Japanese Culture:

Facts vs. Myths

Aki Kurosawa

HIERARCHY
Superiority and Inferiority based on age and socio-economical status
Started in the Samurai Period
Continue to exist hundreds of years, even today
Hierarchy played at work:
Customers > head of company > supervisors > employees
>>> new employees
Hierarchy played at school & other:
Principal > Older teachers > new teachers
> students

PATRIARCHY (Gender Roles)

Japan is one of the most masculine countries in the world
Came from the concept of Ie (house) during Edo Period (1603-1868)
Man is Daikoku-bashira (like the central pillar in the house)
Men = Power and control
Women = Submissive
Women leave their
Today
Women are more powerful
Men have become powerless
https://youtu.be/-hQBYGzdw-U?t=3m20s
https://youtu.be/-hQBYGzdw-U?t=8m40so

Family
The concept of Ie still remains
in Japanese family values
Women take mens last name
Women serve men in family and take care of children
Distance between fathers and children
Lack of involvement and interaction
Today
Less and less men and women get married start family
Work does not give time people to focus on family
The population is getting smaller and smaller

Education
One of the Worlds Most
Educated populations
100% enrollment
elementary~junior high

0 illiteracy
High school drop rate is about
2%
46% of high school graduates
go to university/junior college

Education cont

Emphasizes strict group rules

Banking concept of education
Fewer enrollment in
university/junior college
English education

Work

Japanese Great Work Ethic

Work before family
It is not unusual to work 60hrs/week
Karo-shi (death from overwork)
Group harmony
Japanese Collectivistic Culture

Japans low birthrate and predictions of rapid population decline are partly
blamed on the lack of time couples have to start families.
- Justin McCurry, a writer of The Guardian

Communication
Indirect communication
You are supposed to read what people are trying to say and how they are
feeling
Not desirable when people say things directly
Nonverbal communication is essential
Facial Expression, tone of voice
Body gestures are not used as much as English speakers
Myths about Japanese eye contact
Between 1600 and 1800, people were not allowed to look into eyes of
people that were high status
Now people do not teach not to have eye contact

Manners
Respect to others
Eating
Holding bowls/dishes
Slurping is good!
Eat everything on plates

Greetings
Different ways of saying hello
depending on times and who
you are saying it to
Punctuality
Extremely important to be on
time (5-10 minutes early)
Eg: trains and buses are on
time and give passengers
apology when its late
Give them the proof that
they were late

Beauty Standards
The whiter the better
Consume new/better beauty
products all the time
Strive for being skinny
Huge impacts of Mass Media on
women
Loss of confidence and selfesteem

Questions?