Posts Tagged: japanese culture

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16
Apr 11

Traditional Japanese Ghost Stories, Part 2

This week we’ll take another look at a famous Japanese ghost story. Look over last week’s entry and compare the two–you’ll find some similarities. This week is the tale of Banchou Sarayashiki, another ghost story with its origins in a kabuki play, this one from the 18th century. (It is likely, however, that the tale appeared as a folk story before it first appeared on stage.) Again, you’ll find a number of versions of the tale.

Banchou Sarayashiki begins with a beautiful servant woman named Okiku who’s indentured to a samurai named Aoyama Tessan. Aoyama seeks to have Okiku as his lover, but she always refuses his advances, so Aoyama schemes to force her to be his own. He hides (in some versions, pays a thief to steal) one of his family’s sacred ten plates (as in the serving dish), for which Okiku is responsible for caring. According to his family law, a servant losing or breaking one of these plates is a crime punishable by death. Okiku panics and counts the plates over and over but only finds nine each time she counts. Aoyama offers Okiku sanctuary from death if she agrees to become his lover, but she still refuses, so he kills her by pushing her down a well.

Okiku returns as a ghost from the well to haunt the samurai, always counting to nine and shrieking at the end of her count. At last her soul is laid to rest when a stranger (a neighbor or an exorcist, depending on the version) shouts “Ten!” at the end of her counting to make her think she’s found the tenth plate.

In some versions, Okiku actually does break the tenth plate knowingly. In this version, she’s in love with Aoyama, but as she’s a servant and he’s a lord, he’s engaged to another. Okiku’s decision to break the plate is to test Aoyama’s love for her, to see if he’s willing to enforce the rule of killing any servant responsible for the loss of one of the plates. Aoyama does kill her by pushing her down the well in this version, even after hearing that it was a test of his love–but he’s angry that she would go so far to test him. In this version, though, Aoyama is not horrified by her ghost. When he meets the ghost and sees her counting one through nine, he’s overcome with guilt and with her beauty and so he kills himself through seppuku (“harakiri”) and joins her.

What similarities and differences between Banchou Sarayashiki and Yotsuya Kaidan can you list? Which story do you prefer? Of the two mentioned Banchou Sarayashiki versions, do you prefer the one in which Okiku loves Aoyama or the one in which she spurns him?

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8
Apr 11

Traditional Japanese Ghost Stories, Part 1

Bloody Mary, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow… How many ghost stories from Western culture can you name? In Japan, where cultural beliefs born from the Shinto religion dictate that everyone and every thing–even inanimate objects–have spirits, there are quite a few common-knowledge ghost stories. This week we’ll review one of the most famous Japanese ghost stories.

Yotsuya Kaidan: Originally a kabuki play from the early 19th century, Yotsuya Kaidan features a ghost woman named Oiwa out for revenge. The tale goes that an impoverished master-less samurai named Tamiya Iemon falls in love with a lovely woman named Oiwa. Oiwa’s father thinks Iemon is not good enough for his daughter, and in a fit of rage, Iemon kills Oiwa’s father with his sword, unbeknownst to Oiwa. He consoles Oiwa and promises to help her find her father’s killer. They marry and Oiwa becomes pregnant, but Iemon soon becomes bored with his lovely bride.

Iemon falls in love with another woman–a wealthy woman named Oume–and eventually woos her. When told by Oume’s grandfather that if he weren’t married, he could have Oume and all of her wealth and prospects, Iemon decides to kill his pregnant wife by poisoning her food. (In some versions, Oume is less attractive than Oiwa and it is she who orders Oiwa’s food poisoned so Oiwa will become deformed and Oume will have an easier time wooing Iemon.)

Iemon continues to poison Oiwa’s food and watches coldly as she suffers, becomes disfigured and nearly dies. Thinking she’s dead, Iemon leaves to tell Oume, but Oiwa is only unconscious, although she suffers a miscarriage. (In some versions, she’s already given birth and the baby is fine.) Iemon pretends to be happy that she survives, only to push her off a cliff when he takes her on a walk shortly thereafter.

The night before Iemon’s inevitable wedding to Oume, he’s haunted by the disfigured ghost of Oiwa. He sees her face in the dim light of his lantern and he thinks he hears the word “Betrayal!” but he brushes it off. During his wedding to Oume the next day, he lifts up his new bride’s veil only to see the disfigured face of Oiwa, who shrieks “Betrayal!” at him. Scared out of his mind, Iemon unsheathes his samurai sword and beheads the apparition… Only to see the head of his bride Oume roll to the floor.

Hearing ghostly laughter, Iemon runs from the wedding and hides in the disheveled shack he shared with Oiwa. He hears a knocking at the door and sees Oiwa when he answers, so he beheads the ghost–only to discover that it was Oume’s grandfather whom he killed.

Driven mad, Iemon runs to the cliff where he shoved Oiwa off the ledge. Hearing laughter, he almost jumps but stops. Witnesses recount that despite the samurai having a change of heart, they saw a ghastly woman push the man off the cliff before vanishing into thin air.

In the future we may review more Japanese ghost stories. Do you want to learn about more ghost stories? Have you heard a different variation of the legend of Oiwa and Iemon?

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1
Apr 11

Japanese Host and Hostess Clubs

If you’re familiar with geisha culture–and not the Western stereotype that a geisha is a Japanese prostitute–you know that formally entertaining a guest is an integral part of Japanese culture. There’s a proper Japanese way to interact with guests and your host even in a casual or business setting. The geisha culture is similar to basic Japanese host-guest interactions but is somewhat set apart because guests pay for the hosting ability of the geisha. The aim of the geisha is to make her (paying) guest feel special and doted upon, even if she’s never met the guest before.

While the geisha still exist in small numbers, the more prevalent modern example of hosting of this type is the hostess club or the host club. The goal of a hostess or host club is somewhat similar to that of the geisha. The guests at these establishments pay the club and select a host or hostess (or two or three) to entertain them. The host or hostess puts aside his or her own feelings and makes the guest feel loved and lavish attention on them. They engage in conversations that appeal to the guests and they may even pour alcohol, much like a geisha would.

However, the geisha is a nationally cherished Japanese performer and is often an expert in a traditional Japanese art. She also wears an elaborate traditional costume. Modern hosts and hostesses dress up–sometimes in a thematic outfit, depending on the establishment, but usually in stylish eveningwear–but they only receive basic training from the establishment. While geisha can train for years as teenagers and go on to entertain their whole lives, hosts and hostesses normally only look at the job as a way to earn pretty good money. Most hosts and hostesses are between the ages of 18 and 25 and are asked to retire from the profession after that. They need to be attractive as well. Geisha are beautiful in their own way, but being a stunning beauty is not absolutely required.

Another great difference is the host club. While the hostess club is somewhat more reminiscent of the traditional geisha culture, in that women are paid to entertain male guests, host clubs are just the opposite: male hosts being paid to entertain female guests.

Attending a host or hostess club can be pricey, so be prepared to spend the equivalent of hundreds of dollars–mostly on drinks, but there may be a minimum charge. The hosts or hostesses will continue throughout the night to encourage you to spend more money at the clubs, so be cautious. The more money you spend, the more attention you’ll get.

Have you ever been to a host or hostess club? Would attending such a club interest you? Why or why not?

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24
Mar 11

Dealing with an Emergency in Japan

In the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent earthquakes and nuclear power plant issues, the world has gotten a glimpse into the way that the Japanese deal with significant disasters. The fact that there have been no widespread reports of looting or violence in the chaos may be indicative of the type of society that Japan is: one in which the greater good of the many is put before individual needs. Don’t forget to keep those donations going!

The fact that Japan has experienced such devastation lately has gotten me thinking that we could review some helpful tips for dealing with an emergency in Japan. While the emergency may not be as catastrophic as an earthquake or tsunami, knowing these phrases in the language and learning a few key tips can help you get help fast should an accident, illness, or other disaster cause an emergency when you’re in Japan. (Read here for more information on explaining what illnesses you have in Japanese.)

Dialing 119 or 110

Instead of dialing 911 in the event of an emergency, commit this to memory: 119. It shouldn’t be too difficult to remember, since it’s the reverse of the American emergency number. However, it’s important to remember that 119 will only get you the Medical and Fire emergency number. For a Police emergency, dial 110. If you’re At Sea at the time (which may not be as rare an occasion as you may think, since Japan’s made up of islands), dial 118 for any emergency.

If the Japanese words fail you–which is likely if you’re panicked–you can try to speak English with the operator. Speak slowly and simply. The operator may have to transfer you to someone more fluent and it helps if you can express some of the emergency in Japanese to get help on the way as quickly as possible. If you’re in the Tokyo area, you can dial 03-3501-0110 to reach an English-speaking emergency police operator. Input the number in your cell phone directory.

Like with 911, 119, 110 and other emergency numbers should only be called in the event of a true emergency.

Helpful Emergency Phrases

Review the illness phrases taught here. Other emergency phrases that may come in handy include:

Help me! Tasukete!
Hide! Kakurete!
Run! Hashire!
Watch out! Kiotsukete!
There’s a pickpocket! Suri da!
There’s a thief! Dorobou!
There’s a groper (molester)! Chikan da!
There’s a fire! Kaji da!
There’s an earthquake! Jishin da!
There’s a flood! Kouzui da!
There’s a tsunami! Tsunami da!
There’s a storm! Arashi da!
Call an ambulance! Kyuukyuusha wo yonde!
Call the police! Keisatsu wo yonde!
Please take me to the police station. Keisatsu ni tsurette itte kudasai.
Please, somebody catch him or her! Dareka tsukamaete!
I need first aid. Ookyuu teate o shite kudasai.
Please come right now. Sugu ni kite kudasai.
There’s a fight. Kenka desu.
There’s a car accident. Koutsu jiko desu.
This is an emergency. Kyuukyuu desu.

Have you ever experienced an emergency? What do you think would happen if you had an emergency in a foreign country and weren’t familiar with the necessary emergency numbers and phrases?

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11
Mar 11

Tsukemono: Pickled Foods

When discussing Japanese food in the past, we’ve mentioned foods like umeboshi (pickled “plums,” as they’re often called, although the fruit is actually closer to an apricot). Pickled foods are seen frequently in Japanese cuisine. The word for pickled foods is tsukemono.

When you order a Japanese meal set, you’ll often be served a small plate of Japanese pickles. These will not taste or look like the Western pickles to which you are accustomed, as they are usually not pickled in distilled vinegar. They’re softer and smaller than the typical Western pickle and are sometimes made by soaking in a mixture that may include sake, miso, soy sauce, rice bran, mustard, sugar, spices and occasionally, vinegar. However, much of the time, they’re simply placed in a special pressurized container called a tsukemonoki along with some salt. The tsukemonoki uses tsukemonoishi (weight stones) to press upon the vegetables or fruit. The process takes at least ten hours. Juices come out of the produce and the tsukemono pickles in its own juices.

Besides the basic pickled cucumbers to which we in the West are accustomed, the most popular tsukemono include umeboshi, takuan (pickled daikon radishes), beni shoga (ginger pickled with the brine from umeboshi), shibazuke (pickled eggplants), oshinko (pickled Chinese cabbage), and acaharazuke (pickled turnips). You may even find certain types of fish pickled (this is usually called kasuzuke, but you can find kasuzuke made with just vegetables as well, as it refers to the method of pickling in sake lees [yeast]).

Tsukemono can be served as a side dish or they can be thrown together as a salad or within a meal. They also make popular items in rice and onigiri to give the plain rice a touch of flavor. They’re easy to buy in Japanese grocery stores, but they’re also simple enough to make in homes if you have a tsukemonoki. If you don’t have a tsukemonoki, you can try to make your own in a tight container as well by applying pressure to the vegetables.

Have you ever eaten tsukemono? Do you like tsukemono more or less than Western pickles? Would you like to try making tsukemono yourself?

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4
Mar 11

Ginza: Glitz and Glamor

We’re taking a look at another area of Tokyo today: Ginza. Ginza is part of Chuo, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo. Ginza is an upscale area of Tokyo, famous for department stores, restaurants, and other high-end boutiques and shops. The Apple Store and the Sony Store are among the most often visited stores in the area.

Ginza is a great place for window shopping, as you’ll find high-end international brands like Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Dior, as well as high-end Japanese department stores like Wako, Seibu, Matsuzakaya, and Mitsukoshi. However, be careful when spending money and remember the exchange rate. (A basic rule of thumb is to remember 100 yen equals $1, but the amount can actually vary quite a bit. At present 100 yen equals $1.22.) Many of the items for sale are rather expensive, although you’re likely to find something that’s more affordable.

Restaurants are rather high-end as well. Be careful to peruse menus before you sit down and remember the old adage if there’s no price on the menu: “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” Sushi restaurants in Ginza can be especially expensive, with an average of a 20,000 to 70,000 yen bill ($243 to $850) per visit, depending on the number in your party. However, if you like the nightclub scene, you may be in paradise. Just be aware that the cover charge may be pricey. If you want to spend just a little less but still enjoy an elegant dining experience, try the coffee shops or tea houses in the area.

Don’t forget to take a look at the Kabuki-za in Ginza, one of the rare all-kabuki theaters in Japan. It was built in 1889.

Although this is largely true throughout Tokyo, most people who walk around in Ginza dress up in fashionable clothing. You’ll stand out in Japan as a foreigner, but you’ll especially turn heads if you wear typical comfortable tourist clothing.

Have you ever been to Ginza? Would you be interested in going to Ginza? Would you buy anything?

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25
Feb 11

Properly Greeting Your Japanese Host

If you spend a length of time in Japan–or even if you’re just there for vacation–you may be asked to join a Japanese family for dinner at their home. Knowing ahead of time what’s expected of you as a guest can help you leave your Japanese hosts with a favorable impression. Although most Japanese are more lenient with foreigners and won’t be terribly offended if you don’t act like a proper Japanese guest, they’re sure to appreciate the gesture if you take the time to learn basic manners for guests in Japan.

When joining your Japanese hosts for dinner, you’re not expected to bring a food dish to be eaten during the dinner. You are, however, expected to bring a wrapped gift for your hosts, if you’re following Japanese etiquette. Ideally, you will choose a gift that represents the country you’re from, or even more specifically, the state, province, or city you’re from. Gifts that cannot be easily purchased in Japan are the best (although, if invited after you’ve arrived, you may need to purchase them from a US importer or even have the items shipped ahead of time). At least one gift for each family member in the hosting family (in one wrapped package) is even better.

Think small gifts that are neither incredibly expensive nor incredibly cheap, but erring on the side of inexpensive is wise so you don’t pressure your hosts into thinking that they owe you for an expensive gift. Non-perishable foods, beverages, travel books, calendars, stationery items, apparel, and tea (although avoid green tea, as giving green tea as a gift is usually associated with funerals) are just a few good ideas. If you can’t get anything to represent your hometown, at least bring some gift, even if it’s Japanese.

When you arrive at your hosts’ home, present them with your gift with both hands. It’s generally considered more polite to pass anything, especially a gift, with two hands instead of one. Your hosts will likely thank you and then put the gift aside. It’s proper Japanese etiquette not to open a gift in front of the gift giver, so don’t pressure your hosts to open the gift before you leave or be offended when you see that they don’t. Don’t forget to remove your shoes at the door as well.

Have you ever been a guest in a Japanese home? What gift, if any, did you bring? Do you like the idea of not opening gifts in front of the gift givers?

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4
Feb 11

The Japanese Love Hotel

Valentine’s Day is approaching and chances are, the love hotels in Japan will experience an increase in business. The Japanese love hotel (actually called “rabu hoteru,” the Japanese pronunciation of the English words “love” and “hotel”) is somewhat of a uniquely Japanese cultural phenomenon for adults.

Because the metropolitan areas of Japan are especially crowded, space is limited and many apartment buildings have thin walls that can make privacy a little difficult to come by. Living with family–which is much more culturally accepted for young adults before marriage in Japan than it is in Western countries–can also complicate trying to have sexual relations with a partner. In order to have some privacy, many couples look to have their sexual encounters at love hotels. (Of course, there are people having affairs and illicit encounters that turn to love hotels as well, but the majority of customers are couples in need of privacy.)

Love hotels are different than regular hotels in that they specifically cater to people having sex and giving couples privacy. Many of these hotels have no windows and discrete entrances so that couples don’t have to worry about being seen. They often also don’t have anyone manning the front desk (but they may). Instead, couples select a room via a computer screen and deposit the room key card on their way out in order to verify that they’ve left. Couples can also often purchase sex toys and costumes via vending machines.

Many of the love hotel rooms are themed to add to the excitement. Themes can include fetishes and may also include pop culture references like anime characters or even Hello Kitty. Some theme rooms don’t resemble bedrooms at all and recreate an entire scenario, like a bad student in detention after school with a teacher, an encounter on a train car, or a nurse providing a checkup for a patient.

Love hotels are not intended for long stays. After usually 10 pm, couples may choose to pay for an overnight stay. However, they may come to the hotel at any time and stay for a shorter period (called a “rest” stay) from anywhere between one and three hours. Rates vary by hotel, but a “rest” could cost around ¥2800 to ¥4500 (~US$34 to $55) and an overnight “stay” could cost about ¥7500 to ¥12,000 (~US$92 to $147).  Leaving the hotel  before you’ve finished with your stay is usually discouraged.

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28
Jan 11

Eating at a Restaurant in Japan

If you’ve read our entry on Japanese table manners, you’ve learned a few tips for dining while in Japan. However, there are a few cultural differences that you may encounter that have nothing to do with courtesy. Knowing what to expect will help you seem less confused. You’ll find most of these differences at just about any restaurant in Japan, whether Japanese or Western in nature.

How to order: When visiting a restaruant, you may be surprised to find that no server is coming to your table. In Japan, the servers give you time to settle in and look at the menu and won’t come over until you’re ready. In family restaurant (famiresu)–restaurants with a wide variety of Western and Asian dishes, somewhat similar in decor to family restaurants you’ll find in the West–especially, you’re likely to find a call button on your table. When you’re ready to order or if you need refills or anything else throughout your meal, push the call button. This will signal to the servers that you would like assistance. If you don’t find a call button on your table, you may call over a server by saying “Sumimasen” (“excuse me”) when a server passes by.

No tipping: Unlike in the West, where servers are often paid less than minimum wage with the understanding that diners’ tips will make up the rest, there’s no tipping food servers in Japan. Servers make minimum wage or more because they do not count on tips. Of course, this means you’ll have no way to show your displeasure if you’re unhappy with service other than complaining to the manager. However, Japanese servers will more often than not provide excellent service and don’t need tips as motivation. (If you tip, you’ll likely just confuse the servers, so don’t feel obligated out of habit to tip for excellent service.)

Eating with chopsticks: Unless you’re eating in a Western restaurant, you’ll most likely be provided only with chopsticks. Taking the time to learn to eat with chopsticks can help you be immersed in the culture. However, if you’re in Japan on a limited basis or you simply can’t master the utensils, you may be able to ask for forks and knives.

Smaller portion size: America in particular is often made fun of by the rest of the world for serving huge portions. If you’re used to American portions, you may be surprised to find that Japanese food portions are much smaller.

Have you ever eaten in a restaurant in Japan? Do you have any funny stories to share about cultural miscommunication? Do you like the idea of not tipping servers and having the servers paid higher wages?

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21
Jan 11

Harajuku: Street Fashion Capital

Tokyo is Japan’s most populous city, so it’s no surprise that there are almost as many different sides to the city as there are people. For instance, there are 23 special wards in the city of Tokyo–just in the most populous area. You may have heard of some of these wards in pop culture references to Japan. These days, Harajuku is one of those pop culture words that’s popular even outside of Japan.

Harajuku isn’t a ward–it’s a section of the Shibuya ward, specifically around the Harajuku Station. But this small section of a Tokyo ward is famous globally as one of the fashion capitals of the world. However, the fashion you’ll find here is different from the high-class fashion you’ll find in other areas of Tokyo. The “street fashion” you’ll find on teenagers and young adults is usually bright, bold and one-of-a-kind.

The fashions tend to gravitate toward one of three styles: lolita, visual kei, and cosplay–however, in Harajuku, anything goes. The young people who show off their clothes in Harajuku take pride in creating their own mix-and-match designs.

Lolita: Lolita fashions (exclusively for women or men crossdressing) are somewhat reminiscent of Victorian-era clothes with much shorter skirts and a few modern accessories. There are a number of subcategories within the style, including “Gothic Lolita,” which makes use of mostly black and dark colors, and “Baby Lolita,” which emphasizes pastel colors and cutesy accessories.

Visual Kei: Visual kei, which we’ve covered as a musical genre, is known for theatrical outfits that mix Gothic black and dark colors as well as Victorian-era type of clothing. Brightly colored hair and kabuki-style makeup complete the ensembles.

Cosplay: Cosplay is short for “costume play” and it refers to dressing up as fictional characters. Most often in Japan, this refers to dressing as characters from anime, manga, video games, and famous bands, but it can also refer to roleplaying by wearing costumes, such as roleplaying as maids, nurses, and even schoolgirls.

Have you ever heard of Harajuku? Have you ever been to Harajuku? What do you think of the street fashion there?

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