Introduction
I chose to research this country because I've wanted to go to Japan ever since I was in the seventh grade. I have always loved and appreciated the culture, and I've been accepted to study abroad there this summer. I'm hoping that in researching Japan for this project I will learn all that I need to know about their culture so that when I do get the chance to go to Japan I will have a smooth transition into their environment and not feel like so much of an outsider. I want this project to help me understand more of the culture and make me fall even more in love with what Japan has to offer. Getting the opportunity to research and learn even more about Japan is an honor and I will absorb everything that I learn and take it all with me when I finally travel there.
History
500-600: Buddhism comes to Japan. Today, more than 70% of Japanese are Buddhists.
1274-1281: Military dictators known as shoguns rule Japan and successfully keep invaders out of their country.
1853: United States commodore Matthew Perry enters Japan. He demands that Japan trade with the U.S.
1868-1912: Under Emperor Meiji, Japan becomes wealthy and powerful. The country wins wars against China and Russia.
1910: Japan takes over the Korean peninsula and rules it for 35 years, until 1945.
1923: The Great Kanto Earthquake, one of the worst quakes in world history, destroys Tokyo and Yokohama. More than 140,000 people are killed.
1926: Hirohito becomes emperor.
1931: Japan invades Manchuria, China. In 1937, Japan goes to war against China.
1940-1941: Japan becomes an ally of Germany and Italy in World War II. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, the U.S. naval base in Hawaii.
1945: The U.S. drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan surrenders.
1964: Tokyo hosts the Summer Olympics. It's the first time the Games are held in Asia.
1995: A major earthquake hits central Japan.
2001–2006: Crown Princess Masako gives birth to a baby girl, Princess Aiko. Five years later, Princess Kiko gives birth to a baby boy. The baby, Hisahito, is third in line to the throne.
2006-2007: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held office.
2009: The Democratic Party of Japan becomes the ruling party.
2010: China overtakes Japan as the world’s second largest economy.
2011: A massive offshore earthquake and tsunami cause major damage to cities. The country faces a nuclear threat when a power plant is severely damaged.
2012: Shinzo Abe was re-elected as Prime Minister.
2013: Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) task force reported that radioactive water was seeping from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant into the ocean.
2014: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his cabinet approved a measure that lifted Japan's ban on weapons exports.
1274-1281: Military dictators known as shoguns rule Japan and successfully keep invaders out of their country.
1853: United States commodore Matthew Perry enters Japan. He demands that Japan trade with the U.S.
1868-1912: Under Emperor Meiji, Japan becomes wealthy and powerful. The country wins wars against China and Russia.
1910: Japan takes over the Korean peninsula and rules it for 35 years, until 1945.
1923: The Great Kanto Earthquake, one of the worst quakes in world history, destroys Tokyo and Yokohama. More than 140,000 people are killed.
1926: Hirohito becomes emperor.
1931: Japan invades Manchuria, China. In 1937, Japan goes to war against China.
1940-1941: Japan becomes an ally of Germany and Italy in World War II. On December 7, 1941, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, the U.S. naval base in Hawaii.
1945: The U.S. drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan surrenders.
1964: Tokyo hosts the Summer Olympics. It's the first time the Games are held in Asia.
1995: A major earthquake hits central Japan.
2001–2006: Crown Princess Masako gives birth to a baby girl, Princess Aiko. Five years later, Princess Kiko gives birth to a baby boy. The baby, Hisahito, is third in line to the throne.
2006-2007: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held office.
2009: The Democratic Party of Japan becomes the ruling party.
2010: China overtakes Japan as the world’s second largest economy.
2011: A massive offshore earthquake and tsunami cause major damage to cities. The country faces a nuclear threat when a power plant is severely damaged.
2012: Shinzo Abe was re-elected as Prime Minister.
2013: Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) task force reported that radioactive water was seeping from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant into the ocean.
2014: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his cabinet approved a measure that lifted Japan's ban on weapons exports.
Geographical Setting
Location
Japan is located east of the Korean peninsula, and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the north and east, by the Philippine Sea and the East China Sea to the south, and by the Sea of Japan / East Sea on the west. Climate Japan has four distinct seasons: Winter: Is from December to February. In the Pacific Coast it's dry and sunny, the Central and Northern regions experience snow, and Southern Japan is temperate and mild. Spring: Is from March to May. The temperature is warm but not too hot, and there isn't too much rain. The cherry blossoms are out during this time. Summer: Is from June to August, and they experience three or four weeks of rain. During this rainy season farmers plant their rice. Also during this time it is hot and humid and temperature are usually in the high 90's. Autumn: Is from September to November, with light breezes and cooler temperatures around 46-50ºF. During this time many exhibitions, music concerts, and sports tournaments are held. Topography Japan is mostly composed of mountains, plains, and rivers. In Japan, mountains cover over 75% of the land. Landforms are steep and rugged, and there are 265 volcanoes out of which only 20 are still active. Only 29% of the land is plains which are few and small. Rivers are short and swift, but Japan is home to Lake Kussharo, in the Akan National Park of Hokkaido, which is the clearest lake in the world, having a transparency of 41 m (135 ft). |
Social Institutions
Culture
Japanese culture is rich and diverse. Japan is widely known for their traditional arts and contemporary pop culture. In fact it is possible to see kimono-clad women shuffling down the street with umbrellas overhead, or oversized sumo wrestlers battling it out the ring. Japanese culture has become attractive and even fashionable to many foreigners mainly because of their sophisticated cuisine, unique social customs, and refined performing, and visual arts. Family Most families in Japan are similar to American families in the sense that there is a married couple and they live with their children. Sometimes a grandparent lives with them as well but for the most part it is the couple and the children. Typically the father goes to work outside of the home, although in some cases the father may run a family-owned business where the family may be living in the same building as the business, but usually they work outside. The mother typically bears full responsibility of the children, overseeing education, and managing the finances. It is not uncommon for children to not eat dinner with their parents especially their fathers because they work long hard hours and come home really late. It is said that the only time children eat dinner with their fathers is on weekends and special occasions. Education In Japan students are required by law to attend six years of elementary school and three years of junior high school. Students may continue on for an optional three years of senior high school, and four years of university or two years of junior college. Over 90% of students graduate from high school and over 40% from university or junior college. There is a higher percentage of males in university than their are females but for junior college it is the reverse, and the number of graduate students is relatively low. The school year starts in April and consists of three terms separated by short holidays in spring, winter, and a one month long summer break. Also, in the Japanese school system students have to take entrance exams to get into most elementary schools, high schools, universities, and junior colleges. High competitiveness revolves around these entrance exams and as a result students take special preparation classes as well as regular classes in order to get into the best institutions. Political system After World War II Japan became a democratic constitutional monarchy based on a parliamentary system in 1947. The country is governed by two houses of parliament known as the Diet with a prime minister elected by the majority party. The two houses of the Diet are the House of Councillors with 242 members and the House of Representatives with 480 members. Ever since 1982 voters select a party and then that party receives proportional representation in the legislature. Also, the two main political parties in Japan are the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Legal system In Japan there are five types of courts: the Supreme Court, High Courts, District Courts, Family Courts and Summary Courts.
Social organizations In Japan there is a strong sense of family solidarity, and it is an extremely homogeneous society. Japan is also collectivism meaning the harmony of the group takes precedence over the wants of the individual. The society is vertically structured, and they believe in respect for high authorities in way of the state, the employer, and the family. Race and Ethnicity In Japan the Japanese represent 98.5% of the country, Koreans represent 0.5%, Chinese represent 0.4%, and all other races and ethnicities represent 0.6%. Subcultures
|
The supreme court is composed of the Chief Justice and 14 Justices with a Grand Bench made up of 15 Justices and three Petty Benches each made up of 5 Justices; and then judges consist of the following: the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1); Justices of the Supreme Court (14), Presidents of High Courts(8), Judges (1,385), Assistant Judges (735) and Summary Court Judges (806).
|
Religion and Aesthetics
In today's world many religions are practiced in Japan but most Japanese follow either Shintoism, Buddhism, or both. Religion does not play a major role in everyday Japanese life but you do see it come to the forefront during special occasions such as: birthdays, weddings, funerals, and religious holidays.
7 Japanese Aesthetics
7 Japanese Aesthetics
- Simplicity or elimination of clutter - Kanso (簡素): Omission or exclusion of the non-essential in light of seeing the things that are plain, simple, and of natural manner.
- Asymmetry or Irregularity - Fukinsei (不均整): The idea of being able to control balance.
- Naturalness - Shizen (自然): Unforced creativity, and absence of anything artificial.
- Subtlety - Yugen (幽玄): Suggestion rather than revelation.
- Break from routine - Datsuzoku (脱俗): Freedom from habit or formula.
- Stillness, Tranquility - Seijaku (静寂): Energized calm and solitude.
- Austerity - Shibui/Shibumi (渋味): Beautiful by being understated, being precisely what it is meant to be.
Living Conditions
Diet and Nutrition
Fish, rice, and vegetables are an integral part of the Japanese diet and are usually a part of every meal in some way, shape, or form. Japan also offers a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and some of the best pastries outside of France. Since meat was prohibited prior to 1868 their are a lot of vegetarian options such as: Natto, Udon, Soba, Mountain Vegetable Soup, and Tofu Steak. Eating out is also an option in Japan the experience is just as important as the meal itself.
Housing
Traditional Japanese homes are made of wood and supported by wooden pillars, but today's homes Western-style rooms with wooden flooring and are constructed with steel pillars. In urban areas families usually live in apartment buildings. In Japanese houses shoes are not worn throughout, family and friends leave, store, and put their shoes on at the entrance and wear slippers around the house. Shoes are taken off in the house to keep the floors clean, and tatami floors can often be found within houses. Tatami flooring is cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and remains fresher than carpet in the humid months.
Clothing
Today in Japan you can see people walking around in clothes that look exactly like what we have here in America. In everyday life they like to wear clothes that are easy to move around in such as: t-shirts, jeans, polo shirts, and sweat suits. They also wear tradition clothing as well, mainly for festival and special events, such as: fundoshi, furisode, hakama, hanten, happi, jinbeit, gūnihitoe, kimono, obi (sashes), samue, sokutai, tomesode, uwagi, and yukata. These particular garments are to be worn throughout the different seasons. They wear rustic hues and patterns in autumn, floral designs and vibrant colors in springtime, and darker fabrics and kimonos are worn in the winter. Sometimes people wear up to ten layers in the winter.
Recreation, Sports, and Other Leisure Activities
- For fun the Japanese enjoy going to karaoke with friends and co-workers as well as dining out and drinking. They also enjoy shopping, watching television, and visiting: arcades, amusement parks, festivals, and bookstores/manga cafes.
- The Japanese enjoy playing numerous sports but the main two are Baseball and Sumo. They also take part in Soccer, Kendo, Judo, Aikido, Karate, Volleyball, Golf, Swimming, Ice Skating, and Football.
Social Security and Health Care
As a part of the social security in Japan there is a public healthcare policy for all Japanese citizens and foreigners that have lived in Japan for more than a year. Instead of subscribing to National Health Insurance employers usually enroll in their company's insurance health plan, their monthly contributions are deducted from their paycheck. Their health insurance premiums vary based on their level of income and number of people living in in their household. As a Japanese employee you are covered by Japan and you and your employer pay social security taxes only to Japan.
LanguageThe Japanese language is spoken by more than one hundred and thirty million people. There is a small amount of sounds in the language, and accents are significant. There are numerous dialects spoken throughout the country but there are two major dialects that are most common as those are Tōkyō-shiki (Tokyo-type) and Keihan-shiki (Kyoto-Osaka-type). There are also four written scripts of the language and those are as follows: kanji (Chinese characters), hiragana (for Japanese words), katakana (for foreign "loan" words), and romaji (Latin alphabet).
|