1. Westernization of Japan Caroline Lee IB English III- 1 st Period

2. http://www.hcteurope.com/japan/Travel_files/Japan_map.jpg

3. Meiji Restoration vs. Sakoku Diplomacy Sakoku translates to “locked country” –No Japanese were allowed to exit the country during this period (isolationism) Meiji translates to “enlightened rule” –Goal of restoration period was to combine Western advances with Eastern values (imperial rule with industrialization and a massive increase in production and infrastructure. Sparked by Commodore Matthew Perry’s trip to Japan; influenced Japan to open ports up to trade.

4. Post-WWII Reform New Japanese constitution adopted in 1947, promoting liberal and democratic policies. (restructured shogunate of almost one century before) Economic growth between the 1950s and the 1970s was extremely rapid, due to motivation of rebuilding country –Japanese economy rose to second-largest in the world

5. Changes to Japanese Culture Stability of nation (and national pride) after WWII Efficiency Deterioration of family bonds/ties Upsurge of women’s roles in society Conglomerating new aesthetic ideals with tradition (katachi)

6. National Pride after WWII When WWII ended, Japan’s geography and was devastated (all cities except Kyoto were industrially and infrastructurally damaged, all territory acquired after 1894 was taken) Defeat, as well as geographical destruction, severely reduced Japanese morale –Kamikaze during war, imperialist/expansionist movement that fueled Japan’s involvement in WWII

7. Efficiency During WWII, Japanese economic standards were leveled due to need for labor –Geisha reform (also tied to aesthetic change) After WWII ended, Japan recognized their need to restructure the country and went on to create a rapid influx in production - Japanese post-war economic miracle (US investment, among econ. restructure)

8. Deterioriation of Family Bonds/Ties Deaths/destruction from the war Individualized labor movement (factories; efficiency) Desensitization of familial loss (ancestors, traditional values held in shogunate) Lowered expectations of being cared for in old age by children

9. Role of Japanese Women in Society Demand for Japanese women to hold jobs, rather than pose as homemakers –Employment rate for women shot up in the late 20 th century (Japanese workforce up to 40% in 1987) –Longer life expectancies along with smaller families and a spike in births led women to participate more fully in the labor force. –Service job opportunities in the postindustrial economy expanded as well, and fewer new male graduates were available to fill them

10. Conglomerating Aesthetics Katachi: "form and design," implying that art is synonymous with living, functional purpose, and spiritual simplicity. Japanese made no distinction between fine arts and crafts prior to the introduction of such ideas by Europeans in the 1870s. New ideal of “Barbie” phenomenon, Western beauty concepts began to take hold

11. Considering Westernization in the Arena of Kitchen Are the character of Mikage and the struggles she encounters in Yoshimoto’s Kitchen a metaphor for the state of Japan during the late 20 th century? What parallels can we draw between Kitchen and the culture of the United States, and are these parallels universal, or was the establishment in Japanese culture prompted by something externally, such as World War II?

12. Works Cited Tashiro, Kazui. "Foreign Relations During the Edo Period:Sakoku Reexamined." Journal of Japanese Studies. Vol. 8, No. 2, Summer 1982. Nussbaum, Louis-Fr é d é ric. (2005). "Meiji" in Japan encyclopedia, p. 624 at Google Books Lee, Eunjeong. "Transforming Japan — Banana Yoshimoto ’ s Amrita." Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University, 2010. Print. Koren, Leonard (1994). Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers. Stone Bridge Press Rhodes, G. (2006). "The evolutionary psychology of facial beauty".Annual Review of Psychology 57: 199 – 226. Japanese Aesthetics, Wabi-Sabi, and the Tea Ceremony." College of Visual Arts and Design. University of Northern Texas, 2007. Web. 14 Mar 2011.. Goldstein-Gidoni, Ofra (Fall 1999). Kimono And The Construction of Gendered and Cultural Identities. 38. The University of Pittsburgh. 351 – 370. Martin, Richard (1995). Our Kimono Mind: Reflections on 'Japanese Design: A Survey since 1950'. 8. The Design History Society. 215 – 223.