Seminar: Japanese Mind, Culture, and Identity
The class will explore Japanese mind (way of thinking, values, mentality, and etc.) by studying some customs habits, characteristic behavior patterns and traditional cultural forms in Japan. The first half of the course will discuss and analyze picked themes based on the textbook "The Japanese Mind." The latter half of the course will focus human relationship and thinking in Chado tradition using "The Book of Tea" as a textbook. Students will take turn to lead a topic discussion based on his/her own research.
Towards MLO 2
Reflective Narrative
Through readings and discussions we analyzed and understood various Japanese cultural concepts such as "aimai" and "omotenashi." In these discussions we related the concepts to our own experiences in Japan and uncovered and discussed what was and wasn't a stereotype and what has changed over generations. Later in the course, we also discussed the Japanese Tea Ceremony and how it reflects Japanese culture. To better understand the Tea Ceremony (Chado), we participated in Chado at a historical Japanese park in Okayama.
I gained a particularly deep understanding of "omotenashi," Japanese hospitality, as I did my final presentation on it. Other concepts we covered and gained an understanding of were "wabisabi," "amae," and "uchi/soto," among many more.
I would like to continue to develop a deeper understanding of the underlying Japanese cultural values through further reading and interaction with Japanese people.
I gained a particularly deep understanding of "omotenashi," Japanese hospitality, as I did my final presentation on it. Other concepts we covered and gained an understanding of were "wabisabi," "amae," and "uchi/soto," among many more.
I would like to continue to develop a deeper understanding of the underlying Japanese cultural values through further reading and interaction with Japanese people.