Essay

Freedom and obligation

By Hal Richard

Both foreigners and Japanese themselves often say that strict family, work and other obligations can severely restrict people's behavior in Japan. I have myself met many Japanese people whose choice of occupation, weekend activities and the like has been governed primarily by the obligations they hold.

On the other hand, however, looking at the range of strange fashions and bizarre hobbies that some people have, it seems that people are actually allowed quite a range of freedom. It is something I have never quite worked out.

Perhaps these two impressions are both accurate, and are actually two sides of the same coin. It seems to me that as long as family, work and other obligations are fulfilled, people are then free to pursue their own interests.

One event I remember most vividly occurred when I had been in Japan just a few months and was spending some time outside Tokyo in a fairly quiet provincial town. There, I met a DJ whose passion was reggae music. Although he also sported the same kind of short, closely cropped haircut as his DJ friends, he was middle-aged whereas the others were younger, perhaps in their early-to-mid 20s. I asked him what else he did for work, as it is difficult to make a living as a reggae DJ in Japan. He replied that he was, in fact, a Buddhist priest, which I found completely mind-boggling.

In my country, those inside as well as those outside of organized religion often see it as a quite serious business. A stereotypical picture of a Christian minister, the nearest equivalent in my culture to a Buddhist priest, is one of a non-smoking, non-drinking, bookworm who would never want to be seen inside a smoke-filled club with young people dancing to loud popular music. This attitude I find somewhat sad as listening to music should be relaxing and liberating, but rather than see the positive side of this experience, the Church often associates it with sin and unchristian behavior.

Not so my new Buddhist priest / reggae DJ friend, who told me that his position is more like a counselor to people in his community and as long as he does that job properly his lifestyle won't be defined by what is or isn't considered socially acceptable. Some of his colleagues, he said, enjoy fishing, others like to play shogi and none of them see anything wrong with my friend's hobby of playing reggae records at loud volume.

I think it is healthy that in Japan as long as people fulfill their obligations and as long as their hobbies don't conflict with these obligations, then they are, in many cases, free to do as they please in their free time.

Shukan ST: Aug. 29, 2008

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