POWER IN BEING OF JAPANESE HERITAGE
2025-08-05
Drawing by Sam Goto
A few years ago, I asked my 18-yr-old granddaughter, “How do you feel about your Japanese Heritage?”
She answered, “It gives me energy and I feel more power?”
“Give me an example of when you feel like this,” I implored at that time.
“Well, a couple times when I was with some friends and the subject came up, I said ‘I’m Gosei (5th generation Japanese American)’ and I felt good.”
Today, three years later, she is considering a journaling career and says, “All heritages are important, but I think being Japanese makes me emphasize accountability and honesty with ‘wabi-sabi’ (not needing perfection) uniqueness.”
This response is thrilling to me. Perhaps our parenting, my husband’s comic strips for the North American Post and our books are resonating? I have a vision for a better Pacific Northwest community because we are sharing our OMOIDE (Memories) program at the JCCCW (Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington). Our stories, for 5th graders are currently working on publishing OMOIDE VII.
I am surprised daily with leading scientists around the world citing Japanese cultural examples. Ethnologist Frans de Waal talks about conflict resolution. His example is about how in Japan adults and teacher do not intervene in children’s fights. They consider it natural learning to let them work things out for themselves at their level, without adult or community rules. De Waal did a lot of studies with chimps and monkeys, citing, “Are we smart enough to know how smart animals are?”
Psychiatrist and philosopher, Iain McGilchrist, who researches the difference between the left and right hemispheres of the brain says, “The Western Culture has been mostly created by left brain activity which deals with numbers and goals.” He suggests we incorporate more Asian and particularly parts of the Japanese Culture into our lives for more balance with right brain emotions and look at our work and world as a whole instead of just parts.
Although it’s not empirical studies sanctioned by modern universities, the Japanese had 200 years of the Edo Period which brought the practices of the arts and cultural expectations to a PhD level.
As a member of the board of the JCCCW, I am picturing a tour guide, 100 years from now, bringing attention to the strong Japanese heritage values of GAMAN - enduring hardship with patience and dignity and GAMBATTE - do your best with resilience. Trust our stories shared today, will help shape our Northwest community tomorrow.