The Influence Of Japanese Culture...

KotokoPlum · Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 4:59 pm Post subject:

Now, all of us know that since anime and manga are both from Japan, it is obviously going to have some or a lot of influence from the Japanese culture.So, since most of us have ever even been to Japan at all! That's why I have created this topic so that we who do not know of that culture can learn from those who do... yeah

So, in [i]Furuba[/i], why do the students make their own lunches? I'm pretty sure they are in public school, not boarding school. Perhaps they are in a school of higher status because in the first book, I'm pretty sure they said something about getting in.

So, what do you guys think of this idea and do you have any questions or answers to share?

Wu_the_Lotus_Blossom · Very bored Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 204

I've read that if you see a well and or a special tree in an anime that the story is set around spirits.

Maemi · Very bored Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 226

[quote="KotokoPlum (Stephanie)"]So, in [i]Furuba[/i], why do the students make their own lunches? I'm pretty sure they are in public school, not boarding school. Perhaps they are in a school of higher status because in the first book, I'm pretty sure they said something about getting in.
[/quote]
Well, IMO, making your lunch is much cheaper and you're sure you're going to like it. I used to attend a public school that did serve lunch (they served some pretty tasty meals actually), but majority of the students prefered bringing their own. I don't know; I guess it just depends on the person or maybe what the majority of the people do.

SL · Member Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 93

I've never seen Furuba, but you must be talking about 'bento' (Obento). In elementary school, normally children eat food from the lunchroom, but starting in middle school they bring bento, which is a boxed lunch, mainly rice and there's also some side dishes.

There's different kinds, like Ekiben (which is usually used when going places like traveling on a train). Shinkansen (bullet train) serv Ekiben. Shokado is another one, usually served at restraunts.

Normally, the mother makes their child bento, and it's just a way of showing that she loves her children. It's passed on from generation to generation, so it's sort of a tradition. =/

Fayore · Moderator Joined: 12 Mar 2004 Posts: 6195

[quote="SL (Currently reading yaoi douji"] but you must be talking about 'bento' (Obento). [/quote]
That's what I thought at first as well, but after rewatching the first episode of Furuba last week, I noticed that rather than making their own lunches at home and bringing it to school (as is the case with obentoo), they seemed to be [i]making[/i] their lunches right in the middle of the cafeteria. So I really don't have an explanation for this. Perhaps it's just something specific to Furuba? Or maybe only certain schools do it?

I have no idea. :/
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SL · Member Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 93

I've never heard of a school that does that. o_O I'm guessing it just is in Furuba. I have a few Asian friends who brought bento to lunch everyday that their moms made for them, even though we live in America. =/ My mom never did that... >.>

KotokoPlum · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:26 am Post subject:

Um, yeah, I meant what Lindsey said. I knew that they would bring lunches, but it does seem that they were preparing the food [i]inside[/i] of the school. I've read the manga a lot which is why I noticed. Also, everyone was in the same room making a lunch and there was also a teacher there (like home economics or something?!)

**SPOILER for Fruits Basket (Furuba)**

In the ninth book that just came out, in HanaJima's chapter, Tohru is serving lunch to everyone. Strange, huh?

((Yes, everyone. I am aware that you can quote the spoiler and make the text white, but there is no option to make it white (on my computer at least) so I'll do it this way))

**SPOILER OVER**

I'm so confused... @_@

Fayore · Moderator Joined: 12 Mar 2004 Posts: 6195

[quote="KotokoPlum (Stephanie)"] Um, yeah, I meant what Lindsey said. [/quote]
That's funny. Especially since that's not my name. ._.;
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Raymei · Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject:

oh, I know this one! ^^

In elementry schools (not sure if they do it in middle schools), but in elementry schools in Japan the kids make the food for ALL the other kids in their class.
They rotate the duties and they make different things.

They also clean the school daily (which I'm sure you've seen in lots of animes)

These are ways to teach them responsibility (not to mention save the schools TONS of money -- which parents have to pay, not the government; the kids usually bring this money to school themselves, more responsibility teachings)

=^^=

KotokoPlum · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:21 am Post subject:

[quote="Fayore ()"] [quote="KotokoPlum (Stephanie)"] Um, yeah, I meant what Lindsey said. [/quote]
That's funny. Especially since that's not my name. ._.; [/quote]
O_O

Ahhh! I knew something was wrong! >.< Sorry, Fayore...

Yay! I knew Raymei would know! Well, does anyone else have any questions they'd like to ask?

SL · Member Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 93

[quote="Raymei (Raymei A. L. Klisea)"] I KNOW!! XD I know this one!

In elementry schools (not sure if they do it in middle schools), but in elementry schools in Japan the kids make the food for ALL the other kids in their class.
They rotate the duties and they make different things.

They also clean the school daily (which I'm sure you've seen in lots of animes)

These are ways to teach them responsibility (not to mention save the schools TONS of money -- which parents have to pay, not the government; the kids usually bring this money to school themselves, more responsibility teachings)

=^^= [/quote]
No, they do that in elementary school, but I'm pretty sure never in high school (except for cleaning). I thought Furuba was set in high school. I'm probably thinking of another anime since I've never seen Furuba though. >_<

Raymei · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:24 pm Post subject:

o.o
I said in elementry school (and even said not sure if they do it in middle/high school)

:huh: why quote me if you didn't quite read what I said?

Anyway, I've never seen/read Fruits Basket either, so I'm not sure if it's a special school or what grade they're in.

[quote]There's different kinds, like Ekiben (which is usually used when going places like traveling on a train). Shinkansen (bullet train) serv Ekiben. Shokado is another one, usually served at restraunts.

Normally, the mother makes their child bento, and it's just a way of showing that she loves her children. It's passed on from generation to generation, so it's sort of a tradition. =/ [/quote]

Huh, they didn't have Ekiben when I took the shinkansen from Tokyo to Fukuoka (5...hours....)
They just had ice cream and chips and beer and stuff like that.

Most of the girls I knew made their own lunch, a lot of their moms worked or they were making it to share with their boyfriend.

KotokoPlum · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:34 pm Post subject:

Well, Furuba is set in high school if that helps any...

There's also this one scene where dishes are laid out before each student on a table and a teacher is coming around to check. She asks Tohru's friends Saki (HanaJima) and Arisa (Uotani) if Tohru made them for them and then after that, they ate the dishes that were in front of them before... This seems stangely similar to Home Economics over here in the west, you think? (I'm not sure, sorry if I'm wrong)

SL · Member Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 93

[quote="Raymei (Raymei A. L. Klisea)"] o.o
I said in elementry school (and even said not sure if they do it in middle/high school)

:huh: why quote me if you didn't quite read what I said?

Anyway, I've never seen/read Fruits Basket either, so I'm not sure if it's a special school or what grade they're in.

[quote]There's different kinds, like Ekiben (which is usually used when going places like traveling on a train). Shinkansen (bullet train) serv Ekiben. Shokado is another one, usually served at restraunts.

Normally, the mother makes their child bento, and it's just a way of showing that she loves her children. It's passed on from generation to generation, so it's sort of a tradition. =/ [/quote]

Huh, they didn't have Ekiben when I took the shinkansen from Tokyo to Fukuoka (5...hours....)
They just had ice cream and chips and beer and stuff like that. [/quote]
Sorry...I must have read it wrong. I didn't mean to offend you, if I did. o__O;;;;;

That's really weird. Most of the time they do serve Ekiben on there. Or at least that's what I read about, seen on one of those videos on Japanese culture, and was told by my Japanese teacher who lived there her whole life.

[quote]Most of the girls I knew made their own lunch, a lot of their moms worked or they were making it to share with their boyfriend.[/quote]

I guess your friends are different from mine? XD

Raymei · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:11 pm Post subject:

[quote]That's really weird. Most of the time they do serve Ekiben on there. Or at least that's what I read about, seen on one of those videos on Japanese culture, and was told by my Japanese teacher who lived there her whole life.
[/quote]

Things change, I guess. My teacher from high school was born and raised in Japan (she came to America after college) and she's always talking about how it used to be (when she would come back from her holiday visits)

[quote]I guess your friends are different from mine? XD [/quote]

well yeah o.o Japan's a country, not a city. Everything & everyone is different depending on where ya are, same as the USA
people from California and Texas for example are so different most other cultures probably wouldn't believe they're from the same country.

(example: Tokyo sucks...people are hella rude there, but Kyoto has a lot of really nice people and a more positive attitude towards foreigners)

Rindi_chan · Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:09 pm Post subject:

It's been a while since I've seen Furuba, but I'm pretty sure that food preparation scene is supposed to be some sort of cooking/home ec class.

kyonkichi · Member Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 50 Location: cake

fruits basket they make lunch at school?
I think you mean their cooking class...

and about tohru serving people lunch, that was in middle school. they do serve school lunch. tohru was helping out working in the kitchens as a volenteer lunch lady =)

I dont think in fb they bring their lunch to school. or if they do they dont carry lunch boxes. since they almost never have lunchroom scenes I think it implies they just eat school lunch and there's nothing special about it

Kaede-chan · Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:10 am Post subject:

Oh, no, they usually bring their own lunches in Furuba! There's the scene where Tohru tells Uo- and Hana-chan that she's been living with Kyo and Yuki, ya know? That's at lunch. They just sit around campus with their bento (or Hana-chan's bag of chips, heehee). Perhaps at their high school they no longer serve lunch to the kids. I mean, they [i]are[/i] 16. In my freshman year, I sometimes had hot lunch, but I soon just made my own. It's cheaper, less confusing (sophmore year my high school got a "new, easier" way to pay for lunches that cumlinated in a line all the way around the cafeteria and people unfed by the end of lunch.), and I always get what [i]I[/i] want.

Anyway, middle schools and elementary schools seem to have a "hot lunch" kind of option, at least in anime and manga. Tokyo Mew Mew has one, Kamichama Karin, too.

Oh. Hi, Kel-chan! They don't use lunchboxes, silly, they have bento wrapped in cloth! It kinda looks like a plastic bag from far away, maybe that confused you.
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sailorharmony2000 · Very bored Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 143

I was looking at a lunch (bento) box that a friend bought from Japan; it was pretty small, considering that much of it was rice. I didn't see how food in such a small container would fill one up, but I suppose the rice is very tightly packed in, like the small boxes of white rice that I get at the Chinese restaurant.

I have a question: are the Japanese as obsessive over cleansiness as anime protrays? I mean, with keeping the house/rooms clean, shrine chores, how students took turns keeping the classroom clean (chalkboard/eraser duty), even the way some Japanese still use the old bathhouses. I even heard an artist who did a music video in Tokyo mention that even the subways were very clean.
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tetsuyayamatashi · Newb Joined: 20 Jul 2006 Posts: 7

[quote="KotokoPlum (Stephanie)"]In the ninth book that just came out, in HanaJima's chapter, Tohru is serving lunch to everyone. Strange, huh?
[/quote]

Not really increadibly strange. Maybe it's wierd, but my school has a huge chef training program, so I'm completley used to seeing students serving lunch.
Another possibilty is that she was volunteering (though I think it may have stated that...Don't quote me on this XD) in the cafeteria.
If not any of those, I'm stumped.