Japanese Elementary Schools

In Japan, elementary schools are similar to American Elementary schools. In America, Elementary school is 1st grade through 5th grade. In Japan, however, it is first grade through 6th grade. The 6th graders I interacted with in Japan were very mature and funny. It was adorable. Their English was very good (Japan has been increasing their English classes in recent years due to the possibility of the Olympics being held in Tokyo).

Students in some schools have to wear uniforms, however at the school I visited the students did not wear uniforms. All of the students wore cute outfits. Some of the girls wore overalls, or cute ruffly shorts. The guys wore t-shirts with cute patterns or sayings on them and shorts. Many of the students wore sandals or crocs because it was summer when I visited them.

The 6th graders showed me the Kendama and other Japanese toys, and they had a calligraphy class. Calligraphy is very difficult, even if it seems easy. The students drew an anime version of me, and even drew my name in Kanji. Below is their drawing of me! It’s very adorable and it made me really happy.

The students asked me lots of questions, and helped each other out with English to ask me more complex questions. It was very cute, because they all worked hard to talk to me. The proud looks on their faces after they’d ask me a question in Japanese or English and I’d understand was priceless.



Another interesting aspect of Japanese Elementary schools is lunches. During lunchtime, certain students put on face masks and then a cart of food is rolled into the class room. The students that serve food rotates every day. The cart has large bowls full of each type of food. Sometimes it has soup and bread, or other traditional Japanese lunch foods. The students then line up with trays and are served the food by their classmates. Leftovers are packed up by the students as well, and taken back to the cafeteria. The food is always rich in vitamins and very nutritious. We got to eat lunch with them too, and the food was delicious and very rich. There was a soup with potatoes and corn, and the milk was whole milk with lots of added vitamins.

This is a picture of me in Japan with the 6th grade students! I had a great time, and they were all very smart and talented. I loved talking with them. They made me origami animals, and I drew faces on them. We played a traditional Japanese hammer game, and I almost won it, but it got knocked over by another exchange student that was in my group. Many of the students were very interested in us because we were new people and we looked different than them and spoke another language. Visiting that elementary school was such a great experience! I’m glad to have visited them and met them all!

Pictures are mine so no source is needed.

The Pocky Game

The pocky game is a game that involves a Japanese snack called Pocky. It’s similar to a game of chicken or the nervous game played in America, however it tends to be more innocent. The game starts with two players. They can be any gender, however I recommend not playing with family members or strangers. Pocky is a cracker stick covered in chocolate. A box of Pocky will have many sticks. In America, Pringles has a similar product without chocolate called Pringles Stix. These Pringles Stix are savory and very flavorful. Pocky’s flavor comes from the chocolate coating, as the cracker stick itself is bland.

Below is an image of Pocky:

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The pocky game rules are simple. One person holds a pocky stick in their mouth, and another person does the same with the opposite end. Each person takes turns taking a bite of the Pocky. The person who loses is the first one to break the Pocky stick. If both people playing are very stubborn, the people will end up kissing. This game is popular in Japan among couples, and in mainstream anime or manga. People in America, weeaboos, are often drawn to the game due to its romantic nature.

On my trip to Japan,the first week was sightseeing. After each day, we’d come back to a Youth Hostel in Tokyo or a traditional Japanese Hotel in Kyoto. One day we came back a bit early and we weren’t incredibly exhausted like we usually were after walking 10 miles a day. We had pocky that we bought in Asakusa and we decided to play the pocky game. I didn’t know what it was, and two people did. The only people who actually tried the game were guys, which was hilarious. They ended up getting pretty close too. We basically spent the night watching a rerun of Dragon Ball Z and eating Japanese snacks until we fell asleep. The Pocky game was really fun, and we tried very hard to stifle our laughter. The walls of the hotel were very thin, and we could even hear people below us and above us talking in low voices. I’m sure our loud raucous laughter was annoying to the people staying around us, but we were very hyped from seeing new sights in Japan.

This is the only time I’ve ever seen the Pocky game being played, which is ironic since it actually happened in Japan.

Kendama

There are many traditional toys in Japan. When I went to Japan, I visited an elementary school and they showed me many types of toys. My favorite toy they showed me is called the Kendama. The Kendama is a wooden toy with a string attached to it. It is shaped similar to a hammer with a wooden stake at the top of it. At the end of the string, there’s a ball. The ball rests on top of the wooden stake or on the sides (the parts of the hammer) of the kendama. The main point of the kendama is to get the ball back where it started by letting it fall and swinging it back up. It’s a lot more difficult than it seems! Many people who are good with the Kendama can do certain tricks over and over. Tricks with the Kendama are similar to yoyo tricks in that you’re swinging an object on a string.

This is a picture of a Japanese kendama. Sometimes the kendama have lines painted along them, but this one is just plain wood. To the left is kendama in Japanese (ke-n-dama).

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A huge part of the kendama is balance and timing. I tried out the kendama again later at the high school my host sister went to, and I got the ball back on one of the sides. It made me really excited, since I’d tried a lot of times and I was very determined to succeed. I had many of my Japanese friends cheering for me, and it was really fun. There was a photographer and the vice principal filmed it too. The school has posters along the walls of all the foreign exchange students having fun with the students every year.

Just as America has a huge amount of people who love to do yoyo tricks, many people in Japan are very good with the kendama. People who like to do kendama tricks are in America too, but since the Kendama is traditionally Japanese, I have a video of a Kendama master in Japan. It’s 5 minutes, so if it’s long you don’t have to watch all of it. I highly recommend you watch some of it though, he’s very good at each trick he performs. The fact that he does each trick twice or more shows he really is a master, because each trick is very difficult. Doing the trick twice in a row makes it even more difficult.

Click here for the video!

Ganguro Girls

There have been many different trends throughout the years in Japan. However, this trend may be the most peculiar. In Japan, Americans are seen as cool. English speakers are thought of as automatically awesome, or kakkoi, no matter whether or not they have social standing. Which, I might add (as a person who’s not very popular), is pretty nice.

This trend is a type of makeup application that used to be popular among girls. It was made to be extremely flashy. These “Ganguro” girls would put on very very dark foundation, and put very light foundation as highlights. Sometimes they would wear white lipstick and even contacts (like the first girl shown below). Thick black eyeliner and long fake eyelashes helped make their eyes look much bigger. They would get their nails done and get long fake acrylic nails. Sometimes they would get very dark spray tans as well.

It’s also common for Ganguro girls to wear really bright colored clothing. They wear bright pink, neon green, yellow, or purple clothes. They sometimes have flowers or neon colored braids in their hair as well. Their hair is usually worn long and dyed to be blonde or white. Their hair is also straightened. Along with bleaching their hair, Ganguro girls also sometimes dye their hair different colors, such as pink. Or they’ll color certain strips of their hair a bright color.

This makeup trend is formatted after Americans. Ganguro girls are trying to mimic the appearance of American girs: larger eyes, different skin tone, and blond straight hair. It’s not trying to be rude or make fun of Americans, in fact it was considered beautiful when it was popular.


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Here’s an example of Ganguro girls with colored hair. They also have very brightly colored clothes. The exaggerated dark (almost orange) and light makeup and white lipstick show these are Ganguro girls. The umbrellas are for rain, but they can also help block out the sun on a particularly hot day. Blocking the sun makes it cooler, and it can keep you from sweating, which is really helpful if you don’t want your makeup to run (especially since these girls are wearing a lot of makeup).

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Ikebana

Ikebana is a traditional Japanese art. It’s a type of flower arranging. The kanji for ikebana, 生け花, is made of two parts. The first kanji, 生 (the i of ikebana) comes from the verb ikeru (生ける) which means “to live.” The second kanji, 花, (the “bana” of ikebana) means “flower.” Literally translated, ikebana means “living flowers.”

This makes sense with the creation of ikebana. Ikebana is about balance and composition of the flowers. The full ikebana arrangement takes into account space, colors, form, and material just like any professional art piece. The best ikebana arrangements make the viewer feel something, and invoke emotion.

Just like a painter in America, Ikebana artists work hard to compose each piece. In America, ikebana artists may be overlooked because of the simplicity of the art. Anyone can do it, dismissive Americans might argue. However, the same goes for painting. Anyone can paint, but it takes true masters to create amazing paintings.

Ikebana is the art of flower arranging, but that doesn’t mean that it’s only flowers. Below, berries and twigs make up most of this piece. The simplicity of ikebana is what creates most of its beauty. Using the least limbs you can and creating a masterpiece is very difficult. Each branch for this piece was probably meticulously chosen and placed to have the effect that it does. If there was a different branch there, or the same branches made different shapes, the piece would convey an entirely different message or have a different feel.

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Shown below is an arrangement of orchids. The natural curve of some of the branches contrast very nicely with the obviously bent limbs. The natural feel of the orchids themselves blends with the man-made look of the bent limbs. The leaves gathered at the bottom create a base, and the bent curves of the branches draw the eye up to the orchids and along the piece itself. The focal point of this piece is the first orchid, so your eye is immediately drawn to it.


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Another very important feature of ikebana is what the flowers are placed on. Whether it’s a bowl, pot, tray, or even this circular vase shown below, they each send a different message and give a different appearance to the piece itself. This piece is beautiful. The red leaves reaching up past the circle represent growing, and it draws the eye upwards. The focal point is the circle, and the white flowers contrast with the red in the leaves and the black in the circle. The way the leaves lay on the branch are elegant as well, they have naturally grown there and it accents the elegance and beauty of nature.


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Cherry Blossoms

Cherry blossoms, known as sakura (櫻- さくら) in Japanese are very popular flowers. They are not, however, Japan’s national flower. Many people I’ve talked to think that Japan’s national flower is the cherry blossom, but it’s not. It’s the chrysanthemum.

I asked people I knew what they thought of Japan, or what they thought of when they heard the word Japan. Whenever people think of Japan, you might think of Mt. Fuji or traditional Japanese temples, or sushi, but lots of people, upon a few minutes of recollection, say that cherry blossoms come to mind. Five of the around seventeen people I’ve asked said cherry blossoms came to mind first. None of the people I talked to knew very much about Japanese culture.

Cherry blossoms are very abundant in Japan. The can be found in many places in Japan. Cherry blossoms are found very often in parks and recreational areas. They are considered very important to Japanese culture. There’s even a holiday centered around cherry blossoms, called Hanami.

Cherry blossoms can also be found in America. In Washington D.C., many cherry blossom trees are found along the Reflecting Pool. In fact, the view is considered to be so beautiful that it’s famous for the cherry blossoms there.

Below is a picture of the Chureito pagoda (忠霊塔) to the right of the photograph. It’s famous for its amazing view of Mount Fuji and the cherry blossoms blooming around the bottom of the pagoda.

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Cherry blossoms are very pretty up close. Depending on the breed of cherry blossom, they can be different colors. Shown below are pink cherry blossoms, which is the most popular type. These are known for their beauty. Before these cherry blossoms bloom, the buds are a dark pink, almost red. As the flower opens and blooms it becomes lighter. Because cherry blossoms all bloom at different rates on the tree, you can find cherry blossoms at many stages of blooming on the same branch. This creates a gorgeous array of colors. Another type of cherry blossom has white flowers. These have light pink buds (similar to the color of the flower of the pink ones) and their blooms fade to white. Sometimes you can even find a cherry blossom tree with darker blooms and buds. I only saw one in Japan, but in my opinion these are the most beautiful.


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Shamisen

The shamisen (三味線) is a very traditional Japanese instrument. The kanji for Shamisen literally means “three strings.”  This instrument is similar to a guitar in the way it’s played. It’s more similar to a bass guitar with the number of strings, and a ukulele with the pitch of the sound. However, the child between both the bass guitar and the ukele is the Shamisen. The shamisen has three strings, and it’s amazing because it’s very versatile with the sound it can make. The strings are much more loose than a guitar, however, which allows it to be played freely. It has a twang to it, similar to other Japanese string instruments.

Below is a video of two men playing the Shamisen. The video is called shamisen vs. shamisen, and it’s basically two solos fading in and out from one another. What amazes me about that, however, is that the shamisen only has three strings and the players of the shamisen are very skilled. They can form notes easily, and play up and down along the pitches at breakneck speeds. This show is a performance, and it’s not traditional. Usually there is only one shamisen in a traditional performance, and it’s usually backed up by a few other instruments unless it’s a solo concert. The shamisen is very interesting. It can be played at many different tempos and the number of strings don’t limit the note capacity at all. Both of the men in the video are playing more traditional looking shamisen, but shamisen made today are often white and sleek with a base similar to an electric guitar.

Here is the video! Hope you enjoy:

click me for video!

Rilakkuma

Rilakkuma is a huge trend in Japan. Rilakkuma is a Japanese word, but it’s written in Katakana. When I went to Japan, Rilakkuma merchandise was EVERYWHERE. Basically, Rilakkuma is a series of characters. Rilakkuma himself is a bear. The word “kuma” means bear. There’s also a white bear and a duck. These characters are seen as adorable in Japan. I have to admit, they are pretty cute.

I indulged myself and bought a Rilakkuma plushie. It was actually my first gift purchase in Japan! I wanted to give it to my brother because I thought it looked cute. I had no idea it was Rilakkuma or what Rilakkuma really was. Later, after I had been in Japan for nearly two weeks and it was nearing the end of my stay, I visited a Rilakkuma shop in Aeon mall. This is the same Aeon that I mention in my earlier post. I found the cutest little Rilakkuma plushie, and so I bought it. Nearing the end of the trip I began to spend more frivolously because I felt like I could never go to these places again, or at least never again have an opportunity to buy those products. Three days later I was home in Iowa, unpacking my souvenirs, dirty clothes and thousands of food items. I found a Rilakkuma plushie in my suitcase, the one I had bought toward the last few days. Then, I found the exact same Rilakkuma plushie I bought the first day in Japan. The moral of this story is that Rilakkuma draws you in.

Here is a picture below of Rilakkuma:

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Noh and Shōmyō

Almost every country has traditional music. Whether it’s national anthems, special types of instruments, specific types of vocalizations or singing, many types of music exists all over.

Because of the diversity of music all around, each country has their own specific type of music. However, America, due to the fact that it is a melting pot, doesn’t really have traditional music. Native American music may be the closest, but immigrants with Germanic or other European roots don’t have very much to go on as far as tradition, especially traditional music. They can find music of their ancestors from the country from which they originated, or they can adopt new forms of music here. However, as far as traditional music, America doesn’t have much. It’s more of a combination of many traditions, and their music, depending on the family where the music came from. Jazz and rock were created in America as pop culture, but that’s not traditional music passed down from generation to generation.

Japan is an island, as many of you already know. Throughout history, Japan limited trading with other countries up until a certain point. This allowed a huge cultural distinction to be formed from other countries. No other country spoke Japanese or had the same cultural traditions as Japan. It was allowed to form its own traditions without much influence from very many other countries. This was great because very rare traditions formed. Japanese people hold these traditions very dear even now, as Japan is becoming increasingly more integrated with other countries' (especially American) culture.

One type of traditional Japanese music is called Noh, or nougaku (能楽). Noh is a type of theatrical music similar to kabuki. Noh uses many instruments. One is called the taiko (太鼓) which is a huge type of drum. Traditionally they are played with many other taiko in a drum show. Taiko drums are about the size of a person. Another instrument that’s very traditional to Japanese music is the ootsuzumi (大鼓), which is a small type of drum similar to a bongo. This type of drum makes a much higher pitched sound than the taiko drums. Taiko drums have a very low sound, and each time the biggest ones are hit, you can feel the resonating sound in your chest. It feels like your heart is beating along with the drums, even though it’s just vibrations. Another instrument is the kotsuzumi (小鼓), which is an even smaller type of drum. The kotsuzumi is found in many types of traditional Japanese music. It sounds very unique to other types of drums.

Here is a short clip of the kotsuzumi being played: video

Another instrument is the fue (笛). Fue is the Japanese word for flute, and the fue is just that: a flute. It’s made of bamboo and about 12 inches long. It creates a very clear and piercing sound. The highest notes seem almost shrill. Similar to a metal flute in America, the fue is fairly difficult to play. You need the correct embouchure (mouth placement) and some of the notes have very difficult fingerings.

Here is a Japanese high school student playing a fue: video

Another interesting part of my time in Japan was the Shōmyō. During sightseeing, we went to a temple. In the temple were monks doing a Buddhist ceremony. During the ceremony, they lit a large fire and a monk stood behind it and chanted. People attending the ceremony at that time were allowed to bring objects up to the monks. The monks would then take the objects and bathe them in the smoke of the fire for a moment, purifying the object. I chose my travel bag, since I didn’t have very many belongings with me. My travel bag happens to be my current backpack. Before the fire cleansing, the monks chanted and recited religious incantations. I couldn’t understand them because I’m not completely fluent in Japanese yet, but the way they said and sang the words was amazing. It’s so unique compared to anything in churches in America.

Here is an example of Shōmyō: video

Crocs

Crocs are popular in Japan. Yes, I said crocs, and yes, I mean the plastic shoe with holes in it. Crocs, shown below, are made in a few different styles. In America, they’ve gone out of style very quickly. They used to be very popular a few years ago in America, but now they are seen as unfashionable and impractical. They’re even seen as tacky.

However, in Japan there are often rainy seasons. These rainy seasons are usually called monsoon seasons. People in Japan need Crocs to keep their shoes from being ruined. Because there are so many days during the rainy season where the ground is saturated with water, and it’s hard to walk anywhere without stepping in mud or a puddle of water. Waterproof shoes are common in Japan, however these shoes don’t protect your legs or socks from water in a downpour, or if you accidentally step in a puddle. Even worse, the waterproof shoes hold water in the shoe itself once water gets inside it. This can create much discomfort because it forces you to walk with wet socks.

To keep your socks and legs relatively mess-free, people in Japan use crocs. You don’t need to wear socks with crocs, and there’s easy cleanup. That way, you can just clean off your legs and hose down your muddy crocs if you do get them dirty. It’s very easy cleanup, and they are very practical in Japan.


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