Title: Understanding Japan: Expressed but Unspoken
Speaker: Jeanie Fuji
This event is presented by the Consular Office of Japan in Portland. Lecture begins promptly at 11:30am in the Blue Lodge Room and seating will be limited.
Summary:
In the United States, communication via language is greatly emphasized. Whether used in the form of verbal communication, such as oral presentations or public speeches, or in written form found in persuasive essays, fictional stories, or poetic literature, the use of words to deliver information is highly utilized. However, other forms of communication do exist. Jeanie Fuji lived and worked in rural Japan for 20 years. During that time, she was the first and only foreign okami in Japan. Traditionally, an okami is a position filled by a Japanese woman skilled in the culture and customs of Japan. While working in this role, Jeanie became aware of how the Japanese communicate using a variety of approaches. Through specific examples and amusing anecdotes, Jeanie shares the different measures the Japanese use to convey information.
