SteveMcCarty

SteveMcCarty, 1 day ago to ukteachers

The Japan Times interviewed me for a May 27, 2024 article on #bilingual #education (1st picture).

While the newspaper article is for paying subscribers, the reporter Eric Margolis agreed that the publication Bilingual Japan of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (#JALT) #Bilingualism SIG may publish the full interview. After that issue comes out next month, I will make the article available in research repositories.

The article is subtitled "Japan wants its next generation to be fluent in English. Culture and economic inequality stand in the way." What it means by #culture getting in the way is treated in my answer as to why the #English level in #Japan is relatively low (2nd picture).

The conclusion quotes part of my response to the common opinion that #foreign #languages are not needed in Japan (3rd picture). My complete answer also predicts that the increasing influx of foreign #tourists and #residents will change that complacent attitude.

@linguistics @edutooters

Part of my answer to the Japan Times question about why the Japanese English level is relatively low
Article conclusion including part of my response to the common opinion that foreign languages are not needed in Japan

SteveMcCarty, 3 days ago to Japan

Two Shintō shrines on Awaji Island are associated with the creation myth of Japan (国生み神話) in the earliest chronicles Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. At Onokoro Island Shrine (自凝島神社), visitors are encouraged to perform rituals to sacred stones for good fortune. The sekirei stone (鶺鴒石) is for couples, with a white and red cord, and I was surprised that my wife grasped my hand and prayed as we held the cords.

We also went to Izanagi Shrine (伊弉諾神宮), dedicated to the two founding gods or pillars (二神、又は二柱) of the archipelago. Worshippers believe that the founding gods dwell in the 900-year-old husband-and-wife camphor tree (夫婦楠). We have seen a similar tree at Ōmiwa Jinja in Nara (大神神社) where two trees merged into one at the base. We also noticed a connection to the Onokoro Island Shrine at the Izanagi Shrine, a small sekirei monument to married couples (夫婦鶺鴒像), and both sites included a bird motif.

#Japan #travel #Awaji #Shinto #shrines #mythology #religion #gods #marriage
@mythology @religion

Izanagi Shrine, dedicated to the founding gods of the Japanese archipelago
Sacred husband-and-wife camphor tree
Nature and culture at the Izanagi Shrine

SteveMcCarty, 8 days ago to Japan

Fushimi-Momoyama Castle (伏見桃山城) is on a hilltop in southeastern Kyōto, and not easily accessed, so very few Japanese or inbound tourists go there. It makes a good hike for the same reason. The #castle is a reproduction of the intended retirement residence of the national unifier Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but it was near the end of the turbulent Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600), to which the castle contributed the Momoyama part of its name. Although I am mostly interested in the relatively peaceful palaeolithic to Heian periods, this castle is nevertheless elegant, as befits a predecessor of the Shōguns.

Q: Someone asked if I saw a reproduction of Hideyoshi’s gold-leafed tearoom.
A: Visitors aren't allowed in. There never seem to be staff there. The place has an unfortunate history!

Q: The Meiji Emperor's mausoleum is very close by. Why was this location chosen?
The original site was taken for the tomb of Emperor Meiji! The castle is now nearby.

#Japan #travel #Kyoto #Shogun
@histodons

Double donjon
Closer view
View from the hilltop in Fushimi Ward toward northwest Kyōto.

SteveMcCarty, 10 days ago to ukteachers

Good news on open access to my works on bilingualism, the research area related to my teaching, child-raising, and using Japanese for over 40 years. I was interviewed by The Japan Times on #bilingual #education for a forthcoming paywalled article. It was a long interview, and usually a newspaper article uses only short passages from one individual. However, the #Japan Association for #Language #Teaching Bilingualism Special Interest Group (#JALT #Bilingualism SIG) would like to publish the full interview in its newsletter Bilingual Japan. Everyone should be able to read that as I back it up in research repositories. The tentative title is "English Education and Bilingual Education in Japan."

My publications on bilingualism have been backed up mostly at Academia Edu, which is not so easy to access anymore [any comment?], so I've added links to the original sources of articles, which are open access, at https://japanned.hcommons.org/bilingualism

#BilingualEducation #OpenAccess
@linguistics @edutooters

SteveMcCarty, 15 days ago to Japan

Kajū-ji or Kanshū-ji (勸修寺) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Kyōto founded in 900 by Emperor Daigo. It is near Daigo-ji and was built where the Emperor's wife lived as a tribute to her. The Imperial family traditionally provided the head priests.

I go there mainly for the garden and pond, which are also historic. Wisteria blossoms are over, and now there are yellow, purple, and white irises in the pond along with pink and white water lilies. I've also noticed big herons nesting in the treetops, but they are too far for a mobile phone to capture a clear picture. By the pond I did startle a young egret, to my regret 😅 .

#Japan #Kyoto #Buddhism #temple #garden #pond #irises #pagoda #Emperor #travel #nature @religion

Yellow irises were clearest to photograph; the white and purple ones were more elusive.
Pink water lilies close up
Ever red, green, and light green maple leaves, long before the celebrated changing leaves of autumn.

SteveMcCarty, 16 days ago to academia

Milestone at ResearchGate: 35,000+ reads (& 62 recommendations)! Some reader favorites:

"Internationalizing the Essence of Haiku Poetry" (2,429 reads)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323187189

"Discovering Japanese Fusion of Religions on the Pilgrimage Island of Shikoku" (719):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361566172

"Post-Pandemic Pedagogy" (1,915)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349592254

"Setting up an Effective Google Scholar Profile" (1,577)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322925847

At Academia Edu (33,683 views; 943 followers):

"Online Education as a Discipline" (6,667 views)
https://www.academia.edu/45386298

"Implementing Mobile Language Learning Technologies in Japan" (1,287)
https://www.academia.edu/37986336

"East-West Cultural Differences in Basic Life Stance" (804)
https://www.academia.edu/44784139

"Analyzing Types of Bilingual Education" (2,349)
https://www.academia.edu/36116439

"What is the Academic Life? 2. The Idea of the University" (622)
https://www.academia.edu/35916771

#academia #technology #Japan #education #language
@academicchatter @edutooters @linguistics @religion

SteveMcCarty, 17 days ago to academia

Surprised at over 23,000 downloads of my publications at Humanities Commons, with something for everyone, such as:

"Understanding Intelligence and Genius" (1,214 downloads)
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:50812/CONTENT/intelligence_and_genius.pdf

"Taxonomy of Bilingualism series" (1,748 downloads)
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:26570/CONTENT/taxonomy_of_bilingualism_series.pdf

"Symbolism of Fire and Air in Greco-Roman and Japanese Creation Myths" (1,427 downloads)
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:43446/CONTENT/fusion_essays.pdf

"Bilingual Haiku Scroll" (838 downloads)
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:24806/CONTENT/bilingual_haiku_scroll.pdf

"Series on What is the Academic Life?" (955)
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:26460/CONTENT/academic_life_series.pdf

"Newspaper articles in Japanese" (1526 downloads):
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:25230/CONTENT/newspaper_articles_in_japanese.pdf

"Web 2.0 Technologies for Research and Mobility" (2,141 downloads):
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:25296/CONTENT/wireless_ready_keynote_address_proceedings.pdf

#academia #bilingualism #Japan #Japanese #technology #intelligence #mythology #haiku
@hello @mythology @academicchatter

SteveMcCarty, 20 days ago to Japan

NEW PUBLICATION: "Film Review: 'Snack Sakura' Reflects Ambiguity of Japan’s Vintage Nightlife." Unseen Japan (April 2024). https://unseen-japan.com/review-snack-sakura-documentary

This review, at a popular site for people interested in Japan, could serve as a guide to watching the new documentary about Japanese hostess bars. It's a new genre for me, although I have some background in journalism: https://japanned.hcommons.org/journalism

My academic publications on Japan are available at https://japanned.hcommons.org/japanology

#Japan #Japanese #snacks #sakura #photography #documentary #film #review #travel #journalism #society #sociology #psychology #history
@unseenjapan @sociology @psychology

SteveMcCarty, 29 days ago to brainfood

Our family friend Mimi Wada co-produced and co-starred in the new #documentary "Snack Sakura" that shows #snacks (#Japanese hostess #bars) through the experiences of the expert Canadian #photographer Greg Girard. It is under 25 minutes and posted for free at https://hi-lo.tv/Our-Work or permalink https://player.vimeo.com/video/935465833

Other professors used to take me to snacks when I was single, so I was well aware that hostesses were mostly divorced or single mothers. Mimi sheds light on the nature of snacks by saying that #Japan has a dark side. Regarding the #social #inequality that Greg mentions, Mimi clarifies that there is a double standard whereby men can go to snacks openly, but it is shameful for #women to work in them. Now I'm a family man, but I sympathize with such women, who would otherwise have to #work for close to the minimum wage.

A documentary succeeds insofar as it sheds light on the topic. If you watch it, perhaps let us know your impressions.

#photography
@sociology @psychology

SteveMcCarty, 1 month ago to japanese

Sumadera (須磨寺) is a unique #temple full of iconographic #arts, at the western end of Kōbe (神戸). Perhaps because it's not in Kyōto or Nara, there is little information available online about Sumadera, even in #Japanese. It was founded in 886 and has its own branch of Kūkai's #Shingon #Buddhism: Sumadera-ha (真言宗須磨寺派). It is internationally active, and a place for #religious practices rather than an outdoor museum. By the same token, it's free to enter.
Suma appears in ancient waka poetry (和歌) of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables, and is associated with the Heike Monogatari (平家物語). I was determined to go, despite the rain, because I'd read an article clarifying wabi and sabi with a #waka coincidentally about Suma. The first photos show Sumadera's exchanges with #Nepal resulting in a display of Tibetan #Buddhist and #Hindu #iconography. Although there was light rain on the beach at first, later up at Sumadera the day turned bright.

#Japan #travel #religion #Hinduism #mythology
@religion @mythology

Hindu figure Saraswati
Buddhist pagoda and Shintō shrine
Active Buddhist priests

SteveMcCarty, 1 month ago to Travel

For hours I hiked around Kurodani (黒谷) in Kyōto, literally "Black Valley," which is actually a large hill. From Japanese sources I found that the Pure Land (浄土宗) Buddhist saint Hōnen (法然上人) came down from Kurodani on Mt. Hiei in 1175 to build a hut on the hill, which became the major temple Konkaikōmyōji (金戒光明寺). The other temple I visited was Shinshōgokuraku-ji (真正極楽寺) or Shinnyo-dō (真如堂) nearby. Both worship Amitābha (阿弥陀} Buddha, although Shinnyo-dō belongs to the Tendai sect and was founded in 984 during the Heian Period. After the recent rain there was bright green early spring foliage and various flowers to enjoy along with interesting Buddhist statues and architecture.

#travel #nature #spring #Japan #Kyoto #Japanese #religion #history #Buddhism Buddhist #temples #architecture
@religion @histodons

Huge temple gate
Moss robe
Pagoda of Shinnyo-dō

SteveMcCarty, 1 month ago to Japan

Documented 100th different #presentation topic, this time the format and content completely unlike anything before, drawing from my familiarity with Kyōto #Buddhist temples (first photo), Shintō shrines, and festivals reenacting the Heian Period of over a thousand years ago. The slideshow is at at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379221428

The pechakucha (third photo) rapid-fire presentations were also a social event in Nishinomiya, between Ōsaka and Kōbe, involving Kōnan University students, teachers, and other English users. The editor of our book A Passion for Japan gave me a cameo in his presentation by discussing my chapter (last photo).

My chapter "Discovering Japanese Fusion of Religions on the Pilgrimage Island of Shikoku" chronicles my connections to Japan and in situ research. The chapter is free at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361566172 or https://www.academia.edu/82383623
The Japanese (和訳) version I translated is free to download from https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:48212/CONTENT/discovering_ja.pdf

#Japan #Kyoto #religion #Buddhism #Shinto

@religion

With some pechakucha event participants.
Event poster
Cameo in another presenter's slide.

SteveMcCarty, 1 month ago to Travel

The temple Manpukuji (黄檗山万福寺) near Uji south of Kyōto City was recommended by a friend from Vienna, which was perfect because I like to be surprised instead of investigating a place in advance. I kept thinking it was like the Chinese Buddhist temples I've only seen in places like Chinatowns in Yokohama and Kōbe as well as Hawaii, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong before the reversion. Also, photos were allowed anywhere, so I guessed that it was a Zen temple. At the end of exploring the large temple precincts, I saw a sign that explained that indeed it was based on a Chan Buddhist temple in Fuzhou, and has many designated cultural properties, having remained intact since 1661.

#travel #nature #Buddhism #history #Japan #Kyoto #Uji #Zen #Chan
@religion @histodons

Laughing Buddha
Close-up of yaezakura (八重桜), a many-petaled variety of sakura
Azaleas

SteveMcCarty, 1 month ago to Japan

The large temple complex Ninna-ji (仁和寺) in Kyōto was founded by Emperor Uda in 888 in the early Heian Period, and for most of its history its head priest was an Imperial family member. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has its own school of Shingon Buddhism and brand of sakura cherry trees (see photos). The stone Buddhas are off by the east entrance and missed by most visitors. The violet azaleas go well with the white cherry blossoms.

#Japan #Kyoto #sakura #Buddhism #Buddhist #temple #travel #nature #history #religion
@religion @histodons

Sakura close up
Stone Buddhas
Early-blossoming azaleas

MarjoleinRotsteeg, 1 month ago to Haiku Dutch

summer evening breeze
wraps me in the fragrance
of the wild rose

#dailyhaikuprompt - wild rose
#haiku
#poetry
#poetrycommunity
#writing
#writingcommunity

@dailyhaikuprompt

@poetry

@haiku

SteveMcCarty, 2 months ago to Japan

I'm accepting a challenge to give an unusual presentation on April 19th at Kōnan University in Nishinomiya on “Kyōto Temples, Shrines, and Festivals.” Pechakucha presentations allow only 20 seconds to describe each of 20 slides, so this slideshow consists of my photos of beautiful sites in Kyōto, which those planning to visit can search for.

Kyōto Buddhist temples, Shintō shrines, and great festivals like the Gion Matsuri hark back to the Heian Period (794-1185). Festivals and community events in Kyōto reenact that period, with elaborate costumes that can be seen in the last several slides. Temples and shrines are organized by season from spring to changing leaves in autumn, or winter snow. Many photos are of strolling gardens attached to religious sites that visitors often miss.

You can access the slideshow at ResearchGate: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.20928.14082 or Academia Edu: https://www.academia.edu/116605942 or download it from Humanities Commons:
https://hcommons.org/deposits/download/hc:64656/CONTENT/pechakucha.pdf

#Japan #Kyoto #Travel @religion

TheConversationUS, 2 months ago to random

Like the outlaws Robin Hood and Al Capone, will #Trump become larger in legend than he was in life?

https://theconversation.com/belief-in-the-myth-of-outlaw-heroes-partly-explains-donald-trumps-die-hard-support-221368

SteveMcCarty, 2 months ago to Japan

A good friend who teaches at universities in Kyōto got married late in life, and had me give a speech in Japanese at the reception. I had wanted to keep it simple, but once my Japanese wife got involved, I ended up with all sorts of formal clothing and a more elaborate gift. The ceremonies were held at a hotel in the central city. The wedding chapel was inside the hotel but had windows above it. Typical of Japan, the ceremonies were eclectic, with Japanese and Western elements including songs like "Pretty Woman" and "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" by Elvis (good for karaoke - I sang along). There was a recording of the bride dancing Nihon buyō (日本舞踊) based on Kabuki, and a powerful opera singer performed live.

#Japan #Kyoto #Japanese #wedding #ceremony #dance #culture #society #sociology @sociology

Christian wedding ceremony in English
The bride doing a Nihon buyō dance in Kyōto
Yours truly giving a speech in Japanese

SteveMcCarty, 3 months ago to Futurology

The hardest part of this semester was trying to urge #students, amid the available #technologies, to really #read. Most friends worldwide are on mobile phones, preferring short posts, and not easily accessing links. I can therefore be thankful for the global readership of my #publications in these #research #repositories:

Academic and creative works in 24 genres at Humanities Commons (15,000+ downloads): https://hcommons.org/members/stevemccartyinjapan

Japan's ResearchMap (和英), where I have filled in #Japanese as well as English information about publications (6,600+ downloads): https://researchmap.jp/waoe

Academia Edu, categorized into Online Education, Japan, #Bilingualism, and the Academic Life (920+ followers, 33,000+ views): https://wilmina.academia.edu/SteveMcCarty

ResearchGate (58 recommendations, 33,900+ reads): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steve-Mccarty

#academia @academia @academicchatter @academicsunite #education @edutooters #technology @technology #HigherEducation #HigherEd #OnlineEducation #AcademicMastodon #AcademicFedi #reading

SteveMcCarty, 3 months ago to calligraphy

The Shintō shrine Jōnangū (城南宮) in Kyōto, was a palace of Emperors from the beginning of the #Heian Period in 794. It has #gardens from different periods since then, and a patch of pink and white #plum blossoms around a big stone lantern is a most stunning sight to behold. Several years ago the head priest showed me around and explained the history in Japanese. Jōnangū is not well known to tourists, but it draws many reverent Japanese.

The third photo is of a teahouse and a reddish variety of plum blossoms. The last photo shows what my American friend whom I guided got: a seal written in #calligraphy by the shrine maiden (o-miko-san). Jōnangū is written down the center, with yesterday's date down the left side. The right side is what the shrine especially offers: houyoke - a #prayer to avoid obstacles or worries, such as with one's family. There is a great demand for such #blessings nowadays.

#Japan #Kyoto #religion #Shintoism #Shinto #history #nature #travel
@religion @histodons

Rear view of the Jōnangū shrine plum blossoms and stone lantern
Teahouse and red plum blossoms
The American friend whom I guided got a stamp book and seal written in calligraphy by a shrine maiden (o-miko-san). Jōnangū is written down the center, with yesterday's date down the left side. The right side is what the shrine especially offers: houyoke - a prayer to avoid obstacles or worries, such as with one's family. There is great demand for such blessings nowadays.

SteveMcCarty, 3 months ago to india

#Hindu #myths from #ancient #India can still serve as parables today. Here are two I recall about #elephants:

1. Three blind men touch an elephant in three different places, such as a leg, trunk, or tusk. Each therefore reaches a very different conclusion (e.g., it's a tree) as to what the phenomenon is.

Interpretation: We cannot very well see things or people as a whole. Even the perspectives in #academia come from different disciplines. Different people looking at a multifaceted individual can each draw a very different image of the person.

2. Three animals cross a river, and each reaches the other shore. The rabbit swims along the surface, the horse occasionally hits bottom, but the elephant touches bottom all the way.

Interpretation: This is a parable of enlightenment or individual differences in wisdom. People can only understand things to their own depth. They might therefore avoid a person who is too heavy like the elephant. Just sayin"!

@religion @mythology @psychology

oldaily, 3 months ago to random

We need to talk about digital ownership #oldaily https://www.downes.ca/post/76246 As Dan Gillmor says, this is a "terrifically nuanced piece" on the subject of ownership of data and digital media.

SteveMcCarty, 3 months ago to cooking

I'm trying to sign up for men's #cooking #lessons here in #Japan to placate my busy #Japanese wife. While she was away, I made this cheese omelette; beginner's luck! A #community center has me on a waiting list, or I could spill for more upscale lessons. It is astonishing and unJapanese that single-person #households are approaching 40%. #Single #men of all ages have a poor #diet, which exacerbates the #lifespan gap with #women. #Loneliness is also a #health hazard. Many men are #widowed, never #married, or their #wives #divorce them, often after the children become independent and the husband is useless around the house after a busy career. Single men, or married men interested in cooking or helping their wives, possibly fearing their wives' pent-up anger, can find #companionship as well as #survival #skills in cooking lessons. Men's classes start from zero; women #cook and #socialize.

Comments?

#psychology #sociology #food #gerontology #aging #elderly
@psychology @sociology

bryanalexandee, 3 months ago to random

I'd love to have something like Google News for podcast news.
To pick out a series of topics to listen to and others to avoid.

Is there anything like this?