March−2002

No.28
NEWSLETTER&京都国際文化協会
京都市左京区吉田河原町15−9 京大会館116号
TEL. 075−751−8958 FAX. 075−751−9006 〒606−8305
e-mailkicainc@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp

URL

http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/org/kicainc/会長 西島安則 ・ 理事長 千 宗室

授業風景 2
徐 甲申先生（大連外国語学院）
国際交流講座《日本語を教える人のために》《日本語を学ぶ人のために》■日本語教師養成講座■京都市国際交流協会・KICA共催「やさしい日本語」クラス

1983年秋にスタートしたこの講座は、京阪神で活躍中

ステップⅠ（入門）とステップⅡ（初級）の２レベル、の教授・専門家を講師に迎えて、理論面・実践面での充

３クラスを用意しています。ステップⅠで基本的な文法と実した内容を盛りこみ、当初から高い評価を得てきまし会話表現を学習し、ステップⅡではその応用発展をはかりた。年々変化する日本語教育現場の実態に対応する改善ます。学習者の事情やニーズは多様でレベル差もあります

を重ねて今日にいたっていますが、昨年度は次の２点にが、教師はどの人にも授業参加してもらえるよう心を配り留意してカリキュラムの改変を行ないました。

ます。日本語・日本文化に初めて出会う人同志、教えあっ①国内外で日本語教育の推進を図っている機関や当該たり、情報交換したり和気藹々とした雰囲気です。

部門の担当者による＜教師活動の実際＞に関する講◆ 問合せは京都市国際交流協会 (TEL．075-752-3511)へ■Japanese Classes for Beginners at KICH義を加えたこと。
②海外主要地域での教授実態の講義を加えたこと。

Kyoto City International Community House and KICA co-

この試みは好評で、火曜日の夜は毎週、熱心に講義に

organize Japanese Lessons at KICH on Fridays. First Steps in

聞き入る100名もの受講者の姿が見られました。受講修

Japanese (13:00~15:00, 18:00~20:00) welcome the beginning

了者には講義科目を日英両文で記載して受講証明書を発

students and provide them with practice of expressions based

行しています。また、希望者には日本語授業の見学など

on basic grammar. In Second Steps in Japaneseの場も用意しています。日本語の学習者は、国籍・背景(15:30~17:30), students are encouraged to acquire well-

文化・年齢・学習目的・学習歴などがまちまちであるこ

balanced basic proficiency in listening, speaking, reading andとが普通です。このため、教師を目指す人は、日本語を

writing.

ひとつの言語として客観的に学んで、基本的な知識を獲◆Call the Kyoto City International Community House:

得するとともに、多様な学習者のニーズに対応できる技

Information and Programming Section (TEL 075-752-3511)

能を磨くことも求められます。日本語授業を見学したり、■KICA Private/Small Group Japanese Language Lessons
Those who need to study Japanese in private/small group

時には実習したりすることは貴重な体験と、これも好評

classes are welcome to call our office. Each class isを得ています。

carefully tailored by licensed /experienced teachers to meet

2002年度は４月16日から３期41週間にわたって開講します。

personal needs of the students. (See p.3)

◆次頁の講座カレンダーをご参照ください。

1

2002（財）京都国際文化協会
国際交流講座─日本語を教える人のために

主催：7京都国際文化協会
共催：京都市
後援：京都府・国際交流基金

日本語教師養成講座／講座カレンダー
2002

国際交流講座−−日本語を教える人のために2003

日本語教師養成講座Ⅲ

１ ４．16

日本語概説

玉 村 文 郎１ １．７

日本語学と日本語教育

玉 村 文 郎２

月日

日本語教師養成講座!
外から見た日本語

玉 村 文 郎

２

14

社会言語学

真 田 信 治３ ４．30

言語のしくみ吉 田 和 彦３

21

音声・音韻総論

壇 辻 正 剛４ ５．７

日本語教育と国語教育

玉 村 禎 郎４

５

14

日本語の文法（助詞・助動詞） 加 藤 久 雄

６21

日本語の文法（構文）７28

日本語の語彙

８ ６．４

23

28

コリア語話者に対する日本語教育

泉

５ ２．４

中南米諸語話者に対する日本語教育

大倉美和子

加 藤 久 雄６18

中国語話者に対する日本語教育

徐前 田 富 祺７

25

ヨーロッパ諸語話者に対する日本語教育

乙 政

日本語の文字・表記

玉 村 文 郎

８ ３．４

文法総論

糸 井 通 浩

文 明
甲 申
潤

９

11

日本語の音声・音韻壇 辻 正 剛

９

11

語彙総論

前 田 富 祺1018

日本語の歴史前 田 富 祺1018

海外のおける日本語教育

特別講師（国際交流基金）

11

11

25

日本語教育総論

玉 村 文 郎25

日本語の位相浅 野 敏 彦12 ７．２

教授法と教材松 井 嘉 和13

９

異文化理解と言語教育

泉

文 明

14

16

求められる日本語教師

徐

甲 申

15

23

日本語教育の内容

玉 村 文 郎１ ９．10

音声・音韻の指導

杉藤美代子

２

17

聴解の指導

土 岐

３

24

◆講座Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲの各コースにつき、所定時間の受講者に受講証明書を発行します◆受講証明書には、各コースの受講科目が日英両文で記載され、全コースの受講内容が１枚で証明されます◆全コースの修了者には、授業見学などの場を用意しています日本語教師養成講座Ⅱ哲

日本語の言語行動

金田一秀穂

４ 10．１

文法の指導①

佐 治 圭 三５８

文法の指導②

佐 治 圭 三６15

語彙の指導①

玉 村 文 郎７22

語彙の指導②

玉 村 文 郎８

29

文字・表記の指導

泉

会場：京大会館（京都市左京区吉田河原町15-9）
日時：毎回火曜日 6：30〜8：30p.m.
費用：協会年会費
05,000円
受講料 講座Ⅰ
30,000円
講座Ⅱ
30,000円
講座Ⅲ
25,000円

文 明

９ 11．５

近・現代語の形成①

玉 村 禎 郎10

12

近・現代語の形成②

玉 村 禎 郎1119

日本語学と対照研究

玉 村 文 郎1226

日本語と中国語名 和 又 介13 12．３

日本語と中南米諸語

田 辺 加 恵14

10

日本語とヨーロッパ諸語

田 辺

15

17

日本語とコリア語

泉

お問い合わせは：（財）
京都国際文化協会

保文 明

2

■ 日本語個人・小グループレッスン■ KICA Private/Small Group Japanese Language Lessons

1992年度「日本語教師養成講座」を受講、現在「やさしいThe following report is contributed by Ms. Kazuko

日本語」と「日本語個人・小グループレッスン」の教師をしてHirose, who attended the class “Teaching Japanese as a

おられる廣瀬和子さんからレポートを寄せていただきました。

Foreign Language” in 1992 and now teaches at “KICA
Private/Small Group Japanese Language Lessons.”

外国から京都を訪れる研究者、留学生、企業の研修生、そして、その家族など、比較的短い期間京都に滞在する

There are many researchers, students, trainees of

人々、あるいは、日本人と結婚して、これから日本に永住

companies and their families visiting Kyoto from abroad.

という人たち。国籍や文化的な背景は元より日本語の学習

There are also many people staying in Kyoto just for a while

歴も様々。「日本語個人・小グループレッスン」は、このor people getting married to Japanese citizens and deciding

様な学習者の多様なニーズにきめ細かく応えようというプ

to settle down here. “KICA Private/Small Group Japanese

ログラムです。

Language Lessons” is a program to address the various

約１年間レッスンを続けたスロバキアの研究者、チェルneeds of these people.

ティークさんご夫妻に女のお子さんが生まれました。出生証

A pretty baby girl was born to a Slovak couple, both of

明、登録、帰国時の出入国に必要な書類などを書くお手伝い

whom are researchers and who had studied Japanese about

する中で、結婚、出産、女性の地位などをめぐる両国の事情

a year with me. When I helped them fill in some forms likeを、ご夫妻とじっくり語り合いました。教科書に沿って進め

birth certificate, registration card of the baby and the papers

る教室での日本語学習とも一味違う楽しい時間です。最近届

for both immigration and emigration at their leaving Japan,

いた写真の中のエマちゃんは着物姿でにっこり。

we talked about the marriage systems, childbirth and最近、「10日間しか滞在しないのだけれど、その間に日本

women’s situations in both countries. It was a really happy

語を学びたい」という人がユーゴスラビアからやって来ま

time though it was a little different from ordinary classes

した。日本語に出会うのは初めてとのこと。その上、再来

using textbooks.

日の予定はないとのことでしたので『ポケット版日本語会

Recently, I met a Yugoslav lady who wanted to study

話』のような本の携行を勧めましたが、何度も「どうしてJapanese but would stay here only for 10 days. It was theも」と言われて根負け、ほとんど毎日レッスンをしました。

first time for her to encounter the Japanese language and効率よく「役立つ会話表現」を学習できるようにと工夫を

she might not come back again, so, I recommended she buy

こらす中で教師としても新しい体験をしましたが、ＪＲa pocket dictionary for daily conversation but she insisted I

バスで東京へ日帰りの旅をするなど積極的に観光地を周る

teach her Japanese anyway, so we had class almost every

傍ら、日本のことばを直接知ろうとする彼女の姿勢に感動

day. I had a new experience as a teacher through thinking

を覚えました。

out how to teach “useful expressions” in such a short time

あまり質問しないで教師のリードに従う人、納得できる

but I was moved by her passion not only to visit sight-seeing

まで質問する人。背景文化によって、ことばに対する姿勢

spots but to study the Japanese language directly as well.

も異なります。個人レッスンの利点を活かし、学習者の姿

Students’ attitudes are different from each other

勢と能力に適した授業をすることは易しいことではありま

according to their cultural background. While some

せんが、その中で相互の理解が深まり信頼関係が築かれてstudents follow my lead without asking any questions,

いくのは教師にとって大きな喜びです。日本語レッスンはothers repeat the same questions until they really get it. It is

人と人との交流です。日本語を勉強したい人達のニーズに

not easy to make a class considering each student’s attitude

応えるよう努めることで、交流の輪を広げていきたいと思and ability but it is the biggest pleasure to deepen mutual

います。

understandings and establish good human relationships

3through the lessons. The classroom is a place for promoting■ 国際文化講座―ＫＩＣＡセミナー
京都国際文化協会では、京都府の後援を得て在洛外国人

personal exchanges, so I would like to broaden the circle ofを招き、専門分野のお話とともに日本や京都との関わりを

exchanges by better understanding the needs of people

うかがう講座を続けています。

studying Japanese.

３月９日にお迎えしたマーク・キーン先生は15年前から■ KICA Seminar

京都住まい。庭園の研究に携わる傍ら、寺社や企業や個人

Kyoto: Of Gardens and Parking Lotsの住宅のために、数多くの日本庭園を設計してこられました。古代の日本人は快い気候に恵まれて自然を崇拝し、そOn the 9 th of March, 2001, Prof. Mark P. Keane, a

れをそのまま取り込んで最初の庭園を生み出しました。大licensed landscape architect who has been building

陸文化の影響も受けた平安貴族の庭、禅の到来とともに生

numerous private gardens for companies, temples, and

れた枯山水、茶庭そして坪庭。大名文化の知的な遊び心と

individuals since he came to Japan in 1985, talked about the

闊達な町人文化の結合として生れた回遊式庭園。スライド

tradition of Japanese gardens. His interactive lectureを見つめる参加者一人一人の質問に応えながらお話が進みcovered the history of gardens with beautiful slides ofます。一夜にして取り壊されて駐車場になる町家の一角。

Stones and Ponds of prehistoric years, the Gardens of Heian

歳月が磨きあげた老舗の店先を占領する自動販売機。京都

aristocrats created through active contact with Korea andの現状に鳴らされるキーン先生の警鐘を私たち市民はどの

China, Sand and Stone Gardens of Zen Buddhism, Tea

ように聞いたらよいのでしょうか。

Gardens, Courtyard Gardens, and Edo Stroll Gardens. He
praised Kyoto as a “garden city”, a place where nature andProf. Keane talks about the tradition of Japanese gardens.

culture meet. At the same time he did not hide his deep
regrets for lovely gardens being turned into parking lots
overnight and gaudy vending machines sitting right next totime-washed charming signs of shops of long standing.
Several aspects of Japanese garden designs can be traced
back to the Gardens. Prof. Keane’s interactive lecture withlots of interesting slides showed the beauty and culture of
the Kyoto’s gardens, and he openly repeated that themodern-day Kyoto is destroying her garden culture.
Measuring Literacy in the 17th Century
On the 29 th of May, Richard Rubinger, History of
Education Professor of Indiana University, gave a lecture
インディアナ大学リチャード・ルビンジャー先生は教育“Measuring Literacy in the 17 th Century: Signature and

史がご専門。「徳川初期における庶民の読み書き能力」とCipher.” In Western studies of popular literacy, signatures

題して、５月29日、日本語と英語でお話しくださいました。

are used to measure literacy. For a long time this was

欧米で盛んな読み書き能力の研究は、公的届書の本人署名

thought to be impossible in Japan where seals are used toに基づいて行われます。ルビンジャー先生は、日本で印章

certify documents. Professor Rubinger, however, noticed

使用が普及する以前の1620年頃から約50年間に、戸主や借

the ciphers (kao) by the heads of household and tenants

家人らが公式の届書等に残した花押に注目されました。丹

themselves. Those personal marks were found only for a

念に資料調査した結果、性別や職分、また住居が村か町か

short period from about 1620 to 1670 before the seals

によって、その能力に差が見られるものの、江戸初期には(hanko) became popular. Having studied the documents

4庶民も読み書きができたとお考えです。国際日本文化研究

carefully, he suggested that the commoners in the early Edo

所での仕事を終え、間もなく帰国して論文発表の予定で、Period could read and write somehow, although their

大好きな京都の人たちにと、一足早くそのあらましを聞か

abilities varied according to their gender, social classes, and

せていただきました。

living areas.

飾り彫りの美しい銀食器に盛るのは、お客をもてなす伝
統料理のボーズでしょうか。国技シャガイのサイコロは牛骨細工。６月２日のＫＩＣＡセミナーで将棋盤、馬頭琴な
どモンゴルの人々の使う什器の数々を見せてくださったのは、外国人招聘学者として京大を来訪中の数学者レンツェン・エンクバード先生。歴史の波に洗われ続けたモンゴルの近代化を先生ご自身も被られたのです。民主的な国造りを始めて10年、母国はようやく、よちよち歩き始めたところと言われます。子供たちの健やかな成長のために、速やかな経済発展と教育制度の整備が望まれています。青い空、
黄金色の砂丘、果てしなく広がる大草原、そしてそこに生息する多くの動植物との共生を忘れてはいけないと、先生
Prof. Enkhbat talks about his culture.

はお話を締めくくられました。
参加者が少ないことをお詫びすると、「学問は自分のたLife and People in Mongolia

めにするものですから」と爽やかに言い切られたライデン
大学日本学教授ボート先生。漢文がお好きで、ヨーロッパ

On the 2nd of June, we invited Prof. Lenzen Enkhbat,と東アジア文化圏のギャップを埋める思想として『礼』はVisiting Researcher at Kyoto University from Ulan Bator

面白いと直観し、研究者の道に進まれたそうです。10月26

who kindly brought interesting utensils with him including

日は、「江戸時代の儒教知識人について」と題して、日本

silverware, ox-bone dice for Shagai, a chessboard and a

語で次のようにお話しくださいました。江戸時代、上級武horse-head fiddle. The mathematician said that he had been

士の生まれではないが、「文」（学問）を好み、熱心に儒教

tossed back and forth by the political instabilities of theを学ぶ若者が現れました。京都にはその儒学を始め、漢学、

nation until very recently. He hoped that the nation’s

医学、蘭学、剣道、蹴鞠などを教える塾が多数あり、諸国

economy would grow and its educational system beからこうした若者が集まる中、京学の北海はその著書に、

improved so that children would be better off without「儒者を目指すなら、漢文の下勉強をしてから入洛し、良spoiling its clear sky, golden sands and boundlessly

い師に学び、欲張らず、一日一科目の授業に限り、残り多

expansive steppe lands and numerous rare animal species

くの時間を復習と読書にあて、師に不明を尋ね、３〜５年

on it.

の精進をせよ」と説きました。「武より文。国民に四書五Confucian Intellectuals in Edo Period

経に基づく教育をし、礼で国を治めよう」と主張する儒教

When Leiden University Professor B. J. Boot was

運動は、儒者に冷淡な幕藩体制側とぶつかって、フラスト

young, he loved reading Chinese classics and thought that

レーションが高まり、やがて明治維新の原動力となったと“Rei”, a principle of Confucian ethics, may possibly bridge

いうことでした。

the gaps between European and East Asian cultures. That

哲学を勉強していた若い日に「お茶を飲む習慣」に興味

was why he chose Asian Studies as his lifelong researchを覚えたビスゴーさんは、故郷のデンマークから、ギリ

theme. On the 26th of October, he talked about “Confucian

シャ、トルコ、アフガニスタンへとお茶を尋ねる巡礼の旅。

intellectuals in Edo Period.” With an increasing number of5

辿りついた京都で「茶道」を知り、１年の予定が25年に

the young low-ranking samurai and the commoners who left

なったと言われるビスゴ−さんのお宅は北白川。建て替え

their hometowns for learning, Kyoto became inundated withの進んだ家並の中でただ一軒、生垣の中に静かな佇まいを

many schools for them. Schools provided those ambitious

残しています。茶道研鑚の合間を縫って古材を集め、70年

people with classes of Confucianism, Chinese classics,を経た家屋と庭を、自ら補修されたとか。１月８日、春をMedicine, Western learning, kendo, etc. “The pen is

迎えるしつらえの茶道具は日本はじめアジアの各地から集

mightier than the sword. People should be taught on the

められたもの。イギリス、スウェーデン、アメリカ、ロシ

basis of the Confucian texts. Courtesy (Rei) is a useful

アからのお客様と一緒に、懐かしい日本の家で一碗のお茶

philosophy to unify the nation,” the Confucian intellectualsをいただき、平和な世界の到来を祈りました。

insisted. While fighting against the indifferent Tokugawa
shogunate, the Confucian campaign survived, eventuallydeveloping into a motive for the Meiji Restoration.

Friends from Russia Appreciating Utensils

My Way of Tea
It was when Mr. Bisgaard was studying philosophy in
his homeland, Denmark, that he got interested in the habitof drinking tea, and he went on a pilgrimage to Greece,
Turkey, Afghanistan, and then to Japan. He extended his
stay from one year to twenty-five years just because he cameto know “the Way of Tea” here in Kyoto. He has devoted histime and energy in searching for the quintessence ofdrinking tea, and as a part of it, has renovated a 70 year-old
house and garden in Kitashirakawa using used materials allby himself. On January 8, 2002, we were sitting in his tearoom exquisitely furnished with beautiful utensils from
Asian countries. We all sipped bowls of tea with friends fromBritain, Sweden, America and Russia and prayed for thepeace to come to this world and to our minds as well.

外国人留学生交流プログラム■

留学生や研究者、そのご家族との日本語個人・グループ■ KICA Program for Foreign Students and Families

レッスン（３頁参照）は交流プログラムの一本の大きな柱ですが、出会いはさまざまな活動に繋がっていきます。今

Our Private/Small Group Japanese Language Lessons

年度の活動のあらましをご紹介します。このプログラムは(please see p.3) plays more roles than just teaching

当協会理事長千宗室氏の支援を受けています。

Japanese. The following activities were somehow madepossible by meeting friends old and new and exchanging
ideas with them through this program. We are very grateful《留学生と作る世界の家庭料理》

to Dr. Soshitsu Sen for his generously and continuously

毎回好評を得ているこのクラスですが、今年度も関西電

supporting this program.

力アミュージアムのキッチンをお借りして、また回によってはスタッフ宅で開かれました。
まず、６月には是非日本料理をという留学生の皆さんの希望で、スタッフが講師役を務め、鰹のたたきなどを作り、賑やかに初夏の家庭料理を楽しみました。

6

The Joy of Cooking with Students from Abroad

また、アンコールに応えて、10月にはモンゴルからの外国人招聘学者夫人アルタンツェツェッグさんを再び講師に

At the request of some students from abroad, “Early

お迎えして、おもてなしや特別なお祝いに一般家庭で作らSummer Japanese Luncheon” was prepared by one of ourれるブーツを教わりました。小ぶりな中華まんじゅう風のstaff members in her lovely kitchen and cheerfully

あつあつのブーツをほおばると、おいしい肉汁が口いっぱ

appreciated with pleasant chats. Ms. Altantzeg, the wife of a

いに広がり、幸せな気分になります。ちょうどモンゴルをvisiting researcher from Mongolia, introduced steamed

旅行してきたスタッフから、スティック状に固められた

meatballs, which she often serves on happy occasions.

チーズと小袋に入った岩塩が配られました。岩塩には様々

Mongolian stick-shaped cheese and rock salt in small packs

な効能があるとのこと。現地で味わった「モンゴルの味」、

were presented to every participant by one of staff members

パオで過ごした夜の満天の星。ブーツをいただきながら聞

who had recently returned from Mongolia. With piping hot

くおみやげ話に参加者の心はモンゴルの草原へと誘われて

meatballs in their mouth, participants were all tempted to

いくのでした。

spend a night on the Mongolian expansive steppe underinnumerable stars in the sky.

《アフマディジャンさん嵯峨野高校へ》
夏休みを目の前にした７月14日、中国ウイグル自治区からの留学生アフマディジャンさんは京都府立嵯峨野高校に招かれました。１年生約300人が総合学習の時間に「シルクロードの国の暮らし」について学ぶこととなったからです。万年雪をいただく天山山脈、砂漠に咲く花花、美しい
民族服を着てぶどうの収穫を祝う人々。スライドが映し出す西域の情景。たためば一枚の布、磁針の代わりにもなるという四角形の帽子をかぶったアフマディさんの語るウイ
グルのことばと生活文化は、シルクロードの要衝として栄えた昔から今に受け継がれてきたものとのことでした。
《ウイグルへ衣類のプレゼント》
中国ウイグル自治区南部に学校を建てて贈るなど、草の根交流を続けている「天山文化交流協会」の事業に協力しMaking Mongolian Meatballsて、協会スタッフがタンスの中に眠っていた衣類を送りました。現地の協力者から、一点ずつ必要な人々に贈られ喜A Visit to Sagano High School

ばれたということです。

Mr. Afmadijan was invited to Sagano Prefectural HighSchool in a hot afternoon in July to introduce the people and《日本文化を学ぶ》
留学生やその家族と楽しむ南座での歌舞伎鑑賞教室と文culture of Xinjiang Uygur where he is from. Three-hundred

楽鑑賞教室はすっかり恒例になりました。いけばなイン

first-graders were to study about the Silk Road in the newly

ターナショナルのご好意で参加する毎月の生け花デモンス

started General Studies course. Showing slides and photos

トレーションも定番プログラムです。加えて本年は日本のof the snow-covered Tian- Shan mountains, wild flowers on

伝統演劇と西洋演劇との融合を試みつづけて20の能法劇団

vast deserts, people picking grapes in colorful ethnic gowns,

公演 "Still Moves" を鑑賞しました。秋色濃い府立植物園のMr. Afmadijan, doctorate course student at Kyoto

7散策にも来日中の研究者や留学生が参加。「杉本家住宅」

University, introduced language and tradition of Uygur

見学には、スタンフォード大学日本センターの学生たちもwhich had been passed down from the time when the area

加わって、大切に守られてきた京町家の奥座敷、客を迎え

boasted of being a prosperous trading points on the Silk

る仕来たりや迎春準備の一端を見せていただきました。

Road.
Used Clothing for Uygur People
Tian-Shan Cultural Association in Osaka has promoted

KAHF（カーフ・京都ホストファミリー協会）■

外国人留学生の数が大幅に増加し始め、市内の大学がそ

grass-root exchange programs for six years. As one of theirの対応に追われていた1984年春、これを側面から応援する

activities, they gave a school building to the people of

市民のグループが生まれました。京都で生活を始めた学生

Southern Uygur as a gift two years ago. KICA staff membersを会員に紹介してお茶の間交流をしようというものでしsent out boxes of used clothing, and each piece was

た。住まい、奨学金、健康、恋愛、結婚、家族。若い人た

carefully handed to the people who really needed them.

ちの悩みは、時に深刻で、簡単に解決できるものばかりではありませんでしたが、一緒に作った食事を囲む中で彼らもほっと緊張の糸を解くのではと考え50人の会員でスタートしたのです。これまでに1100人の留学生を350余軒の
a home away from home に招いてきたKAHFは、昨年11月２日、全国51の個人・団体と共に遠山文部科学大臣から表彰されました。国として外国人留学生を受け容れて100年になるのを記念してのことでした。留学生支援のネット
ワークは整備されて来ていますが、学生一人ひとりの不安を来洛当初から受け止めるなど、これからのKAHFは、担うべき役割を見定めての活動を求められるでしょう。
◆KICAはKAHF設立時から全面的に協力をしてきました。
KAHFの会
Mrs. Sugimoto explains four seasons in her household.
Meeting with Kyoto’s Tradition
Visits to Minami-za for Kabuki and Bunraku
performances, or demonstrations by Ikebana International
are now our annual events. This fall, we were especially
blessed to see the 20 th anniversary performance, “Still
Moves” by the Noho Theatre Group, and to be showed into
the quiet rooms of the Sugimoto House, one of the divinely
preserved Kyoto houses in the city together with scholars
from Britain, Australia and students from Stanford
University Kyoto Center.

8

■ Kyoto Weekend■ 京都の週末（茶会とコンテスト）

by Vivienne Kenrick

ビビアン・ケンリック

Finalist for 2001 KICA Essay Contest
Columnist, The Japan Times

2001年10月の土曜日、京都の秋の気配は、銀杏並木の黄葉を縫い、老樹が影を映す寺院の壁を漂い、国際茶会の開On an October weekend in 2001, a special, old-time

かれた裏千家センタ−を包んでいます。
最初は明るいホ−ルで点心を賞味。つづいて小グル−プ

Kyoto atmosphere drifted over the neighborhood aroundに分かれて茶室へ導かれると雰囲気が一変します。ざわめ

the Urasenke Headquarters. Autumn trees, an ancient

きは静まり、目に写るのは竹のそよぎ、楓の紅葉、刈り込

temple, and glimpses of traditional architecture set the tone
for the annual international tea gathering.

まれた潅木をめぐる飛石。鐘の音。薫香の匂い。あくまでAt first there was an air of vivacity as guests entered theも簡素に。ここには心を癒す何かがあるのでしょうか。

Center Hall to enjoy a light meal and to talk with each other.

茶室での点前は裏千家の外国人茶道留学生たち。優雅なThen as in small groups we followed our guides to the

着物姿と流暢な日本語。留学の成果を示す自然で美しい動

Chado Kaikan, the mood changed. A hush settled. We

作。一つずつ趣の異なる茶碗、素朴な壷に挿された一輪のnoticed the bamboos and coloured leaves, the stepping

花、掛軸の書、そして清澄な茶室のしつらえ。様々な日本

stones and trimmed bushes, the sound of the temple bellの伝統芸術が茶道の和敬静寂の中に生きています。

and the fragrance of incense. Japanese tea in an authentic

翌日は京大会館で京都国際文化協会（ＫＩＣＡ）のエッ

setting has such a soothing power to heighten awareness of

セイ・コンテストの発表会。私は、イギリスから移り住ん

enduring simplicities.

で以来50年の東京の変貌を回顧したエッセイによって、４Several non-Japanese men and women assisted with the

人の発表者の１人に選ばれて会場にいました。日本を訪れ

arrangements. They wore Japanese dress, and spoke fluent

る外国人と京都市民との理解と交流を深めるために、主とJapanese. They behaved naturally, quietly and easily,

して女性ボランティアによって運営されているこの協会のshowing the grace and elegance that the study of the Way of

真摯な仕事ぶりに心から感謝したいと思います。ありがとTea induces. In the serenity of the tea room the guests

うございました。

admired kimono and controlled movement, tea bowls and a◆第22回国際茶会（国際茶道文化協会共催、裏千家後援）

flower in a jar, calligraphy, and the room itself. The Way ofには400余名が集いました。右はジャパン・タイムズの

Tea brings together many different Japanese arts, blending

コラムニスト、Ｖ・ケンリックさんの寄稿で、上はそのthem and paring them down into a single expression of

抄訳です。

restraint and tranquillity.
The next day, the Kyoto International Cultural
Association assembled essay finalists, judges, and an
audience, for the 2001 KICA Essay Contest. This contest, avery fine venture organized by women volunteers,
highlights the thoughts of non-Japanese participants on
Japan. KICA is an admirable body that works for betterinternational understanding, tolerance, and appreciation of
the worth around us. Thank you, KICA. The world needs
more initiatives like yours.
Annual International Tea Gathering

9■ Impressions about impressions■ エッセイ・コンテストあれこれ（抄訳）by Bertrand Giraud

ベルトラン・ジロー

Kyoto University Invited Researcher

その日、私は秋色深まる京都で、前日の茶会の余韻覚め
やらぬまま、エッセイ・コンテストの発表に耳を傾けてい

Here I was, in this auditorium of beautiful Kyoto, still

た。最初の発表者は京都大学大学院で情報システム科学を

under the charm of a tea ceremony which I had seen two

学ぶペル−人学生だった。アメリカ先住民の後裔としてのdays before. I was listening to the Peruvian scientist of

彼は、西欧の侵略者によって破壊された故国の伝統への自Amerindian descent. He explained how the Japanese

覚が、近代化の中でも伝統を大切にする日本へ来て甦った

respect for tradition helped him in recovering his identity
demolished by colonialism. He was bright and sincere, but,と語った。私は感銘を受けたが、自らも多くの日本人科学

as a scientist myself, I had to react. The twenty-first century

者の友人をもつ科学者として、未来への夢にこそ期待した

is facing such horrendous problems, whether over-

いと発言したのだった。私は楽観主義者なのだ。

population or climate changes. It allows such extreme

終戦直後に来日して、半世紀に渡って日本の移り変りをdreams, such as genetic engineering and expansion of

見てきたイギリスの女性の回想も感動的だった。私は黙しmankind into space. Thus I asked the speaker whether heて、自分が幼少期を過ごしたヴェトナムの変貌を想い、私

wanted to expand his thinking into future issues. I believeの青春期には、黄金色に波打つ小麦畑を彩っていたブル−

that modern Japanese culture is much more than tradition. I

エットとコクリコの花が、農薬のせいで、パリの南西百キ

have many Japanese friends, who are scientists andロの地から姿を消してしまったことを想っていた。

extremely knowledgeable in history and arts as well. We

３番目の発表は面白かった。日常生活の対極にある非日

share advanced dreams. I hope that, in future years, this常の様相、外国旅行者の比較。西洋の旅行者と東洋の旅行

contest about Japanese culture will also contain者。自国の外に見いだす「美」の条件。「異国趣味」とはcontributions about dreams. I am an optimist...

誰にとっての異国なのか。私自身は西洋の庭も日本の庭もI said nothing after the talk of the English lady who had

好きだ。北斎も印象派も、それから、石庭の苔も夕映えに

seen half a century changing Japan. The poetry of her

そよぐ楓も。池に架かる橋から繊細な和食の「お箸」も。

recollection was moving. I am slightly younger than she is,

STOP！こんな脱線の時間も紙面もないはずだ。

but I could easily identify with her. The Indochina of my

最後の発表者のことを、私はもう少しで書き忘れるとこ

early childhood has changed so much. A mix of blue andろだった。16歳の女子高校生、インド国籍で在日11年の彼

red flowers (bleuets and coquelicots) is not found any more

女のエッセイが最優秀賞を獲得したというのに。英文で書

among the bright yellow wheat fields of my youth, in the

かれたエッセイだったが、その発表があまりにも流暢な日

plain one hundred kilometers southwest of Paris. The blue

本語で始まったので、私の耳には音楽のように聞こえたの

ones were poisoned by fertilizers...

だ。注意力が散漫になったのはそのせいだっただろうか。

The third talk was very amusing. It was so funny to「蓮の葉の露」とは詩的な題だったのに残念。言いたいこ

compare Western and Eastern tourists, and even differentとは無限。時間と紙面は有限。またの機会に書くことにしWesteners, and different Easteners in their ways of enjoying

よう。

the beauties of another country. There is a famous text

◆右は京都大学を訪問中の物理学者ベルトラン・ジロー先“Lettres Persanes” by Montesquieu, about what is exotic,
and for whom. Einstein did not invent relativity, after all...

生の寄稿、上はその抄訳です。

There was a slight debate, after that talk, about Easterngardens versus Western ones. I love both, I love painting,10

Hokusai and impressionists, and the shade of every piece of■ KICA論文コンテスト「日本―私の視点から」報告

moss, and sand, and stone, and the lace of the maples in thesunset, and the slightly twisted image of the bridge in thelake when a golden fish climbs above the image of thehashi, which becomes bashi in so many city names... anddrifts back into o-hashi when I think of subtle Japanese
food...Stop! Speaking time is limited, number of lines
limited, too...
And I almost missed the last talk, the winner of thecontest. Attention relaxed? Too many images of gardens still
floating? Still a bit of jet lag? Loss of interest because a goodpart of the talk became almost a debate in this musicalJapanese language, which I do not master?

発表風景

Too bad, the title “A dewdrop on a lotus leaf” was so
poetic.

第24回論文コンテスト（国際交流基金京都支部・KICA

So many more things to say! But...time...lines...limited,

共催、京都府後援）の発表会が10月21日aに行われ、予備

you know.

審査で選ばれた４編の作者が各自その内容を発表しましOf course I'll come again! Who can doubt it?

た。審査の結果は次の通りです。
Prize for Effort／奨励賞（副賞￥50,000）“How I found Peru when I came to Japan”
David Aliaga (Peru)“A Fifty -Year Retorospective”
Vivienne Kenrick (UK)“Holiday Culture”
Mylene Oishi (UK)
KICA Prize／京都国際文化協会賞（副賞￥100,000）“A Dewdrop On A Lotus Leaf”
Niharika Rao (India)
先進技術と伝統文化が共生する日本に学びたいとアリアガさん。戦後間もない日本を知るケンリックさんは、繁栄とともに失われてゆく日本の美しさを惜しみます。パック
旅行中の体験からユーモア溢れる比較行動論を展開する大石さん。京都国際文化協会賞受賞のラオさんは高校生。日本に住む外国人はお客様扱いで、その存在を蓮の葉の露のようと言います。小学校では日本人になりきろうとして、仲間外れを経験。高校で本来の自分を出したら、意外に周りから受け入れられたとか。二つの文化背景を持つ自分はFinalists, Judges and Staff Members at the Reception

そのことをエネルギーにしたいと話しました。

11

A Dewdrop On A Lotus Leaf

Niharika Rao
Have you ever seen a dew drop on a Lotus Leaf. It is so

process. During one of my trips to India during the 4th grade, I

fresh, so clean, so tranquil, yet so fragile. A strong gust of

made a total of 5 new friends and that too so naturally. I waswind or severely shaking the leaf would cause the dewdrop toso thrilled when one of them asked me the next day to comefall off the leaf. Standing at the cross road of two cultures I

over to lunch. In India there is one thing very different fromhave been compared to such a dew drop by my parents… aJapan, and that is that people just come over without any priordew drop which needs constant motivation and force toappointment. And therefore, the friendship created stays andremain on the leaf. I often wonder what is the best way to

becomes solid. However in Japan, the more I tried to be partlive as a foreigner in another country. Adopt the culture ofof the Japanese group and merge in, the more I noticed thethe country where you live whole-heartedly or just adopt it indifferences in thinking wavelengths even as a child. For

bits and pieces trying to maintain your own culture? Entering

example, I would watch TV programs which I have nomy 11th year in Japan, this kind of wholehearted adoption ofinterest in only so that I could find common topics with myJapanese culture would have made be more Japanese than I

other classmates and not be left out of the group (avoid being

am today. Probably this adoption would have been easy ina nakama hazure).

case I was half-Japanese (if one of my parents were Japanese).
I have met a few other kids of bilingual parents who haveThis together with the contradiction between a Japanese style

adopted Japanese culture completely and feel alien to theirlunch at school and a pure vegetarian style Indian food at

own. However, this was not the case with me, because thehome, and Japanese studies at school and English studies atmore I fought to get into the Japanese system, the more I washome prevented my complete Japanese assimilation…In spite

thrown out of it.

of my best efforts to become Japanese I remained nonJapanese. Why I could not become a complete Japanese may

This struggle, to be accepted as a Japanese continued

come from the factor that I was carrying a bit of India in me

throughout my six years at elementary school, and if it waswhen I came here. The atmosphere in my elementary school

not for the support my teachers and parents, I probably wouldin Japan and India varied largely. Indian schools are more

have given up. The most difficult part of making friends indisciplined and are mostly focused on studies, while JapaneseJapan as a child was the groups that existed from that young

schools have much more liberty and in the beginning I wasan age. Once a group is formed it is rather difficult to enter orshocked at the very lively shouts of my then classmates!

leave that specified group. I then learned to say irete, which

Indian education may be good at certain points of startingmeans please let me in your group. Of course this is not theearlier and studying more seriously from a young age because

only way to join a group, but at many times in my elementary

students then do not face the problem of not covering theschool years, I had come across this word.

portion for higher studies, a dilemma Japanese students areheard to be facing in recent years. At many points after I

I am from India and making friends in India is a very natural

entered high school, I felt that I was studying only for the12entrance exams and that the sole pleasure of studies was

do I need to run or help. I can only do things which cannot becompletely ignored.

done by the group and get applauded for doing so. For

However, I must say I greatly appreciate the physicalexample, being good at English is natural to me since I haveeducation classes, for it would be greatly difficult to learn

been using it from when I was in India at the age of six. And

about sports and other extra-curricular activities, sowhen I get applauded for my knowledge I feel weird, althoughthoroughly in any other place.

this probably cannot be helped. Since nobody is interested in
the periphery my position at the periphery of the group is

Ijime and Me

totally secure. I think most foreigners living in Japan are at

I did not realize the full meaning of Ijime(teasing) until I

the periphery of the soccer ground or are like the dew drops

reached the 6th grade. When I was in the 5th grade I had aon a lotus leaf. They provide the cosmetic flavour to Japan’s

wonderful teacher who made us think for ourselves, and our

kokusaika and irrespective of the differences in individuals’

class was very cooperative within. It was a time when I

capability, all foreigners are grouped into one and made to

enjoyed going to school. However the next year everything

stand at the periphery. Of course they are distributed over

had changed quite drastically for me. I was never welcomed

the different grounds in different parts of the country to

into any group unless it was obligatory (a group made by theprovide the cosmetic flavour uniformly all over Japan. The

teacher). My classmates at school tried to avoid contact withJapanese government and public think that by sometimesme (as if I was something dirty), but this kind of ijime did notinviting these foreigners standing at the periphery and teachaffect me. Maybe because I found studies so interesting I

them Japanese cooking, calligraphy or vice versa learn French

could kind of immerse myself in studies removing these kind

toast or Indian curry, it is an attempt at internationalization.

of issues to the background. In Japan, ijime has become a

But as long as these foreigners are kept at the periphery andpopular excuse for people to avoid interacting with eachcannot enter the core or as long as the Japanese cannot moveother. I hear of children stopping school due to ijime. I findout of the core to the periphery, true internationalization

this a form of over-protection from parents and society andcannot take place. Internationalization or Globalization cannot

children use this excuse to avoid interacting with each other.

be made into reality if one doesn’t try to understand his or her

In Japan one often hears the word Meiwaku. We do not want

own culture first. I feel strongly that, becoming an

to make any meiwaku to others (not cause any trouble tointernational person depends upon how well you understandothers). Life is built upon the interdependencies and contact

the other person…as an individual as well as a national of abetween people, and yet we deprive them of the chance tocertain country.

grow, mature and take responsibility for their decision byexcessively sheltering children. In spite of being ignored byThis feeling of being within the group but not part of the

my classmates, I never once absented myself from school.

group continued as I progressed to Japanese junior high andBeing absent from school, I felt would only mean, runningsenior high school. For the first time here I seriously realized

away and not facing the music. This has only made me

the existence of Japanese groupings. It was a very strong

stronger in dealing and interacting with people.

bond between friends and at times also a blockage for people
to enter in and become friends. I learnt that acceptance into
any group is not automatic, but one has to request for entry

Within the group but not yet part of the group.

into the group, like using the word irete. I later used thisI feel to be perpetually standing on the periphery of a soccer

technique to play a game of card with some boys at school,

ground. Only when the ball is about to go out of the periphery

which gave me further confidence to enter other groups as13

well. I now feel that my trying to be a Japanese actuallywith my grandfather have helped a lot. My mother so far hashindered my being accepted by the group. I was not being mybeen my best teacher of English. Even though I had resisted,

natural self and the moment I accepted the fact that I was not

she forced me to study Indian textbooks, which have also

Japanese, could never become one and tried to show myenriched my vocabulary and for this I have no words to thankindividuality, it became more easier to enter and remain in

her. I also have a profound interest in reading and this too

the Japanese group. English came to my rescue at this point

has kept me in touch with English. In Japan, English is taught

and inspite of my earlier reluctance to English for which mymainly based on grammar and this could be one of the reasons

mother insisted I found it like a feather in a cap. I became thewhy people lose their interest in a language. Each student

center of attention for helping of the exchange student toshould be motivated in a way that she or he is suited to,communicate with Japanese. This also made me realize thealthough this is very difficult in a class of large number ofadvantage I had of knowing two languages with such fluency.

students.

Having one more foreigner in my school for one year also

conversation and to communication. My interest in Japanesehelped me to come closer with other Japanese classmatesis quite deep. It is true that literature (koten) is totally Greek

because I finally gave up on being Japanese and could just be

and Latin to me, but when I do understand once in a blue

myself. My classmates were both surprised and happy to see

moon, I find their descriptions and their way of expressing

the change in me. I realized that they were concerned about

their feelings very deep and absorbing. This is the same with

my not having friends and eating lunch alone. They were atcontemporary writing. Often Japanese words come to mind

times later surprised by my observation, intelligence and wit

faster than English ones and many of the expressions in(qualities which I possessed all along, but never dared tocontemporary writing too are fascinating!

English should go beyond the borders ofshow). I finally felt at peace with myself in Japan. I now havea small group of loyal friends who I consider the best in theJapanization versus Indianizationworld. I have also regained part of my confidence from them.

To what extent am I Japanized or have retained my Indian

Although even now I still feel pangs of doubt when a person

qualities? In spite of all these hurdles, living in Japan for 11

does not speak to me correctly or I do not get a reply on myyears has made me more Japanized than what I would like tocell phone, I now have the confidence to deal with thebelieve. Loyalty to the group is of paramount importance andsituation. I am confident of putting the best part of myself

avoiding doing something out of the group norms. I became

forward and at the same time being sympathetic to the needs

acutely aware of this tendency of mine only when I went toof others.

New Zealand on a school trip. I remained loyal to my groupduring the three-week stay in New Zealand and only after mygroup left did I leave my Japanism behind.

Language and Culture
Language and culture are directly and indirectly linked
closely. Some words bring out the correct meaning only

New Zealand was very different compared to Japan of course!

when used in contextual situation. I feel privileged at

The largest difference I saw and felt was how people feel freelearning Japanese so naturally for which people in other partsand confident to speak out their opinions. In Japan at manyof the world may struggle. I have tried to learn othertimes people hesitate to express their thoughts frankly, in

languages mainly by searching through culture, though it hasorder not to hurt anyone’s feelings. I too somehow had

only half succeeded so far. I understand Hindi, which I triedacquired the habit, and although warned to be clear in

to catch on by watching Hindi movies, although I cannot

conveying anything, I had initially hesitated in doing so.

speak it very well. As for my mother tongue Telugu, talks

Another thing that stimulated me in New Zealand was the open

14

atmosphere. Everybody was quite free in talking with one

delightful episodes of when I went there was that I received

another. People used to discuss their ideas frequently and theno strange or alien looks that I used to encounter in Japan.

English class I took there engrossed me, because the style ofwriting, teaching and learning was something that I had neverOut the outside I look like an Indian, but with each year inexperienced before, even when I studied English at home.

Japan I feel that the Indian characteristics within me is slowly
getting depleted replaced by Japanization. By Japanization I

In Japan one may not see many cases in which juniors address

do not mean dying your hair brown or wearing loose socks

seniors friendlily. I used to feel strange about using words likeand mini-skirts. If Japanization means only thses things, I“senpai” and more polite words when talking to the seniors at

probably would never be a Japanese. By Japanization, I meanschool but this happened to melt into me too soon. However,my thinking is so much influenced by Japanese ideologies orin New Zealand this was not the case. It could be from theway of doing things, that I find other ideologies out or

help of the large mix of people from different nations, andharmony and out of place. In Japan there is a great deal of

thanks to this I for once did not have any trouble in making

emphasis on rules and methods of doing certain things. For

friends! There were many people who had migrated from Fiji

example, there are so many rules to be followed in a game of

and were originally from India. I had a jovial time talking totennis that one actually loses the actual charm of playing thethem about Indian films and who their favorite actors andgame. Not everyone wants to become a professional player atactresses were. The latter part of my stay there with an

Wimbledon; some just want to play for the fun of it. But

Indian family was most exhilarating. I was invited into a

excessive dependence on rules does not permit this. The

culture of my own which I had dearly wished to know yetsame is the case of English. With the rigid emphasis on

didn’t. I was an Indian in New Zealand and it was yet anothergrammar, Japanese children are unable to speak English evennew adventure for me after being an Indian in Japan.

after studying for 6 consecutive years.

Their mother tongue of Tamil was spoken at home, which

On the other hand, I learnt English without any rules andmade it tremendously difficult for me to interpret and take ingrammar and have been consistently scoring high on all thewhat they spoke among themselves. Fortunately they spoke

tests, but the Japanization within me compelled me to follow

in English to me or I would have been totally lost! Thisrigid rules while playing tennis and I feel inadequate atwhole situation however, gave me the urge to take to learning

playing tennis even after practicising for over 3 years. Thismy own mother tongue, Telugu. They also knew all aboutkind of Japanization has seeped into me without my

Indian culture: singing, dance, food, clothes and also myths. It

knowledge and I can only notice it at times I am thrown into

was all that many a time I had longed for, yet somewhat for

an international environment.

various reasons I hadn’t the chance to discover. I finally met
someone my own age who understood what I was going

Although there is more of the Japanese in me, I cling to mythrough living in a foreign country and trying to sustain myIndian-self within only because it allows me the potential ofown heritage. She was in a similar position as me, having

being recognized totally as an Indian without any barriers of

faced the same complications as I had. The difference wasany kind. Irrespective of how proficient I be in Japanese,that she knew more about India and she explained Indianinspite of the fact that I could compete the state exams andphilosophy to me, once staying up until as late as 3:00am.

probably get into public service in Japan, I would never beThat is one of the things I remember vividly about my days intotally identified as a Japanese from society as a general,

New Zealand. However, one of the most astonishing andsimply because I do not have a Japanese face. But on the15other hand inspite of being rather alien to the Indian culture

India on the other hand is not so easy and to get what you

and practices, I would be completely identified as an Indian

want one has to be tough. This makes people confident andsimply because I have an Indian face.

mentally strong as well. India however has a poor education
percentage, which I really do not think is good, and even

Coming to my earlier question: to what extent must

though Indian people may become mentally strong fromforeigners living in a foreign country assimilate into local

difficulties they face, the society and environment right now

cultures? I often noticed Japanese people very keen on

is not one that makes it easy to contribute to society. Thereteaching my mother to cook Japanese food using fish and sea-

are many villages in which people would be much better off

weed completely oblivious of the fact that my mother is awith just a little bit of education and if I have a chance I would

pure vegetarian. Learning the language and local cultures aredefinitely like to help in using the education and experience I

needed for day to day survival in a foreign country. But at thehave had here for less fortunate children all over the world.

same time, it is necessary to keep some of your originalidentity and culture. Within India there is considerably large

My attempts at Indianization allowed me to interact with myamount of cross border migration. People from south would

Indian friends which proved to be culturally stimulating

have migrated to the extreme north, but we still find themexperience. Kids of my age in India are mentally more

following their own cultures. This was one of the things

matured as compared to Japan and this kind of comparison

which my mother taught me as I grew up. This helped me

facilitated me to excel beyond the capabilities defined inlook at things in more objective framework and not justJapan. I have had a lot of experiences on my trips to India,

simply compare two countries without looking into themsuch as visiting my friends’ school and discussing future plans

further.

with my childhood friends. Those experiences made me missIndia as well as miss my friends in Japan, to whom I talk theEach country has its own charm and taking the best of whatsame things in a different way. And then I finally realized thateach offers depends on the ingenuity of the person… and thateach place has its own atmosphere that was peculiar to theis almost always a journey of discovery! I have had a strong

place and even though that atmosphere may not always be

attachment towards India, other than because of my parents’welcoming, it’s definitely worth giving it a try to get in andinfluences. It is almost as strong as the attachment andchallenge for a new goal!

patriotism I have to Japan, the country I grew up in. I am notsure what the cause of this is. It could be the friends that I

Allowing me to stay on the leaf has proved to be beneficial for

have had since my childhood or the differences between India

me as I could be enriched by two cultures. Although theand Japan. Although Japan is a wonderful nation and is very

pressure remains to keep myself afloat on the leaf, thesystematic and has a complete system for various happenings,

enrichment gives me the motivation to move forward. As I

I somehow feel that we are not capable of getting what we

get more Indian and more Japanese I would have towant all the time. Japan has so many “things” that it is hard

supplement one with the other and remain afloat on the leaf.

to know what it is to strive without having something. Life in16How I found Peru when I came to JapanDavid C. Aliaga
I have lived in Kyoto, the old imperial capital the last fourJapanese history, I believe, is pretty linear, with several

years studying at Kyoto University. During this time and evendistinctive but logically related stages: Jomon, Yayoi, Kofun,

before that I have heard some Peruvians, and Japanese people

Nara, Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi, Azuchi-Momoyama,

as well, comment that Japan and Peru are such dissimilarEdo, Meiji and the 20th century. In the past, Japan was greatly

countries that everybody is worried about how this new

influenced by China but I find the last part of the Sengoku

environment would affect the foreign students i.e.ryugakusei.

Jidai(Period of Warring States) and the Azuchi-Momoyama
period particularly interesting. It was in this time that the first

However, when I hear those worries I can not help feelingcontacts with Portuguese and other European countries

myself a little bit strange, because although sometimes I missoccurred. Thanks to the three great leaders of that time: Oda

Peruvian food -and in Kyoto it is almost impossible to get it-

Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu andand I miss my family and friends back in Peru, generally I feel

their ability to deal with this new situation, Japan could

fine. No cultural shock. I can see the differences of course but

continue a normal advance into the future without what someI don't feel like an earthling in an alien world. Some peopleof us, Peruvians, call Pachakuti.

tell me that this is so because I have been preparing for ten
years before coming. That is true to some degree but it is not

In ancient Peruvian philosophy a "Pachakuti" is defined as a

all the true. The fact is that I have found Peru here in Japan attime when the world (pacha) is completely transformed forleast in spirit, and strange as it sounds I would like to explain

better or for worst. Peruvian history before the XV century

why. But before that, I feel I should do an introduction into

was linear too. The first civilization was called Chavin of

the affairs of my own country.

Huantar and it appeared in the X century b.c. After that,several other states, some regional and some of larger

Japanese and Peruvian societies are very different, although

influence, appeared in the Peruvian territory. Some of them

they share a common basis. Both were, and Peru still is to awere militaristic states and some others were based on

great degree, agricultural societies. Some scholars who study

commerce and each of them displayed remarkable cultural

them say that this fact helps to explain a lot of the

manifestations like ceramics, metallurgy or fabrics. Finally, incharacteristics of Japan, including even its business and politics.

the XIV century, a little kingdom situated in the city of Qosqo-

Peru, unlike Japan is not an integrated society and within its"the center of the world''- became an empire thanks to theborders there are several different sub-groups sometimes

work of the man who is called the Alexander of the americanreferred as nations. Several nations inside one country.

race: Emperor Pachakutek. (We can notice that he took his
imperial name from the philosophical concept that we
mentioned before: the one who changes the world). This

Historical development is quite different too, if we compare
Japan and Peru; being someone who enjoys learning about

empire was called Tawantinsuyo-"the four regions"- although

Japanese history, I usually reflect about their differences.

it is now better known as the Inka Empire. It included

17territories from Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and the northbeing a foreigner makes renting an apartment complicated. In

of Argentina. Its three moral principles were Ama Sua, Ama

Peru, it is an advantage. Here the wealthy people spend time

Llulla, Ama Quella : Honesty, veracity and hard work.

in the best places to see a Sumo tournament or are the ones
that can afford the refined art of a Geisha. There, the wealthy

After Pachakutek, another two great emperors continued thepeople prefer to spend time in Miami (Florida), and reject

expansion and consolidation of the empire: Tupak Inka andeverything peruvian. Here, the national culture is being

Huayna Capac. But just as in the case of Alexander, the Great

preserved by rich and poor; there, the culture has resisted an

Macedonian, it was a young and fragile empire built overassault of 500 years to erase it.

military conquest and product of a very fast expansion without
time to settle into a stable state. Inside its borders, andTo explain this strange state of affairs, I should point that

although many of the privileges of the conquered were

inside Peru there are two -if not more- Peru's. The Official

respected, there were still some with desires of revenge.

one is the one that has lived facing the ocean, always eager toAfter Huayna Capac, a civil war started and that was the timeembrace anything foreign and deny its own culture, and thewhen the first foreigners appeared in its coast. Soon the

Unofficial one, which has resisted.

empire was crumbling in the hands of warring lords, somewith the help of the recently arrived foreigners. There existed

Fortunately this is changing for the better since the 70's. It isa warrior of imperial blood called Manko Inka who realized

remarkable that this year the new president inaugurated

the true intentions of them and who understood the necessity

office in a ceremony of ancient origin: Paying respect andof the use of foreign technology to obtain the victory and savegratitude to the earth-Pachamama. This is something that 30

the empire- like Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu would

years ago would have been unthinkable- too peruvian to berealize in Japan- but it was too late. After a bloody struggle inperformed officially.

which many of the imperial family died or were assassinated,
the Spaniards established a new state with a viceroy

When I think of this ceremony that many Peruvians havesubordinated to the King of Spain and that was when a great

been doing through the centuries, despite the idolatry

Pachakuti took place. All the values and traditions of the Inka

extirpation performed by Christian priests, I also think aboutState were forbidden and put in shame and new values,

Shintoism. I remember the time when a japanese friend

traditions, language and religion were imposed. The society

explained to me the ceremonies that are held when athat was based on agriculture and therefore with an emphasis

newhouse is build or a new company building is inaugurated.

on group responsibility instead of individual freedom, was

Their meanings are so similar! It is curious to notice forreplaced by a society based on mineral and human

example that there is not an exact translation for the word

exploitation. The history ceased to be linear because a great

kami in English or Spanish. "gods or spirits'' is said but torupture occurred with the sudden and violent introduction ofgrasp the exact meaning of kami we have to say kami, justforeign culture into the until then isolated Andean society.

like that in Japanese...Well, unless we use Runa Simi theancient language of Peru still widely used not only there but

It is said that sometimes in order to understand the evolution

in Bolivia, Argentina and Ecuador. There you can find a wordof societies, we have to look not at the complicated andfor kami that have almost the same meaning: "apu''. So when I

scholarly theories but at the simple, almost non-transcendent

first went to a Jinja or shrine, and I saw the people paying

details. Today if we compare Japan and Peru we are going totheir respects to the enshrined kami, I could understand it

notice some remarkable differences. In Japan sometimes

very easily and almost feel like when some peruvians in a18

remote Andean village pay their respects to the apus or theto the casual observer the "traditional values of Japan." This

Mother Earth Pachamama. Curiously, I could feel more

couple came with a little child completely dressed in a

peruvian here in the middle of a Jinja than in a city in Peru

beautiful kimono. I assumed that she was their daughter.

where everything tries to be so cosmopolitan.

Then I realized that a ceremony was going on in the Jinja, theShichi-Go-San in which little kids are presented to the shrine.

Perhaps the similarity can be traced to the same agrarianThis couple, that prejudice can say that is alienated toward

society that I mentioned before. The belief or acceptance of

non-japanese values, actually was continuing a tradition and at

kami or apus can be understood as the feeling of closenessthe same time, without putting much thinking into it,that people who cultivate the land have with theirpreserving and transmitting to the child a part of the essence

environment. In the western world this belief has beenof "being japanese.”regarded as "shamanism", not without some trace ofcontempt. But, in an age in which the resources of the Earth

Another experience I have had while living in Japan happened

are seriously deteriorated, the idea of respect toward theto me during one of my favorite times of the year: August, theplanet in which we live on and toward the environment frommonth of Obon. This is the time when tradition says thewhich we receive the means to exist, seems completely valid.

ancestors visit their descendants' home. The atmosphere is

And it also can be regarded as more meaningful than thecompletely different to the pain and sorrow that is associatedconcept of the earth as a place to conquer.

with the dead in western societies. Finally, on the night of the
16th, we have in Kyoto the night of the Okuribi Daimonji in

Some people in Japan complain about the so-called "loss ofwhich large signs of fire are lit in the hills that surroundjapanese values'' in nowadays society and walking through a

Kyoto to guide the ancestors in their way back. Two kanjis ofstreet of Tokyo perhaps can apparently confirm it. It seems"Dai"(great), Myoho (the Buddhist Law), a ship, and athat Mishima Yukio was so worried about it that he eventorii(sacred portal). Near the Kamo river, (and I suppose incommitted suicide-seppuku. But in my opinion, Japan is strong

other places too) we can find a place where people areenough to preserve its identity. Let me tell you, dear reader aperforming the Obon Odori- the dance for Obon. These arestory:

not specially trained but the common people, men andI really like visiting temples, shrines and castles, due to mywomen, japanese and non-japanese, old and young, sharing ainterest in Japanese history. Before a visit, I usually read thelittle bit of Japan. I consider this can seem natural to many

story behind them, and since I live in Kyoto, I can say that I

people but to a peruvian who has lived in a society where

am fortunate enough to imagine the silhouette of Tairamodernity means the killing of traditional values this is quite

Kiyomori doing his own affairs on Rokuhara; or the warrior

remarkable. Obon is not, as I said, sad but on the contrary

monks of Enryaku-Ji temple that had so much influence in thecompletely cheerful. This reminded me of the way thevery same city I now live.

unofficial Peru remember their passed ones. This is notunderstood by many that call it "primitive." That was the caseOne day I went to a Jinja near the sides of mount Hiei-zan. Iof a peruvian journalist who happens to be a politician too,

was there contemplating the beautiful scenery when suddenlythat condemned it in an article of a peruvian newspaper. I

there appeared a couple of young people with a characteristic

wrote a letter pointing that the western view of sorrow andlook: dyed hair into a shining yellow, tanned skin and clothes

pain was not necessarily the unique and correct one and as anof not-matching colors. The appearance that anyone expects

example I cited Obon. As a response the same politician

to find in Shibuya, and not precisely something that transmit

answered me by saying that Japan-with its robots, its

19

shinkansen, and its marvelous culture- was primitive. This isorient." I almost could feel the Tairas and Minamotos walking

the case of still some people in Peru that despite the time, areby the very same path I was walking. The temples andnot different than the zealots that burned and destroy theshrines are not merely buildings that someone made in ordershrines of the people in order to destroy too their faith into show its might and power. They are made of stone andnature and their confidence in their own culture.

wood but also contain the hopes and prayers of many people
from the great generals to the obscure commoners.

On the contrary, Japan provides us with an opportunity toaccept that modernity and tradition are not two conflicting

I am impressed not only by the great ceremonies orideals. It gives us the chance to understand that to reallycelebrations but especially for the common man and woman

appreciate the value of foreign cultures we should first be inand their devotion to their traditions. Usually this ispeace with our own culture.

something that is so natural that is not taken into account.
They don't think that they are doing something special or

I have had the opportunity to attend a Noh representation in

patriotic. They are just doing things the way they are. That is

Heian Jingu shrine and to see and read the stories ofthe marvelous thing. We can always think about the Noh

Kabuki full of heroes and dramas. I truly enjoy them. But at

actors and the shamisen players but let's take a look at more

the same time I can not help remembering the most famous

common events: a Obaa-chan walking her way to the temple,

drama of my country: the story of Ollantay a warrior who

a young lady clad in yukata on her way to the Matsuri festival,

rebelled against the emperor because of love. This is athe little kid asking for a dango to eat. They are all signs thatbeautiful story that, if settled in China (where some of theJapan is alive and well.

kabuki stories take place), I am sure would have been
produced in Kabuki or maybe in a movie already. We

Some people talk about the internationalization of Japan. And I

peruvians need a Kurosawa to make our ancient stories

think they are also right. Japan has been a country thatfashionable for modern audiences.

learned from outside and adapted this knowledge to its own
needs. Maybe because of almost 300 years of seclusion it isJapan, "the land of Wa" as it was called by the ancient Chinese,

not so confident in its role in the international affairs. Of

is the only land japanese have as theirs and it is remarkablecourse Japan has still things to do and the presence of foreign

how so many people manage to live in harmony in so little

people that admire the country and are ready to help can be

territory. Peruvians have lived for so much time facing thethought as a good thing.

sea in an attempt to spiritually escape from our own identity.
Even the change of capital, from the city of Qosqo in the

I should say that I don't consider that Japan is a perfect land;"middle of the world" to Lima, right next to the ocean

thinking that way would only challenge the validity of mysymbolized this attitude. But we can not escape from ourobservations. There is no perfect land in the world because

shadow, because it is always right next to us. We should also

we, humans are not perfect. Everywhere we can find goodlearn to live in harmony with it.

and bad things, and Japan is no exception. There are things
that should be corrected and it is the task of Japanese people

I think I am really fortunate to live in Kyoto. Living in thisto do it. I hold the hope that somehow I can help. But I am

ancient city is like living inside a book of history. Everything is

confident, because Japan has already won over so manyso full of meanings and stories. I remember when I was

obstacles, that these will be also overcome.

reading about Heike Monogatari sometimes called the "Iliad of20

When I took the entrance examination for Master course inhistory and culture; it is an area I find spiritually and

Kyoto University, I was asked why I have had chosen Japan as

intellectually enriching. But finally I could also learn morea country to study. My area of research is robotics, a complete

about myself and my own country and culture. I will always betechnical one and one that almost represents a bet into thegrateful to this land-the place of the origin of the Sun i.e.

future. As a consequence I answered pointing out the great

Nippon-for showing me how we, Peruvians, also children of adevelopment of Japan in the area of technology and the large

land of Sun, should reconcile our past and our present in orderpresence of robots in its industries. But I did not come here

to build a better future for our children and in this way,

only to learn techniques. I came here also to find how thesecontribute to the development of a better world where

techniques could be applied while treasuring our own heritage

everybody can share their own values and respect their fellow

and identity. I have been always eager to learn about Japanesehumans.

Holiday Culture

Mylene Oishi
The word culture is such a broad word, that it can encompass

mad dogs, his body turning a fluorescent lobster red.

practically anything and everything pertaining to a particular

Whatever. Somehow, we all manage to betray signs of ourcountry or community. From style of dress to style ofcultural identity even when we are not at home.

housing. From food to fetishes. Music, art, humor, way of

Culture is usually a very serious subject. After all, it is anthinking. The list is endless.

inherent part of our identity. It is the 'outsiders' engine tounderstand the mind set of a people and a nation. We are all

Usually a culture is observed in its place of origin. For

proud of our culture. Therefore it is no laughing matter.

example, if we want to know about Japanese culture, we look

Scholars and pundits don their scholastic cap, dissecting andat Japan. If we want to know about British culture, we look at

analyzing their own and other peoples culture. Using long

Britain. This makes sense. But, for me, we can also

words and lofty sentences to try to find the quintessential, theunderstand the culture of a people by the way they behave

element that differentiates one community in the world, fromaway from home.

another. I believe there is another way of looking at culture.
If we take a culture out of its place of birth, transport it to

Go to any European beach. Ask a native to point out ananother country, suddenly it is amusing, perplexing, totally

English man, nine times out of ten, he will indicate rightly. It

out of place, even incomprehensible.

could be the very white, never-seen-the-sun pallor of his skin.
As a well seasoned traveler, I have observed culture away

Or, he could be the only one out in the midday sun with the21

from its home. This is what I call 'holiday culture'. It seems

I had occasion to go on a Japanese package tour to Thailand

no matter who we are, when we are in a different country, we

several years ago. What I discovered was that even tours has

strive to maintain our identity, our culture, by behaving

cultural boundaries. They are tailored to cater to different

exactly the same as we would in our own country, leaving thecultures. Even though I have lived in Japan for some years,

natives somewhat amused. To laugh at our own culture attravelling abroad in a group totally made up of Japanesehome is not only painful, but would lead to serious self-

people was a real eye-opener. I would like to share this veryquestioning. If others laugh at our culture, we would find this'cultural' experience with you, warts and all.

downright offensive and rude. I feel though, when it comes to'holiday culture', observing a culture away from its natural“This is your 5.30 wake up call,” came a chirpy voice down

environment, we can afford to lighten up. We can afford to

the telephone.

laugh at ourselves and others. Because some aspects of a“Eh?”culture, does not export well. Of course, what we laugh at,

I'm not at my best, first thing in the morning.

what we find funny, betrays our culture. Sense of humor has“It's Su Lee your tour guide. Please finish breakfast bycultural boundaries.

6.00 a.m. and ready to board the bus by 6.15. Byeee!”"Eh?"Open the suitcase of an English man going on holiday for the

I rubbed my eyes awake. I looked around. I was in the mostfirst time. You will find tea bags (because foreign tea isgorgeous room imaginable, at the divine, take-your-breath-rubbish), cans of baked beans (just in case he can't eat theaway Oriental Hotel, in Bangkok.

foreign muck) and toilet paper (because only his country has

I had arrived late the evening before, for my six day tour ofproper water closet facilities). He will choose a holiday away

the kingdom of Thailand, a country, which like Japan, hasfrom home, but as familiar to home as possible. Benidorm, innever been a European colony.

Spain, is now known as "Little London". It has English pubs,

I had fallen asleep with the splendid view of the Chao Phraya

fish and chip shops. You will not hear a word of Spanish. Itriver impressed on my mind, and the lyrics of 'The King andhas become a home away from home for the unadventurous

I’, playing on my brain.

English man.
This is the kind of hotel people dream of. A place that film
The Frenchman looks at this scenerio, and says: "Ah, typicallystars frequent. The average person, would place the 'do notEnglish. They don't know how to blend in, or eat real food".

disturb sign' on the door, to be able to fully savor the first

The Germans look and say: "I'm keeping as far away frommorning in such a luxurious setting. Probably they would

those football hooligans as possible."have a lie-in to shake off the tiredness of the journey. Order

The Spanish look and shake their head in dismay.

room service for breakfast. Then leisurely, at an unhurried

Culture it seems, really does not export well.

pace, make their way downstairs to explore the magnificence

The English man though, returns home elated. "Spain is aof the foyer.

great country. I had a lovely holiday."It does not matter in the least that the only contact he had"Wonder why we have to wake up at 5.30?" I griped to Ms. A,

with the real Spain and the Spanish was the custom official ata college graduate travelling with her three friends.

the airport.

"Well, it is our holiday. We don't want to be wasting time

What would scholars make of that, I wonder?

lying in bed, do we?" She answered cheerfully.
"Eh?"

22

quickly weaved her way through the throng, with us following

I really am not at my best first thing in the morning.

close behind, clutching our bags as if our life depended on it.
For starters, Su Lee, apologized about the tour bus. It seems

There was no time to look at the stalls. As we half walked,

our luxurious, fully air-conditioned bus with WC, had

half ran to keep up with Su Lee's sprinting pace, all I canunexpectedly broken down. But, she had no doubt that either

honestly say I saw was the back of the person in front of me.

today or tomorrow it would be at our service.

"It's all going a little fast for me," I confided.

The other eleven tour members let out a groan of alarm and"Isn't it fun!" replied Ms A from the hade-na-obasan trio,

dismay. But, no one voiced a word of complaint. No one(3 lively middle-aged ladies) wiping the perspiration from her

refused to set foot in this vehicle that seemed more thanforehead.

ready for the scrap heap. Had it been a group of British
tourists, they would have flatly refused to ride in the bus.

For lunch we were served rice with hot and sour fish ragout,

Within minutes, the tour guide would have had a riot on her

typical Thai fare. Hungrily I tucked in. Then I noticed elevenhands.

faces looking at me with a kind of amused-cum-disgust
expression.

It was not only the fact that the once indigo velour upholstery"Eh? Something wrong," I asked.

of this bus had turned into shiny sticky patches where bum"Can you eat that?" Ms. K from the hade-na obasan trio

and back rested, and if you were to stand up in a hurry there

asked, wrinkling her nose, "It smells."

would be the sound of skin tearing from its grip. Not only

"Smells? What smells?"

that. It was the incredulous open-mouthed stares that

"The rice. It smells. We can't eat it." They kind of moved

greeted us wherever we alighted from the bus. Stares that

their spoon disconcertingly round the plate.

seemed to ask: what are well-off tourists doing in a jalopy that
we would refuse to ride in, even if we were bone tired and our"Wat Phra Kaew, otherwise known as the Emerald Temple,

feet had swollen as big as a juicy water melon.

and the grand palace, you have 40 minutes!""Wat Pho, 20 minutes!""We are now in what's known as, Old Bangkok, where most of"Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha. The Buddha

the older temples and palaces are found." Su Lee's Voice

here is 3m tall and made of solid gold. 25 minutes! "cackled over the microphone.

Bangkok, this exciting Asian city, which in the Thai language"Temple-monasteries are called Wats. There are 400 wats inmeans, 'City of Angels' (Krung Thep). This great metropolis

Bangkok. We'll be stopping here for a while to get a feel ofwhich in the 19th Century was known as the Venice of thewhat the religious and cultural life was like."

East, because of it many canals, flitted before my eyes as fast

Although Su Lee was a bit on the plump side (read fat), sheand forgettable as bill boards, houses and people flit past the

had us sprinting in and out of Wats and what-d'you-call-its soeyes of a passenger of a high speed train. I was beginning tohard and fast even Carl Lewis would have been impressed. I

panic, was this the holiday?

hadn't broken out in that kind of a sweat since I (lazybones)
had been made to take part in the relay race at junior school.

"Su Lee, is everyday going to be as hectic as yesterday?" I
asked, as we drifted along the Chao Phraya river, taking in the

No sooner back in the bus, then back out again for a walkexotic atmosphere of the Wat Sai floating market in Thonburi.

round a typical Thai market.

Delicate as paper, the vending boats carry their pyramids of"Pickpockets operate here," Su Lee said in dark tones, as she

fruits and vegetables as gracefully as an acrobat balancing

23

crystal glasses on her body.

like they were going out of fashion. Then toilets in shops, in"Yeah, this is a Japanese tour," she has never answered me inhotels. I even went to the lav in the home of a kind stranger,

Japanese and likes to splatter her English with 'yeah'. I think

who let me use his door-less loo facing the sitting room

she thinks this is hip.

where his family sat, and ashamed to say I sank as low as to"They want to see as much as they can in as short a time as

squat behind a tree, in full view of the congested motor way

they can, yeah."traffic. I had got the runs, real bad. Having the runs is one of
the hazards of travelling. Usually one can relax in one's hotel

As we traversed another extensive network of canals, known

room with freedom to use the WC at leisure. But, in thisas Klongs, I continued.

case, the whole tour had to share in my embarrassing"Are all Japanese tours like this?"

condition and discomfort. We were always together. We"Well, the Okinawa tours are different, yeah."

were always on the move. We did everything together. Ate"Why?"

the same food, slept at the same hotel. We moved around like

"Because that's full of American soldiers, and they want to doa school of fish. I was beginning to forget that I was antheir own thing. Yeah."

individual with individual likes and dislikes. I simply wentI started to envy the soldiers.

along with the flow, or more apt, the rapids.

"Su Lee, I want to do what the American soldiers do...I..""I can't help you with that" she was looking at me from underThat night I did something I hadn't done for years. I started

her eyes. "For that, you need a male guide."to pray. Fortunately for me, by the next day my stomach had"Eh? I want to do my own thing..."settled, and I looked forward to the 'scenic drive to Pattaya, a"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah," she said flippantly, as she passed

beach resort' where we were to spend the night and following

round a tray of fresh slices of the dorian fruit she had justday.

bought from a boat vendor.

Unfortunately for the rest of the group, one by one, each

The whole group wrinkled their nose in unison.

person fell to the dreaded 'runs'. What had been billed as a

"It stinks."

scenic drive turned out to be a seven hour toilet stop. It was"No thank you," as they waved the tray away.

day three of the trip, already it felt like three thousand years.

I couldn't smell a thing, so was quite happy to polish off nearly
the whole fruit.

So, for over 72hours, I and thirteen strangers (counting Su
Lee and the driver) had lived out of each others pockets. It

Let me tell you, a high fibre breakfast of fresh fruit, cereal,

had got so, that our bowel movements were beginning toyogurt, followed by nearly a whole dorian is not recommended

synchronize. We had been through embarrassment,river faring diet. Without warning my stomach lunged into

humiliation and joy together. I began to ease up a little, toviolent, aggressive punches that would have madefeel a little more comfortable with my fellow members andMohammed Ali's 'sting like a bee jab' seem like slow motion

with the military precision of our schedule.

mime. From there on in, the splendour of Nakhon Pathom,the oldest city inThailand, that contains the tallest Buddhist

Su Lee had looked hurt when I told her I would not be joiningmonument in the World-the 127m orange-tiled Phra Pathom

her and the others on the 'island hopping, water sports

Chedi-had to compete against my numerous visits to the bog.

extravaganza, 'planned for today. I wanted a few hours tomyself.
In those few hours, I surmised that aside from the apoplectic-

Desperation is not a fussy master. I frequented public toilets

24inducing traffic jams and pollution, of Bangkok. Thailand is

the whole day's schedule. I found I spent more time looking

truly a noble country, where houses on stilts stand side byat my watch than at the attraction.

side with modern skyscrapers. Where virgin beaches withsilver-white sands can still be found. And the people still"I like my holiday to be a bit more leisurely, a bit morepossess that fresh beauty and radiant smile that makes you

unhurried." I said to the group at dinner.

feel as if angels' wings strum the strings of their heart.

"Yes, but we Japanese only have a few days holiday, so wewant to see as much as possible in the time we have."

For the first time I had a chance to sit still with my thoughts"I understand that," I said, "But, I feel taking in two or three

and absorb the atmosphere of the country. It felt good towonderful spots. Taking the time to absorb the atmosphere.

simply be. Not to have to rush here and there to an almost

Allowing the scene to be imprinted on one's memory,army style itinerary, with Su Lee, our guide as the Sergeant

together with the feeling that the place inspires is so

General. To be able to look around at one's own pace. To

important. It's far better than trying to see everything in suchforget that I was wearing a wristwatch and that time was minea short time, because then everything ends up all being a

to use at my own unhurried pace. Before I knew it though,blur."

we were again in the tin can heading back to Bangkok.

" Yes, but we've taken lots of photos, so we have a good"You missed a great day!" Ms A, said to me.

memory of the place.""I had a great day. I was able to relax, think and take in the"Ummm" I said.

atmosphere of this country."

Our final day.

"Ah?", she said surprised, "why would you want to relax and

10am found us at the Duty free shop. Crystal chandeliers,

think, you're on holiday."plush carpet, elegant décor and a profusion of efficient staff
ready to help in any way, to make parting with our money

That evening we had Thai curry with Japanese rice.

painless.

"This rice doesn't smell, does it?" I asked smilingly.

In exactly three minutes flat I had seen all I wanted to see.

"No, but they've used coconut in the curry. We can't eat"What did you buy? "Su Lee asked.

coconut," Ms.K, a university student said, and the others"Nothing. When do we get outta here."

nodded in agreement.

"We're here for two and a half hours, yeah.""You lot had better watch out you don't go down the plug hole

"Two and a half hours! In a shop!"when you let the bath water out.""The Japanese like shopping, yeah. Anyway, what did you"Eh?" Eleven pairs of uncomprehending eyes looked at me.

think of the tour?""You've got to eat something," I said in exasperation.

"Do you want the truth?""We do. We've all brought instant noodles from Japan which"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

we have every evening in our room.""One more day on this tour and I'll be in therapy for the rest of
my life."Ayuthaya, a World Heritage Site. Again we whizzed round its
scattered temple ruins as if we were on speed. These ruins

At the airport Su Lee said.

with such exotic names as: Wat Phra Si Sanphet, were

"I didn't understand what you meant about that therapy

impressive.

business?"

But, when seen in a hurry and under pressure to remember"Well, it's the same as saying, if that plane doesn't leave at

to return to the tour bus promptly, as being late would ruin

3pm for Kansai Airport as scheduled, just find a gun and shoot25

me in the head."tend to get a warped idea about our culture by observing the"You're joking, right?"

actions and reactions of its carrier. Without being conscious

As I walked away, I smiled and said: "Yeah, yeah, yeah."of it, we become ambassadors for our country and culture

It has to be pointed out that within a culture exists sub-while we are away. When we react or behave in an unfamiliar

cultures. I mean, not all Englishmen go to Benidorm for amanner, the natives shrug and say, "They're British, that's

holiday, some would shy away in horror at the thought. They

why," or whatever country the tourists stem from.

would not associate themselves even closely with such aperson. Just as not all Japanese going on holiday would take

What I wish to say is. Out of its natural environment, ourpot noodle with them.

cultural behavior can be perplexing and incomprehensible. As
serious an issue as culture is, there are certain times, in

Because culture does not travel well, no matter how hard wecertain places, we need a good sense of humor to survive ourtry to blend into a new country while on holiday, most natives

own culture, and that of another.

Japanese Culture: My View
A Fifty-Year Retrospective
Vivienne Kenrick
Around the world, Japan is known for having a centuries' old,crossing the city. Our neighborhood people lived in little,

highly advanced civilization, and a rich, diverse and unique

single-storied, wooden houses in little, stony, narrow lanes

culture. When I first came from England, more than 50 years

surrounded by paddy fields. Men wore wide hats and footago, to live here, I realized very quickly what a lot I had tocoverings of straw as they worked in the fields. They usedlearn if I wanted to understand anything beneath thehand tools and hand barrows, and carried sacks on their backs.

superficial about Japan. It has been stimulating ever since toFrogs croaked in the rains, and gossamer dragonflies hovered

compare and contrast, to see the changes that havein the sun. People and nature were a single entity,

sometimes crept in, and at other times raced in, and tosometimes pleased with each other, sometimes at odds, but

speculate on what may happen.

always together. My introduction to Japan placed me in aliving woodblock print.

I arrived here with my husband and two small children. We
went to live in a Tokyo suburb that in those days verged on

Deeply embedded cultures have evolved from life patterns,

countryside. On clear mornings, with nothing in the way toand have flourished in their own contexts. These were clear

block it out, Mount Fuji showed herself beyond the end of our

truths to me as my neighborhood observed the seasons,lane. Horses and oxen pulled carts along the main roads

which were regular in sequence and behavior. My first26

springtime blossomed with the cherry flowers, that wererespected white paper prayers tied to trees and devotees

followed by azaleas and hydrangeas. Local people took me

striking temple bells, and responded to the pervasiveness ofwith them to admire the flowers and to visit the local shrines

an air of melancholy. Such cultural concepts in their contexts

at festival time. I attended my first tea ceremony. In the heat

seemed to us completely correct. We wondered at theof summer, neighbors scooped the sludge out of their open

attention paid to every detail of life, more details than we

ditches, sprinkled water over the dusty lanes outside their

could count. Politeness, and concern not to give offence,

houses, and set wind bells on their verandahs to sway andwere much more pronounced than the levels I was used to. I

tinkle in breezes. My little girls, by then wearing yukata andcould learn.

geta, ran out with neighborhood children to watch kami-shibai
shows. They prayed for fine weather on the night of tanabata,

Cultures steeped in centuries of tradition consolidate theirso that the star lovers could meet. We joined in the O'Bon

strengths, modifying as they meet the changes that timedances under the light of bobbing pink lanterns.

brings, but keeping their ingrained patterns. They weather
clashes with inevitable domestic modernization, and measure

Autumn brought changing colors, and human warmth, after

up to the import of immigrant cultures that are sure to arrive.

typhoon flooding and damage, from people who had nothing toPeace brought to Japan a gradual redevelopment of industry.

spare beyond their feelings. On winter nights watchmen with

The population grew as families reassembled and resettled.

wooden clappers patrolled the lanes, making sure there was

Pressure mounted on the land and its products. Daily life

no outbreak of fire. New Year showed us the customs ofbegan to go faster. After wartime deprivation, people yearned

setting pine, bamboo and fern decorations at front doors, andfor greater comfort and acquisition.

of paying family visits. I saw life as simple, unhurried andhonest, geared to nature and its bounty. I liked what I saw. It

At the end of the war, Japan had the abnormal experience of

had charm.

the threat of a rushing, incoming tide of western cultures
when Occupation forces and families arrived to live here. As

In the aftermath of war, Japanese people were still poorly fed

the economy picked up, the country visibly changed. I

and poorly dressed. Relief supplies of food and charcoal forwatched it happen. Modernization plus westernization

domestic heating and cooking used to be left on street corners

replaced low, wooden structures with high-rise concrete

for later, fair distribution. No one, whatever his sense ofbuildings. Horses and carts vanished as automobiles and vansneed, ever stole from those piles. Men looking for work usedfilled streets that were widened, straightened, and paved.

to come to the door and offer their labor for repair jobs.

Kami-shibai was no match for television. Nationwide,

Without effective tools or materials, there was little they

modernization and westernization were enthusiastically

could do. Yet they had pride in work, in doing well whatever

welcomed and fervently embraced.

they could. They had character and honor. Those qualities

Yet with accustomed vigor and confidence, Japan's basic

were fashioned indelibly by their background culture.

culture withstood both challenges, and perhaps acquired a
new awareness of itself, and was even strengthened by the

We began to travel outside Tokyo, at first to Kamakura,stresses and strains that it confronted. Japanese culture had

Hakone and Nikko where, in dramatic scenery, we

done it before, in recent times at the beginning of the Meiji

empathized with ancient people's reverence and awe for

era when the country opened up to influences of other stylesother-worldly spirits and the majesty of nature. We learned ofand attitudes that might have engulfed it. It received,

purification rites in salt, by fire, and under waterfalls. We

considered, and overall withstood the influx of the new. Japan

27

shows a characteristic facility to receive from others, adapt"lateral thinking" caused a sensation when his books werewhat it receives to make it suitable for adding on to its own,

published. Western people acclaimed the approach it

and at the same time to keep the old in place.

suggested of deliberately stepping around problems instead ofclashing over them head-on. Japanese people, surprised,This facility has had centuries of testing. The sixth century

rightfully said, "But that's what we have always done. Lateral

gives us the example of the arrival of Buddhism here, not tothinking has been our principle all along." It just needed

drive out the earlier faith but, after some skirmishing, to co-recognition.

exist happily with it. Skipping over the ages and their myriad
examples, we come up-to-date with the innovations ofJapanese culture works for agreement by consensus.

Christmas and Valentine's Day, and witness how theseInternational businessmen chafe at the time it takes to talkcelebrations from overseas have been given a Japanese lookand reach consensus, when at home someone responsible will

and fitted into the Japanese calendar. A modern prospective

make decisions instantly. For the Japanese, consensus

bride will often have the credentials of qualifications in flower

agreements are expected to lay the ground work for harmony.

arranging and the tea ceremony-- and will also proudly

We can all learn the virtue of taking longer in order eventually

proclaim that she has a driving licence. In my view, Japanese

to operate serenely.

culture is a receptive, accommodating and practical culture,
The Japanese principle of compromise in order to avoid

capable of infinite expansion.

conflict is still very evident. Prime Minister Koizumi
I have often listened to discussions on what non-Japanese

attempts it in his role of mediator between the U.S.A andpeople consider to be a downside of Japanese culture. It has

Europe over the Kyoto protocol impasse. The trouble withgiven rise, they say, to conformity in the people. It hascompromise lies in the risk of the real issue getting lost.

knocked down the sticking-up nail. In the society I comeCompromise should not be regarded as more important thanfrom, dissent is considered healthy. Independent thought andthe fate of the environment.

action are encouraged, and conscientious rebellion applauded.
I point out that, in the circumstances of Japan, obeying theSomething commonly unthought of 50 years ago were therules and imposing discipline smooth daily relationships.

possibilities of climate change and its effects. As seasons

Because of cultural restraints, Japanese people have learned

from which so much of Japanese culture derive become less

how to get along with each other even though living andclear-cut, what will happen to regular seasonal practices?

working closely together. Courtesy and respect lubricate theCherry blossoms and picnics and songs go together. Fireflies

machinery of daily encounters. That cannot be a downside.

and fans and fireworks link with summer. Chrysanthemums,

Japanese culture teaches the avoidance of turmoil. It builds

coloring maples, and paintings of mushrooms and prickly

group consciousness. People who feel they belong to a unit

chestnuts belong to autumn. Winter -- well already, andbigger than themselves take strength from it.

without climate changes, the family feeling for yearend
communion has weakened. Young people prefer to go skiing

Japanese culture developed the method of employing go-

in the mountains or surfing in Hawaii. The wearing of kimono

betweens to resolve difficulties. This system has the value ofhas become less popular even on special occasions. The

negotiating solutions whilst saving face to everyone's comfort.

flying of kites and the playing of battledore and shuttlecock

In avoiding direct confrontations, it works for peacefulhave dwindled. Time was when my Japanese friend next door

outcomes. Dr. Edward De Bono's work on what he called

made sure that her home paid respect to each season in turn.

28

She changed the scroll in the alcove, the containers for her

dimensions is only a practical necessity for people who, withflower arrengements, and the cushions for her tatami mats.

limited space, still want in daily life to gaze at natural beauty.

Will her grand-daughter feel the same compulsion if theelements around her are no longer the same - and if the

It is easy to sentimentalize the past. Reason tells me that itchanges combine with even more social pressures andcannot be true that everyman used to be an artist with the

speeding up of daily life? If climate change and itssoul of a poet. In Japan it is easy to believe he was. It seems

repercussions join forces with the attraction of otherto be true that everyman in Japan has a higher degree of taste,contemporary and imported habits, how much can Japan's

innate sensibility, and appreciation than the everymen ofbasic culture still survive?

many other countries. His culture bestowed these traits on
him. Therefore I am dismayed at every instance I see of

It can adjust, of course. As with everything, a culture has toJapanese people moving away from the foundations that bred

live, grow and change, or risk becoming petrified. In manyand nurtured their culture. Seashores and riverbanks should

circumstances in any case, people often want to experiment

not be concreted, separating people from real rocks andand break free of what they see as constraints. The cult ofhonest earth. Children especially should be able to jump in

littleness is challenged every time a huge daruma doll isand out of clean, naturally-flowing water, and go out withproduced. The cult of restrained adornment was abandoned

cicada nets in natural, unpolluted environments. Treesin the exuberance of the Nikko shrines. Vermilion bridges,

should not be cut down to make way for even more new

the brilliance of brocades, the magnificence of screen

developments. No more mountains should be tunneled

paintings in the flamboyant Momoyama Period point up thethrough for new roads. Wildlife should not be shot, nor its

flexible ability of Japanese culture to deliver the lavish as wellhabitat destroyed. If cultural roots are killed, so will beas the modest. Even a cultural expression as cherished as theculture itself.

arranging of flowers has opened up to allow the inclusion ofwire, tin and metal object in displays. Years ago I used to buy

With distance increasing between everyman and the soil,

eggs that were tied together with strands of straw. Now they

traditional cultural practices are in danger of becoming

are sold in plastic trays. I used to have the pleasure of a real

exclusive, elitist, and matters of form that lack fundamental

bamboo leaf in my box of sushi. Now we have plastic leaves.

emotion. Because of prohibitive costs and the disappearance

At least a glossy plastic bamboo leaf mimics the real thing,of materials to work with, everyman is no longer able to affordand echoes what used to be possible and expected.

to follow his old bent. Yesterday's old folk craftsman, with his

I have heard it said that the Japanese people are not really

profound respect for his natural materials, and his polishinglovers of nature, not of nature as it is. They are lovers of

his own soul as he whittled away, is hard to find. He cantaming, controlling and ordering nature. So the bonsai fancier

hardly continue in competition with machine production, nortrims and fashions his dwarfed trees, seeking to improve uponwith what are becoming the monopolies of huge, rich andthe real thing. The flower arranger controls the setting of afamous centers, schools and organizations.

flower to show it to better advantge than nature could
achieve. The bonseki specialist orders the layout ofWhat, though, of the export of aspects of Japanese culture thatlandscapes that are without flaws. In my view. if Japanesepeople love and promote? Interchanges move in bothwere not lovers of nature, it would never have occurred todirections, though tofu may travel less happily thanthem to admire, study in order to understand it better, and try

hamburgers. Some Japanese arts are easy for non-Japanese

to reproduce nature's masterpieces. Reducing to manageable

people not only to admire, but also to study and adopt for29themselves. Thousands of non-Japanese women have been

personally enriched for having come within the embrace of

captivated by Japanese ways of arranging flowers. Many who

Japanese culture, and is taking an informed part in its wider

have lived for a while in Japan have taken qualifications inexport.

flower arranging, and have carried the skills they havemastered back to their own countries, and passed them on to

The way of tea wins its adherents in other countries. The

students of their own who may never visit Japan. It is not

way of tea, however, calls for an array of equipment thateasy for western people fully to grasp essential, underlying

makes it difficult to achieve a widespread following

Japanese philosophies, but Japanese flower arrangers are kindelsewhere. Conversely, where a Japanese tea room has beenenough to praise what we manage to achieve as far as we canrecreated somewhere overseas, interested students are ablego.

to glimpse more than just an example of Japanese architecture
and the tea-making process. They also see kimono,

I have many friends who are beneficiaries of cultural export

calligraphy, flowers, bowls, and are soothed by the scent ofwhilst they are resident in Japan. Each looks for the spirit,

incense. The way of tea is an export package, offering aand tries to follow the etiquette of the study that appeals to

combination of Japanese arts. Yet as an export is has its

him. Some in Kyoto produce woodblock prints. Some inphysical limitations. Only in Japan can the way of tea present

Mashiko fashion clay and fire kilns. One, who has been in

itself in full authenticity, in a simple, dimly-lit, thatched hut at

Tokyo for several years, is a big American man who lives

the end of a pathway of stepping stones in a Japanese garden.

alone in a small, old-style Japanese house. He has a collection

Only in Japan.

of bamboo baskets for his flower arrangements, and acollection of brushes for his ink painting. His plates, dishes

The Japanese dance, the Japanese theater, Japanese music --and bowls are exclusively folk crafted. This big American

each cultural movement attracts interest that is deep when it

man, who somehow fits in very well, studies bonseki, andis aroused, but which still has only a limited following. Thesewith his big hands and infinite patience painstakingly creates

pursuits are unlikely to achieve the mass appeal of flower

complete miniature landscapes in trays. I see in him an

arranging, that has the advantage of finding its materials

informed, reverential appreciation of many Japanese cultural

everywhere, and that offers an instant, sufficiently pleasing

pursuits. He will eventually become a one-man channel for

visual reward. Japanese arts and crafts characteristicallythe export of Japanese culture. In a small way, he will help

require years of dedication. These apprenticeships are

keep it alive.

difficult to serve outside Japan. Some Japanese art belongs so
firmly to Japan that it is difficult to see its moving elsewhere

Another friend, an Englishman, remembers his visit to theat all. Non-Japanese have taken up writing haiku and tanka,

hills of Kamakura one day in the rainy season. The

but has anyone else shown great enthusiasm for carving

hydrangeas were in deep blue flower, and mosquitoes whined

poetry in stone? Is there anyone else anywhere, or likely toaround him as he walked along quiet, wet lanes. As hebe, skilled in distinguishing different incense by scent?

passsed a corner house, he smelled incense, listened to thetinkle of a windbell, and above its slight sound heard theJapan festivals celebrated in other countries havestrings of a koto. He was entranced. He determined that hedemonstrated abroad many Japanese cultural activities, fromwould learn to play the Japanese instrument, and now does it

Noh to sumo. Japan 2001, presented in Britain this year, put

so well that he is included in concerts, and takeson time-honored matsuri revelries with all the trappings of

instrumentalists to play in other countries. He, too, istraditional robes and a mikoshi parade. Taiko drummers

30

showed how drums should be belabored and sake barrels

have found her own husband, and will live with only him andsmashed open. The theater, the garden and martial arts were

their children. Progress has given her purposeful education,

all there to help represent Japan 2001, but the organizers said

status, and freedom to decide.

they wanted to avoid perpetuating only the "outdated"stereotypes of Japan. Contemporary culture in street fashions

We expect progress to bring benefits. Unless we have suchand pop music clamored for its own recognition.

expectations, striving is pointless. At the same time, we have

Photographers, graphics artists and karaoke demanded their

to realise that progress brings pain too. It has been painful to

own scenes in the expositions. Japanese culture, they said,

see small Mom and Pop shops fade away as supermarkets andwas both the way it was, and the way it is, both then and now

minimarkets advance. It has been painful that publichaving validity.

bathhouses closed as private homes installed their own
bathroom units, and neighborhoods lost their jolly evening

A difference, as I see it, lies in life expectancies. Young men

centers of conviviality. It has been painful when waysidewith yellow hair and earrings, and young women withstalls have been cleared away from the streets, robbing ourplatform boots and mobile phones claim to be icons ofcities of vivacity and human chaos. In a previous age it must

contemporary culture. Is the culture they represent here tohave been painful when jinricksha left the streets to become

stay, or is it a passing fancy? Perhaps this question no longer

museum relics.

matters as the world spins faster and faster. Whether longlived or short-lived, I see an interesting sidelight here:

In the past, culture in many countries was not so fragile as it

contemporary culture will no longer be the inheritance of any

seems increasingly to have become. People lived and died

one nation. It will be universal. In our shrinking world of

without ever coming under the influence of ideas and beliefs

instant communication, youngsters of both east and west try

from elsewhere, and so rarely deviated from their accustomed

to look alike and behave alike. The age-old modesty of theways. Life was slow, and change came slowly. Today's paceyoung Japanese woman will be swallowed up in global, uni-sex

is fast. Japan, self-contained perhaps more than most, has aculture. So Japanese traditional culture, "outdated," will bevery ancient culture that still shows unusual resilience. I

separate from contemporary culture. The first is only Japan's.

hope, as Japanese culture continues to change at whatever

The second is the world's.

pace, it will always keep the endearing charm I saw in it 50
years ago. I hope Japanese people will hang on to the best of

Fifty years ago in my neighborhood, it was unthought of thatwhat has made them what they are, and turn back to it moreelderly parents should live apart from their families. Now

for their sense of worth. I hope Japanese culture in all its

that the extended family is becoming the nuclear, the care of

aspects covering life styles, behavior and artistic expressions

older people, and their happiness, are pressing social

will stay buoyant and optimistic. I think it will, as it is full-problems. Fifty years ago, young Japanese women expectedbodied and robust, as well as delicate and elegant. It has a

to marry after suitable introductions, and take care of their

hard core that will prevail even as outer layers are paredfamilies which included parents-in-law. Now many a young

away. Priceless, it is what gives Japan its individuality, andwoman prefers a career, and if later on she marries she willthat is precious.

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た。次号をご期待ください。ご意見もお待ちしています。

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スタッフ・日本語教師一同Dear Readers,

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