2. Tabla de contenido
Team............................................................................................................................................. 3
Where Japan is located................................................................................................................ 4
Geographic Features of Japan..................................................................................................... 4
Time: Past, Present, Future......................................................................................................... 5
Customs and Traditions............................................................................................................... 5
Religion ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Celebrations ................................................................................................................................. 7
Rites of Passage............................................................................................................................ 8
Family Structure – Gender Role ................................................................................................. 9
Education ................................................................................................................................... 10
Japanese Food............................................................................................................................ 11
Japanese in the CNMI ............................................................................................................... 11
4. Where Japan is located
• Japan is an island country in East Asia in the Pacific Ocean
• East of China, Korea, and Russia
• “Land of the Rising Sun”
Geographic Features of Japan
Japan comprises over 3,000 islands the largest of which are Honshu, Hokkaidō, Kyushu and
Shikoku, together accounting for 97% of land area. Most of the islands are mountainous, many
volcanic; for example, Japan’s highest peak, Mount Fuji, is a volcano. Japan has the world's tenth
largest population, with about 128 million people. The Greater Tokyo Area, which includes the
capital city of Tokyo and several surrounding prefectures, is the largest metropolitan area in the
world, with over 30 million residents.
Archaeological research indicates that people were living on the islands of Japan as early as the
Upper Paleolithic period. The first written mention of Japan begins with brief appearances in
Chinese history texts from the first century AD. Influence from the outside world followed by long
periods of isolation has characterized Japan's history. Thus, its culture today is a mixture of outside
influences and internal developments. Since adopting its constitution in 1947, Japan has maintained
a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected parliament, the Diet.
• Over 3,000 islands
• Largest islands
• Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku
• 4 largest islands accounts for 97% of land area.
• Most islands are mountainous (many volcanic)
• Mount Fuji
• World’s 10th
largest population
• ~128 million people
• Japanese – 98.5%
• Koreans – 0.5%
• Chinese – 0.4%
• Other – 0.7%
• The Greater Tokyo Area
5. • Largest metropolitan area in the world
Time: Past, Present, Future
Emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, however, actual power rests in the
networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, & business executives.
• Past:
• Isolated from foreign influence (250 yrs.)
• Enabled Japan to enjoy stability & strengthen its indigenous culture.
• 1854 – Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize & industrialize.
• Economic Power (WWII)
• Present:
• Emperor
• Symbol of national unity
• Actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, &
business executives
• Economy
• Still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally.
• Future:
• Continue to prosper (?)
Customs and Traditions
• Past – Marriage was arranged by parents. Bride & Groom are more or less to make a final
decision through personal impressions of each other. Groom would be invited to the Bride-
to-be home and if he is impressed with the bride he would leave behind a fan to indicate his
acceptance. The Bride-to-be has little chance of expressing her views on the subject.
• Groom would make nightly visits to her brides home and only after the birth of a
child or the loss of a parents of the husband, the bride would be accepted as the
wife in the man’s home.
• In other areas (Tohoku) – husband would live with the brides family to offer his
labor for a certain length of time.
6. • The most widely practiced – bride & groom would offer their time and labor to
their own families and such cases the husband would visit the his wife nightly to
maintain their married life.
• Izu Island – Wife would work for the family of her husband, who would, however,
stay at her home.
• Traditional Japanese Wedding
Wedding seasons – Spring & Fall
Arranged Marriage (Past)
Engagement Gifts
Gift to the Groom
Hakama Pants/Skirt - Fidelity
Gift to the Bride
“Obi” Kimono Sash – Female Virtue
Other gifts
“Naga-Noshi” Abalone Shell – Sincerity
Money
“Katsuo-bushi” Dried Bonito or “Surume” Dried Cuttlefish –
Lasting Marriage
“Konbu” – Happy & Healthy Children
“Shiraga” or Hemp – Strong Family Ties
“Suehiro” A Fan – Happiness
"Sake" Casks – Pledge of Obedience & Gentleness
• Traditional Japanese Wedding
Wedding Ceremony
The Shinto wedding is performed before a Shinto sanctuary.
"San-san-kudo," a ceremony of three-times-three exchange of nuptial cups,
is performed by the bridegroom and bride. Drinks of "Sake" are then
exchanged between members and close relatives of the both families to
signify their union through the wedding.
Offering of twigs of "Sakaki" sacred tree in worship to gods to end the
main part of the wedding ceremony.
7. • Tea Ceremony
• Influenced by Zen Buddhism with the intention of purifying the soul & becoming
one with nature.
• Ritual tea drinking originated in China.
• Ceremony is performed in a tea house (garden).
• Water represents yin and fire in the hearth represents yang.
“yin-yang” – “heaven & earth”
Religion
• Buddhism
• 96% of Japan's population is Buddhist
• Shintoism
• Animistic belief system
• Native religion of Japan
• Was once the state religion
• “The Way of the Gods”
Celebrations
Festivals celebrating the seasons and annual cultural events
• New Year Festival – January 1st
• Seasonal Change – Setsubun – Feb. 3rd
or 4th
• Doll Festival - Hina Matsuri – March 3rd
• Children's Day (Boys' Day) – May 5th
• Tanabata Festival – July 7th
• Bon Festival – August 15th
Local festivals
• Lunar New Year
• Autumn Harvest Festivals
• Summer festivals
8. • Nebuta Festival
• Okunchi Festival
• Sanja Festival
• New Year Festival
Jan.1st families gather to drink a special kind of sake that is supposed to ensure a long life, eat a
special kind of soup containing sticky rice cakes, and "wipe away any bitter memories remaining from the
previous year."
• Seasonal Change – Setsubun – Feb. 3rd
or 4th
The Japanese celebrate the traditional beginning of spring. The traditional way of celebrating this day
is by scattering beans about the home to ward off evil spirits
• Doll Festival - Hina Matsuri – March 3rd
The Doll Festival takes place on March 3. Families with girls display a set of dolls representing the
ancient imperial court and celebrate by drinking a special kind of sweetened white sake.
• Children’s Day (Boy’s Day) – May 5th
In Japan May 5 was made a national holiday in 1948. Families with boys hang streamers depicting
carp (a fish) outside their homes as symbols of strength. It has been celebrated in China and Japan
since ancient times
• Tanabata Festival – July 7th
On this festival day people write their wishes on strips of colored paper, which they attach to
branches of bamboo.
• Bon Festival – August 15th
During Bon Festival the Japanese welcome their ancestors' souls to our world. (Introduced by China
in the 7th
century)
Rites of Passage
• Coming of Age Rites
• Separation
• Child is removed from the presence of the mother
• Separated from their former status or state of being
• Transition – Vulnerable Stage
• Child is subjected to a series of experiences with the intention of engendering a
new status or state of being.
• Re-incorporation
• Reintegrated into a new secure status in the context of the society.
9. • Child taking on an adult role.
• Coming of Age Rites
• In coming of age rites, for example, this might be done by removing the child from the
presence of the mother. Then the liminar is subjected to a series of experiences with the
intention of engendering a new status or state of being. This is the transition or liminal
phase. The liminar in this phase is neither in the old secure state nor in the new secure state,
but is here in a vulnerable in-between ‘place’, on the threshold of the new one. Lastly, the
liminar is brought out of the threshold or liminal state, and reintegrated into a new secure
status in the context of the society. This would often be celebrated with festival in coming
of age rites with the new adults now formally taking up their new adult roles.1
Family Structure – Gender Role
• Father
• Wage Earners
• The family head - held absolute authority over the family's property and its
members
• Mother
• Remained at home
• Decision-making power
• Control of money
• Son
• Expected to excel in school
• Limited chores
• Responsible for siblings when they are outside of the home
• Expected to bring honor to the family
• Served before mother, younger brothers and sisters
• Daughter
• Expected to excel in school
• Expected to learn how to organize a home & care for things.
• Elders
• Source of Wisdom
• Father
You are the father. You are the head of the family. You are the spokesman for the family. You work very hard
to support your family and earn money. You want to do your job well so your family will be all right. If
someone in your family does something wrong. you apologize for it yourself because you represent your
family. If someone does well, you are praised. When you come home from work, you are able to relax. You
10. spend your time at home watching tv, reading the paper, and playing with your children. You are served first
at meals and take the first bath. You wife serves you and takes care of you. Your children respect you and do
not bother you with little problems.
• Mother
You are the mother. You are the organizer of the home. You keep harmony (peace) and take care of
everything in the house. Your family is very important to you. You clean the house, wash the clothes, buy the
food, and cook the meals. You take out the garbage, fix things when they break or call the repair man, and pay
all of the bills. You always put your family first and yourself last; you serve yourself last at meals and you
bathe last in the large wooden tub. You make sure your children go to school and help them with their
homework. You keep peace and harmony in the family; you are always polite and respectful to father and take
care of him. You make sure the children don't bother him with little things. You are strict with your daughters
and show them how to do woman's work. You are less strict with your sons, you respect them and give them
the chores that are the most fun. When someone in your family does well because of your help, you are not
praised but you are responsible and feel very proud.
• Oldest Son (First Son)
You are the oldest son in the family. When you get older you will be in charge of your family. You are
learning to be the spokesman and director of your family. You work very hard in school to learn as much as
you can so you can help your family. You play baseball and other sports. You read, study, and watch tv. You
do not have many chores. You must respect and obey your father. You watch out for the younger children and
make sure they are ok when they are outside of the home. When your father asks you to do something for him
you are honored and try to do your very best to bring honor to your family.
You can ask your mother, sisters, and younger brothers for favors. You are served and get to bathe before
your younger bothers, sisters, and your mother. You are called "first son."
• Daughter
You are one of the daughters in the family. You are learning how to be the organizer of a home, how to care
for things, and how to keep harmony (peace). You go to school. You study very hard and try to learn things
that will help you become a good mother. You play with your friends after school. You like to read comics
and magazines and listen to records. You help your mother around the house. You try to make your family
proud of you and bring them honor. You are expected to do favors for your brothers. Your brothers get to eat
and bathe before you do.
Education
• Spend 240 days a year at school
• School day begins at 8:30am & ends at 6:30pm
• Students behavior on the way to school is regulated by school policy
• No chewing gum, snacks, or reading while walking.
• Stand on the buses and trains
• Demonstrate consideration for others
• Students clean the school
• Teachers move from room to room
11. • Cram School
• Preparation for high school & university entrance examination
• Scores determine what school you attend
• Scores influences a students entire future
• Good jobs depends on the school you attend.
• Most prestigious universities
• University of Tokyo
• Kyoto University
Japanese Food
Sashimi
Vegetable Tempura
Tonkotsu Noodle Soup
Yakitori Chicken
Vegetable Tempura
Japanese in the CNMI
• Population: 952 or 1.4% of total population
• (2000 Census)
• Roles
• Business Owners
• Tourist
• Residents
• Historical ties to the CNMI
