Definition of Culture
In order to adequately identify a culture, one should ask what it means to be a part of it. In this context, it is necessary to draw a distinctive line between the concepts of race and ethnicity since this is the foundation upon which certain groups of people are categorized. Race is the categorization of individuals into groups on the basis of physical and inherent traits.
In regard to traditions, history, language, and religion, ethnicity is the cultural artifact that affects the identity of individuals from various geographic locations. Simply put, race is related to physical traits, and ethnicity is related to societal affiliation. It is also possible to argue that while race is a matter of inheritance, ethnicity is a notion that people acquire.
Undeniably, there are numerous characteristic features that could describe Japanese people. If the matter had to be simplified and generalized, then personal feelings of affiliation, language, and ancestry seem like plausible indicators. When it comes to the question of culture, race should be out of the picture since it is not a matter of choice. Thus, ancestry should be disregarded due to its relation to biological inheritance.
Definition of Japanese Culture
Consequently, from this point on, Japanese culture is viewed as a synonym of Japanese ethnicity defined by specific cultural artifacts and a deliberate self-association with them. From the point of view of a person who is not a member, these artifacts should become the guiding milestones on their journey of cognition. I chose Japanese culture mainly because I find my personal journey greatly informative and entertaining. I am attracted to Japanese values of altruism, friendship, and genuine curiosity. Most of all, I particularly enjoy the ability of Japanese people to view Western ideas from different angles, which significantly broadens my worldview.
Fundamental Cultural Concepts of Japan
This week’s reading focused on cultural and intercultural psychology. Probably the most notable difference lies in the latter’s tendency to draw conclusions from comparing two distinct cultures, whereas the former solely focuses on a single culture (Shiraev & Levy, 2017). Another vital notion in the reading highlighted the importance of cultural norms and rules that developed within the chosen culture since its inception. According to Shiraev and Levy (2017), these sets have a major influence on both internal and external perceptions of people. By properly studying the causal effect of such norms, one can grasp the reasoning behind specific behavioral patterns, which, in turn, will make it easier to understand and interact with the culture.
In this context, an article on the fundamental cultural concepts of Japanese culture proved reasonably informative for me as the representative of the Western world. Namely, Arai Hannah has prepared a summary of Japanese collectivism and its contextual differences with the West. According to Arai (n.d.), while Western nations are more likely to be individualistic, East Asian countries are often linked with collectivism. Japan is seen as a collectivist country that places a high value on social harmony. Knowing not to talk excessively about oneself and not to convey too many personal thoughts while interacting with Japanese people is essential.
When confronted with extremely individualistic cultural values, the Japanese may find it difficult to empathize since they frequently sacrifice personal desires for the good of the community. Another notion is that Japan is not familiar with multiculturalism (Arai, n.d.). That is, Japanese people do not have to directly convey their intentions to avoid misunderstandings common in a multicultural discourse because Japan is a strictly monocultural country.
Critical Reflection
Reflecting back on the various cultural artifacts I have collected so far, I believe I am already capable of confidently establishing specific generalizations about Japanese culture. Firstly, according to Arai (n.d.), Japan is a monocultural country that values social harmony. When Japanese people communicate, they imply that their interlocutors have mindsets similar enough to achieve non-verbal understanding. In this context, Kim and Lee provide a deeper, scholarly insight into Japanese collectivism in their article, which aims to compare Anglo-American and Japanese tourists. I found their definitions particularly valuable, considering my individualistic nature.
Collectivism is a state of thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors associated with interpersonal care, which is portrayed in various areas. According to Kim and Lee (2020), they include “sharing of resources, susceptibility to social influence, self-presentation and facework, sharing of results, and a sense of involvement in other people’s lives” (p. 159). Notably, instead of being generated from personal characteristics, a person’s identity is derived from the social structure.
Moreover, due to social interactions being almost mandatory, privacy levels are significantly reduced. In this context, Japanese cultural collectivism is defined by three main notions: “interdependence, mutual reliance, and respect for person-to-person relationships without consideration of costs and benefits” (Kim & Lee, 2020, p. 159). Such genuine selflessness, common among Japanese people, is a vital point of consideration from the perspective of intercultural psychology.
The artifact, which was written by Victoria Midgalski, provided me with a great source for psychological research. Particularly, Midgalski shared how watching animated Japanese movies allowed her to discover previously hidden aspects of her identity (Midgalski, 2021). Based on this artifact, I realized how strong a cultural medium can be when it comes to communicating values and worldviews. This is aligned with the musical artifact I have located on the topic of similar general mechanisms of perception.
Namely, the song by Namewee (2017) showcases how Japanese people tend to adapt English words in their speech. In this context, I also learned about the peculiarities of the Japanese accent caused by the use of syllables compared to single letters in English. The final artifact was located on the topic of quantitative studies in psychology. Sakamoto et al. (2021) researched suicide rates in Japan, which are, surprisingly, one of the highest in the world. These five artifacts greatly increased my level of knowledge of Japanese culture and boosted my confidence in my desire to be a part of it.
Overall, my interest in this culture is supported by its various positive sides, such as respect for others and selflessness. Sadly, these qualities are not frequent in Western societies and often serve as exceptions rather than commonalities. In the meantime, I am aware of the negative sides of Japanese culture, such as xenophobia.
Regardless of how hard I try, I will never become the “true” Japanese, and seeing how much value these people put in one’s race can definitely be problematic. Nonetheless, I do value the ability to change my perspective and broaden my worldview, which is the greatest asset this culture provides. It is also the reason why I wish to learn more about the Japanese way of thinking.
References
Arai, H. (n.d.). Two fundamental cultural concepts you should understand before entering the Japanese market. Shinka Management. Web.
Kim, C., & Lee, S. (2020). Understanding the cultural differences in tourist motivation between Anglo-American and Japanese tourists. In K. S. Chon (Ed.), Japanese tourists: Socio- economic, marketing and psychological analysis (pp. 153-170). Routledge.
Midgaski, V. (2021). How anime helped discover my Japanese identity [Video]. TED. Web.
Namewee. (2017). 黃明志東京奧運洗腦歌【東京盆踊りTokyo Bon 2020】Ft. 二宮芽生 & Cool Japan TV @亞洲通吃 2018 All Eat Asia [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Sakamoto, H., Ishikane, M., Ghaznavi, C., & Ueda, P. (2021). Assessment of suicide in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic vs previous years. JAMA network open, 4(2). Web.
Shiraev, E. B., & Levy, D. A. (2017). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary applications (6th ed.). Routledge.