Japanese Culture & Japanese Studies_Đất nước và văn hóa Nhật Bản

The course is divided into 2 main content areas: 1. Japan: This part mainly focuses on 3 topics: natural geography, history, and political system of Japan. The course content is summarized by the instructor into lecture slides from various sources and reference materials, without using a main textbook. 2. Japanese Culture: The course uses a main textbook, which contains 99 important keywords about Japanese culture, divided into 3 parts as follows: ・Part 1: Traditional Culture – familiar daily elements elevated into art forms (Chapter 1: Arts and Performance; Chapter 9: Festivals, Holidays, Religion; Chapter 5: Customs, Traditions, Ceremonies, etc.) ・Part 2: Everyday Life Culture – elements closely tied to Japanese daily life such as tatami mats, mixed rice, sushi rice balls, etc. (Chapter 3: Cuisine; Chapter 4: Housing, Architecture, Clothing; Chapter 7: Leisure, Entertainment, Music, Sports; Chapter 8: Literature, Thought, Spirit, etc.) ・Part 3: Studying Abroad in Japan – in relation to Japanese society and people. In the Japanese Culture section, students read the main textbook, choose keywords of interest to explore in greater depth, report their findings, and present a deeper understanding of one or several keywords in their area of interest (students form groups of 2–3, prepare slides, and present in class). Alternatively, students can register to carry out creative/experiential activities on a chosen theme, such as traditional food, tea ceremony, ikebana (flower arrangement), etc., and perform/demonstrate in class. Interactive activities with the audience are encouraged. Thus, from these two areas, the specific objectives of the course are: (1) Provide basic, general knowledge about Japan and Japanese culture such as geography, history, social system, traditional culture, arts, cuisine, clothing, architecture, etc., helping students understand distinctive features that shape Japan’s image in the world and in Vietnam. (2) Provide basic vocabulary, some terminology, and expressions related to Japan and Japanese culture, helping reinforce and enhance language knowledge. (3) Help students develop group work skills, independent research practice, and expand their knowledge by exploring a topic of personal/group interest. (4) Enable students to report research results or conduct experiential activities to practice presentation skills and apply acquired knowledge in practice.