Japanese Families

The roots of Japanese culture go back centuries to the era when emperors ruled the land and samurais fought as noble warriors.  Today Japan is seen as a technological Mecca with bustling cities like Tokyo with over-crowded streets and tech-savvy business men.
 
The family system is important to Japanese culture.  Traditionally a family unit consisted of the eldest son, along with his wife and children, living with his parents under the same roof.  This is considered a “stem” system and the younger sons branched off to establish their own families.  According to Anne E. Imamura, author of The Japanese Family, “[The family] is especially important because the family rather than the individual is considered to be the basic unit of society.”   Marriages were typically seen as economic liaisons between families, and the two betrothed had little to no say in the arrangement.

The Japanese Royal family is an example of the traditional structure of multiple generations living together.

This traditional system of the family began to shift towards what is prevalent now in the late 1960s.  The website “Facts and Details” says, “The number of three-generation households decreased from 56 percent in 1972 to 29.7 percent in 1999.” Today, the family unit is more westernized in the sense of the nuclear family living in a single household rather than with extended family.
 
I am fortunate to have my own experiences with Japanese culture.  My family hosted two Japanese exchange students, Sayo and Miki, for summer programs.  Watching the girls integrate into our American family, I caught a glimpse of what family life might be like in Japan.  Both girls were extremely shy and reserved.  When each girl arrived they gave us many gifts from their mothers.  The gifts were like peace offerings and signs of respect for housing their daughters.
 
Throughout the program all of the families hosting students participated in group activities where the girls shared some of their culture.  One activity was a ceremonial dance performance where the girls uses samurai swords and wore kimonos.  It showed how important tradition is to the Japanese people.
 
The most interesting part about hosting an exchange student was observing her habits and mannerisms.  Upon arrival the girls stayed in their room downstairs and only came out for meals or when we specifically invited them out.  This changed as they became more comfortable with our family, and by the end of their stay, it was as if they were a part of the family.  Learning first-hand about a culture is a rewarding way to experience the world.

We took our Japanese exchange student, Miki, to Disneyland to share with her a piece of our American culture.