Comparing Japanese & American Cultures

ByMrs. Lucas and Mrs.

Cooper’s Classes

Daily Life

Japan

Food Noodles & rice

Clothes Kimonos & Happy coats Now Western fashions

Housing Apartments

United States

Food Spaghetti ,Pizza, & Hamburgers

Clothes Jeans &T-Shirts

Housing Apartments, Houses, & Trailers

Schools

Japan

Field Trips 3-4 days

Cleaning the school students

Performance skits

Slippers not shoes

in school

U.S.

Field Trips 1 Day

Cleaning the school janitor

Christmas play

Shoes in school

Play

Japan

Sports Baseball,

Soccer

Technology video games, CDs, TV

Beach

United States

Sports Basketball, Baseball, Soccer

Technology Video games, CDs, TV,

Beach

Sports

Japan• Baseball• Soccer• Tennis• Skiing• Jogging• Swimming• Judo

United States• Baseball• Basketball• Football• Soccer• Roller Jam• Judo

Regions

Japan• 47 Prefectures • Capitol Tokyo• 3,000 cities• Rural Industrial

communities Technopolis

United States• 50 States• Capitol

Washington,D.C.• 18,000 cities

Nature and ClimateJapan

• Island

• Western edge of Pacific Ocean

• Humid climate

• Population 125 million • 7th largest

United States• Covers North American

midsection• Stretches from Atlantic

to Pacific Ocean • Warm to frozen climate• Population 270 million • 3rd largest in pop.

Government

Japan• Democracy• Prime minister• Three Branches• Executive,

Legislative, Judicial• Emperor

United States• Democracy• President• Three Branches• Executive,

Legislative, Judicial

Protecting the Environment

Japan• 1967 Recycling Laws• Recycling paper and

cans• Pollution Emissions

controlled

United States• Recycling• Vehicle Emissions

Test• Pollution Emissions

controlled

Tradition and Culture

Japan• Haiku-poems• Ukiyo-woodblock

prints• Bonsai-miniature trees• Ikebana-Flower

arranging• Origami-paper folding

United States• Flower gardens• Draw and sketch• Read and write

poems• Calligraphy-fancy

printing• Plays

History

Japan• Hunters / Gatherers• States ruled by

Samurai soldiers• 200 years isolation • 1868 Emperor• Democracy

America• Hunters and

Gatherers-Native Americans

• Colonial Settlers• United States of

America-Democracy

Economy and Industry

Japan• Sony Toyota, &

Honda• Factories in other

countries• Fishing• Rice

America• Services• Manufacturing• Government• Transportation &

communication• Agriculture &

Mining

International Relations

Japan• Peace• Weapons Control• Prosperity

America• Peace• Weapon s control• Prosperity

ResourcesMrs. Michelle Shiffler, Japanese Language Teacher, Hardin County Schools

Teach Me Japanese, video-tapes, Hardin County Schools

Konnichiwa! I Am a Japanese-American Girl Tricia Brown, Henry Holt & Company, New York, 1995.

Tree of Cranes Allen Say,Houghton Mifflin Co., 1991.

Kids Web Japan http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/index.html

Mrs. Laura Mayer’s Students, video e-mail, Sagamihara, Japan

World Book CD- ROM