Libmonster ID: JP-1237
Author(s) of the publication: R. V. DOROKHINA

R. V. DOROKHINA

Candidate of Philosophical Sciences

Voronezh State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering

Keywords: Japan, clubs, corporations, samurai, universities, students

Student associations in the cultural space of Japan have gone from samurai ethics to modern corporate ethics. Japanese student clubs are very peculiar: it is interesting to draw a parallel between them and the activities of Western student corporations, to trace their similarities and differences in initiation rites, adherence to ethical norms and values.

Before 1905, the Japanese aristocratic elite was strictly structured by rank: depending on the rank, they could receive hereditary ranks and positions, or make special efforts to do so, enlisting the support of patrons. There was a specific exam for each level of rank. And studying at the university allowed children from noble families to get not only knowledge, but also a certain rank, which promised them the subsequent ascent of the social ladder.

TRAINING - A TRIBUTE TO TRADITION OR THE FIRST STAGE OF YOUR CAREER?

Japanese researcher K. Ishikawa writes that " the first daigakure university appeared after 702 near the imperial palace to train the administrative staff of officials. ...The teaching method was very simple: students first read after the teacher, so at that time they were called dokusya, which means reading. And then they already listened to the lectures of professors, and the students were already called kosya (listening to lectures). Students were not allowed any free thinking, any deviation from what was written " 1.

Since 718, when the Taiho epo re Code was adopted (The Code of Criminal, Civil and Administrative Laws), based on it, educational institutions were divided into universities and schools. In the cities of Heian and Kyoto, universities were opened exclusively for children from noble families. Children of lower rank were admitted to the university by special application. Provincial schools were opened in the provinces, where children of local nobility studied. However, school enrollment was not for everyone, but exclusively for gifted children who had the ability to study certain sciences.

With the opening of samurai schools in Japan, a certain discipline was established among students, which contributed to the development of student self-government. It manifested itself as follows: "A group of about 10 students united those living in the neighborhood. The eldest boy was chosen as the leader, who had to follow the code of honor. Violators of discipline were ostracized, that is, they were expelled from this group or from the police.-

page 56

they were beaten-sometimes to death. One member of the group had the task of getting everyone home every morning, then they marched to school under the command of the leader. Once there, the students performed the ritual of passing their swords to the elder, who in turn placed them on a shelf. The group leader kept records of attendance, followed discipline, and marched them home again after class. At home, they were supposed to spend their free time together and never mix with other groups. " 2

Such self-management clearly characterizes the process of the emergence of the first closed student organizations in Japan, where the leader solves the issues of his group. An important role in the group is played by the "code of honor" adopted by the Samurai, guided by which group members make decisions, instill certain moral values, and conduct educational work.

The conclusion that such a group is a closed organization is made on the basis of one of its rules: students, even when they return home from school, do not have the right to come into contact with members of other groups. Consequently, each group, in addition to the code of honor common to all, had its own secrets and goals, its own charter and rules governing the activities of each of the members of the group. Thus, it can be assumed that the first Japanese student organizations appeared in the XVI century. It was among the samurai schoolboys.

Exams at a Japanese medieval university were held as follows: the teacher read out a passage from the text, students had to tell where the passage came from, answer questions. And in case of successful passing of exams, the student could be offered a good position. In addition to teaching martial arts and etiquette, samurai also practiced military sports, flower arranging, and tea ceremonies, which eventually led to the creation of schools or, as they are now called, clubs.

STUDENT COMMUNITIES - CENTER FOR INTELLECTUAL LIFE

The beginnings of the first club-type leisure organizations appeared in Japan in the early Middle Ages-first in the academic environment, and later among the samurai. Yamaga Soke (1622-1716), a scholar and military instructor of the Ako clan, developed concepts and more precisely formed the norms of samurai ethics bushido (The Way of the warrior). Yamaga believed that samurai should surpass the Confucian sages of ancient times in their learning, cultivate virtue, and "... devote themselves to 'studying books' as well as practicing music, poetry, and other arts."3. All these classes, which were not fully included in the training program, gave rise to schools, and later to clubs of various directions.

In 1874, the Japanese educator and scientist Mori Arinori, together with another scientist and intellectual Fukuzawa Yukichi, founded the first academic community "Meirokusha" (Society of the sixth year of Meiji), which lasted for three years. Mori Arinori was the chairman of the society, and the members were: Fukuzawa Yukichi-philosopher, writer and translator, founder of Keio University; Nakamura Masanao-Confucian scholar, translator, founder of a private school; Kato Hiroyuki-philosopher, theorist of the state; Nishimura Shigeki-scientist, teacher; Kanda Kohei-statesman; Mitsukuri Rinse -scientist, statesman; Mitsukuri Shuuhei-statesman, scientist; Nishi Amane-positivist philosopher, statesman; Tsuda Mamichi - legal scholar, philosopher and statesman. The last two members of the society were the first Freemasons in Japan: in 1864, they joined the Dutch Lodge 4.

The Meyrokusya Society was a center of intellectuals who wanted to follow the Western path of development. The society's meetings, which were invariably attended by between twenty and sixty people, were held twice a month. Meyrokusya also published the newspaper Meyrokuzassi, which was used exclusively for educational purposes: on its pages, the problems of moral, philosophical and political teachings of the West, the women's issue, gender equality, education reforms, etc. were discussed. But already in 1876, the academic society "Meyrokusya" ceased to exist, due to the fact that its members differed in their views.

Japanese student associations differ significantly from European student corporations. What in European student culture is called a corporation, i.e. an association of students based on common interests, goals, pursuing a specific mission and necessarily having a charter, is called a bukatsu club in Japan

page 57

based on your interests. Thus, the Japanese counterparts of European student corporations are club-type student organizations.

EXTRACURRICULAR LIFE ON CAMPUS

In Japan, as in European universities, at the beginning of the academic year, students are introduced to a variety of clubs, clubs and sections. For this purpose, a specific day and place are allocated, where first-year students and those senior students who want to either change their leisure activities or occupy themselves in their free time are invited. This meeting is attended by representatives of various clubs, such as karate, Aikido, orienteering, tea ceremony, ikebana, etc., after which students make their choice.

According to the observations of our compatriots who have visited Japan, about 90% of all students are members of clubs and are engaged in part-time work. There are two types of student associations: the first is kuraba (from the English club), where visits are mandatory, and sakura (from the English circle), where visits are not so important, and most importantly - the atmosphere of relaxation and loyalty to all club members.

At each university, a special building is allocated on the campus - a Sazhuru trap, for clubs and clubs. The schedule of classes at the university is designed so that in the school week each group has one day off to visit bukatsu. Each club in Sazhuru kapkan has its own room-busitsu, where club members regularly meet, study, drink tea and communicate. A busitsu is a room where there is no furniture, except for cabinets and benches, and in the cabinets are stored books with information about each member of the club - his hobbies and preferences, medical data. The walls are covered with photos of all the members of the club - from the very first to the current ones.

In terms of communication and making friends, Japanese people are similar to Americans: the more friends and acquaintances they have, the higher their level of originality and significance in the eyes of others, the more successful they seem, and such people are pleasant to deal with. Unsmiling, focused on their problems, a person is perceived by society as a bore. On the contrary, openness, interest in social work, friendship, camaraderie, and mutual assistance among students are welcome, which can give a start to building a successful career and establishing promising connections.

E. V. Kozhurina, a specialist in Japanese philology, visited a Japanese university and noted that success in the circle plays a rather important role in the subsequent employment: "After all, a new employee will be taught to work well in the company itself, but a ready-made baseball player or karate master will do honor to the company if it participates in any competitions.- or competitions " 5.

First of all, graduates of any clubs are hired - for the simple reason that they have already been taught discipline, respect for their superiors and each other, and following the rules. In the conditions of the Japanese corporate system, such a person will be more desirable in enterprises than a graduate with an excellent diploma who did not participate in club activities. After all, new knowledge and work skills can be taught to a novice, but it is more difficult to convey to him certain values, rules and norms of moral communication. Employees who have passed through club activities as students, where, first of all, they were taught to work together, follow the interests of the group, certain rules and norms of behavior, are always in demand in a corporate environment, because they have experience working in a group.

WHERE THEY TEACH LEADERSHIP

Japanese student clubs have a membership hierarchy: senior - junior. Seniority is determined not by age, but by the number of years spent in the club. The head of the club has the title of Bute: this is a member of the club who has been in it for more than 3 years; then, according to the hierarchy , his direct deputy, Fukubute. In sports sections, the mentor has the title of Kantoku.

In clubs, the following positions are also distributed among students: accountant, responsible for the club's website, travel organizer, etc. "All Japanese schools and directions, regardless of the type of activity, have their own organization, hierarchy of cult authorities, certification and promotion system, lists of followers, etc."6. Clubs have developed a mentoring institute: undergraduates teach freshmen, introduce them to the rules and procedures of the club, help them with their studies, or just give them some advice.

Following the example of American fraternities and European corporations, Japanese stu-

page 58

student clubs organize parties with a huge amount of alcohol, contests and competition between clubs for the status of the best. In Japanese clubs, as in European and American student associations, there are admission rules that are accompanied by hazing (bullying), as well as an initiation ceremony.

A. F. Prasol-Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor at Niigata University of International Culture and Information, describes the rite of joining and leaving the club as follows: "If a person just decided to play tennis with a new company, it will be enough to recommend one of the permanent members of the group and a short self-introduction of the newcomer. If you are accepted into a permanent group for any long period of time, you will have to give a welcome speech. In it, you can briefly say who you are and where you came from, what brought you here, ask for favors and advice for the first time, and promise to make every effort. General applause completes the formal part.

After some time, an informal one will follow - a mandatory feast (kangeikai), where the newcomer sits in the center of the table and becomes the object of attention for the whole evening. During the evening, he must go around all those present, drink a glass with everyone and tell everyone something different, individual. At this point, the formal initiation into the group can be considered complete.

Leaving the group is arranged in the same way. Everyone is informed about it in advance, and in an informal setting, the outgoing person explains the motives, which are not necessarily genuine. Then repeat the procedure. Closing remarks at the last meeting and a dinner-banquet of varying degrees of solemnity. This order is universal, and deviations are possible only in details. " 7

A distinctive feature of Japanese student clubs is the absence of a cult of fraternity and life membership, which would imply, in particular, mutual assistance-in relation to each member and to the entire corporation as a whole. Students join student clubs and sections for a short period of time - for 2-3 years: first, to make friends; secondly, to take a break from studying, switching to a favorite or just an interesting activity.

Before World War II, there were youth organizations in Japan that were funded by the authorities. Currently, youth organizations manage only with their own funds. There are also clubs based on gender differences - exclusively male and exclusively female, which to a large extent echoes European student fraternities and sisterhoods. In such clubs, men and women go through the process of socialization, learn to obey, manage, develop such a quality as responsibility, become more independent, learn to make decisions, calculating all the risks and consequences.

Despite the fact that membership in Japanese clubs and clubs is short-lived - only a few years - their dedication to the interests of the team, corporate ethics are much more developed than those of representatives of student organizations in other countries.

* * *

Japanese student communities, therefore, have no less a history of formation than European student corporations. The main difference between Japanese clubs and European corporations is that the European student community was united in corporations based on the principle of belonging to one nation, place of residence, ultimately, love of the Motherland, and only in some cases to study certain sciences. Student club life in Japan is a whole palette of clubs based on interests, from martial arts classes to macrame, where students come to relax, socialize and engage in their favorite hobbies.

Japanese student organizations do not have a complex hierarchy of membership, a hundred-year history, centuries-old customs and traditions as in Europe, but in both European and Japanese student communities, each member strives for self-improvement, defends the honor of the club-whether it is a debate, exhibitions, joint performances or wrestling.

And if the origins of student corporations in Europe come from clerics studying at the first universities, who dreamed of freedom and enlightenment of the masses, then the founders of student associations in Japan were samurai warriors who strictly follow discipline, obey the senior rank, honor traditions, and rely on the "code of honor"in their educational practice.

That is why today on the campus of Japanese universities we see student clubs that are traditional for this country - this is ikebana, tea ceremony, martial arts, etc., but they were joined, it would seem, by new areas of activity, such as anime and photography, which also became a priority tradition of the Japanese people. Student clubs in the cultural space of Japan play the role of a catalyst for both intellectual development and the formation of corporate ethics.


Istoriya obrazovaniya v Jap'anii (kontsa XIX - pervaya polova XX veka) [History of education in Japan (the end of the XIX-first half of the XX century)]. S.Ch 2000. Istoriya obrazovaniya v Yaponii (konets XIX-pervaya polovina XX veka). M.) (in Russian)

2 Ibid., p. 56.

McClain, James L. 3 Japan. Ot shogunata Tokugawa - v XXI vek [From the Tokugawa Shogunate to the XXI century].

4 Japanese Freemasons - http://www. japanesedolls.ru/index/0 - 59

Golovina K., Kozhurina E. 5 Japan: a non-standard travel guide. Saint Petersburg, KARO. 2006, p. 43. (Golovina K., Kozhurina E. 2006. Yaponiya: nestandartnyi putevoditel. SPb) (in Russian)

Prasol A. F. 6 Japan. Faces of Time-Japan. The Changing face of times: mentality and traditions in a modern Interior, Moscow, Natalis, 2008, p. 122 (Prasol A. F. 2008. Yaponiya. Liki vremeni - Japan. The Changing face of times: mentalitet i traditsii v sovremennom interyere. M.) (in Russian)

7 Ibid., p. 125.


© elib.jp

Permanent link to this publication:

https://elib.jp/m/articles/view/STUDENT-ASSOCIATIONS-IN-THE-CULTURAL-SPACE-OF-JAPAN

Similar publications: LJapan LWorld Y G


Publisher:

Sigura KawasakiContacts and other materials (articles, photo, files etc)

Author's official page at Libmonster: https://elib.jp/Sigura

Find other author's materials at: Libmonster (all the World)GoogleYandex

Permanent link for scientific papers (for citations):

R. V. DOROKHINA, STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS IN THE CULTURAL SPACE OF JAPAN // Tokyo: Japan (ELIB.JP). Updated: 15.12.2023. URL: https://elib.jp/m/articles/view/STUDENT-ASSOCIATIONS-IN-THE-CULTURAL-SPACE-OF-JAPAN (date of access: 24.05.2025).

Found source (search robot):


Publication author(s) - R. V. DOROKHINA:

R. V. DOROKHINA → other publications, search: Libmonster JapanLibmonster WorldGoogleYandex

Comments:



Reviews of professional authors
Order by: 
Per page: 
 
  • There are no comments yet
Related topics
Publisher
Sigura Kawasaki
Tokyo, Japan
128 views rating
15.12.2023 (526 days ago)
0 subscribers
Rating
0 votes
Related Articles
SEN KATAYAMA AS A HISTORIAN
Catalog: History 
114 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
A. I. KRUSHANOV. VICTORY OF SOVIET POWER IN THE FAR EAST AND TRANSBAIKALIA (1917-APRIL 1918)
Catalog: History Bibliology 
114 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
THOMAS HUBER. THE REVOLUTIONARY ORIGINS OF MODERN JAPAN
114 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
POLITICAL EXILE IN SIBERIA AT THE END OF THE XVIII-BEGINNING OF THE XX CENTURY. SOURCES AND HISTORIOGRAPHY
Catalog: History 
115 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
AINU PEOPLE
Catalog: Anthropology History 
119 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
M. I. SVETACHEV. Imperialist intervention in Siberia and the Far East (1918-1922)
Catalog: History Bibliology 
119 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
KURILORUSSIA
120 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
ONCE AGAIN ABOUT TSUSHIMA
Catalog: History 
120 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
VICTORY IN THE FAR EAST
120 days ago · From Haruto Masaki
STRENGTHENING OF NEOCONSERVATIVE TENDENCIES IN HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL STUDIES OF BOURGEOIS AUTHORS IN JAPAN
120 days ago · From Haruto Masaki

New publications:

Popular with readers:

News from other countries:

ELIB.JP - Japanese Digital Library

Create your author's collection of articles, books, author's works, biographies, photographic documents, files. Save forever your author's legacy in digital form. Click here to register as an author.
Library Partners

STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS IN THE CULTURAL SPACE OF JAPAN
 

Editorial Contacts
Chat for Authors: JP LIVE: We are in social networks:

About · News · For Advertisers

Digital Library of Japan ® All rights reserved.
2023-2025, ELIB.JP is a part of Libmonster, international library network (open map)
Preserving the Japan heritage


LIBMONSTER NETWORK ONE WORLD - ONE LIBRARY

US-Great Britain Sweden Serbia
Russia Belarus Ukraine Kazakhstan Moldova Tajikistan Estonia Russia-2 Belarus-2

Create and store your author's collection at Libmonster: articles, books, studies. Libmonster will spread your heritage all over the world (through a network of affiliates, partner libraries, search engines, social networks). You will be able to share a link to your profile with colleagues, students, readers and other interested parties, in order to acquaint them with your copyright heritage. Once you register, you have more than 100 tools at your disposal to build your own author collection. It's free: it was, it is, and it always will be.

Download app for Android