Japanese Culture: Traditional Meets Modern Class 4 Jennifer Yoo and Samantha Yoo

MIT HSSP 2011

Government

Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Naoto Kan

Technology

What comes to mind?

Mostly focused and prominent in consumer electronics, robotics and the automotive industry

One of the leading nations in the fields of scientific research, technology, machinery and medical research

World's third largest budget for research and development at $130 billion USD

Over 677,731 researchers.

Japan has received the most science Nobel prizes in Asia

12

Technology: Transportation

Automotive Industry

Japan was the world's largest vehicle manufacturer in 2008 but lost one rank in 2009 to current leader China

Shinkansen

The Tōkaidō Shinkansen is the world's busiest high-speed rail line.

Carrying 151 million passengers a year (March 2008)

The Shinkansen has had a significant effect on Japan's business, economy,

society, environment and culture

Approx. 400 million hours, and ¥ 500 billion per year

Rejuvenated rural towns

Travelling Tokyo-Osaka by Shinkansen produces only around 16% of the carbon

dioxide of the equivalent journey by car

Saving 15,000 tons of CO2 per year

Transportation: Trains/Subway

Major means of passenger transportation

5 stations serve more than 2 million passengers each on an average day, making Japan the most railway using nation per capita

Most Japanese people traveled on foot until the later part of the 19th century

First railway was built between Tokyo and Yokohama in 1872

Mass transportation is well developed in Japan, but the road system lags behind and is inadequate for the number of cars

Road construction is difficult because of the high areas of population and the limited amount of usable land

Among the most punctual in the world

ACTIVITY Dos and Don’ts on a Train

Trains: Chikan

“Child Friendly” Trains by Eiji Mitooka

Omoden

Ichigo Ec

Riding the Omoden – “Toy Train”

Technology: Robots

Japan's oldest robot precursors - karakuri ningyo, or mechanical dolls.

Believed to have originated in China.

Edo period (1603–1867): a mechanical-puppet theater in in Osaka's Dotonbori district.

First idea of a robot: Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy) by Osamu Tezuka

1973: Professor Ichiro Kato (Waseda University) made "WABOT-1" a full scale humanoid robot.

1996: Honda announced the P2 humanoid robot

Afterward a number of companies and institutes started to develop humanoid robots for many purposes.

Robots for Sale: Caregivers

Wakamaru $14,000

Paro $6,000

Robots: Looks Human

CB2 HRP-4C

Robots for Sale: Actroids

$20,000

Robots: The Future

Japan has the most industrial robots to reduce high labor costs and support further industrial mechanization.

Over ¼ of a million robots Japan

Fumio Miyazaki: Japanese scientists can provide thousands of humanoids that could be working alongside humans by the end of 2020s, if that is what the society wants.

Difference in view of robots from the West

A solution to the declining birthrate and shrinking workforce

Technology: Electronics

Akihabara - Tokyo

Electronics: Vending Machines

Highest number of vending machines per capita: 1 machine for every 23 people.

The first vending machine in Japan - made of wood; sold postage stamps and post cards

1967: 100-yen coin was distributed for the first time

Wending machine sales skyrocketed overnight, selling a variety of items everywhere.

1999: Estimated 5.6 million coin- and card-operated Japanese vending machines generated $53.28 billion in sales.

Electronics: Keitai Culture

Food

TRY IT! Japanese Snacks

Food: Dining Etiquette

Itadakimasu (“I humbly receive”)

Gochisōsama deshita (“It was a feast”)

Architecture: Housing in Japan

TRY IT! Dos and Don’ts in a Japanese House

Religion

Full religious freedom in Japan

CIA World Fact Book:

84% to 96% adhere to Shinto and Buddhism

Fewer than 1% of Japanese adults are Christians

64% of weddings done in a church

Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in Japan

New Year’s, Obon, Tanabata are some others

Shinto

Ancient Japanese religion – 500 BCE Afterlife not a primary concern No founder, defined set of prayers… Collection of rituals and methods meant to mediate the relations of living humans and kami

Shinto: Visiting a Shrine

Ise Shrine Izumo Shrine

Yasukuni Shrine

Shinto: Visiting a Shrine

Temizuya

Shinto: Elements of a Shrine

Shimenawa

Torii

TRY IT! Omikuji Fortune Telling

Religion: Buddhism

Religion: Matsuri – Festivals

Seijin Shiki

Gion Matsuri Tanabata Matsuri

Obon Matsuri

Next Class…

Sports & Games

Music

Visual Arts

Media Entertainment

Otaku Culture