In samurai times...
One way to explain anything in Japan is to start with "In samurai times..."
Notes:
- this is not my original idea; someone else made it and I stole it
- it is usually almost 90% fiction
- it is best with zero preparation
How could one use this device?
Example:
Joe is new to Japan. He comes from "foreign countries". He is curious about something in Japan or Japanese culture. He meets me.
Question: Why do Japanese students clean their schools?
Answer: In samurai times, students were supposed to both learn and be loyal to their teacher. In order to show the loyalty, they would pre-emptively clean up the places of learning. To show that they were both loyal to their teachers and to encourage ownership of the learning process, the students would do their best to clean - and soon it became a fun bonding time of working together. So, today schools still enforce this practice in order to encourage loyalty, ownership, and bonding.
Question: Why do people not eat or drink while walking in Japan?
Answer: In samurai times, the rulers strictly enforced laws that prohibited eating drinking while walking. Prior to that, people walked around and ate their sushi or onigiri, but two major problems occurred. First, poor peasants became jealous of those who could afford to walk and eat, so they would periodically riot because of wealth inequality. Second, as Japan became obsessed with cleanliness, town officials were worried that food or drink would fall onto public roads and thus be a sign of ineffective town leadership. So, for these reasons, officials and leaders banned eating or drinking while walking, which is why Japanese people today still do not eat or drink while walking, except at festivals.
Note: these stories are fiction. There are almost no facts in them at all.
For those of you who have supported my nonsensical "in samurai times" stories, thank you! And to the inventor of "samurai times" stories, thank you!
Notes:
- this is not my original idea; someone else made it and I stole it
- it is usually almost 90% fiction
- it is best with zero preparation
How could one use this device?
Example:
Joe is new to Japan. He comes from "foreign countries". He is curious about something in Japan or Japanese culture. He meets me.
Question: Why do Japanese students clean their schools?
Answer: In samurai times, students were supposed to both learn and be loyal to their teacher. In order to show the loyalty, they would pre-emptively clean up the places of learning. To show that they were both loyal to their teachers and to encourage ownership of the learning process, the students would do their best to clean - and soon it became a fun bonding time of working together. So, today schools still enforce this practice in order to encourage loyalty, ownership, and bonding.
Question: Why do people not eat or drink while walking in Japan?
Answer: In samurai times, the rulers strictly enforced laws that prohibited eating drinking while walking. Prior to that, people walked around and ate their sushi or onigiri, but two major problems occurred. First, poor peasants became jealous of those who could afford to walk and eat, so they would periodically riot because of wealth inequality. Second, as Japan became obsessed with cleanliness, town officials were worried that food or drink would fall onto public roads and thus be a sign of ineffective town leadership. So, for these reasons, officials and leaders banned eating or drinking while walking, which is why Japanese people today still do not eat or drink while walking, except at festivals.
Note: these stories are fiction. There are almost no facts in them at all.
For those of you who have supported my nonsensical "in samurai times" stories, thank you! And to the inventor of "samurai times" stories, thank you!
