Being a Foreign Bather in Japan
Nephrinn :: Monday Dec 15, 2008, 07:12
I found this little story to be really amusing and I hope you do to.
By Antonia McLaughlin (Hiragana Times)
"Onsen bathing is to winter in Japan what summer is to beer and barbecue in the West. One problem faced, however, for many foreigners in Japan when it comes to onsen is the shaking off of Western convention when getting naked in front of others.
It has often struck me as rather paradoxical that as Westerners (in my case coming from New Zealand), we are usually perceived as being forth-coming and outgoing, yet the thought of getting naked in front of a bunch of same-sex folk scares, embarrasses, and humiliates the hell out of us.
I will never forget the first time I went through such emotions at a sento (public bath). It was 7 a.m. and I had just arrived in Osaka when my good friend Yuri-chan suggested a bath after an all-hight bus ride. I hadn't been able to sleep a wink the whole night of the journey (putting me on that seat was like trying to stuff an elephant into a shoebox) and so as a way to 'freshen up' Yuri had suggested the bath.
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but arriving and stripping off in front of a bunch of women and two young girls who sat at the mirrors preening themselves right next to my locker was, quite simply, more embarrassing than anything I could remember so far in my life. I felt so vulnerable and self-conscious, and I did not want to get naked.
Yuri-chan beside me was quite happily throwing clothes off as fast as possible and stuffing them into her locker, and I felt like I was being checked out by everyone, like I was on display. Fear can bring on acute paranoia.
I was the only foreigner in the room and I had always worried, apart from the fact that what I was doing felt so incredibly uncomfortable, whether or not they would stare at me out of curiousity. I had heard horror stories from foreign women who had lived in the Japanese countryside.
One story at this moment came to mind with startling suddeness of an American friend who had recounted how while she was walking along the edge of the bath to get in, three obaasans (old women) had stared up at her, mouths agape, declaring in unison: 'Wow, check out the breasts on that!'
This story ran through my head along with others of foreign friends telling me that when they entered a hot-spring they seemed to scare everyone else out like they were cursed. Was it due to the overwhelmingness and sheer size of all things foreign in flesh in comparsion to the generally smaller, slimmer and fitter Japanese bodies?
That morning the only problem I had was staying awake in that wonderful bath as my tiredness snuck up on me and tried to push me under. No one even flinched my way, not the predominate group of wobbly obaasans nor the two giggly teenage girls that sat the whole time at their chairs taking up the mirrors, applying layer over layer of make-up. They couldn't care more, or less about me.
The other enlightening thing I recall from that day was that as soon as my clothes were gone, so were all those issues I had with being naked in front of strangers. Once naked, I suddenly felt so relaxed and free and open and my inhibitions were no longer inhibitions. We were all just a collective bunch of naked ladies of various shapes and sizes, not really that different underneath it all. Wobbles and bumps it seems are universal. And it was with that revelation that I began at last my real love affair with the Japanese bath."
Dark Translations' Feature: Culture of Japan
Nephrinn :: Tuesday Nov 25, 2008, 10:21
Believe it or not, Japan is among one of the few advanced countries who are for the death penalty rather than against it. They went against a 2007 UN resolution to temporarily cease executions when a majority was for it and Japan's Minister of Justice has actively sought for executions. And it's not just Japan's government pushing the death penalty; over 80% of Japanese surveyed in 2004 thought that the death penalty was necessary in some cases.
An example of Japan's overwhelming support for the death penalty comes in an April 2008 case where a man was given the death penalty for a crime he committed when he was 18, which is considered a minor in Japan (less than 20 years old). His crimes were horrible (murdered a mother and her child, raped the mother), but it was still considered a highly unusual punishment for a minor. Indeed, even in America, a minor probably would not be given the death penalty for such a case.
In May 2009, a new lay judge system is scheduled to start that will have citizens judging guilty or not guilty and be determining sentences together with official judges in serious criminal cases. Many believe that this will have even more of an influence on handing out the death penalty, so those sentenced to death is expected to continue to rise. Already, 47 were sentenced to death in 2007, which was the most since 1980.
However, there may be another, albeit, somewhat silly, solution to serious crime in Japan: "Death Row Land". While Japan has always been held in high regard for being one of the safest countries in the world, heinous crimes have been on the rise, which has garnered so much support for the death penalty. But, a civil group, who strongly opposes executions, suggests building a "Death Row Land"; a kind of "zoo" where people pay fees to get in to look at mass murderers rather than animals.
Many people think that there will be human rights issues, but the director of the civil group says serial killers and mass murderers don't deserve human rights and that they most likely won't have long to live with the new minister in charge of handing out death penalties. The director goes on to say that the idea sets an example as a warning to others until they are executed, much like how in the Edo period criminals were dragged around the city. This may even bring more comfort to the families effected.
The admission fee may be controversial as well, but the director makes a good point in suggesting that the fees could be used to pay for the upkeep of the prison and the prisoners, which could be of some relief to tax payers. Additionally, if enough money is made, the money could be sent to the victims' families and warrant keeping the prisoners alive longer.
Interestingly enough, the director states that because people have "twisted curiosities" about these criminals, some of which are more well known than stars, there would be more than enough people willing to go see them, especially for some of the more infamous killers. The big problem, which the director did not address, would be the potential for people to go on mass killing sprees so that they could become famous and get a spot in "Death Row Land".
So, what does everyone think about Japan's stance on the death penalty and the possible construction of "Death Row Land"? I think that if there were only one place it would work, it would be Japan. I know that it would probably never happen in America because of all the fuss it would create, but it's an interesting idea.
Dark Translations' Feature: Culture of Japan
Nephrinn :: Tuesday Nov 18, 2008, 05:47
This is something I love about Japan: people aren't constantly suing other people for dumb shit and clogging up the court system. Unlike the West, the Japanese dislike making excuses for things and instead place more importance on showing sincerity. Many times you'll see people bowing (like the pic above) on Japanese news and admitting their mistakes and offering compensation if needed to the effected party. No excuses, only apologies.
This relates to the word 道義的責任 meaning "moral obligation" or "moral responsibility" and how it is applied in Japan. For example, if a company employee in the states committed a crime, that person usually would be blamed/fired/fined with as little association/impact on the company as possible. In Japan, the company itself is usually the entity that apologizes and offers compensation. That's really what 道義的責任 means in Japan.
This applies to other things as well, including parents being to blame for their children's misconduct (rather than games or violent TV). It mostly stems from the influence of Confucianism and Japan's view that "company is family".
In the end, showing sincerity and having a "moral obligation" for one another usually benefits companies by giving a good impression of how the company is run. Subsequently, companies who fail to show the proper respect are shunned (and their business hurt). Unfortunately, because of the effects of globalization (Western influence), these practices seem to be fading away.
