QUARTER 1- WEEK 2

Lesson 2: Japanese Society, Culture and Greetings

Japanese Food
Objective: To provide overview of Japan and to teach the
importance of proper greetings.

Traditional Japanese Clothing

Japanese Food

Yukata ゆかた Kimono きもの Geta げた

Japanese Sports
Japanese Art

Origami おりがみ Calligraphy しょどう

￥
Judō じゅうどう Kendō けんどう Sumō すもう
Ikebana いけばな

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 Cookie means ‘I love you’; candies mean ‘I like you’;
Japanese Festivals & Celebrations white chocolate means ‘ let’s be friend’

There are endless number of festivals in Japan. Almost every shrine

or district in Japan has its own festival or celebration. Festivals are
seasonal, annually and held over a few days.
Have a rule called ‘sanabai ー gaishiin’, the male
needed to return the Valentine's Day gift that they
1. Coming of Age Day(せいじんのひ) - seijinnohi, also known received from the girl three times the cost.
as “Coming of Age Day”, is a national holiday celebrated 5. Hina-matsuri- is the Dolls Festival, but also known as ‘Girls
annually in January on the second Monday. It was first Day’.It was said to have originated in Ancient China, where
established in 1948 and originally celebrated on January 05 people gathered at the river once a year to float a straw doll, it
until the year 2000. The event is held to celebrate those who was said to wash away all illnesses and bad luck. The festival
will be or have turned 20 years old, the “age of majority”. In was established in Japan as a girls festival during the Edo*
Japan, it is considered to be the start of adulthood and is the period (1603- 1867).
minimum legal age to drink alcohol, smoke and vote. 6. Children’s day -is public holiday and that day is made for
younger boy. The date is May 5 and it is called “golden week.”
2. Setsubon- The Bean-throwing festival is held the day before
the beginning of Spring .It is associated with the Lunar New 7. Obon- is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's
Year, and is the equivalent of new year’s celebrations. The ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the
ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their
Bean-Throwing ritual is called 豆 撒 き (mamemaki – this relatives. Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to
literally translates to “been throwing”), and is performed to guide the ancestors' spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are
cleanse evil spirits and bad luck from the previous year, and to performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at
promote good health for the following year. house altars and temples. At the end of Obon, floating lanterns
are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits
3. Valentines Day- February 14th (Annually).In Japan it’s back into their world. The customs followed vary strongly from
women that give presents to the men (Usually chocolates ☺) region to region. Obon is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th
day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the
solar calendar. However, since the 7th month of the year
roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the
aishite imasu 愛しています (I love you) formerly used lunar calendar, Obon is still celebrated in mid
August in many regions of Japan, while it is celebrated in mid
Giri-choko 義 理 チ ョ コ (Obligation chocolate) is July in other regions. The Obon week in mid August is one of
presented to un-loved males. Japan's three major holiday seasons, accompanied by
Honmei-choco 本命チョコ (A true love chocolate) intensive domestic and international travel activities and
increased accommodation rates.
4. White Day (ホワイトデー)- Started in 1978
8. The Emperor's Birthday ( 天 皇 誕 生 日 .Tennō tanjōbi) is an
Celebrate on March 14
annual national holiday in the Japanese calendar celebrating
Created by the Japanese chocolate industry the birthday of the reigning Emperor, which is currently 23
Male repay female gifts to their lover, friend or family.
February as Emperor Naruhito was born on that day in 1960,
The chocolate made by white sugar
enforced by a specific law, "The Law for Special Exception of
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 the Imperial House Law concerning Abdication, etc. of around a week every year in Hokkaido. This is one of the
Emperor" of 2017. country's most popular winter events and is celebrated
with 400 snow and ice sculptures that are erected by
9. Gion Matsuri- July 17 and 24, 2021—Kyoto competing teams all around the city.
This is probably the most famous festival to take place in
Japan and is one of the country's largest celebrations. Gion 14. Kanda Matsuri - Mid-May, 2021—Tokyo- is one of Tokyo's
Matsuri, or the Gion Festival, is a celebration that began as a three biggest festivals and only happens once every two years.
way to appease the gods that cause natural disasters. Today, The next Kanda Matsuri will fall in May in 2021. The
it is an incredible event that showcases the beauty of Kyoto's celebration of this festival lasts for an entire week and consists
ancient culture including great street food and parades filled of large parades of over 300 people that make their way
with floats that are several stories tall carrying through downtown Tokyo.Kanda Matsuri began as a Shinto
costumed performers. celebration during the Edo Period, and today small Shinto
shrines, known as mikoshi, are still paraded through the
10. Hanami Cherry Blossom FestivalHaMarch to April, 2021— streets during the celebrations. The parades also include
Hanami is also known as the Cherry Blossom Festival and is priests riding horses, dancers, and musicians.
one of the most famous and beautiful times to visit Japan.
During the months of March and April, the cherry blossoms 15. Nagasaki Lantern Festival- January 1 to January 15,
begin to first bloom in the south around Osaka and then slowly 2021—This celebration in Nagasaki was started by Chinese
spread northwards until they reach Sapporo at the end of April. immigrants who lit bright lanterns to celebrate Chinese Page 9New
Year. Since 1994, the festival has been celebrated by all of
11. Shogatsu- January 1, 2021- Shogatsu, or Oshogatsu, is the Nagasaki by lighting around 15,000 lanterns from small paper
Page 9
celebration of the New Year and is the most important holiday lanterns to large zodiac animals that can be around 8 meters
in Japan. This holiday is heavily focused on tradition and tall. The main events of this celebration include a procession of
family and is widely respected because the transition into the Chinese ships entering Nagasaki port, the emperor's parade,
new year is a very important time in Japanese culture. During dragon dances, lion dances, Chinese acrobats, and the
the festival, many people throw bonenkai parties or "year performance of traditional Chinese music.
forgetting parties" which are meant to help everyone leave the
troubles of the previous year behind. Japanese Customs and Manners
12. Tanabata Matsuri-August 6 to 8, 2021—also known as the Bowing
Star Festival, has been celebrated for around 2000 years and
is based on an ancient Chinese love story. In the story, a
celestial princess and cow herder fell in love but the two were
then separated by the Sky King. Eventually, the Sky King
relented and the two lovers were allowed to see each other
one day a year.During this holiday, the most popular thing to
do is to write a wish on a piece of paper and then hang it on a
special bamboo tree in the hopes that it will be granted. This
holiday is celebrated throughout July and August all across
Japan. Different regions celebrate at different times, however,
some of the biggest celebrations take place in early August.
In Japan, people greet by bowing to one another. A bow can range
13. Sapporo Snow Festival - February 4 to 11, 2021—Sapporo from a small nod of the head to a deep bend at the waist. A deeper,
Snow Festival is locally known as Yuki Matsuri and is held for longer bow indicates sincere respect while a small nod is more casual
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and informal. Additionally, bowing with your palms together at chest sip soup out of the bowl and eat the solid food with chopsticks. It is
level is not customary in Japan. If the greeting takes place on tatami usual in Japan to make some slurping noises while eating noodles,
floor (a type of mat), people get on their knees to bow. Bowing is not such as ramen and soba. It is believed to taste better when making
only used to greet, but also to thank, apologize, make a request, or slurping noises.
ask someone a favor. Most Japanese do not expect foreigners to
know the proper bowing etiquette. A combination of a bow and Shoes
shaking hands is usually expected from foreigners. Shoes are never worn in someone's home or on Japanese tatami
flooring (mats). It is expected to take off your shoes in a restaurant,
Gift giving hotel, hot spring resort etc. There will always be a place to put your
shoes. In addition, you will be given slippers to wear. There are often
Gift giving is a conventional part of Japanese culture. Different types different slippers for the bathroom. You should never wear the normal
of gifts are given on depending on the occasion. How the present is slippers into the bathroom (if bathroom slippers are provided) and vice
wrapped is essential. If not nicely packed, the present should at least versa.
given in a bag, preferably in a bag by the shop the gift was purchased
at. Gifts in sets of four are usually avoided because it is considered an Miscellaneous tips
unlucky number in Japanese superstition. To clarify, the Japanese The Japanese don't have loud public conversations on their mobile
word for “four” is pronounced the same as the word "death”. When phones. People never speak on the phone in the train or in a shop.
handing over a present, both the gift giver and recipient use both Most people refrain from speaking on the phone in the train or in a
hands. shop, and keep their phone on vibrate.
When going out for drinks, it's considered rude to drink before cheers
(kampai!).
Table Manners The most important table etiquette in Japan is Since Japan isn't an English speaking country, speak slowly and be
saying customary phrases before and after a patient when speaking English. It is recommended to learning a few
meal. It is traditional for Japanese people to say basic words of Japanese.It is strictly stand left pass right on Tokyo
"itadaki-masu" (meaning “I humbly receive” or escalators. Due to the Japanese tradition of having two opposite
“let’s eat”) before a meal and "gochisou-sama" standards for everything, Osaka is stand right pass left.
after a meal.These phrases not only mean
thanks for the food, but also indicate the Name
beginning and the ending of a meal. If you are
How do you use "-san," "-kun" and "-chan" for Japanese people’s
eating with Japanese people, try to say these
names?The suffix "-san " is a title of respect added to a name. It can
phrases as it is impolite if you don’t.
be used with both male and female names, as well as with either
surnames or given names. It can also be attached to the name of
One of the titles and occupations.
fundamental chopsticks etiquettes is not to directly pass food from
your chopsticks to somebody else's chopsticks or vice versa. It's also "-kun" is used to address men who are younger or the same age as
important not to vertically stick chopstick into food, especially into a the speaker. Usually in schools or companies, a male might address
bowl of rice. Additionally, it is not polite to wave your chopsticks above female inferiors by "-kun”. It can also be attached to both surnames
food dishes or to use your chopsticks to point at somebody. Two and given names. It is less polite than "-san" and isn’t used between
people should never pick up the same food with their chopsticks (i.e. if women or when addressing one's superiors.
someone is struggling to pick something up you can't help them). This
reminds the Japanese of a funeral ritual in Japan, it’s utterly morbid. It "-chan" is often attached to children's names when calling them by
is mannerly to lift small bowls of rice or soup when you eat to prevent their given names. It can also be used regarding kinship terms in a
dropping food. If you do not receive a soup spoon, it is acceptable to childish language.

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 Religion in Japan 1._________________________________

Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. Shinto is as 2._________________________________
old as the Japanese culture, while Buddhism was imported from the
mainland in the 6th century. Since then, the two religions have been
4. Give at least 2 examples of Japanese art .(2 pts.)
co-existing relatively harmoniously and have even complemented
each other to a certain degree. Most Japanese consider themselves
Buddhist, Shintoist or both. 1._______________________________

Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese 2._______________________________
people today. The average person typically follows the religious rituals
at ceremonies like birth, weddings and funerals, may visit
a shrine or temple on New Year and participates at local festivals 5. What is “Coming of age day” in Japanese?
(matsuri), most of which have a religious background.
__________________________________

6. When is Emperor Naruhito’s birthday?

__________________________________

7. In Japan, people greet by? ____________

namae
Name(名 前 )：___________________ Section: ____________ 8. In what age the Japanese is allowed to vote, drink alcohol and

I. Answer the following. Write your answers in the yellow pad. smoke?___________________________

1. Give at least 2 examples of Traditional Japanese clothing. 9. What do Japanese say before eating?

(2pts.)1._____________ 2._____________ __________________________________

2. Give at least 2 examples of Japanese sport.(2pts.) 10. What are the two (2) major religions in Japan? (2 pts.)

1._________________________________ 1._________________________________

2._________________________________ 2._________________________________

3. Give at least 2 examples of Japanese food .(2 pts.)

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