JPNB11 Japanese culture

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 10:00–11:40 B2.13, except Mon 17. 11. to Sun 23. 11.
Prerequisites
Interest in Japanese culture
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 125 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 92/125, only registered: 0/125, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/125
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Abstract
The aim of this course is to introduce selected features of the Japanese culture in context of the most common cultural stereotypes. The starting point is an analysis of stereotypical cultural concepts that form a part of discourse both within and outside of Japan.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will be able to:
Characterise the discourse on Japanese culture from the historical perspective;
Describe factors that form a specific Japanese cultural identity;
Name some differences between Japanese and european understanding of time and place;
Identify and describe some basic socio-cultural stereotypes in the Japanese environment;
Introduce the main characteristics of traditional Japanese aesthetics;
Situate selected Japanese traditions in the context of the year.
Key topics
  • 1. Introduction: Culture and society, methods of their study
  • 2. Basic sources of Japanese cultural identity
  • 3. Outline of theories on Japanese culture I
  • 4. Outline of theories on Japanese culture II
  • 5. Key concepts of Japanese culture and aesthetics (conception of time, space, uchi/soto, honne/tatemae etc.)
  • 6. Japanese food culture
  • 7. Japanese traditions during the year (part I)
  • 8. Japanese traditions during the year (part II)
  • 9. Tradition and myth I: Samurai and bushido
  • 10. Tradition and myth II: Ninja and ninjutsu
  • 11. Guest lecturer's lecture
  • 12. Final exam
Study resources and literature
    recommended literature
  • MATELA, Jiří; Ivona BAREŠOVÁ and Barbora DOHNÁLKOVÁ. Japonská kultura (Japanese culture). 1. vydání. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého, 2015, 112 pp. Skripta. ISBN 978-80-244-4469-7. info
  • KRAEMEROVÁ, Alice. Jak komunikovat s Japonci aneb Nebuďme xenofobní. Illustrated by Jana Jiroušková. Vyd. 1. Praha: Národní muzeum, 2013, 184 s. ISBN 9788087271827. info
    not specified
  • 99 zajímavostí z Japonska. Janoš, Jiří. Albatros. 1986
  • Japanese Culture. Varley, Paul. University of Hawai'i Press. 2000
  • Chryzantéma a meč: Vzorce japonské kultury. Benedictová, Ruth. Malvern. 2013.
  • Vějíř a meč. Boháčková, Libuš; Winkelhöferová, Vlasta. Panorama. 1987.
  • Svět Japonska. Collcutt, Martin (a kol.). Knižní klub. 1997
  • Form, Style, Tradition: Reflections on Japanese Art and Society. Kato, Shuichi. Kodansha Amer. Inc. 1982.
  • Japan: Spirit and Form. Kato, Shuichi. Tuttle Publishing. 1994.
  • Moderní sociální teorie. Harrington, Austin (a kol.). Portál. 2006
  • Dogs and Demons: Tales from the Dark Side of Japan. Kerr, Alex. Hill and Wang. 2002.
Approaches, practices, and methods used in teaching
Lecture, work with primary and secondary literature, audiovisual materials, discussions.
Method of verifying learning outcomes and course completion requirements
Written test.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
General note: Předmět je určen i pro studenty mimo mateřské obory.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2025/JPNB11