Japan: where ancient meets modern: in Tokyo, centuries-old traditions blend with modern conveniences.

* OBJECTIVE

Students should understand

* that Japanese teens experience both ancient traditions and Western influences in everyday life.

* that U.S. youth have adopted some elements of Japanese culture.

* WORD TO KNOW

geisha (GAY-shuh): a professional woman specially trained in traditional Japanese arts (dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, flower arranging) in order to entertain well-to-do customers. (The word geisha means "art person.")

* BACKGROUND

Most Japanese live in urban areas. The population density in Japan is 876 people per square mile. (The U.S. figure is 80.) The crowded urban conditions contribute to rapid social and cultural change. Japanese youth are creating a constantly evolving culture of music, clothing, and entertainment.

* CRITICAL THINKING

NOTING DETAILS: What is traditional about Eita's grandparents' home? (tatami floor mats; futons for beds; the kotatsu)

COMPREHENSION: Why is Japan's government considering changing the constitution to allow a Princess to become Empress? (Normally, the monarchy passes through the male line, but no male heirs have been born into the royal family since 1965.)

* ACTIVITY

MADE IN JAPAN: Have students keep a daily log, noting everything they encounter that is from Japan (cars, clothing, entertainment, electronic equipment, foods, etc.). After a week, have them share and discuss their findings. Did anything surprise them? Why or why not?

STANDARS

SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8

* Individual development and identity: How three Japanese youths integrate the traditional with the modern in their everyday lives.

* Global connections: What Japan adopts from the West, and vice versa.

RESOURCES

PRINT

* Kallen, Stuart A., Life in Tokyo (Lucent/Thomson Gale, 2000). Grades 6-10.

* Kalman, Bobble, Japan: The People (Crabtree Publishing Co., 2000). Grades 5-7.

WEB SITES

* Japan Fact Sheet/Web Japan web-japan.org/factsheet /index.html

* Japan Information and Culture Center www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc /dapanfactsheet.htm

IN the span of a single day, you could see a 300-pound tuna at the world's largest fish market, light a stick of incense at a Buddhist temple dating to the 7th century, take in a sumo wrestling match, and slurp down a cappuccino at one of the world's busiest Starbucks. Welcome to Japan, an island country in the Pacific Ocean where old and new, East and West, collide.

Mountains and hills cover much of Japan. This means that most of the country's population of 127.7 million is crowded along narrow stretches of lowland that dot the coasts (see map, p. 13).

With a population of more than 26 million, the capital city of Tokyo resembles several small cities within one big city. Rush-hour trains are often so packed that attendants must shove people in before the doors can close. "Capsule hotels" are just that--small tubes that resemble the inside of a spaceship. Designed for business people (mostly men) who miss the last train home, the "rooms" are just long enough to lie down in.

What is it like to grow up in a small country whose influence is felt around the world, both politically and economically? JS asked three Japanese youths about their lives.

Meet Eita and Reina

After taking an exam that could determine his future, Eita (AF-tab) Asakawa, 15, is remarkably unfazed. He has passed the exam and will be able to attend the private high school that is at the top of his list.

In Japan, secondary school can often determine the rest of one's life. A certain high school will lead to a certain university, which will in turn lead to a specific career. "I don't feel like I'm bound by all the pressure," Eita says, sipping an iced coffee. "I just like to do what I'm good at, and if I can, I want to help society." He hopes to turn his love of computers into a career.

Eita lives about 30 minutes outside of Tokyo with his parents and 12-year-old sister. Though his home is a Western-style house with beds and chairs, he likes to visit his grandparents, who live in a more traditional home. The floors are lined with tatami (straw mats), and the beds are futons (FOO-tons), thin mattresses spread directly on the floor. In the wintertime, Eita enjoys the coziness of his grandparents' kotatsu (koh-TAT-soo). That is a low, blanket-covered table with an electric heater underneath, which is good for keeping toes warm during dinner.

Exams are the farthest thing from 12-year-old Reina (RAY-nah) Taki's mind. When we talk, she is minutes away from a final rehearsal for a musical slated to open in four days. Reina longs to visit the United States and dreams of performing on Broadway. An only child, she has been studying dance for several years, and spends most of her after-school time at a theater school for children and teens.

East vs. West

Fita has mixed feelings about the U.S. While he admits a weakness for hamburgers, he says that his impression of America is of a country too eager to go to war. Similarly, Eita understands that the world has a mixed view of Japan. His country's war history and friction over trade have led neighboring countries like China to mistrust Japan.

Naho Nomata, 14, loves many American things, but worries about the loss of some of Japan's traditions. Relaxing in her bedroom after school, she has changed from her uniform into jeans and a sweater. Harry Potter books line her shelf, and posters of Natalie Portman, her favorite actress, cover the walls. "I don't think it's good to see America's food culture influence Japan's traditionally healthy cuisine," says Naho, who is also an only child. She avoids McDonald's, opting instead for some of her favorite Japanese foods--umeboshi (pickled plums) and natto (fermented soybeans).

Importance of Trade

Fita too is serious about traditional foods, especially soba noodles. Soba are buckwheat noodles, often served in hot broth and topped with fried shrimp, vegetables, or tofu.

For Eita, a discussion about Japanese food leads to the subject of global trade. Japan has the world's third-largest economy and is a major exporter of cars, electronics, and computers. Yet it must rely on other countries for most natural resources, such as petroleum, coal, and aluminum.

A growing problem in Japan is the disappearance of farms. An aging rural population and a declining birth rate have many Japanese worried about the future of their country, particularly its economy.

"Japan depends too much on other countries for its vegetables," Eito says, "and that's not a good thing."

Equality for Women?

Having kids is a big issue for Japanese families, and not just because the birth rate is so low. It is also a much-discussed question where the royal family is concerned.

The Japanese monarchy is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world. Today, political power lies with the Prime Minister, but the Emperor is still considered the symbolic head of state.

Since 1965, the royal family has not produced a male heir. Now the government is considering changing the constitution to allow Aiko [EYE-koh], the daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako, to ascend the throne after her father, who is next in line. In February, however, Princess Kiko, who is married to second-inline Prince Akishino, announced her pregnancy, offering the possibility of a male heir.

Whether or not a boy is born, debate on the role of women in Japan is likely to continue. Eita, who keeps up with current events by watching the news and reading the paper, thinks that the constitution should be changed. "In the olden days, women were considered inferior," he says. "Now it's an egalitarian society, and it's not good to have such differences."

Reina agrees. "It would be very good if the law were revised," she says.

Old Japan

Naho wants to share Japanese traditions with other teens. If she could be a tour guide for one day, she would take people to historical sites, such as temples and shrines, and introduce tourists to traditional foods. So forget the french fries, and get ready for sushi and--the slimy favorite--natto.

WORDS to Know

* egalitarian: society in which all groups are equal.

* sushi: small pieces of raw fish or vegetables with rice.

RELATED ARTICLE: Japanese culture rocks the U.S.

While Japanese kids are picking up American ways, U.S. teens are returning the favor. For instance:

* One fourth of Cartoon Network and a third of Kids' WB! shows are anime (AH-nuh-may)--Japanese cartoons featuring characters with large eyes and spiky hair in futuristic settings. Dragonball, Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh! are well-known examples.

* Anime characters appear in card and video games, and in Japanese comic books called manga (MAHN-gah). The manga strip Peach Fuzz was added to the funny pages of about 30 U.S. newspapers in January.

* From Godzilla to The Grudge, Japanese movies are popular here too--as remakes. The horror hit The Ring is an Americanized version of Ringu, a Japanese novel that was made into a Japanese film.

* Sudoku (SOO-doh-koo)--Japanese number puzzles--now appear in newspapers all over the U.S. (See puzzle, p. 23.)

JAPAN

The Japanese call their country Nippon, or Land of the Rising Sun. The red circle on Japan's flag represents the sun. Japan is an island nation with four main islands and about 3,000 smaller ones, most uninhabited. One of the world's most-densely populated countries, Japan is smaller than California but its population is 3.6 times as large.

FACTS TO KNOW

AREA: 145,869 square miles.

POPULATION: 127,700,000; 875 people per square mile.

GOVERNMENT: Emperor Akihito is the ceremonial head of state. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi heads Japan's parliamentary government.

CAPITAL: Tokyo.

ECONOMY: World's third-largest economy (after the U.S. and China). Japan is a leading producer of electronics, automobiles, and machinery, but must import most raw materials and fuels. Japan grows most of the rice it needs, but imports other grains. It is one of the world's leading fishing nations.

PER CAPITA GDP *: $29,400.

RELIGION: Most Japanese practice religious rituals based on Shinto, the native religion, and Buddhism.

LITERACY RATE: 99%.

LIFE EXPECTANCY: Males, 78 years; females, 85 years.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the capital of Japan?

2. On which island is the capital located?

3. Is most of Japan's land cropland, forestland, or industrial?

4. Which city is located nearest to 40[degrees]N, 140[degrees]E?

5. Which country is located due west of Tokyo?

6. Most cars and trucks are manufactured on which island?

7. Japan is bordered on the north by islands belonging to which country?

8. About how many kilometers is Mt. Fuji from Tokyo?

9. Which large body of water is south of Shikoku?

10. Shipbuilding is an industry on which island(s)?

ANSWERS

1. Tokyo

2. Honshu

3. forestland

4. Akita

5. South Korea

6. Honshu

7. Russia

8. 80 kilometers

9. Philippine Sea

10. Kyushu and Shikoku

* GDP stands for gross domestic product; per capita means per person. This amount is the value of all items produced by the country in a year, divided by the population, and is often used as a measure of a nation's wealth.

Your Turn

THINK ABOUT IT

1. Do you agree with Eita and Reina that a woman should be able to serve as Empress of Japan? Why or why not?

2. How does Japanese culture influence you and your friends?

QUICK QUIZ

* Write the letter of the correct answer en the line before each question.

--6. Japan is a major exporter of which products?

A. aluminum and vegetables

B. cars and electronics C. coal and petroleum

--7. Who are the main customers of Japan's capsule hotels?

A. business people

B. the Emperor's family

C. futon makers

--8. Which of the following is one of Japan's most popular sports?

A. javelin toss

B. Ringu

C. sumo wrestling

--9. Which of these would not be part of a traditional Japanese meal?

A. soba noodles

B. tatami

C. umeboshi 

--10. Which of the following Japanese creations has not become popular in the U.S.?

A. anime

B. manga

C. natto

Answers

6. B

7. A

8. C

9. B

10. C