Changing Impression

Obviously, my idea what culture, especially Japanese culture is has been changing. To know how the idea has been changed, I will review my old blog posts in this post.

In the first post, "great recommendation about Japanese culture for foreigners", and in the second post, “neighborhood”, I discerned old Japanese-style village which is located near my town and traditional Japanese festival “danjiri”. These town and festival, of course, are good examples of Japanese culture, but problem was that when I knew the topic, I didn't have any idea except for Japanese "TRADITIONAL" culture, like old temples, shrines, festival or something old, in my mind through the research. Before I know it, I had decided that culture is traditional things then.

In the third post, “Keihan-Line station”, I still focused on traditional things. But from then on, I started wondered what real (Japanese) culture is, and have gradually noticed that anything existing there can be culture.

Then, I decided to write about “Japanese Christmas” as my first free topic. In this post, I focused on unique Japanese culture for non-Japanese. Through this research, I knew that Japan had many unique culture that seemed strange for foreigners, so I tried to find out Japanese strange culture that is thought as normal by Japanese, in my free topic posts.

When I went to Arashiyama to research, I perfectly realized that small things which are usually ignored by people actually reflect culture/life there as I wrote on Post 6. Therefore, strange culture/life style were not recognized by people living there.

And now in my last post, I want to say that culture is always changing the form depending on the environment, people, time, and place. All things, people, buildings, and languages can be the culture. Even the things do not seem like directly related with there, it still can be called culture. For example, international students and teachers in Kansai Gaidai can be certain culture in Hirakata or Osaka or Japan. In this way, culture has been changed and will keep changing day by day.

Thank you reading my blog posts so far!!　ありがとう！

AMERICA-MURA, EOROPE STREET

 America-Mura (America village) located in Shinsaibashi, Osaka has been known as one of the biggest towns for youth in Kansai district. I clearly remember the first time I went to this place when I was a junior high student. This small “village” was covered with a special and unique mood and heat and I saw some foreigners for real at first time, then, I thought “this is America!” Off course, now I know it’s totally different from real America, but I didn’t have any idea that what America is, so I completely misunderstood it. Although America-Mura was originally started as an area which had some shops selling cloths and stuffs imported from America, after years, many other shops which do not sell American things, but other exotic things for Japanese appeared. In this way, this unique atmosphere was made up, and people still call this town “America” Mura.

This painting is known as an icon of America-Mura. Is this American?

Statue of liberty in America-Mura

Surprisingly, just a few hundred meters away from America-Mura, there is Europe Street.

   This street has an atmosphere like Europe countries’ one, that’s why people call this street Europe Street. This reason sounds silly for even me, Japanese. I wonder how this street could be European. Actually, this street is filled up with really Japanese things, such as a long row of bikes illegally parked and many Izakaya restaurants and their staffs called “catch”, who try to talk to people to get guests, just as hosts we watched in the movie. I interviewed one of these “catch” guy on Europe Street this time and got some interesting answers from him. I questioned him when he feels the street is like Europe and how the name “Europe Street” effects for people. He said, ” I’ve never felt that street is like European, but the word EUROPE does highly effect for people coming here. In Japan, Western cultures and things have certain status somehow, so people come here attracted by the word “Europe.” Therefore, Izakaya in this street can get much more guests than any Izakaya in other areas.”

the “catch”guy

From field-research this time, I learned two things. First, people in Japan are attracted a lot by other culture, may be especially by Western, but there are actually big gaps between real and image. Second, even if the image is very different from real, once people accept it, it can be a culture there.

EXTREME JAPAN

It is tough for me (Japanese) to find things which represent what Japanese is or Japanese culture is, because I was born and grew up in Japan. All things and stuff seem just normal, even people from other culture think it’s really Japanese. So this time, I decided to go to a typical Japanese place where foreigners often visit to get some clues for this article.

                            

I went to Arashiyama, Kyoto, the one of the most beautiful autumn color place in Japan. I pictured many beautiful scenes there, but I wonder these represent Japan or not. So I focused other “small” things rather than the place itself people usually focus on.

I finally found a thing I wanted, and pictured it.

This “NINJA” dog was on the street near the famous temple in Arashiyama. This street boasts many shops and restaurants, and people usually crowd there. But this time, the biggest crowd were just in front of this dog. Surprisingly, many foreigners eagerly took photos of “him”.

Few minutes later, I looked another dog who was taken picture from many people again.

These clothed pets are not rare in Japan recently, we can find in our daily life. People put costumes on their pet, and it seems normal any more. But for people from other culture, it is not still normal, I think. That scene foreigners were taking pictures of clothed dogs reminded me my foreign friend’s saying, “Japan is always extreme.”, and I think, this costumed pet is one good example of it.

Dog costumes

means "mother"

"father"

"oldest daughter"

it sais "Danger! Don't touch me!"

HOT DOG

 

In addition to these dogs, you can see one extreme example on a Japanese TV show “Shimura Doubutsuen” (Shimura Zoo), which is a quite popular TV program broadcasted at 7:00 pm on every Saturday. In this show, a chimp named Pan-kun is one of main casts just like other human guests. He has tried many activities which are usually done by human, for example, dog-walking, shopping, photographing, eating with chopsticks, etc...

http://www.ntv.co.jp/zoo/

This is really extreme cases, but most Japanese poeple never know how extreme this is.

I'm glad if readers of this post understand extreme of Japan.

Japanese Western Culture

In most western countries, people greatly celebrate Christmas. Christmas is the biggest holiday for them, and it means much for them due to religious reasons. But, in Japan, people recognize this special day in different way. Most people in Japan are not Christian, so it seems that they don’t have to celebrate it. They, however, do celebrate it. This is one interesting example.

Colonel Sanders put on red Santa Claus costume in front of all of the Kentucky Fried Chicken shop in whole Japan. Surprisingly, this costume party for Christmas starts from the end of October, before the genuine Christmas mood comes up in Western.

Santa costume sold in LOFT store at Tennoji.

I took this photo on the next day of Halloween. Needless to say, Halloween costumes were sold there until the previous day. Halloween is, off course, irrelevant to Japanese as well.

This is Christmas illumination at Tennoji HOOP.

In western culture, people basically have Christmas with their family. In contrast, people tend to have time with their lover in Japan. Christmas seems to Japanese people as just like festival of love.

These facts really represent Japanese mind. People in Japan tend to be easily influenced by other things. This characteristic could be both good and bad. After World War Ⅱ, Japanese greatly influenced by better country, and absorbed technology and learned a lot. But nowadays, the situation of influence from other has been changing. Among young Japanese people, western things have particular status somehow, so they often imitate western ways.

This Japanese Christmas imply that Japanese are getting lose own identity gradually.

FUSHIMI-MOMOYAMA STATION

I always get on Keihan Line from Yodoyabashi station to Hirakatashi station to commute.   I know much about between these two stations, so, this time, I hoped to choose station behind Hirakatashi station.   I, then, decided to visit Fushimi-Momoyama station first time.   I rode semi-express from Hirakatashi station and get off at Fushimi-Momoyama station taking 22 minutes.   When I arrived at the station, I realized that Fushimi-Momoyama station is really community-based one, because that seemed small and empty plat home with only a few passengers waiting for a train.

I talked to station staff about important things around station and who use this station and he said “there are some famous historic buildings about Ryoma Sakamoto, who is extraordinary popular person for his work in Edo era, but no one gets off here , since Chushozima station, rather big station, locates just next to this station”, he kept talking disappointedly,  “although the closest station to these famous landmark is here,   people who aim to these building mostly get off Chushozima station, because only local and semi express stops here.   For these reasons, Fushimi-Momoyama station is just for local people and students around there.  

And I moved out from the station.  

“Entrance gate”

My eyes caught a big surprise on the immediate right from an exit.  

A big Torii, a Shinto gate, stand proudly there.   I walked through the torii and entered into Gokonomiya shrine. 

"Gokonomiya"

There, also, is nice “shotengai” near the station.

"Ote shotengai"

Inside the shotengai, there are various shops.

Surprisingly, another station locates very close to Fushimi-momoyama station.

My Korean Friend

Before I met her, I regarded my foreign friends as FOREIGN friends, not as just friends, in any aspect.   One experience, however, taught me that no matter where they from and were born, friends are friends with no difference.

I got to know her just a half year ago as one new class mate.   We have taken several classes and spent some time outside the classes.   One day I saw that she spoke Korean language fluently and was impressed by great efforts made by her to learn Korean language.   I asked her how long she has studied it and she said, surprisingly, “never”.   I didn’t understand her saying first, but she continuingly added, more surprisingly, she is Korean.   Not until she said it for me, I never thought she is not Japanese because she perfectly looks like Japanese and speak Japanese like her own language.  

this is current Korean pose, she said

It was actually a big surprise for me (may be, for other class mate either), but this changed nothing at all.   She is just my friend, not foreign friend anytime from the beginning.  

Now, I can say that I don’t need the term “foreign” when I make relationship with anyone, just talk and feel them, then, find how important for me.  



Neighborhood of Tondabayashi.

In my home town, Tondabayashi city, there are some popular communities.   Some of my neighborhoods are belong to a community called Seinen-dan which means group of young people.   Seinen-dan’s main activity is Danziri Festival (Danziri is a sacred portable shrine which is traditionally used to express thanks for God) held in October every year.   Actually, the Danziri Festival is going to be held on 8^th, October this year.

                                                             

program of Danziri Festival this year

Danziri Festival in 2009.

Every year, eight Seinen-dans take part in this festival in Nishikori Shrine which is registered as an important cultural property.  

This shrine is placed on the center of my town just like many other shrines is done so.   My town is divided eight districts based on the location from this shrine and each district has each Seinen-dan.   People, mostly, join Seinen-dan in their own district when they are child and they grow up with passion for it.   Members of Seinen-dan are really enthusiastic for Danziri performances including songs and some music instruments, and of course Danziri moving itself.   They prepare for just 2-days festival for almost all year.  

This picture represents deep relation between Seinen-dan and people living in the district.   Each of these lanterns has name of shop and store which donates money to Seinen-dan.   Even they are not member of Seinen-dan, they try to support it and enjoy Danziri festival.