Japan - Geography
Series of islands
Isolated from mainland
Effects of geographic isolation:
Homogeneous population, language & customs
Homogeneity is important to the society
Foreigners have been ostracized
Foreigners may experience discrimination
Japanese have great respect for their own cultural heritage
Population and Government
Dense population
60% urban
10,000 people per square mile in urban centers
Oldest monarchy
2,000 years
Based on Chinese model (emperor)
Emperor lost power to shoguns (warlords)
Industrialized economy
3rd largest
agriculture is 3 % of GNP
Population
95% Japanese
3% Burakumin - outcasts - Eta
physically indistinguishable
extreme social segregation
from 400-year old caste system
1% Korean
Less than 1% Chinese
Less than 1/2 % Ainu
Tribal people of Hokkaido Island
General History
Early period
Several distinct indigenous cultures
Immigrant peoples from Asia
Blending of cultures by 5th C. AD
Pre-modern period
Waves of Chinese & Korean influence
Imperial system of government
Feudal warfare
Development of Samurai warrior class
Isolation from all foreign influence
Refinement of artistic & theatrical expression
Religion
Shintoism
Indigenous religion
Buddhism
Introduced from Korea
Zen Buddhism
Strong influence on the arts, esp. No Theatre
Christianity
Spanish & Portuguese missionaries mid-1500’s
Confucianism
400 AD along w/ other Chinese influences
Shintoism
Began as worship of natural objects
mountains, rocks, sea
Evolved to include symbolic objects
imperial sword
Tenants:
Objects inhabited by Kami - spirit
Kami must be worshipped & appeased
Stone or wood structures built to house the kami
Buddhism
Prince regent Shotoku Taishi (574-622)
sent envoys to China for information
established Buddhist monasteries
wrote & lectured on Buddhism
Many different sects introduced
Associated w/ government & educational system
Purged during Meiji restoration
Zen Buddhism
Introduced 7th to 9th C AD - Flourished 12th C
Meditation or contemplation
Tenants:
Intuitive insight into the nature of reality
Attainment of complete enlightenment
Satori
Introspection
Self-reliance & simplicity
Appeal to Samurai warrior
Heightening of perceptions
Appeal to artist
Modern Religious Practice
Each religion has own clergy & place of worship
Function as set of practices (not beliefs)
Most Japanese are Buddhist & Shinto
Blending of beliefs practiced by one person
No sense of conflict
Buddhism statistically dominant (85%)
Rituals involving ancestor worship & funerals
originally Shinto
Shinto associated w/ wedding rituals & imperial family rituals
Important Aspects of Culture
Desirable personal qualities
Self-development, self-discipline
Achievement, dedication to work
Guide to behavior - 2 opposing aspects
Giri - social obligations
Ninjo - emotional ties
Individual perceived in relationship to others - Ningen
Authority of group derived from common will
Language
Formality and deference - varying degrees
Verb endings indicate:
deference to person you are speaking to
deference to person you are speaking about
formality level of the situation
Identify hierarchical social relationships
Writing System
Kanji
Chinese picture characters representing ideas
Two sets of syllaberi
adapts Kanji to the Japanese grammatical structure
Hirigana
originally for women
now indigenous Japanese
Katakana
originally for men
now foreign words adopted into Japanese
Caste System
Elite goups
Kozoku - Imperial lineage
Kazoku - Titled nobility
Shizoku - Former samurai (businessmen / middle class)
Burakumin - Eta
People of the ghetto
Still considered social outcasts
Ie - Household Affiliation
Social organization
enterprises, family businesses
artisan activities, performance traditions
Continuing over generations
parents, children, grandparents, ancestors
One married couple
Serve as head of household
Familial succession
first male child & his wife
Or someone recruited from outside the family
better able to manage the family enterprise
adopted into ie at adulthood
