Kyoto Journal Issue 13
¥880
(US$8)
Rustic Avant-Garde: The New Japanese Architecture
Intelligent Buildings Flee Tokyo
Paradise in the Sea of Sorrow: An Account of the Minamata Disease Tragedy
Down and Out in Kamagasaki
Out of stock
Do we, todayâs travelers and sojourners, with our jet speed recognize ourselves as heirs to this ancient and honorable tradition of venturing into the unknown (never mind the books, movies, TV reports) to test our mettle in search of some new good? If so, we should heed the mythic warnings and arm ourselves well with skills and knowledge for cultural understanding, set out with a light heart and courage, be alert and open to all we encounter, recognize pitfalls, accept assistance when offered, and never lose sight of our goal.
Nowadays it is almost a cliche to speak of culture shock or culture stress, words suggestive of ill health and destructive forces, implicitly assuming a pattern of adjustment. A newcomer to Japan may say, âOh this is just my âhoneymoonâ phase. Thereâll be a letdown sooner or later.â Another, after a yearâs stay, might say: âI never noticed any particular culture shock or had any difficulty.â
âHelaine K. Minkus, Understanding Misunderstanding
If youâve lived in Japan for any length of time, you know itâs unusual to be invited into a Japanese home. Foreign residents often complain about never having seen the inside of one. For some reason Iâve never craved such an invitation. Iâm curious, like everyone else, but I feel that the customs are the customs. Life, however, is perverse: we often get what we donât want. I should say, rather, we often get what we donât crave. If thereâs anyplace in the world where craving doesnât work, itâs in Japan. What you crave in Japan, youâll never get. I didnât crave an invitation, and here I was getting one from a complete stranger.
â Michael Fessler, The Householder
Contents:
Cover Image by Jorg Schmeisser
66pp
published January 15th, 1990