Japanese Cultural Activities Resource Guide

“Waku Waku” Japanese Cultural Activities ResourceGuide 和敬清寂 A Project Supported by the Northern California Western Nevada Pacific District Funded by Japanese American Citizens LeagueLegacyFundGrant Acknowledgments This resource guide ismadepossible by the Japanese American Citizens LeagueLegacyFundGrantsProgram Supported by the Japanese AmericanCitizensLeague Northern California Western Nevada Pacific District Sonoma County Taiko & Japanese CulturalCampCommittee Sanae Nakajima-Chambers, Carol Kawase, Meg Mizutani,ArnoldShimizu,MiwaSmith Content Editors Carol Kawase, Meg Mizutani, ArnoldShimizu,MiwaSmith In Design Formatting Meg Mizutani, Arnold Shimizu Illustration and Copyediting Holly Kirkman Table of Contents Why Teach Our Children About TheirHeritage?5 Chapter 3:SEI Purity 31 How Our Resource GuideWasBorn 5 Story - Hanasaka Jiisan 32 What Makes This Resource GuideaUniqueTool 6 Craft - Pochi/Shiro 36 Song - Hanasaka Jiisan 37 About the Four Virtues ofJapaneseCulture7 Game 1 - Jan-ken-pon 39 Game 2-Daruma-san ga Koronda 40 Chapter 1:WA Harmony 9 Language - Kanji andPictograph 42 Story - Momotarō 10 Food - Dorayaki 45 Craft - Origami Kabuto 14 Song -Momotarō 15 Chapter 4:寂 JYAKU Tranquility 47 Game - Kamizumo 16 Story -Kasajizō 48 Language - Onomatopoeia 17 Craft -Jizō 52 Food - Kibidango 19 Song - Yuki 53 Game 1 -Koma 54 Chapter 2:KEI Respect 21 Game 2 - Kendama 55 StoryWarashibe - Chōja 22 Language - Haiku Poetry 56 Craft - Horsefly on a Stick 26 Food - Mochi 57 Song - Ouma noOyako 27 Game - Otedama 28 Questionnaire 58 Language - Greetings and Self-introduction29 Index 59 Food - Onigiri 30 Some 36 sociology studies concludethat culturally responsive pedagogy [educationaltheory] and positive racial identity canplayamajorrolein promoting academic achievementand resilience for minority youth. - Mary Stone Haley and GeorgeW.Noblit 4 Why Teach Our Children AboutTheirHeritage? Social psychologist and professor StephenFranzoiwrote,“Social identities provide young people withasharedsetofviews, belief values and goals about themselves and the world in which they live. If society devalues a specific societal group, then there is the risk of falling victim to a negative self-fulfilling prophecy.”1 Studies have shown that children can determine racialdifferencesasyoung preschool, and early detrimental experiencescancreateinternalized negative viewpoints2 ofthemselves . Franzoi also writes, “One way that ethnicminoritieshavecoped with intolerance and non-acceptance isbyrediscoveringtheir own ethnic heritage and actively rejecting the negative stereotypes in the larger culture.”1 This project was developed withthebeliefthat there is an inherent need to create ways for Japanese American youth tofeelproudoftheirheritage.Thus,wedevelopedaresource guide that would appeal to all ages, so anyone can easily explore and enjoy the cultural and historical significances of Japanese heritage through storytelling, music, dance,craft,language,games, and foods. The main goal of this resource guideistosupportmulti-and bi-racial youth by offering resources withwhichtoexploretheirJapanese heritage. The guide was developed to encourage us to pass on Japanese cultureandtraditionstoallchildreninafun,informative,en- gaging manner. Empowering people to showcase their Japanese heritage tothegeneralpublicwillfurthercommunicationandunder- standing within a diverse community. The participant feedback questionnaire attheendofguide will allow the project to be assessed foreffectivenessandexpandedto potentially include anothervolume. How Our Resource GuideWasBorn In 2004, Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens LeaguepartneredwithSonomaCountyTaiko to form an instructional team to developacomprehensiveJapanese culture program forlocalyouth. The team launched a summer day camp called Taiko andJapaneseCultureCamp(TJCC)inthe same year. 1 Franzoi, Stephen L. “The Self.” Social Psychology. 6th ed. Redding , CA : BVT Pub.,2012.67-106pg86 2 Tilford Center for Multicultural Competency Development, Kansas State University 5 This book is a compilation of selected activities taught at TJCC over theyears.TJCC’smultifacetedcurriculumcoversavarietyof activities, including language, storytelling,songs,folkdance, taiko drumming, craft projects, andJapaneserecipescultural foods. As hundreds of local youth have participatedandenjoyedtheprogram, we became aware that parents andeducatorsneededmorere- sources with which to teach Japanese cultureontheirown,at home or school. After TJCC’s 10th anniversary celebrationin2013,we explored how we could compile our resourcestoshareourrichcurriculum with others who would liketoteachJapaneseculture. The result is this resource guide of activitiesforyouthbetweenthe ages of 5 and 12yearsold. “Waku waku” is a Japanese onomatopeia to describe the feeling of excitement. Hope you and your students enjoy this book! What Makes This Resource GuideaUniqueTool Unlike many resource guides that are organized by the seasons or the holidays,thisguideisorganizedbythevirtuesofJapanesecul- ture. TJCC’s curriculum is virtue-based. It is whatwebelievemakesitasuccessfulprogram. Our original focus was simply to offer a good variety of hands-on activities. However,astheprogramgrew,itbecameobviousthat we needed to give the students the toolstounderstandandappreciate Japanese cultural virtues through thoseactivities.Withthisin mind, we madeFour “The Virtues of Japanese Culture” our instructional framework. We borrowed the concept from the four virtues of chanoyu, the tea ceremony, which has been an aesthetic aspect of Japanese cultureandJapanesesocietyforcenturies.Thosevirtues are wa (和), harmony;kei (敬), respect;sei (清), purity;jyaku and (寂), tranquility. They are interconnected anddependentuponone another, just like the four pillarsofahouse. We encourage our Culture Camp students to share the virtues they experience orobservewhileparticipatingineachactivity.Bythe end of the camp, the students are abletounderstandtheircamp experiences in the context of thevirtuesandutilizethese new experiences in other aspects of their everydaylives:speakingpolitely, taking turns, sharing, and caringforone’sbelongings. Today, hundreds of activity ideas can be found online. However, we believethisresourceguidewillgiveyouthetoolstoteachJapa- nese culture in a more meaningful and profound manner. This book is designedtoteachyouactivitiescanconductateventslike cultural festivals, school diversity events,Sundayschoolprograms, and social science units focusingonJapanandJapanese holidays. The activities may be utilized as aworkshop,demonstration,or as a series of workshops. Each sectionhasafolkstorythat illustrates the virtue featured in the section. Itisfollowedbyvirtue discussion topics, craft ideas, asong,games,languagelesson, and simple snack ideas. Any activity in this book can be done onitsownorincombinationwithothers. 6 About the Four Virtues ofJapaneseCulture WaHarmony - The characterwa is made up of two individual characters. The left-hand side of the character symbolizes “rice” and the right-hand side of the character symbolizes “mouth.” The meaning of wa comes from the idea thatwhenallare fed, there is harmony. In ancient Japan, villages were a unit organized for rice farming, where cooperationofallvillagersandconformityinthecommunity was essential for survival. Thus, oftentimes in Japanese culture, the interestofagroupcomesbeforetheanindividual. Working and living in harmony was an important virtue in ancient Japan. Asimilargroup-orientedmentalityandworkethicisstill present today. Wa is also the way that Japanese refer toartobjects.Harmonyexpresses itself in myriad ways in Japaneseculture,frombehaviors that show and maintain an attitude of peacetotheaestheticsofdisplaying everyday objects. KeiRespect - Respect is another backbone of Japanese culture.Ingroup-oriented communities, it is assumed thatwhateveranin- dividual does affects the entire community. People are expected totakecareofeachother.Showingthattheycare, even through ritual, is very important. Peoplewhoaregracious, humble, fair, and thoughtful ofothersareconsid- ered respectful. You can show your respect in many ways, including bowing or using honorific words and phrases when you speak. Respect should be paid not only topeoplebutalsofornatureand resources. Taking off your shoes beforeyouenteranindoorspaceis not only keeps the space clean but alsotoshowsrespect.Children are taught not to leave food onaplatebecauseitiswasteful as well as disrespectful ofthefood. 7 SeiPurity - Sei represents cleanliness and orderliness. Inlandarea,Japanis about the size of California, butinpopulation,it ranks sixth in the world, which is almost half of the entire U.S. population! It is so crowded that keeping everything clean and organized isessential. Sei also indicates a pure state of mind. Honesty, generosity, and hard workaregoodexamplesofthisvirtue.Frugalityandapprecia- tion are also considered virtues. Where there is abundance, itiseasytooverlookthetruevaluesofwhatyouhave. This virtue also encourages people inJapantovaluetheprocess of making things clean andkaiseki beautiful.Traditional cuisine and the art of gift wrapping are good examplesofhowpeopletaketime and care to create somethingelaborate. JyakuTranquility - Jyaku represents stillness and a calm state of mind. Tranquility, observedinJapanesemeditationgardens,isconsid- ered essential for innerpeace. 寂 Tranquility also comes from resilience and acceptance. Overcoming challenges not with control or fighting but through

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