Introduction: Welcome to 変わっていく行事 (Changing Events)
Welcome to your study guide for 変わっていく行事 (Changing Events), a core research subject under Theme 2: 変わっていく文化 (Changing Culture) for Pearson Edexcel A Level Japanese (9JA0). Whether you are already comfortable writing in Japanese or finding the research task daunting, these notes will break down the essential concepts, real-world examples, and exam strategies you need to succeed.
In Paper 1 (Section C: Writing - Research Subject), you will be given an unseen Japanese stimulus text and a prompt. You must write an analytical response of approximately \(300\) to \(360\) Japanese characters (kanji and kana), bringing together your own independent research and the points in the exam stimulus. Let us explore the three key aspects defined by the specification step by step.
---Aspect 1: 伝統的な祭りや現代のイベント (Traditional Festivals and Modern Events)
1. Traditional Festivals Under Pressure
Japan has a rich heritage of traditional Shinto and Buddhist festivals (祭り - matsuri), such as the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka, Nebuta Matsuri in Aomori, and Sanja Matsuri in Tokyo. However, these historic celebrations face serious demographic and social hurdles:
• Rural depopulation (過疎化 - kaso-ka): Young people moving from regional towns to major cities leaves fewer local residents to carry on traditions.
• Aging population (高齢化 - kōreika): The elderly population often struggles with the physical demands of festival preparations (such as carrying heavy portable shrines, or mikoshi).
• Shortage of successors (後継者不足 - kōkeisha-busoku): Without younger generations learning traditional crafts, music, and organizational roles, several festivals risk dying out.
2. Modern Adaptations and Innovations
To survive and thrive, traditional festival committees have adopted modern tools and approaches:
• Crowdfunding (クラウドファンディング - kuraudofandingu): Raising funds online from supporters across Japan and abroad to maintain costly floats and costumes.
• Corporate sponsorship and outside volunteers (企業協賛・外部ボランティア - kigyō kyōsan / gaibu borantia): Involving businesses and non-local enthusiasts to make up for local labour shortages.
• Digital technology: Incorporating projection mapping, modern light shows, and digital live streaming to attract tech-savvy youth and global audiences.
3. Modern Pop-Culture and Urban Events
Alongside traditional matsuri, Japan has developed a vibrant calendar of modern, secular, and subculture events that act as powerful cultural gatherings:
• Music Festivals: Massive open-air gatherings like Fuji Rock and urban festivals like Summer Sonic.
• Pop-Culture Conventions: Events such as Comic Market (Comiket), drawing hundreds of thousands of manga and anime fans.
• Illumination and Winter Festivals: The famous Sapporo Snow Festival (さっぽろ雪まつり - Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) featuring giant illuminated snow sculptures.
• Civic Sports Events: The Tokyo Marathon, bringing together international runners and thousands of local citizen volunteers.
Quick Review Takeaway: Traditional festivals face survival challenges due to kōreika and kaso-ka, but they are adapting through crowdfunding and digital tech, while modern urban events (like Comiket and Summer Sonic) create new cultural traditions.
---Aspect 2: 観光業への影響 (Impact on Tourism)
1. The Power of Inbound Tourism (インバウンド)
Festivals and modern events play a central role in Japan's regional revitalization and inbound tourism strategies led by organizations like the Japan Tourism Agency and JNTO (Japan National Tourism Organization). Both overseas tourists (訪日外国人旅行者 - hōnichi gaikokujin ryokōsha) and domestic travelers travel specifically to experience these unique cultural moments.
2. Economic Benefits (経済効果 - Keizai Kōka)
The influx of event visitors provides a massive economic boost:
• Hospitality and Dining: Hotels, traditional inns (ryokan), and restaurants see peak demand.
• Transport: Shinkansen, regional rail networks, and buses experience heavy usage.
• Regional Specialties: Sales of local souvenirs (omiyage), traditional handicrafts, and regional cuisine surge, keeping regional economies alive.
3. The Flip Side: Overtourism (観光公害 / オーバーツーリズム)
While the economic rewards are high, intense visitor numbers create severe friction with local communities:
• Disruption of daily life (生活環境の悪化 - seikatsu kankyō no akka): Traffic jams, overflowing public transport, and excessive noise disturb local residents.
• Litter and etiquette issues (ごみ問題・マナー違反): Inadequate waste disposal and overcrowding at famous viewing spots.
• Accommodation inflation: Skyrocketing hotel prices make cities unaffordable for locals.
4. Sustainable Solutions
To balance economic benefits with local quality of life, event planners are testing practical solutions:
• Paid reserved viewing seats (有料観覧席 - yūryō kankan-seki): Generating direct revenue for festival upkeep while controlling crowd numbers.
• Digital crowd management: Smartphone apps providing real-time congestion alerts and recommending alternate routes.
• Multilingual signage and rules: Clear etiquette guidelines in multiple languages to prevent cultural misunderstandings.
Quick Review Takeaway: Events boost regional economies (keizai kōka), but overtourism (kankō kōgai) causes local friction. Solutions include paid seating (yūryō kankan-seki) and digital crowd control.
---Aspect 3: 西洋行事の流入 (Inflow and Localization of Western Events)
When Western celebrations entered Japan, they underwent a process of secularization and commercialization. Stripped of their original religious connotations, they were reshaped to suit Japanese social customs and retail calendars.
1. Halloween (ハロウィン)
• Transformation: Rather than children going door-to-door for "trick or treat", Halloween in Japan transformed into a costume (kosupure) and street-party culture for young adults, famously concentrated around Shibuya Crossing.
• Commercial impact: Limited-edition seasonal sweets, pumpkin-flavored items, and costume sales.
• Recent changes: Due to noise, public intoxication, and overcrowding, municipalities (such as Shibuya Ward) have implemented strict countermeasures, including bans on public street drinking during Halloween night.
2. Christmas (クリスマス)
• Cultural Shift: Unlike the traditional Western family-and-church holiday on December 25th, Christmas in Japan is celebrated primarily on Christmas Eve (December 24th) as a romantic occasion for couples, similar to Valentine's Day.
• Unique Food Traditions: Eating decorated sponge cake with strawberries (クリスマスケーキ - Kurisumasu kēki) and fried chicken has become an iconic, widely recognized custom across the nation.
3. Valentine's Day & White Day (バレンタインデーとホワイトデー)
• Valentine's Day (Feb 14): Traditionally, women give chocolate to men. This is split into two distinct categories:
— Honmei-choco (本命チョコ): Given to a romantic partner or crush to express true feelings.
— Giri-choco (義理チョコ): "Obligation chocolate" given to male colleagues, bosses, or classmates to maintain harmonious social relationships.
• White Day (March 14): A Japanese commercial invention where men who received chocolate give return gifts (chocolates, cookies, or small gifts) to women.
• Modern Variations: In recent years, consumers also buy Tomo-choco (友チョコ) for female friends and Jibun-choco (自分チョコ) as a personal self-reward.
4. Emerging Retail Campaigns
• Black Friday & Easter: Promoted heavily by department stores, supermarkets, and e-commerce platforms as seasonal discount campaigns to spur domestic consumption.
Quick Review Takeaway: Western holidays in Japan are secular and commercialized. Christmas is a romantic/festive food event, Halloween is centered on youth costumes and street gatherings, and Valentine's Day features distinct chocolate-giving customs like honmei and giri.
---Paper 1 Section C: Writing Strategy & Pitfalls
Key Examination Parameters
• Paper: 9JA0/01 (Paper 1: Translation, Reading Comprehension, and Writing)
• Task: Section C (Research Subject Essay)
• Target Length: Approximately \(300\) to \(360\) Japanese characters.
• Style: Formal written plain style (だ・である調 - da/dearu style).
Top 3 Student Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
1. Writing a Pre-Memorized Essay (丸暗記の作文)
Pitfall: Pouring out a pre-written essay about a festival without answering the specific exam question or mentioning the stimulus text.
Fix: Always quote, paraphrase, or explicitly connect your arguments to the ideas presented in the exam paper's short stimulus text.
2. Pure Description vs. Critical Analysis
Pitfall: Simply describing what happens at a festival (e.g., "The floats are big and pretty") or sharing a personal holiday memory.
Fix: Critically analyze the topic. Weigh advantages against disadvantages (e.g., economic benefits vs. overtourism; preservation of tradition vs. modern commercialization).
3. Forgetting Independent Research Facts
Pitfall: Making vague statements like "many events have problems."
Fix: Include specific terms and examples from your research, such as kōreika (高齢化), yūryō kankan-seki (有料観覧席), or specific regional examples like Aomori Nebuta Matsuri.
Essential Vocabulary Cheat Sheet
Core Concepts & Demographics:
• 伝統的な祭り (でんとうてきなまつり - traditional festivals)
• 過疎化 (かそか - depopulation of rural areas)
• 高齢化 (こうれいか - aging society)
• 後継者不足 (こうけいしゃぶそく - lack of successors)
• 経済効果 (けいざいこうか - economic impact/benefit)
• 観光公害 (かんこうこうがい - overtourism / tourist pollution)
• 有料観覧席 (ゆうりょうかんらんせき - paid viewing seats)
• 地域活性化 (ちいきかっせいか - regional revitalization)
Western Events & Localization:
• 西洋行事の流入 (せいようぎょうじのりゅうにゅう - inflow of Western events)
• 商業化 (しょうぎょうか - commercialization)
• 本命チョコ (ほんめいチョコ - romantic chocolate)
• 義理チョコ (ぎりチョコ - obligation chocolate)
• 友チョコ (ともチョコ - friend chocolate)
• ホワイトデー (ほわいとでー - White Day, March 14)
Useful Essay Connectors (だ・である style):
• 一方で (いっぽうで - on the other hand)
• その結果 (そのけっか - as a result)
• 例えば (たとえば - for example)
• ～に対して (～にたいして - in contrast to / towards)
• ～と考えられる (～とかんがえられる - it can be considered that...)