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Essay#1

The Fantastic Japanese Culture

A culture is a unique set of a beliefs and mental expressions of a people within the world. It's a most important thing in our life. But, today our traditional culture is about to be lost because modern culture represented by the computer is improving and the young on generation don’t learn about the past culture. This is a red light signal for our fundamental culture. Now, what should we do to preserve our own culture in each area? The answer is there is only one solution; to communicate and share our own special culture with people who have the same culture, especially the young on generation and with people who have different culture is one of the most important strategies to protect our own culture, and this is very wonderful action because when we know a different culture, we must get new knowledge and we may change our mind in a good direction. So, I want to share about my fantastic Japanese culture. I have three important aspects of Japanese culture: language, showing affection and religion.

First of all, we Japanese have a peculiar culture in the way of conversation and understanding people’s meaning. I think that you have heard that Japanese people don’t have their own opinion and their speech is not obvious. We don’t say “yes” or “no” clearly, and we prefer to use “maybe” and “probably” so many times during conversation. We have a reason for this because we can recognize a feeling and an opinion by tacit agreement without saying something directly. For example, we use figurative words or roundabout expressions in the conversation. This expresses the virtue of Japanese feelings and ideas. We hold humble conversation dear to our heart. This means we don’t say our opinion or idea directly, clearly and straight in our talking because to tell something directly is not humble and is an impolite attitude for us in our culture. Also, we don't want to make people injured at heart by using direct words. However, when I came to America, I had a problem about this culture. I was wounded in my heart a lot because some Americans said something to me very directly. So, I felt the different culture, but I now think it’s interesting for me. Also, I made my American friends confused so much because I used “maybe” so many times, and I didn’t say my opinion clearly. Especially my roommate asked me, “Which? Yes or no? Don’t say maybe.” Since it is rudeness and a self-centered action for me to tell something directly, I felt confused and thought I must adapt to American culture in America. But this is a very difficult thing for me because I grew up in Japan. And I think this expression is very unique, and I'm proud that this is usual for me and shows good behavior and a good image as a Japanese.

Secondly we Japanese have a humble show of affection. And the show of affection is very different all over the world. For example, the method of greeting is very interesting behavior. When we meet someone for the first time, we rarely shake hands. We shake hands only in a formal situation and essential situation like an interview or serious conference. Also, we don’t hug even friends, but we do hug only close friends before people say good-bye in Japan. But Americans hug very many times in the case of good-bye or also when people meet or anytime. We bow a lot. I think Japanese have a reserved feeling against showing affection because we keep a distance. On the other hand, Americans have a very friendly feeling. And Americans are good at expressing their feelings directly, but sometimes this is an overreaction for me. However, we Japanese show honor for old people directly we have respectful, modest and polite styles. These styles describe the respect of old people from the past. This is a kind of show of affection. We use more polite Japanese for old people because we really respect old people. The elderly have a lot of knowledge, so young people can learn important things from them. Besides, we have a custom in which children take care of their parents in later life because parents took care of their children earlier. This custom is a reasonable and common attitude. We think that old people are precious. So, we represent this feeling by using more polite language and showing affection. Showing affection is different all over the world. I think the Japanese show of affection is not friendly but humble, and it’s the sign of Japanese culture.

Finally, we have an unusual weird idea against religion. Most of Japanese people don’t have a real religion. Of course, some Japanese people have a religion which is Buddhism or Shinto which is very special Japanese religion which has the symbol of a shrine. In the my case, I grew up with my family who don't have a real religion but my grandparents have both Buddhism and Shinto, not as a real religion because my grandparents don't pray to God, rather they pray for their ancestors. In addition, I pray for my advantages and my wishes in the shrine, but I don’t believe any God. This idea is very strange for people who believe in God. Besides, most people who don't have believe in any God hold the Buddhist style funeral when someone dies. And their family, relatives and friends pray for the dead person to go to heaven without believing in God really. In contrast, people who don't believe in God really think that people who believe in God really are weird. They look at believers strangely. Also, they think that believers have joined some occult group. When I came to America, I was really surprised because most Americans have real religion. I felt American and Japanese have very different feeling for religion. And when my classmates asked me about my religion, they were so surprised because I don’t have a religion. If I tried to have a religion, my parents would be upset and they would look at me strangely. So, religion is difficult subject. I'm sure we are strange for believers. But I think that this is also unique Japanese culture and is nothing to be ashamed of.

In conclusion, from these three special Japanese aspects of culture, Japanese are particular, and we have very isolated ideas and behavior. But each culture has its own ideas and behavior. We should live with these characteristics, and we should be proud of each culture. And we must communicate with people who are same culture and people who have a different culture. To communicate is a very fantastic action and we can improve or get some new knowledge in our life. So, I want to tell about my culture to a lot of people. A culture is the source of knowledge and a treasure.

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Summary&Response#2

The importance of traditional culture

We have original traditional unique cultures with folklore all over the world. To recognize folklore is very important for us, especially children because children can learn about traditional history and cultures through the old generation. And one culture influences other cultures because each culture has a characteristic culture. So, I have my own Japanese culture that I grew up in. But traditional culture is being changed by improving globalization today; therefore, native culture decays. In this article, the author tries to express Navajo culture by explaining important items and symbols about his culture to his friend in his house. So, we must tell children and people who have a different culture about each of own cultures, and we must attempt to share own culture with people who have a different culture.

Whiterock (1995) in “My Navajo Home in Los Angeles” shows his friend Tung about Navajo’s culture. First, he explains about a painting of pottery and corn to Tung because corn is the staple of the Navajo diet. And it has a history in which the white man tried to change Navajo’s religion and language and even their food. Then the Navajo fought to protect their corn; therefore, corn is a very important harvest. Next, he describes kinds of rugs that have different meaning because of their colors. For example, red is wisdom, turquoise means spiritual goodness, and black and red means knowledge. Finally, he discusses about the sunflowers and a silk butterfly. The sunflowers describe that spirits are happy and the silk butterfly represents dead warriors or carrying prayers to heaven. So, these are symbolic of a Navajo’s spirituality. According to this article, he tries to tell his culture, and he thinks that he needs to tell people about the Navajo. Thus, the
author attempts to preserve his Navajo’s culture by sharing it with his friend.

Today, traditional cultures are also about to be lost in Japan because of the power of globalization. And the young generations don’t want to know Japan’s own cultures, and they don't try to know these cultures because they feel that electronic machines are more interesting than traditional culture. But, unique cultures are very important for us because our ancestors left them for us. I have three things to tell about my culture. For example, rice is a very special and essential main food for Japanese people from the old days. Rice has special nutrients like starch and calcium and Japanese rice differs from other rice which is produced in other Asian areas. The feature of Japanese rice is it is sticky and fluffy. Japanese people really like our rice, but the production of rice is
decreasing gradually today because of the spread of bread. Besides, few young people don't know how to cook rice. For example, one of my friends washed the rice by using a detergent because she didn't know how to cook the rice even she had a rice cooker. Her mother didn’t teach her to cook the rice. I didn’t understand why her mother didn’t teach her when she was a child and why she didn't try to learn it. So, to communicate traditional culture is very important. Next, we have a charm to protect a thing from evil and to make us healthy and have good luck in
folklore. It's square, multi-colored and made of cloth. In my case, my grandparents gave the charm to me when I was born. This contains a talisman word and phrases about Shinto. Shinto is a folk religion in Japan. The symbolic building of Shinto is a shrine. So, Shinto developed against the effect of Buddhism. Eventhough most Japanese people don’t have religion, some people have religion. However, we bring the charm when we take a big important exam to pass. Besides, we pray for a wish on new years day or special day in a shrine. I think to have a charm without religion is a unique spirit.And to know another culture for people who have a different culture is interesting and fantastic. Finally, modern people doesn't play with old toys and don't play outside so much in Japan because they are interested in electronic toys. Also, their parents don't try to tell them how to play with the old toys or the meaning of these because modern parents don’t talk to children so much. They think that TV and a computer are the best tool for children to grow up with. Also, they don’t have time because they work very hard. I think children can play by using computer alone. But some old toys like KARUTA, which kind of cards game and some games which KAKURENBO is hide-and-seek can make children active and improve human relations because children can't play at alone. So, parents should talk to children and they must tell cultures which theylearned.

In conclusion, to explain about traditional cultures is to give children
imagination and to give the chance to know and to recognize another culture for people who have different people and to know about each own culture. Also, to present traditional culture is essential act against our ancestor. Tradition is the gift from our ancestor. We must think about traditional culture and must inherit for future’s generation. To explain for some people about traditional culture like this author is essential role.

Whiterock, T. (1995) My Navaho home in Los Angeles. In B. Lee(ed.)(1995). Celebrating Diversity: A multicultural reader (pp.94-6). Lexington,MA: D.C.

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Summary#1

The Crisis of Folk Toys

Kavin Platt (1999) in “Lament for Chinese toys of old” says the power of globalization gives Chinese traditional antique toys an unfavorable result. Modern children like electronic toys like Sony Play Stations better than folk toys. Liang says children feel only satisfaction and happiness when they use modern toys, and it is very important for children to improve their imagination by using old toys. But Li, a student, states that electronic toys also can give ideas and knowledge. On the other hand, Liang says folk culture and traditional culture like stilt-walkers, which only craftsman can produce, is about to be lost. And he criticizes about Mao who made traditional artists jailed or forced to work in Mao’s propaganda machine because of a new communist society. So, he would like to protect traditional toys like shadow puppets which were used to tell the historical traditional tales like a movie for children. He is trying to let people know about the importance of China’s cultural past. So, he suggests people need to preserve folk toys to protect culture and imagination for us and future generations.

Platt, K (1999, Dec, 24). Lament for Chinese toys of old. Christian
Science Monitor, p.6.