Changing Impressions

Now reaching the end of the semester, I come to find that Japan is not as simple as how a travel magazine depicted. When I first arrived and even before I arrive in Japan, I had preconception that since Japan is an industrialized country, it should not be too different from the United States because the only difference should just be scenery, with grand temples and tons of gardens. Living in Japan should not be too difficult—or so I thought. Japan is full of bits and pieces of other cultures coming together in one place that can make one lose one’s way in searching for the “Japanese culture.”

That is why I come to realized that Japanese culture cannot be fully understood through observations but must be felt through experience…but of course there are things that a foreigner like me cannot even feel or comprehend even if I live here for 40 years unless I am Japanese with Japanese parents and raised in Japan. For example, why are there so many angles in a bow? Why do Japanese people love Western things so much yet still alter it to fit their taste? And why are Japanese so obsessed with cuteness?

I regret that my stay in Japan is too short for me to find answers to those questions because four months in Japan is only a little more than a tourist but way less than an anthropologist. In four months I only tackled the surface of Japan. But that doesn’t I am leaving empty-handed. I did learn that there is a deep hierarchy in Japanese society that is portrayed in the language and customs—how to address people in in-group and out-group, who must pour sake first, etc. However, taking this class has provided me the opportunity to learn about Japanese culture in details but at the same time also enjoy the magnificent view.

Flavorful Okinawa

During golden week I got a chance to visit Okinawa. In Okinawa, despite the common language is Japanese, the atmosphere and the people are different compared to other parts of Japan—such as Osaka and Tokyo. After living in Japan for over 3 months, I no longer feel like a tourist when traveling to different places until I set foot in Okinawa…

Even though there are street vendors and small souvenir shops everywhere like in Namba, Osaka but how people dress gives off a feeling of tropical. When I show up at school wearing flip flops (beach sandals) my friends and teachers asked if I’m cold, and the people who wear flip flops on hot sunny days are international students, while in Okinawa almost every native wear flip flops, rain or shine. Walking down the main street in Naha, the capital, one can spot tons of flip flops in stores and occasionally an artist carving all kinds of pictures on the flip flops.

(che by Akira ASKR)

And of course, who can forget the street performers especially when they are burning hot!


But flip flops aren’t the only thing a tourist would spot. Shops, restaurants, hotels, house, all have a set of Shisa in front of their door, on a desk, and/or in the garden for protection and luck. I asked a local restaurant owner and he said “Shisa is Okinawa and protects seamen.” He told me a story that long ago Okinawa was terrorized by an evil dragon until the King brought a pair of Shisa, the lion dog guardian, to kill the dragon with their roars. Ever since then, fisherman can sail with ease and people commemorate the shisa by decorate their houses and shops with a pair of shisa, whether it is from clay, stones, or rocks.

The shisa can look very scary on people’s garden or very silly in souvenir shops. But despite how they look, Okinawa natives love them.

Layers in Silk

Each country has its own traditional gown that marks it apart from other countries and Japan, no less, has its own traditional gown. Often people refer to the kimono as Japanese traditional dress, which is true, but Japan has a variety of kimonos and traditional gowns depending on event, gender, age, status, and season. Kimono is well known to foreigners because many Japanese wear it for important events such as wedding and New Year. Long ago, however, in the Heian era, for major events high status court-ladies wore a type of kimono that does not resemble the image of a kimono when we immediately hear that word. They wear the Jūnihitoe, literally translated as “twelve-layer robe.” According to my friend who major in Japanese history, this robe is worn by aristocrat ladies and sometimes it can more than 12 layers depending on occasions. It could weigh up to 30pounds.

While the woman wears the Jūnihitoe, the man wears the Sokutai. It is not elaborated as the woman’s gown but both aren’t commonly worn anymore. Nowadays, Japanese commonly wear well known kimono, hakama, and yukata.

The kimono is often worn for New Year, weddings, and hanami. The designs and fabric can be very simple for hanami or extremely elaborate for wedding. The hakama, on the other hand, is worn over the kimono and is similar to trousers with divided legs. It is often worn by priests and priestess at shrines and temples, but it is also commonly used in traditional sports such as aikido and kendo, and for graduation ceremony.

Yukata is similar to a kimono but instead it is best suited for summer. Due to the hot climate in Japan during the summer, many Japanese wear a yukata because it is thinner. On Saturday, Kansai Gaidai hold a yukata fitting event for international students. I learned that whichever traditional dress you wear, the process of putting it on is complicated.

A National Sport?

If I ask a person what is the national sport of Japan, some will say Baseball while others think of Sumo. So which one is it really?


Traditionally, Sumo has been Japan’s national sport since 17th century (Nihon Sumo Kyokai Pamphlet)—with attentive viewers and fans all over the nation—but with the recent introduction of baseball, Sumo’s fame begins to fade. I go around and ask Japanese and international students about national sport of Japan, the common answer are baseball because it is the most popular sport. Only one student mentions Sumo, “It represents Japan and exists only in Japan.”


Over spring break I had a chance to witness this interesting sport. My roommate and I managed to get some tickets to see Sumo on the 13th day and it was truly a splendid sport. Aside from being a sport, Sumo is infused with deep rituals and customs before and after each match that carries a strong tie to Shinto. According to the pamphlet I received from the ticket attendant, there are six Grand Tournaments each year and each tournament lasts for 15 days. Each day during the tournament right before the maku-uchi matches (matches for rikishi, Sumo wrestlers in the five top ranks) start, “the colorful dohyo-iri or ‘entering the ring’ ceremony takes place.” The rikishi would gather around the ring, dohyo, with their elaborately embroidered “kesho-mawashi or ceremonial aprons” that seem to cost a lot, which do cost a lot ranging from 400,000-500,000 yen… (pamphlet)


The goal of the game is quite simple. The rikishi must force his opponent out of the circular ring or have any parts except the feet touch the ground in order to win the match. There are times where it seems to be a draw, the judges in black kimono and the referee will decide the winner or do a rematch.

Even though Sumo may no longer be as famous as baseball but it still is a powerful sport with art.

Contrasting Photographers: Annie Leibovitz and James Nachtwey

Annie Leibovitz and James Nachtwey are both renowned photographers. However, their works, life, and photography techniques are quite contrasting.

(Photo by Patrick McMullan; From ARTINFO)

Leibovitz tends to focus on faces of people so the face of her main subject must always be clear and prominent while the background/setting, unless it is intentional, usually is only there to set the mood or the scene but otherwise do not play a major part in the photo. Take this picture for example:

(From Avi Abrams photostream)

The city lights background and costumes set the time while the rainy weather sets the mood, but the main focus is still the people in the picture: the murder, the victim, and the photographer. Their faces are visible.
Even in portrait pictures, the background is either simple or ambiguous because the main focus is still the person, and Leibovitz does a great job of showing it.

(From New York Times)

This is a picture of the mountain biker Missy Giove. The background is blurry due to motion blurs but Missy's face is visible--showing a rich expression of the vigorous activity. I find that only in portrait pictures is where the person's expression is natural.
When Leibovitz is not doing a portrait shot, then she is working with celebrities for advertisement, the media, or for promotional purposes--thus, their expression is posed in accordance to the theme of the shoot. According to Leibovitz's friends from teh film, "[Leibovitz] is the most authoratative person" behind the camera, and possibly part of her personality as well, so she can achieved the result she desired.James Nachtwey's work, on the other hand, is opposite.

(From Camerabuff)

Majority of Nachtwey's shots are in black and white while the colored ones still are not as colorful as Leibovitz's pieces, but is not any less profound. Since he is a war photographer, all the pictures he takes are natural, of war victims in a natural setting so the audience can feel "people's authentic emotion" and see the "powerful indictment of war." Also unlike Leibovitz, Nachtwey prefers to capture the raw expressions from victims of war to voice their suffering and bring his photos to life despite the grave atmosphere and the black/white background. Here is a picture of the people in Indonesia rejoicing at the resignation of Suharto, 1998.

(From James Nachtwey)

The photo may be plain black and white but the intense joy display on people's faces is overflowing the image. Aside from capturing war victims, he also takes picture of the environment during and after the war to make his point that war creates unlivable conditions like the picture of ruins in Afghanistan:

(Ruins of Kabul from civil war in 1996; from James Nachtwey)

Despite how contrasting they works by Leibovitz and Nachtwey are, they do have a couple of things in common, such as tips for us young visual anthropologists to learn. During field work, both of them blends in with the people they photographed by diving in and become part of the community so that eventually the camera becomes invisible--producing more natural pictures. As Leibovitz had said in the film, "best photography is what's around me...you're part of it" and a photographer should experiment with everything and get involved because "a lot can be told in the in between moments." Nachtwey also does the same thing. He approach people respectfully and get involved in the situation. Whether you are out there filling the canvas with memories or recording history, you must "be part of it to understand it" (James Nachtwey from the film).

A Comedic Mixologist

If someone were to walk down the narrow street near the east gate of Kansai Gaidai, they will find many small karaoke bars and traditional Japanese restaurants. But a student doesn’t need to walk far to find a cheap yet delicious Japanese food bar—there is one right across from the east gate. The owner is a “master of comedy” (stated by his frequent customer) and a very talented mixologist. He serves variety of drinks, from non-alcoholic drinks such as Calpis to strong alcohol mixture such “Abu-gin-sky” and “Knock out,” but my favorite drink is his newest creation called “Lovers in snow.”

I explained about this portrait project and immediately he gives me a peace sign pose.

But since he has been mixing drinks for at least 15 years, I asked to take a picture of him making my “Lover in snow” and he was happy to show me even though he went through it very fast and my camera is horrible taking inside picture with clarity. I still choose to post this picture because he has an excited and happy expression as if mixing exotic drinks is his life purpose. The blurs further enhance the picture in the fact that it catches him in motion as he dances with his creation in joy.

Aside from being humorous, this barkeeper is very knowledgeable or at least he was willing to learn what visual anthropology is and what they do. He becomes surprised but very intrigue in this odd profession. I explained about blogging in the world of net and asked if he knows about it but he laughs and replies, “No. No. That’s for young people. I’m old.”

Before leaving I ask for one last picture. Probably due to years of making drinks after drinks, I noticed he likes to use his hands a lot because claps his hands together and exclaimed: “Olé!”

Only after arriving home I realized I never gotten his name….

A Place by the River

Unlike Bestor’s Neighborhood Tokyo, I do not know where the neighborhood I live in begin or end—or even the name of the area. However, there are a few things I noticed as I bike to school each day. Like many other neighborhoods, this quiet vicinity also has malls and markets, parks and shrines but one thing that never cease to surprise me is how early stores close on weekdays. Sometimes while checking ingredients for tomorrow’s meals and realized I’m missing an ingredient or two, I would head to Sanko but only to find no bicycles or lights to indicate that it is still open. It is quite ironic since by now I got the impression that everything is supposed to be convenient for people in Japan, hence vending machines and 7/11.

But this neighborhood isn’t just about convenience but also safety. There are safety signs almost everywhere—from speed limit to warnings about drowning in the river. They’re all indicators of how a person can contribute to helping the community by following the signs.

While web-surfing, I stumbled upon a unique website about “thE qUirKY jaPan.” The author of this website has an interesting post about “useless people” in Japan—which are people holding unproductive jobs—and I found two of the jobs that fit the description here in Hirakata: the crossing guard and the University gate guard. Coming from the author’s point-of-view I can understand that these jobs aren’t beneficial to the economy and we can go on with our days like every day without someone waving and greeting us, and cars can enter and leave the Komat’su parking lot without any help from guards, but they are not entirely “useless”. Aside from following the job description, every now and then these guards become a 3-seconds photographer.

As an outsider with few words I can only cover the surface of this neighborhood while the heart of Hirakata is left untouched. But even with a million words, the heart is meant to be felt not described.

Konichiwa Japan!

For 17 hours, all I see were airplanes, duty-free shops, and people looking at signs or maps to locate their destination. For 17 hours, I have live in a world where people are either moving or waiting, and I, too, was waiting for the moment I step foot upon an unfamiliar land and began an unknown life.
But it didn’t occur to me that I was on the other side of the Pacific until the bus left Kansai International Airport, where I began to notice shops and houses are closely knit together, bicycles are everywhere, streets were not jammed with cars like in the U.S., and even the air was different. Everything spells out: “Welcome to Japan. Enjoy your stay in this friendly place.”
That was the first thing I catch on after living a week in Hirakata—everyone is ultra friendly and to boost the effect, they would throw in the peace sign when a camera is involved. I came from Portland, Oregon where we are known for kind people and slow drivers, but Japan is on a whole different level because Japanese people are not just kind but also very polite that makes me feel guilty if I did not separate trash correctly.

And since we are on the topic of trash, it is astounding to see how many different categories trash can be separated—pet bottles, cans, plastic, burnable, and sometimes the “other” category. Cleanliness is like a golden rule in Japan. So far, from where I’ve been and what I’ve seen, Japan (Hirakata specifically) is a very peaceful country with cultural values embedded in everyday task such as taking off your shoes before you step on the clean floors. Sadly, the one thing I will never get used to is the process of constantly pushing the button for more water to come out while taking a shower. Oh, and of course the constant fear of being attacked by a bicycle while walking to school…