The document discusses aspects of Japanese culture influenced by Confucianism. It begins by explaining the core principles of Confucianism, which emphasize creating a harmonious social hierarchy. Confucianism became influential in Japan during the 6th-9th centuries when it was introduced from China. It shaped Japanese concepts like respect for elders and social obligations. The document also discusses key Confucian concepts like uchi (insiders) and soto (outsiders) that influence social interactions and views of foreigners. Overall, the document provides an overview of how Confucian philosophy has shaped various elements of traditional Japanese society and culture.

1. 不思議な日本
Mysterious Japan

2. Confucianism
At the core of Confucianism lies humanism. The main
purpose of this teaching was to create a harmonic, ordered
society with strict hierarchy. It was aimed to bring up
citizens of the country.
So, the basis of Confucian world-look was a harmonic, well-
organized society, an ideal society, so to say, which is ruled
by the adequate and wise ruler and fair officials.
In the beginning it was just one of lots of teachings but with
the time it became more powerful and transformed into the
state ideology. It was changed a lot in order to adjust to
government needs and to suit a giant bureaucratic machine
of Chinese empire in which elder or senior person act as a
leader and honored while younger or junior in the role of
manageable people. Every person should live as Confucius
has taught and constantly improve himself and upgrade his
skills in order to reach the ideal. And this was obligatory for
all people in the society, this was brought up in the
childhood and continued all their life.

3. The following moments are true for this teaching:
Confucianism is not generally considered or practiced like a
religion, as did e.g. Buddhism.
It is a set of ethical and political tools, a basket of norms that
emphasized respect for elders, social obligations, and rules of
courtesy that promised humanistic, rational governance,
harmonious family relationships, and clear-cut standards for
governing the interaction among rulers, lords, vassals, and
common folk
In its basis lies a principle of ethical determinant when only fair,
wise and virtuous people could get power. Well, in theory ^_^.
 The continuity of cultural tradition and respect for the wisdom
of ancestors.
The cultivation of the sharpened sense of duty, desire for
virtuous and just life and improving yourself all the time.
The Golden Rule of Confucianism: "Do not do unto others what
you would not have them do unto you."
The honoring person were not abstract like Christ or Buddha
but real people from everyday life who lived strictly according to
Confucianism virtues.

4. This is one of the portrayals of the founder of Confucianism –
Confucius

5. In it’s way to Japan
In Japan, as earlier in China, Confucian ideals played a
major role in the development of ethical and political
philosophies. This was especially so during Japan’s
formative years (+ 6th to 9th centuries), when
Confucianism and Buddhism were introduced to Japan
from Korea and China. Confucianism and Buddhism in
Japan were established as the moral foundations of the
young nation. This served for centuries as the Japanese
blueprint for court etiquette and decorum.
Much later, in Japan’s Edo Period 江戸 (+1600 to 1868),
also known as the Tokugawa 徳川 era, Confucian ethics
experienced a revival of sorts. During the period, a
revised form of Confucianism, called Neo-Confucianism
(Jp. = 朱熹学 Shushigaku), gained great appeal among
the warrior class and governing elite. Neo-Confucianism
brought renewed attention to man and secular society,
to social responsibility in secular contexts, and broke
free from the moral supremacy of the powerful Buddhist
monasteries.

6. Tokugawa period – what is it about?
Many scientists think that it was the Edo period or
Tokugawa in which Japanese mentality as we know
it now started to form.
It was the time when all country was under the
brutal dictatorship of Tokugawa shogunate which
came to power after the period of civil wars.
All government forces were directed to the
maintaining of the regime and elimination of all
possible threats of it.
Life of all citizens consists of a lot of rules and restrictions. The system of general
responsibility for the crime was wildly used.
It was also impossible to travel without documents and special papers with permission
not only for peasants but for noble people too.
The fact that during this period the country was closed also influenced a lot. Their only
foreign policy was to reduce all foreign policy. They turned out all Europeans because
they were afraid of becoming colony. The only contact they had with Holland but only
through one port one time a year. And very few contacts with Asian countries.
Japanese people were not permitted to leave the country either.

7. Uchi and Soto – one of the main concepts
The idea of dividing people into in-groups and out-groups is very important in Japanese
society. It is called uchi, 内, "inside" and soto, 外, "outside“.
This distinction between groups is not merely a fundamental part of Japanese social
custom, but is also directly reflected in the Japanese language itself.
The basic concept revolves around dividing people into in-groups and out-groups. When
speaking with someone from an out-group, the out-group must be honored, and the in-
group humbled. This is achieved with special features of the Japanese language, which
conjugates verbs based on both tense and politeness. It may also include social concepts
such as gift giving or serving.

8. Uchi-soto groups may be conceptualized as a series of overlapping circles. One's position
within the group, and relative to other groups, depends on the context, situation, and time
of life. For example, a person usually has a family, a job, and other groups or
organizations they belong to. Their position within the various groups, and in relation to
other groups, changes according to circumstances at a given moment.
So, when talking with a member of your family, your classmate (with whom you are of the
same age), your friend, the way of addressing can be comparatively simple, even rude if
we compare it with other levels of politeness.

9. Talking about their attitude to foreigners we should remember that
•Japan is mononational country.
According to research about
98,5 % of population are
Japanese, 0,5% Koreans, 0,4 %
Chinese and 0,6 % named
“others”
•For about 3 centuries Japan
was a closed country.
•According to one of their
religion – Shinto – god creates
only Japan, so all other nations
are not of the divine origin.

10. Foreigners in relation with Uchi-Soto system
The same rules of Uchi and Soto are true in relation to
intercultural communication. Every common Japanese in
foreign country consider foreigners as soto while every
Japanese person he meet would be uchi, no matter what
age or status he is because in this situation he would be
part of big circle called “Japan”.
Visitors and tourists are universally soto. As a "soto"
group, they are treated with respect by the Japanese
community. However,"soto" people (ex. foreigners, ethnic
minorities) wishing to become "uchi" (i.e. Japanese
citizens) face many obstacles.
Theoretically, it is possible for a foreigner to become a part
of Japanese society. But in reality it is very difficult for
non-Japanese to be accepted as an "uchi" member of
Japanese society. In following Japanese customs of
collectivism, deciding individually to become a part of a
certain group does not mean that one actually is a part of
that group. Naturalization does not guarantee inclusion in
Japanese society.

11. How to behave?
•Japanese people tend to avoid straight eye contact and not to use mimics too much. At the
same time they use their polite smile a lot. So, if you don‟t want to tire your interlocutor
try not to use gestures and mimics too often and reduce the level of expressivity.
•In public places straight eye contact of unknown person without friendly mimics gives
impression of threat and aggressive intentions. So, if you by chance, catch someone‟s eye,
just smile politely.
• For Japanese people physical contact during communication is not typical. Even in an
intimate close relationship. A usual and comfortable distance for them is 3 steps. So, don't
try to hug him or touch in any way.

12. •In general they are already used to European manner of greeting by shaking hands
in business relationship but it is not typical for them in their society. They prefer
bowing.
•Any business acquaintance with Japanese person begins with the obligatory
business cards exchanging. That’s why always have enough of them, because if you
don’t give you card in return it can be an insult.

13. •Remember that all things that you give or receive from other person
be it a present, a business card or just a document or a pen, take it
with both hands and with a slight bow.
•If you want to make a present its better to buy some food of good
quality in an expensive shop. Remember, that you should bring
flowers, because they are presented to sick and dead =)

14. Religion situation.
There are 3 main religions in Japan: Shinto, Buddhism and Christianity. But talking about
Japanese religion situation we can‟t divide them. Most Japanese people do not
exclusively identify themselves as adherents of a single religion; rather, they incorporate
elements of various religions in a syncretic fashion. So for Japanese person it is normal to
follow several religions.
Japan grants full religious freedom, allowing minority religions such as Christianity,
Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism to be practiced.
Actually, for modern Japanese it is not a question of Faith but a way of decorating life
and important life events such as birth of child, funeral, wedding, season holidays and so
on. And for each celebration a person can choose different religion. For example a lot of
couples celebrate wedding according to Christianity, because it is much cheaper than
shinto wedding.

15. Japan and Nature
Speaking about the orientation toward
nature we can say that Japanese people
are inherent part of nature. Sometimes
people can‟t understand how this high-
technological country manages to live in
harmony with nature.
Indeed, the roots of such a treatment rise
from their main religions Shinto ТВ
Buddism according to which people
believe that any creature, tree and even a
stone has it‟s soul.
For instance, for Shintoism is
characteristic to worship trees. There is
always one tree which is considered to be
saint and to be a home for „kami‟
(Japanese gods) . Around it‟s trunk there
bound a straw rope with paper stripes.

16. Another example is tradition of admiring the nature. There are such
concepts as „hanami‟ („enjoying the beauty of cherry blossoms‟),
„tsuimi‟(enjoying the beauty of the moon), „yukimi‟(enjoying the
beauty of snow), „momiji‟ (enjoying the beauty of red maple trees).

18. The most famous and important is „hanami‟. Sakura is in blossom starting
from the end of the February and till April depending on the area. Hanami is
a short-time pleasure because blossoms fall off in 7-10 days. At weekends
and after work people with friends, colleagues and families sit down under
the trees of Sakura and lay food on the straw matt and admire the scene. The
blossom forecast is announced each year by the weather bureau, and is
watched carefully by those planning „hanami‟.

19. Schools
There‟re three stages of
school education: elementary
school (aged 6/7 – 11/12),
junior high school (aged 12/13
– 14/15) and high school
(aged 15/16 – 17/18). And for
each school there are separate
buildings. Academic year
starts on April, 6. Students
have summer (a month) and
sort winter and spring
holidays. Examinations in
form of tests are taken after
junior high school and high
school and they are really
difficult!

20. To wear school uniform is
required. The color and the
style was the same for all the
school. According to the
school uniform you can
define which school this or
that student belong to (there
are as many kinds of school
uniform as many schools).
Another interesting and
rather strange thing is that all
the students wear the same
shoes and carry the same
school bag.

21. Traditionally in each
school there’re many
different courses and
clubs а interests (sport
clubs, fencing,
photography, etc.)
which students attend
after school. There are
different fests one of
the brightest one is
sport festival.
Because of inclination to collectivism it is important to participate so that
to defend the school reputation. Moreover it is a good opportunity to tell
about yourself without standing out.

22. Speaking about the principals of Confucianism we can notice the it‟s influence in
teacher-student relationship but also in senior pupil-junior pupil („senpai‟-„kohai‟):
A kōhai is expected to respect and obey their senpai, and the senpai in turn must
guide, protect, and teach their kōhai as best they can.

23. Holidays
No country can compare with Japan
in amount of holidays. There are 15
official holidays plus different
religious festivals. Each area and
prefecture has it‟s own local
holidays according to traditions and
season. Japanese like to celebrate
very much. Holidays are a great
opportunity both to relax and to
remember traditions. Many
holidays take their roots from
buddism and shintoism. Japanese
fests are called „matsuri„.

24. Celebrations are always very bright
and skillfully organized. People start
preparations long before the date.
„Matsuri‟ is always
accompanied with corteges,
collective dancing, traditional
music, beautiful decorations. On
„matsuri‟ people can entertain
themselves tasting delicious
food and playing games.

25. A characteristic feature for
„matsuri‟ is wearing traditional
clothes. Japanese wear „yukata‟
(a casual summer kimono made
of cotton) and „geta‟ (traditional
footwear).

27. Wedding
Weddings in Japan are usually celebrated in summer, when it isn‟t cold and hot
either. As a rule most of the rituals are held according to Shinto, but very often
Japanese marry like Christians or Buddists - they are tolerant towards other
religions.

28. Traditional wedding bride‟s kimono
is white. Woman needs help to put it
on, because it is impossible to do it
by yourself. It takes quite much time
and effort to make a hairdo. It is
believed that every bride has the
horns of jealousy so she wears
„tsuno-kakushi‟ (white hat) to hide
them.
In shintoistic ritual of wedding only
matchmakers, parents, close relatives
and best friends take part in the
ceremony. Standing in certain order
they all bow in front of the tample.
Then a „miku‟ (priestess) and
„kannusi‟ (priest) hold rituels and the
ceremony ends with a bride‟s vow of
loyalty to a husband and his family.

29. Family
A traditional family in Japan has a
strict hierarchy in which a man is a
head of the family and all other
members should obey him.
Although Japanese women nowadays
became more emancipated they still
have lower status than men. So,
traditionally woman is a keeper of
hearth who brings up children, watch
the house and hold the balance of
family budget. However, Japanese
women didn’t have so many
restrictions as for example Chinese or
Indian women.
Uchi-soto also extends to social actions. In a Japanese home the most senior family
member, usually the father or grandfather, normally takes a bath first; the rest of the
family follows in order of seniority. A visitor to the home, however, is offered the first
bath. Similarly, an overnight guest is offered the best sleeping arrangements, even if
this greatly inconveniences the rest of the family. This latter case is a difficult point for
Westerners in Japan, who are usually taught to be polite by refusing accommodations
that inconvenience others.

30. The list of sources used in presentation:
•The material of the web-site fushigi Nippon - http://leit.ru/
•Wikipedia
•http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/japanese-
confucianism.html
•Benedict, Ruth. The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Patterns of
Japanese Culture.
•А. Мещеряков - Книга японских обыкновений
•А. Мещеряков – Как стать японцем
•Леонид ВАСИЛЬЕВ - Конфуцианские традиции и современный
Дальний Восток
•П.С.Тумаркин – Жесты и мимика в общении японцев

31. Thank you for your attention