Japanese Uniforms

In this brief article, the author notes variety and transformation of school uniforms in the Japanese culture.  Read and respond.  Did anything surprise you?

http://aramatheydidnt.livejournal.com/3780762.html

Chinese Civil Service Exam

In this family's personal website, someone details the various levels of the Chinese civil service exam.  In addition, the facts about passing rates and dates of examination are listed.

Read and respond.  Did anything surprise you?

http://www.kwanfamily.info/culture/exam.php

Cormorant Fishing

In Dave Barry's article, he details the experience of cormorant fishing.  In the following video, you will see nighttime cormorant fishing and hear traditional Japanese drumming.  After watching the video, how accurate do you think his descriptions are?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEMr1l2qtQ8

Apologies and Bows

In this BBC article on etiquette, the author explains the Japanese etiquette on bowing.  Recent examples such as Obama's visit to Japan and Toyota chair's public apology are also included.  Read and respond.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8508531.stm

Learning the Japanese Language

This person's blog/website amused me.  The author argues why Japanese is not difficult to learn.  Read and respond.  How effective do you think the argument is?

As a sidenote, the author does a nice job mentioning kanji.  However, there are several sets of alphabets that use kanji including one for foreign/"loan" words.  Several thousand kanji are required for a level of fluency.

http://www.tofugu.com/2012/02/22/why-people-say-japanese-is-hard-to-learn-and-why-theyre-wrong/

Sumo Wrestling

The first link gives a brief overview of sumo wrestling.  Halfway down the article is a description of the ritual opening the ceremony.  The second link provides footage of that ritual.

Read/watch and respond.

http://www.tooter4kids.com/Japan/sumo_wrestling.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqT-LvS4nOs

Japan's Recycling

In this article, the author compares Japan's recycling process to America's.  Even if you skim it and be sure to check out the graphs and supporting details, you may find easy connections to the fictional short story you read.  Are these graphs helpful in making his point?  What, if any, facts surprised you?

Read and respond.
http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/rs/2007/Recycling.pdf

Additional Textbook Controversy

In this article from 2007, the journalists reports a new event that will be censored in Japanese textbooks.    In what ways is this similar to and different from the censoring you read about in the Japanese packet?

Read and respond.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/world/asia/01japan.html?_r=0

Miyamoto Musashi

I copied this from a website explaining why Musashi is, to politely rephrase it, a "bad boy."

Do these facts support or contradict what you read in the Japan selections?  Would including them have empowered the article or weakened it?

"Third Technique

The sword is held in the lower position; as the opponent strikes, you strike at his hands from below.  As you strike at his hands, the opponent strikes again; as he tries to knock your sword down, bring it up in rhythm, then chop off his arms sideways after he has struck.  The point is to strike an opponent down all at once from the lower position just as he strikes.  The guard with the sword in the lower position is something that is met with both early on and later on in the course of carrying out this science; is should be practiced with sword in hand.

Stabbing the Face

When you are even with an opponent, it is essential to keep thinking of stabbing him in the face with the tip of your sword in the intervals between the opponent's sword blows and your own sword blows.  When you have the intention of stabbing your opponent in the face, he will try to get both his face and body out of the way.  In the midst of battle, as soon as an opponent tries to get out of the way, you have already won.  Therefore it is imperative not to forget the technique of "stabbing the face".  This should be cultivated in the course of practicing martial arts."

Read and respond.

Rape of Nanking

Irish Chang took a lot of criticism for Rape of Nanking.  These videos support many of the stories she detailed in her book.  (Beware - these are black and white, but intensely graphic!)  Which of the two is more compelling to you?  Which is more powerful in this instance - written word or image?

Watch and respond.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwxbmXnHtjs

That one was taken down.  This one is currently running.  I couldn't make it through all 7 minutes.  Beware.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVwErfx1bpo

Hiroshima

The following link displays the UNESCO site at Hiroshima and the story behind it.  Read and respond.

http://www.hiroshima-navi.or.jp/en/sightseeing/worldheritage/21923.php