Preface May 1999 John K. GiIIespie and easily and without resorting tO stereotypes. explaining—the vast and fascinating array 0f J 叩 anese culture more clearly considered as a manual tO assist the reader in understanding--and format, will support its readers in that effort. ln that sense, this bOOk can be We hope that this book, with its wide selection of topics and bilingual describe their culture but t0 explain why they practice it the way they d0. The communication challenge for Japanese, therefore, is not just to only frustrate. not explain. B0th choices, therefore, are ultimately unsatisfying and will unsatisfying; saying that 、。 Japanese" dO an activity describes but does and all are challenging t0 explain t0 outsiders. The latter choice is also explanation; in short, all cultures feel that they are different or distinctive more or less different than any Other culture and just as deserving Of former chOice ignores the crucial truth that Japanese culture is in fact no offer only stereotypical descriptions Of the "We Japanese" variety. The understand it. S 0 they Often elect either tO give no explanation at all or tO fear that Japanese culture is SO different that non-Japanese will not be able tO may feel insufficiently fluent in English t0 express themselves adequately or Faced with that difficulty, many J 叩 anese despair Of explanations. They tO non-Japanese, most conspicuously tO Americans. The difficulty comes, therefore, when there is a need to explain their culture Japanese have the same culture, there is little need tO explain it tO each Other. but they probably know it in a subjective, subconscious way; since all tO that supply. J 叩 anese people already know their own culture, Of course, often have only a small supply of knowledge about Japan, can certainly add Japanese culture in an objective, systematic way. 、 Mestern readers, WhO Japanese culture. This allows the readers 0f b0th languages t0 learn about knowledge, in Japanese and English, on several hundred key aspects 0f perspective. lt attempts tO increase understanding by providing basic The purpose 0f this b00k is t0 address bOth reasons, from Japan's respective cultures tO each Other. non-Japanese Often experlence difficulty when attempting tO explain their Of the world, particularly the United States, is insufficient, and J 叩 anese and reasons account for this: mutual understanding between Japan and the rest does not always communicate effectively beyond its borders. TWO basic United States it produces nearly 45 % of the world' s econormc output—it Although Japan is a pre-eminent industrial power—together with the

◆ 日本人の精神 Japanese Spirit 幽 必 つ ん ことばの意味には表れなくても、あるいは目には定かに 見えなくても、それ故にこそその奥に人間が感じることが 可能な美の世界、これが幽玄です。これは、余情を重んじ 省略をよしとする日本人の心情の根底に流れている情緒の ひとつです。このような情緒は、用いることばの種類や数 が限られた中ですべてを表現しなければならなかった短詩 形の成立過程にも関係があります。つまり余情を大事にす る幽玄の美は、少しのことばで多くのことを考えることが 可能なところに成立する美です。従ってすべてを言わすと も相手に通じる、同質の文化を共有する共同体の中でこそ 可能となった美の世界であるともいえるでしよう。 he subtle and profound : What is neither apparent in the meanings Of words nor clearly visible tO the eyes is, for those very reasons, the aesthetic world that man can sense behind it all: This is ) ⅲ g 召〃 . lt is one of the emotions flowing in the depths of the Japanese feelings that value suggestiveness and encourage brevity. This kind of emotion is related to the process of shaping a short poetic form that had tO express everything using limited kinds and numbers 0f words. That is t0 say, the beauty 0f ) ⅲ g 〃 , which values suggestiveness, is a beauty that takes shape where only a few words can awaken many thoughts. Therefore, it can be called an aesthetic world made possible only in a community sharing a homogeneous culture, where people communicate without saying everything.

◆ けー 教 育験せ そ つ一 かっては「 4 当 5 落」 ( 睡眠時間を 4 時間にして勉強すれ ば受かるが、 5 時間では受からない ) などといわれ、その激 烈な様を戦争に例えたものでした。しかし日本の終身雇用制 が崩れ始めるとともに、学歴の重要性も昔ほどではなくなり、 入社試験の面接で出身学校を問わない会社も出てきました。 今も受験は厳しい競争の中で行われていますが、将来への選 択肢が増えていることも事実です。 xamination wars : At one time, it was said, 、 'if you study on four hours Of sleep, you pass the university entrance exam, on five hours, you fail," and that intensely pressured situation has been compared t0 war. However, as Japan's lifetime employment system is beginning tO collapse, one's academic background is no longer as important as in the past, and companies have emerged that are not asking about one's university in the interview for the company S entrance exam. 、 / ″たに〃 are still carried OLlt in an atmosphere Of fierce competition, but the fact is that the range Of choices for the future is broadening. よ び 備 校き 学校の勉強を補う民間の教育機関です。日本の学校は 一律の内容を一定の速度で教えるため、授業についてい けない生徒や、逆に高レベルの学校を目指す生徒は塾や 予備校での勉強が必要となります。全国的なチェーン展 開をしている大規模校も多く、通信衛星を使った授業を 行うなど一大産業分野を形成しています。塾や予備校は、 今や公教育を補うものとして不可欠な存在です。 ram schools / Preparatory schools : These are private educational institutions that supplement regular school study. Because Japanese schools teach uniform contents at a fixed rate, students whO are unable tO follow the lessons and, conversely, students aiming for high-level schools find it necessary to study at . た″ and ) 0 わ / た江 There are numerous large-scale schools that have developed nationwide chains and they are building up a large business sector that features lessons using communications satellites. J ″た″ and ) 0 わ / た行 have now become indispensable as supplements tO public education. ◆ 230 C

◆せム北 Performing Arts 0 長唄は三味線に合わせて歌う長編の歌い物で、江戸時代 ( 1603 ~ 1867 ) 中期に大きく発達しました。それまでの江戸 ( 今の東京 ) の文化はすべて京都や大阪の文化の模倣だった のですが、江戸生まれ・江戸育ちの奏者が独自の曲調を生 な z み出し、彼らが演奏することによって、初めて江戸独自と もいえる文化が誕生したのです。 もとは歌舞伎の舞踊曲として生まれた長唄ですが、その 発展過程で謡、狂言、民謡などの歌詞や節回しが取り入れ られたため、きわめて多様性に富んでいるという特徴があ ります。また、時には舞踊から独立し、三味線だけの伴奏 で物語風の長唄が演奏されることもあります。 ong epic songs : Nagauta, long pieces sung with s ん 4 川な e 〃 accompaniment, developed on a grand scale in the middle years 0f the Ed0 Peri0d ( 1603-1867 ). Up until that time, the culture 0f Ed0 (present-day T0kyo) was an imitation of the culture of Kyot0 and Osaka, but performers born and raised in Edo produced their own melodies and, through their concerts, a culture came into being that for the first time could be called uniquely Edo. Originally, 〃 ag 〃 were created as dance music for Kabuki, but an outstanding feature is that they are nch in diversity, given that in their process 0f development they adapted words and melody 0f Nö chant, Kyögen, and folk songs. ln addition, 〃 g リ ta on occasion have become independent Of dance and are performed as storytelling with only s ん am な e れ accompaniment. ◆ 6

日本の国土の 67 % は森林です。森林がこのように多い理 山には、ます降水量が多く、どこでも森林が生育する条件 が整っていることがあげられます。東京の 1 日当たり平均 降水量は 11 ミリ、雪国の新潟で 8 ミリですが、他の温帯に 属する諸国はその 2 分の 1 程度にしかすぎません。さらに、 山岳地帯が国土の 61 % を占めているのも森林地帯が多い理 由です。また氷河期に日本列島が氷河に覆われなかったた め、ヨーロッパやアメリカ大陸の温帯地域に比べて植物の 種類も豊富です。また植林を初めとする森林の管理も進ん でいます。このような条件の下で日本は木の文化を育んで きました。奈良の法隆寺は世界最古の木造建築物です。 orests : Sixty-seven percent of the land in Japan is sh ⅲ r / 〃 . The reason why there are so many shinrin is, first of all, that there is a 10t of precipitation that prepares the conditions for nurturing 、ⅲ r ⅲ . The average precipitation per day in Tokyo is 1 1 mm and in Niigata in the snow country it is eight mm, but it is no more than half that in the other temperate zone countries. The fact that mountainous regions comprise 61 % of the land is a further reason why 、ⅲ r ⅲ areas are plentiful. Besides, in the ice age the Japan Archipelago was not covered with glaciers, so it is rich in varieties Of plants by comparison with the temperate zones Of the European and American continents. ln addition, the management Of 、ゞ / 7 / 〃ド / 〃 , such as reforestation, is in progress. Under these kinds of conditions, Japan has nurtured its culture of wood. The HöryüJi, a temple in Nara, is the world's oldest wooden structure. Shinrin オ本一しんりん F 327 ◆

( 3 現代日本人の生活様式・ー , = 000m 」目 000 = → 0 当一 0 」一一 ◎ 65 歳以上の労働力率 * 50 Percentage Of persons 65 and 0 旧 e 「 whO work 0 「 40 wantto work - 日本 /Jagxn 30 匚こ ] アメリカ / し S.A 17.9 ・ 65 歳以上の労働力人口 9.7 + 65 歳以上人口 1 0 Pe ℃ entage Of persons aged 65 0 「 over whO work divided by 0 1970 75 80 85 97 1970 / 5 80 85 90 97 population 65 0 「 Ode 「 ( 年 / yea 「 ) 定 ある定められた年齢に達すれば、本人の意思にかかわら ずに退職しなければならないという制度で、退職金や年金 ん 年せ と一体になった日本的な雇用システムの 1 つです。しかし、 制 長引く不況の中で、企業の人員整理による中途退職者が増 の一 つ え、定年制の基盤も揺らぎ始めています。一方で、市場の い 変化に対応するため、即戦力となる中途採用者を求める企 業が増えてきました。そのため定年まで勤め上げて初めて 支給されていた退職金が、 98 年以降は全額を月割りで計算 し、入社時の給与から加算して支払われる仕組みを採る会 社も出てきました。いすれにしても、終身雇用を前提にし ない経営システムが、増え始めているのです。 he collapse Of the retirement system : This system requires a person, on reaching a certain age, tO retire from work, regardless 0f his desires. lt is a Japanese employment system combining retirement allowance with pension. However, in the long recesslon mid-career retirees have lncreased With corporate downsizing, and the foundation Of the retirement system has begun tO shake. Meanwhile, in order tO respond to market changes, companies are increasing that are seeking mid-career hires WhO will contribute tO specific battle strategies. On that account, the retirement allowance, paid initially upon working till retirement, has been figured since 1998 by allocating the whole amount per month and companies have emerged that are adopting a plan of paying the allowance by calculating from one's salary on entering the company. ln any case, the management system that no longer takes lifetime employment as a premise is growing more widespread. 女性 49.4 Female 男性 Male 367 444 4 1 0 39.2 37.0 26.8 15.3 155 15.5 149 154 7 3 8. 8 6 8. 267 ◆

◆ ことば Language 日 五 にイ 0 0 0 意見をはっきり言わない、という誤解につながるようです。 忌避されます。これが時に西洋人からは、日本人は自分の とを察してもらうことも期待できるため、断言する形式は 略する形式が発達しました。また相手に自分の言いたいこ えて発話しなくても理解できるので、発話のある部分を省 てきました。そのため成員同士が既知の事柄についてはあ 日本語は長期間、比較的安定した共同体の中で形成され 言語と言われています。 くその構造を異にするため、西洋から見れば習得は難しい がありません。英語やフランス語が属する印欧語族とは全 日本語は言語学的にどの語族に属するかについては定説 apanese :There is no established theory concerning the language family t0 which ル″〃 go linguistically belongs. lts structure is completely different from that of the Ind0-European languages, t0 which English and French belong, so as seen from the West it is a language difficult to acquire. 〃 10 〃 go was formed within a comparatively stable community over a long period of time. Thus, the Japanese, as members of the community, could have understood each other without uttering a word, on matters already well-known to them; so they developed the formality Of abbreviating certain parts of utterances. ln addition, because it is expected that the other person will realize what one wants tO say, strong assertions are avoided. On this point, Western people sometimes appear bound tO the misunderstanding that Japanese dO not clearly express their ommons.

古くは道教の祭事でしたが、同じ時期にある仏教の盂蘭 盆会や、 1 年を前半・後半に分ける日本人の考え方の影響 プ匸 を受けて、祖先を供養し、半年間の無事を祝う行事となり ました に供えたものを後で親戚などで分け合った習慣 0 さーー ち が、現在の儀礼的な贈答習慣へと変化したのです。従って、 ゆロ 現在の中元は、 7 月の初旬から 15 日にかけて、個人や会社 が世話になった人に送る進物のことを主に意味します。 ん idyear present : Long ago a TaOist ritual, chügen tOOk on the influence of the Buddhist Bo れ Festival, which was held around the same time, as well as the Japanese way of thinking in dividing the year intO tWO halves, and it became an event for honoring ancestors and celebrating the safety of the first half of the year. The custom of afterwards sharing with relatives and other people items that had been offered up to the spirits of the dead changed intO the current custom Of courteously exchanging gifts. Consequently, chügen t0day principally refers to gifts that individuals and businesses send from early in July t0 July 15th to people t0 whom they are indebted. 12 月の中旬に贈られる進物のことです。 1 年の半ばに贈 る中元に比べ、 1 年を通して世話になったことへのお礼と 暮 いう意味があるので、中元よりも多少高額なものが贈られ ます。 12 月に入るとデパートなどは進物を買う人々で混雑し 始めますが、その活気あるにぎわいは、近づきつつある新 年を実感させる年末の風物詩ともなっています。なお普通 は丁寧な意を表わす接頭語「お」をつけてお歳暮といいます。 ear-end present : This is a gift sent in the middle of December. Compared with the midyear chügen gift, this one signifies gratitude for kindnesses throughout the year, SO it costs somewhat more than c んな ge 〃 . Early in December department stores begin t0 get crowded with people buying gifts, and that hustle and bustle is part 0f the year-end atmosphere that gives a real sense of the approaching new year. Usually, people say 0 、 / わ 0 , adding the prefix 。、 0 ' ' tO express politeness. Seibo せいぽ 785 ◆

△ 生 o 0 カロ ね Z よ 0 ・つ 新年のあいさつのために出す書状で、その年の干支にあ たる動物の絵を添えることが多く、元旦に届くように送り ます。官製のお年玉付き年賀はがきは、抽選で賞品が当た るので人気があります。ビジネス上の年賀状は印刷した文 面で済ますことも多いのですが、個人の年賀状は工夫をこ らしたものも多く見られます。懐かしい友人から年賀状が 届くこともあり、書くのも受け取るのも楽しいものです。 ew Year's card : This is a card sent as a greeting for the new year. lt usually has a picture 0f an animal appropriately corresponding with that year' s sexagenary cycle ( 0 ) and is sent SO that it arrives on New Year's Day. Government post cards indicating a New Year's gift are popular, because a prize is awarded by lottery. MOSt business 〃〃 g 可わ come complete with the printed contents, while writing one's own 〃夜 lga. / わ can tax one's ingenuity. Ⅳ夜 lg 可行 alSO arrive from Old friends; it is a pleasure bOth tO write such cards and tO receive them. ー。暑芸 : 暑中見舞いは 7 月 15 日ごろから立秋の 8 月 8 日ごろまで に送る、あいさつのはがきです。立秋を過ぎて送る場合は、 み残暑見舞いといいます。日本の夏は高温多湿で体力を消耗 歩ま , しやすく、体調を崩すことが多いので、その時期に親しい 多串一人と安否を確かめあ。たことからできた習慣です。 現在ではビジネスの関係者などにも送る儀礼的なものに ュなっていますが、年賀状ほど盛んではありません。 ostcard asking after one's health ⅲ the summer : S 〃 OC ん床 mimai is a postcard sent tO greet someone from around July 15th until the setting in 0f fall around August 8th. If it is sent after that, it is called a postcard asking after one's health in the lingering summer. The Japanese summer with its high heat and humidity frequently saps the b0dy' s strength and destroys its tone, SO this is a custom that emerged from ascertaining the well-being Of close friends at such a time. Nowadays, it has become a courtesy tO send these cards even tO business acquaintances, but ◆ 786- they are not as common as New cards.

家 家紋は、家々によって定められた紋です。日本の家紋は 約 1 万 2 千種類あるといわれていますが、その多くには、 糸文 魔よけのはたらきを持つ、縁起のいい植物が用いられてい ます。たとえば天皇家の菊の紋は、菊が薬草で、魔よけに か なるとされたことから作られたものです。そのほかに文字 も当 や動物を図案化したものも多くあります。 ん 家紋の起源は平安時代 ( 794 ~ 1185 ) 前期、持ち主を区別 するために貴族の牛車に付けられた印でした。その後武士 にも普及し、戦争の際の旗印に用いられたのをはじめ、多 くのものに印されるようになりました。以後庶民にも普及 し、現在は日本中のほとんどの家が家紋を持っています。 amily crests ・ K の〃 0 〃 are crests fixed for each family. lt is said that there are about 12 000 kinds of 〃 10 〃 in J 叩 an, most Of which depict auspicious plants that possess talismanic power against evil. For example, the chrysanthemum crest Of the lmperial Family was created because the chrysanthemum is a medicinal plant and a talisman against evil. ln addition, there are many crests designed from wrltten Japanese characters or animals. K の〃 0 〃 originated in the early years of the Heian Peri0d ( 794 ー 1185 ) as emblems on the cow carriages of the nobility to distinguish among the owners. After that, they spread tO warriors and were used t0 mark many kinds of objects, beginning with flag emblems in time Of war. Later, they spread to the masses also; today virtually every family throughout Japan has a 〃 10 〃 . 2 ・日本の伝統文化 T 「 aditional cultu 「 e ( F 75-9 ◆