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Articles in order of posting, most recent first:

Getting back on the horse
by Thomas Dillon

'Code words' provide shortcut
to understanding foreign cultures

by Boyé L. De Mente

Japanese scientists make automated translation breakthrough
by Boyé L. De Mente

All change in Japan
by Matthew MacLachlan

In one remote corner of Japan,
Emperor still considered a god

by Ronald E. Yates

Lafcadio Hearn, rolling stone
who gathered moss in Japan
by David Appleyard

Who is that masked woman?
by Thomas Dillon

The myopic state we're in
by Debito Arudou

Job-hopping losing dishonor in Japan
by Ronald E. Yates

The food we choose to eat: Japan's 'food paranoia'
keeps high-quality produce off the menu

by Duco Delgorge

The high cost of children — don't kid yourself
by Thomas Dillon

Social responsibility: the buzz word nobody gets
by Noriko Hama

Japanese system stifles foreign scientific talent
by Peter Osborne

Seiza — the traditional Japanese sitting posture
by Chyi Lee

NHK — the way it should be
by Thomas Dillon

The lowdown on the cost of 'doing Japan'
by Boyé L. De Mente

Japan remains safe haven for foreign travelers
by Boyé L. De Mente

Kidnapped / Of separations & kidnappings
by Bill Stonehill

Speaking a different language
by Phillip Howe

Loss of the kimono a tragedy
by Bill Stonehill

The extraordinary merits of modern-day karate
by Boyé L. De Mente

A train chock full o' nuts
by Thomas Dillon

'Secret' dolphin slaughter defies protests
by Boyd Harnell

Weather ...for better or worse
by Boyé L. De Mente

Open debate under threat in Japan
by Sheila A. Smith & Brad Glosserman

Hospital death exposes 'tip of malpractice iceberg'
by David McNeill

Tropical Tokyo and the green clams
by Bill Stonehill

Having a baby in Shimane
by Sherry Nakanishi

JAPAN'S HARD LINE: Never give an inch to China
by Gregory Clark

Groping for answers on gropers
by Thomas Dillon

In Japan, fast food is fast becoming
a health hazard
by Ronald E. Yates

When cultures clash — 'sizing' up  the opposition
by Thomas Dillon

The importance of questioning fearlessly
and answering honestly
by Noriko Hama

What not to do in Japan: die
by Thomas Dillon

The iron 'Silk Road'
by Bill Stonehill

Archaeology and racism
by Bill Stonehill

Tokyoites rush to 'commuting hell'
by Ronald E. Yates

Japan's rebels rare, but hard-core
by Ronald E. Yates

Foreigners in Japan say openness all talk
by Ronald E. Yates

Japan's Takarazuka Theater makes women,
and men, of talented girls
by Ronald E. Yates

Japan's 'returnees' face rejection,
find that coming home isn't easy
by Ronald E. Yates

English-language deficit handicaps Japan
by Jean-Pierre Lehmann

The Japanese art of losing to win (1965/2005)
by Boyé L. De Mente

BBC Japan comes and goes
on 'wrong' first-choice satellite
by David Appleyard

Two-wheeler paradise
by Bill Stonehill

A sham anti-smoking program
by Kiroku Hanai

Scales of justice
by Barry Brophy

Mama-san's babies
by Sarah Dale

Who's Alberto Fujimori and what's
he doing sleeping on my couch?
by Bill Stonehill

Organized crime and the forest
by Lance Olsen

Monks fight 'progress' in old city
by Ronald E. Yates

Plethora of barriers narrows
food choices for Japanese

by Duco Delgorge

McEnglish for the masses
by David McNeill

Stranger in a Japanese land
by Bill Stonehill

Our beef with Japan
by Mindy Kotler

Living longer, divorcing later:
The Japanese silver divorce phenomenon

by J. Sean Curtin

EDUCATIONAL REFORM:  Lots of debate, little action
by Gregory Clark

Selling sex in a glass!
by Boyé L. De Mente

Crime and the U.S. servicemen in Okinawa
by Bill Stonehill

Foreigners find divorce means sayonara to kids
by Doug Struck and Sachiko Sakamaki

Why foreign men like Japan (It's the girls!)
by Boyé L. De Mente

Mountains and deserts
by Bill Stonehill

Longtime expatriates all play 'Survivor'
by Thomas Dillon

Home-buyers in Japan up against a stacked deck
by Mark Magnier

Japan, EU and agriculture
by John de Boer

Intellectual alienation spawns hazy policy
by Jean-Pierre Lehmann

Classified ads? Forget about them
by Bill Stonehill

ALEX KERR'S VIEW Japan: A land gone to the dogs?
by Stephen Hesse

International marriages in Japan
by J. Sean Curtin

Educational reform in Japan,
or how to 'kill' children — a report
by Spencer Fancutt

The cold and the kotatsu
by Bill Stonehill

Like Japanese food? Try a spaghetti sandwich
by Bill Stonehill

'Inbred' universities dragging Japan down
by Jean-Pierre Lehmann

Noisiest nation in the world?
by Ronald E. Yates

The harsh reality of high school clubs
by Sven Holm

Law in Japan
by Bill Stonehill

It's either English or stay in the dark
by David Appleyard

Japan through English Windows
by David Appleyard

Conglomerate 'X'
by David Appleyard

When in Rome, do as Romans do?
by Toby Harward

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Seiza – the traditional
Japanese sitting posture

Original article by CHYI  LEE
(Adapted for Eyes on Japan by David Appleyard)

Seiza, written in two Chinese characters , means the ‘proper’ or ‘right’ way of sitting. This is the posture adopted on formal occasions in traditional Japanese culture, especially when sitting on tatami mats. In this position, the knees are bent 180 degrees with the calves tucked under the thighs so that you sit on your heels, toes pointed.  

At the beginning and end of Japanese martial arts classes, e.g. aikido, karate, judo, etc., participants will sink into this position, teachers and students bowing to each other in respect. Seiza is also integral to traditional Japanese arts such as the tea ceremony, flower arrangement or calligraphy. It is used during Buddhist meditation and while performing on traditional musical instruments such as the koto. In the past, the Japanese had their daily lives based around seiza and always adopted this formal posture for eating, reading, writing, making conversation, and various other indoor activities.  

As with the wearing of the traditional kimono, seiza is no longer popular in modern Japanese life, and in its strictest form is usually only practiced at funerals and other Buddhist ceremonies. Some modern-day parents openly discourage their children from adopting this posture out of fear their legs will 'go to sleep' after a while. Seiza is blamed for blocking proper blood circulation and stunting growth, although I have my doubts about this from a medical point of view.  

One has to look in depth at this body position to fully understand its meaning. The propo- nents of seiza believe it leads to an alert mind and body. According to Ogasawara Kiyonobu, author of Nihon no Reihou (Japanese Manners), when we consider its mental and spiritual aspects, seiza is a peaceful and calming posture, but not one of complete rest. Being peaceful and calm, one can adjust one’s mind and pay good attention to the activities one is engaged in.  

In the tea ceremony, adopting this 'correct posture' means not only showing courtesy and sincerity toward the guests or tea master; it also has a significance related to one’s field of vision and the direction of one's eyes. During the ceremony they believe that all attendees are of equal status, and so in the tatami room, where everybody sits at the same height on the ground, they should be able to observe everything at the same level. There is usually a hanging scroll of calligraphy on the wall and out of reverence participants should never look down on it, always up to it. This is why seiza is believed to be the ideal sitting position; it allows us to see others in the room as equals and to look up to something to be revered. 

Owing to the modernization (or westernization) of Japanese society, the style of architecture and clothing has changed drastically. People no longer live in tatami-matted rooms and no longer wear the traditional kimono in daily life. Nowadays most Japanese eat, read and write at a table and sit down on a chair. Despite the inherent advantages of seiza, to most people it seems strangely out of place in modern-day society.  

At the same time as Japan’s architecture and clothing have undergone this visible trans- formation, the invisible culture of this society has also been changed, sometimes to an extent not fully realized.  

And this is not only happening in Japan; changes to our environment and our way of doing things inevitably affect our lifestyles wherever we are in the world. New ways of doing things may not be so much of an issue, but changes in our core values always deserve close attention. Practicing seiza is no longer of key importance, but being alert in mind, feeling a sense of equality between others and ourselves, and showing respect for something worthy of respect are all essential values we should never forget.  

These values should be preserved in new shapes and forms when the traditional ones are no longer appropriate.


© Chyi Lee 2007.    All rights reserved


 

Editor's note: Special thanks to the author for kindly contributing this article to Eyes on Japan. Ms. Lee, who hails from Penang in Malaysia, tells us she is currently studying engineering in Tokyo and feels driven by a strong passion to explore new things and make new discoveries. An enthusiastic blogger, she enjoys expressing her thoughts, exchanging opinions and posting her travel pics over at http://leechyi.multiply.com .

 

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This page last updated 2008-10-28
Eyes on Japan compiled and edited by David Appleyard, 2001-2008  |  Privacy Policy