I would like to write about Japan, and their culture. The
main reason for me to choose this subject is a video taken in Turkey. The
speaker asks random people the placement of Japan. They give tragically funny
answers. One of them was ‘in abroad’. Well, the answer could have been considered
as true, however, I think we have to know more about Japan. First of all, I
want to give some basic information about the country. Japan is an island
country in East Asia, located
in Pacific Ocean. The kanji
(Japanese writing system) that make up the country’s name actually mean ‘sun
origin’, and Japan is also called ‘Land of the Rising Sun’. I think it really
fits, because the country have risen from the ashes. Japan suffered a lot
because of the nuclear power (Little Boy, Fat Man, the Fukushima disaster).
Though, the country is still powerful. The national foundation day is 11 Feb.
660 BC. Such a rooted country, hence a rich culture. They are culturally very
hardworking. You know how language and culture is connected. They have a word
called ‘karoshi’, meaning ‘death from
overwork’. They like to think themselves close to nature, however, much of
urban Japan is an industrialised, build-up mess (the result of the
redevelopment after the war). They value outside appearances, presentation and
behaviours very much, but they also give importance to privacy and family.
Actually, I find them close to our culture in that manner (family). ‘Age’ is
truly important for them. In Japan, opposite to our culture, everyone is aware
of the other’s age. Their language has many words designed to address others in
regard to their age. We can say they have a social ranking based on this issue.
Some corporations even have some newspapers to inform others about worker’s
age. It may determine the position of your desk in the office, or how fast/in
which cup you will get your tea. They place great importance on group harmony.
And yes, they have had Geisha’s and Samurai’s… Their traditional woodblock
printing led to the creation of manga, a comic book format. The main thing I find
interesting about Japan is that they give more importance to the presentation
than reality in their cuisine, tea ceremony, daily life, business life… Sumo is
considered their national sport. Their martial arts (Judo, Karate) are also
widely practiced. They have religious freedom.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder