I have been studying in Fukuoka for over two months now, on the ‘Japan in Today’s World’ course at Kyushu University. I jumped at the chance to spend a year here because Japanese culture and traditions are truly unique and in many cases can only be experienced in Japan. So far, I have had the pleasure of watching sumo, and taking part in rice-harvesting and a tea ceremony. This month I will go to kabuki and the Hakata Odori. Despite being undeniably proud of their distinctive customs, most Japanese people I’ve met haven’t experienced these traditions for themselves. It’s a shame and a travesty that they don’t appreciate how lucky they are to have such inimitable traditions right on their doorstep. By sharing my experiences I hope to encourage Japanese people to take part in these at least once in their lifetime.
When most foreigners think of Japan, they think of big, modern cities like Tokyo, of fancy toilets and technology. But the appeal of the other Japan – ‘old’ Japan, of geisha, samurai and sumo – should not be forgotten. Although there are no longer any real samurai, the chance to see geisha in Kyoto or a sumo match is irresistible precisely since they are exclusive to Japan. I, for one, hugely enjoyed going to watch sumo, and was happy to see that the stadium was full. There were many foreigners present, showing the cultural cache that many locals fail to appreciate. Sumo is a special sport, and I think a foreign perspective can help Japanese people to recognize this and many other traditions that are no longer part of daily life. Perhaps if Japanese people knew how much foreigners pay to watch a match, they would realize how lucky they are that they don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on travel to Japan for the experience, and would seize the chance to go.
Japan has many festivals (matsuri) unique to different regions. Last month, I experienced the Karatsu Kunchi Yoiyama in Saga Prefecture, and was captivated by the 6m floats, hauled around the streets by man power alone. The atmosphere was electric – thousands of people turned up to see the annual event, enjoying the music, parade and street stalls. This was a mostly local matsuri, and the main attendees appeared to be from surrounding towns in the prefecture. Many of the spectators were relatives of those involved, calling out to those they knew as they passed by. Matsuri are still important events on the annual calendar of individual towns, but other traditional aspects of Japan – such as sumo, kabuki and tea ceremony, seem not to be part of modern Japanese life. This is, of course, understandable – it is can be costly to attend such events, especially when travel and accommodation are taken into account for those who don’t live nearby. But this is not really any excuse when the cheapest sumo and kabuki tickets can be bought for the same price, or cheaper, than a night out downtown (¥3,000). Even if it’s not an everyday occurrence, I believe that every Japanese person should see and experience such things at least once in a lifetime. You may think it’s not to your taste, but how will you know until you have tried it?
Japan has undergone a dramatic change in recent years, from the Meiji era to today, but especially since World War II. Young people today are lucky to have benefits of technology that didn’t exist when their grandparents were growing up, but this may lead to less appreciation of the ‘old ways’. Whilst a return to traditions like rice-harvesting by hand would be impractical,there are still aspects of ‘old’ Japan which should be experienced at least once in a lifetime. Therefore, I would encourage all Japanese and visitors to Japan, whether old or young, to go watch a sumo match, or be part of a local matsuri. Take a leaf out of a foreigners’ book – don’t put it off because you can, watch it or do it now because you can. Japanese people could become detached from their own culture if kabuki, sumo and the like are not promoted to and attended by locals. So, I recommend to all Japanese readers: why not become a tourist in your own country? Dodesho?
by Jenny Cook, UK, Student
Originally published in Fukuoka Now Magazine (fn181, Jan. 2014)