At New Start, I began working with a few other people to make lunch for everybody. First off, we went to a local grocery store (you can see my little cart which I'm pushing on the left). Many things are more expensive and also often smaller than north american counterparts (a watermelon was 1200 yen).
We returned to the kitchen and prepared lunch.
Afterwards, I went to the cafe and met up with Robert (who was doing a shift there). Takeshi (I have changed his name here for pricavy reasons), one of the hikikomori, usually meets up with Robert on mondays to practice his english. But because I was here today and Takeshi was interested in travelling to Japan, he had a conversation with me instead.
Takeshi has a story not unlike many of the other hikikomori at New Start. Finishing high school, he didn't get a very good score on his university entrance exam (think SAT... only way more intense). So, he became one of the many ronin in Japan. Ronin is a term used to describe a samurai who lost their master (either because of death or disownment) during the feudal period of Japan. It has now come to be used as a term used to describe a graduate who has failed to enter school at the next level, and thus is studying alone for a year to pass the exam the following year. As the student has no school, they in a sense are like the feudal ronin who have no master to serve.
Takeshi was ronin for 4 years before finally giving up and having neither the energy nor the will to continue on with studies or anything else became full fledged hikikomori. His parents, not knowing what to do with him sent him to New Start. Takeshi looks like he will spend the rest of this year with New Start and then is interested in getting out of Japan. He actually wanted to travel to Vancouver, so I talked with him about Canada and Vancouver for an hour.
Afterwards, I met with Ayako and Robert and learned how to drink tea. (Video below)
Next, I visited the dormitory style residence where the hikikomori at New Start. It's very different than probably any typical residence in the sense that everyone here does their own thing and quietly doesn't interact with anyone. Thinking about Ayako's idea in relation to the experience of Takeshi, it makes sense to me that he ended up the way he did. What do you guys think of this 'single track' thinking that Ayako suggested defined much of the Japanese educational system? To what extent can it be blamed for hikikomori? Comments about the ronin in Japan?
(these questions are to help you guys if you are thinking about ways to comment... If you want, you can just say hi instead! This is the first post where comments count for the contest so best of luck!)
I'm at a family friends' place now in Kamihongo station, where I'll be for the next few days...
See you soon! (by see I mean like see you guys commenting =p )
But what do people who are looking for careers in different enterprises do? I mean, here you can train to become all sorts of things: musicians, actors, artists, etc. Within our educational track, there are many possibilities. Is it not so in Japan?
ReplyDeleteWhat is a hikikomori?
ReplyDeleteThis is kinda the same system in Hong Kong...it's just that people usually give up if they can't get good enough grades the first time.
This kind of system seems to create/maintain a class structure...i.e. if you didn't go to University then you suck. It really devalues people...so it's pretty awful.
Hey C,
ReplyDeleteSo all those days and nights prepping for my catering events has come in handy so you can help out in the kitchen!
Sounds like a really interesting area of social concern that we don't have too much of in Canada. Aren't we lucky in our family, to take the best of Japanese customs and ideas and mix them with Canadian traditions and norms, making the best of both worlds!
Love, Mom
First Day at New Start, exciting!
ReplyDeleteI think the Japanese educational system is kinda harsh.. i think there should be more help and support to get as many students as possible into university or where ever they want to be..
Many Asian places have a similar educational system as the Japanese.
New Start is probably a Huge help to people that are in this situation!
Sydney, there is no such thing as 'personal space' in Asia!! Get used to packed trains and buses, it's part of life. :) And I agree with your mom; being part two different cultures, drawing the best from both, is a good place to be.
ReplyDeleteEducation system in Japan is similar to the one in Sri Lanka too. Only about 3% of those who pass the final exams (we call them A/Ls) get in to university. It's very competitive and intense (been there, done it!). I know people who have taken the exams even 3 times- worst is, getting all A's is not enough to get you to university. So yeah, I choose to mostly blame society for hikikomori, not an individual. I'd say Japan is ahead in the game because it at the least recognizes that this is a problem!
Yeah Matt, those kinds of professions exist here, its just that most people from a young age are taught to pursue careers that are in line with a certain way of thinking. Perhaps jobs like you said are considered to be substandard and so parents don't encourage their children to think about that. I guess to answer your question, my understanding is that it isn't too common for people to look for other careers out of the streamline of jr high- high school-university.
ReplyDeletehikikomori are people who shut themselves into their rooms for periods of time sometimes counted in years. Literally translated, it means 'the withdrawn'.
Japan only recently has recognized hikikomori -- New Start now gets funding from the government to support its activities, which is good news!
On a random note, I'm slightly confused by your tea video. Why do you need to turn the cup before drinking from it?
ReplyDeleteto be honest... I don't know.
ReplyDeleteshe just instructed me to do it like that so I think its important for something. Also she was very specific about it being clockwise