My Opinion About Japan

Still, after 5 months I arrived in Indonesia, I still have lot of writings that haven’t been published yet. In this chance, I would like to publish the writing that was written for my Final Assignment of Topic Of Japan Class during my YSEP Study. It was my opinion about “ How do I See Japan and the Japanese Society” at that time. You can read the full text below. Enjoy.

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How do I See Japan and the Japanese Society

Time seems to goes so fact since I stepped my feet on Narita Airport on September 12^th 2008. Since that moment I started doing my activities as a young scientist exchange program student in TokyoTech.  Since that time, plenty of unforgettable memories had I made in my 1 year stay in Japan. The memories of many things I did, the memories of many things I didn’t do, and the memories of interacting with peoples from many countries will be always remaining in my mind.

Far looking to the time before I came to Japan, there were many reasons why I wanted to study in Japan. Mostly came from comparisons between Japan and Indonesia. Before I came to Japan, I only know Japan from mass media or friend who ever went to Japan. Through this YSEP, I am lucky be able to prove whether my reasons were right or not.

The first reason I wanted to study in Japan was because Japan has a good quality of education system. When comparing with Indonesia, that was true. After spending almost one year in TokyoTech, I see that Japan education system has good facilities and good human resources to run its system. Academic facilities such as library, laboratory equipment, and school infrastructures, all provides a good thrust to make Japan’s education better and better. It had been a very precious chance for me to be able to experience how good Japanese education system is in this one year of study.

The next reason was because Japan is one of the leading experts in civil engineering technology. Many advance research in civil engineering field are conducted here. On my one year study as an YSEP, I see how advance is Japanese research and technology in civil engineering field. In TokyoTech, I was able to conduct research by using methods and equipments that doesn’t available in my country. I gained a boarder access to civil engineering knowledge and research process through the easy access to good quality journals and books. Furthermore, my professor, and all people in my lab are supporting each other to pursue a great success in research activities.

In my opinion after spending almost one year in TokyoTech, the reason why Japan has a good achievement in civil engineering research and technology is because of the good education system that is supported by an eager beaver characteristic of its people. From my point of view, the systems had achieved a success in creating a condition where the majority of Japanese students are very dedicated or “forcefully” dedicated to their study. This condition is well preserved by Japanese government and industrial sector through their big support to sustain the good achievement in research and technology.

Back to the reasons, the other reason why I wanted to study in Japan was because Japan has a well organized society and cultural richness. On my stay in Japan, I felt that it was really convenient to live in a well organized environment. Most of the people are obedient to the country’s rule, discipline, and showed a good dedication to their community. Japanese peoples who I meet were peoples who are friendly, tolerant, and showed a mutual respect to each other. There was no discrimination about my belief and other people’s belief. Although the hierarchical system was very dominant inside the society, Japanese has developed its own characteristic in making a well organized country.

One of the same point of Japan and Indonesia is that they are considered to be rich in culture by international community. On my stay in Japan, I found that the cultural richness of Japan, which some of my Japanese companion did not realized it, causes curiosity for me and other foreign people to learn more and experience more about it. In my opinion, Japans is not only a convenient place do study but also interesting to be explored. In Japan, there is always a thing that makes me feel amazed when I explore Japan. Many places and activities in Japan are considered as world heritage. Not only gives benefit to Japan’s economy, this cultural richness attract peoples from different part of the world to know Japan, gain a better mutual understanding and gives benefit to both sides.

One year of living in Japan will not be enough to fully understand Japan and the Japanese. However, from this one year stay, I feel relieved that my reasons of studying in Japan were not wrong. Japan has a good education systems and infrastructures as I could experience in TokyoTech and as I could experience by exchanging information with students from other universities. Japan also has advance civil engineering technologies and researches which is supported by the government and industrial sectors.  Japanese people who I meet are very friendly, tolerant, and showed mutual respect to each other. The sceneries of modern, classic, or natural part of Japan were always amazed me. I could never stop my curiosity of exploring those places, experiencing many activities, and interacting with many Japanese people. This YSEP was one of the most memorable moments in my life. I hope I still have chance to visit Japan in the near future. Mata Aimashou.

Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum (Nihon Mikaen)

As a part of Topic of Japan (TOJ) class requirements in this semester, I have to do one Japanese cultural experience. We had 3 choice of cultural experience, the first one is doing Japanese tea Ceremony, second is watching Kabuki or Bunraku, and the third one is visiting Japan open air folk museum.

Actually I wanted to see the Bunraku but because the ticket price is expensive (around 2000 yen) so I decided to go to Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum. This is a place to conserve Japanese traditional architecture by relocating several traditional Japanese houses & buildings from all over Japan to this exhibition area. The city of Kawasaki began to relocate the houses since 1965 and currently has 25 buildings in its exhibit. The houses are varied, and include examples from regions of heavy snow, lodgings for travelers, and a theatrical stage.

Not only buildings are preserved but also additional tools and utensils were kept at the designated area to help depicting the situation of the past.

We came in a group of 19 people. The admission fee was 250 yen because we came in group (the minimum group was 20 people, but we were really close to 20 so they permit it). The usual price was 500 yen for adult and 300 yen for 65+ years and students.

The first time we arrived, we bought the ticket and enter the museum house. The museum house is a room that displays miniature of Japanese traditional houses and buildings. From this place we get overview information about Japanese traditional architecture. After that, we went outside. That where our tour began.

We were welcomed by The Hara house. It was from Meiji period (1868-1912) and was originally located in Musashi-kosugi, Kawasaki City. It is now used as a lecture space and for display of seasonal exhibits. For me, this house is totally depicts the situation of Japan just like in the samurai movies.

From that place, we explore the whole area from houses to houses. They were really amazing and authentic. We can see that the interior and layout of each building could be different depend to the purpose of the building. They are provided with kitchen bath room, and a room that can be functioned as a living room, dining room, and bed room. This kind of room is still used in Japanese modern architecture.

The last building we visited was traditional Kabuki stage. There were Sakura blossom blooming around the building. The blossoms were blown by the wind and falling around the building. It looked so beautiful. It was just like a pink colored snow flurries. We took a group photos in front of the Kabuki stage.

It took around 3 hours to explore the whole area. It was really a good experience for me. It was quite different from Japanese architecture for temples and shrines. I learn a lot how Japanese people in the past arranging not only a convenient house but also efficient. I also enjoyed this trip as we went together with other YSEP and Japanese student from TOJ class.

Elementary School Visit

I want to talk  about one of my Topic of Japan Class’s (TOJ) activity, Elementary School Visit. Actually I should write this post very long time ago. It has been a more than one month since I went to this elementary school with all students from TOJ.

Topic of Japan is a class that introduce several basic things about Japan Culture, History, and its applied systems. In this class, for example, we learnt about general Japan’s history from the first settler, the meiji period, and current modern world of Japanese people. We also learn many things about costumes of japan people and comparisson with other countries in the world esspecially the countries where the students came from.

One of TOJ programs was visiting an elementary School near Titech. It took about half hour walk from Titech Campus. This program introduced the students many things about Japanese elementary school. The first time we came, we were wellcomed by elementary school chairman,teachers and staffs. We were given an explanation about general condition of the elementary school. We were informed about what would we do at that day and what did the hope from us. The School Chairman welcomed us in the school’s library. They provided us cofee and tea bar before we enter and saw students activities in the class.

In this program, each class was visited by two or one Titech students. Each class should have at least one students from foreign coutries outside Japan. I wass assigned with Kitayama, a students from Japan, to visit a first year student’s class.

We were escorted by two cute students to their class. In the class, we introduced ourself in Japanese language (I tried my best remembering introduction sentences learned from Japanese language class X_X). After that, the students showed us some performance from the class. They showed us dance, rope art, gymnastics move, and comedy drama. It was really interesting. Although the did it very simple but their spirit really impressed me well.

After seeing their performance, we had a lunch. I was, once more, surprised since the children prepare the class lunch session by their own. They were given the food by the school. Then, some students use an apron and distribute the food into each plate while the other students arranged the seat and table into dining position. The also use tablecloth for their tables.. Wonderfull.

After finished eating the lunch, the students gave us their own hand made Origami. every student gave us one origami. Since the class had about 30 students, my  bag became full of their origamis. But I am happy to receive it. As a return, I gave two students from the class Batik Fan through a quizes.

After the class session ended, two students escort us back to library to continued to the next session, school tour. We went to some class in the school and watched their class activities.  The clases were not big and the number of students of every class was different. Some contains 40 some 20.

Actually they didn’t have luxurious class facilities. However there were many things such as books and posters that motivate the students to be better and better. They have a standard type of school building that protecting them when disasters occurred. They have a clean and ordered school environment. They also have a good spirit of learning. Those things, I think, is several reasons why they have a good education systems.