Traditional Culture That Demands Dignity

Society of Co-exitence |品格を求める伝統文化

Traditional Culture That Demands Dignity

Izanami: Sumo, considered the national sport, has a history of more than 1,500 years, and over this long history it has become both a stylized and a traditional culture. There are six divisions of sumo wrestlers separated according to their strength. Izanagi: The highest division is called makuuchi. There are ranks within the makuuchi divisions, with yokozuna being the highest. Izanami: Only a rikishi (wrestler) with a good record can become yokozuna. However, being strong is not enough to become a yokozuna. Izanagi: The Yokozuna Council decides whether a rikishi is fit to be a yokozuna. Its rules state that a yokozuna must have “outstanding dignity and strength.” Izanami: Dignity is required even after becoming yokozuna. Izanagi: It is not enough to just win the bout; they must also win with dignity and without tricks. Izanami: Also, even if you win, do not show joy in the ring. Care and respect for the loser is also important. Izanagi: A yokozuna from Mongolia once made a fist pump when he won an important match, and that brought a lot of disapproval frowns. Izanami: e Dutch wrestler who defeated a Japanese wrestler in the judo final of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics greatly impressed the Japanese as he gestured with his hands to calm down overwhelmingly excited Dutch fans. Izanagi: Japanese cultural training emphasizes the importance of a balance between “mind, technique, and body.” It cultivates oneʼs own mental strength, develops a superior technique, and a healthy body. In addition to consideration for others. Izanami: This attitude of consideration for others is often seen in interviews with Japanese athletes. Izanagi: Most of the winners say, “This victory is thanks to your support.” This is not a cliché; the players truly believe it. Izanami: Caring for others leads to good performance in team competitions, such as in the Olympic events. Izanagi: Many athletes, even if their individual performance is inferior, perform better because they do not want to disappoint their peers. Izanami: The word “dou” (training) is attached to many aspects of Japanese culture, including martial arts such as judo, kendo, and aikido, as well as sado (tea ceremony) and kado. Izanagi: Japanese culture can be described as a discipline meant to improve oneʼs spirituality and become a person of dignity through sports and lessons. Izanami: For example, the tea ceremony is not just about tasting tea. It is a practice to entertain others and improve \oneʼs character through the tea ceremony etiquette. Izanagi: In the world of tea ceremony, there is a saying, “once-in-a-lifetime chance.” It means that a tea ceremony is considered to be a once-in-a-lifetime event, and that both the host and the guest of the tea ceremony should give their sincerity to the event. Izanami: This awareness permeates the Japanese people and can be seen in various situations, including customer service. Izanagi: The culture of caring for others is also connected to the Japanese mentality of putting oneʼs heart and soul into creating products. ( From November issue, 2022 / 2022年11月号より)

いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
こく
kokugi to
the national sport
われる
iwareru
considered
相撲すもう
sumou ha
sumo
1500ねん
senn gohyaku nenn
one thousand five hundred years
じょう
ijou
more than
no
of
れき
rekishi ga
a history
あるとされ、
aru to sare,
has and
その
sono
this
なが
nagai
long
れき
rekishi
history
なか
no naka de
over
ようしきされ、
youshiki’ka sare,
(both a) stylized and
でんとうぶん
denntou’bunnka ni
a traditional culture
なりました。
nari mashita.
it has become
りき
rikishi no
sumo wrestlers
りきりょう
rikiryou
(their) strength
ni
to
おうじた
oujita
(separated) according
6つ
muttsu
six
no
of
かいきゅう
kaikyuu ga
divisions
あります。
ari masu.
there are
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
さいじょう
sai’joui no
the highest
かいきゅう
kaikyuu ha
division
まくうち
makuuchi to
makuuchi
ばれます。
yobare masu.
is called
そのなかでも
sono naka demo
within the makuuchi divisions
ランクが
rannku ga
ranks
あり、
ari,
there are with
さいこう
sai’koui ha
being the highest
よこづなです。
yokoduna desu.
yokozuna
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
よこづな
yokoduna ni
yokozuna
なれるのは、
nareru noha,
can become
yoi
good
せいせき
seiseki wo
a record
げた
tsumiageta
with
りき
rikishi
a rikishi
のみです。
nomi desu.
only
しかし、
shikashi,
however
つよいだけでも
tsuyoi dake demo
being strong is
なれません。
nare masenn.
not enough to become a yokozuna
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
よこづな
yokoduna ni
to be a yokozuna
ふさわしいか
fusawashii ka
(a rikishi) is fit
どうかは
dou ka ha
whether
よこづなしんかい
yokoduna’shinngi’kai ga
the Yokozuna Council
めます。
kime masu.
decides
その
sono
its
ていには
kitei niha
rules
ひんかく
“hinnkaku,
dignity
りきりょう
rikiryou ga
(and) strength
ばつぐん
batsugunn
outstanding
であること」
de aru koto”
(a yokozuna) must have
to
that
あります。
ari masu.
state
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
ひんかく
hinnkaku ha
dignity
よこづな
yokoduna ni
yokozuna
なった
natta
becoming
あと
ato
after
mo
even
もとめられます。
motomerare masu.
is required
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
しょう
shoubu ni
the bout
てば
kateba
to just win
よいのではなく、
yoi no deha naku,
it is not enough
ざい
kozaiku wo
tricks
せず
sezu
without (and)
どうどう
doudou to
with dignity
つことが
katsu koto ga
(also) win
もとめられます。
motomerare masu.
they must
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
また、
mata,
also
っても
katte mo
even if you win
ひょうじょう
dohyou’jou de
in the ring
よろこびを
yorokobi wo
joy
あらわしては
arawashite ha
show
いけません。
ike masenn.
do not
はいしゃ
haisha
the loser
への
heno
for
づか
kidukai
care
ya
and
けい
keii
respect
mo
also
たいせつよう
taisetsu na youso
important
です。
desu.
is
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
モンゴル
monngoru
Mongolia
しゅっしん
shusshinn no
from
よこづな
yokoduna ga
a yokozuna
だいいちばん
daiji na ichibann ni
an important match
しょうした
shouri shita
he won
とき
toki ni
when
ガッツポーズを
gattsu’po-zu wo
a fist pump
して、
shite,
(once) made and
ひんしゅくを
hinnshuku wo
a lot of disapproval frowns
ったことがありました。
katta koto ga ari mashita.
that once brought
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
1964ねん
senn kyuuhyaku rokujuu yo nenn no
nineteen sixty-four [year]
とうきょうオリンピック
toukyou’orinnpikku
the Tokyo Olympics
no
of
じゅうどう
juudou
judo
けっしょう
kesshou
the final
de
in
ほんじんせんしゅ
nihonnjinn’sennshu
a Japanese wrestler
ni
over
った
katta
who won
オランダの
orannda no
Dutch
せんしゅは、
sennshu ha,
the wrestler
こうふんしたファンのかん
koufunn shita fann no kannki wo
overwhelmingly excited Dutch fans
te
his hands
de
with
せいして、
seishite,
as he calm down
ほんじん
nihonnjinn ni
the Japanese
おおきな
ookina
greatly
かんどうあたえました。
kanndou wo atae mashita.
impressed
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
ほんぶん
nihonn’bunnka no
Japanese cultural
しゅぎょう
shugyou ha
training
しんたい
“shinn’gi’tai”
mind, technique, and body
no
between
バランス
barannsu
a balance
ga
of
たいせつとされます。
taisetsu to sare masu.
emphasizes the importance
しん
jishinn no
one's own
せいしんりょく
seishinn’ryoku
mental strength
to
and
すぐれた
sugureta
superior
わざ
waza,
a technique
けんこうてき
kennkou’teki na
healthy
からだ
karada wo
a body
きたえ、
kitae,
it cultivates, develops
さらに
sara ni
in addition to
しゃ
tasha
others
wo
for
おもいやるこころやしないます。
omoiyaru kokoro wo yashinai masu.
consideration
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
あい
aite
others
wo
for
おもいやる
omoiyaru
of consideration
姿せいは、
shisei ha,
this attitude
ほんじんスポーツせんしゅ
nihonnjinn’supo-tsu’sennshu
Japanese athletes
no
with
インタビュー
inntabyu-
interviews
でも
demo
in
よく
yoku
often
られます。
mirare masu.
is seen
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
しょうしゃ
shousha
the winners
no
of
ほとんどが、
hotonndo ga,
most
「このしょうは、
“kono shouri ha,
this victory
みなさんの
minasann no
your
サポート
sapo-to
support
no
to
おかげです」と
okage desu” to
is thanks
います。
ii masu.
say
これは
kore ha
this
まりもん
kimari’monnku
a cliché
でなく、
de naku,
is not
せんしゅ
sennshu ha
the players
こころから
kokoro kara
truly
そう
sou
it
おもっているのです。
omotte iru no desu.
believe
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
ひと
hito
others
wo
for
おもいやるちは、
omoiyaru kimochi ha,
caring
オリンピック
orinnpikku
the Olympic events
など
nado
such as
no
in
だんたいきょう
danntai’kyougi
(in) team competitions
de
in
こうせいせき
kou’seiseki
good performance
ni
to
つながります。
tsunagari masu.
leads
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
koko no
individual
せいせき
seiseki ga
their performance
ふるわなくても、
furuwanakutemo,
even if is inferior
なか
nakama wo
their peers
しつぼうさせたくない
shitsubou sasetaku nai
they do not want to disappoint
というちから、
to iu kimochi kara,
because
じつりょくじょうちからはっする
jitsuryoku’ijou no chikara wo hakki suru
perform better
アスリートは
asuri-to ha
athletes
すくなくありません。
sukunaku ari masenn.
many
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
じゅうどう
juudou,
judo
けんどう
kenndou,
kendo
あいどう
aikidou
(and) aikido
などの
nado no
such as
どう
budou
martial arts
や、
ya,
as well as
どう
sadou,
sado (tea ceremony)
どう
kadou
(and) kado
などの
nado no
including
ほんぶん
nihonn’bunnka
Japanese culture
no
of
おお
ooku
many aspects
ni
to
どう」が
“dou” ga
(the word) dou
ついています。
tsuite i masu.
is attached
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
ほん
nihonn no
Japanese
ぶんは、
bunnka ha,
culture
スポーツ
supo-tsu
sports
ya
and
ならごと
narai’goto
lessons
つうじて
wo tsuujite
through
せいしんせい
seishinn’sei wo
one's spirituality
たかめ、
takame,
meant to improve and
ひんかくのある
hinnkaku no
of dignity
じんぶつ
jinnbutsu wo
a person
mezasu
become
しゅぎょう
shugyou
a discipline
とも
tomo
as
えます。
ie masu.
can be described
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for example
どう
sadou ha
the tea ceremony
たん
tann ni
just
ちゃ
cha wo
tea
あじわうことが
ajiwau koto ga
tasting
もくてきではありません。
mokuteki deha ari masenn.
is not about
ちゃ
cha no
tea
ほう
sahou wo
the ceremony etiquette
つうじて
tsuujite
through
あい
aite wo
others
もてなし、
motenashi,
to entertain and
じんかく
jinnkaku wo
one's character
みが
migaku
improve
しゅぎょう
shugyou
a practice
です。
desu.
it is
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
ちゃ
cha
tea ceremony
no
of
かい
sekai
the world
には
niha
in
いちいち」という
“ichigo’ichie” to iu
once-in-a-lifetime chance
こと
kotoba ga
a saying
あります。
ari masu.
there is
ちゃかい
chakai ha
a tea ceremony
しょうがいいち
shougai ni ichido
a once-in-a-lifetime event
だと
da to
to be
かんがえ、
kanngae,
is considered and that
ちゃかい
chakai
the tea ceremony
no
of
あるじ
aruji
the host
to
and
きゃく
kyaku
the guest
どちらも
dochira mo
both
せい
seii wo
their sincerity
くす
tsukusu
give (to the event)
べきだ
beki da
should
という
to iu
that
です。
imi desu.
it means
いざなみ
izanami:
Izanami:
この
kono
this
しき
ishiki ha
awareness
ほんじん
nihonnjinn ni
the Japanese people
しんとうし、
shinntou shi,
permeates and
せっきゃく
sekkiyaku wo
customer service
はじめ、
hajime,
including
さまざまな
samazama na
various
めん
bamenn
situations
de
in
られます。
mirare masu.
can be seen
イザなぎ
izanagi:
izanagi:
ひと
hito
others
wo
for
おもいやる
omoiyaru
of caring
ぶんは、
bunnka ha,
the culture
ものづくり
mono dukuri
creating products
ni
into
こころ
kokoro wo
one’s heart and soul
める
komeru
of putting
ほんじん
nihonnjinn no
Japanese
せいしんせい
seishinn’sei
the mentality
ni
to
mo
also
つながっているとえるでしょう。
tsunagatte iru to ierudeshou.
is connected

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