All Posts / Culture / Entertainment — No comments
19
Nov 10

The Japanese Game/Variety Show

“Japanese game shows,” perhaps more accurately referred to as Japanese variety shows, are fairly famous around the world as a genre. Known for their over-the-top wackiness, Japanese variety shows have inspired spin-offs in other countries, such as America’s I Survived a Japanese Game Show, as well as parodies in popular programming like The Simpsons. Of course, an outsider’s view of the genre can be a little warped, as some of the parodies make the variety shows seem even more wacky than they are, but the fact is that a Japanese variety show can be pretty strange to a person not accustomed to the genre.

Most Japanese variety shows combine a series of quizzes, musical performances, stunts, pranks, and comedy routines. They may have Japanese celebrity guests who do more than just answer a few questions and put on a performance–they can participate in all the stunts and quizzes as well. The stunts can range from physical challenges to eating food to designing underwear. There’s always something new and bizarre awaiting those who tune in.

The Japanese variety show may also be known for its over-the-top costumes and set designs. Perhaps more over-the-top than costumes and set designs are actually the actions of the host(s) and guests on the show. Japanese humor relies largely on physical humor and zany expressions, perhaps somewhat like Jim Carrey humor during his height of popularity in the 1990s. So when Japanese variety shows are trying to get a laugh, the host(s) and guests can do some pretty strange-seeming things to someone who’s not into physical humor.

Perhaps the most popular Japanese variety show is Waratte Iitomo! (“It’s Okay to Laugh!”), which has been on air with new episodes five days a week since 1982. Japanese comedian Tamori (real name Morita Kazuyoshi) has been the host the entire time and has even earned accolades in the 2003 Guinness Book of World Records for having hosted 5000 episodes of the show.

Here are a few examples of Japanese variety shows:

Waratte Iitomo

Eggs

Have you ever watched any Japanese variety shows? Did you like them or find them odd (or both)? Do they remind you of any shows from your own country?

All Posts / Culture — No comments
12
Nov 10

Japanese Young Adults

Due to a floundering job market and a struggling economy, more and more young adults in America are living with parents even after school, struggling to find a job with which they can support themselves. Still, the idea of “adult children” living at home still conjures quite a bit of negativity  in America, as the “living in your mother’s basement” stereotype is often the butt of jokes and can make a man or woman seem unattractive to potential mates.

Japanese young adults face somewhat different expectations. There are some negative stereotypes with some of the anti-social “basement dweller” types of young adults (see below), and of course not every Japanese family adheres to society’s standards, but in general it’s not only acceptable for young adults to live at home after high school or college, it’s expected. Japanese young adults are still expected to get jobs after school–in fact, there may be more pressure in Japanese society for young adults to land impressive jobs than there is in America–but they don’t have to move out of the house right away. In fact, they’re free to save their money for their future independent lives and aren’t expected (usually) to pay rent to their parents or to pay for any household expenses. In fact, many Japanese manufacturers aim products specifically at this 20-something age group, which has more expendable income than other age groups, as they have full-time jobs and few expenses.

The general consensus is that young adults can live at home without paying expenses until they get married. Generally, marriage tends to occur in a Japanese person’s early to late 20s. Of course, especially in modern society, Japanese people may choose not to get married or they may get married in life. Societal and family pressure to get married aside, Japanese young adults can move out on their own whenever they’re ready, but they’re not looked down upon for staying at home a few years after school.

However, sometimes living at home can lead to sad behavior. Sometimes Japanese young adults get their own apartments, but their jobs (or lack thereof) aren’t enough to cover living expenses, so they may receive monthly allowances from home to cover rent, utilities, food, and the like. Of course, this differs from family to family, but it happens often enough to spark a growing social issue in Japan.

Because of a struggling job market and a disillusioned generation, a number of young adults in Japan are going through life while underemployed or unemployed, coasting by on their parents’ money or just living in their parents’ home. Sometimes it’s a defeatist attitude following a string of job interview disappointments, sometimes it’s sheer laziness, sometimes it’s a fear of growing up or other social anxieties… The causes vary from person to person, but the theories are endless. Japanese young adults who are underemployed or unemployed may make efforts to secure a full-time job, but if they don’t, they may retreat into their rooms, playing games, watching TV, surfing the Internet, and wasting money on frivolous things. They may need psychological help to get out of their rut, but since Japanese society tends to look down on those who need therapy, many Japanese parents would rather support their young adult children and hush up the problem, hoping one day it’ll go away.

The underemployed, typically those with one or more part-time jobs, freelance jobs, or seasonal jobs are typically called paato (from the English word “part-time”; the part-time jobs themselves are called arubaito, from the German word “arbeit“). These young adults struggle because they’re making minimal money and usually don’t have benefits such as health insurance (although there is a national program) and retirement planning. However, they’re at least regarded less negatively than another type of young adult.

Japanese young adults who have no jobs at all and stay home goofing off are called hikikomori, which means “to pull away,” or “social withdrawal,” or NEETs, which actually stands for an English phrase: “Not in Education, Employment, or Training.” NEET refers to society’s expectations that the person is not excused for not having a job while not in school or at least not apprenticing or interning with an employer.

Would you like to be able to live at home guilt-free for a few years following school? Do you see the danger for becoming a shut-in if you have the option to rely on your parents’ support?

All Posts / Culture / Places — No comments
05
Nov 10

Visting Nara for Culture and History

The city of Nara in Nara Prefecture is a quiet, gorgeous place that lovers of history must visit when in Japan. A city of about 368,000, Nara offers plenty to do without overwhelming you with the huge, metropolitan flavor of larger cities. Nara was actually the first official capital of Japan during the years 710 to 784, before the capital moved to Kyoto. (The capital is Tokyo today.) Many of the city’s monuments have been preserved for 1300 years or more, which is remarkable in a country that has historically been victim to wars and earthquakes.

There are a number of important shrines and temples in Nara, including Toudai-ji, Kasuga Shrine, Saidai-ji, Toushoudai-ji, Gangou-ji, Yakushi-ji, and Koufuku-ji. A trip to Nara isn’t complete without stopping by a few of these shrines, if only to see the beautiful architecture. Be sure to learn what makes each temple or shrine unique. Toudai-ji, for example, is the world’s oldest wooden building that’s still standing.

Nara is quite famous for its mostly tame deer that bring visitors to locations such as Nara Park. The deer are protected and allowed to roam because of a Shinto legend that spoke of white deer that carried the god Takemikazuchi into Nara. You can even purchase shika senbei (“deer biscuits”) from vendors in the park to feed the deer. The deer will walk right up to you to eat these biscuits out of your hand. Don’t be surprised if the deer bow to you–they’ve learned to mimic the common Japanese gesture of bowing! Still, although the animals are mainly tame, they can be aggressive when it comes to eating. Try to avoid the ones with large antlers for your own safety.

Nara is about a four-hour train ride from Tokyo to the southwest. It’s only about an hour south of Kyoto by train, so you could feasibly visit both cities over the course of a few days. However, don’t be tempted to squeeze a visit to both cities in only one day; after all, there’s so much to see in Nara alone!

Have you been to Nara? What was your favorite tourist site? Did you feed any deer?

All Posts / Culture / Language — No comments
29
Oct 10

Learning Japanese Hand Gestures

When you’re learning to speak and read Japanese, enough of your energy is spent on reading books and online tutorials about conjugations and kanji that you may completely ignore how communication works when you’re face to face with a Japanese-speaking person. However, communication is, by definition, the expression of ideas between two or more people. That’s why it’s important for you to think outside of the box from time to time and learn what communicating with a Japanese speaker entails beyond just words.

Knowledge of Japanese hand gestures is essential for proper communication, unless you want to suffer from a few misunderstandings. Some Japanese hand gestures are similar to those in the West, but many are not. A few of the most common Japanese hand gestures that don’t have the same meaning in the West include:

  • The “come here” gesture: Commonly confused for the Western “good-bye” gesture, the Japanese “come here” gesture is done with one hand, palm toward the person with whom you want to communicate, and quick repeated bending and straightening of the the four primary fingers.  You may also hear “oide” or “chotto kite,” both of which mean “come here.” A Japanese teacher of mine said that she didn’t know this didn’t have the same meaning in the West and waved to a co-worker with whom she wanted to speak. The co-worker smiled, waved back, and went on his way.
  • The “no thank you” gesture: When you want to turn down an offer, such as an offering of food, you can quickly shake your hand back and forth in front of your face. Keep your hand stiff as you do. This gesture looks somewhat like a gesture in the West when you smell something unpleasant and you’re trying to move the air in front of your nose. Don’t be insulted if a Japanese person performs this gesture when you offer something you’ve cooked yourself! At the time you do the gesture, you can say, “kekkou desu,” which translates to “no thank you.”
  • The “me” gesture: While not a completely important example of communication, you may be confused if you see a Japanese person point to his or her nose while you’re speaking. This is just a hand gesture to mean “me.” So if a Japanese person wants to emphasize that the discussion concerns him or herself, you may see this hand gesture in action.
  • The “let’s get a drink” gesture: If you’re out with friends or co-workers, you may see a Japanese person make a fist with his or her index finger and thumb extended in a round shape. He or she is mimicking the small sake cup and is asking if you want to get a drink.
  • The “boyfriend/girlfriend” gestures: Holding your pinky extended with the rest of your hand in a fist can refer to a “girlfriend” or “kanojo.” Giving what appears to be the “thumbs up” sign, with your hand in a fist and your thumb extended upwards can refer to a “boyfriend” or “kare.” When a Japanese person wants to ask if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend or if the person you’re with is your boyfriend or girlfriend, you may see him or her making these gestures.
All Posts / Culture / Food — No comments
22
Oct 10

Japanese Table Manners

If you enjoy Japanese food, you owe it to yourself to learn about Japanese table manners. Not only does the knowledge of this aspect of Japanese culture broaden your mind, but if you ever find yourself eating in Japan or with Japanese people, you’ll demonstrate cultural sensitivity as well as manners that your hosts or guests are sure to appreciate.

First, you should be aware that while many Japanese homes and most Japanese restaurants have Western-style tables and chairs for dining, many more have only Japanese style tables, which are positioned very close to the floor. The participants in the meal are expected to sit on the ground, typically in the seiza position, which is a kneeling position in which you rest your shins on the floor and your rear on your feet. When you’re in a more casual setting, it’s socially acceptable for men to sit cross-legged and for women to sit with their legs crossed to one side. Depending on the setting, you may be sitting directly on the floor–on a tatami mat–or on a cushion. You may even have a chair with back support that goes directly on the ground.

Using chopsticks is considered the more polite way to dine in Japan, although you may use knives and forks in Western restaurants. You may still be able to request knives and forks even in Japanese restaurants and households, but your Japanese guests or hosts will be impressed if you use chopsticks correctly.  Chopsticks help you take smaller portions so you won’t be shoveling your food in all at once. When ingesting soup, you can use the chopsticks to remove the large ingredients in the soup and can then sip the soup broth directly from the bowl. Sipping sounds are considered polite, not rude, in Japan when not done in excess.

Many Japanese meals are shared meals, with the food served in the middle of the table. Use your chopsticks to grab a small portion of food to place on your plate and then eat from the plate. Don’t take more food than you can eat, as it’s good manners not to leave any food on your plate.

Like in the West, it’s impolite to burp or discuss gross or distressing topics at dinner. You should also refrain from blowing your nose and excuse yourself to the restroom if blowing your nose becomes necessary. When you’ve finished, try to put your dishes back to the position they started in, with your chopsticks in their holder and dishes and lids stacked as they were served to you.

If you’re enjoying alcohol, be aware that it’s proper table manners to serve others and not yourself. When you notice that a friend’s cup is empty, you can ask if he or she’d like more and pour it for him or her. Do not pour the alcohol for yourself or ask someone else to do so; your friends should notice that you need a refill.

All Posts / Language — No comments
15
Oct 10

~ta Koto Ga Arimasu: To “Have Done” Something

If you’ve been studying Japanese with our language guides, you should have learned how to make a statement about an action in the past. For example, if you want to say “I wrote a letter,” you might say, “Tegami wo kakimashita.” However, not everything in the past is a one-time deal. What if you wanted to say, “I have written a letter”?

To be able to talk about something you “have done” in the past allows you to have a more sophisticated conversation than simply talking about one-time occurrences in your past. A basic elementary-level language conversation might go like this:

“What did you do yesterday?” = “Kinou nani wo shimashita ka?“

“I saw Toy Story 3.” = “Toy Story 3 wo mimashita.”

However, what if you wanted to tell someone that you have seen a particular movie? If you want to say you have done something, the sentence should end with “~ta koto ga arimasu.” Therefore:

“I have written a letter.” = “Tegami wo kaita koto ga arimasu.”

“I have seen Toy Story 3.” = “Toy Story 3 wo mita koto ga arimasu.”

“Koto ga arimasu” is difficult to translate directly, but it generally refers to something existing. By pairing it with the past tense conjugation of the verb, you’re saying that your having performed that action at an indeterminate time in the past exists. In other words you have performed that action.

The “~ta” form of a verb is simply the plain (sometimes called “casual”) past tense form of a verb. How you properly conjugate a verb depends whether the verb belongs to Group 1, Group 2 or Group 3.

Group 1 Verbs

Kaku, “to write,” is one example of a Group 1 Verb. In order to get the plain past tense of the verb, you must follow the same pattern you do when finding the “~te” form of the verb, only replace “~te” with “~ta.” In other words:

Verb Ending -“Ta” Form Example Verb Completed Plain Past Tense Form
-bu -nda yobu “to call” yonda
-gu -ida oyogu “to swim” oyoida
-ku -ita kaku “to write” kaita
-mu -nda nomu “to drink” nonda
-nu -nda shinu “to die” shinda
-ru -tta tsukuru “to make” tsukutta
-su -shita hanasu “to speak” hanashita
-tsu -tta matsu “to wait” matta
-u -tta au “to meet” atta

Group 2 Verbs

Group 2 Verbs, such as miru, “to see,” are much easier to conjugate. You simply remove the “~ru” at the end of the verb and add “~ta.”

Group 2 Verb Completed Plain Past Tense
miru“to see” mita
shinjiru “to believe”
shinjita
ageru “to give”
ageta

Irregular and Group 3 Verbs

Some irregular verbs do not follow any of these patterns. They include (note that kuru and suru are the two Group 3 Verbs):

Irregular Verb Completed Plain Past Tense
aisuru “to love” aishita
iku “to go” itta
irassharu “to be” (polite form) irasshatta
kuru “to come”* kita
suru “to do”* shita
All Posts / Culture / Customs — No comments
08
Oct 10

The Gakuensai: Annual Japanese School Festivals

In a few weeks, schools across Japan are going to hold their annual gakuensai (“school festival”), also often known as the bunkasai (“cultural festival”). The aim of this festival is to show parents and members of the community what the students can do to express their creativity and demonstrate their talents. It also allows the community and students from other schools to explore the campus grounds. Extracurricular groups, which are more important to school life than in American schools, can also earn money for activity funding.

Most schools throughout Japan hold such a festival sometime in late October to early November, which, if you remember, is about two-thirds into the Japanese school year. The festival tends to last for somewhere between one and three days over a weekend, but the preparation lasts a week or more. Students in elementary through high school are typically required to participate, since the preparation extends into school time, but college students do not have to participate and will usually only participate if they’re members of an extracurricular group.

Each individual homeroom class (and there are usually several classes per grade) must decide on an activity or event to produce for the cultural festival. Common activities include producing a play (even if it’s not a drama class), turning their classroom into a haunted house, turning their classroom into a themed cafe, selling items, or putting on an educational display. Extracurricular groups also tend to participate, usually by showing off something to do with their activity, such as selling crafts for an arts and crafts club or holding a music performance for a music club, or for something purely to earn money for their club, such as selling food for a sports group. Most students–since most students participate in an extracurricular club–participate in shifts in their homeroom class activity, their extracurricular group activity and just some time off enjoying what other groups and classes have to offer at the festival.

After each class decides on their activity, the tend to be given an entire week off from classes in order to prepare. They must still go to school, for that’s where they’re expected to prepare. But the students practice leadership and can do what’s necessary for a week to get their activity ready, whether it’s rehearsing a performance, making costumes, building sets, making items to sell, building a stand at which to sell food, or turning their entire classrooms into themed areas. Many students, especially those in middle school and older, are even allowed to spend the nights at school (with teacher chaperones) during this week in order to have extra time to prepare.

Have you ever participated in a gakuensai? What were your favorite parts of the festivals? Do you wish that Western schools held similar festivals?

All Posts / News — No comments
01
Oct 10

Japan and Custody Battles: Facing U.S. Pressure

It was recently reported at Japan Today that the U.S. House of Representatives is asking Japan to re-think its policy on custody battles that involve foreign parents. U.S. Representatives such as Chris Smith have stated that, “Americans are fed up with our friend and ally Japan and their pattern of noncooperation” when it comes to this issue. The Japanese Embassy’s response was that Japan “is continuing to make sincere efforts to deal with this issue from the standpoint that the welfare of the child should be of the utmost importance.”1

So while Japan has made no commitment to changing its custody policies, you may be wondering why another country would go so far as to draw attention to Japan’s legal system, especially when the U.S. considers Japan an ally and Japan is one of the world’s richest nations. What’s going on in the Japanese legal system when it comes to divorce?

It can be very difficult to divorce in Japan if the couple isn’t in mutual agreement, especially if one member of the coupling is a Japanese citizen and the other is a foreigner. (Conversely, if the couple can reach an agreement, all they need to do is file some paperwork and the divorce will happen much more quickly than it does in other nations.) If the couple can’t agree, the one who initiates the divorce must provide a legally valid reason for divorce, such as adultery, abuse or criminal activity, in order to receive any alimony (although more often than not, the alimony will be a lump sum payment).

More often than not, the Japanese citizen will receive full custody of any children (especially if the Japanese citizen is the mother) and the foreigner parent will only have visitation that’s not really enforced, making it easy for the ex to simply refuse to let the foreigner parent see the children. This is assuming the foreigner parent can stay in Japan–there’s little chance that the foreigner parent can hope that the Japanese law will force his or her ex to send the children to another country for visitation.

Strangely, though, Japan’s refusal to allow foreigners to see their Japanese children extends even to non-Japanese citizens in Japan. According to Japan Today, an American man’s American ex-wife with no Japanese ties moved to Osaka with their American daughter and he can’t get the cooperation of the Japanese government to have his daughter sent back despite the fact that his ex broke the custody agreement.

Do you know anyone who divorced in Japan? Did they experience difficulty if there were children involved?

1 “U.S. lawmakers pressure Japan on child custody rights.” Japan Today. 30 September 2010. <http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/us-lawmakers-push-japan-on-child-custody-rights>.

All Posts / Culture / Entertainment — 1 comment
24
Sep 10

Playing Pachinko: How Illegal Gambling Is Legal in Japan

In Japan, gambling for money is illegal nationwide. Nevertheless, somewhere between 40 to 50 million people gamble on occasion–and 30 million of those people are regular gamblers. They gamble in large groups in licensed parlors that together employ roughly 300,000 people across the country. The gamblers win money–or perhaps more often, they lose money–just as anyone does at any casino. And Japanese lawmakers are perfectly aware of these parlors.

Welcome to the world of pachinko. There are about 13,000 pachinko parlors in Japan, where you’ll find dozens of pachinko machines crammed closely together. Pachinko is somewhat similar to a vertical pinball game in that the aim is for the player to try and control where a small steel ball goes using a series of levers. (Some machines can process up to 100 balls per minute!) Balls that fall all the way down are lost; balls that can be maneuvered into special holes can win the player bonus steel balls. Older machines were typically mechanical and most newer ones are digital. The game ends either when the player has lost all of his or her steel balls or the player decides to “cash out” and return trays of steel balls to the prize counter.

Players start with a number of balls that cost about ¥4 (roughly US 4¢) each; they typically buy them in amounts of no less than ¥1000 (~US$10) at a go, so they can start with around 250 balls. Payout is usually the same (¥4 per ball) or slightly less and if you’ve managed to increase the number of steel balls in your possession, you can make more money back than your initial investment. However, here’s where the pachinko parlors skirt the law so that they’re actually legal establishments.

Within the pachinko parlor, you can exchange your trays of steel balls for non-cash prizes, such as cigarette lighters, stationery items or even more expensive items (if you’ve won a lot of balls), such as computers and other electronics and even electric scooters and bikes. “Gambling” for non-cash prizes is legal in Japan. However, most regular customers will instead opt for nondescript tokens as their prizes. That’s because they know that if they take these tokens outside of the parlor to a small window usually around the corner or a small distance away, they can exchange those tokens for cash. These windows are of course usually operated by the owners of the parlor (who else would be interested in buying parlor tokens?) but because the gamblers win tokens, not cash, within the parlor and step outside to exchange the tokens for money, pachinko parlors are not breaking the law.

Children aren’t technically allowed in pachinko parlors because many parlors serve alcohol and allow smoking, although you may find some children who have snuck in with their parents or grandparents. Don’t let the sometimes cute designs on the pachinko machines (such as anime and Hello Kitty designs) fool you! These designs are aimed at adults because animation and “cute” is more acceptable for adults to enjoy in Japan.

Have you ever been to a pachinko parlor? Did you find the game fun? What do you think of this brazen sidestepping of the law?

*Photo by Michael Maggs, Wikimedia Commons*

All Posts / Culture / Places — No comments
17
Sep 10

Utashinai: Japan’s Least Populated City

So far we’ve covered a number of Japan’s most populated cities in this blog. For example, Tokyo, Japan’s most populated city, is home to about 13.01 million residents in only about 845 square miles of space. (That’s about 15,144 people per square mile.) Conversely, Japan’s least populated city is Utashinai in the Hokkaido region. Utashinai is home to about 4845 residents in about 22 square miles of space. It may have much less space then Tokyo, but it’s far more spacious for the residents, as the density translates to about 224 people per square mile.

Utashinai is about a 7-hour train ride from Tokyo in the central part of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost prefecture. Like the rest of Hokkaido, Utashinai is known for cold, snowy winters as well as beautiful, spacious landscapes. For tourists, there are two reasons to head to Utashinai, besides perhaps the peace and quiet that such a small town affords. The first is the ski season, which can last anywhere between November and May, particularly December through March. Travel to Utashinai to tackle the Kamoidake ski hill (about a medium-sized hill). The ski chalets and hotels in the area offer Swiss-style ski-centric decor and often host ski groups and meets during the primary skiing season.

The other reason tourists visit Utashinai is the outdoor onsen. Kamoidake has a popular onsen resort and there’s another onsen called Tyrol no Yu. (In the spring and summer months, local sports teams may practice at the Tyrol arena.) You can stay at the onsen or spend only about US$5 per adult and US$3 per child to take a dip in the Tyrol onsen.

The appeal of visiting such a small town as Utashinai is that you’ll witness a completely different type of Japanese culture than you would in the larger cities. It can also prove extremely relaxing after some time in one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas (Tokyo) to retreat to a much quieter, more scenic area.

For residents of Utashinai, partaking in the skiing and onsen are a part of their daily lives, but there isn’t a lot else to do. In 2007, the local high school closed and high schoolers have to trek to neighboring cities for school. The town once thrived on a number of coal mines established in the 1890s and was home to a record of nearly 46,000 people in the 1940s; however, since the three coal mines closed in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the town has struggled to find an economic identity.

Would the idea of visiting Japan’s least populated city appeal to you? Why or why not? Do you enjoy winter sports and visiting onsen?

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →