Final Impressions

Japan's got everything you'd need to live your entire life, and not find it to be a wasted one... From snowy mountainsides to clearwater beaches, ancient rituals in the deepest enclaves to the most pristine office windows glistening in the cityscape.

I've been on Japan's highways, in its caves, walked its mountaintops, touched its shores, had warm conversations at dinner tables, heated arguments with host families, slept in the strangest hotels, eaten at 'themed restaurants', played pachinko, sang karaoke, been to a hostess club, skied, rowed, pedaled, climbed, and have basically done everything one man could possibly do in one year's time. I even got a girlfriend, so I'm taking something back with me. :)

Except, I could have done better with studying. It's hard balancing this 'work' and 'play' idea; at my school in America, it's seriously just all 'work', no 'play', aside some good

conversations with some close friends.

In Japan, though, the friends you make will likely have part-time jobs, and don't live near you. They live far away, so it's hard to hang out often with them. You eventually come to realize the best way to get in good relationships with your colleagues is to join a club, period.

Albeit, I have felt a vast improvement in my Japanese ability, but I feel that I'm typically only practicing the same basic introductions to a constantly changing group of faces. "My name is *****" "I am from *******" "Is this your first semester studying here?" That's how the conversations usually end up, with one group of three or so foreign students and another group of three or so Japanese students. The conversation usually breaks up into two, one in English, and one into Japanese, then no one's learning anything.

But at least we're making friends! I just find it a little irritating, and it's not something I feel is a problem for everybody.

As for my changing impressions, I feel I've undergone a transformation in my opinion about myself and about my ideas of this country. I believe I've seen the real Japan, and there's a

whole lot more to discover when I find myself back here again in about three years.

The Politics of Matsuri

I went to a special indoor festival about five months ago. This one was special because, for some odd reason, every ten years the festival is held indoors instead of out on the street and on storefronts.

What sorts of politics could I find in such an event as this? Well, in the little world where Tengu defends the people from the veracious Shishi Lion, politics enshrouds the celebration in many forms.

The synchronization of the wooden lutes and the Shishi's wagging tail

, and the strum of the samisen to the

bellowing voice of the kabuki actor... these are all political processes which are constantly adjusted and tweaked to creat a truly engaging and

continually changing process.

And the amount of time put into practicing these rituals is astounding to me. No member of the group will leave until the leader says it's time to go. In the workplace, it has been said that the office workers will not leave until the department head puts down his newspaper and leaves his office.

I feel that the dedication to work as a team. Just look at that guy up there on the ladder. Do you think he'd stand a chance if his buddies weren't helping him out?

Yeah right!

I don't know why they do it, and I have a feeling they don't either, but it's not about asking questions here in this country, it's about doing it for kicks, just because you can do it, and it's a challenge to the human body.

I like this idea, but to not ask questions is typically a remedy for preserving traditions, but less helpful when invoking change in a set system. ね？

Sports in Japan

The concept of group-based activities has always, always, always been a strong trait of Japanese society. I feel that the Japanese find operating in groups to be more productive and healthy to the progression of a project than handling a task individually and coming together to mend the project's weak points, which might be considered a Western way of handling business.

The Japanese as a whole could be considered independent before it started relying heavily on foreign trade. After Japan's market opened up, the traditional way of doing things in Japan only changed when their society considered using foreign products, trends, and lifestyles in order to benefit their already existent lifestyle.

Why does this matter to sports? Because the rules change. For example, in Sumo, which has for

hundreds of years carried the same rules of male-only competitions and practices, along with a strictly no-foreigner policy, enough people have petitioned to change the rules and allow both foreign and female competitors to enter the ring.

I think that change is difficult to do in such a country so deeply-seeded in its traditions as Japan. But is change necessary, or is it important to have senpai/kohai relationships?

It's important, for sure. It helps prevent the kohai (subordinate) from trying to do the senpai's (superior's) job, which I think is good for focusing on the game. For example, in baseball, a lot is stressed to fulfill one's duty as a member of the team, not necessarily to fill a position of superstar or to try to chase a dream. Success is accomplished in group sports only by listening to your team members, and I think that the senpai/kohai relationship is a great way to remain

aware of one's team members.

Gender in Japan

I can't talk to you about gender in Japan, because I know jack squat about the subject of gender regardless of the culture that is being represented.

I do know about Japan that relates to gender is the role of the individual in a group or group activity such as baseball.

Baseball's more popular here in Japan than it is in America. Is that a sad thing? Well I'm not sure. It's the same story with Jazz, and that came from America too.

I believe the Japanese do a 'better' job of supporting healthy teamwork-based habits than America. Also, the Japanese don't seem to be as notorious as America for steroids and corked bats. I just feel that the Japanese preserve the true essence of the sport, as America's old ways just crumble.

What does this have to do with gender? Well I feel that gender is typically based on how the individual views his or her persona; if a certain individual is a team member of the baseball team, I'm sure it changes how he/she feels about him/herself. And I believe persona and gender go hand in hand. If this person is the team captain, or if he/she's the waterboy (girl?), how does that affect their public image? And do they actually care? Who is the image limited to?

For this, I added this other photograph of a punk rocker guy. He obviously cares about his

public image, just look at his hair! This person knows that how he looks affects how people people perceive him. And he, just like every other person in this world, is trying to make it easier for people to categorize him into a group, like I did when I started this paragraph.

Personally, I don't like the idea of gender. A person shouldn't be categorized at all. And what are the limits to grouping people into you are labeled as a racist/sexist/homophobe/band nerd?

Comments, please.