Group Research Summary

To reiterate (for those who haven't been paying attention) over the course of two weeks on this GSP research trip, our group topics have been Zen Buddhism and the topic of drinking culture in Japan.

Zen Buddhism:

Zazen (Sitting Meditation) is an outgrowth of Buddhist principles which incorporates various specific Japanese values that predate it. By the time of the earliest written documents, such as the Nihon Shoki in the 8th century CE, Buddhism and the earlier animist religion of Ko-Shinto had already mixed. This has lead to various idiosyncrasies in Japanese religion, including the incorporation of ideas other than the core Buddhist tenets into the religion. For example, on our visit to the Zen Buddhist temple of Kouryuuji, we found rooms not only dedicated to Buddhas, their disciples and meditation, but also the worship of native guardian spirits- the Kami of the Shinto religion. While one would not pray or make wishes as such to a Buddha, as they are simply enlightened humans like you or me, the guardian spirits are much more like the deities more familiar to western religion, demanding worship and potentially granting wishes and the like.

In addition, the belief in Buddhism and other religions is by no means mutually exclusive. Many Japanese people find no issue and will find it anything but strange to make a visit to a Shinto shrine for New Year's celebrations, be taught Confucian values in school, and be buried a Buddhist- all while not necessarily believing in the superiority of one system over another or even believing deeply in any of these. In fact, the head monk of the temple we visited (who was very kind to show us around and put up with question upon question,) was very candid about his stance on other religions. While he may not necessarily believe in anything other than the Zen Buddhism he personally practices, he will happily work together with Shinto practitioners for events and he sometimes even attends Christian masses and prays in a Christian fashion- not for himself, as he doesn't personally believe- but for the sake of the Christian worshipers gathered there (as there may be a God, and if so, he'd wish the best for those there.)

Drinking Culture in Japan:

Drinking culture in Japan is an interesting topic compared to drinking in the west. Drinking is a very openly discussed and done thing, with much less of the negative stigma surrounding it in Canada. Paradoxically, the drinking age is much higher in Japan than in other places -set at 20- though this is likely due to cultural influence from the United States, where the drinking age is 21 due to a much greater historical stigma from Puritan Christianity and the like.

Once the requisite age is reached, however, the world of drinking opens up to the Japanese. In the same bar as us or merely from afar, we've seen time and time again the strong drinking culture embedded in the Japanese work culture- it's practically required to go out drinking with your boss and coworkers to prove you're part of the group and foster team spirit. Another interesting facet is the near all-encompassing availability of cheap and greatly varied alcohol. There isn't a requirement for a licence to serve or sell alcohol, so it's widely available in everything from vending machines to convenience stores to even the venerable fast-food restaurant Lucky Pierrot. In addition, the consumption of alcohol in public isn't illegal, so the worst you'll get for drinking as you meander down the street is a few judging looks for drinking while walking, which is considered a bit rude.