Japanese Anthropology Essay - 1772 Words

Prof. Bodoh-Creed Anth 338 – Section 1 February 27, 2012 On an ordinary Saturday afternoon, my sister and I made our way to 1st St. and Central Ave. from a failed attempt at another left-to-be-unnamed cultural epicenter, which was a very disappointing trip. Little Tokyo proved to be quite the opposite, as I was able to ascertain a much deeper understanding of the Japanese culture because of it, and at the same time was able to reflect on the differences and similarities of my Filipino heritage. From what I was able to gather, the Japanese and Filipino cultures have quite a few significant differences, but have more similarities than I originally anticipated. As the name would suggest, Little Tokyo is fairly little, with its†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, along 2nd Street one can find a Pinkberry and Japanese tavern sharing close proximity to one another, just one example of the comingled culture of Little Tokyo. We met many friendly people during our visit, but had the most luck getting interviews while we were in the shops an d making small talk with the workers and customers. The predominant religion in Little Tokyo is Buddhism, but sentiment varies widely depending on their connection to the Japanese culture and their age. I was told that there were a handful of temples scattered throughout the area, and according to an elderly female store owner many people find it very important to observe the religious decrees and go every Sunday to meditate. A younger Japanese woman who worked in one of the shops seemed to think otherwise, as she expressed that nobody really follows the customs anymore, but certainly like to profess it. She continued by saying, â€Å"The only time we really care is during funerals†, but during weddings they are seen in churches wearing American style gowns, bearing a mark of Judeo-Christian Western ideology. Although Buddhism is widely recognized to be the major religion among the Japanese, some of the smaller religions like Shinto and Christianity bring in a small following also, just not in Little Tokyo. Strolling along the Plaza, I encountered a pleasant Japanese American student in her mid-20s who had come all the way from Orange County. She toldShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Role of the Reflexive Ethnographer1252 Words   |  6 Pagesof the study of anthropology. The use of reflexivity has and wil l always be questioned in anthropology. Malinowski, who was a pioneer in the field of anthropology, discouraged the use of reflexivity; he, instead, believed that anthropology was scientific and could produce â€Å"concrete evidence† (Malinowski 17). Reflexivity is way in which anthropologists try to get rid of this scientific and rigid anthropology; it is a move towards an emotional and self-reflective anthropology. 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