Book exploration of Cooper, They Came to Japan - Essay Example

The difference between the Japanese and the European social relations emanates from the strong traditional system structure of the Japanese culture, which contrasts with the volatile nature of the European culture. Thus, where the European ancient traditions can eventually be lost, the Japanese culture and traditions are never lost, but merely runs out of fashion (Cooper, 20). However, even when they are out of fashion, they still remain an important part of the social structure of the society, thus informing the subsequent transformations in the cultures and social structures, which draw their roosts from these traditional cultural systems.

The Jesuit Christians were the most informed European group that visited and settled in Japan, since they landed in Japan earlier than the other Europeans (Cooper, 11). Thus, their observation and documentation of the Japanese social structure and social relations is more informative. Drawing from this Jesuit documentation of the Japanese social relations during the period 1543-1640, we are able to understand that the social system of the Japanese culture was built around five fundamental values, which were also shared with the Chinese value system (Cooper, 55).

The social structure and the social classes in the traditional Japanese culture was not built purely based on the wealth and the material possessions of an individual, but on the respect and honor that the individual has earned, even in becoming wealthy and influential. In this respect, the merchants were not esteemed or regarded as members of the upper class of the society, owing to the fact that they were considered as a set of individuals that earned their wealth through unscrupulous means (Cooper, 56).

Thus, the value system of the traditional Japanese culture during this era was firmly based on positive societal outlook and fulfillment of the fundamental social values that would then deliver