On the topic of nudity in Japan, I suppose the first thing that comes to mind is public bathing at onsen and sento. Like a lot of foreigners my first experience (at a lovely spacious onsen up in Hokkaido overlooking a volcano) was a little awkward, moreso for the fact that I was there with a number of classmates and my Japanese teacher. Even now I tend to feel more relaxed when there are fewer friends and acquaintances around me at an onsen, although it's an activity I've come to enjoy quite a lot - I just wish there were some decent ones closer to the dormitory.
From various accounts it seems that mixed bathing was the norm in earlier days, until Western people arrived and expressed their shock and surprise at such apparent lewdness. Back in a time when plumbing and plentiful hot water weren't an everyday commodity it's quite understandable that people would put aside any shame or reservedness about nudity and enjoy a hot bath with whoever else may have been present.
There are a few other related topics I'd like to write about, such as pornography and shunga, although for the moment I may have to save that for another time.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Obama and the Nobel Peace Prize
It's extremely difficult to make an absolute call on whether Barack Obama was deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize this year. It comes somewhat as a surprise considering the short length of time he has held office, and even more surprising when you realise that at the time he was nominated, he had been President for only two weeks.
Whether or not he was a good choice depends on a number of criteria, although at the most fundamental level it is worth taking a look at the Will of Alfred Nobel, which states that the recipient of the Peace Prize ought to be "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses".
To begin with, Obama had the colossal advantage of being the political successor to George W. Bush, whose gross unpopularity and incompetence was apparent to many Americans and virtually all people outside the United States. So, in a rather oblique way, he managed to become a point of commonality and unity amongst a wide range of people from all parts of the world. However, despite his campaigning point of promoting multilateral diplomacy, the goal of reducing standing armies does not appear to reflect his recent actions; it seems 34,000 extra troops will be headed to Afghanistan next year, for example.
On top of this, it's arguable that there were far more deserving winners of this year's peace prize - Morgan Tsvangirai (Zimbabwe's prime minister) and Hu Jia (a prominent critic of China's human rights abuses) immediately come to mind. Obama, by his own admission, was undeserving. The Nobel Committee is undoubtedly aware of the exposure it can create in awarding a prize, and it would've likely been far more effective in the pursuit of genuine peace to highlight work done by an individual who would otherwise remain relatively obscure compared to Obama. Presumably they were hesitant to risk offending Robert Mugabe or China - personally I believe that no concession or concern should be given to such groups that would react in a petulant or arrogant manner.
Regardless of whatever criticisms are directed at this choice of recipient, most could agree that the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to far more controversial and undeserving figures such as Henry Kissinger and Yasser Arafat. So, whilst it can arguably be said that Barack Obama has contributed comparatively little to world peace, any criticism of him as a Peace Prize recipient falls short in light of what the aforementioned men have been responsible for.
Links:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/09/dabashi.obama.nobel.prize/index.html
http://www.theroot.com/views/why-obama-deserves-nobel-peace-prize
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/10/2009109152410715115.html
http://en.rian.ru/world/20091012/156432294.html
http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/10/09/why-obama-does-not-deserve-the-nobel-peace-prize/
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/79380.html
Whether or not he was a good choice depends on a number of criteria, although at the most fundamental level it is worth taking a look at the Will of Alfred Nobel, which states that the recipient of the Peace Prize ought to be "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses".
To begin with, Obama had the colossal advantage of being the political successor to George W. Bush, whose gross unpopularity and incompetence was apparent to many Americans and virtually all people outside the United States. So, in a rather oblique way, he managed to become a point of commonality and unity amongst a wide range of people from all parts of the world. However, despite his campaigning point of promoting multilateral diplomacy, the goal of reducing standing armies does not appear to reflect his recent actions; it seems 34,000 extra troops will be headed to Afghanistan next year, for example.
On top of this, it's arguable that there were far more deserving winners of this year's peace prize - Morgan Tsvangirai (Zimbabwe's prime minister) and Hu Jia (a prominent critic of China's human rights abuses) immediately come to mind. Obama, by his own admission, was undeserving. The Nobel Committee is undoubtedly aware of the exposure it can create in awarding a prize, and it would've likely been far more effective in the pursuit of genuine peace to highlight work done by an individual who would otherwise remain relatively obscure compared to Obama. Presumably they were hesitant to risk offending Robert Mugabe or China - personally I believe that no concession or concern should be given to such groups that would react in a petulant or arrogant manner.
Regardless of whatever criticisms are directed at this choice of recipient, most could agree that the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to far more controversial and undeserving figures such as Henry Kissinger and Yasser Arafat. So, whilst it can arguably be said that Barack Obama has contributed comparatively little to world peace, any criticism of him as a Peace Prize recipient falls short in light of what the aforementioned men have been responsible for.
Links:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/09/dabashi.obama.nobel.prize/index.html
http://www.theroot.com/views/why-obama-deserves-nobel-peace-prize
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/10/2009109152410715115.html
http://en.rian.ru/world/20091012/156432294.html
http://www.mideastyouth.com/2009/10/09/why-obama-does-not-deserve-the-nobel-peace-prize/
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/79380.html
Friday, November 6, 2009
Vegetarianism in Japan
I'm not vegetarian myself, and whilst I've had a few vegetarian (non-Japanese) friends living here in Japan, it's not something I had to seriously consider until my girlfriend came to visit over the summer. She's been vegetarian for over half her life, so, as you can probably guess, it's a matter she takes quite seriously.
It's not such a big issue if you have your own residence with a kitchen in which you can make your own meals, although travelling around and frequently eating at restaurants presents a significant problem unless you're willing to frequently eat white rice, edamame, and convenience store snacks. Saying "vegetarian" (or even 菜食主義者) didn't quite suffice - I also had to specify that fish or any other form of seafood is also off-limits, as are animal-based stocks/broths/sauces, which immediately eliminates almost any soup dish and other seemingly innocuous dishes such as agedashi tōfu.
It turned out that places such as kushikatsu restaurants were a good option, where we were able to choose individual items to be cooked. On top of that, the strictly vegetarian meals at the Mt Koya temple in which we stayed were absolutely stunning, and also very filling.
Anyway, I find it curious and also somewhat inexplicable that whilst I have a large number of vegetarian and vegan friends in Australia, I've never met any Japanese people with such dietary habits despite the common notion of Buddhist-based vegetarianism. Most of those aforementioned friends tend to base their vegetarianism on their strong regard for animal rights, and often equal to that, the environmental impact of meat consumption. Whilst the West has a long way to go (and being omnivorous myself, I can only criticise to a certain extent) I feel that the welfare of animals isn't given much consideration in Japan, even when it comes to domestic pets.
It's not such a big issue if you have your own residence with a kitchen in which you can make your own meals, although travelling around and frequently eating at restaurants presents a significant problem unless you're willing to frequently eat white rice, edamame, and convenience store snacks. Saying "vegetarian" (or even 菜食主義者) didn't quite suffice - I also had to specify that fish or any other form of seafood is also off-limits, as are animal-based stocks/broths/sauces, which immediately eliminates almost any soup dish and other seemingly innocuous dishes such as agedashi tōfu.
It turned out that places such as kushikatsu restaurants were a good option, where we were able to choose individual items to be cooked. On top of that, the strictly vegetarian meals at the Mt Koya temple in which we stayed were absolutely stunning, and also very filling.
Anyway, I find it curious and also somewhat inexplicable that whilst I have a large number of vegetarian and vegan friends in Australia, I've never met any Japanese people with such dietary habits despite the common notion of Buddhist-based vegetarianism. Most of those aforementioned friends tend to base their vegetarianism on their strong regard for animal rights, and often equal to that, the environmental impact of meat consumption. Whilst the West has a long way to go (and being omnivorous myself, I can only criticise to a certain extent) I feel that the welfare of animals isn't given much consideration in Japan, even when it comes to domestic pets.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Gunkanjima, Nagasaki
I went on a day trip to Nagasaki in early August, but with a specific purpose in mind - to visit the island of Gunkanjima. Here are some figures about the island from Wikipedia's page on Gunkanjima:
Hashima Island (端島; "Border Island"), commonly called Gunkanjima (軍艦島; "Battleship Island") is one among 505 uninhabited islands in the Nagasaki Prefecture about 15 kilometers from Nagasaki itself. The island was populated from 1887 to 1974 as a coal mining facility.
In 1959, its population density was 835 people per hectare (83,500 people/km2) for the whole island, or 1,391 per hectare (139,100 people/km2) for the residential district, the highest population density ever recorded worldwide.
It may not have been the most pleasant place to live due to its cramped nature and relative isolation, but it had all the conveniences of any other town (with perhaps the exception of a large park): a cinema, swimming pool, shops, a shrine, so forth. There also existed a school for the children living on the island. Unfortunately it also had a darker element to its existence, as the population also included forced labourers from Korea and China during World War Two.
Since 1974 it has remained abandoned apart from a number of daring urban explorers (of whom I am admittedly quite envious) until recently, when a Nagasaki ferry company began landing tours of the island. Here are a couple of my photos from the trip, click for an enlargement:
Unfortunately, being herded around with a large group of other tourists somewhat ruins the purpose of visiting an abandoned site, but it's currently the only legal option for visiting. It was also extremely hot that day, especially standing on concrete, and the sea walls were sufficiently high enough to stop any sea breeze. But otherwise it was an unusual and interesting experience, and to me it's one of the more fascinating places in Japan of which little is known to most locals.
Anyway, having said all that, I'd certainly be keen to visit Nagasaki again so I can take the time to do some sightseeing around the city itself, something I actually didn't do!
Hashima Island (端島; "Border Island"), commonly called Gunkanjima (軍艦島; "Battleship Island") is one among 505 uninhabited islands in the Nagasaki Prefecture about 15 kilometers from Nagasaki itself. The island was populated from 1887 to 1974 as a coal mining facility.
In 1959, its population density was 835 people per hectare (83,500 people/km2) for the whole island, or 1,391 per hectare (139,100 people/km2) for the residential district, the highest population density ever recorded worldwide.
It may not have been the most pleasant place to live due to its cramped nature and relative isolation, but it had all the conveniences of any other town (with perhaps the exception of a large park): a cinema, swimming pool, shops, a shrine, so forth. There also existed a school for the children living on the island. Unfortunately it also had a darker element to its existence, as the population also included forced labourers from Korea and China during World War Two.
Since 1974 it has remained abandoned apart from a number of daring urban explorers (of whom I am admittedly quite envious) until recently, when a Nagasaki ferry company began landing tours of the island. Here are a couple of my photos from the trip, click for an enlargement:
Unfortunately, being herded around with a large group of other tourists somewhat ruins the purpose of visiting an abandoned site, but it's currently the only legal option for visiting. It was also extremely hot that day, especially standing on concrete, and the sea walls were sufficiently high enough to stop any sea breeze. But otherwise it was an unusual and interesting experience, and to me it's one of the more fascinating places in Japan of which little is known to most locals.
Anyway, having said all that, I'd certainly be keen to visit Nagasaki again so I can take the time to do some sightseeing around the city itself, something I actually didn't do!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Various topics
Unfortunately I didn't get around to writing anything last week - this week I should get around to it before I completely forget what was discussed last Friday!
In the week prior, the topic of compulsory English language education was briefly raised. I completely support the idea of exposing students to foreign language learning, at least at an elementary or junior high school level, as I support any sort of activity that requires people to use their brains in different ways. (As expected, the part of my brain that deals with language gets a regular workout, although the part that is used for arithmetic has, in all likelihood, completely atrophied.) One of my concerns is that, at least until high school, students are rarely given the choice of what language they would like to learn. Fortunately, in my first year of junior high school I was required to attend classes for French, German and Indonesian (sequentially, not all at the same time) and was then asked to choose one to study for the following year - not such a bad system.
Whilst people undertake language study for a variety of reasons, I strongly believe the process of language learning should be an enjoyable one. If people come to associate language (such as English) with failure, embarrassment and discomfort, then it's understandable they will be hesitant to use it (such as the woman who ran away from Kie) or perhaps even hold a resentment towards it. Hence another reason why believe students should be able to choose a language they find appealing.
Unfortunately, the nature of Japanese society, language and behaviour may also be something of a barrier to effective foreign language learning. Progression in language learning requires you to argue your opinion, to make mistakes, to speak in front of a number of people, and to face negative evaluation - a gross generalisation as it may be, I feel that a large number of Japanese people would choose to stay silent instead of subjecting themselves to these things. The fairly limited syllabary of the Japanese language is also something of a hindrance that (initially) can't be helped, but for example, having such things as katakana furigana for non-Japanese songs at karaoke isn't doing anything to encourage the correct pronunciation of foreign words. Gairaigo (and various portmanteaus/contractions) provides a good base of vocabulary for those learning English in particular, but again, may end up causing confusion.
Anyway, I've rambled on long enough about the topic of language learning in Japan, and the last thing I want to do is discourage Japanese people or anyone else from learning a foreign language. I have a lot of respect for anyone attempting to do so, whether it be related to their career, their hobby, or whatever.
Last Friday my group decided that homosexuality and personal questions were two particular topics of interest for discussion, something I'm looking forward to hearing about. Eventually I'd also like to get around to writing a little bit about food in Japan, but in particular, vegetarianism in Japan.
Cheers!
In the week prior, the topic of compulsory English language education was briefly raised. I completely support the idea of exposing students to foreign language learning, at least at an elementary or junior high school level, as I support any sort of activity that requires people to use their brains in different ways. (As expected, the part of my brain that deals with language gets a regular workout, although the part that is used for arithmetic has, in all likelihood, completely atrophied.) One of my concerns is that, at least until high school, students are rarely given the choice of what language they would like to learn. Fortunately, in my first year of junior high school I was required to attend classes for French, German and Indonesian (sequentially, not all at the same time) and was then asked to choose one to study for the following year - not such a bad system.
Whilst people undertake language study for a variety of reasons, I strongly believe the process of language learning should be an enjoyable one. If people come to associate language (such as English) with failure, embarrassment and discomfort, then it's understandable they will be hesitant to use it (such as the woman who ran away from Kie) or perhaps even hold a resentment towards it. Hence another reason why believe students should be able to choose a language they find appealing.
Unfortunately, the nature of Japanese society, language and behaviour may also be something of a barrier to effective foreign language learning. Progression in language learning requires you to argue your opinion, to make mistakes, to speak in front of a number of people, and to face negative evaluation - a gross generalisation as it may be, I feel that a large number of Japanese people would choose to stay silent instead of subjecting themselves to these things. The fairly limited syllabary of the Japanese language is also something of a hindrance that (initially) can't be helped, but for example, having such things as katakana furigana for non-Japanese songs at karaoke isn't doing anything to encourage the correct pronunciation of foreign words. Gairaigo (and various portmanteaus/contractions) provides a good base of vocabulary for those learning English in particular, but again, may end up causing confusion.
Anyway, I've rambled on long enough about the topic of language learning in Japan, and the last thing I want to do is discourage Japanese people or anyone else from learning a foreign language. I have a lot of respect for anyone attempting to do so, whether it be related to their career, their hobby, or whatever.
Last Friday my group decided that homosexuality and personal questions were two particular topics of interest for discussion, something I'm looking forward to hearing about. Eventually I'd also like to get around to writing a little bit about food in Japan, but in particular, vegetarianism in Japan.
Cheers!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Summer holidays
It's definitely been a while since I've written in the blog! Hello to everyone from last semester and welcome to all those who arrived this semester. During the summer I spent about a month travelling around Japan, and whilst it cost a lot of money I had a good time. Two weeks were spent catching up with friends and seeing some countryside I hadn't seen before, and the following two weeks were spent with my girlfriend. After about 5 months of being apart I was very happy to see her again, as you'd expect. :) As it was her first time in Japan we visited a lot of well-known spots, especially in the Kansai region. Throughout my month-long holiday I was able to see quite a lot of places - Matsuyama, Tokushima, Kobe, Himeji, Kinosaki, Amanohashidate, Hikone, Kyoto, Nara, Mt Koya, Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima, and I even passed through the small but well-known town of Obama in Fukui-ken. ;) Here are a handful of photos from the summer:
This first photo isn't so interesting in itself, but it was taken inside a Kyoto townhouse, in which my girlfriend and I stayed for two nights. It's run by Iori, an organisation co-founded by author Alex Kerr which aims to preserve Kyoto machiya and give travellers a brief but wonderful experience of staying inside one. It's far more spacious than a hotel and with much more privacy than a ryokan... unfortunately you have to pay a bit more for these privileges!
This is Kinosaki in northern Hyogo-ken, a beautiful little onsen town where everyone spends the evening walking around in yukata and geta between various hot springs baths in the town. Even the train ride from Himeji through the countryside was fantastic. The baths themselves in Kinosaki aren't too bad, but the water quality in Kumamoto is much better. ;)
One of the vine bridges deep in the Tokushima-ken countryside. The car ride through the mountains is nauseating, but well worth it.
Oku-no-in cemetery at Mt Koya is easily one of the most stunning places I've visited anywhere in the world, unfortunately photos don't do it justice. There's a remarkable amount of history within the cemetery and is apparently quite a surreal and eerie place to visit during the cold and misty times of the year.
I absolutely love whisky, and Japanese whisky has (quite deservedly) been receiving a lot of attention in recent years. I had a brilliant day out at the Suntory Yamazaki distillery between Osaka and Kyoto. Not only are Yamazaki tastings free during the tour, but the whisky bar is unbelievably cheap... so the day descended into a bit of a summery golden haze. This above photo was taken in the "whisky library".
Me fooling around in Nara.
The Awa Odori festival in Tokushima every August 12 - 16 is brilliant, and absolutely enormous. I attended the festival in 2005 and since then had been looking forward to experiencing it again. There's something unique about the atmosphere and energy of that festival I haven't felt anywhere else in Japan, or in the world, for that matter.
My girlfriend Holly and I, on the boat to Miyajima. :)
See you guys next Friday!
This first photo isn't so interesting in itself, but it was taken inside a Kyoto townhouse, in which my girlfriend and I stayed for two nights. It's run by Iori, an organisation co-founded by author Alex Kerr which aims to preserve Kyoto machiya and give travellers a brief but wonderful experience of staying inside one. It's far more spacious than a hotel and with much more privacy than a ryokan... unfortunately you have to pay a bit more for these privileges!
This is Kinosaki in northern Hyogo-ken, a beautiful little onsen town where everyone spends the evening walking around in yukata and geta between various hot springs baths in the town. Even the train ride from Himeji through the countryside was fantastic. The baths themselves in Kinosaki aren't too bad, but the water quality in Kumamoto is much better. ;)
One of the vine bridges deep in the Tokushima-ken countryside. The car ride through the mountains is nauseating, but well worth it.
Oku-no-in cemetery at Mt Koya is easily one of the most stunning places I've visited anywhere in the world, unfortunately photos don't do it justice. There's a remarkable amount of history within the cemetery and is apparently quite a surreal and eerie place to visit during the cold and misty times of the year.
I absolutely love whisky, and Japanese whisky has (quite deservedly) been receiving a lot of attention in recent years. I had a brilliant day out at the Suntory Yamazaki distillery between Osaka and Kyoto. Not only are Yamazaki tastings free during the tour, but the whisky bar is unbelievably cheap... so the day descended into a bit of a summery golden haze. This above photo was taken in the "whisky library".
Me fooling around in Nara.
The Awa Odori festival in Tokushima every August 12 - 16 is brilliant, and absolutely enormous. I attended the festival in 2005 and since then had been looking forward to experiencing it again. There's something unique about the atmosphere and energy of that festival I haven't felt anywhere else in Japan, or in the world, for that matter.
My girlfriend Holly and I, on the boat to Miyajima. :)
See you guys next Friday!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Second assignment - Minamata disease
I hope this fits the criteria of the assignment!
Anyway, the source material I'm referring to is an article from the Asian Economic News website, published August 27 2001: "China to learn about Minamata mercury poisoning".
As a result of China's rapid industrialisation and economic growth, they too are repeating what has happened in numerous other regions which have gone through such a rapid change, namely, allowing environmental issues to take a backseat to development. Subsequently, many parts of China are having to deal with mercury and other pollutants being released into the environment at a dangerous rate.
In light of this, the city of Minamata and the Chinese city of Zhangjiagang, "designated as the first environment model city by the Chinese government", promoted an exchange in an attempt to share information on environmental issues, and according to the article, the city of Minamata intends to further this plan in an attempt to help other countries deal with similar poisonings.
Unfortunately I haven't looked much further into the issue to see what resulted of this, or whether these exchanges have spread further across the world, but if there were few good things to come of the Minamata poisoning then this would certainly be one of them. "The mercury poisoning occurred at the height of Japan's economic boom. We would like to tell China not to make that mistake," a Minamata official said.
Anyway, the source material I'm referring to is an article from the Asian Economic News website, published August 27 2001: "China to learn about Minamata mercury poisoning".
As a result of China's rapid industrialisation and economic growth, they too are repeating what has happened in numerous other regions which have gone through such a rapid change, namely, allowing environmental issues to take a backseat to development. Subsequently, many parts of China are having to deal with mercury and other pollutants being released into the environment at a dangerous rate.
In light of this, the city of Minamata and the Chinese city of Zhangjiagang, "designated as the first environment model city by the Chinese government", promoted an exchange in an attempt to share information on environmental issues, and according to the article, the city of Minamata intends to further this plan in an attempt to help other countries deal with similar poisonings.
Unfortunately I haven't looked much further into the issue to see what resulted of this, or whether these exchanges have spread further across the world, but if there were few good things to come of the Minamata poisoning then this would certainly be one of them. "The mercury poisoning occurred at the height of Japan's economic boom. We would like to tell China not to make that mistake," a Minamata official said.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
So bizarre you couldn't make it up
Came across this at The Japan Times website the other day:
Congratulations on setting your gender back 50 years, Miss Fujioka.
I'm not sure how the wider Japanese population feels about something such as this. There's certainly no denying that Japan pop culture is a source of soft power and a cultural asset, but to me it's still about as cringe-worthy as Crocodile Dundee, Steve Irwin or Ken Done paintings being cultural ambassadors for Australia.
'Cute ambassadors' roam globe to promote Japan's pop culture
Three female "ambassadors of cute" appointed by the Foreign Ministry have started traveling abroad to introduce Japanese pop culture to young people overseas.
One of the "kawaii ambassadors," Shizuka Fujioka, the "magician clothing coordinator" known for her school uniform outfits, took part in an event in Thailand in March. The other two will hit Paris in July.
[...]
"I think it will be in Japan's national interest if there is at least one person in the host country who thinks I'm pretty," [Fujioka] said.
(source)
Congratulations on setting your gender back 50 years, Miss Fujioka.
I'm not sure how the wider Japanese population feels about something such as this. There's certainly no denying that Japan pop culture is a source of soft power and a cultural asset, but to me it's still about as cringe-worthy as Crocodile Dundee, Steve Irwin or Ken Done paintings being cultural ambassadors for Australia.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
「諸君の中に一人でも俺と一緒に立つ奴はいないのか。」
In light of some recent discussion concerning authors and stories, I felt it was apt to bring up a particular topic which I was originally going to mention in my post about Constitution Day and controversial symbolism - Yukio Mishima.
I'm certain that most people in Japan of at least a high school graduate age are aware of Yukio Mishima, even if they aren't familiar with his work. It's difficult to give a nutshell summary of his life, but as briefly as I can, he was a Japanese author born in 1925 who had a childhood spread between being raised by his grandmother who rarely let him venture outside or participate in "boyish" activities, and his militaristic father who held a disdain for any sort of effeminate behaviour. Mishima falsified medical conditions to avoid being drafted to fight in WW2, and against his father's wishes, furthered his passion of writing into and beyond his teen years. He penned numerous novels, plays and short stories, and later in life developed an interest in bodybuilding, ultra-nationalism, and eventually formed his own private militia, the Tatenokai. On November 25, 1975, Mishima and members of the Tatenokai attempted to stage a coup d'etat at a Self Defence Forces base in Tokyo, aiming to reinstate the Emperor as the political power of Japan through an address on a balcony to the soldiers below. Upon its failure, Mishima retreated into the building, committed seppuku, and was beheaded by one of his followers.
First of all, I admit that I haven't even come close to reading a sizeable portion of his work, so extensive (and occasionally impenetrable) is his oeuvre. But whilst his novels tell genuinely captivating tales, I find the story of Mishima himself far more fascinating. The transformation from a timid, frail, and effeminate young man into a brutal, narcissistic nationalist with a fascination for death, combined with his not-so-closeted homosexuality, is rather unique. However, it seems he is often brushed off by many as simply being a "crazy man" or "a bit strange".
To me, Mishima is also one of many pieces in the puzzle of Japan's struggle to assert and identify itself in the postwar period. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, comfort women, Nanjing, SCAP Occupation, Yasukuni Shrine, history revisionism, etc., all play into this issue (and is an enormously broad topic about which volumes can and have been written!). Unto this, Mishima seems to have been adopted by numerous right-wing groups in Japan as a sort of inspirational figurehead (have a look at this link) despite his contrasting belief that Emperor Hirohito should have taken responsibility for those who died during the war.
Now, having said all that and having made a huge segue into right-wing groups, one point I'd like to get across is that I can't stand these twits. Not because of their politics or radical ideologies, but mainly because of the noise pollution they create. I'm not quite sure how the police manage to turn a blind eye (or rather, a deaf ear) to such a disturbance, as these groups would undoubtedly have their vehicles and equipment confiscated if they attempted to drive around blaring slogans and music in other countries. On a similar level, the police seem completely uninterested in reining in various bousouzoku bike gangs creating all kinds of noise at 4 o'clock in the morning, but appear quite willing to stop foreigners on their bicycles for no apparent reason...
Right, it's about time I went to bed!
I'm certain that most people in Japan of at least a high school graduate age are aware of Yukio Mishima, even if they aren't familiar with his work. It's difficult to give a nutshell summary of his life, but as briefly as I can, he was a Japanese author born in 1925 who had a childhood spread between being raised by his grandmother who rarely let him venture outside or participate in "boyish" activities, and his militaristic father who held a disdain for any sort of effeminate behaviour. Mishima falsified medical conditions to avoid being drafted to fight in WW2, and against his father's wishes, furthered his passion of writing into and beyond his teen years. He penned numerous novels, plays and short stories, and later in life developed an interest in bodybuilding, ultra-nationalism, and eventually formed his own private militia, the Tatenokai. On November 25, 1975, Mishima and members of the Tatenokai attempted to stage a coup d'etat at a Self Defence Forces base in Tokyo, aiming to reinstate the Emperor as the political power of Japan through an address on a balcony to the soldiers below. Upon its failure, Mishima retreated into the building, committed seppuku, and was beheaded by one of his followers.
First of all, I admit that I haven't even come close to reading a sizeable portion of his work, so extensive (and occasionally impenetrable) is his oeuvre. But whilst his novels tell genuinely captivating tales, I find the story of Mishima himself far more fascinating. The transformation from a timid, frail, and effeminate young man into a brutal, narcissistic nationalist with a fascination for death, combined with his not-so-closeted homosexuality, is rather unique. However, it seems he is often brushed off by many as simply being a "crazy man" or "a bit strange".
To me, Mishima is also one of many pieces in the puzzle of Japan's struggle to assert and identify itself in the postwar period. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, comfort women, Nanjing, SCAP Occupation, Yasukuni Shrine, history revisionism, etc., all play into this issue (and is an enormously broad topic about which volumes can and have been written!). Unto this, Mishima seems to have been adopted by numerous right-wing groups in Japan as a sort of inspirational figurehead (have a look at this link) despite his contrasting belief that Emperor Hirohito should have taken responsibility for those who died during the war.
Now, having said all that and having made a huge segue into right-wing groups, one point I'd like to get across is that I can't stand these twits. Not because of their politics or radical ideologies, but mainly because of the noise pollution they create. I'm not quite sure how the police manage to turn a blind eye (or rather, a deaf ear) to such a disturbance, as these groups would undoubtedly have their vehicles and equipment confiscated if they attempted to drive around blaring slogans and music in other countries. On a similar level, the police seem completely uninterested in reining in various bousouzoku bike gangs creating all kinds of noise at 4 o'clock in the morning, but appear quite willing to stop foreigners on their bicycles for no apparent reason...
Right, it's about time I went to bed!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Sexy sumo carwash
Not for the purposes of social commentary or serious discussion or anything of the sort... just for a laugh!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Research assignment
Depending on the nature of this research assignment I may end up choosing another quote, as this one is a bit unusual, or perhaps completely inapplicable! The quote comes from a novel titled Love and Death, written in 1939 by the Japanese writer Saneatsu Mushanokōji. I haven't actually read the novel itself, but instead found the quote in Misunderstanding: Europe vs Japan (Chuokoron-sha, Tokyo, 1982, p.135) by Endymion Wilkinson. The following is written from the point of view of the story's protagonist, Muraoka, who writes home from Paris:
Wherever one goes one sees only Occidentals... somehow I have the feeling that we are looked down upon... A solitary Japanese among a group of Occidentals is hardly an imposing figure. This is due to a large extent to our not being suited to Western style clothes, but even if we try to make something of the color of our skin and our physique, we still have very little to boast about. Nevertheless, I am confident that from the standpoint of spiritual power and intelligence we are not in the least inferior. The majority of Europeans love pleasure too much. Few of them have any faith in a future life. For the most part they live idly from day to day.Despite this being a work of fiction, Wilkinson asserts that it is reflective of the "popular sentiments" towards Europeans held by the Japanese during the 1930s.
Friday, May 15, 2009
East vs West
Just a very brief post - came across a website today with a series of simple diagrams contrasting the (supposed) ways in which Westerners and Asians will approach particular situations:
http://buburuza.net/2008/12/culture-east-vs-west/
As it mentions, the person who created these images is a person who was born in China and has studied in Germany. Whilst I feel a lot of the red images are certainly representative of life in China, I don't agree that it "applies to all Asians" as the website states. Similarly, I don't believe that all the blue images are true of all Western people.
However, it's still an amusing concept and makes you think about these things a little.
http://buburuza.net/2008/12/culture-east-vs-west/
As it mentions, the person who created these images is a person who was born in China and has studied in Germany. Whilst I feel a lot of the red images are certainly representative of life in China, I don't agree that it "applies to all Asians" as the website states. Similarly, I don't believe that all the blue images are true of all Western people.
However, it's still an amusing concept and makes you think about these things a little.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Symbols
As it's Constitution Day in Japan today I was going to write some vague and rambling post about nationalism in Japan, but I might leave that for another time. Instead, I'd like to post up this picture which I took about a month ago:
Due to the prevalence of Buddhism in Japan it's not at all uncommon to see the swastika symbol in various forms, most typically an omote-manji (anti-clockwise swastika) on temple decor or on traditional clothing (dancer from Awa Odori), and Western people in general seem to be aware of such a usage. Although for many foreigners here it's still a mild surprise to see an angled ura-manji (clockwise swastika) such as the one above adorning people's clothing, motorbikes, accessories, etc., identical to that used by the Nazi Party of WW2 Germany. Clearly there isn't the same stigma attached to this particular type of swastika in Japan as there is in the West; if this student shown above were to walk around in particular countries he would no doubt face threats and intimidation, and in Germany and Austria, would be arrested for doing so.
So, I guess I'm asking anyone reading this as to whether it's acceptable for the youth of Japan to use the angled ura-manji as a fashion statement? Or whether it shows a sort of ignorance or contempt for historical events?
Although having said all that, due to the fact that the swastika (and numerous other noble and powerful symbols dating back thousands of years) were misappropriated by the Nazis there is a sweet irony of sorts in seeing something like this happen. Admittedly I am also perhaps guilty of trivialising such symbols due to having clothing/accessories/CDs/paraphernalia featuring the Iron Cross, Nordic runes, the Soviet hammer and sickle, and even the symbol of the DPRK's Korean Workers' Party. However, I certainly wouldn't bring my ushanka nor my USSR flag to Japan!
Perhaps it just comes down to a relativism of sorts - Australia is/was quite removed from communism and its effects (aside from the nonsensical "fear of communism" business in the 40s and 50s) yet has a relatively high population of people who were adversely affected by Nazi Germany, hence the strongly negative reactions to a symbol such as a swastika. I'd be happy to be corrected on this if I'm wrong, but I believe Japan could be considered to have the inverse of this situation.
I was also going to make mention of the Rising Sun Flag in contemporary Japan and the West, but I think this post has gone on for long enough. :)
Due to the prevalence of Buddhism in Japan it's not at all uncommon to see the swastika symbol in various forms, most typically an omote-manji (anti-clockwise swastika) on temple decor or on traditional clothing (dancer from Awa Odori), and Western people in general seem to be aware of such a usage. Although for many foreigners here it's still a mild surprise to see an angled ura-manji (clockwise swastika) such as the one above adorning people's clothing, motorbikes, accessories, etc., identical to that used by the Nazi Party of WW2 Germany. Clearly there isn't the same stigma attached to this particular type of swastika in Japan as there is in the West; if this student shown above were to walk around in particular countries he would no doubt face threats and intimidation, and in Germany and Austria, would be arrested for doing so.
So, I guess I'm asking anyone reading this as to whether it's acceptable for the youth of Japan to use the angled ura-manji as a fashion statement? Or whether it shows a sort of ignorance or contempt for historical events?
Although having said all that, due to the fact that the swastika (and numerous other noble and powerful symbols dating back thousands of years) were misappropriated by the Nazis there is a sweet irony of sorts in seeing something like this happen. Admittedly I am also perhaps guilty of trivialising such symbols due to having clothing/accessories/CDs/paraphernalia featuring the Iron Cross, Nordic runes, the Soviet hammer and sickle, and even the symbol of the DPRK's Korean Workers' Party. However, I certainly wouldn't bring my ushanka nor my USSR flag to Japan!
Perhaps it just comes down to a relativism of sorts - Australia is/was quite removed from communism and its effects (aside from the nonsensical "fear of communism" business in the 40s and 50s) yet has a relatively high population of people who were adversely affected by Nazi Germany, hence the strongly negative reactions to a symbol such as a swastika. I'd be happy to be corrected on this if I'm wrong, but I believe Japan could be considered to have the inverse of this situation.
I was also going to make mention of the Rising Sun Flag in contemporary Japan and the West, but I think this post has gone on for long enough. :)
Friday, April 24, 2009
False compliments, false modesty, and family
There does not appear to be a significant difference to me in terms of how Japanese and non-Japanese approach compliments in terms of giving and receiving them. In both cases everyone has undoubtedly been put on the spot and forced to give a false compliment (a classic case of the "Does my ass look big in this?"), but I've found that in many cultures people will offer spontaneous and genuine compliments. The notion of offering a false compliment without being prompted or put on the spot is very unusual to me.
However, a far greater emphasis appears to be placed on modesty in Japan in contrast to the West. Whilst not being able to think of any concrete examples at the moment, it seems frequent that, for example, in Japan a practitioner of a particular craft will speak ambivalently of their ability in spite of having been involved with it for a significant length of time. People in the West are more willing to accept compliments and be thankful for them, and in particular circumstances such as job interviews, modesty appears to be often discouraged to the extent that people will exaggerate their abilities in order to succeed.
In regards to family, I would not particularly insulted if a family member made a joke at my expense or insulted me as long as it was done in a light-hearted manner. There is the notion that Australians frequently speak in a self-deprecating manner which extends to family and close friends, and I believe that being able to make light of one's foibles is an important trait.
However, a far greater emphasis appears to be placed on modesty in Japan in contrast to the West. Whilst not being able to think of any concrete examples at the moment, it seems frequent that, for example, in Japan a practitioner of a particular craft will speak ambivalently of their ability in spite of having been involved with it for a significant length of time. People in the West are more willing to accept compliments and be thankful for them, and in particular circumstances such as job interviews, modesty appears to be often discouraged to the extent that people will exaggerate their abilities in order to succeed.
In regards to family, I would not particularly insulted if a family member made a joke at my expense or insulted me as long as it was done in a light-hearted manner. There is the notion that Australians frequently speak in a self-deprecating manner which extends to family and close friends, and I believe that being able to make light of one's foibles is an important trait.
Monday, April 20, 2009
First assignment
Hello! I'm Ash from Melbourne, Australia. I arrived in Kumamoto on April 2 and I'm planning to stay here for a year, which will be the third and final year of study for my Asian Studies degree at La Trobe University. This will also be the second time I've lived in Japan; a couple of years ago I lived in Tokushima for 18 months whilst I worked for the infamous Nova eikaiwa, although due to the poor way the company treated both its teachers and customers (especially leading up to its collapse in 2007) I'm often reluctant to mention that I worked there. ;) Aside from language study my interests in Japan also extend into Sino-Japanese relations (something I've admittedly not been keeping up to date with recently, although ethnically I'm half-Chinese and spent a few months studying in Shanghai) and music. I'm interested in both the more extreme forms of underground music here (such as metal and noise) and traditional music (I play in a Japanese taiko group back in Melbourne, an activity I'm hoping to continue here in Kumamoto).
One of the more pleasant surprises I've had concerning Japanese society and culture is that the majority of stereotypes presented to us in the West - such of that of the excessively reserved, timid and ambiguous person - were well and truly picked apart within a short time of coming here. Whilst there may be slivers of truth to certain stereotypes, it should have been obvious that no entire society of a developed nation embracing globalisation in the manner in which Japan is doing can be tarred with the one brush.
On the flip side, especially after having lived here for a certain length of time and having read articles and books by writers such as Alex Kerr and Arudou Debito, it was quite a surprise to discover how poorly Japan has approached matters such as the environment, immigration, minority groups, etc. It was all the more astonishing in light of the perceptions in the West that there is an absolute reverence for nature in Japan, and the nation's fascination and adoption (albeit occasionally fleeting) of foreign cultures and lifestyles.
Unfortunately I don't consider myself to be a terribly observant person, but over the coming year I'm hoping to become more understanding of this unusual and wonderful country.
日本語で書かなくて、すみません！日本語があまり上手じゃないので、この自己紹介の説明することは難しすぎるかもしれません。こんど、ね。;)
One of the more pleasant surprises I've had concerning Japanese society and culture is that the majority of stereotypes presented to us in the West - such of that of the excessively reserved, timid and ambiguous person - were well and truly picked apart within a short time of coming here. Whilst there may be slivers of truth to certain stereotypes, it should have been obvious that no entire society of a developed nation embracing globalisation in the manner in which Japan is doing can be tarred with the one brush.
On the flip side, especially after having lived here for a certain length of time and having read articles and books by writers such as Alex Kerr and Arudou Debito, it was quite a surprise to discover how poorly Japan has approached matters such as the environment, immigration, minority groups, etc. It was all the more astonishing in light of the perceptions in the West that there is an absolute reverence for nature in Japan, and the nation's fascination and adoption (albeit occasionally fleeting) of foreign cultures and lifestyles.
Unfortunately I don't consider myself to be a terribly observant person, but over the coming year I'm hoping to become more understanding of this unusual and wonderful country.
日本語で書かなくて、すみません！日本語があまり上手じゃないので、この自己紹介の説明することは難しすぎるかもしれません。こんど、ね。;)
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