I had an interesting CIP experience this semester. Though I did write about
volunteering for Kamigyo History House in my Japanese blog post, since then I have
had the opportunity to participate in a variety of clubs and Japanese culture classes
that allowed me to observe Japanese society from different angles. I participated
in aikido and Japanese dance classes offered by Kyoto Prefectural International
Center, and I have been to both Go Circle and Medical English Speaking Society at
Kyoto University. If I were to compare my experience this semester to that of last
semester, I think I found it much more enjoyable to explore various social groups
rather than participating in the same one over and over again. Of course, there
is beauty in building relationships and becoming a part of a group by frequently
returning to the same circle or class but with my year-long stay in Japan quickly
reaching its end, I thought it would also be a good idea to try out cultural activities I
would otherwise never get to do in the States or anywhere else.

While interacting with the older and the younger generations of Japanese people, I
was able to observe something quite interesting. The Japanese dance teacher, in her
sixties, proudly said during our conversation that she had never been left Japanese
territory – with the exception of her trip to Hawaii. On the other hand, when I
went to Kyoto University’s English Speaking Society, all of the circle members had
travelled outside Japan extensively – from Asia, the United States to Europe and
Australia. Of course, I am not trying to imply that no older generation Japanese ever
travels outside Japan nor that all younger generation Japanese travel luxuriously
outside Japan. However, even when I was volunteering at Kamigyo History House, I
met a volunteer that would proudly say that she had spent her entire life in Kyoto,
and that though she has travelled throughout Japan, she has never travelled nor
wanted to travel to a foreign country. Back then, which was last semester, I thought
it was pretty shocking but thought it could be a simple exception. But as I have
come across someone that proudly admits such a fact, I wonder if this trend or
characteristic is more than just exceptions. I find this all the more striking because
in Korea or even in Mexico, the ability to travel abroad can be considered as a
symbol of wealth in a way and I think can say with some confidence that Koreans or
Mexicans would seldom admit their lack of foreign experience, much less with the
pride the two Japanese ladies clearly showed. I have wondered why this would be
so and I think in a way this reiterates the point I made in my previous post as well.
The older generation Japanese, like those visiting Kamigyo History House, seems
to have an incredible sense of pride in Japanese culture and in their being Japanese
expressed in the form of their love for Japan, for learning about Japanese history.
Certainly circumstantial differences exist and travelling abroad doesn’t mean not
loving Japan, but I thought this particular generation gap was rather interesting
and hope to talk to more people and learn more during the remainder of my stay in
Japan!