I thought I’d do a three or four part series on Japanese culture (or bunka 文化） based on my observations thus far.

I want to start with materialism because it’s so noticeable here. From the minute you step off the plane, you’re immersed in a sea of advertising, marketing, fashion trend magazines, as well as the people who follow it religiously. Materialism or “Shoppingu” is considered a hobby, a past time, and sometimes a necessity. I don’t even want to guess at what percentage of these students part time job goes to shopping for the latest fad. Whether it’s skin tight jeans with cowboy boots, or a short mini-skirt with Eskimo boots (while it’s snowing), or the common skirt and jeans combo these “children of fashion” do what it takes, no matter the weather, to be fashionable or be seen by others.

Is it wrong? Well… Yes and No. Perhaps I should break it down into why, I think, it might be good and why it might be bad.

The Good:

The reason materialism could be seen as good (perhaps necessary) is really plain economics. Hokkaido economics isn’t really “booming,” according to some residents, Hokkaido’s economy has been sliding down. Perhaps the reason is because Hokkaido’s number one industry is Tourism (Skiing) and Agriculture. However, if people from the rest of Japan (or the world) can’t afford travel or have an excess of foodstuffs then Hokkaido’s economy suffers. Therefore Hokkaido’s economy is constantly in a state of fluxuation. The only industry that remains constant is textiles or sales. So back to why consumerism/materialism is good: It helps Hokkaido and the rest of Japan by providing a stable industry amongst all the other less stable ones.

The Bad:

It’s everywhere and very distracting. Just today I was at the JR Sapporo Station drinking a cup of Starbucks coffee and looking at all the shops all around. From Gucci to Armani, and from Gap to Uniclo shopping is all around. If it were contained to the JR Station then I might not complain, but it’s more then that. It’s a religion that is obeyed by even the youngest of children to the eldest of elders. In one hour I witnessed a 3-4 year old child wearing a new down coat, designer pants, etc. Perhaps I’m wrong that it is in the center of everything, but this is all based on my observations only. In America, at the center is a symbol of some sort. For example, the flag or Jesus or something that touches every American deep inside. Here it’s the fashion and recently the constant use of the word: “X-Mas.” If I was a complete stranger to Japan and “Christmas” then I would think the 24^th was X-Mas eve and the 25^th was X-Mas. If the center of X-Mas isn’t Santa-sama and Presents then it’s “Kurisamasu Kēki” (Christmas cake) and KFC, not the advent, or Christ, or anything that Americans have grown-up with. It’s goods and services, and reds and whites, Santa designed plush dolls, and jingle bell rock type songs. It’s a materialistic Christmas that’s celebrated for it’s hallmark nature.

All of this materialism is mostly based on culture and upbringing from (most likely) after the economic boom of the 90’s. Therefore, all out advertising on billboards, phones, bookbags, school walls, vending machines, bathroom walls, buses, taxis, etc. isn’t “weird” or out of place due to the current generation’s upbringing. I expect to see a day in the near future when the United States follows suits with the whole “Christless Christmas” or X-mas idea. Religion isn’t professed or imposed here. Somehow I see this trend as something to be asorbed as globalism. Only this time it would be from Japan to the West, and not vice-versa.

~J out

Oh stay tuned for a movie I made today at Sapporo Eki called “isogashii” (busy in Japanese).

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