Over the years I’ve read several novels by James Clavell, which were loosely based on history and set in Hong Kong and Japan. While his stories were always interesting, I’ve always had a problem with his Japanese characters, who were finely attuned to such ideas as 義理 giri (duty, honor, obligation) and 人情 ninjo (lit. human feeling, e.g. the moral tradition of giving up something for others) and other flowery concepts that didn’t seem to mesh with the modern Japan I encountered when I arrived here. I’ve never met a Japanese who was ready to commit 切腹 seppuku, or suicide through ritual disembowelment, although James Clavell’s characters always seem ready to disembowel themselves at a moment’s notice to defend their honor. I have observed, however, that most Japanese do practice filial piety, that is, showing respect to their parents and making decisions that take their parents’ wishes into account. For example, while Americans usually leave home in their late teens or early twenties and never live with their parents again, in Japan it’s customary for the oldest son or daughter to stay at home permanently, taking over the family business (if there is one) and maintaining the house as the central hub for the rest of the family. When that son or daughter gets married, their wife or husband will come live with them in their parents’ house, in effect being legally adopted by that family. Another way children show respect for their parents is by studying extra hard to get into a good national university, which is much less expensive than private universities — as a parent with an almost-university-aged son I’m 100% in favor of this tradition. Last time I was in Shibuya I noticed large posters advertising the final single of popular hip-hop group FUNKY MONKEY BABYS. It turns out that one of the members (DJ Chemical) had promised to follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming a Buddhist priest and taking over the temple that his family ran, so he’s cutting his fabulous musical career short in order to fulfill his father’s wishes.
DJ Chemical (the one in the middle) is starting a new career as a Buddhist priest.
