FINAL ESSAY music 2: Folk Song Club

Blake Foster

Winter Quarter Japan Exchange 2010-2011

Final Report: Folk Song Club

In order to gain the trust and mutual friendship of Japanese people, the most important factor is often time. While there are many open-minded Japanese who befriend people quickly and are able to be open with their emotions, many Japanese tend to be more reserved around new acquaintances. This cultural trait can be perplexing and frustrating to non-Japanese, even if they are familiar with Japanese culture. Becoming more close to the Folk Song Club proved to be a long process, but by the end of the exchange I had been overall accepted into the Folk Song circle. Not until the end of the exchange did I feel like an actual member rather than a tourist. Through my experiences with the Folk Song Club I learned about Japanese college culture and about Japanese music. Each quarter spent with the club brought a greater understanding as to what the club means and how it relates to Japanese society as a whole. Now that a year has passed since learning about the club and enjoying it, I can reflect on what these experiences and better comprehend what I have learned about Japan through my year-long exchange in Kobe.

Toward the beginning of joining the club, I was aware of the differences in seniority for club members, but the weight of the relationships between junior and senior members was not apparent due to the lack of rigid organization and structure to the club and the openness of its members. Members of any year level in the club would fraternize with one another, blurring the lines that are clearly visible in stricter clubs such as baseball (which has an almost military-like conduct, particularly for high school baseball clubs) and other sports clubs in Japan. When the Folk Song Club played a show in the clubroom on campus to attract students who were entering as first year students at the university, a group of members played a cover set of the UK band Arctic Monkeys. Since I was a huge fan of that band I was eager to hear the covers. A third-year club member, known for his stern and somewhat irritable temperament, was doing vocals while on guitar, and as I sang along to his muffled singing another third-year member grabbed a microphone and handed it to me so that I could actually sing, which I did, prompting the singer on guitar to apathetically give up the role. At the time I thought little of this, as Japanese, in a music setting, will commonly call out a foreigner in an entirely Japanese group of people. Toward the end of the exchange, I found out that many club members were left with a huge impression of that one event, and it shaped their impression of me in the club from thereon. Many were shocked in amusement, likely because a senior member's performance was suddenly interrupted by a new member (not to mention a foreign new member). The fact that I did not consider how seemingly small actions could be viewed through the eyes of the club members showed how ignorant I was about the importance of club cultures in Japan.

Understanding how school clubs guide Japanese youth came through several important events in the Folk Song Club. Before this quarter, events like the club's summer trip to Nagano prefecture, where the second year students are chosen to be the next club management into their third year of membership, and the school festival in early November where third year members retire the positions to the new management, the passing of membership creates important relationships that last well beyond members actually graduating from the university.

In a society that still strongly adheres to Confucian roots, freshmen students entering a club that has its own ranks and culture becomes an important right of passage. Younger members are able to make friends with members four or five years older than them, and the system of respect (such as using honorific language to speak to senior members) facilitates this bond. Though the membership to the club creates an instantaneous bond between members, the forging of relationships between first, second and third year members takes about half a year. That is why events like the summer trip are important; their purpose is to thin the lines between class levels and create stronger friendships. Although members of all year levels tend to create close relationships individually, the first and second year levels often form the closest bonds overall. Since third year members are the management at the beginning of first year students' membership, the level of respect they receive can sometimes create distance, and forth year members are often absent from club meetings overall, which limits the amount of time they spend with first year members.

In order to bring lower-year members closer to forth year members, there are two important events to the club in March. Because March is when forth year students graduate from school (which is some of them, compared to the members who are on their fifth or sixth year at the university), it is assumed that they will become too busy to play with the club anymore (even though many members withhold from seeking full employment, work part time, and still sometimes play shows with the Folk Song Club), and thus an event is held where club members congregate at “Round 1”, a popular chain amusement center with bowling, karaoke and other activities, and have bowling tournaments in teams, each team including a forth year member and one member from each year below that (making teams of four people). While many first year members have interacted with many of the forth year members, this event encourages forging a stronger bond before they graduate from school. The night of bowling is followed by two after-parties until 5am the next morning. Often times members forth year and above know little of the first year members, even so much as their names, so the event at least familiarizes members on some level.

The second event that celebrates the forth-year graduating members is the Graduation Concert (卒コン, sotsukon), a concert that has bands formed of at least one forth-year member as their final official concert in the club (some members still come back to play with the club after this). The event is held in high regard by all younger members, and their effort to cheer and support the forth-year members is evident. The effort in supporting the club became even more clear in the face of the March 11 earthquake and tsunamis that devastated Japan, with the concert being held the next day. Second-year members in charge of management made sure to use social networking sites like Mixi to encourage members not to forget about the importance of the concert even at a time of national crisis. While the club's activities may seem frivolous and inappropriate in a time of great mourning, the obligations and dedication to the club and its members withstood the darkened atmosphere. While there was some sense of gloom during the day of the concert, members did their best to focus on carrying the event on and enjoying it.

All the bands that performed were at their highest level, with a much more organized and focused effort than other club events. Most bands were standard four to five piece bands, but there were some acoustic sets and one video presentation by a fifth-year member paired with Katsura, who made a rare appearance and played guitar to accompany the video that the member created. The video was met with puzzlement, but the guitar-playing was well-regarded by younger members who had never seen effect-pedals utilized creatively by members of the club. Elaborate performances had other visual presentations and rotating players, commemorating all the forth-year members as a part of the set. Many members openly weeped while playing, showing the level of emotion vested into the event, and that crying at a final occasion is almost an obligation for Japanese people. The after-parties extended into the early hours of the morning as well, with members drinking with reckless abandon for their farewell.

The day of graduation ceremonies itself also includes a club drinking event, which I was unable to attend as I had already returned to the states. The entire month of March is almost dedicated to the graduating class, with three major events, two that I attended. The following month of April, which I originally wrote about at the beginning of the exchange, will be marked by next generation of club members. With the culture of the club, a sense of nostalgia and worth comes with each new generation of members, a culture that is uniquely Japanese. The way in which many members uphold the respect for senior members proves just how important the club is, as many of these relationships carry on long after members graduate.

Something unique in the first and second year members of the Folk Song Club of this last year was their willingness to cooperate and hold events with members of the Keiongaku club, a much more serious-minded club in terms of its events and activities, which was the reason for members breaking off and forming the Folk Song Club long ago at the University of Hyogo. The Keiongaku club stresses members to be skilled in their instruments and parts in order to become better musicians, and a lack of skill in some players can lead them to feel alienated and useless in the club setting. The Folk Song Club, however, attempts to value all members regardless of their skill level and provides a more inclusive atmosphere. Older club members tend to have less ties between the clubs, but the first and second year members performed in four or five joint-live concerts with the clubs and other music clubs from neighboring schools. Personally, these events were more interesting that Folk Song-exclusive events due to the variety of people and personalities. The atmosphere of certain clubs tends to reflect the personalities of its members, and the mixture of different clubs in concerts and their inevitable drunker after-parties provide a look at the diversified but strongly prevalent music club culture in Japanese universities.

In mid-February, a large joint-live event took place in Sannomiya with several different university clubs in attendance. As I mention in the essay “Original Music in the Kobe/Osaka Area”, one band played original music, the low-point of the show. Other than that, however, there were several talented bands doing a variety of covers, including an Iron Maiden cover that included a half-Japanese guitarist (whose father was Japanese and mother American, a welcome change to the stereotypical but common ex-pat/war-bride scenario) and a bassist playing a 5-string that pulled off one of the tougher bass-solos with spot-on precision, and a Japanese singer taking the English vocals with surprisingly clear pronunciation (this band came from the University of Hyogo's neighboring University of Foreign Languages, which I mentioned in the fall quarter when writing about school festivals). The Folk Song Club performed with over ten members, being comprised of a large brass section including one member from the Keiongaku club in the brass section, and three vocalists covering a Japanese hip-hop group. In the middle of the performances there was also a Japanese haiku contest with a Valentine's Day theme (the theme was receiving a gift from a girlfriend on Valentine's Day and returning the favor on the Japanese holiday White Day, a holiday in which males return the favor of Valentine's Day on March 14th), in which I entered an innuendo-laden haiku that was worded with the help of Katsura, which inevitably lost due to the audience's mixture of embarrassed laughs and silent puzzlement. The after-party, only lasting till 10pm, was especially raucous and loud, mainly from the Folk Song and Keiongaku clubs and their interaction involving the ever-popular male-on-male kissing dares that preludes binge drinking (a cultural aspect that is commonplace in Japan but nearly unthinkable in the more homophobic United States).

With all of these interactions between older Folk Song members and the joint-live shows with the Keion Club, I was able to become well-known with many of the club members. Through music and alcohol, I, a foreign exchange student was able to be accepted into the club cultures. While not the only foreign member of the Folk Song Club (I introduced a Chinese student into the club, and she performed at the Folk Song's Winter Concert event), I certainly stood out in the sense of being American and inevitably connected to the Western culture of music that many Japanese are fans of. When my American friend, a guitarist who performs original music with me, came to visit in late January, he too struck a chord with the Folk Song Club through his guitar skills and general knowledge of music. Present at the Winter Concert (even coming on stage to perform one of our original songs at the end of the set that I took part in, my final performance for The Folk Song Club), he impressed club members with his knowledge of music (he pointed out by ear that one girl who was tuning her guitar into a drop-D tuning was still tuned incorrectly) and sound, and joined the club for the after-party with a warm welcome by many of the older Folk Song members, who deemed him a member of the club even in his brief presence (his name was even called once when taking attendance at a club meeting afterward). He interacted well with other guitarists, many of whom in turn came to our performance at the Jam Jam Cafe when we did our original work (as mentioned in the essay about original music). These interactions showed how well members of the club can interact inter-culturally through music.

In terms of my membership, the feeling of being an actual member of the club was solidified by a surprise farewell celebration in early March. The members created a DVD video with goodbye messages from many of the members, thanking me for being a member and bidding farewell. The farewell party itself was very Japanese in nature, in that there was a final speech time given to me following all the attending members singing a traditional sentimental Japanese song (sang at farewell occasions such as high school graduations) in a chorus, with the club leader egging on everyone to “make Blake cry!”

Even with the amount of time it took to gain a real sense of place in the Folk Song Club, and the cultural miscommunications and disagreements that occurred along the way, even members who initially reacted coldly or in offense to my presence (one girl told me directly that she did not like me at all at first, but that now she did) began to warm up to me (the cynical side of me says it was because I was about to leave). Because the culture of the club is both open and loose but at the same time sensitive and quite serious about the club, I misread the nature of the club at first, and my understanding took time and patience. In the end, however, the experience was both rewarding on a personal and educational level. I was able to fulfill my objective of learning about music culture for younger Japanese, particularly college students, and how club activities build an important part of their lives. Just as I was lucky enough to experience Japanese high school, experiencing a club like Folk Song provided a similar insight into a culture that really requires direct experience to appreciate and understand. More than simply playing music, the Folk Song Club creates a social group atmosphere that facilitates long-lasting bonds through music.

FINAL ESSAY (culture credits): Women In Japan

Blake Foster

Winter Quarter Japan Exchange 2010-2011

Women In Japan

To quantify Japan as a male-dominated culture would be accurate, but at the same time missing a bigger picture of the culture itself. The way in which Japanese people interact with the opposite sex remains traditional even after feminist movements in Japanese have propelled women into higher societal positions than the role described in the old Japanese catchphrase “Good wife, wise mother”. Femininity and vulnerability remain desirable traits in women, and the effects of feminist movements have not influenced Japanese women to try and emulate their male counterparts. Homemaking is still highly-regarded and virtuous on some level, even as women entering the workforce makes it difficult to settle into a traditional marriage lifestyle, which is still sought after by Japanese men. The view of sexuality and gender roles in Japan makes some behavior and interactions that would be deemed sexist and reprehensible in American culture appear normal and acceptable in many settings. This makes lawsuits for sexual harassment in the workplace a contentious debate, as some forms of behavior that are thought of as normal (many women who work office jobs have to tolerate or give in to their male superiors' advances or flirtations, on some level, in order to progress in the corporation) by men are progressively being viewed as unacceptable by young women (I admit, I cannot cite these claims directly other than what I have come to understand through personal experiences; I cannot claim this as a cultural norm and have no intention to). An example of how women are treated in group settings is from the Folk Song Club- one older female member is particularly well-endowed, and many male members jokingly make excuses to get a first-hand feel. Her response to it is embarrassment but not indignity. While nobody but the person can vow for how they feel about the situation, the amount of respect she receives in the club does not change in spite of the sexualization she receives from male members. In short, she does not seem to care. Female members who do care are not treated the same way and their personal space is respected. This behavior may not be all that uniquely Japanese, but the view on such behavior in the United States is somewhat of a contrast (I probably would be lynched for the type of spin I have already written in this paper by feminists at Evergreen). Another case came from meeting some students at a neighboring school next to the University of Hyogo, which was a group of male and female students. One of the male members of the group made sick and twisted jokes about one of the girl's bodies in front of everyone (funny because based on her actual appearance the jokes were baseless), which drew laughter from her and all the other group members, male and female alike. The two were probably dating and therefore made the jokes “appropriate”. If this occurred in the United States, however, I cannot imagine how offensive it would be to most people. The sexist nature of the situation seems like a big deal to an American witnessing it, but on appearance, the situation is normal to the Japanese. The normality of such gender relations brings into question its nature: are Japanese women in these situations being oppressed in a chauvinistic way, or is it simply how genders interact? How are women exploited in Japan? Dogmatic views on gender relations found both I conservative and progressive elements of American culture would dictate the answer, but in Japan's case, gender roles are not the same as they are in the United States and other Western civilizations. While I do not want to get into a full-on study about gender or feminism in Japan, there have been several aspects of Japanese culture and society that have provoked some thoughts about the subject.

First off is the adult entertainment and sex industry in Japan, or in broader terms, an industry of women being employed to entertain men in a variety of ways. This industry is an undeniable and integral part of Japanese society, particularly prevalent in Kobe, namely the Sannomiya area. Surely, the amount of pachinko parlors in Japan draws a connection between the gambling industry and sex industries (just as there is little wonder as to why prostitution is legal in Las Vegas). A common progression for Japanese men is to win big at pachinko and spend the money on adult services. While sex is the basis of these industries in Japan, it should not be confused as a simple matter of prostitution, as in a majority of situations, prostitution has nothing to do with the service being provided (I would like to explicitly state that I do not know about prostitution or these industries in Japan from experiencing it myself, but as the culture in Japan is so common it is hard not to learn about it through others, whether it be people met around Kobe or from people within school clubs like Folk Song). Just as the traditional geisha culture is often misrepresented as prostitution in Japanese history, the culture of women entertaining men still exists in Japan in many forms. Geisha were entertainers foremost, and not always there to provide sexual services to patrons. In this tradition, there are various types of bars and clubs that provide similar experiences.

The most common and flashy of these are Cabaret and Clubs (キャバクラ Kyabakura short for “Cabaret Club” in Japanese rendering). They are easy to recognize in their gaudy and exteriors and the amount of hosts and hostesses outside of them calling people to come in and spend money. These establishments advertise their rates outside, often charging a cover fee of 6,000 yen (around $60) for 60-90 minutes. In these clubs men pay the cover fee and are given private rooms where beautiful young women talk to them and flirt while coaxing the customers into buying expensive drink and food items for them off of menus. Most of these places have strict policies and do not allow anything beyond what the rules state. Many of the women who work at these places are only allowed to interact with customers within the work setting, and are not allowed to give out their actual contact information. In addition to being attractive to the eye, these women have to be entertaining and skilled in conversation in order to get a steady flow of customers. Although these clubs usually do not offer sexual services to customers, Japanese men, particularly salarymen, will drop loads of cash on these places when they are out on the town. I knew one girl who worked at a Cabaret at school, and she seemed embarrassed by the fact that she worked there, as the culture is generally frowned upon by Japanese society even with its massive presence in many large cities.

A step down in the pricing range and elaborateness of Cabaret are Girls Bars and Lounges. Both of these types of bars have beautiful women working at them to attract male customers, and have hourly charges in the form of “all-you-can-drink” specials that usually cost about 5,000 yen for an hour. Although all the girls usually work in one place, customers still can request their favorites to serve them while they are in the bar. Customers also request working girls to sing karaoke with them and sing themselves. These types are more popular for female college students, as they are generally safer and have less of a seedy reputation than the aforementioned Cabaret clubs. When I asked a girl from the Folk Song Club who worked at a Lounge in how it was different from Girls Bars, Cabaret and other adult services, she explained that it consists of sitting in the customers' laps and feeding them food by hand, among other things, but nothing overtly sexual. When I asked if she felt it was wrong that young girls are exploited in such jobs, she completely disagreed. She said that the money is good, and that uglier women can find jobs using their intellect and talents, and that pretty women can make their own money simply through their looks. The confidence in which she spoke about the type of work she did provided a counterpoint to how progressive-minded Westerners would typically view such work. Another girl from the Folk Song Club, however, who worked in a Girls Bar, hated a majority of her work, as the nature of it can be extremely stressful and tiring especially to a college student. She later quit working at the bar because of the stress.

A more traditional type of bar in Japanese culture are Snack Bars. While the aforementioned types of clubs and bars mainly exist in urban areas with much younger customer bases, Snack are located in more rural and residential areas and usually are visited by middle-aged to elderly men. These bars are run by women who work both the bar and sit and pour drinks for customers, offering conversation. These type of bars are generally considered the least ill-reputed in terms of the adult industry, as they often simply entail drinking with women. Customers also more commonly interact with the women outside of the bar setting as well. The women who work at Snack tend to vary in age from lower-middle age to college-age. The more conservative nature of Snack contrasts to the flashier and eroticized Cabaret.

These adult establishments offer men (there are also locations that cater to women and, undoubtedly, gay customers in that there are all-male Cabaret and Boys Bars) a chance to interact with women in a controlled environment, so that they know what to expect and can relax rather than trying to interact with the opposite sex through self-willed approach, as is often the case in the bar and club scenes in the United States and other Western countries. On the surface they appear exploitative of women, but to look at it in that way alone would ignore the intricacies of gender relations in Japan.

Another emerging trend that exists beyond the adult industry is the entertainment industry in Japan itself in its production of all-female musical groups such as AKB48. Originally formed in the electronics district of Akihabara in Tokyo, AKB48 has become a major cultural phenomenon in Japan. While similar groups came before, such as Morning Musume, the way that AKB is marketed captures not only a male fan base but a prominent female fan base who even look up to the members as role models. Beyond simply being pop idols, they are the voice of pop culture in Japan. Because of the popularity of AKB48, similar groups from Korea such as Girls Generation and Kara have gained massive followings in Japan. The music that these groups produce almost becomes secondary to the merchandising that includes DVDs and scantily-clad photo books that are sold. AKB also has a prominent following in Korea and other Asian countries, leading to a possible trend of trading girls as pop culture commodities as an industry. The reason for it being a trade comes from the fact that girls who become too old for the group are released from their contracts and younger girls are recruited, sometimes as young as ten years old, to be the next generation of the pop group. Their adolescence and young adult lives are consumed by touring and receiving the spotlight, and many ex-members who are less popular move into adult entertainment (many pornographic magazines advertise the debuts of former AKB members). More so than Cabaret and Girls Bars, this kind of industry does more to exploit women in that they are treated as products, tempting young girls into a life of stardom that usually only lasts temporarily, often depriving them of a normal childhood.

As a foreigner and a man I cannot attempt to understand what the women who work in these industries feel, and the amount of abuse and exploitation that undoubtedly goes on in the shadows. To demonize the culture as simply being chauvinistic and sexist, however, would be to miss the larger picture of gender relations in Japan. The conventions of gender roles may not work for all Japanese, just as they do not work for all peoples of any society, but the functions of these relations in society are still valued as an important part of Japanese culture by both women and men alike. Whereas feminism in the West might dismiss gender roles such as homemaking as a way of keeping women in a subservient position to men, the role in Japan is still well-respected. Television commercials in Japan would likely be deemed too sexist in their portrayal of gender roles, such as laundry detergent commercials portraying energetic women balancing their morning duties like making breakfast for the family, getting the children ready for school and taking care of the laundry. Even though the gender roles portrayed in Japanese society are still a basic part of the culture and society, the real problem comes not so much from gender issues as it does from the outdated nature of Japanese work institutions that are less compatible with a more Westernized younger generation of Japanese. Japanese women often want careers and family, but the way that employment works in Japan makes it extremely difficult for women to do both. While gender relations will inevitably evolve and have evolved in post-World War II Japanese society, it will likely be a change in Japanese work institutions that include both sexes rather than being simply being an issue of gender.

In spite of the nature of what I have discussed in this paper in terms of women in Japan, there are several aspects of moder Japanese culture that are empowering to women. The way that girls play a role in school clubs like the Folk Song Club has been impressive in that female members can express themselves and stand out playing music with all-female groups, and are equally valued along with male members. Some behavior which would be considered sexist and inappropriate in the United States that is normal for many Japanese in terms of gender relations may make it hard to judge how women are valued in Japan, but it is important to remember the vast differences that make up foreign cultures before applying judgement. On this exchange I have learned more about gender relations in Japanese culture and how it contrasts to the United States. Though I do not agree with all of it, I respect the fact that as a foreigner I cannot ever fully understand how other cultures interact, but that the attempt to do so provides valuable insight that can help bridge the cultural gaps in understanding gender roles.

WINTER QUARTER: Music essay (first)

Blake Foster

Independent Study Contract, Winter Quarter

March 31 2011

Special Interest: Original Music in the Kobe/Osaka Area

Starting from a concert I saw in late December with a Japanese duo called “Lenny Finger”, I knew that there was a number of extremely talented artists in Japan that were still not on major labels or did not have a major pop presence. “Lenny Finger” came amidst a group of average punk bands and other duo sets that played acoustic ballads, and they immediately stood out, so much to the point that the audience nearly mocked them by hollering out during their set in obnoxious cheers, prompting the guitarist of the two to scream in Japanese something along the lines of “Shut the f**k up, we're trying to be serious here!!!” The style of the duo was very jazzy, with one guitarist and a female vocalist who sang in a retro jazz style. The guitarist played acoustic guitar in a complex finger-picking style that created a layered and atmospheric effect with just one guitar. Following the end of the set I immediately went to purchase a CD from them, which was published through an independent label. Lenny Finger broke up as a duo in early March with each of the two members pursuing separate musical endeavors. The fact that I was able to see them live once and purchase a CD of their music during their relatively short period of activity made it clear that many independent artists in Japan are short-lived in spite of the quality and vibrance of their work. Throughout the Winter quarter I made an effort, whenever possible, to seek out independent original artists in Japan. This topic would expand to jam session artists who, while not making focused song-writing efforts, would perform originally through jam sessions. Through the friends and acquaintances I was fortunate enough to make through the Folk Song Club, the bar Galop, the Jam Jam Cafe, among other places, I had plenty of opportunities to see original and creative music in Japan.

The most common slew of musicians in Kobe appeared in the Sannomiya area, playing every night around the train stations. Because all of them play the same kind of music (one or two acoustic guitars, vocals), it becomes difficult to differentiate between them. A lot older and more authentic musicians I had me in Japan complain about them in that they all try to write songs in the vein of major Japanese artists such as Yuzu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuzu_(band)) and Kobukuro (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobukuro) and rarely deviate from the mold. Most artists that get signed, too, have a similar style, which makes it obvious that street performers are looking to attract major labels into potentially signing them. At the start of my exchange I would pay attention to some of them, such as two female keyboardists that were sharing the same keyboard in an impromptu live performance outside of the train station who were doing something slightly different, but the problem would be they would sell their songs in CD form, often over-priced and shoddily recorded (such was the case with the keyboardists). While some acts that played around Sannomiya in Kobe would be more original, for the most part it would be the same old thing, and so they started to fade into the background. Aside from the artists who were trying to attract attention from potential record company members, some would simply play for the sake of playing, most commonly performing instrumentals without lyrics and focusing on the skills of the players. These performers would often attract listeners with more complex use of guitar effects-pedals, such as one performer in Akashi who used a chorus effect on a vocal microphone to change the tone of his vocals (nearby was a much less interesting artist selling his CDs and DVDs, likely created through an independent label). Since even independent records labels in Japan are usually formulaic (similar to the United States), and the artists that usually perform are performing music to attract formulaic labels, it can be hard to know where to look for originality in independent artists.

Earlier in my year in Japan I had experienced independent Japanese music mainly through a member of the Folk Song Club who played in three different hardcore/metal/punk bands, titled “Toylet”, “Vaginers” and “Anal Seed” respectively. The latter of the three was a band that played at the event with Lenny Finger in late December, with the lead (male) singer coming out completely naked and jumping around stage doing Michael Jackson impressions while singing. He also took time to throw veiled insults at the other acts performing that night during the emcee sections. Other similar bands that the aforementioned Folk Song member plays in are similarly outlandish in their performance styles, but with a degree of talent that brings the music above childish stupidity. The bands also play for beneficial causes, like fighting diseases in the third world (“Toylet” had their slogan for this cause as, in English, “Keep toylets clean!”) and other charitable activities. The more hardcore events are deafening to the ears but still maintain a quality and openness, with an event that featured as a headlining act a Chinese hardcore punk group that was touring overseas. The other interesting aspect of these shows is that Japanese people who do not take on appearances and styles related to music genres come to these events, eliminating the exclusivity and snobbishness that can be found in hardcore or punk venues in the United States. These events proved to be consistently educational into how Japanese people enjoy certain types of music and maintain their cultural and social traits even while behaving in socially inappropriate ways. Within the events and live house venues, these behaviors are not seen so much as offensive as people are free to enjoy themselves and the music without worrying about how others see them.

Around January 18th a friend of mine and a partner in music came to Japan for two weeks, and within that time we were able to play our original music at the Jam Jam Cafe. We assembled three other Japanese players, two from the Folk Song Club- my good friend Katsura, actually a former member of the club, whom I have mentioned before in the blog posts, who played lead guitar, and a first-year student who played drums, and a member of the other music club (Keiongaku) at the school on bass. The drummer from the Folk Song Club, used to playing cover bands in the club, was excited to play original songs where he had creative input on how we would drum. Being a highly-skilled drummer, his desire to branch out into different genres and playing styles was fulfilled in playing the show at the Jam Jam Cafe. The bassist from the Keiongaku Club was also excited by being given creative leeway on playing original songs rather than copying note for note, which is the standard practice in music club activities. The most rewarding aspect of playing the show was that through original music, each of the players were able to put their own personas into the music, creating a new interest in music that being in a club like Folk Song or Keion could not foster alone.

At the show at Jam Jam, another original band called “Helsinki Soul” played a shared billing with our group. “Helsinki Soul”, baring no relation to the city in Finland, played retro soul music in a similar style to “Lenny Finger”, but with more of a focus on instrumentation rather than defined song melodies. The amount of people that showed up to see them perform (and subsequently left when our set began) was surprising. Apparently they have a fairly large following around Kobe and Osaka. Originally, the band was supposed to play a single billing, but the master of the Jam Jam Cafe put us on the event when I told him my band mate was coming to Japan to visit back in December. The music “Helsinki Soul” played worked well in a live setting, but their songs as recordings lose a lot of the vibrance and energy of their live sets. With about ten people playing (a male and female duo sharing the main vocals), the band evokes a soul revival type of sound that has a major following in Kobe, a city with a long tradition of jazz and soul music. The band was kind enough to record our live set, and the concert experience created strong intercultural connections through music. Being able to play with an original band like “Helsinki Soul” proved to be one of the most rewarding musical experiences during my exchange in Japan.

After my friend returned to the United States in early February, I immediately had another opportunity to see original music in Osaka. My friend Katsura would play with his band among two other original bands. The event promised very experimental and avant-garde music, and the venue where the event was held certainly matched that promise. Located in an artsy district in the outskirts of the upscale Umeda area of Osaka, “Vi-Code”, the venue sported cyber-punk interior aesthetics and a crowd that represented Japanese hipster-ism to its fullest. The band that Katsura played in consisted of him, another guitarist, a saxophonist/keyboardist, and a drummer. They performed “one” song which lasted 23 minutes, ending with a speaker blowout noise-fest with both guitarists ripping the strings from their electric guitars.

The next group to perform was a band from Nagoya called “Ryorchestra”. The band consisted eight members who progressively made their way onto the stage. Three vocalists in strange Eyes Wide Shut-esque masks sang in some kind of gibberish, made-up language. The instrumentation of the band was interesting, but the overall first impression that they evoked was weird in a way that overcompensated for the lack of originality in its music. The made-up language consisted of Spanish words and other words from other languages. They played a fairly long set and explained they had a live CD for sale at the merchandise tables in the back of the venue. As I was interested in the music I purchased a CD, which was shoddily made and cost about a thousand yen (around ten dollars). While the performance of the band was interesting enough, the overall impression was a convoluted and unoriginal attempt at being unique, something that art students at Evergreen might put on and fail at. The members of the group came off as pretentious, showing that artists in Japan can still have a lot in common with artists in places like the United States in terms of their attitudes and the quality of their work.

The final group to perform a set, another original band whose name I cannot recall, went on for a long time, and their entire fan-base seemed to be in attendance at the show. The band consisted of five members, with a lead saxophonist. Their music could be described as jazz-fusion and dance, with constantly changing time structures and key changes. While everyone was relatively good at playing the band grew tiresome to listen to due to the sporadic nature of their music. Overall, the show had an air of arrogance to it in both its players and audience. The event itself was a look into the world of hipsterism in Japan. While the bands were original (Katsura's band being the highlight of the evening) they were not necessarily putting out anything too remarkable. Everything was memorable, however, and the drummer from the Folk Song Club who played with us at the Jam Jam Cafe for our original music was further inspired to move away from simply performing cover songs in the Folk Song Club and branch out into different forms of music.

Back before these music events, on January 14^th, the daughter of the master of the Jam Jam Cafe performed a DJ set at a bar called “Chelsea”, a highly music-oriented bar in Sannomiya. What made the DJ event different from others was that there was no space to dance, and listeners sat and drank while three or four DJ s spun records. “Chelsea” had a very tribal theme to its inner-decor, with paintings of African and aboriginal tribes on the walls. This interest in tribal culture is surprisingly large in Japan. The day after the aforementioned event at “Vi-Code”, I was invited to another music event near the exceedingly wealthy area of Ashiya, located between Kobe and Osaka, held at a Turkish cafe (operated entirely by Japanese people with an interest in Turkish culture; it was also one of the few Vegan cafes, if not the only vegan cafe I saw in Japan). The event started off with a DJ spinning techno and other genres, before moving into a Japanese three-person group with one saxophonist, a drummer playing a tribal hand-drum, and another member who switched off between various tribal and Tibetan instruments. Their entire set was improvised in the style of jam session, and they were all quite skilled at playing. The event showed how Japanese can have huge interests in cultures outside of Japan, particularly indigenous cultures around the world.

Soon after the event at the Turkish cafe in Ashiya was a more bluesy jam session held at music-themed bar near the harbor in Kobe, a bar called “James”. The leader of this event was connected with a friend from the Folk Song Club who plays in all the hardcore/punk bands (Toylet, etc). I was unaware that they were connected before going to the session, and the fact that two different music communities knew each other showed how interconnected the music community is in Kobe. The session itself had several guitarists, a drum-set, tribal drums among other musical instruments so that more and more players could be involved. Many of the people who had attended the event at the Turkish cafe from the night before were also in attendance to the event, showing the strength of their interest in music and keeping up with the scene. While most of the beginning sets played were standard blues-type numbers, the latter half of the night featured more groove-based jams with use of effects-pedals to create a more psychedelic and experimental atmosphere. The master of the bar was heavily involved in the way the sessions played out and was enthusiastic about the music being played, making sure to stiffen the drinks that he served to customers to heighten their listening pleasures.

Not too long after the event at “James” came an event of an entirely different kind at the bar “Cosmic”, a country-music/bluegrass themed bar near “Galop” in the Maiko area of Tarumi in Kobe. The master of the bar held an event to celebrate his birthday in which several blue-grass, folk, country and blues acts performed, many of them regulars at both “Cosmic” and “Galop” (showing how tightly-knit music groups are even on the level of different areas within a city in Japan). The master of the bar, a late middle-age man with a long white beard, performed original songs in Japanese that sounded like American country standards from the 40s and 50s, drawing influence from rockabilly music, sung in Kansai dialect (the dialect spoken around Kobe and Osaka), which gave it an even more authentic folk feel. Most of the acts consisted of guitars (acoustic, electrics and bass guitars) with limited percussion. Several old American folk songs were covered with the players explaining that they had no clue that song lyrics described US presidents from the 1920s, among other eras. They performed them on a near professional level, however, with a sense of care and respect for classic American music that is hard to find in its country of origin today.

At an event in mid-February that featured the Folk Song Club among other music clubs from different universities around Kobe and Osaka, one original band performed (the rest being cover bands as usual for these kinds of clubs). Though some people enjoyed it, this band was one of the worst I had ever seen perform in Japan. A guitar/vocalist, bassist and drummer made up the act and performed what could only be described as noise, with no sense of rhythm and melody, and whiney, squeaky scream vocals from the eye-liner dawning lead singer. Their influence clearly drew from “nu-metal” and “screamo” acts from the United States, a style of music which also has a large following in Japan. Regardless of taste, the band was awkwardly bad, but it resembled the kind of music that can be commonly seen in younger bands in the United States, widening the scope of original music that I had seen in Japan.

A few days later I was at the train station near my school when I spotted some young men carrying guitar cases, ready to get on the train. I was carrying a copy of my album (containing songs performed at the Jam Jam Cafe with “Helsinki Soul”) and decided to give it to them, as they certainly appeared to be into music. They were a bit surprised at first, but then offered a copy of their original EP in return, and explained they had a show in Sannomiya that night. Since I was free for the day I decided to attend. Titled “Astro Attack”, the band described themselves as “stoner rock”, a genre which I had not come into contact with much in Japan as stoner culture is limited due to lack of access to marijuana (though the culture certainly exists, particularly in more artistically oriented communities). The event in which they played featured a few other original acts, one of note being a typical style of Japanese rock, playing whiney ballads that are typically heard from Japanese mainstream bands. “Astro Attack” and one other similar group, however, came onto stage with a visceral attitude, chugging from wine bottles and kicking down microphone stands (which assistants at the venue had to come onto stage to pick up, without complaint, something that would likely throw American venue workers into outright anger) while playing heavy, ear-deafening riffs. “Astro Attack” proved to be one of the more exciting and talented original acts that I saw in Japan, and I made sure to stay connected with them through the Japanese website Mixi.

Throughout the Winter quarter in Japan and most of the exchange, those were the major music events that featured mainly original material and talent. The most important lessons gained from experiencing these musical events was that Japanese have widely varied tastes in music, some obscure and some mainstream, but all with a degree of passion and dedication that remains uniquely Japanese. Music communities are also prevalent in Japan as seen with the jam sessions and live performances held throughout Kobe. The amount of musicians in Japan, performing original material or just covering other musicians, shows that music is an integral and valued aspect of Japanese culture. Being able to see the bands that I did proved to be educational in both Japanese culture and music in general. Acts like “Lenny Finger”, “Helsinki Soul” and “Astro Attack” were talented, original, and remain memorable to my musical interests, and I look forward to the opportunity of seeing more Japanese artists in the future.

LANGUAGE: New Kanji, new language study methods

 I wish I had thought out how to show language studies this well at the beginning. Even though it's starting late in the game, in the entries I will show the characters I learn and vocabulary that goes along with them. Remembering the vocabulary does better to reinforce learning the character over simply trying to remember a character and its various phonetic readings.

点- Point. Burn, be lighted. Turn on (a lamp). Catch (fire).

Words: 点火-tenka- ignite. 点字-tenji- Braille. 点灯-tentou- light (a lamp).

虐- Oppress, tyranize over.

Words: 虐待- gyakutai- treat cruelly, mistreat. 虐殺- gyakusatsu- massacre. 残虐- cruelty, atrocity, brutality.

歪- Be distorted/warped. Distortion. Be strained, warp. Strain, deformation.

Words: 歪む- yugamu- be distorted/warped. 歪める- yugameru- distort, bend. 歪む- hizumu- be strained, warp. 歪- ibitsu- oval, elliptical; distorted, warped.

虚- Empty. Vain, futile. Cavity, hollow, hole.

Words: 虚実- kyojitsu- truth or falsehood; clever fighting, using every strategy. 虚栄心- kyoeishin- vanity.

虞- Fear, concern, risk.

Words: 虞れ- osore- fear, concern, risk.

虜- Captive, prisoner of war; barbarian. Captive, slave.

Words: 虜- toriko- captive, slave. 虜囚- ryoshuu- captive, prisoner (of war). 捕虜- horyo- captive, prisoner (of war).

疑- Doubt, distrust, be suspicious of. Doubtful, suspicious.

Words: 疑似- giji- (suffix) suspected, sham, pseudo-, dummy, simulated.

膚- Skin.

Words: 膚色- hadairo- flesh-colored. 

々- Kanji repetition symbol.

Words: 人々-hitobito- people.

色- Color. Erotic passion.

Words: 色っぽい- iroppoi- sexy, seductive, fascinating. 色気- iroke- sexiness, sexuality, amorousness, romance. 十人十色- juu-nin-to-iro- to each his own. Tastes differ.

Kanji count: 680

Report on Japanese Campus Life

 Below is a report that I wrote (very belatedly) for the international division of the University of Hyogo. It basically echoes what my last two reports on school life and the Folk Song Club say but in more succinct terms. Enjoy.

Blake Foster

Campus Life In Japan

First of all, a self-introduction- my name is Blake Foster, an exchange student from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in the United States. Every year there is an exchange between Evergreen and the University of Hyogo which I have been fortunate enough to be a part of. When I decided to go on this exchange, I had little expectations as to what Japanese college life was all about. I had heard the typical things, of course: students drink a lot and go to class less, and everything is generally more loose and carefree. While the same could be said for many colleges throughout the United States, the culture that lies within the Japanese college system stands apart in several ways. Because Japanese students spend six years of middle and high school preparing rigorously to enter a university, the feeling of liberation upon finally entering college makes it a different experience from college in the United States. The clubs and club circles, the way classes operate and how students spend time on campus all create a unique cultural atmosphere.

What initially caught my attention when arriving at the University of Hyogo was the clubs and club circles. As the Spring semester was just getting started, new students were getting a welcome from various club representatives around campus. Many of these students greeted me and asked if I was interested in joining their clubs circles, from sports clubs such as martial arts and skiing/snowboarding, to music oriented clubs such as the hip hop/street dance club circle and Folk Song Club, among others. Since my interests were in music, I agreed to sign up for a mail list with the Folk Song Club. The amount of time and energy (and money) that the students of the Folk Song Club spent on attracting new members was certainly unlike anything I had seen on campus in the United States. Members of the club put on several shows that were usually followed by going out for drinks (nomikai), treated free of charge by the club for potential new members. I learned that other clubs hold similar events in order to attract new members, making the process a lot more involved than simply posting up flyers about club activities around campus, which is often the extent of what college clubs do in the United States. I decided to join the Folk Song Club at this point, which would be the beginning of an ongoing experience that has taught me a great deal about Japanese campus life.

In the Folk Song Club there are different levels of interest in the musical aspect of the club among its members. While everyone shares a common interest in music, some members are more comfortable simply taking part in the social aspects of the club rather than becoming a more skilled musician. I have found that this trait exists in many other clubs at school; for example, students who take part in the ESS (English Speaking Society) Club might not necessarily be interested in seriously learning English as much they are in the atmosphere of the club and having a social network in the club at school. The Folk Song Club differs in this way from the other, similar music club at school, the Keiongaku Club, which tends to have a more serious focus on playing music rather than having music as a method of socialization. With a club like Folk Song, members can take part at their own pace, making it less stressful than more serious-minded club activities, particularly sports clubs; the relationship between senior and junior (senpai and kouhai) members is also much more lenient compared to many other clubs, making it a very popular club at the University of Hyogo. In spite of these traits there are still many members who take music very seriously and the club culture itself very seriously, in that it takes an important place in their lives. This aspect of the Folk Song Club and the overall college club culture in Japan became more clear to me during the school festival in early November (Gakuensai). After the school festivities on the first day of Gakuensai there was a drinking event that took place for former members of the Folk Song Club to come and meet current members, particularly the next new leaders of the club (club leadership typically changes after Gakuensai in November). Former club members as old as thirty and above, with careers and families, showed up for the drinking event. This showed to me that college clubs remain significant for many Japanese far beyond graduating university. Club members develop long-lasting relationships with each other, some even ending up marrying through the romantic relationships they developed through the club. By taking part in the Folk Song Club, I was able to witness this special kind of culture in Japanese colleges that does not exist on the same level in the United States.

While taking part in the Folk Song Club has left the strongest impression of Japanese college life during my exchange, I have of course learned a lot through actual college classes. The classes I take at the University of Hyogo are either with regular students or with other exchange students, particularly classes for learning Japanese. The regular classes I take are usually conducted in lecture halls with a large number of students, except for classes like Chinese Communication or Intercultural Communication which are held in smaller rooms with less students. This is similar to how classes are conducted at my college in the United States. The way that lectures are conducted, however, tends to differ from lectures at the Evergreen State College. Many of the classes I take at the University of Hyogo have a very traditional structure in that the professor's lecture presides over the students, holding a place of academic and intellectual authority; in the United States there are universities that are tend to do the same. However, at the Evergreen State College, a liberal arts college, classes are somewhat different in that the professors are on a more equal level with students in terms of how lectures and seminars are operated. This blurring of the line between teacher and students has its benefits and drawbacks, just as the more traditional system of lectures has in Japan. Because the current generation of Japanese students operate differently in terms of what they respond to in classes, nonstop, authoritative lecturing can sometimes fail to hold the attention of students. This particularly holds true for classes that do not take regular attendance of students and rather award credit on a testing basis; students have little reason to fully attend lectures or even show up for class. Attendance tends to feel stricter in the United States, while many classes here in Japan feel much more relaxed in terms of regular class attendance. Classes that regularly take attendance are often more full each class, but the lecturing style of these classes play a big part in how attentive the students are. From what I have seen, professors that make an effort to communicate with students rather than just giving lectures often yield more energetic and attentive classes. As modern Japanese students seem to be more individualized, this style of teaching seems to be more stimulative and effective. In terms of classes for foreign students, the Japanese classes are often taught to teach foreign students economic terms so that they can perform better in regular classes. Though my studies here at Hyogo do not pertain to economics, these classes still teach useful Japanese and offer a chance to view how foreign students learn and what their opinions are.

Outside of classes, life at the University of Hyogo is not all that different from campus life in the United States. One major difference, however, is how students get to school. In the United States there are vast parking lots for the cars of students and faculty, while at the University of Hyogo there is far less parking space. Even in American high schools there are parking lots for students because cars are the main method of transportation. In Japan college students often commute by train, bus, or motor bikes. In the morning this allows many students to travel together and see each other on the way to campus. This creates a more recognizable campus community than in the United States, where students tend to come to campus as individuals, while in Japan there is a more definitive group atmosphere on and off campus. This feeling of community extends to how lunch periods operate, in that a majority of students eat together at the campus cafeteria. Many students also eat in different areas on and off campus, which is similar to and more common at the Evergreen State College in the United States. One key difference in how students spend time together during lunch periods is how students group themselves. Students of the same class levels, clubs, gender and race often tend to eat together rather than intermixing with other students regardless of these differences. These types of divisions also exist at the Evergreen State College, but the divisions feel more defined in Japan, specifically in terms of class levels, gender and race. From my experience, it seems more comfortable for Japanese to eat and socialize with members of the same class level, club, sex or race to eat and communicate together; nonetheless, many Japanese and foreign students intermix regardless of these social divisions.

Campus life in Japan is generally easy-going and relaxed, more so than the United States. The emphasis on club activities and loose nature of classes creates the impression that Japanese campus life is a time for enjoyment more than it is for studies. This system has its drawbacks as employment in Japan becomes more and more difficult, even with a four-year degree from a university. At some point, the Japanese college system will undoubtedly have to evolve in order to suit Japan's changing culture and society. In spite of these issues, Japanese college life stands as an important period of Japanese life that I am fortunate enough to have experienced. The club activities in particular have given me the chance to build strong relationships with Japanese students that will surely last beyond the length of my one-year stay at the University of Hyogo. I look forward to the rest of this exchange in Japan and learning all that I can learn about Japanese college culture.

Second Final Essay Part 2: The Galop Bar

Blake Foster

December 23, 2010

Japanese Language, Culture and Society- Fall quarter

Music Studies in Japan, Part 2: The Galop Bar

Back in September I was lucky enough to stumble upon a small bar in the Maiko area of Kobe, not too far from where I live. Having eyed the place while running, it initially caught my attention due to the small amount of Western-style bars in the relatively quiet area (the bar lies close to Maiko station right by the Akashi-Kaikyou suspension bridge). When I finally entered the bar, titled I was unaware of just how important and influential a spot it would be for the latter half of this exchange. Run by a 60-year old Japanese bass guitarist and his daughter, the bar's main purpose serves as a meeting place for dozens of musicians from in and outside the Kobe area, both Japanese and foreign. Although it also functions as a meeting place for all locals, the musical aspect definitely stands out overall. The bar hosts live events on a regular basis, even with its space constraints, unable to fit a drum-kit but still capable of featuring four or more piece acts, usually with improvised percussion instruments. Even on days without an official show, the master of the bar has no qualms about plugging his bass guitar into the bar's impressive sound system to show off his forty-plus years of playing, along with letting other musicians plug in guitars and microphones, play tribal drums, etc. Impromptu jam sessions are a regular activity for the master and his customers. As I went to the bar more and more, the realization that I had found an invaluable resource for studying and participating in music during my stay here started to sink in. Through the master and other regular customers I have been able to see professional-level musicians perform on a regular basis and in a variety of settings. Seeing how passionate these Japanese musicians are and how they forge relationships with foreign musicians in the area has opened a whole new world in exploration of music in Japan.

The master of the Galop Bar has run the place for over ten years. His wife passed away some time ago and he has been running the bar with his daughter since then. A typical day has him sleeping until the afternoon before coming and opening the bar at around seven. He drinks about a forth of a bottle of tequila every night before his daughter cuts him off. In spite of the amount he drinks every night, he still has a calm and cool demeanor, and always jumps at the opportunity to play his bass around customers. When he showed me his skills the first time I was at the bar, I knew that I had stumbled upon someone legendary. Decorating the wall of the bar are photos of the master with his band back in the early 1970's posing with African-American jazz musicians who were in Japan. He was involved in the “Group Sounds” movement, a period that greatly influenced modern Japanese rock and pop music, and can list a variety of musicians that he has played with, mainly in terms of jazz. These days he still stays active in different musical circles playing jazz, blues, rock, and anything else that comes his way. An American man who lives in Kobe and frequents Galop often holds jam sessions in a rental space, to which he invites several musicians around the area, both foreign and Japanese. The master will often go to these sessions after closing the bar early, along with his daughter and other close friends of the bar. The last time I went to a session, Paul Jackson, the bassist from Herbie Hancock's The Headhunters showed up to play. The master had recently met Paul Jackson for the first time and was thrilled when the accomplished bassist was blown away with the master's playing ability. Even at his age he still maintains a childlike excitement over music, and his charisma has made him a connecting figure between Japanese and foreign musicians in Kobe.

The master's tastes in music extend to both Japanese and Western music of various genres and eras. He and the other musicians who frequent the bar show an affinity for American and British music, particularly blues rock and hard rock music (The Eagles' “Hotel California” is a common song performed by musicians in the bar) and classic artists like The Beatles and Eric Clapton. The radio rarely ever features music by Japanese artists, which is not uncommon in any Japanese bar or restaurant. When musicians play songs in jam sessions, they also rarely ever play songs by Japanese artists. During more official shows at Galop, however, they often play songs by older Japanese musicians, usually for an audience made mostly of Japanese people. This may be because many listeners are not familiar with songs from the West, or because they prefer to play American and British music during jam sessions because of their more bluesy structures, allowing for more improvisation. Either way, a full appreciation of both Japanese and music from Western cultures is clearly visible in the musicians at Galop.

Perhaps more impressive than the master's accomplishments in music is the fact that he operates his own business while living the life he wants to live. Being able to indulge in his passion for playing music and being able to drink late into the night show make him an exception to what some aspects of Japanese society have traditionally dictated: that seeking full, life-long employment in a good corporation is the only path to true success. During my first exchange in Japan I knew someone, around my age, who was very enthusiastic about the notion that all Japanese must be in the mainstream in order to be happy and successful. He played music himself, but eventually gave it up because he said he “grew out of it”, in the sense that he considered it a hobby unsuitable to carry on into his college life. The master of Galop, however, has led a successful life and raised a family, even if his life does not fit the traditional Japanese idea of success. In this sense, his life itself shows that there are ways to be successful in Japan without simply following the path of becoming a life-long company employee.

Other musicians that frequent the bar are also in their middle age and have continued playing music even as they have careers and families. One show featured a guitarist who played original songs, who looked like a typical businessman and father, also playing with an even younger guitarist who is a grandfather, among several other band members who were all on a professional level, perfectly hitting the harmonies of their own work and covers of The Beatles and other artists. Since the world of Japanese employment can often be strict in limiting the amount of free time someone has once becoming fully employed, many younger Japanese musicians find it hard to imagine a lifestyle where they can actively play music while having work and other obligations. For example, many members of the Folk Song Club who take a serious interest in music dread the thought of getting full employment and having to abandon their passions because of what society dictates.

One musician who comes to the bar is in his mid twenties and is fully employed. However, he still manages to write songs and perform around Kobe. While he claims music as a hobby rather than something he would prefer to pursue over work, the question is whether he really feels that or if he has just regulated music as a hobby because of his responsibilities at work. His willingness to play his songs certainly shows his enthusiasm for playing, making it clear that on some level performing music, among pursuing other creative outlets, is not considered a viable path to success in Japan. This aspect of Japanese society can be stifling to people who wish to pursue their talents and passions, and while societies like the United States may on the opposite end of the spectrum overvalue individual dreams to the point where self-worth is inflated and distorted, the disillusionment in younger Japanese generations over a work system that no longer offers the possibilities and securities it once did remains palpable. While there are voices in Japanese society, mainly through Westernized pop culture, that encourage individuals to pursue their passions, the traditional systems of education and family often ingrain a contradictory mindset into the Japanese from a young age. As a result, young musicians might abandon their talents instead of pursuing them, without realizing that it may not be necessary and they have the potential to live in a way where they can develop their love of music like the musicians at Galop. The nature of Japanese society might make it difficult to both succeed traditionally and personally in life, but the musicians I have seen through visiting the Galop Bar have shown that it is at least not impossible, whether it be on the level of owning a bar and drinking tequila every night like the master does, or being able to continue playing music even with being heavily occupied in one's career.

In terms of seeing more authentic musicians, going to Galop on a regular basis has opened up a whole new world of music studies in Japan. The relationships between Japanese and foreign musicians also shows how music can bridge cultural gaps, even when neither musician can fully communicate in English or Japanese. By meeting the people who play music at Galop, I gained a solid understanding of the amount of passion that many Japanese have for it, and that this passion has remained well into their adult lives. Outside Galop as well, there is still a lot more to be learned about musicians and music fans in Japan, but what has become clearest of all through observing and experiencing Japanese musical culture is that music can sometimes say more about a culture than words alone.

Second Final Essay Part 1: The Folk Song Club and Music Club Culture

Blake Foster

December 20, 2010

Japanese Language, Culture and Society- Fall quarter

Music Studies in Japan, Part 1: The Folk Song Club and Music Club Culture

Club activities are an integral part of Japanese college life. Since I wanted to study music culture in Japan, entering the Folk Song Club has been a rewarding experience in both giving me a clear idea of musical tastes for Japanese college students and for the importance of the club to its members. Throughout the last ten weeks I have become more involved with the club and its members, after a period of disillusionment with the club culture in general. Through a shared interest in music and through the bonding that takes place while performing music together, however, my views on the club started to change. Several events and interactions within the Folk Song Club have given me a stronger sense of what the club means, both in its sociological aspects as well as its relation to music.

At the time of the school festival back in November, my participation in club activities still seemed frivolous; I viewed the club in the same way that I participated in it. The importance that the club activities held for its members was still something I could not put into a well-defined form. Even the trip I took with the Folk Song Club during the summer felt somewhat superficial in how the club behaved together, but I was I was aware of the importance that it held to its members. The school festival was a big event for the club for several reasons: the club would be performing music for the whole school, along with performing side by side with the other music club, “Keiongaku”. In addition, the club marked the end of the management term for third year club members, bringing in the new leadership of second year members who will carry on management of club activities into their third year. In this aspect, the club has a system of politics in its leadership, and some take it more seriously than others. The newly chosen leader of the club showed a great deal of reluctance and nervousness over the responsibility of the position. In this sense, members of the club might have an overblown perception of its importance to the point where they cannot enjoy it in the manner that many of the more senior members treat it. For college students who are fresh out of high school, however, their membership in the club can make up a huge part of their identity. Thus the responsibilities that come with being in the club can overshadow the aspect of it being an outlet for forging friendships through music; this is something that became apparent to me during the school festival.

Of particular importance was an event where graduated members of the club gathered together with the current Folk Song members (largely second year and above) to celebrate and toast to the progression of the club membership and for former members to meet the newly chosen club leader. What made the event particularly interesting was the initial formality before the usual unabashed drunken behavior; all current members had to stand up until all the senior members (there were probably over fifty that showed up) took their seats in the hall of the restaurant. The Folk Song Club is by no means as rigidly formal as some other club activities in Japanese colleges, but the formalities of such an occasion were still properly observed. After the formalities, however, everyone acted friendly and open, while still respectful. The newly chosen leader of the club appeared nervous throughout points of the evening, however, even expressing jealousy toward me due to me being a foreigner and largely indifferent to the hierarchy of club membership. Certainly, the devotion that many of these graduates had for their club was significant; some former members were into their thirties with careers and marriages. This signified a distinctly Japanese trait in the Folk Song Club; no matter how much time passed as members graduated from the University of Hyogo, some still felt a connection, even an obligation, to their club. This cultural trait extends into all reaches of Japanese culture; groups are often very important parts of individual identities. What added to the understanding of the Folk Song Club was what I learned about the musical interests of some former members. Many showed little enthusiasm for the musical element of the Folk Song Club; they explained what they played and did throughout their time in the club, but the actual club culture seemed to hold a higher place of importance. Even with current members of the club a distinction can be made between those who are seriously interested, and often gifted in music, and members who are simply in it for the social interaction.

The differences between members who are more interested in musical development and those who are content with the typical flow of the club can sometimes lead to conflicts of interest. A close friend of mine who is a former member of the club left for that reason; he felt his time could be better spent pursuing music by himself and with others outside of the Folk Song Club. I myself felt an initial disappointment with the attitudes of some of the club members when it came to performing music; many members do not welcome a challenge, and rather stick to playing with people they have always played with and covering bands that are at their level of playing skill. Japanese indie/pop bands such as “AKB48”, “Asian Kung-Fu Generation”, “Go!Go!7188”, “Maximum the Hormone”, etc., are covered over and over again, usually by the same members. For anyone looking to advance themselves musically, this tends to be the most frustrating aspect of the club. As there are several extremely talented first year club members amongst several others who are more into just going through the motions, it can be a trial as to whether to continue on with club activities.

This past week I took two first year members to see the aforementioned former member play one of his shows in Kobe. The type of music this member plays is very experimental and avant-garde, utilizing odd time structures and various effect pedals for his guitar. Him and another electric guitarist perform as a pair, neither one adding vocals, only dueling guitars with jazzy melodies. One song in the latter half of the set featured explosive delay effects, creating something reminiscent of The Beatles' “A Day In The Life”, which left a lasting impression on the two first year members who came along to see the show. After the show ended they expressed how inspired they were by it and how different it was from what they were used to in the Folk Song Club.

Their reaction to the difference of the music played was understandable. The Folk Song Club can often create an unintentional sense of oppression when it comes to playing music, in the sense that members feel pressured to deliver a similar energy and feeling in the kind of music that they play. They often feel discouraged from playing slower, less energetic songs in favor of heavily distorted riff-driven punk that prompts audience members to jump around in quasi-mosh-pits. When slower numbers are played, members will even apologize to the audience for playing a sad song. This atmosphere is likely due to many of the younger members wanting to mirror the more senior members in the type of music they played. In this sense, a sort of stagnation has developed in the club, and since the amount of members who are more into the social aspect of the club has increased, the variation in what members perform has largely dwindled down to three or four piece guitar cover bands. During the time of the school festival I learned from one older member that there used to even be Folk Song members who did hip-hop covers with sampler pads and other DJ equipment, among other variations in the kind of music played.

The member who played the avant-garde guitar work, however, once offered a sound opinion about the Folk Song Club. Although he dislikes the elements of conformity in terms of music and atmosphere, and felt that he could become a better musician by other means than playing in cover bands, he emphasized the importance of the relationships that the club creates. While some current members are not close with him as a result of him leaving the club, several members know and respect him because of his musical talent and his intelligence. Through this example, musical prowess can be achieved even in spite of the redundancy of musical performances. Often, it is the cover bands that do more off-beat or unconventional numbers that are most well-remembered within the club. Not only do these add variety to the typical club activities, but they often introduce new music to members who never would have heard of the bands on their own. In this way, even members who are less interested in music itself are able to witness various forms of music from other members, effectively enriching musical appreciation for members of the club.

While the time of the school festival was a major changing point in my understanding of the Folk Song Club, another pair of events that came around a month afterward also brought a deeper understanding of not only Folk Song but the “Keiongaku” Club as well. Virtually the same in its operations, the “Keiongaku” Club has a slightly different atmosphere. Members usually focus on technical proficiency in playing instruments, and even have aims of becoming artists signed to major record labels (in a sense similar to how professional sports players are often scouted at the college level). The term “Keiongaku” literally means “light music”, although the genres are just as varied as what is played in the Folk Song Club. Several schools have “Keiongaku” clubs, just as other schools have clubs entitled “Folk Song”. In spite of their subtle differences, musical clubs from different schools in the same areas will collaborate on concerts called “Joint Lives”. One or more bands from each school will play the same day in order to create a better awareness of other college music activities and in this case, to create a tighter bond between members of the Folk Song and “Keiongaku” clubs at the University of Hyogo. Through performing music, deeper friendships are formed between the two clubs, extending the importance of these musical club activities beyond either of the two clubs alone.

Two “Joint Lives” were held throughout this last month. The first featured clubs from Universities in the are around the University of Hyogo campus in Kobe. There were about four or five schools who had bands perform, me being a member of one of the three bands from the Folk Song Club. Members from the different schools also convene for a night of celebration and drinking after the shows end. The second “Joint Live” was held this last weekend at an impressively large venue in Osaka. Eight different colleges participated, and the variety of music played offered a refreshing change of pace from the more typical faire of club events. There was even a group that played original songs, as well as group with an extremely skilled female pianist and vocalist. “Joint Lives” therefore not only create closer ties between different clubs and create social networks, but give the opportunity for club members to see how other musicians perform.

Taking part in performing more shows with club members has also been crucial to understanding how club members bond with each other. The reason many club members may choose to play with the same people is because of the shared sense of responsibility in putting on a decent show. By working together members feel obligated to not only the people they play for but to members within the band. Because of this strong sense of teamwork, first year members who just picked an instrument are often able to play (passably) in shows after a matter of months. Another result of members choosing to play shows with the same people each time is that within the club, cliques are created, and they do not always interact with other club members with the same closeness they feel with members they have played with time and again. I myself have alternated playing with two different groups of members in the club. While the lineup has not been exactly the same each time, I have, for instance, played with the same drummer for three separate shows. The decisions of who plays with who are sometimes made several months in advance of the actual shows. Understanding the dynamic of how members play together has been a major part of understanding relationships within the Folk Song Club.

In terms of both music and club culture, this last academic quarter has been eye-opening. Having undersold the complexity of the Folk Song Club during the last quarter, becoming more active within the club has revealed just how much I had and still have to learn. More than just music, participating in the Folk Song Club has shown how seriously many Japanese feel about their commitments to club activities. The Folk Song Club has its own culture, hierarchy and politics, and while I and some other members may not always feel comfortable with these club dynamics, making the effort to understand them rather than merely reject them has brought me further into understanding Japanese culture than I had before. While there may be issues with the club becoming too redundant in its activities, many of its members nonetheless forge life-long relationships because of their participation in it. Since music is such a universal part of human nature, being in a music-related club has been the perfect place to observe this important part of the Japanese college experience and gain a better understanding of the dynamics of Japanese society. Because of a shared interest in music, the cultural differences between myself and several of the Folk Song members has also been bridged, showing that the world of the Folk Song Club and other college music club activities can create a rich and positive experience for young Japanese, and though I have made several leaps forward in trying understand this world, there is undoubtedly far more to be learned.