Blog #12

1.When they are asked about their religion, most Japanese answer they are Shinto and Buddhist. Why do they belong to two religions at the same time?  Why don’t they think it’s contradictory?  Cite more than 2 times from the textbook and explain why you think so.

They don't believe it is contradictory because Shinto and Buddhist believes are not mutually exclusive like they are in western religions. "Of importance for Japan is the fact that Shinto contains no absolute sense of values, such as the "words and rules of God" in the Judeo-Christian tradition." (P 128). This allows the traditional Shinto religion of Japan to welcome and embrace other religions such as Buddhism. However it isn't always so easy. When Buddhism first came to Japan it conflicted with the emperor system. "In the sixth century, the Japanese encountered a more sophisticated religion, Buddhism. With time, however, people noticed that if they believed in Buddhism, the emperor system would be denied."(P 128). This was eventually overcome by Prince Shotoku managed to find a way for all the systems to coexist he stated that, "Shinto is the trunk, Buddhism is the branches, and Confucianism is the leaves" (P 128).

2.What is iitokodori? Cite once from the textbooks and explain what it is. Choose the scene from this film in order to explain the negative effects of iitokodori. 

Itoki-Dori is the ability of the Japanese to adopt and improve on foreign culture. A good example given in the text was the example of the Tomioka Factory. "In 1868 Japan adopted a new spinning technique from France, and in 1873, a model factory in Tomioka was built. everything was imported, not only the design and the machines but also the bricks for the buildings, desks, chairs, and so on. In addition, French technicians were employed, and the Japanese workers copied them." (P 129).
3.Daigo was a cellist, but his orchestra was dissolved, and he takes a job as “Nokanshi.”  What kind of job is “Nokanshi”?  From the film, what is the general perception of this job? How does Daigo feel about his job? Describe the transition of Daigo’s wife perception toward his job.

Nokanshi means casket-er in English. This casket-er will prepare the body in a ceremony that will help the spirit move on to the next life. From the film it seams as though the job is frowned upon and not considered a proper job. Daigo is apprehensive at first but finds an appreciation for the work and has respect for his boss who helped him learn the trade. Daigo's wife is grossed out and humiliated at first and leaves but latter returns and sees Daigo preform the ceremony for the bath house lady and his own father and comes to respect his new profession. 
4.Japanese funerals have many rituals and customs.  In your opinion, what is the biggest difference between the Japanese funerals you saw in the film and the kind of funerals you have been to?

The biggest difference is the way the body is cared for. In an American funeral no one touches the body during the viewing, we come up to the casket to pay our respects and give our last good by's. Their is nothing quite as elaborate as the ceremony performed in the movie in American funerals.
5.Movie---What does the stone that Daigo has mean?

It probably means that his father loved him very much.6.Movie--- Was Daigo able to meet his father? What kinds of situation was it?

Yes but his father had already passed on and it was the first time Daigo had seen him in over 30 years. 7.What other Japanese key concepts do you see in this film? Explain what and why you think so.

Another key concept i saw in the movie was the idea of the Do spirit. When Daigo first started his job at the Casket-er company he witnessed his boss performing the cleansing ceremony. As he preformed the ceremony you could see that all the movements he made were meticulous and well practiced much like a martial art or flower arrangement skill. Much like an apprentice martial artist learns from a master Daigo had to learn casket-ing from his boss. Daigo literally learned the way of Casketing. 


8.What did you learn about the Japanese culture through the film?  What do you think about the movie 
overall?

I learned that the Japanese can accept may religions and roll modern western and eastern traditions in with their own ceremony's. overall i liked the film, it was a nice look at how the Japanese treat their dead and the respect they have for them. 

Blog#11

Nemawashi-  Nemawashi refers to a type of groundwork done before a business decision can be agreed upon. "Nemawashi was originally a gardening term meaning "to dig around the root of a tree a year or two before transplanting it".(P 159). This idea of getting work done before it is time to make a decision is very important in Japanese business. This is because a Japanese business meeting is very different from a western meeting. in the Japanese meeting it is rude to voice a strong opinion on something unless you have support from the majority of the decision makers and any one of the decision makers can vote down an idea for any reason even if its made up. therefore one must meet with all the individuals involved in the decision making and make sure you know where they stand before the meeting. "Japanese tend to make most decisions before discussing them at a meeting because people attending the meetings often feel uncomfortable being too open and forthright or find it difficult to state their opinions frankly."(P 161). 

Sempai-kohai - This refers to the vertical relation of people in the Japanese society most notably in school or business. The Sempai is the older and more experienced of the two and usually refers to some one who entered or graduated earlier form the same school, or a older member in the same job as you. "Kohai is the opposite of Sempai: Ko meas "latter" or "after words," and hai signifies "fellows" or "mates."(P. 188). So just like it sounds the Kohai are the juniors to the Sempai and have entered the same school or job after the Sempai. A good example of the Sempai Kohai relationship is that of school interactions. "For example, third year students have great power in junior high and senior high schools, and especially in clubs, these relationships are important. It is common in sports clubs for kohai to clean the rooms, collect balls, and manage the equipment for sempai". (P 191)

Ryosaikenbo - The term literally means "good wife and wise mother" and denotes a kind of unconscious concept of how women are supposed to be in Japanese society. The concept originated during the Edo period, "In the Edo period, the upbringing of females was designed to develop "good wives" who could be responsible for the household and produce many children."(P 179). Although the term didn't originate until the Meiji period when standardized education became mandatory. Now wives were also responsible for the education of their children. This standardized education was for both boys and girls, because it was felt that in order for mothers to be able to teach their children they must also be educated themselves. "As a result, women played a significant role in the Japanese people becoming a well-educated and cultivated people, and is widely believed that schooling for females was an important factor in Japan achieving such rapid industrialization."(p 180).

Reflection
During our reflection of the last film the part that has stuck in my head is when we talked about how hard it was on all the geisha after the war had ended. their whole way of life was turned upside down in an instant. They had once been these elegant walking works of art who were well respected for their talents but after the war ended any random could put on a kimono and act like a geisha and get away with it since the occupying U.S. troops didn't know the difference. How humiliating it must have been to see that. 

Blog #10

1.  Today’s Japan is very much like the West. The Japanese wear jeans and T-shirts, listen to Hip Hop, dance at the club to the dance music, sit on the couch, etc.  In modern Japan, geisha in Kyoto Gion district symbolize the old, traditional Japan. What kind of arts and lifestyle of traditional Japan does geisha, “a person of art,” maintain and practice?

Well from the film we gathered that the geisha practiced traditional dancing, playing traditional instruments, and writing in the traditional styles. I assume the same is true for geisha in today's Japan. 

2.   Considering Bigaku, the Japanese sense of aware means “people are aware of the beauty of full blossoms, of course, but are more touched and deeply moved when these blooms are falling or beginning to wilt” (p.37). Can you find a moment in which you can relate to this Japanese aware in your life? Describe your example and experience. Explain the reasons why you think so.

The best i can come up with is how i feel when i go to a SCCA or any other auto racing event. The cars themselves have a tangible beauty but when they are barreling down the track at triple digit speed and making all the sounds and smells associated with that speed you get this overwhelming sense of excitement. It may not seem beautiful to the average person but to someone who is interested in cars and racing it is extremely beautiful. 

3.   Comparing with the other Japanese films we have watched in this class, in Memoirs of Geisha, do you think it lost ma or aware because they speak English? Why? Why not? Explain the reasons why you think so.

I do believe something is lost in the absence of Japanese speech in the movie. During the other movies i was constantly drawn in by the whole experience of listening to the Japanese actors speak Japanese in a Japanese themed movie. During Memoirs of a Geisha i sometimes drifted off and forgot i was watching a Japanese movie because my brain knows English and i can infer much more about the tone without actually watching what is happening, but with Japanese audio i have to pay more attention to the actors to get a feeling for the tone. This comes back to the idea of aware the non intrinsic value, wile it may seem better for an american audience on the outside it looses that depth that it would have if it was in Japanese. 

4.   Considering Kisetsu, are there any events (e.g. Tanabata, Omisoka, etc) where you appreciate Kisetsu in the U.S.?  Find one and explain what it is. If you were Japanese, how would you enjoy the events differently from Americans.

Again ill go back to Auto racing because summer is race season. In Ohio and most of the northern U.S. most auto racing cannot be held during the fall or winter because of the cold for various reasons. So it must be held in the late spring and all throughout summer. So i look forward to summer so i can go see races and help my dad when he competes with his car. Perhaps if i were Japanese i would enjoy the seasonal events more because i would have a deeper understanding and more tradition placed on seasonal events. i'm not sure.

5.   Considering Otogibanashi, in the film, can you discover "sense of emotional beauty, of a feeling of aware, which embodied in feelings such as patience and pity” (p.172). Describe the film and explain why you think so.

Best scene i saw of this is the night Sayuri came back from the crab doctor. She came back home and just sort of stared blankly at Okaasan. Okaasan had this look on her face that looked just like a face trying to convey the emotions of patience and pity. The Okaasan had been in Sayori's shoes once and understood what she was going through. 

6.   Explain Wabi-Sabi with your own words. Compare the sense of aesthetics in your country with the notion of Wabi-Sabi in Japan.

Wabi-Sabi is the idea of finding beauty in simplicity. The book described the Japaneses aesthetics by using architecture. Japanese houses are open and airy with little to no ornamentation. American architecture on the other hand is closed and over bearing. we build great big structures with thick walls and doors to separate ourselves from the outside. our houses are sometimes also decorated with various interior moldings or wallpapers, paints ect.  

7.   In the film, what scenes do you see Wabi-Sabi? Describe the scenes and explain why you think so.

In the movie when Sayuri first debuts she is taken to a tea ceremony. On the outside looking in its just a group of people drinking tea, but if you look closer you can see that their posture, movements and surroundings are perfectly set to get the most out of the experience of the tea ceremony. This simple aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi finding beauty in the most simple things is exemplified by the tea ceremony.   

8. Movie- how did Hatsumomo end up? What is the relationship between Sayuri and Chairman at the end?

    Do you think Sayuri is happy about the her life or not? Why do you think so?

Hatsumomo got thrown out of the house after setting a fire and also being insolent to the head of the house hold and trying to kill 2 people. The relationship between Sayuri and the Chairman is probably that of lovers, its kind of vague as to exactly what their relationship will be but they did kiss so that points to them being lovers. I think Sayuri is probably happy after she gets together  with the chairman because that was her goal throughout the movie. Even if the Chairman had never come back i still think she would be happy about becoming a geisha because both of her parents died and she would have been an orphan. 

9. Movie-Who did Okaasan adapt? What do you think Pumpkin's life?

Okaassan adopted Sayuri after she brought in so much money from the bidding war. This kind of messed up Pumpkin who was already told she was the one who was going to be adopted. Then of course the war came to home and scrambled everyone's lives. Pumpkin did her best to adapt but she still obviously harbored hatred for what Sayuri had done to her career. 

10. What do you think about the movie overall? Share your personal opinions. 

The movie was very awkward for me, its definitely not something i would ever consider watching on my own. But it was well written and directed and was able to hold my attention for the almost 3 hour long run time, so it was meh ok. liked Letters from Iwo Jima more. 

Blog #9

Bigaku: Bigaku is described as the Japanese sense of beauty. "The Japanese sense of beauty is based on a concept known as mono no aware a kind of aesthetic value that comes from ones feelings."  
(P 37). This idea of beauty coming from feeling allows the Japanese people to apply the concept of beauty to many things that westerners wouldn't. The book gives the example of flowers in bloom, people understand that flowers in full bloom are beautiful, but the Japanese people are more touched by seeing the blossoms falling or beginning to wilt. This is in stark contrast to our western views of beauty. "while in western art, people try to construct something of beauty with logic of what is beautiful."(P 37). westerners see the flower blossom and know its beautiful because its bright and colorful and full of life, and then we see the blossom wither and die and think that it is not beautiful because it has lost that color and life it once had. The Japaneses idea of beauty can seem very vague in comparison to our western ideas of beauty and this is one of the reasons why the western ideals are taking root in modern Japan.

Kisetsu: The book describes Kisetsu as the sense of the seasons. Japan like many other countries of the world has 4 distinct seasons, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. In addition to the traditional 4 seasons Japan also has two other seasons, the rainy season and the typhoon season. These two are added in because of the great impact they have on the country each year. The concept of Kisetsu comes from the ancient farming traditions of Japan where rice was the crop of choice. Each season brought with it a new aspect to the rice harvest, seeds are sewn in spring, the seedlings are planted in summer, and then harvested in the fall. This rigid schedule forced the ancient Japanese to plan their lives around the rice harvest and the seasons. "The modern Japanese have inherited these attitudes from their ancestors, which is why the seasons are still closely connected with contemporary Japanese life". (P 153). This close association to the seasons is celebrated with a wide assortment of annual festivals and holidays in Japan. "There are many annual events in Japan that are also closely connected with the seasons; for example, hanami (flower viewing) in the spring, tanabata in the summer, various autumn festivals, and omisoka  (New Years Eve) in the winter."(P 155).

Wabi Sabi: Wabi sabi can be described as the sense of beauty that is derived from the essential Japaneses aesthetics of simplicity and elegance. "Traditional Japanese architecture, for example, seems simple because of its emphasis on empty space, lack of ornamentation, and quiet subdued colors; never the less, such buildings are said to possess and elegant beauty."(P 223). Wabi Sabi is a compound expression made up of two ideas Wabi and Sabi, both are derived from Buddhist ideals from the medieval period of Japan. Wabi has a lot of stuff going on, it emphasizes a simple, austere type of beauty. It can also denote loneliness or sadness, but when used in literature it suggests calm and quiet. (seems very complicated for one ideal). "Sabi also developed as a medieval aesthetic, reflecting qualities of loneliness, resignation, tranquility, and old age while also connoting that which is subdued, unobtrusive, yet tasteful." (P 224).

Reflection: during our discussion i remember how we talked about what it meant to be a soldier for both the Japanese and the Americans. The Japanese had this idea that they were better trained and disciplined than American troops and that they had a greater sense of honor and duty. however during the movie they read the letter from the dead marine and learned that they were really no different from one another, they were both fighting for their countries and they both had families praying that they would live and return home.

Question: what makes some one American? What makes someone Japanese?

The simple answer to both these questions from a legal standpoint is where you were born and who your parents are. If you were born in Japan to Japanese parents you are Japanese and vise versa for Americans. However its not as cut and dry as that. I'm really not sure what makes someone truly Japanese or American, we all know the stereo typical American and Japanese archetypes but there are many people in both cultures that don't align with those stereo types. All i can say is this for certain. Someone who believes, trusts and is protected by the Constitution of the United States of America and Bill of Rights contained within is an American. Now i'm not saying you have to meet those criteria to be an American but it sure helps.

Blog #8

1. Considering The Do Spirits of Japan, Zen Buddhism is “ So thoroughly integrated into the Japanese psyche…” (p.73). What kinds of aspects did you see in the film? Explain the reason why you think so.

Zen Buddhism is a very structured and methodical practice, The same was true for the Japanese military. At the beginning of the film we see Saigo and his friend digging defense trenches on the beach. This was standard practice for island defense for the Japanese at the time, and it had worked well in previous island defenses but at this point in the war the Americans knew how to defeat such defenses. That is why when General Kuribayashi got to the island he ordered that the trench building be abandoned in favor of carving caves in the mountains overlooking the beaches which was a much more sound decision. This decision from the general was a break from the well defined doctrine of the Military and it upset many of the general's subordinates and especially angered the Navy officer who was later ordered off the island.  

2. Considering Hedataru to Najimu, what does drinking (for General Kuribayashi) mean?

When the General invites someone for a drink he is trying to develop a closer understanding with that person. as the General he wants to form a bond of trust with his subordinates so he tries to eliminate Hedataru "personal space" by having a drink with them, thus having more Najimu in the relationship so that the two individuals will trust one another, which has a high value in battle. 

3. Considering Hedataru to Najimu and Shudan Ishiki, the sense of “uchi to soto” is more reinforced. What is the negative effect of “uchi to soto”?  How is this shown in the film?

Uchi and Soto are all about either being inside the group or outside the group. In the film all the Japanese soldiers belonged to the group of "soldier" they were all expected to fight and die for their country. That is fine until we get to the scene where the lieutenant informs his men that they have lost suribachi and that the punishment for that is death. To cope with the dishonor of loosing the soldiers one by one commit suicide with hand grenades. This is after Saigo told the lieutenant that the General wanted them to retreat. But that didn't matter the idea of being a soldier and fallowing that code meant more to the lieutenant than what the general had to say. And even though many of the soldiers looked like they didn't want to die like that they did anyway the social pressure forced many to do it any way. That whole concept is a huge detriment when you are trying to hold an island from an enemy force with no reinforcements. 

4. Considering Shudan Ishiki, what is the negative effect of groupism in this film?  Explain the scenes that demonstrate it.

The negative effect of groupism is that no one in the group can speak out against the general will of the group even if it would be to their benefit. The best scene of this that i can remember is the group suicide scene where Saigo has an order to retreat but the officer in command of his group orders a group suicide instead. Saigo cannot go against the orders and the other men, even though they would most likely want to live on or continue fighting wont go against the group either so they all kill themselves (except for Saigo who was the last man standing.)

5. Considering Hedataru to Najimu, how does psychological distance change between Japanese and American soldiers after Japanese soldiers captured an American soldier, Sam and read his letter from his mother.

After they read the letter of the American Marine named Sam they all realize that the Americans are not the evil savages that they had been made out to be. they were human beings just like the Japanese soldiers, they had mothers that worried about them and prayed for their safe return. The Japanese soldiers psychological distance closed significantly because the letter the American had was so similar to their own. 

6. What is the connection between this film and “The Last Ronin”?  Do you see “bushido” in this film? How do you think it affected this war? Explain the reasons.

Their are many scenes of the ideas of Bushido in the movie. During the war many soldiers and especially officers though of themselves as modern samurai and conducted themselves in a similar way on the battle field. The soldiers carried the sense of honor intrinsic to Bushido with them into battle, this made them fierce enemy's in combat, known for fighting to the last man and sacrificing themselves to inflict damage to the enemy. This had a great effect on the war. the fighting in the pacific was some of the worst seen during the war. most notably was the Japanese Kamikaze attacks carried out by Japanese's pilots against the American fleets, they traded their lives in exchange for the hope that they could sink even one of our ships. 

7. Movie- What happened to Saigo in the end? How about Lieutenant Ito?
Comparing with Saigo and Lieutenant Ito, how different are their views on the war, patriotism, and the Emperor?  How did their different views influence to your perspective?

Saigo was found by a group of Marines after he had burred General Kuribayashi. Lieutenant Ito was also found by Marines but he was hiding out in a cave after his failed suicidal anti tank run. Saigo was a simple baker before he joined the war. Saigo had no interest in fighting, he was drafted and had no choice but to become a soldier and fight. I'm sure Saigo respected the Emperor like all Japanese people but he wasn't about to die for him. Ito on the other had was an officer which meant that he most likely volunteered to become a soldier. He was very patriotic and was clearly ready to die for the Emperor.  These two views on the war made gave me insight into what exactly could drive men to act the way Ito did. As a civilian i can already understand Saigo's condition. 

8. Considering the prior concepts we learned in our classes, which one did you see in this film? Explain why you think so.

Well i know we saw the concepts of Bushido throughout the movie. Many of the solders had the samurai mentality. Honne to tatemai showed up quite a bit in the move, many of the solders really wanted to surrender and go home but they of course could not say that, so they just had to say that they were willing to do anything for japan to appease their officers. 

9.  What do you learn from this film? Tell us the most striking fact from the film.

Before the film i had no idea that the general who lead the Japanese defense of the island had been to America and studded at an American Cavalry academy. 

Blog #7

Hedataru to Najimu - The two concepts of Hedataru and Najimu have to do with the idea of personal space and how it relates to relationships for the Japanese people. Hedataru was defined as "to separate one thing from another, to set them apart". (P 109) For relationships in japan both currently and historically the concept of Hedataru is very important. The idea of letting another person know that you will respect their personal space there by creating a mutual understanding between the two individuals. "In fact, bowing at a distance of one meter is still a common form of greeting in Japan and creates a sense of familiarity for people by letting others know that one will not violate their privacy".  (P 111 )As one deepens a relationship with another they must move past Hedataru and allow that person into your personal space. A relationship without Hedataru is called Najimu. Najimu is defined as "to become attached to, to become familiar with, or used to". In a relationship Najumu strengthens friendships through physical closeness. "The physical scenes also play an important role in the development of Najimu, such as the kind of unity people feel sitting together during the winter under a kotatsu warming their legs."

Shudan Ishiki - This concept deals with the group conscious of the Japanese people. "In Japanese society, people are primarily group-oriented and give more priority to group harmony than to individuals."(P.195) Honne to Tatemai have a huge importance in this group conscious. manipulating what is said and what you really mean can help avoid bad situations. "If people carelessly and directly express what they really think, there is the probability of hurting the feelings of others, disrupting the group ambiance, or destroying harmonious relations. The ideas of Uchi and Soto also play a large part in Shudan ishiki. The difference between who is inside the group and who is outside the group will determine how those people are treated and how the relationship with that person will develop.

The Do Spirit of Japan - The kangi do can be found in many expressions in modern day Japan. "Many of these expressions are used for the traditional Japanese arts, both material and aesthetic; some express religious, philosophical, or spiritual doctrines, others reflect the common usage of everyday life."(P71). The origins of do come from ancient Chinese Taoism. In Chinese Tao literally means "way" it can also mean the way to be fallowed or a code of behavior or doctrine like Japanese Bushido, the way of the warrior. In China the Tao cannot simply be had it must be earned by learning from a master of the art. This concept of Taoism was picked up by the Zen Buddhists of Japan during the Kamakura period. "After its adoption from China in the sixth century, Buddhism gradually permeated the whole intellectual, artistic, and social life of Japan for well over a thousand years."(P73). This is why many of the names of various artistic and martial skills have the kangi do in them. In recent years the rigid structured ideas of the do spirit has become some what of a handicap for Japan. It has made it difficult for people to think outside the box and become more creative. The president of Mitsubishi Electric, Tachi Kiuchi called it Japans "Achilles' heel" saying "Japanese companies have a lot of problems when there is no blueprint or manual to learn from"(p78).

Reflection
After the discussion last class i had been thinking about how after Kane got married, Magoza decided that he would do the honorable thing and commit suicide now that his mission had ended. I remember how we discussed why he decided to die, he had finished his mission of raising Kane on the orders of his master, the only reason he was alive instead of dying during the mission was to raise her. He had nothing else to live for. But then i thought about Kichie the other samurai that had lived after the mission. He had also been given an order by his master to deliver messages to the families of the men who were to carry out the mission, however his orders were different, he was ordered to live on even after he completed his task. Why didn't their master also order Magoza to live on after the mission? I think Kichie felt the same as Magoza but he could not kill himself without disobeying his master.  

Blog #6

1. Considering Bushido, how did Magoza’s acting demonstrate Bushido? Choose two of his actions and explain the reasons.

When Magoza chose to follow his masters instructions and take care of his wife and child, even though magoza would be labeled a traitor and coward by the other samurai for abandoning the mission. This is inline with the Bushido teachings of absolute loyalty to ones lord.
Another scene would be when Magoza fought Kichiemon after kichiemon had tailed Magoza to his house. Kichiemon was a close friend to Magoza, but when Kichiemon got too close to finding out about Kane Magoza drew his sword and attempted to kill Kichiemon to protect the secret he had been entrusted with. Again this is an example of Bushido because Magoza is putting the orders of his master above all else.

2. “Giri does not have an equivalent concept~” (p.95). What is the difference between Giri and the English word “obligation” Compare and explain the differences of each word.

The biggest difference between Giri and obligation is that Giri is a deep rooted social idea in Japan it is a standard in human relationships between Husbands and wives, family members, and friends. It is more than just the feeling of being indebted to someone, it is more like a social responsibility to care about others that have shown you a debt of gratitude. In English an obligation is something you have promised to do or are expected to do for someone else. The concept is not nearly as deep or complex as giri.


3. Considering Bushido and Giri, what are the differences between Giri and Burshido? Using scenes from the movie, explain both concepts.

Giri and Bushido are fundamentally different Ideas. There is one scene from the opening of the movie that demonstrates this idea perfectly. It is the scene where Kichiemon arrives to the house of the widow of one of the 47 Ronin lost on the night of the revenge mission. He gives her a letter with an amount of gold on behalf of the former head of the family who lead the revenge mission. What drove the head of the family to give money to the family members was the concept of Giri. He had sent men to their deaths on a mission of revenge and for that he was indebted to them. Bushido on the other hand is the reason why Kichiemon spent close to a decade tracking down the relatives of the 47 Ronin and handing out the reparations. He was ordered by his master to carry out the task so as a samurai he was compelled to do so.


4. Considering the Japanese Ie system, what scenes of the movie represent this concept? Choose two scenes and explain the reasons.

The scene where Magoza goes to the rich merchants house and discusses Kane's marriage to the son of the house. The Rich merchant wants Kane to marry his son because she is beautiful and would be a good addition to the house hold. this is in keeping with the ie system. Their family will need an heir and the best way to make a good heir is to wed two people of a high pedigree or people who will be a good asset to the household.

Another scene would be when the samurai from Magoza's old group were gathering to honor those lost on the night of the revenge mission. They were all from houses or branch houses of the family and were gathered together because of the honor of their house. This is the basic idea of the ie system. To bring related families together to strengthen the whole.

5. Considering the Japanese Ie system, what kinds of conflicts/contradictions does this concept bring into the relationship between Magoza and Kane?

Magoza and Kane's relationship is a strange one and the ie system does not help matters. Magoza's mission was to raise Kane to adulthood and make sure she would marry into a good household thus ensuring her safety and happiness. The problem is that Kane loves Magoza, getting past the fact that Magoza is probably 20+ years older than Kane. The main problem is that Magoza has forsaken his status as a Samurai and also given up his family name and heritage to fulfill his masters last wish to protect Kane instead of participating in the revenge mission. This means that if Kane married Magoza their offspring would be inheriting the legacy of the daughter of a criminal and a traitor and coward that abandoned his master. That's not a great foundation to start a family with in the ie. system. This would also mean that Magoza would have failed his master and he wont let that happen.


6. Considering the Japanese Ie system, “51 percent of people think that men are treated better than women in the family, while 40 percent think that men and women are treated equally”(p.124). What do you think about it comparing with American culture. Use your experiences and explain the reasons why you think so.

In America women have gone through great strides to ensure that they are treated as fairly as men do, they have had to fight to gain voting rights and today they are still struggling to achieve the equal pay men receive for doing the same job. And already their have been may laws passed to ensure that they will get fair compensation. So i believe that right now men and women are probably the closest to equals in the eye of the law than they have ever been before. This extends to the house hold where previously the Man of the house would work while the wife would take care of the house and children. Nowadays many women work full time and manage to raise a family this shifts some of the power in the household their way because they provide a % of the overall income.


7. Considering Omiai, “The wish of the people who were getting married were most often ignored….” (p.166). What was Magoza’s wish as the head of the family? Kana refused the initial Omiai because she likes Magoza, but once she understood how Magoza felt about this Omiai, she told Magoza to accept Omiai. Here it is said “wish” meaning is NOT “wish that she doesn’t like the son” but “wish that she doesn’t want to get married because of Magoza.” Does it mean that Kana’s wish is ignored?

Magoza's wish was for Kana to marry the son of the rich merchant, that way he could fuffill his mission to his master and end his duty and return to his fellow samurai.

Yes Kana's with is ignored, she wants to be with Magoza but Magoza cannot allow it because he was ordered by his master to make sure Kana would be married into a well off family where she could be happy. If she stayed with him he could not guarantee her future. So Magoza had to ignore her wishes for her own good even if it was killing Magoza on the inside.


8. What do you think of Magoza’s acting at the end? Using citation from the textbook and guess the ending.

My guess is that at the end Kana and Magoza will commit murder suicide together, My guess is based on the puppet play that has gone on in the background of the film that portrays a samurai and his lover who eventually die together at the end of the play. the play runs in parallel with the movie so the ending is based of the events of the play. Magoza's actions near the end of the play further add to my prediction. He now understands Kana's wish to be with him and not get married to another family, even though Magoza tries to convince her not to love him it looks like he is sad that he has to do so, i think he loves Kana as well but his promise to his former master will not let him act on his desires. So i believe in the end he will not be able to let her go but his actions will dishonor him to the point where he must take his own life "Samurai valued honor in an extreme and strict, way which was expressed in the adage "die rather than disgrace yourself"." (P.47). Magoza will either kill himself or be killed by an angry member of his former house. Magoza's death will most likely make Kana so upset that she will commit suicide instead of continuing life without Magoza.


9. Considering the prior concepts we learned in our class, which concepts do they use effectively in the film? Why do you think so?

The concept of Bushido, ie, and giri show up throughout the film but the concept that stood out to me was the use of Honne to Tatemai. During the scene where Kane tells Magoza that she will marry the son of the merchant, she does so only to make Magoza happy what she really wanted to say was, hell no im not marrying him! but in order to abide by Magozas wishes she had to agree. Another concept that come up several times in the movie is the concept of Amai, much of Magoza's speak is ambiguous (in order to hide his identity) When he goes to the merchant to sell the vase, he introduces himself as, just a traveler, He uses Amai to stay as inconspicuous as possible.


10. Share whatever you want to tell considering your personal perspective.

I enjoyed the part of the move we got to see. It was very interesting to see a movie from that time period, how the dressed, acted and spoke. it was all very different than what im used to seeing in a film. I cant wait to see the ending.