Woo-ism and Pseudoscience in Japan (A Woo's Paradise)

Every country has it's varying shares of woo-ness and pseudoscience and in that department Japan, far from being a slouch, can in all fairness be considered a woo's paradise. One of the worst misconceptions and stereotypes perpetuated is that of the Japanese as being the cold, stiff, unemotional robots incapable of humour and creative thought. Japanese are some of the most emotional, melodramatic, maudlin people around with a love for all manner of entertainment and distraction. Here, magicians and illusionists are stars. Fortune tellers and psychics are held in higher esteem and one older woman who is best described as both, Hosoki Kazuko, is the be all end all of propriety and personal conduct. Ghosts, mysticism, and all manner of paranormal subject matter is given center stage and skepticism is often an unnecessary afterthought. Be that as it may, the one most massive piece of pervasive pseudoscience has got to be Japan's fascination with bloodtype personality profiling. Here it is portrayed as being a legitimate science and the depth to which it permeates daily life know's no bounds to the extent that discrimination based on it is far too common. The funniest part is that nobody seems to have clued into the fact that it was introduced here by the Nazis and adopted by the militarist government as a means to develop super soldiers. Here's a link to wikipedia's entry on the subject. Edited to account for the dance of shochu and spelling.

kitakaze said:

Every country has it's varying shares of woo-ness and pseudoscience and in that department Japan, far from being a slouch, can in all fairness be considered a woo's paradise. One of the worst misconceptions and stereotypes perpetuated is that of the Japanese as being the cold, stiff, unemotional robots incapable of humour and creative thought. Japanese are some of the most emotional, melodramatic, maudlin people around with a love for all manner of entertainment and distraction. Here, magicians and illusionists are stars. Fortune tellers and psychics are held in higher esteem and one older woman who is best described as both, Hosoki Kazuko, is the be all end all of propriety and personal conduct. Ghosts, mysticism, and all manner of paranormal subject matter is given center stage and skepticism is often an unnecessary afterthought. Be that as it may, the one most massive piece of pervasive pseudoscience has got to be Japan's fascination with bloodtype personality profiling. Here it is portrayed as being a legitimate science and the depth to which it permeates daily life know's no bounds to the extent that discrimination based on it is far too common. The funniest part is that nobody seems to have clued into the fact that it was introduced here by the Nazis and adopted by the militarist government as a means to develop super soldiers. Here's a link to wikipedia's entry on the subject. Edited to account for the dance of shochu and spelling.

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Japan is an odd sort of duck. One of the most developed nations in the world, but also one in which religion pervades nearly every sphere of life, including business and government. It is probably the only developed nation left which still has an "Untouchable" caste. It seems to have joined the industrial world without ever losing it's "dark ages" superstitions.

Not to mention "mizuko kuyo" (the menacing fetus) aborted fetuses who come back to haunt young women (not necessarily the woman who has undergone the abortion, it could be a cousin, a mother and child othe the woman...phychics aren't picky...)

http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/6941.html

I read this book as part of my Japan studies, and I must say that it helped me to move one step closer to the skeptic I am today.

luchog said:

It seems to have joined the industrial world without ever losing it's "dark ages" superstitions.

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Millions of Europeans line up on Sunday to eat the flesh and drink the blood of a human sacrifice, and you pick on the Japanese?



Although I can't understand this blood-type profiling. Surely someone can bring a lawsuit over it, and put a stop to it. Although I understand Japanese courts are not quite as labor-friendly as ours.

Whales are depleting fish stocks. Or something like that. Japan is not only woo, but plain weird. Read the whole 117 editorials. Funny and enlightening...

My wife (Japanese) insists that blood type is an accurate way of telling somebody's personality, in spite of my best skeptic attempts to dissuade her of that notion. It is amazing how prevalent the "blood type = personality" belief is there. It is pretty much accepted as common sense.

A lot of Japanese I know also carry around omamori, a charm sold at Shinto shrines. Omamori are made specifically for various functions, like "traffic safety," "success on exams," "love," etc. The first time I went to Japan (as a student) and saw the Omamori, I figured they were a sort of good luck charm. I was surprised to find out how many people really believed in them, and were afraid to throw one away. I suppose, in the end, it isn't much different than wearing a crucifix or a cross, but nonetheless I was surprised. Japan also has a lot of famous ghosts, including probably the most famous, that of Taira Masakado, who supposedly haunts an area in downtown Tokyo, near Otemachi, where his head his buried. People still leave offerings at the shrine to appease his spirit.

Japan is an odd sort of duck. One of the most developed nations in the world, but also one in which religion pervades nearly every sphere of life, including business and government. It is probably the only developed nation left which still has an "Untouchable" caste. It seems to have joined the industrial world without ever losing it's "dark ages" superstitions.

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Interestingly, anywhere from 65-80% of Japanese (depending on the survey you read) will say that they have no particular religion -- which is generally true, in my experience. Most Japanese do not follow one specific religion. There is a kind of joke about Japan that Japanese are Shinto when they are born (they usually go to a Shinto shrine at various specific ages up until they are 20), Christian when they are married (most Japanese have a Christian-style wedding, although the religion aspect is mostly for show), and Buddhist at death (usually they have Buddhist funerals). As I said, a lot of Japanese believe in omamori, which is a shinto artifact. Most Japanese also have a butsudan in their home -- an altar on which they give offerings to their ancestors. My wife's family, and my host family when I studied there, both had one, and would give daily offerings of rice, sake, tea, etc. Ancestor worship is probably the most prevalent "religious" custom in Japan, since it exists pretty much across the board in various forms. Generally, though, most Japanese do not follow one specific religion, but they are definitely religious in the sense that many follow and believe in a hodgepodge of customs from different religions. It is a very interesting mix, to say the least.

Here in Korea, on the other hand, there are lots and lots of Christians. Statistically, they are supposedly only 25% of the population, but they are everywhere. If you go downtown to any fairly crowded area, there is always a group of Christians singing or reading the bible into a microphone. I even had a couple of "bible students" come to my house the other day.

Blood type can be correlated with personality type?
Hmmm - sounds like a testable hypothesis. Would it be eligible for the $1,000,000 ?

Jorghnassen said:

Whales are depleting fish stocks. Or something like that. Japan is not only woo, but plain weird. Read the whole 117 editorials. Funny and enlightening...

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Hilarious!

ARubberChickenWithAPulley said:

A lot of Japanese I know also carry around omamori, a charm sold at Shinto shrines. Omamori are made specifically for various functions, like "traffic safety," "success on exams," "love," etc.

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Yeah, I have several mamori and my favourite contains an old friends contact info which I keep in the breast pocket of my favourite leather jacket. I also have no problem admitting that I pray at shrines for my family's well being, had my infant son have a blessing ceremony at one, transcribe our wishes on to pieces of paper which we tie to bamboo shoots, fly big fish kites for our son's well-being, and a ton of other stuff which may seem woo but is merely tradition (and fun).

Japan also has a lot of famous ghosts, including probably the most famous, that of Taira Masakado, who supposedly haunts an area in downtown Tokyo, near Otemachi, where his head his buried. People still leave offerings at the shrine to appease his spirit.

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One thing Japan does exceedingly well is the ghost story. I personally enjoy 'kuchisake onna' or split-mouth women.

Interestingly, anywhere from 65-80% of Japanese (depending on the survey you read) will say that they have no particular religion -- which is generally true, in my experience. Most Japanese do not follow one specific religion. There is a kind of joke about Japan that Japanese are Shinto when they are born (they usually go to a Shinto shrine at various specific ages up until they are 20), Christian when they are married (most Japanese have a Christian-style wedding, although the religion aspect is mostly for show), and Buddhist at death (usually they have Buddhist funerals).

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I must admit, I'm always particularily proud of the way Japan has consistently confounded Christianity's efforts of gaining any meaningful foot-hold in the country (white weddings don't count). Course, in the good ol' days it was just 'off with their heads'.

Here in Korea, on the other hand, there are lots and lots of Christians. Statistically, they are supposedly only 25% of the population, but they are everywhere. If you go downtown to any fairly crowded area, there is always a group of Christians singing or reading the bible into a microphone. I even had a couple of "bible students" come to my house the other day.

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Yeah, I gotta say the first major difference I noticed when I went to Seoul was seeing churches everywhere. I was pretty surprised.

Jorghnassen said:

Whales are depleting fish stocks. Or something like that.

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Yes, Jorghnassen. Another very good example of pseudoscience in Japan. Although there is something to be said for wanting to resist the imposition of the western aversion to eating whale meat upon Japan. Most Japanese will tell you though that whale meat is just not very good.

Japan is not only woo, but plain weird. Read the whole 117 editorials. Funny and enlightening...

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Ah yes, the ubiquitous kancho. I still can't walk up stairs with someone behind me without getting all spasticky.

kitakaze said:

I also have no problem admitting that I pray at shrines for my family's well being, had my infant son have a blessing ceremony at one, transcribe our wishes on to pieces of paper which we tie to bamboo shoots, fly big fish kites for our son's well-being, and a ton of other stuff which may seem woo but is merely tradition (and fun).

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My roomate in college was Japanese, and she said something similar. She didn't believe in a religion, or ghosts, etc - but she joined in festivities because they were fun and because it was good to be a part of the community and become closer by sharing the holidays/traditions together.

In her mind, observing some of the religious holidays no more made her that religion than giving gifts around the end of December made her christian.

Oh jeez, the one I groan at is omikoshi. Omikoshi is where the men of a community get together and carry a pedestal with a box that is supposed to contain a 'kami' or deity traditionally to houses and businesses but in recent times specifically to businesses in the dead heat of summer while wearing wedgey loin cloth thingies that show your butt cheeks. The pedestal weighs a ton but the painful part is that every business you stop at you have to wake up the deity by shaking the hell out of the pedestal. Now I live in Nakameguro in the heart of Tokyo and in my immediate vicinity there are countless izakayas (Japanese-style pubs), yakinikuyas (barbecue grill pubs), pachinkos (Japanese slot arcades), and bars which adds up to a whole lotta shakin' goin' on. By the time your through you can't feel your body but you do get a lot of beer and food.

Here's another example of really bad science in Japan being used at a governmental level at taxpayers expense. The National Research Institute of Police Sciences conducted research to attempt to create an index of 'foreign-ness' from DNA in an attempt to be able to judge whether a crime was commited by a foreigner based on the assumption of the uniqueness and purity of Japanese blood. Meanwhile, police agencies attempted to skew statistical information to create the false image of a foreign crime wave in complete contradiction to accurate information.

kitakaze said:

Yes, Jorghnassen. Another very good example of pseudoscience in Japan. Although there is something to be said for wanting to resist the imposition of the western aversion to eating whale meat upon Japan. Most Japanese will tell you though that whale meat is just not very good.

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Whale sashimi... Ahh... "Just not very good"?

Ha ha ha, said the Norwegian. Now, you wanna talk about horse sashimi, that's good. Most Japanese consider eating whale with a similar feeling as Canadians and Americans might about eating spam except with maybe a little more non-descript sense of guilt or disinterest. Non-plus might sum it up. Too chewy for me.

kitakaze said:

Ha ha ha, said the Norwegian. Now, you wanna talk about horse sashimi, that's good. Most Japanese consider eating whale with a similar feeling as Canadians and Americans might about eating spam except with maybe a little more non-descript sense of guilt or disinterest. Non-plus might sum it up. Too chewy for me.

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Must be a Norwegian thing. I just realised last week that I have run out of things that I will refuse to eat, after I found that pickles aren't really that bad. Sea mammals are ready-made surf'n'turf. Think steak and herring in the same bite. A tough steak tasting of herring well past it's sell-by date or an interesting gastronomy experience? Depends. I have had both. The sashimi was actually very tender and delicious. Note to self: Try some horse sashimi.

ETA: OK, some people eat spiders and stuff. "One might say" I have some Asian specialities to get through before I can claim to eat everything.

Type A

Best Traits: Conservative, reserved, patient, punctual, perfectionist and good with plants.

Famous As: George H. W. Bush, Ayumi Hamasaki, O. J. Simpson, Britney Spears, Alan Alda, Adolf Hitler, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon

Riiiiiiggghht...

Ririon said:

Must be a Norwegian thing. I just realised last week that I have run out of things that I will refuse to eat, after I found that pickles aren't really that bad. Sea mammals are ready-made surf'n'turf. Think steak and herring in the same bite. A tough steak tasting of herring well past it's sell-by date or an interesting gastronomy experience? Depends. I have had both. The sashimi was actually very tender and delicious. Note to self: Try some horse sashimi.

ETA: OK, some people eat spiders and stuff. "One might say" I have some Asian specialities to get through before I can claim to eat everything.

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Well, if you discovered you like pickles (stonewheat thins, pickles, cheddar, and garlic sausage was always a favourite snack of mine), might I recommend trying some of the variety of tsukemono (various Japanese pickled stuff)? Of course natto (slimy, stinky fermented beans) is always a challenge for many non-Japanese. I recommend plenty of karashi (Japanese mustard) and raw beaten egg with it your first time. The only thing I seem to have trouble getting down the hatch is shiokara which is usually cuttlefish squid tentacles (though a variety of other seafood is used, such as oyster) served in the highly salty, fermented minced paste of their guts. However, many people like to eat it with straight whisky. Try and try, I can't even take a bite without wanting to hurl.

Yeah, I have several mamori and my favourite contains an old friends contact info which I keep in the breast pocket of my favourite leather jacket. I also have no problem admitting that I pray at shrines for my family's well being, had my infant son have a blessing ceremony at one, transcribe our wishes on to pieces of paper which we tie to bamboo shoots, fly big fish kites for our son's well-being, and a ton of other stuff which may seem woo but is merely tradition (and fun).

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I have one that my wife gave me. I keep it with me more just as a token of affection. Plus, when I am doing things during which it is better to not be wearing my wedding band, it is a decent substitute. A lot of the "religious" traditions in Japan are more cultural traditions than anything else, but there is still often a level of belief there, just speaking from my own experience. I've done most of the things you mentioned as well, but more just as a cultural experience.

Ha ha ha, said the Norwegian. Now, you wanna talk about horse sashimi, that's good. Most Japanese consider eating whale with a similar feeling as Canadians and Americans might about eating spam except with maybe a little more non-descript sense of guilt or disinterest. Non-plus might sum it up. Too chewy for me.

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Incidentally, this is basically the same attitude that Koreans have toward dog. It is still eaten by some, but it isn't really a mainstream dish. Also, it doesn't taste all that different from beef. Some men eat it because it supposedly has special properties that are good for men (wink wink), but Koreans like to claim that about lots of their food.

When I lived in Japan, I once took to train out of Fukuoka to rural collection of Buddhist shrines. One featured a 15 foot statue ofr Fudo Myo, a fearsome looking "Dharma Protector."
A woman was bowing before the image while fingering prayer beads. Chinese and Japanese Buddhism have various kinds of pray beads just as Catholicism has a rosery. But hen I noticed the beaqds were a rosery!
The crucifix and the demonic looking Fudo Myo. What a Juxtaposition!

But I learned that it was quite possible this same woman attende and prayed at chruch. At a Shingon Temple in Kyoto, there's even a statue of the Virgin Mary.
Some Japanese told me when I asked if they believed in Buddhism, that yes they did - when they went to the temple. Otherwise, and in other contexts, the question was irrelevant.
It's called
"functional beliefe."

Of course many Americans attend a number of religious services in the year, but aren't "True Believers."

kitakaze said:

Every country has it's varying shares of woo-ness and pseudoscience and in that department Japan, far from being a slouch, can in all fairness be considered a woo's paradise. One of the worst misconceptions and stereotypes perpetuated is that of the Japanese as being the cold, stiff, unemotional robots incapable of humour and creative thought. Japanese are some of the most emotional, melodramatic, maudlin people around with a love for all manner of entertainment and distraction. Here, magicians and illusionists are stars. Fortune tellers and psychics are held in higher esteem and one older woman who is best described as both, Hosoki Kazuko, is the be all end all of propriety and personal conduct. Ghosts, mysticism, and all manner of paranormal subject matter is given center stage and skepticism is often an unnecessary afterthought. Be that as it may, the one most massive piece of pervasive pseudoscience has got to be Japan's fascination with bloodtype personality profiling. Here it is portrayed as being a legitimate science and the depth to which it permeates daily life know's no bounds to the extent that discrimination based on it is far too common. The funniest part is that nobody seems to have clued into the fact that it was introduced here by the Nazis and adopted by the militarist government as a means to develop super soldiers. Here's a link to wikipedia's entry on the subject. Edited to account for the dance of shochu and spelling.

Click to expand...

Out of pure curiosity, just how many different blood-types ARE there in Japan?

Zep said:

Out of pure curiosity, just how many different blood-types ARE there in Japan?

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Err, was that a rhetorical question? If not, the same as everywhere else would be the correct answer I suppose.

kitakaze said:

Err, was that a rhetorical question? If not, the same as everywhere else would be the correct answer I suppose.

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Not really rhetorical, no. And thanks for the answer.

Which would suggest that there are even fewer "categories" and "sub-categories" into which to divide people by blood-type, for "fortune-telling" purposes, than there are for standard(!) astrology. In short, millions of people will have identical blood-types to you, or me, and so we should all share similar "fortunes". Testable theory coming up, perhaps?

Zep said:

Not really rhetorical, no. And thanks for the answer.

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You got it.

Which would suggest that there are even fewer "categories" and "sub-categories" into which to divide people by blood-type, for "fortune-telling" purposes, than there are for standard(!) astrology. In short, millions of people will have identical blood-types to you, or me, and so we should all share similar "fortunes".

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And that in short sums up the very reason why Japanese prescribe to the theory as accepted knowledge. Astrology's too frilly and silly. K.I.S.S., keep it in the blood in a pattern we can be the same as millions around us. Differences of behaviour patterns can be easily forgiven if there's a binding medicalish (that's right, my word) reason for them.

Testable theory coming up, perhaps?

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Now why would we wanna submit something so socially convenient and useful to any serious scrutiny? Whadda you, A type or something?

Japan is full of weird superstitions and peculiar festivals like Hounen Matsuri. I think the ancient Romans had something similar where they would haul a giant phallus across the countryside.

Yeah, just wait till you get to the concession stands. The popsicles are a riot.

kitakaze said:

Well, if you discovered you like pickles (stonewheat thins, pickles, cheddar, and garlic sausage was always a favourite snack of mine), might I recommend trying some of the variety of tsukemono (various Japanese pickled stuff)? Of course natto (slimy, stinky fermented beans) is always a challenge for many non-Japanese. I recommend plenty of karashi (Japanese mustard) and raw beaten egg with it your first time. The only thing I seem to have trouble getting down the hatch is shiokara which is usually cuttlefish squid tentacles (though a variety of other seafood is used, such as oyster) served in the highly salty, fermented minced paste of their guts. However, many people like to eat it with straight whisky. Try and try, I can't even take a bite without wanting to hurl.

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I was actually supposed to go to Tokyo this August, but it doesn't look like the funding will get sorted for it. A raw beaten egg? No salmonella in Japan? Haven't tried any Japanese whisky. Supposedly, there are several decent ones. But I see I have a few challenges coming...

Ririon said:

I was actually supposed to go to Tokyo this August, but it doesn't look like the funding will get sorted for it. A raw beaten egg? No salmonella in Japan? Haven't tried any Japanese whisky. Supposedly, there are several decent ones. But I see I have a few challenges coming...

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The egg thing has never been an issue to my knowledge, maybe it's a processing difference. As for whisky, as Bill Murray said, "for good times, make it Suntory time." Oh yes! Challenges! Err, how 'bout shirako (globular fish semen)?

kitakaze said:

Err, how 'bout shirako (globular fish semen)?

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Sounds delicious compared to seared, salted, smoked and steamed sheep eyes... The sex organs of scallops are tasty, at least.

Oh, well you guys are just animals. We don't eat the eyeballs of anything unless it came out of the sea. Scallops? Well, every litle bit of them are tasty,
aren't they (not the shells, of course)? Sheep eyes vs fish jizz, yeah, tough call.