| Japan |
 giri...  Giri means duty or obligation; one English translation called giri 'the burden of obligations' which probably says as much about English culture as Japanese. Giri is a time-honoured tradition that goes back to feudal times, and how hierarchies of social structure were maintained through obligations to ones peers. Traditional Japanese complain that new generation Japanese (shinsedai) have become too self-centred, so that the influence of giri is waning. Related to giri is the obligation the Japanese have at the work place for 'continuous improvement' - kaizen 'Hard work' is muri. Karoshi is death by overwork. (lit: 'change for the better'). MUSIC OF JAPAN GAGAKU:THE OLD COURT MUSIC "MANZAIRAKU"   Location: Asia Status: UN Country Capital City: Tokyo (Tõkyõ) Main Cities: Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Kyoto Population: 125,422,000 Area: 377,800 km2 Currency: 1 yen = 100 sen Languages: Japanese, Korean, Chinese Religions: Shinto, Buddhist, Christian |
things I don't know or haven't though of.
p.s. I think (lit: 'change for the better') has been misplaced?