18. Education

Historical sources of education systems:

Confucian - village/clan based study of confucian classics
Meiji - centralized, uniform curriculum, strong on technology

5 1/2 day school / week, few holidays
firm discipline
Juku, extra after school school
entrance exam for high school, college
    enormously stressful, "examination hell"
 

19. Religion

People do not believe in and practice one specific religion
Rather they use several different religions simultaneously

different religions deal with different aspects of life:

Confucianism
        Five basic relationships
        Affects social life, social relations, family, government bureaucracy and emperor
            "Confucian ethical values continue to permeate thinking..."

Buddhism
        Mahayana - has divided into many sects
        Salvation in the afterlife
            funerals, burial areas (after cremation)

        population must register with a Buddhist temple

Shinto
        Man's relation with nature
        variety of festivals

State Shinto
        Artificial religion to reinforce state power

Christianity
        has broad cultural influence
            e.g.: Christmas, weddings
        universal value system is attractive to some Japanese

New religions
        Syncretic, combine shinto, buddhism, Christianity

        e.g.:  Soka Gakkai
        sect of Buddhism that became politically active
 

20. Mass Culture

Japan is highly cultured, artistic
centralized education system
vigorous mass media
    television
    national newspapers

result: Japan is very homogenous, in ethnicity, language, culture