Reaction Paper #2

            When writing this reaction paper I decided to focus on a specific topic because of the variety of information that we were given to reflect and react upon. I decided to focus on community and the neighborhood that we covered in class. The first part that I want to discuss is the rural communities of Japan. These communities are very tight knit. They are still very connected to the history of Japan. Which to me was very interesting the strong hold on the old ways. Especially when looking at the ie system which is still strong in the rural areas of Japan. The villages have required meetings in which are comprised by the heads of the households. I make the connection in the United States to a sort of homeowners association in ones local neighborhood. There is also a similarity in which everyone must pay monthly dues. These meetings concern local events and contain discussions. This lends itself when events such as natural disasters occur. We could see this in the video we watched. The community needed to ban together and help each other out, because sometimes the government can’t help you. This struck me being that I am from New Orleans and observed the same behavior. It really is an amazing thing seeing a community come together through tragedy.

            The urban environment is the next thing that I want to discuss. The urban environment represents the modern Japan. Within the urban communities you interact with more people, but the interactions are not forced. For instance people with the urban areas have the liberty to avoid participation with local action groups. Also, the ie system does not play as much of role within the urban areas, so there is much more participation in groups by wives and children. The idea of building a civil society is prized, which is an emphasis on volunteerism. Festivals play a large roll in strengthening the local community as a whole.

The concept of the Japanese neighborhood and community was oddly familiar to me in certain ways as we covered the topic. There are many similarities that we as Americans can relate to. The importance of family and the broader community as a whole was something that I was raised to appreciate. So when I look at the Japanese culture I can understand how they approach the topic in their everyday lives. Overall the most interesting thing that I noticed while covering this material was how close the communities truly are with Japan, that when the government can’t help, they ban together and solve the issues themselves.

How are American communities similar or different to Japanese communities?

Can we learn something from how close the communities are?

Reaction to Video

The video Kyo-o mamoru was a fascinating look into the after effects of the tsunami on Japan. Through the dvd there were many interviews with survivors trying to rebuild their lives after this crushing natural disaster. The video showed a place in the middle of recovering from one of the largest natural disasters the world has ever seen. The images were haunting as the camera panned around the locations. There was nothing in some areas for as long as the eye could see. As well as some areas had mounds and mounds of debris covering everything. A specific example would be the brewery close to her house. The entire area was a mass of cars. A specific thing that struck me was the amount the community pulled together to help one another. People volunteered and help one another out with food preparation and search parties. As we discussed in class the Japanese culture is very cohesive. These neighborhoods could really be seen during this disaster. The government could not be there so people banded together to rebuild. Being from New Orleans this reminded me of what happened after Katrina. After the disaster we were helped by the government, but when things drop out of the media limelight you need each other to rebuild and heal.

How do you believe the role of the neighborhood played a role in the film?

How do you believe the government should help moving into the future?

Show and Tell - Yakuza

For this weeks show and tell paper I have chosen the Yakuza. The Yakuza are an organized crime syndicate in Japan. They have been in existence within Japan since the mid- Edo period around 1603. They first were involved with stolen goods and gambling. They originally were considered peddlers and thieves with lower social status. They started to gain social class as they were recognized by the government and took up posistions as merchants. This is the origin of the Yakuza, but they have grown and evolved into a much different organization. The Yakuza are organized in a very traditional Japanese hierarchal oyabun-kuban system. This system is broken down into two parts. Kuban means foster child and Oyuban means foster parent. Yakuza are notorious for taking in children whose parents have gotten rid of them. Going into the Yakuza usually starts in high school and are kids who are thought to be common street thugs. The Yakuza system is very strict and is broken down into 8 specific units that make up a Yakuza syndicate. The first posistion is the Oyabun which is the most important. The Oyabun is the family boss or the syndicate leader. The next two positions are the Wakagashira and Shateigashira which are the first and second lieutenant respectively. The next is the Saiko-Komon or the administrations within this title are the Shiingin and Kaikei. The Shiingin are the Law advisors and the Kaikei are the accountants. Finally you have the muscle and workers the Kyodai and Shatei. The Kyodai are the big brothers and the Shatei are the little brothers. This structure is very strict and within the Yakuza order has to be maintained. This structured has served them perfectly for hundreds of years and has not been altered since the start. Today there are approximately 103,000 active Yakuza within Japan. There are three main groups, which are broken down into multiple clans. The first is the Yamaguchi-gumi, which is the largest in Japan. Having approximately 50% of all Yakuza in Japan. The second syndicate is Sumiyoshi-Kai, which is the second largest having 20,000 members and finally the Inagawa-Kai the smallest having approximately 15,000 members. These syndicates are involved in crimes from stolen goods to murder. They are also focused heavily on drug trafficking, which has been a staple in the Yakuza life style, trafficking herion and opium. There is recent international activity in trafficking especially into China. The Yakuza are also going into legitamate business ventures. The most recent being a 225 million dollar buy, in stock of the Tokyo Kyuko Electric Railway. This is a way to help better there standing within the culture and society. As well as a very profitable move financially.

Did you have a previous knowledge or view of the Yakuza?

How can we see the Yakuza structure and the Traditional Japanese Family structure intersect?

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza#Divisions_of_origin

Sumo Wrestling

Sumo in the Japanese culture is extremely important. Sumo is one of the oldest martial arts in Japan. It is rooted in the religion of Shinto. The matches of Sumo where first dedicated to the gods as a gesture of good will. So that everyone would have a good harvest. This tradition of sumo goes back as far as the 8th century as seen in writings. The life of a Sumo is very specific especially when looking at their living quarters. Sumos are traditionally required to live in "communal stables" where every aspect of their life is controlled through tradition. From there meals to the time they train are controlled and monitored. I have attached a video where you can see these stables. They are truly interesting setups. There are two ways to win a Sumo bout. The first way is to force your opponent to step out of the ring. The second way is to force your opponent to touch the ground with any part of their body except the bottom of their feet. These can also be witnessed in my attached video. As you will see sumo is a sport steeped in tradition and force.

Do you believe Sumo could be a viable sport in the United States?

What are your thoughts on the level of tradition in Sumo?

Video

http://youtu.be/vJ1wnbNIUrc