by Bruce Feiler
office, enkai, envelopes
on Japanese outlook
and author’s convalescence
mother’s death
gift to author. See also Cherry Blossom family
Cherry Blossom, Mrs.
Cherry Blossom, Takuya
Cherry Blossom, Yuji
Cherry Blossom family: at New Year’s Eve celebrations
sex roles in
Cherry Blossom festival
Chieko (Cho’s girlfriend)
role in courtship
on ski trip
Cho, Takashi
as friend
background
relationship with Chieko
trips with author
Circle, significance of in Japan
Citizenship, teaching of
Citron, seasonal uses of
Clothing for “American class,”. See also Dress code
Clubs, university
College. See University
Confidence, lack of in Japanese
Conformity. See Group dynamics
Confucianism: in schools
in customs
Corporal punishment. See also Discipline
Cost of living. See also Standard of living
Costume. See Dress code
Courting patterns
rural-urban differences in. See also Nanpa
Cramming for tests. See Entrance exams; Juku
Creative thinking
Crime
Dance, group
Dean, James
Denver (Kenzo Hamano)
author’s introduction to
as teacher
as interpreter of Japanese history and customs
on principal
as friend
and school excursion
Denver, John, 28
Dependence. See Amae;
Group dynamics
Dewey, John
Discipline: at Sano Junior High School
teachers’ role in. See also Sakamoto, Mr. Disneyland, Tokyo.
Doi, Takeo
Dreams, interpretations of
Dress code: for leaf viewing
for courting
school
for climbing Mount Fuji
Drinking ceremonies. See Enkai
Eating techniques. See also Meat eating;
Tea ceremonies
Edo. See Tokyo
Education: history of Japanese
pros and cons of Japanese
and burakunin. See also Entrance exams;
Occupations, education and;
Schools
“Education Mother.” See Mothers, image of
Eh-chan (office lady)
Emmett (author’s friend)
Endo, Dr.
English, teaching of. See also “Living English”
Enkai (social evening)
Entrance exams
Envelopes
Environmentalism
Eta (social class)
Ethics (Aristotle)
Examinations. See Entrance exams
Fathers, image of
Filipino bars
Fireworks festival
Flag, Japanese
Foreigners, feelings about
Freedom, personal. See Individualism
“Frontier Spirit,”
Fuji, Mr.
Gaman (endure)
Gift giving
Go-con (group date)
Gone With the Wind
Government involvement with schools. See also Nationalism;
Textbooks, state control of Graduation, junior high school
Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere
Greetings, American
Group dynamics. See also Discipline;
Dress code;
Individualism;
Kumi;
Shinjinrui
Guilt vs. shame
Gunji, Mr. (teacher)
Hamano, Kenzo. See “Denver”
Hara, Toshiaki
wedding of
on Mount Fuji
Heating
Hibiscus, seasonal meaning of
Hideo (antique dealer)
Hikaru Genji (musical band)
Hirohito (Showa emperor)
Hiroshima
Hisashi (dog portraitist)
Hitoshi, Anzai
Home visits by teachers
Homogeneity of culture
Hongo, Mr. (teacher)
Hospitals
Ikeda, Daisaku
Imperial Rescript on Education (1890)
Imperial Rescript on Young People (1939)
Imperial University of Tokyo (Todai)
Inaka (Japanese inland)
Individualism
Internationalization
need for
attempts at. See also Uniqueness, convictions about
Introductions. See also Greetings, American
Investments
Ishikawa, Nobu
Iwasaki, Mitsutoshi
Izanagi (deity)
Izanami (deity)
Jane (author’s friend)
Japan as Number One (Vogel)
Japanese customs, assumptions about. See also “Denver”
Japan Teachers Union (JTU)
Jimmu (emperor)
Jinsai, It
Juku (cram school)
Kamikaze pilots
Kara-oke bars
Kara-video
Kato, Mr.
Kawakami, Emiko
wedding of
Kejime (line of demarcation)
“Kimi Ga Yo” anthem. See Anthem, Japanese national
Kissing
Kobayashi, Takuhiro
Kokoro (novel, Soseki)
Kumi (homeroom class)
Kuzu (town)
Kuzu Genjin. See “Oldest Man in Japan”
Kyoto
Laws, observance of
Lennon, John
Letters. See Envelopes
Liberation League
Life expectancy in Japan
“Living English,”. See also English, teaching of
“Love hotels,”
MacArthur, Douglas
Machida, Mr. (teacher)
“Made in Japan,”
Markham, Edwin
Marriage: Cherry Blossoms’. See also Courting patterns;
Kissing;
Sex;
Weddings
Math and science skills
Meat eating
Meditation
Memorization in schools
Method Training
Mikado Hotel (Tokyo)
Mimura, Mr. (teacher)
Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI)
Mogi, Mr.
Moko, Ms.
Mombush (Ministry of Education)
Momotar (folk hero)
Monroe, Marilyn
Morality in Japan
Mothers, image of
Mount Fuji
Nagasaki
Nakamura, Koichi (student)
Names, internationalization of
Nanmoku, Mr.
Nanpa (picking up girls)
Napoleon
Nationalism. See also Anthem, Japanese national;
Citizenship, teaching of;
Flag, Japanese;
Government involvement with schools;
Group dynamics
Nature, spirituality and. See also Shinto religion
Negishi, Mrs.
New Year’s Eve
New York Yankees
Nikko National Park
Ningen-kankei (social connections)
Nostalgia
Occupations, education and
Okinawa
“Oldest Man in Japan” (Kuzu Genjin)
“One-man” behavior
Ono, Yoko
Ostracism
Ovid
Packages
Parents, role of. See also Fathers, image of;
Mothers, image of; Sakamoto, Mr.;
Teache
rs: relations with students
Paul Bunyan
“Peach Boy” (momotar)
Perkins, Carl
Perry, Matthew Calbraith (commodore)
Perseverance
Places, classification of
Plato
Post, Emily
Presley, Elvis
Principal, junior high school. See Sakamoto, Mr.
Private vs. public behavior
Prostitution
Race, concerns about. See also Uniqueness, convictions about
Rank, importance of
Recruit Company
Returnees (from abroad), treatment of
Rice
Rock-and-roll music
Rohlen, Thomas
Romance
Rural-urban tensions, in Japan
Saikawa, Kenzo
Sakaiya, Taichi
Sakamoto, Mr. (principal)
author’s introduction to
attitude toward parents
as disciplinarian
on sex roles
at graduation ceremony
and student’s suicide
Sakuragi, Kazuo. See Cherry Blossom, Mr.
Sano, Japan
Sano Junior High School: author’s duties at
location of
atmosphere at
sports festival at
graduation day at. See also Schools
Sano Kosei Hospital
Sato, Eisaku (prime minister)
Sato, Mr. (barmaster)
Schiller, Friedrich von
“School refusers,”
Schools
goals of
length of year
subjects taught in
sex roles in
lack of tracking in
academic achievement in
importance given to
lunches at
student life
bullying
excursions by. See also Corporal punishment;
Dress code;
Entrance exams;
Kumi;
Ostracism;
Teachers;
Textbooks, state control of
Seasonal symbols
Sempai dress code
Sex: attitudes toward
prostitution
“love hotels,”
rural-urban differences about. See also Kissing
Sex roles: in schools
in families
Shakespeare, William
Shame vs. guilt
Shinjinrui (trend followers)
Shinto
in wedding
Shitsuke (discipline)
Shgatsu. See New Year’s Eve
Shozo, Tanaka
Skiing
Social mobility and education
Soseki, Natsume
Sports festival
Standard of living: in Sano
students’ expectations about
rising. See also Cost of living
Stress on students
Student life. See also Returnees, treatment of;
Schools
Sugimoto, Etsu
Suicide
effects of student’s on principal
Sun goddess. See Amaterasu Omikami
Susano (deity)
Susumu, Kyoko
Tadao, Maruoka
Tale of Genji, The
Tanaka, Kumiko
Tea ceremonies
Teachers: duties of
relations with studentsSee also Education;
Schools
Temple schools (Buddhist)
Textbooks, state control of
Tochigi Prefectural Board of Education: communal baths of
author’s office at. See also Sano Junior High School;
Schools
Tochigi Prefecture
Todai (Tokyo University)
Tokyo: author’s visit to
life in
wedding in
Tokyo University
Tominaga, Ryuichi
Tomonori, Kino
Torii (ceremonial gate)
Tourism
Tracking. See Schools
Und-kai (sports festival). See Sports festival
Uniqueness, convictions about. See also Homogeneity of culture;
Race, concerns about
University: life at
riots at
selection for. See also Clubs, university
University of Tokyo. See Tokyo University
Utsunomiya, Japan
Valentine’s Day
Violence in Japan. See also Corporal punishment;
Stress, student;
Suicide
Vogel, Ezra
“Water trade,”
Weddings
Westernization: Japanese concerns about
in schools
nonconformists’ interest in. See also Individualism;
Internationalization
White Day
Wind, legend of
in Tochigi
Women, role of. See also Sex roles
World War II: textbook descriptions of
kamikaze pilots
Yamaguchi, Kumiko
Yamamoto, Mr. (gym teacher)
Yukata (summer kimono)
Yukiguni (“Snow Country”)
About the Author
BRUCE FEILER is the author of six books, including Abraham and Looking for Glass. He is a frequent contributor to National Public Radio, and he also writes for the New York Times, Washington Post, and Gourmet. He lives in New York City.
www.brucefeiler.com
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.
PRAISE FOR BRUCE FEILER AND
Learning to Bow
“[A] delightful, moving, and incisive account…. Feiler uses anecdotes, historical background, and keen personal observations to reveal and explain an extraordinary nation.”
—Philadelphia Inquirer
“A hilarious and revealing book [that] marks the debut of a formidable talent.”
—JAMES FALLOWS
“A refreshingly original look at Japan…. This book is a revelation.”
—Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“This book should be required reading.”
—Japan Times
“Anyone seeking a better understanding of modern-day Japan and of Japanese perceptions of American society will benefit immensely from reading this rich account.”
—Booklist
“Extremely funny and informative…delivers a message that the world will have to learn.”
—Newark Star-Ledger
“Bruce Feiler is a keen and thoughtful observer.”
—New York Times Book Review
“Feiler, a superb narrator and storyteller with a gentle, ironic sense of humor, also possesses a potent intellect that at moments blazes forth, illuminating everything in its path.”
—Washington Post Book World
ALSO BY BRUCE FEILER
Looking for Class:
Days and Nights at Oxford and Cambridge
Under the Big Top:
A Season with the Circus
Dreaming Out Loud:
Garth Brooks, Wynonna Judd, Wade Hayes, and the Changing Face of Nashville
Walking the Bible:
A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses
Abraham:
A Journey to the Heart of Three Faiths
Copyright
LEARNING TO BOW. Copyright © 1991 by Bruce S. Feiler. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the expre
ss written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition © JUNE 2007 ISBN: 9780061863592
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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