I am interested to do a research on Japanese culture for my Cultural Reporter Semester Project. My curiosity towards Japanese culture is becoming more intense as I am currently taking Japanese class in UNL. I was very excited when I saw my sensei (my Japanese class lecturer) spoke Japanese language during our first meeting just like in Japanese dramas and anime I have watched when I was in high school. From that moment, I am very determined to learn nihongo (Japanese language) and at the same time, to explore Japanese culture as well.
Nihon (Japan)
What is culture? The definition of culture is very subjective. As for me, culture is a trademark of a nation or society. Culture provides identity and originality of the nation. Culture is also inherited from the past generation and it is mean to be preserved for the next generation. According to Martin and Nakayama (2012), culture is learned patterns of behavior and attitudes shared by a group of people (p. 84).
Japanese culture is very unique as Japanese are always concerned with the application of cultural values in their daily life. The term "Japanese Traditions" signifies the customs or practices that have been passed on from one generation to another in Japan (Maps of World, 2012). Majority of Japanese in Japan are well-educated by their parents on how to behave properly and conduct their life according to the culture of Japanese. Reciprocity, indebtedness, and loyalty are some of Japanese values which are very important for Japanese society to produce a harmony nation. Japanese culture is always associated with Chinese culture. Chinese culture flowed out of China and into Japan to influence Japanese culture in several waves (Char4u.com, 2012).
Japanese culture is very unique as Japanese are always concerned with the application of cultural values in their daily life. The term "Japanese Traditions" signifies the customs or practices that have been passed on from one generation to another in Japan (Maps of World, 2012). Majority of Japanese in Japan are well-educated by their parents on how to behave properly and conduct their life according to the culture of Japanese. Reciprocity, indebtedness, and loyalty are some of Japanese values which are very important for Japanese society to produce a harmony nation. Japanese culture is always associated with Chinese culture. Chinese culture flowed out of China and into Japan to influence Japanese culture in several waves (Char4u.com, 2012).
The video above explains how Japanese eat sushi. Proper ways to eat sushi are very important for Japanese as they reflect the culture and tradition of Japanese people. When my sensei showed this video in the class, I was amazed with Japanese culture as it always prioritized manners and appropriate gestures when communicating with each other.
Japanese women in traditional Japanese kimono
This website, Japan National Tourism Organization provides a lot of information about Japan including Japanese culture, Japanese festivals, and famous places in Japan. The information provided is very useful especially for tourists who are interested to visit Japan in the future. Based on the Japan National Tourism Organization website, Japanese celebrate different festivals for each season (2012). During winter, Japanese usually will celebrate Chichibu Yomatsuri (fireworks show) which has been celebrated by them for more than 2000 years.
Chichibu Yomatsuri
I have outlined several plans how to conduct my study on Japanese culture and Japanese people:
1) Participant observation
Currently, I am taking Japanese language class in UNL. I will use my personal experience in the class for my Cultural Reporter Project. Besides learning how to read and write, I also gain knowledge about Japanese culture from this class. Global Friends of Japan in UNL also conducts various activities to promote Japanese culture among students. I will join the upcoming events to experience and understand Japanese lifestyle and culture.
Global Friends of Japan in UNL.
2) Interview
I know several Japanese students in UNL and they are willing to help me to complete this project. I'm also engaged in teacher-student relationship with my sensei hence I am going to interview her about Japanese culture and Japanese people in details.
References
Char4u.com. (2012). Chinese culture. The influence of Chinese culture on Japanese culture. Retrieved from http://www.char4u.com/article_info.php?articles_id=47
Japan National Tourism Organization. (2012). Festival and ceremonies. Chicibu Yomatsuri. Retrieved from http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spot/festival/chichibuyo.html
Maps of World. (2012). Japan. Japanese traditions. Retrieved from http://www.mapsofworld.com/japan/culture/traditions-in-japan.html
Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T.K. (2012). Intercultural communication in contexts (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
