Japanese Culture

[Tri-ring]

Originally Posted by High_Lord_Demonix

I know that you must live WITH nature and that shintoism is the main reason that the forests of japan still stand today I am a very avid learner and just ran out at 1:00 in the morning to buy some books on shinto and its deep roots in the culture of the japanese people and I think that this religion is far better than the christian belefes but thats just my personal opinion.

I really do not know what make one religion better than the other so I am not making any presumption. (not to mention prevent a flame war concerning the subject )

Forests in Japan, well there are actually two words for it in which one is 林(hayashi) and the other 森(Mori) both meaning a patch of woods.
What most do not know is that hayashi has a meaning of forest developed for benefit of the village and Mori meaning untouched woods.
Hayashi is a patch of woods that surrounds a village. The species that grows are selectivily chosen for various means by the villagers.
It is not an orchard or a tree farm where only a single species or fruits are planted but variety of different species beneficial to everyday life are taken care as a whole.
Shrubs and dead wood is cleared and young shoots are culled for planned forestrization. The collected shrubs, dead wood and culled shoots are used to make charcoal and/or other products. The maintained forest is also good for various mushrooms to grow.
This area of maintained forestry also acts as a buffer zone to wild animal to let them know that man lives near and to stay away.
The general area consisting hayashi and village is called 里（sato) and 古里(furusato) means home town. Some westerners seeing a rural village praises how nature is preserved but this not totally true since to make a sato a whole valley was cleared away and then modified to meet man's needs including the width of the valley and a stream that flows within the valley.

As you can see this has nothing to do with Shintoism, it was the way of life for rural villages of Japan but at various truning points during the course of a year various festivities were carried out to enjoy the fruit of labor in the sato. These festivities were presided by shintoism and the shrine.

[High_Lord_Demonix]

Originally Posted by Kyuusai

The forests of Japan may stand, but they've been invaded by industrialization. I'm currently reading the book Lost Japan, by Alex Kerr, and I recommend it for any one curious about Japan's sudden shift from ancient to modern, and what's been lost.

But we're talking about Shinto. Unlike most religions, Shinto can be better defined by practice than a centralized doctrine, unless you count the state-reform (which is a question those seriously seeking it as a religion have to answer for themselves: Do you want to acknowledge the splintered, shamanistic beliefs or the government-mandated standardizations?), and there's also the question of its off-and-on intermixing with Buddhism. I find it odd that you'd say you find Shinto better than Christian beliefs. Comparing Shinto with most western religions is like comparing ice cream and steak: Though they disagree on certain issues, their doctrines mostly handle things that are peripheral to the other.

Contrasting Shinto with an Abrahamic religion is especially tricky, though, when one sees that some of the things that make Shinto recognizable and unique compared to many other eastern relgions are practically identical to practices of ancient Judaism (Likely due to the migration of the tribes of Israel after they split from Judah around 920 BC and were conquered and scattered by the Assyrians in 722 BC-. That's not as far-fetched as it sounds to some: the influence of the middle-east on the far-east over time is pretty well established.)

I mainly compaired it to western religions because of the different views on key things (Just my views and comparison) but I hope to learn very much from this deep piece of culture after all im going to need all the info I can get for when I move there

but thanks for the insite into this it helps a lot

(and yes but google also crams useless junk into the search)

[X10A_Freedom]

Wiki articles tend to be good for a general introduction. The treasure trove of a Wiki article however is contained at the bottom - the references section!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto

[Vexx]

Just to shift the direction a bit... I recently purchased a pair of zori ... real ones that actually cost about as much as shoes. None of the American stores are carrying "tatami and cloth" zori anymore (the cheap $4 ones) --- they've ALL switched to skin-scuffing plastic shit in some damned 'one choice capitalism' crap conspiracy.

Though these 'authentic' tatami zori are sized just fine, the toe thong is really tight and I've read that most people (yes, even Japanese) have to stretch them a bit before they feel comfortable (e.g. the recent Sketchbook episode where Sora had to wear sandals because she'd forgotten to stretch the toe thong on her geta/zori. "itai..."

Any tips appreciated. Right now I've got two power strips jammed into my zori to stretch them a bit.

[Tri-ring]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Just to shift the direction a bit... I recently purchased a pair of zori ... real ones that actually cost about as much as shoes. None of the American stores are carrying "tatami and cloth" zori anymore (the cheap $4 ones) --- they've ALL switched to skin-scuffing plastic shit in some damned 'one choice capitalism' crap conspiracy.

Though these 'authentic' tatami zori are sized just fine, the toe thong is really tight and I've read that most people (yes, even Japanese) have to stretch them a bit before they feel comfortable (e.g. the recent Sketchbook episode where Sora had to wear sandals because she'd forgotten to stretch the toe thong on her geta/zori. "itai..."

Any tips appreciated. Right now I've got two power strips jammed into my zori to stretch them a bit.

You can try re-adjusting the thong by lengthening the hanao like what Kaoru did for Aoi in Ai yori Aoshi (Actually he repaired the hanao but same idea). If you don't think you are capable you can always take it to where you bought it from and ask them to do it for you.
I also suggest you wearing a tabi when you use those Jori to prevent sandle sores.

[Vexx]

roger on the tabi.... there's actually a sock company in my city that makes pretty darn durable tabi that I've been using the last few years.

Unfortunately, I ordered them online but if I'll take a look (and may ask around locally if I think I'm over my head). Thanks.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Pardon the "old" foggie for bringing in this subject. I do think it's related to the topic though.

Japan eyes demographic time bomb

Like in many other areas, Japan will be a very interesting case study to follow over the next two decades, as it deals with its shrinking population while having to take care of an aging population that is living longer.

From a creative perspective, I wonder what kinds of stories this on-going trend may inspire in the years to come. We've seen hikkikomori featured in anime like Welcome to NHK and Rozen Maiden, so who knows? Maybe some new stories to deal with the incredible shrinking Japan.

Or maybe a future where immigration becomes a norm (gasp!). That theme was already explored in Stand Alone Complex: Second Gig.

The Japanese are living in "interesting" times.

[Vexx]

Actually, Manabi Straight obliquely addressed this (school systems merging as fewer and fewer young people existed and those that did were encouraged to work --- to pay taxes).

[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

The Japanese are living in "interesting" times.

Try telling that to Korea: We becoming older much faster -_-

[Autumn Demon]

http://economist.com/world/asia/disp...ory_id=8680941

Is the judicial system in Japan really this bad? Holding suspects for up to 23 days without council with unrecorded interrogations with some suspects dying in the process and a 99.9% conviction rate seem appallingly extreme for a nation like Japan.

[Tri-ring]

Originally Posted by Autumn Demon

http://economist.com/world/asia/disp...ory_id=8680941

Is the judicial system in Japan really this bad? Holding suspects for up to 23 days without council with unrecorded interrogations with some suspects dying in the process and a 99.9% conviction rate seem appallingly extreme for a nation like Japan.

Unfortunately yes those things happen but society does not take it lightly either with conviction rate at it's lowest right now(no where near 99%) and law enforcement agencies and prosecutors both in hot water for bad parctice of the past things are changing for the better.

[X10A_Freedom]

My lecturer gave us this article yesterday. Quite an interesting read about Japan's "hidden" homeless.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/japan/stor...178960,00.html

[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by X10A_Freedom

My lecturer gave us this article yesterday. Quite an interesting read about Japan's "hidden" homeless.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/japan/stor...178960,00.html

Not that much interesting, given Hong Kong has had the same problem for years.

[Rembr]

If I didn't have to spend the night there, the manga cafes are pretty sweet.
The thing is hot topic it seems. And some of the cafes are starting to cater to the semihomeless, adding showers and sofas for easier sleeping etc.

[Autumn Demon]

How are capsule hotels more expensive than internet cafe rooms? It's a coffin sized hole in the wall verse a cubicle with a computer and internet access...

[Rembr]

Originally Posted by Autumn Demon

How are capsule hotels more expensive than internet cafe rooms? It's a coffin sized hole in the wall verse a cubicle with a computer and internet access...

I would guess capsule hotel actually has upkeep to keep everything cleaned/running, while internet cafes are pretty much do-everything-yourself except i guess the computers.

[Kang Seung Jae]

Originally Posted by Autumn Demon

How are capsule hotels more expensive than internet cafe rooms? It's a coffin sized hole in the wall verse a cubicle with a computer and internet access...

Capsule Hotels: ¥2000-4000 a night

Internet Cafe: ¥1800-2000 a night (if one uses the 'night pack', usage of the pod from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m)


So yes, it's comparable.

[X10A_Freedom]

Originally Posted by Kang Seung Jae

Not that much interesting, given Hong Kong has had the same problem for years.

Hong Kong and the "cage homes". Or a room with the floor area of a double bed, with an extra-slim bunk bed.

What I found interesting is the use of the internet/manga cafes for such a surprising purpose. It's definately a good thing at least some of the cafes are being hospitable to the semi-homeless. It's also a little harder to dig through "the other side" of Japan compared with say the UK because of the culture.

[Kyuusai]

Originally Posted by Autumn Demon

How are capsule hotels more expensive than internet cafe rooms? It's a coffin sized hole in the wall verse a cubicle with a computer and internet access...

There are a couple of different reasons for this:

- Target market: Capsule hotels are generally targeted toward businessmen with no other options.
- Amenities and upkeep: Capsule hotels are designed to be a place to sleep and relax. It certainly costs more to build these beds and integrate all the creature comforts for a capsule hotel than it does to rent a space and drop in some chairs, books, computers and partitions that is the minimum for the manga cafe. The capsule hotels must also be maintained with more frequency and care than the manga cafe. Of course, it manga cafes were actually marketed as hotels, things would be different.
- Location, location, location. A manga cafe simply needs to be in a location on "the beaten path". A capsule hotel is generally going to be by a train station, where property is very expensive.

There are more reasons, I'm sure, but those go further into speculation on my part.

[Rembr]

There are tons of manga cafes near train stations btw.