Formative task 2 (Japan) power point Kenneth/6C

Foods and drinks  A bowl of rice ( gohan ), a bowl of miso soup ( miso shiru ), pickled vegetables ( tsukemono ) and fish or meat are mostly consisted in Japanese meal. While rice is the staple food, several kinds of noodles ( udon, soba and ramen ) are cheap and very popular for light meals. Japanese also famous of their seafood since Japan is an island nation. And for the drinks, Sake and Green tea are very popular among the Japanese people.

Languages  Japan has a writing system which consists of Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana. The language has some grammatical system too. The pronunciation has less sound then the other languages.  Also the Japanese people were start writing from the top right-hand corner of the page and write downwards. They read from right to left

Schools  Education system in Japan is very important, eventually Japanese students must study hard and get good marks, if they do not, they may not get a good job. Also Japanese students must clean their classroom during lunch break, eventually older students come back to school at night for extra study.  The school in Japan is start on 8:30am to 4:30p.m in the afternoon, there is even school on Saturdays. If Japanese children are sick, their parents may come to school for them. They take notes in class to make sure their child will not fall behind.

Relationships  In the old times men and woman were having the same rights and It consistently changes where the woman has placed further away from the man in term of rights. Nowadays the rights of woman are equal with the rights of men.

Status  Japan is the second-lowest gap country between rich and poor people.  Japan is also analyzed of rich or poor in Japan, Now on it is getting richer

Rules  Correct manners are very important among the Japanese. Also as a foreigner in Japan you should be familiar with at least the most basic rules.  Rules are very important, because in Japan eventually some schools in Japan is setting up the rules, even the other countries too.

Transportation  Japan has an efficient public transportation network, especially within metropolitan areas and between the large cities. Japanese public transportation is characterized by its punctuality, its superb service, and the large crowds of people using it.  Not only cars which is invented in Japan, also other vehicles in Japan too, eventually there is Shinkansen as well.

Praising/ criticizing /apologizing  Praising someone in Japan is mostly common, but someone who is being praised usually being humble for replying the praising.  Even not only praising, also some people were apologizing to others when they make any mistakes.

celebration  Japanese festivals are traditional festive occasions. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs. Eventually some festivals such as Hinamatsuri, Hanami and Hanabi.festivalsChinese festivals

Tradition  The cherry blossom (sakura) is Japan's unofficial national flower. It has been celebrated for many centuries and holds a very prominent position in Japanese culture. There are many dozens of different cherry tree varieties in Japan, most of which bloom for just a couple of days in spring. The Japanese celebrate that time of the year with hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties under the blooming trees.flowervarieties 

Rituals  The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called chanoyu ( 茶の湯 ? ) or sadō, chadō ( 茶道 ? ). The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called otemae ( お手前 ; お点前 ? ). Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development of the tea ceremony. Much less commonly, it uses leaf tea, primarily sencha; see sencha tea ceremony, below.Japanese culturalmatchateaJapanese ? Zen Buddhismtea ceremonysenchasencha tea ceremony  Tea gatherings are classified as chakai ( 茶会 ? ) or chaji ( 茶事 ? ). A chakai is a relatively simple course of hospitality that includes confections, thin tea ( 薄茶 usucha ? ), and perhaps a light meal. A chaji is a much more formal gathering, usually including a full-coursekaiseki meal followed by confections, thick tea ( 濃茶 koicha ? ), and thin tea. A chaji can last up to four hours. ? kaiseki ?

THE DO’s  Expect to be surprised! Japan is many things simultaneously: jam packed, non- stop mega-cities give way to mountain vistas, rural serenity, ancient temples and generations of fascinating history, culture and tradition.  - Always remove your footwear when entering a house, inn, restaurant or office. In general, if a building has a genkan (sunken foyer), you must exchange your shoes for house slippers before stepping up into the building. You’ll know this is expected when you notice perfect rows of footwear by the door, or your host ushers you anxiously toward a pair of unfashionable plastic flats.

The do part 2  Bow politely when you meet someone, thank them, or say goodbye. The art of ojigi (bowing) is a complex custom non-Japanese aren’t expected to understand. As a general rule, men should place your hands by your hips as you tilt your upper body slowly forward to not more than 45 degrees. Your back should remain perfectly straight. Women should place your hands in the fig leaf posture (hands folded, covering your privates, as in the “Statue of David”), as you bow. One bow is sufficient. For Japanese, the depth, duration and number of bows offered is a complex equation depending on who’s who – but as a visitor, your humble attempt will be appreciated.

The don’ts  - Blow your nose in public. It’s considered more polite (and hygienic) to sniff! Preferable still is to wear a surgical mask, which you’ll be able to find just about everywhere.  - Be loud and obnoxious in public, even after a night on the sake. The Japanese are a respectful people and whilst they like to drink and have fun, they don’t like making other people uncomfortable. The same logic applies to talking loudly or on the phone, when riding the train or subway.

The don’ts part 2  - Spear food with chopsticks or leave your chopsticks standing in a bowl of rice: this is the way a bowl of rice is presented as an offering to someone who has died. Both actions are considered offensive.  - Be afraid to slurp when eating noodles! It’s almost impossible to enjoy a bowl of ramen without making any noise. Slurping shows the chef you’re appreciating the food.  - Eat or drink while you walk or are in transit. Nobody is really sure why this is so, but the Japanese just don’t do it.

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