Study on the Festivals among the Koreans in Japan and the Reconstruction of their Ethnic Identity

1994 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 05801042
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: 文化人類学(含民族学・民俗学)
• Research Institution: RITSUMEIKAN UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: EGUCHI Nobukiyo Ritsumeikan University, 文学部, 教授 (90185108)
• Project Period (FY): 1993 – 1994
• Keywords: Koreans in Japan / Festivals / Ethnic Identity

Research Abstract

The aim of this project is to analyze how the newly created festivals have given impact to the Koreans in Japan socioculurally and psychlogically. Koreans in Japan have been socially discriminated without any rational reasons. Today, most of the Koreans in Japan are the 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation. They have attended at schools with the Japanese and have been raised in areas where the Japanese also reside. While most of the young generation identify Japan as thier homeland, they were forced to have negative images on thier Korean cultural heritage and themselves through the persistent discrimination. However, through the creation of their own festivals in Japan, they have gradually reconstructed new ethnic identity as "Koreans in Japan[Zainichi]" which is slightly different from Koreans and Japanese. At the same time, they have gradually restored their own pride and positive self-image. Their festivals are both unconsciouslly and consciouslly utilized as a basis for their new identity and handed down to their children as their own culture. Also, it became clear that there are not only many common features but differences among them, reflecting historic and socioculural conditions in each area.
The present researcher is planning to carry out research on how the Koreas'ethnic images have been formed both by the Japanese and the KOreans themselves.