Lingua lift: Gregg Moragishi —

Sushi. Ninja. Anime. Sake. These are some of the words that people immediately associate with Japan. However, as we all know, not every Japanese person eats sushi, watches anime, or drinks sake (they are all ninjas though…)

photo by uzaigaijin

More realistically, there is equilibrium between those that represent and reinforce the Japanese stereotypes and average Japanese citizens. This same mentality can be applied to the “ideal” Japanese family structure and its modern reality counterpart.

Traditional Japanese family

The ie (家, home), or “ideal/traditional” view of the Japanese family stems from the Edo period. This version of the Japanese family is more concerned with the extension of the household than the individuals. For example: if the eldest son is not capable of being the head of the family, the second son may replace him, or if a woman fails to please the in-laws or produce a child for the family, she may be divorced.

More:  http://japanese.lingualift.com/blog/japanese-family-traditional-vs-modern/