How traditional are the Japanese?

Question:

Most of the cultures in Asia are somewhat 'old-fashioned' in a sense that they live in joint families after marriages, women become housewives, it is inappropriate to expose cleavage or legs and it is inappropriate to express their opinions very openly (in some countries one could go to jail), celebrating festivals in traditional clothing, doing the arranged marriage thing etc etc. If you live in Japan and are a foreigner do you get to feel many times that the Japanese are somewhat 'old-fashioned' and 'traditional' or more modern or same?

Answer:

I think you got a good point as a female foreigner who observes Japan, except for mixed-up wording "traditional" "old-fashioned" when describing what you have seen in Japan. I would call some of them "conservative" And at least I must say "celebrating festivals in traditional clothing" is not really "old-fashioned" or "conservative", but it's only a part of culture based on a long history. In Europe, especially East European countries, folklore is quite famous as you know very well. They wear "old-fashioned" clothes, too. The only difference is that you see it Western style.

However, I agree with your view of Japan women. As you go farther in to the suburbs, you will find more conservative.

There are so many things that are considered as a taboo for Japanese women.
e.g. If you (as a woman) say “tut, tut!” (tongue-clucking) in front of people, it'd be a bad thing (manner).
Especially when it comes to 'marriage', or 'after marriage', there are so much 'invisible pressure' coming from obligations for women, and you would feel stressed by being a woman that men would not realize.
e.g. One of the funny episodes I heard from my friend (a Japanese woman born in Canada):
When she got married to a Canadian, she made sure if her husband wouldn't mind if she didn't get up earlier (than him) to make breakfast. He said he wouldn't care. And she kept her own habit (she's weak for morning while her husband is an earlybird.). One day her parents visited them and stayed over. The next morning they got surprised to see her doing 'nothing' for her husband. She was 'questioned' by her parents very seriously... (this is a story happening in Canada)

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Here's my another post regarding Japanese women/society: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;…