Thursday, December 13, 2012
Homework for December 20th
I would like each of our Immersion members to post to this Blog an introduction to their research. The main goal of this assignment is to convey some sense of what you are researching and what is motivating that research. The post need not be longer than a paragraph provided it is a "good" paragraph. I look forward to reading all of your great ideas and please feel free to include anything else you would like to your post: videos, links, photos, and the like are strongly encouraged!
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Hi everyone! I am researching Japanese folklore and, more specifically, yōkai. Yōkai are spirits in Japanese folklore. I have always loved learning about the spirits, so this project is a great opportunity for me to further my research. As of now I have learned of a few particularly interesting yōkai. The first of these yōkai are the tengu. Tengu are mountain dwelling spirits. They have black feathered wings and tail feathers. There are 2 different kinds of tengu. Karasu-tengu are weaker and have a black bird beak. Dai-tengu are stronger and have more human-like facial features. Tengu are known for their long noses and have the ability to change forms to deceive humans. The next yōkai is Betobeto-san. Betobeto-san is a very mysterious type of yōkai. Betobeto-san is the source of the mysterious sounds of footsteps following behind someone when they are walking at night. Though you can’t see him, you can hear him! Betobeto-san likes to play jokes on people, but it is easy to make him stop. To do so you merely need to step to the side of the road and say, “Betobeto-san, please go on ahead.” After you do this he will go around you and you can continue on your way. The last yōkai I will tell you about today is the kitsune. Foxes were thought to have magical abilities. It was said that each year a fox lived its magical abilities would grow. After a hundred or so years of life the fox would have the magical powers necessary to take on a human-like form. After every century that passes during the kitsune’s life it would gain a tail. This would continue to happen until the kitsune had 9 tails, at which point it would be amazingly powerful and intelligent. Kitsune, like tengu, are sometimes considered a bit devious, using their powers to deceive humans. If you want to find out more about yōkai then check out this site:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.obakemono.com/introduction.php
Hey gang, I'm researching Japanese organized crime, most specifically,Yakuza. Organized crime has always fascinated me and I always have loved reading about organized crime, and watching it in movies and television shows. I think learning about the Yakuza would be fascinating, because you never really hear about them in america it would be really interesting to learn about what they do, the crime life they live, and things of that nature.
ReplyDeleteI am doing the project on the Japanese form of poetry called Haiku. The idea behind Haiku is that the idea behind the poem is supposed to be presented in the a concise yet clear and beautiful form. I'm going to present a couple Haiku written by famous Japanese poets, introduce the class to the theory behind Haiku, and talk about the transition of haiku from Japanese to English.
ReplyDeleteFor my project, I will be collecting research on the differences, both cultural and academic, between American and Japanese schools. I hope to conclude on which system is more effective, weighing the good and bad and inspiring change among both countries in some way, whether that be through a blog or a research essay posted somewhere on the internet (here on our blog?). The motivation behind my research is interest sparked during class, when Mr. Fedirko noticed in Japan how a teacher could give a student a look, and they would know through that look to close the door. Things like that are fascinating to me and I hope to find information on how a student is trained or brought up to have such a sense of awareness...
ReplyDeleteFor my project I will be researching Japan's economy. Economics is an important part of a country's structure and is part of a person's everyday life. I will also be researching the way that economic status effects a person's social status. The economy in Japan will be different from ours and I will be exploring those differences as well as the similarities. The most significant of these differences will be important in discovering how Japan functions as a country.
ReplyDeleteHey guys, as you know, I will have to do many different projects about japan, just because we will need to know many things before going, and there are just a lot of things that inspire me. For my first one, I think it is only fitting to do one on "do's and don'ts" for japan. I may even have to do multiple, because there are so many rules about operating in public, and if we were to go now, we would be seen as ugly americans. And we aren't even that bad compared to most people. I even need a refresher. Some of the other topics that I plan to present on include konbini,(japanese mini marts), signs in japan and how to read them,(STAY AWAY!!!!!!) as it is aptly named, and the anime industry. If you have any more suggestions, leave them in the comments, or reply directly to me. Thanks, and have yourself a very sugoi christmas.
ReplyDeleteFor my project I will be researching Sushi. Sushi is an ethnical food of Japan. Sushi was invented in 1824 by a man named Hanaya Yohei. The original type of sushi is called nare-zushi. Sushi literally means "sour tasting". The fermenting rice and fish make up the sour taste. Sushi is usually made with raw fish or other seafoods. Their is also vegetarian sushi which is made up of many different types of vegetables.
ReplyDeleteFor my project, I am researching the sport of kendo and how it fits in with Japan's culture. Kendo translates to "way of the sword" and modern kendo first appeared after World War II when all bladed weapons were banned. Even then, it was heavily regulated. However, the practice itself originated almost a millennium earlier during the middle ages as a way for samurai to hone their skills. Back then, and even today, their weapons were sacred objects and were very well cared for. High skill in kendo was considered almost a form of worship. Traditional kendo used the same katanas or bokken the samurai used in battle, but after WWII the hollow sword made of strips of bamboo was introduced when the more deadly weapons were outlawed.
ReplyDeleteJapan's economy has been stagnated since the late 1980, especially after the Plaza Accord in which Japan agreed to increase the value of its currency and its share in global economy has diminished. Its numerous conglomerates such as Sony, Panasonic, Misubishi have collapsed and made a devastating impact on Japan's job market. I will research cause of this great fall. I believe this topic is correlated to Japan's new prime minister, Shinzo Abe's monetary policy as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually writing about the social hierarchy in Japan, primarily within schools. In feudal Japan, there was a more rigid social structure across the entire nation, but now it is more homogenous and has a less-rigid class structure. However, in youth, there is a more definite and defined social hierarchy I am looking forward to investigating. Also, I am hoping to do research on Japanese mythology through the lens of something besides the game Okami. That game taught me about Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, as well as Izanagi, Izanami, and Susanoo.
ReplyDeleteMy project will be on geisha. I will be researching their history, training, and role in Japanese society. Since geisha are trained in the arts, I expect to learn much about Japanese culture by studying them. I also am interested in clearing up the common misconceptions people may have about geisha.
ReplyDelete