Japanese Perspectives on Embodied Aspects of Intersubjectivity

Japanese society is characterized by a distinct sensitivity to the inherent interconnectedness of subject and object, a relationality largely defined by the situational context. In contemporary Japan, there is a cultural inclination to pay close attention to environmental and interactional indicators that orient the person in determining which forms of self-expression are deemed appropriate in a certain situation. In the corporeal dimension, this takes shape, among others, as the careful implementation of an elaborate system of socially determined gestures, postures, patterns of movement, breathing, intonation and the like, deeply rooted in sociocultural history. Thus, in the Japanese experience, bodily performance becomes central to the notion of being an individual connected to others. In line with this phenomenon, a number of Japanese authors have developed highly sophisticated theories concerning relational and intersubjective aspects of embodiment. The present paper aims to provide a concise overview of such observations from a variety of research fields, including philosophy, psychiatry, social theory and religious studies.