Volume 08 Issue 03

Echoes of Tradition: Exploring
Japanese Folk CultureBook Exhibition
Like many foreigners that come to visit
Japan, I was influenced by Japanese popular culture since my childhood. Whether it
was watching Dragon Ball on TV or playing Sonic videogames on my elder
brother’s Mega Drive, many of the products that I consumed were from Japan.
That influence was what would later leadme to get interested in studying Japaneseback at university in Spain, and eventuallywhat brought me to Japan at least threetimes as an exchange student. After living
here for almost 5 years, I have been facing
many different aspects of the so-called“Japanese culture” in my daily life. But
what is “Japanese culture” anyways?
This book exhibition is dedicated to people who, like me, grew up with Japanese
popular culture and developed an interestin the country that produced all of this, andbecause of that wanted to know more
about the folk culture through which thepeople of Japan live their daily life. I have
prepared this selection of books to introduce folk culture from many different perspectives, but while selecting the books I
kept in mind Edward Said’s notion of “orientalism” and the dangers of exoticizing
Japan and falling into biased assumptionsof national character. That is why I included the book “Japanese Modernizationand Mingei theory: cultural nationalism
and oriental orientalism”, which introduce

July 2024

concepts that might be helpful when reading the books presented in this collection.
In fact, some of the books chosen for thisexhibition might be considered orientalistin some ways. Still, there’s always something new to learn with each read, and I
would like to challenge you to take thebooks here and read them with a criticalperspective, always having in mind questions like “what is Japan and Japaneseculture?” and to carefully consider the concepts of nation and culture. I really believethat thinking about these questions will,whatever your nationality is, help you live
your life in the world with a new point ofview.

Written by Fernandez Caro Antonio

How do you like the library?
In this section, we will introduce how international students use the library in the form of interviews.

if I come to the library, I don’t need to communicate with anyone, yet I do not feel isolated due to the white noise. Another thing
I like about this library is the vast numberof reference books and grammars locatedin the stack room that I can use for my research.
Do you have a favorite place to study inthe library?

Liwei Gong
Postdoctoral researcher at the Graduate
School of International Cultural Studies

Where do you come from?
I come from the Guangdong province inChina. This region is also known as “Canton”, which is famous for being the area inwhich the Cantonese language is spoken.

My favorite place is the reading space on
the balcony overlooking the PC area fromthe 2nd floor. I like it because it is like asmall private area, yet in an open space,and not a separate study room. I think thatit provides a good balance between privacy and quietness that you want for yourresearch, and a spacious room where you
can feel comfortable and not isolated. Not
many people know about this space because it is slightly hidden in the back of thelibrary, so I encourage you to try studying
there!

What do you study? / What school do you
belong to?
I am a postdoctoral researcher at theGraduate School of International CulturalStudies. I do research in Linguistic Typology.
What is your favorite thing about this library?
I like that this library provides a large
open space for studying. I think that this isperfect for people who, like me, preferstudying with white noise in the background. For example, I sometimes study in
my lab, but at other times I prefer studyingin the library. The lab is an environmentthat we are familiar with, we have established relationships with other students, so
being there requires interaction. However,

Please share your favorite/recommended
book from this library.
If I could choose one, it would be Murakami Haruki’s Dance Dance Dance. The
reason is because of the ultimate message I have recognized in this book: “on ajourney to discovering the real meaning oflife and love, you don’t need to care toomuch about needless things – just dance
dance dance – no matter what, just keep
moving forward”. What makes reading thisbook quite engaging as well is that it is
written in Murakami’s signature style –80% realistic and 20% fantasy – including

surreal spaces and characters, with atouch of a detective element. Murakami’sworks are very famous in China, and since
I have only read the Chinese translation, I
became quite curious as to whether what I
have read was the translator’s voice, orthe voice of the author. I may have to readthe Japanese version of this book for comparison.
How often do you use the library perweek?
When I was a student, I came here approximately once per week, or once in twoweeks. It depends on the study period – if
I am doing research, I come more often. In
the last year of my PhD study, I came here
a lot to write my papers. Before that I didn’t
use the library so much for study, but after
discovering that special place in the library
last year, I started coming more often andfelt motivated to study there.
Which part of the library would you recommend? Why?
There are two areas that I would recommend to other students. The first one is thesecret space on the balcony, but since
there are not too many seats there, maybe
it is better to use the Flexible Area on thefirst floor. The second place is the corridor
on the 2nd floor, right in front of the Global
Learning Room. There are comfortablepink sofas there, and not many people
pass, so you can read a book there without
any interruption.

Interview by Petrovikj Hristina

My Hometown: Yanbian Korean
Autonomous Prefecture(China)In this column, we introduce the hometownsof our members, giving you a glimpse into
their culture and some traveling tips from locals!

My hometown, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, indeed holds a special
place within China due to its significant Korean population and cultural heritage. It's
fascinating to learn about the diverse ethnic makeup of China, with the Han Chinese being the majority and numerous
ethnic minorities contributing to the country's rich cultural tapestry. Yanbian, with its
unique status as an autonomous prefecture, highlights China's commitment to recognizing and preserving the cultural identities of its minority groups.
The ancestors of the Korean people in
China initially lived on the Korean Peninsula and fled to northeast China in the mid19th century due to oppression and exploitation by the feudal ruling class. Later, alarge number of refugees came in to escape the war and settled in China, andlived together with the local Han and Manchu people, gradually developing into thepresent ethnic minorities in China. Korean
language and writing, dress, food, are very
similar with South Korea and North Korea,
due to the same lineage.
The Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is a special administrative unit established by the government to protect therights of ethnic minority groups. InYanbian, governance involves representation from both Koreans and Han Chinese,with bilingual Korean-Chinese education
provided in kindergartens and schools,
alongside several welfare policies tailoredfor Koreans. Encompassing an area of

43,329 square kilometers, roughly equivalent to 55 Sendai cities, the prefecture's
population stands at just 2.07 million. Situated at a latitude similar to Hokkaido innortheastern China, Yanbian experiences
harsh winters, with temperatures plummeting to as low as -30 degrees Celsius.
The region where Yanbian is situatedshares borders with Russia and is separated from North Korea by a river, locatedin close proximity to the Sea of Japan,
what makes it a significant border city witha remarkable diverse culture during timesof peace. Growing up, I experienced a bilingual environment where the latest fashion trends arrived from Korea, encounterswith Russians on the streets were common, and Japanese and Korean goods
adorned the homes of millions.
Yanbian is affectionately referred to as
the “Little Seoul of China,” not only due tothe prevalence of the Korean language but
also because of its rich food culture. Kimchi, miso soup, and cold noodles are staple flavors ingrained in the daily lives ofYanbian residents. If you visit Yanbian,
you can indulge in Korean cuisine whileadorned in traditional costumes, relax inthe hot springs of the Changbai Mountainshared by both China and North Korea,
and enjoy performances by talented Korean artists showcasing their singing anddancing prowess. Additionally, Yanbianhas recently made headlines for its discovery of dinosaur fossils and the establishment of a dinosaur-themed amusement
park!

Pictures of the city

Korean cuisine of Yanbian*All photos were taken by author’s family.

Written by Zhang Wenxin

Manga Corner
At Manga Corner, you will see scenesthat frequently happen to newly enrolledstudents.

Hi! I am Andhika from Indonesia! I like reading and drawing
manga, and I hope you enjoy
my short manga.
*Editors
Petrovikj Hristina [Editor-in-Chief]
A graduate student from North Macedonia enrolled in the Graduate
School of International Cultural Studies. She has many hobbies, someof which include: singing, journaling, travelling, reading, watchingmovies, and photography. She has lived in 3 different countries so far,travelled across Europe, and is hoping to embark on an Asian tour inthe near future. Her secret dream is to be a member of a rock band,but since that has not come true yet, you can often find her in a karaoke booth instead!

Helen Li
A 3rd year PhD student from Economics and Management Department, majoring in monetary economics and financial time series
analysis. She previously lived in the USA and came to Japan in
2019. She has been playing the piano for over 10 years, and isalso a semi-professional athlete of speed skating since before she
was 14. She is an excellent female gamer of MOBA games suchas DOTA and Honor of Kings. Her dream is to become a university
professor or a diplomat, but a superior professional athlete of Esports if she was 10 years younger.

Andhika Wijaya

A graduate student from Innovative Japanese Studies Major, who wasborn and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. She never had seen snow before
she came to Japan, so she’s always going ‘wakuwaku’ when the snow isfalling down even though she has to struggle a lot with the cold temperature. She loves drawing, reading comics, travelling to scenic places, enjoying nice music, singing at karaoke, and playing with cute animals.
Please don’t mind her if she makes strange noises when she saw a photoof cute animals. Aside of those, one of her major passion is enjoying foodand making review notes about it.

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