not sure what this means) as it says on her information form I got before I met her. It's actually quite good. She teaches classes and has a "licence". In fact, she even offered to knit me a sweater for Christmas. I wonder If she'll follow through after hosting her 18th year or so. Though it seems common for older women in Japan to have hand-craft hobbies, as my other 70 year old Japanese friends do oil painting and embroidery, I was told by my host mother most women have cooking as a hobby. Of course, there are unconventional hobbyists out there, too. Perhaps this is part of the marriage mentality. It seems that whenever I talk to older Japanese women, they tell me that I'm pretty, have such white skin, ask if I can cook, and then, when I tell them I can, say, "Oh, you can get married for sure." My host mother told me to make sure and invite her to my wedding, and that she'll come to Washington for it. I wonder if this has to do with the postponing of marriage in Japan.

There are recipe books in the dollar store, so
I can see how popular hand-made food is.
This one is for Tomo-choco for Valentines.

My host mother's license

My host mother, knitting...

this.

Here are two of my other 70 year old friends, whom
I met at the park near Hirakata Station.

I tried to find more information in the library on these crafts as they relate to 70 year old Japanese women, but quickly realized after an hour of searching it was kind of futile. The books they had were on traditional crafts that involved materials like wood, clay, and paper, not seed beads, thread, or oil paints like those used by my friends/host mother. Also I got caught up drooling over the sumi-e books.

Before I also visited the equivalent of Michael's in Osaka, and the ABC Crafts at Hirakata Station. There were quite a different assortment of things, but there were also beads, string, thread, buttons, and other things I'd see in America. However, the quality for the price was much better, and there were a number of things I would have trouble finding in America. For instance, wool for felting, a ton more sewing supplies, sumi-e supplies, fans, kimono fabric, carving tools for hanko, and the like. I'm sure they had more, but I didn't go beyond their first floor.

This..

becomes this.

Pictures taken at ABC crafts

Portrait of a Japanese Person

My old roommate and her parents at graduation

Some girls I met at the sports festival

A Japanese shop owner who spoke English
and sold Turkish clothing.

A girl who had dressed up for job hunting.

All of these people are "Japanese".

I had taken a number of photos of random, or just-met, Japanese people, thinking, "these would make nice portraits" but not realizing fully that I would have to talk about these people as well. Since coming to live with her approximately six weeks ago in January I have come to get a feel for my host mother's personality. Mitsuko Hidaka has been hosting students for 18 years, so I will not be surprised if she has popped up in another anthropology blog somewhere.

When I asked her why she hosted, she said it started because her husband had owned an international business and was fluent in English. However, after his death five years ago due to throat cancer, she still hosts students. Considering her age (70) and the fact that she lives alone I asked her why she continues to host, thinking maybe she is a bit lonely. However, Mitsuko said she loves to hear the sound of English being spoken (though later she said she likes a Spanish accent the best) and that the school asked her to continue, as she had gotten good reviews in the past. I figure that her love for travel and extremely energetic nature also add to the reasons.

In this picture my host mother is making
stringing beads into an ornate pattern,
 possibly for a vest.

I also asked her a question that, in addition to her fondness of foreign cultures, seems to refer to some misunderstanding about Westernization. I asked, “Which do you prefer; Japan or America?” She said, “Of course Japan, but America is better for sightseeing.” This made me think about what is culture, and how can anyone paint one portrait of a “Japanese Person”? What makes someone Japanese or American or Swedish, etc? My host mother likes Korean fashions, but has her own, Japanese style, and owns a kimono for formal events. She likes to learn English, but would rather speak in fluent Japanese. Though my breakfast might resemble a ‘western’ breakfast, the dinners are never something I would have eaten at home. In fact, I was once greeted with a plate full of chewy octopus legs.

Watching TV at the time; here we were watching
a program that, to me, seemed like a drama for
people who had strange symptoms of illness; like the show
House only a placid Japanese soap opera.

To me, the idea that Japan is losing its culture is absurd, or that change is bad, namely because we fail to see that change occurs everywhere, and adaption is normal; it's not loss. I feel like there are general things that make my host mother Japanese; her heritage, the constant cleaning of the house, taking of shoes in the entryway, cooking, language, body language, etc. However, I often confuse my friends because I often refer to her as my "mom", not my Japanese mom, which I often clarify shortly afterwards. Taking a portrait of a Japanese Person is extremely difficult, because a Japanese person isn't any one thing. It's difficult to define what a core of someone's identity really is, no matter how homogenized it might seem.. However, I can say that perhaps this could be a snapshot of Mitsuko Hidaka. This is my portrait of my host mother.

Neighborhood Hirakata

When I asked my host mother what the local neighborhood was like, she told me that it was very convenient as important shops and the local elementary school are very close. So, thinking the local school was more anthropologically interesting than the local Seven-Eleven, I did a bit of research, and took photos of what I could.

Shodaiyouchi pre-school, right across from the
secondary elementary school. 

Main gate of Tonoyamadainishogakkou

The local school is about a two minute walk from my house, and right across from it is a visible pre-school. The preschool is a large, lime green building with a decent sized playground. In the playground are a number of things that I recall being torn out from my local playgrounds in America because they were too "dangerous". Interestingly, I also read that many dangerous objects are made available to young children, such as hand saws, box cutters, and large building blocks that are heavy enough to crush toes.

"When I inquired about student's hurting themselves, a teacher explained that "children don't really cry when they hurt themselves in the course of doing something they've chosen to do; it's only when they're made to do something, or are hurt by others, that they really cry," (Lewis 115)

One idea I found about elementary schools that was also interesting was the idea of their general learning mentality. They even have songs to emphasize such things.

"Friendliness, cooperation, and persistence dominated classroom values, and these were arenas of acheivement available to all children. Lessons were challenging, and hence mistakes were an inevitalble part of learning," (Lewis 98).

A picture of some of the judo students, possibly
from the above mentioned elementary school.

Of the words associated with these ideas were those of friendliness, （友達、しんせつ、やさしい）, persistence （がんばる、どりょく、こんき）, and energy, enthusiasm, and exuberence （元気）(Lewis).  The fact that I have heard these values echoed as ideal in conversations with my Japanese friends supports the idea that these are virtues held in high esteem both in early education and everyday life.

"Japanese teachers often described the ideal small group, class, and school as a family, where students learned rom one another and were concerned about each others' welfare. [...] The metaphor of family [...] signifies concern with all aspects of members' development, not just with the quality of the work members produce," (Lewis 98, 99).

However, "the relatively low rate of various problems among Japanese youth may not be attributable to schooling, it may be attributed to family influences or other qualities of the society," (Lewis 168). Of course, this ties into the idea of how school is like a family: if the school and home environments are the same, what children learn can only be re-enforced. Harmony is undoubtably an important value of the Japanese.

A close-up of the main gate.

Source: Lewis, Catherine C. Educating Hearts & Minds: Reflectinos on Japanese Preschool & Elementary Education. Cambridge Press. (c) 1995.

Early Impressions of Japan

I did not think that I would fit in as a blonde, 5 foot 8" tall white girl in a sea of small Japanese people with starkly black hair. I honestly expected culture 'shock' but it seems more like an unexpected weather change. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Japan is “small”. I commented about this to my friend, who is native Japanese. I said, "Japan is so small." Her reply, after having come and stayed as an exchange student herself, was, "America is so big!" Like her, I'm beginning to miss the cheapness of Wal-Mart. Japan is expensive, but to me the food also has more taste. I expected small things, courteous people, quiet subways, people actually using umbrellas, and the like.

People take the rain seriously here,
and don't care how they look when they do.



Despite Japan's modernization, it's still slightly surprising to see
things like these; little statues made to guard the shop.

I still remember when my brother got into a crowded tub at an onsen and many of them left quickly and silently. Later I was told this was most likely due to the fear of my brother trying to chat with them in English. The importance of saving face and helping each other selflessly is a societal norm that I find hard to live with, because I feel like it’s even more important not to make mistakes here, when that is exactly what I am going to do, and have been doing.

I even caused a man to crash his motorbike by stepping too close to the crosswalk. I know it was me, because he tracked me down and asked if I was ok, and gave me a lecture about watching lights and being careful. Even though I was the reason part of his bike broke off, he (and others) were more concerned about asking me if I was OK.

Many things about me may be American, but it doesn’t stop my host mother from saying that my shyness is very Japanese. Despite my self-inflicted handicaps and pessimistic outlooks, I try my best to be happy about others’ kindness, sincerity, and charity.