anyone know much about jap social/culture ect???

hey everyone im matt,
just realised jap culture is very different from my culture being an aussie, ive watched a fair few animes and i understand them and shit but sum things perplex me. for example do japanese kids drink at all or go out on friday/saturday nights? or parents too stricht? cause most kids over her start drinking about 14/15 depending on area i guess...also most animes seem not to have the super stricht parents i hear they have over there, like if u dont study no dinner type of shit lol.
anyways if anyone knows brief histories/cultural pieces and social eddicates please post here for ppl like myself(not saying i dont understand) perhaps just make it a bit clearer and of course since this is an anime posting place please link it to animes if u will.
well thanks heeps if u have ur imput if u dont have much to say speek up anyways more the merrier.

I feel this is more of the general section type thread. Although it does involve anime references to a degree, this thread does primarily involve discussion of Japanese social life and culture. If necessary, it will be moved back into the Anime section

--Thread Moved--

As far as I know, their social life are pretty similar to the US, of course to a certain degree. If I'm not mistaken, Japanese people are considered adults when they hit 15/16 years old. Don't ask me why, because I don't really know. Also when you refer to kids drinking, do you mean under 18/21? Everywhere has different age limits. As for strict discipline, that really depends on your parents and family. Some live in luxury while some live in poverty. It depends on your financial status and how much discipline do the parents emphasize on the kids.

On a side note, I'm guessing you have been watching too much Kaze no Stigma. Try watching Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (KGNE) as a reference. Its a "slice of life" type of anime series so it should give you somewhat of a sense of what social life is like or at least answer some of your questions. Not much though since it is an anime still after all.

Regarding historical context, Japanese people in history were disciplined similar to the Chinese. They had strict household rules, etc... such as curfue, hard labor, daily rituals, customs, etc... This is part of the reason why you may feel that the parents are a bit more strict. It is because they are strict in following their tradition and ancestry unlike in the US where people are a bit more carefree. An example of where you may see this kind of loyalty is the end of World War 2. When the Japanese surrendered, most of the remainder of the army performed a ritual called Seppuku (don't think I spelled it correctly) in order to sacrifice their lives to maintain their integrity and loyalty to their late emperor.

In modern day, this is not necessarily true about strict parents; some are now a little more carefree. However, there are still some sort of strict discipline because they want their children to succeed in life since the world is now even more competitive than before. That's why you may still feel that general stereotype.

ye when i mean drinking i meant underage everyone knows it happens, don't deny u do it. anyways thanks for that^^^^, might have found the alchol topic bit strange but the fact is alchol is almost a way of life here in aus. not as drink to get drunk. soryy about wrong posting i thought i would b better though if ppl said shit that u might needa know for a anime.
liek general knowledge of romance of the three kingdoms for ikkitousen or w/e.


i sound like a drunk..my bad didnt eman to sound liek this i explain wat i meant later.

QUOTE (phatphat @ Jun 30 2007, 09:12 PM) ye when i mean drinking i meant underage everyone knows it happens, don't deny u do it. anyways thanks for that^^^^, might have found the alchol topic bit strange but the fact is alchol is almost a way of life here in aus. not as drink to get drunk. soryy about wrong posting i thought i would b better though if ppl said shit that u might needa know for a anime.
liek general knowledge of romance of the three kingdoms for ikkitousen or w/e.
Actually I don't do it and I'm still underage anyways I also don't plan on doing it either.

QUOTE (phatphat @ Jul 01 2007, 12:12 PM)liek general knowledge of romance of the three kingdoms for ikkitousen or w/e.
To fully enjoy Ikkitousen, you must know quite a bit of background knowledge. Seems that more and more shows are parodies of Romance of the three Kingdoms.
I've seen a manga that tells of an experiment gone wrong and all three main characters(Liu Bei,...) turned into females . Quite a mad manga imo.

Japanese social/culture? I don't know much, but here's some I can think of right now.

Dustbins are rare on Japanese streets, go walk through one and you'll understand. Yet, there is no litter problem in Japan. The point is, with less dustbins around, people are less prone to littering.

Slurping your ramen noisily is not considered rude.

14/15 year olds = Adults. That much you already know right? It also mean a lot of other things....Remember FMP's first episode, where Sousuke was holding something?

You hear honorifics being used most of the time in anime(like Rin-kun), and wonder if the same is true for real life. Actually, its true to a large extent that honorifics is widely used. You wouldn't want to be rude with a stranger whom you want to ask for directions would you?

Seniority is important in Japan. Being older means you will have/gain respect from the younger ones. They don't yell at senior citizens for being slow in doing things such as buying a train ticket.
Showing defiance against someone older than you is not tolerated. Basically its called "respecting the elderly".

Some values in Japan are similar to China's. Even the usage of chopsticks, for instance.

Basically, Japanese culture is Confucian culture(not a religion) mixed with some elements of Shinto (basically having a respect for nature) and Zen Buddhism. Confucian culture's main teaching is filial love and duty. The importance of the family is emphasized (respect to parents, older siblings, etc.). Seniority, honor, and position are given high regard in the daily activities of people. The perfect example for this is their use of honorifics ("titles") and keigo (different levels of respect through their language). You could say that keigo is a type of "dialect". I won't go into detail about keigo because it might take a long, long time. Besides, my knowledge of keigo is limited. With regard to honorifics, that is the word right after the name of a person. Examples of these would be sama, dono, san, kun, chan, chi, rin, etc. Also, it would be polite to call people by their surname. You can only call them by their given name when you are quite familiar with the person. I will go into detail about these... if you want to... just ask away.

But, basically, aside from the things mentioned above, Japanese culture is an Americanized culture. Though Japanese culture seems to be slightly "weirder".

QUOTE (Kit-Tsukasa @ Jun 30 2007, 11:46 PM) Actually I don't do it and I'm still underage anyways I also don't plan on doing it either.
I'm with Kit. I am not legally allowed to drink but even if I was I don't intend to. I've seen too many people piss away their lives and waste thousands of dollars drinking, smoking, or doing drugs. Its best to stay away from it all. Gambling to gambling is a waste.

QUOTE (phatphat @ Jun 30 2007, 10:12 PM) ye when i mean drinking i meant underage everyone knows it happens, don't deny u do it.
The thing is, I don't do it. I'm 22 and I don't do it. Before I was 21, I still didn't do it.

Drinking alcoholic beverages has always seemed to be the most pointless and degrading activity - if taken to the point that most do, which is drunkenness.

phatphat: You're presenting an interesting image of Australians to the FTV community! I'm an Aussie and while a beer at a barbie is a common sight and a sip of Mum or Dad's stubby was a frequent enough occurrence (usually acting as a deterrent as beer is an acquired taste), underage drinking is not exactly the norm! I certainly didn't have any friends when I was 14 or 15 who hit the turps! You make us sound like a nation whose teenagers are permanently off their faces! Strewth! Mate I'm spewin'! Don't be a whacka! Sure, many Australians drink alcohol but I would hardly call it a way of life for the whole of Australian society! Sure, Australian pub culture is one of the national myths of Oz but I prefer sun, surf and sand myself. It's never a good idea to try to speak for a whole nation!

Oh! It's probably best not to refer to Jap culture. Jap is a derogatory term which was heavily used in wartime to dehumanise "the enemy". It is still generally considered to be a racial slur.

I would agree with Kit-Tsukasa that "slice of life" anime will generally give you a better concept of Japanese culture. There are also many websites that can provide you with some interesting information on this subject:

• Key Aspects of Japan
• Japanese customs and traditions - Japan Guide
• Japanese Customs and Traditions
• Customs and etiquette of Japan - Wikipedia

^^ try not to swear too much ^^ and i don't drink - i'm underaged and i'm an australian, not one drop in my 16 years of living so try not to sterotype all australians like that ^^

By Japanese Culture and Society i think it's very diverse - i mean think about Australian culture, you can't just sterotype everyone into one cast its just plain not possible. there ARE social norms and things that people expect like respecting any elder (at school or other wise) but other than that everything would be pretty 'normal' - they go to the movies go shopping etc. individual families have different rules and customs that are pretty specific but there are some general ones that everyone adhears to. you would be able to find some of those common customs in those links nahrallah posted.

Wow, this talk of drinking and Aussies has turned into quite the discussion!

Anyway, all of the people who have posted here have been non-drinkers. So, it's time that someone who does drink liquor say something... and that's me! hmmp... some of you guys make it seem that drinking is so "evil". That's not at all true. Of course, drinking can be detrimental to health if you drink too much. Like with everything else, the key is moderation.

Drinking does have its purposes. People drink to releases the built-up tension in their bodies after a long day of work. Drinking is also a social activity. Friends, family, relatives, classmates, colleagues, etc. do gather just to have a drink together. Drinking helps to loosen things up and, thus, makes conversation livelier. There's a saying that a party is not really a party without liquor (or something like that).

Oh... and about "underage" drinking... The first time I had a taste of beer was when I was around 8 yrs. old. I think was nagging my mom about the "drink" she was having. So, she gave me a sip of the drink (it was beer). Let me just tell you, at that time, it was the "strangest" thing that I had tasted. I think it was some kind of "deterrent (just like Nahrallah said).

Well... nowadays... I do drink a lot... but not to the point that I go vomiting... I usually stop drinking already when I feel a bit tipsy. Oh and by the way, here's an important lesson about drinking... Don't drink different kinds of liquor at the same time (or one after another). "They" sometimes don't go well together.

P.S. samthebear is right... I think you (phatphat) use the "s" word a bit too much. There are a lot of young and "impressionable" members here in Fansub TV.

well i do commend you phatphat for opening this thread in order to educate yourself,...just next time word it a little better

QUOTE (phatphat @ Jun 30 2007, 11:44 PM) for example do japanese kids drink at all or go out on friday/saturday nights? or parents too stricht? cause most kids over her start drinking about 14/15 depending on area i guess...also most animes seem not to have the super stricht parents i hear they have over there, like if u dont study no dinner type of shit lol.
One of the other things you may have noticed in anime, is that many schools have class on Saturdays. I don't know much about the school system myself, but I would assume that this applies to all ages. I don't think the average student would want to go all out on a Friday night when they have class the next morning, no matter what society they are from!

If you're interested in Japanese culture, I'm sure your local library would have material you could look into. Understanding traditional and Chinese influence on Japan is important, and in the last hundred years, Western influence has made a huge difference.

I never knew we had so many people from Australia here.

QUOTE (chiisai_hana @ Jul 01 2007, 11:28 AM)One of the other things you may have noticed in anime, is that many schools have class on Saturdays. I don't know much about the school system myself, but I would assume that this applies to all ages. I don't think the average student would want to go all out on a Friday night when they have class the next morning, no matter what society they are from!

If you're interested in Japanese culture, I'm sure your local library would have material you could look into. Understanding traditional and Chinese influence on Japan is important, and in the last hundred years, Western influence has made a huge difference.
I have noticed that too. I kind of feel pity for the students in Japan. They only get a day-off on Sundays. I don't think I can handle something like that. Personally, I think this is a bit too stressful on a student. I believe that weekends should be used both for rest and relaxation as well as for studying (ie. exams or proactive studying). If your day-off is Sunday only, then that just means one day less for R&R and studying.

Off Topic: Have you guys ever wondered why there is a growing number of Japanese students who commit suicide?

QUOTE (chreyzee @ Jul 01 2007, 07:28 PM) I have noticed that too. I kind of feel pity for the students in Japan. They only get a day-off on Sundays. I don't think I can handle something like that. Personally, I think this is a bit too stressful on a student. I believe that weekends should be used both for rest and relaxation as well as for studying (ie. exams or proactive studying). If your day-off is Sunday only, then that just means one day less for R&R and studying.

Off Topic: Have you guys ever wondered why there is a growing number of Japanese students who commit suicide?
I have school on Saturdays, but its not all that bad. Weekends tend to be boring sometimes and there really is nothing to do. Sometimes my classes are entertaining

Regarding off-topic issue: not really. I'm guessing any of the following: peer-pressure, paranoid, tired of the discipline, or rape (yes, rape, groping, and all kinds of perverted stuff happens decently often in Japan at least from what I know). It doesn't only happen in Japan though. The numbers are growing all over the world. Because the world is growing more competitive, people feel more pressure, especially students, from all kinds of people because they feel they need to stay strong in the competitive world. Those who are intolerable to failure and do fail at one point tend to commit suicide because they feel their life is over.

QUOTE (Kit-Tsukasa @ Jul 01 2007, 09:40 PM)I have school on Saturdays, but its not all that bad. Weekends tend to be boring sometimes and there really is nothing to do. Sometimes my classes are entertaining

Regarding off-topic issue: not really. I'm guessing any of the following: peer-pressure, paranoid, tired of the discipline, or rape (yes, rape, groping, and all kinds of perverted stuff happens decently often in Japan at least from what I know). It doesn't only happen in Japan though. The numbers are growing all over the world. Because the world is growing more competitive, people feel more pressure, especially students, from all kinds of people because they feel they need to stay strong in the competitive world. Those who are intolerable to failure and do fail at one point tend to commit suicide because they feel their life is over.
Aahh, but you must be in college, though... If you are still in high school, then, I kind of feel sorry for you. But, you are right. Weekends can get boring if you don't have some sort of entertainment or "diversion". Oh, yes... Saturday classes tend to be entertaining (probably "special" classes and/or extracurricular activity).

Japanese students (or the Japanese in general) do live a "hard" life, don't they? There are a lot of source/s of "pressure" and stress. But, I guess, I can't single them out. This kind of thing happens in all "progressive" countries, doesn't it? It's just that suicide is becoming more rampant in Japan. Quite disturbing I must say.

QUOTE (chreyzee @ Jul 01 2007, 08:59 PM) Aahh, but you must be in college, though... If you are still in high school, then, I kind of feel sorry for you. But, you are right. Weekends can get boring if you don't have some sort of entertainment or "diversion". Oh, yes... Saturday classes tend to be entertaining (probably "special" classes and/or extracurricular activity).

Japanese students (or the Japanese in general) do live a "hard" life, don't they? There are a lot of source/s of "pressure" and stress. But, I guess, I can't single them out. This kind of thing happens in all "progressive" countries, doesn't it? It's just that suicide is becoming more rampant in Japan. Quite disturbing I must say.
nope still in high school. Almost in college

Senior High School then... that is SO SAD!!! Saturday classes... hahahaaa... I definitely don't envy you. I would rather stay idle in the house than go to a Saturday class! Woops... that was a bit cruel... just kidding!

Hey, at least, you will already be used to it when you go to college!

i don't agree with the comments saying that the japanese are americanized.. that is true to some extent, but most of their influence is limited to specific parts of their lifestyle; their education and personality are completely different from the US's.

Another thing to take into account is that there are major differences between the various regions: for example, people from Tokyo are generally quieter than people from Kansai (Kyoto, Osaka..). Such difference is perfectly clear for me and my friends, which means it's not as insignificant as it might seem. I've met some crazy, crazy people from Kyoto..