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The Japanese family

The Japanese family. What does the “typical” Japanese family look like? Father, mother 1.39 children The “typical” Japanese family is Urban nuclear. The traditional family. The “traditional” Japanese family is rural extended; 3+ generations in one house

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The Japanese family

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  1. The Japanese family • What does the “typical” Japanese family look like? • Father, mother • 1.39 children • The “typical” Japanese family is • Urban • nuclear

  2. The traditional family • The “traditional” Japanese family is • rural • extended; 3+ generations in one house • All members contribute to the family livelihood • Family leadership passes to eldest son • In the past, rural clans could dominate entire villages (clan kami)

  3. Confucianism and the home • Confucian values a part of Japanese society • Most importantly, the “five obligations” • ruler–ruled • master–servant • husband–wife • parent (father)–child (son) • Elder sibling–younger sibling • Unequal but reciprocal

  4. The ie家(household) system • Key characteristic: weak kinship (blood) ties • When a member of the ie moves outside that frame, that person’s tie with the birth ie diminishes (Hendry, p. 25) • Daughters join their husband’s household • Comparison: adoption in Japan and the US • US adoptees are mostly infants • In Japan, adoptees are mostly adults

  5. Inside and outside • The ie familial framework is the “original” Japanese frame • soto外 and uchi内 (or 家); inside and outside • “us” and “them” mindset in frame groupings • This mode of organization seen in speech • “uchi no…”

  6. Inside and outside the home • Outsiders rarely enter Japanese homes • Rarely beyond the front room when they do • Homestays are complicated • Domestic violence as an “uchi” problem • Most entertaining done in restaurants (2/7) • Most social gatherings outside the home • The coffee shop as hangout • The izakaya居酒屋 pub/bar

  7. Inside the home • Butsudanand kamidana (“god shelf”) • Altars at which ancestors are memorialized • Remnants of the ie

  8. The concept of amae甘え (Doi) • The expectation that someone will impose upon your good will • In a relationship characterized by amae, normal rules of behavior are suspended • Parent-child relationship as prototype • For the object of amae behavior (eg. the parent), it is understood to be a positive thing

  9. Amae甘え • amae not limited to parent-child relationships • spousal relationships • friendships • teacher – student • Doctor– patient • The lifelong “arc of dependency” • But parental dependency at all stages is encouraged • “parasite singles”

  10. Basic demographics • Longevity is up • The birth rate is down • How to care for the elderly? • Care by main heir (eldest son) • “Two family–one dwelling” arrangements • Nursing care and its problems • Governmental response

  11. The modern family in Japan The realities of modern urban living • Adult children often live in cramped urban housing far from their parents. This results in: • Fewer multi-generational homes • Looser ties with the ie • A wider variety of social ties • Sometimes the company fills this void, sometimes not • Attribute-based relationships increasingly important

  12. Summary • The ie (household) system has strongly influenced social structure in Japan. • Amae is a factor in sustained relationships. • In modern Japan, the nature of family relationships continues to evolve.

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