My apologies for this post sounding like it’s unstructured… Today I’m just writing from my current stream of consciousness in an attempt to gather some of my thoughts.

Tonight I dug through my piles of literature to reach for Bruce Feiler’s book on “Learning to Bow- Inside the Heart of Japan.” I had started this book very early in the year and finished it in just about a month. At the time I was waiting for the JET interviews to commence– completely unsure if this was going to work out for me. Reading his book somehow gave me a peaceful calmness about jitters I have about ‘going back’ to Japan or working in such a structured environment.

Towards the end of his introduction on page 13, Mr. Feiler has an interesting quote about Japan’s “obligation to children

The primary goal of Japanese schools remains essentially unchanged: to promote good citizens, those who are committed to thinking beyond themselves and to advancing the needs of the country… To understand Japan – it’s work ethic and its strong identity – one must understand these lessons as they are taught in schools… Most of these (Jr. High) students will enter the system and become, in time, other well-qualified cogs, “Made in Japan.”

This reminded me oddly of an article of a western man, freelance journalist and longtime Japan resident Thomas Dillon, who has lived in Japan for 33 years. In an article about his “wisdom about living in Japan” was a point about his “assimilation” to cultural Japan

From the article:

The young people who come to Japan now have stronger language skills and greater knowledge of the country, says Dillon. “But,” he added, “it’s a different ball game if you want to become ‘culturally attuned.’ “

“That’s something you have to develop. Those of us who have been here for a long time learn to stay in step. Harmony is very important, we’re not ones to shake the boat.” … “If you are part of a group there are certain things you have to fulfill, and if you don’t you’re causing disharmony.”

“But being outside the group,” he says, “can be very lonely, especially for veteran Japan residents like himself. I’m close to those who have not only been in the same situations, but done things around the same time. There are very few of those left here now.”

I found this perspective interesting from the point of view of being so American, but perhaps yearning for something a bit different. Perhaps also wrestling with whether Japanese Assimilation is a positive or a negative.

I get the sense, from the book and from the article, that Japonica Cultura Assimilatus isn’t something you choose, but is obligated upon you to accept for fear of disturbing harmony.

Again I apologize for just gathering my thoughts together out loud..

~J out

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