A Teenager's Life in Japan
Eri Mizobe, 14
Hong Kong, China
Have you ever wondered what your life might be like if you were a teen girl living in Japan? Japan is that country in the Pacific Ocean to the east of China and Korea that looks like an upright seahorse. Have you ever wondered if there are any similarities between your life and the lives of girls in Japan? Well, if your answer is yes, then read on! I interviewed five Japanese friends of mine (Yuri is also my cousin) to give Teen Voices' readers an insider's view of Japanese teen life.
I don't live in Japan, but my father is Japanese, and my mother is Cantonese*. I was born in Hawaii and lived there and Singapore for four years each before coming to Hong Kong. I really enjoy reading, writing, school, singing, dancing, acting, and making friends. Someday I would like to become an author.
I go to a private girl's school in Tokyo. I like to read and play softball. My favorite subjects are English, physical education, music, history, and art. The ones that I hate are science and math. Currently, I take flute and abacus* lessons. They're really fun.
Moe Ishida, 13
Saitama
I live in Tokyo. My hobby is to draw pictures of anime*. I love sushi! Before I came back to live in Japan, I was living in Hong Kong, and I had been studying in international classrooms for a total of seven years.
Seina Hirose, 13
Tokyo
I live in Fukuoka where I attend a local school and I am in the third grade of middle school (Gr. 9).
Yuri Mizobe, 14
Fukuoka
I was born and raised in Osaka. From grades 4 to 7, I lived in Hong Kong before returning to Osaka. My favorite subjects are music and art. Some of my hobbies are paper crafts and bead accessories. I just love to make things by myself!
Miki Tanaka, 14
Osaka
I really like kendo*, cooking, taking pictures, talking, singing, dancing, and TV. I also LOVE music (rock, punk, hip hop, rap, and more)!!
Keiko Shiota
Tokyo
Eri Mizobe: What is school like for you?
Seina Hirose: Japanese schools are stricter than international schools because we are not allowed to eat snacks in our classrooms or during recess. In my school, we are not allowed to put key chains on our bags, either! There are about 40 students in each class. I'm having a great time!
Miki Tanaka: I attend a school called Momoyama Junior High School, which is connected to the Kyoto University of Education where I am part of a class of Japan-related girls returning from other countries. Almost one-third of the students in my grade are people who were able to pass the Japanese junior high test, so they are very good at studies and sports.
Keiko Shiota: Well, school is really, really fun. However, I have to say that I don't like the studying and hard work that it requires!
Eri: What are some of the rules in your school?
Seina: Our skirts have to touch our knees. Your hair can't touch your shoulders. If it does, you have to tie it up. You can't dye or curl your hair, but you can straighten it. No accessories! We have to go straight home after school (no hanging around on the way). And junior students have to follow the high school students. The teachers are strict, but funny. I'm in the home economics club and comic drawing club. I enjoy both!
Yuri: No "unnecessary" items can be brought into class. For boys, you have to button up all the buttons on the uniform. And all shoes have to be all white, or mostly white. There's still many more, but these are the basics! I don't really like the studying part of school. But, I have to say that I still enjoy school because I get to see all my friends and chat with them.
Miki: Your socks need to be white, your shoes have to have shoelaces, your skirt can't be short, you can't bring in any food to the classroom, you can't ride a bicycle to school.
Eri: What do you do at home?
Moe: I usually get home at 6 p.m. If I have a club, then it'll be 7:30. I do my homework and watch TV or e-mail my friends, read, and so on. I like playing on my cell phone as well. On weekends, I go shopping, or go to theme parks with my friends by train. I also go out with my family. I also go to the mall and game center.
Seina: The first thing I do when I come back from school is do homework. If I finish it, I do PS2 (PlayStation)!
Yuri: Once I get home, I am usually watching the TV or e-mailing my friends. If I have a test coming up, I spend some time studying for it.
Miki: I play TV games (like Nintendo), watch DVDs and TV and practice my electone*. We usually don't have much homework, but we have many tests! So, when I know that I have a test coming up, I usually spend the month before studying for it.
Keiko: I mostly listen to music, watch TV, and use my computer. And of course, I e-mail everyday!
Eri: What are homes like in Japan?
Moe: Well, I live in a 17th floor apartment with six residents on each floor. There are a lot of apartment buildings, even one with 31 floors!! Still, there are a lot of individual houses (we call them ikkenyas). It's easy if you put it like this: city equals apartments, and countryside equals ikkenyas. On our doors, we put our names (mostly the family name).
Seina: My house is not Japanese-styled; it's actually kind of western. But most Japanese houses in the countryside are made from wood. Traditionally, we don't sleep on beds. We sleep on a tatami (a Japanese woven mat). We must take off our shoes before we go inside a house.
Miki: I live in an ordinary house. A lot of kids have their own rooms, but I share my room with my younger brother. In our room we have a desk, bookshelf, and bed. However, my brother and I always do our studying in the living room. So for us, our room is like a place where we just sleep and keep our stuff.
Keiko: Personally, I think that they're very comfortable to live in. I really like the kotatsu* we have during the winter. They're just so nice!
Eri: What is the latest young people's trend in Japan?
Seina: Most Japanese teen girls wear katyusha (hairbands) in their hair. They are made out of fake pearls or beads. I think otaku can also be a trend in Japan. We call people who like anime characters otaku.
Yuri: Cell phones and sticker photos are very popular among young people.
Miki: Well, within the girls that I know, we really like to trade notes, text message each other with our cell phones, take sticker photos, and make sticker photo albums (where we put the sticker photos on the pages of a notebook and comment on them).
Eri: What are some popular youth fashion styles and products now?
Moe: Checkered shirts over t-shirts, miniskirts over flared jeans, boots, and camisoles.
Seina: Clothes with laces are popular with teens. I think laces make people cute and pretty. I have clothes with laces myself. There is even a yukata* with laces. And in summer, yukatas are fashionable, too.
Yuri: Girls are really into miniskirts, boots, sweaters with fur, and brand clothes.
Keiko: Jackets with hoods, boots, fancy hats, and even boy-like clothes are quite popular.
Eri: Do you think there are any misconceptions or secrets about Japan other people don't know?
Moe: Japan isn't kimono-a-go-go-land!!!!!
Miki: My Australian English teacher told me that she thought Japanese girls are very quiet and polite!!
Keiko: I think it's weird why so many people think that Japan has the most healthy population in the world. That is definitely a lie!!
Eri: What are some things you are allowed to do or are considered "right" concerning dating, manners and/or values?
Moe: It's considered too early to have a boyfriend or go out with boys at 13. Most girls get boyfriends when they are around 16 or 17. Most kids start going to parks and schools using trains when they are around grade 4.
Seina: It's OK not to tell your parents who your boyfriend is. I think in America, you have to tell your parents who your boyfriend is to be safe. But in Japan, there are many people who keep it a secret. And you're allowed to stay home alone without parents. So, I'm allowed to go out shopping by myself, too.
Yuri: Well, I think that it's okay to start dating when you are a teen. I think that it's actually kind of nice that someone cares about you. But there are also many negative consequences you'll have to keep in mind. Usually, when someone has a boyfriend in school, the rumors about it spread across the school, so that's something to consider.
Miki: Personally, I like to stick with the saying "never hurt anyone's feelings no matter what." For example, I think that it is unfair to discriminate against others, just because they're from a different country or not the same age as you. I think that everyone deserves fair opportunities in human relationships.
*Cantonese: people from the southeastern part of China, formerly known as Canton.
*Abacus: an instrument for making calculations by sliding counters along rods or in grooves.
*Anime: Japanese animation.
*Kendo: the Japanese martial art of fencing with bamboo swords.
*Electone: an electronic organ.
*Kotatsu: a wooden frame covered by a blanket, with a table top with a built-in heater sitting on top of the frame.
*Yukata: Japanese clothing for the summer; a casual kimono.
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Did You Know?
•One American dollar equals approximately 116 yen, the Japanese monetary unit.
•Tokyo is the capital city of Japan. It has a population of 26 million and is the largest city in the world.
•Japan is made up of the large islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and several smaller ones.
•Every time you enter a home in Japan you are supposed to take off your shoes as a sign of respect.
•Sushi, a popular Japanese dish, is cold cooked rice dressed with vinegar that is shaped into bite-sized pieces. It is topped with raw or cooked fish or formed into a roll with fish, eggs, or vegetables and wrapped in seaweed.
Sources:
www.tanutech
.com,
www.japan-guide
.com,
www.askasia
.org,
The World Almanac for Kids 2003,
World Almanac Books: Japan,
Boston Globe's Teens in Print,
www.wikipedia
.com,
www.bbc
.co.uk.
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