Posts published in “Cultural Understanding”

Stories for cross-cultural understanding

Gender Language

February 28, 2024

By Yui Takeda

In the world, a lot of people think that men and women speak differently. Also, features of gender differences in language is different between Japan and other country. Then, this essay compares three expert’s essays. First essay is written about comparing Japanese and English, second is about Japanese and Chinese, the last one is about Japanese and Korean.
Kumadaki (2006) compared proverbs in Japanese and English. She said that proverbs express historical views on men and women that have been passed down from ancient times, and we can get a glimpse of what kind of stereotypes a society holds regarding gender differences. Also, the number of proverbs which is written about women is more than one’s about men. For example, they are written about women’s appearance, attitude, and so on. Besides, there are many Japanese proverbs that “evaluate or criticize women negatively,” and that there are also many that “talk about appearance and makeup.” On the other hand, there are proverbs that relate to men’s attitudes and behavior, the division of roles, and say that men are superior. However, there are extremely few proverbs in English that relate to men, and like in Japanese, many of them are targeted at women. From the above results, she said that “views of men and women” have been constructed through words since ancient times, and these ideas implicitly reflect the division of roles and values between men and women, and these ideas become fixed ideas. There is still a tendency to view things from the perspective of men and women from the past, and this can be said to have created gender differences that continue without being recognized much to this day.
Then, next one is the compering Japanese and Korean. Kim the degree of gender differences varies depending on the language, with some languages having large gender differences and others having small gender differences. Japanese is a representative language with large gender differences, and there are expressions unique to women that differ from those used by men, such as final particles, personal pronouns, beautifying words, and interjections, and there is clearly a language variant called feminine language, and the same goes for masculine words. On the other hand, Korean is said to be a language with very small linguistic gender differences. If you listen to actual utterances, you can easily distinguish between men and women because the pitch and quality of their voice are different, but if you transcribe that into text, the differences between men and women almost disappear.
The last one is the comparing Japanese and Chinese. Kawasaki (2011) said that in modern Chinese, there are no gender differences between the words in Japanese, as they are clearly visible to everyone, such as personal pronouns and final particles. However, previous research has revealed that there are still differences between men and women and age in terms of phonology, vocabulary, expressions, and oral habits. A survey of habitual phrases shows that young women tend to mumble buzzwords, the use of low-level insults that can be taken as insults, the use of English, and the frequent use of words of words surprise and admiration.
In this way, there are differences between Japanese and other languages. Especially, Japanese have more gender differences than Korean and Chinese. According to The Agency for Cultural Affairs, many languages have differences in word usage based on gender. Even in Japanese, there are vocabulary and linguistic practices that are used characteristically by each gender, we should not insist on fixed gender differences in language. However, no matter which gender they belong to, each person should use language and topics that are acceptable as self-expression and that are appropriate to the person and the situation. It is desirable to make choices and engage in rich communication.

School Lunches in Japan and the U.S.

School Lunches in Japan and the U.S.

August 10, 2023

By Tomoka Eri
When, where, and how did school lunches begin and spread around the world? There are a lot of theories about the beginnings of school lunches, but it is said to have started in the 18th century in Munich, Germany, when aristocrats fed poor children. Later, school lunches were provided in a lot of countries around the world as an effective means of combating poverty. School lunches are very familiar in Japan, and most elementary and junior high schools offer them. Similarly, school lunches are available in the United States. However, there are interesting differences between Japanese school lunches and American one.

     Firstly, where school lunches are eaten is different. In Japan, each class eats school lunch in the classroom. Then everyone in the class, including the teacher, prepares for school lunch together. After saying “Itadakimasu” a greeting of gratitude for the food, everyone eats together. In the U.S., however, students are instructed to eat in the cafeteria or outdoors at lunch tables. Therefore, in the U.S. there is no need for school lunch duties such as, serving food. Lunch breaks in the U.S. are very casual, so they can eat lunch wherever they want with whomever they want.
      Secondly, there is a difference in the frequency of eating school lunch. In Japan, all students eat school lunch almost every day, so Japanese students pay a monthly school lunch fee once a month. In the U.S., however, students apply to the school only when they need a school lunch and eat it. Therefore, many students in the U.S. bring their own lunch boxes from home, and when this is not possible, they eat school lunches so that each student can have lunch as they like, so American students pay for every school lunch, and in some schools, when students authenticate their student ID cards, the money spent on school lunches is deducted from the registered parent’s bank account.
     Thirdly, there is a difference in the school lunch menu. In Japan, a nutritionist prepares a very healthy and varied menu, considering the nutritional balance of the day. For example, there are menu items such as rice, miso soup filled with vegetables such as onions, carrots, and radishes, fried chicken, a salad that has been cooked and milk. However, school lunches in the U.S. have fewer varieties than in Japan and are rotated among several types throughout the year. Furthermore, they are relatively high in milk and fat and low in dietary fiber. Examples of American school lunch menus are hot dogs and French fries, raw vegetables, potato-chips, pizza, and whole apples, and the style is to pick and choose what they like.
      From the above, both Japan and the U.S. consider school lunches important as a remedy for children to grow up healthy and not to be deprived of food. However, there are a lot of differences between Japanese and U.S. school lunches, in terms of location, provenance, and menu, and both are suited to the characteristics of each region.

Daiso, Popular 100-yen Shop in Japan

Daiso, Popular 100-yen Shop in Japan

August 25, 2022

USJ students are loyal customers of Daiso

Daiso, the Japanese 100-yen shop, is very popular in Japan. Daiso can be found across Japan and there are two Daiso shops near the University of Shimane. The reason for Daiso’s popularity is its low price. Most products are unified to 100 yen. Japanese 100 yen is equal to about 0.79 dollars, and you can see that it is very reasonable. Isn’t it amazing that you can buy household goods, such as kitchen utensils such as tableware, storage boxes and stationary at such a low price? (Naoto Hakata)

But the price is not the only reason of their popularity. A wide variety of foods such as frozen foods, confectionery, and preserved foods are sold. If you want to buy sweets, go to Daiso and you’ll be all set. I got upset when I did not find my favorite sweets at a convenience store. To my great delight, I found them at Daiso. I was very impressed. Daiso never disappoint me. (Fujimoto Masanari)

Daiso keeps pleasing their customers with everlasting new products. I had a part-time job at Daiso. Even four months after I started working there, I couldn’t remember the location of all the products. Unbelievable, isn’t it? This is because Daiso releases new products almost every week. The number of products is increasing day by day. (Inoue Mizuki)

Daiso products are very useful. This item, a plastic container, is for making onsen tamago-Japanese soft-cooked egg. Onsen tamago is very difficult to cook, because the temperature should be kept just right for the center to be cooked but the white should not be overcooked. But with this product, you get this problem solved! Just add an egg to the plastic container and pour three tablespoons of water, and heat it in the microwave (500W) for 1 minute. This Daiso product makes it easy to prepare onsen tamago at home. (Mimura Satsuki)

Another useful product is the container for making pasta. I always found it troublesome to cooking pasta. One day, I accidentally came across this item and decided to give it a try at home. All I had to do was to put water and pasta in a container and heat in the microwave. I could enjoy an ideal taste just by doing that. I was so amazed at this fresh idea! (Ogoshi Masaya)

In addition to the useful items, Daiso sells amazingly cute products, too. Plates are one of Daiso’s popular products. The price is low and the cost performance is good. But that is not all. Look at the picture. The designs are very cute, aren’t they? That’s why Daiso is so popular in Japan. (Yoda Kohei)

You must wonder why Daiso can manage to do this. The reason is that the design and structure is simple, and the manufacturing cost is reduced by using low-priced materials than those of other makers. In this way, many daily items are easily available for customers. It will be great fun to make new discoveries just by looking around the stores. Why don’t you shop at Daiso? You might become a loyal customer! (Hakata Naoto)

The Idioms that Changed Me

The Idioms that Changed Me

August 25, 2022

By Minori Tanaka

When I was first in my year of high school, I did not do my assignments every time and I did not listen to class. After I finished club, I always went to karaoke or played around station with my friends until midnight. Every time I went home at midnight, my mother scolded me. When I think about it now, I was a very stupid student. But one day of my second year of high school, when I went to the library in the high school, I saw a book. The book is written about two idioms. These idioms become changing me, because it changed my behaviors in high school, motivated me in different situations, and helps me to inspire others.
     “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. This idiom means that no matter how difficult the road, if you have the will to do it, you will be able to open it. This idiom resonated with me. When I saw this idiom, I thought about myself. I ought, “My lifestyle is so very shameful. I can’t go to university as I am now.” At that time, I went to English school. So, I started thinking that I wanted to go to university, and then I wanted to study English. This incident was a miracle.
     “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it”.
When I felt painful, I saw this idiom every time. Sometimes, I was criticized by the teacher. The teacher often told me “You cannot pass the university, because you are stupid. But I remembered this idiom and did my best. I get encouraged when I see this idiom.
     Finally, I passed this university in March. Now, I do many assignments very hard every time. Also, I advise high school juniors to study for entrance exam. In addition, I try everything that I want to do. The person that I was four years ago and the person that I am now are very different person. Recently, there are some people who not confident in themselves. Even if they want to do it, some people think that they can’t, and eventually they give up. Me too. Originally, I was a person who gave up every time. I might be able to do it, but I always gave up. However, if people have a strong will, it should be surely come true. “Action is the foundational key to all success”. All action is no waste.
     I never thought that some idioms would change my life so much. If people feel painful, they may want to look up some idioms. They make people relaxed and positive. I changed my life by finding two idioms that “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it”. No one people can’t do it. If people have will, they can do anything. If I had not come across these idioms, I would not be there now. Now I am thankful that I have come across these idioms.

Students Should be Required to Wear Uniforms in School

August 25, 2022

By Aika Tatano

School uniform have been worn by many students for hundreds of years. There are schools which do not have uniform, but students should be required to wear uniform in school. School uniform has some good roles, and school uniform is Japanese traditional culture. For instance, school uniform is a symbol of the school, school uniform is economical, and school uniform can wear for a long time. In this way, it is good for students to wear the school uniform, so students should be required to wear uniform in school for these 3 reasons.

First, a school uniform is a symbol of the school. If students wear uniforms, people can notice which school students are in by looking at the uniforms. So, if they do good things or bad things, people can inform the school. For instance, if they helped people in the city, people could notice school of them by uniform, so the school’s reputation improves. On the other hand, if they steal something in the city, people could notice their school by their uniform, so the school’s reputation will be bad. Therefore, they can have a sense of responsibility as student at each school. It is important for students to grow in emotional maturity by seeing their behavior as associated with the school uniform.

Second, a school uniform is economical because students don’t need to buy a lot of clothes. If students wear plain clothes every day, they need to buy a lot of clothes. However, if they wear school uniform, they do not need to buy a new uniform many times. So, the financial burden is reduced by school uniform. Also, a school uniform is strong, so students can wear the same uniform for three years. And a school uniform can be used for a long time. For instance, if one student graduates from the school, they could hard over the uniform to younger people such as a sister, a brother, or a friend’s sister or brother. So that, it is economical to buy school uniforms.

Thirdly, school uniform is a Japanese tradition, so students wear school uniform for a long time. Male students wear school uniforms and female students wear sailor suits. Their designs different slightly from school to school. So, it is a feature of the school. Also, some students decide on a school based on their uniform design. In this way, there are students who enjoy school uniform. In addition to, school uniform was born for the students to wear equal garments. This tradition should be cherished for future students. In this way, school uniform’s tradition has a lot of meaning for students.

The examples above are only a small sample that students should be required to wear uniform in school. School uniform has a lot of good roles such as it is economical, and encourages good better so students should be required to wear uniform in school. However, not all schools will adopt uniforms in the future. It is important for students to know about charm of school uniform. Then, the school uniform system will become more widespread, and more schools will adopt school uniforms. For these reasons, students should be required to wear uniform in school in the future.

Benefits of Playing Team Sports

August 25, 2022

By Saki Shimoda

When you were a high school student, what sport club did you try to belong to? Someone would you say they would join in the track team, someone would say they would join in the soccer team. There are two types of clubs: individual and team competitions. I think that not many people want to competition individually. On the other hand, many do not want to compete as a team. why are there so many of these people? Many people think that doing things in a group adds a lot of hassle. However, there are many positive effects of playing a team sport on young people in the long run.

Team sports helps make many friends. It may be tricky, but it also brings good things in its wake. It can make a lot of friends and find someone who fits your needs. Maybe that could become a long-time best friend. In fact, I found many friends and best friends on the club team that I am still close to after 9 years. In addition, you can rejoice and encourage together. The joy gained from working together with teammates is many times greater than the joy gained alone. Furthermore, rivals can do it within the same team, so they can enhance each other.

Next, you can develop cooperative skills. I think that what is important in team sports is not only technical skills but also good rapport. In order to get along with a large number of people, we need to care for each other. Also, if you act individually when you’re working as a team, you know you’re going to get angry. In the situation, the cooperation gained will be very useful in life in society. People often required to live in groups at school and at work. If you have cooperation skills, you can build good relationships.

Finally, people can be active in situations outside of the club as an adult. For example, PTA table tennis and volleyball tournaments or parent-child recreation, etc. even if you don’t want to do these things, it’s hard to avoid this kind of interaction as an adult. if you were a track and field athlete and still quick on your feet as an adult, you might find it useful in many situations, such as sports day. However, as people get older, their feet don’t keep up and they more concerned with not cooking up than with speed. In contrast, many team sports require skills, many of which are ingrained in the body and can be utilized even when you’re no longer young.

To summarize, people can make many friends and find your best friend, foster cooperation, and have ability to use it as an adult. There are a number of positive effects of playing a team sport eventually. The more people involved, the more work you have to do, but the more you can experience many different forms of things you can’t do alone. Lastly, I recommend you to play basketball! It could make your life more enjoyable.

Abacus for After School Activity

August 24, 2022

By Kiho Shimokariya

Today, many children do after school activities. Doing after school activities to learn what they don’t learn at school can help enrich children’s future lives. Of course, time spent in childhood is very short and precious. Therefore, parents need to carefully choose effective after school activities for their children to take. In many activities, we should let our children learn abacus. Some may think that learning abacus is outdated in this age of IT. Learning abacus not only helps them to calculate, but also to develop many other skills. Learning abacus not only improves their ability to calculate, but also to develop many other skills. It’s very important for improving academic skills, social skills, and a quality of life. There are some reasons why leaning abacus is important, including academic and social development and improving a quality of life.

Learning abacus can improve academic performance. The abacus has a time limit. Students concentrate on looking at small numbers, decimal points, and commas, and make instantaneous decisions. They also concentrate on listening to the teacher’s voice so as not to miss anything. Concentration is required because if you do not concentrate on your fingertips, you will touch the beads that you should not touch. This helps to improve ability to concentrate. The concentration skills acquired through abacus will enable our children to focus on their classes at school, and once they understand the content of the class, they will naturally enjoy studying and improve their academic skills.

Also, children can improve social skills through learning abacus for after school activity. There are many students who attend abacus classes. There are many opportunities to interact with students who are not in the same grade who you would not normally have the chance to interact with. Children become friends by teaching each other, and they also become good rivals through examinations. They will also be able to pay attention to their surroundings, because if they move not quietly, someone’s abacus board will disturbed, and if they speak or make noise during the reading arithmetic, they will not be able to hear the teacher’s voice reading out loud and will interrupt the practice. By acquiring the skills necessary to interact with others in these ways, social skills can be enhanced.

The development of concentration and social skills through learning abacus for after school activities can greatly improve the quality of children’s future lives. Life can be greatly enriched by having a hobby that we enjoy. Especially if we want to enjoy a good life in your old age, we need to have a hobby that we can get into. There is reading, playing a musical instrument, cooking, and so on, all of which require concentration or can be improved by concentration. Hobbies that involve cooperation between several people needs communication skills a lot. Social skills also allow us to interact with others through our hobbies.

Some parents may say that there is no need to learn abacus since calculators and computers do the calculations nowadays. However, as mentioned above, learning abacus has many other benefits besides improving calculation skills. They are essential to our lives and provide a satisfying effect.
In conclusion, there are many benefits of learning abacus for after school activity. Learning abacus helps improve academic skills, social skills, and a quality of life. Parents should let children to learn abacus for after school activity.

The Use of Honorifics With Non-Japanese

November 7, 2020

By Keilyn Henneberry, Gotsu Senior High School

Japanese children are taught from a young age to respect others by using honorifics. However, non-Japanese who live in Japan, such as ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) and international students, are not taught the same rules. This could lead to serious problems for Japan’s society and International relations. The honorific ‘san’ is the most common honorific to be used in Japan, for teachers, it is ‘Sensei’. However, while ALTs are taught to use these, they are not taught to expect them to be used with them.

I noticed the ALT at my school was not being treated like other teachers. She is spoken to by only her first name, without an honorific, by both teachers and students. Teachers use honorifics to other teachers even when they are not around. However, when they mention the ALT’s name, they don’t use honorifics. From that behavior students learn not to use honorifics for ALTs.

One classmate, an international student from Taiwan, was called on by the teacher without honorifics even though the teachers always used honorifics with Japanese students. In classes, all students are called on with honorifics such as ‘Suzuki-san’. However, international students are referred to by first name without honorifics by both teachers and students. Teachers always use honorifics with their students, so why not with international students? In addition, my own brother who is a Japanese American was called on by his teacher without the honorific ‘san’. This is not only a problem towards international students but also non-Japanese and mixed-race children growing up in Japan.

Additionally, my own father, who is a professor at a university, deals with this on a regular basis. His students often call him ‘Henneberry’ instead of ‘Henneberry Sensei’ or ‘Mr. Henneberry’. This illustrates many university students continue this behavior which they learned in primary and secondary school.

In most cases, when Japanese people don’t use honorifics, it is with family members and close friends. This is a form of intimacy referred to as ‘Yobisute’ in Japanese. However, can we call it intimacy when Japanese teachers speak with non-Japanese colleagues without honorifics?

I had an opportunity to talk about this topic online with a group of English teachers and ALTs working all over Japan. Every single one of them had experienced this at least once in their lives in this country, and most of them experience it on a regular basis. One ALT shared her experience at her school, where there were two ALTs. While the other ALT was referred to as Sensei, she was not. She was told that the Japanese teachers assumed it would be too difficult for students to pronounce her last name, so the Japanese teachers did not offer the students the opportunity to use honorifics with her. Therefore, students were instructed to use her first name only. However, she eventually succeeded and convinced the teachers that they were taking a learning opportunity away from the students. The students now use her family name with the ‘Sensei’ honorific.

Each of us can stand up to this issue. For example, when my brother’s teacher called him ‘Henneberry’ and not ‘Henneberry-san’, he ignored the teacher until the teacher said ‘Henneberry-san’. Just like the ALT above, my brother stood up for himself to be referred to with the correct honorific. However, this is not enough to resolve this national problem.

To solve this issue, first, people must acknowledge that this is happening in our society. A lot of people are not even aware of this issue. When I spoke about this to my friends, they were surprised that this was even a problem. This problem has been hard to recognize because of a lack of cross-cultural understanding. It was easier for me to recognize this issue because I have two cultural backgrounds; my mother is Japanese, and my father is from the USA. I see American culture through Japanese eyes and I also see Japanese culture through American eyes. Therefore, this lack of honorifics with non-Japanese stands out clearly for me.

However, ALTs are not fully aware of the honorifics culture in Japan. They are taught to use honorifics when speaking with Japanese people, but not taught to expect honorifics to be used for them. Therefore, they do not realize that they are being spoken to in such an intimate or disrespectful manner. They must be taught to expect the honorifics ‘san’ or ‘Sensei’ to be used with them as well.

This issue will have negative effects on Japan’s society and following generations. By not addressing this issue, Japanese people will continue this cycle of “accidentally” disrespecting non-Japanese. As such, MEXT (Ministry of Education, culture, sports, science and Technology) must change the educational system on how to teach Japanese honorifics to ALTs and people coming from different countries. They must be taught to speak to Japanese people with respect and to expect the same in return. In addition, teachers and students must be taught to use honorifics with ALTs and non-Japanese. Why do non-Japanese people have to fight for such respect, when Japanese people do not have to? Without policy change, this problem will not go away. We all must learn to be better. We must all learn to speak to each other with respect, regardless of race or natural origin, and MEXT should establish policy changes to ensure this.

Uniforms in Japan

Uniforms in Japan

July 6, 2020

Uniform maintains disciplines

By Ryosuke Tanaka

What kind of clothes did you wear when you were high school students? In Japan most students wear uniforms. A typical high school uniform for a boy looks like this. A male student wears a white shirt and a tie, trousers and a blazer.

Wearing school uniforms is a Japanese school tradition. When we go to school, we can’t go in any clothes. We need to wear uniforms that is decided by each school. Basically, we wear uniforms from elementary school to high school.

By wearing the same uniform, the school’s discipline is maintained. There are a lot of rules regarding the dress codes. Students always need to wear uniforms properly, especially, on special occasions such as graduation and entrance ceremonies.

I think it is a good idea for students to wear school uniform, because the school is a place to study. Wearing proper clothes helps students focus on study. If students wear anything they want to wear, they will wear inappropriate clothes and that will be distracting.

Uniforms gives a sense of belonging

By Chio Yamamoto

The school uniform is adopted by most Japanese schools. Students wear it in junior high school, high school, and even elementary school and kindergarten. I think school uniform gives a sense of belonging to their schools.

The school uniform has a different design depending on the school. So, wearing that school uniform represents you as a student of the school. Also, the school will be a memorable item for students.

By looking at their uniforms after graduation, uniforms become a reminder of their student life. Thus, the school uniform is plays important fuctions for high school students.

Photo by Ryousuke Tanaka and Chio Yamamoto

Celebration of First Birthday

Celebration of First Birthday

July 6, 2020

By Saki Suyama

The Japanese first birthday celebration is unique. It is called “isshyou mochi.” On the first birthday,a baby is humped with a very big rice cake on her back and encouraged to stand up.

The rice cake is made from an isshyo of rice, which is about two liters of rice, so it is very heavy for a one-year old baby. Some babies and stand up others fall down by the weight of the rice cake.

Ishyou has double meanings: a volume of rice which is approximately two litters, and “as long as one lives.” Parents and grandparents make a wish so that their children will be able to eat rice as long as they live.

After the celebration, parents distribute the rice cake used in the event to their relatives. Proud parents let many people know that they have a healthy child in their family. This event symbolizes the love of parents, and I think we should continue to celebrate the festival in the future.

Photo by Saki Suyama