Popular version of paper 5aNSc2
Presented Friday morning, June 26, 1998
ICA/ASA '98, Seattle, WA
INTRODUCTION
There are many sounds around us. Some of them are comfortable sounds. Others irritate us. Of course, one sound can be comfortable for someone and noisy for another. The same physical acoustical environment creates different impressions on different people. Especially if the people have different cultural backgrounds, the sounds may have different meanings.
The concept of soundscape is defined as "an environment of sound (sonic environment) with emphasis on the way it is perceived and understood by the individuals or by a society (Traux, 1978). From this point of view, a cross-cultural approach to the sounds in the environment is needed.
The purpose of this study is to clarify the features of the Japanese soundscape (sound environment) recognized by foreigners living in Japan. Because they have different cultural backgrounds, they may be familiar with different soundscapes. They may identify specific sounds as being unique to Japan while Japanese natives may not notice that these sounds are only found in Japan.
QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY
A questionnaire survey on sounds for foreigners living in the city of Fukuoka was given to clarify the features of the Japanese soundscape as recognized by foreigners. The questionnaire consisted of three questions. For the first question, we asked respondents to identify some sounds usually heard in Japan but never or rarely in their home countries and obtained their impression of these sounds. For the second question, we asked respondents to identify some sounds which they usually heard in their home countries but are less often heard in Japan and recorded their impressions. The last one asked them to describe the overall impression of the acoustic environment in Japan.
The respondents are students or teaching staff of a university in Fukuoka and their families. They are from the USA(8), Korea(7), China(6), France(2), Taiwan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Germany, England, Holland, and Poland. The total number of respondents is 31. They are all residents of Fukuoka .
RESULTS
1. First Question: What sounds do you hear only in Japan?
The most frequently indicated sound for the first question is "the
traffic sound signal for the blind" (18 respondents heard this sound) (PICTURE).
In Fukuoka, two alternate short melodies (SOUND1,
SOUND2)
are used for the traffic sound signal for the blind. The impressions of
this sound are mainly positive: "happy (4 respondents), good(4), kind(2),
and fun(2)." However, there are also a few negative answers like "noisy"(2).
The second most frequently indicated sound is "the exhaust noise by wild bike riders (Bousouzoku)" (13 respondents). For this sound, all the respondents have a negative impression of this sound. Eleven of them wrote "noisy." Indeed, many Japanese citizens also report that they dislike "Bousouzoku" noise. Japanese citizens often perceive these wild bike riders to be rebellious or disorderly. To Japanese listeners, the sounds of the "Bousouzoku" may not only connote a noise problem but also a social problem in Japan.
The third-ranked sound is "the peddlers' cries" (12). While there are many kinds of peddlers in other countries, Japanese peddlers' cries often have a unique, songlike intonation.
The fourth-ranked sound is "the election campaign broadcast"(9). Japanese election campaigns often use public address systems that shout the candidate's name and ask listeners to "please vote" for the candidate. The impression is "noisy (6) and irritating."
The fifth most frequently indicated sounds are the "the chirping of cicadas (7) and the sounds of Japanese-style pinball (Pachinko) game parlors (7)." The chirping of cicadas is mainly indicated by American and European respondents. This answer reflects the climate difference. "Pachinko" (PICTURE) is a popular amusement for Japanese adults. The combination of pinball sounds, electric sound effects, and loud background music makes it a unique soundscape(SOUND).
2. Second Question: Which sounds do you hear less often in Japan?
The most frequently indicated sound for the second question is "bird
cries" (11). There are also bird cries in Japan. However, the respondents
report that they hear more bird cries in their home countries. The impression of them is
"many (4) and natural (2)."
The second most frequently indicated sound is "car horn" (8). Mainly Asian respondents indicate this sound. Impression of this sound is "noisy (5) and bad-mannered (2)." The restraint on the use of the "car horn" is not enough in Asian countries.
The third-ranked sound is their "native language" (5). The fourth-ranked sound is "the chimes of the church bells, their countries' folk songs, playing children's voices, dog barking, and their countries' musical instruments" (4).
The answers of native language, folk songs, and native musical instruments are taken for granted. Although bells of Buddhist temples are popular in Japan, we can also hear a few bells from Christian churches.
3. Third Question: What is your overall impression of the Japanese
Acoustic Environment?
There are two major contradictory opinions for Japanese acoustic environment.
One is "silent" (9) and the other is "noisy" (9). Also, there is a compromised
opinion of "there are silent and noisy parts" (3). Generally, the American
and European respondents answered "noisy," and the Asian respondents answered
"silent." These results reflect the present status of the acoustic environment
in Japan.
CATEGORIZED ANALYSIS
To discuss the features of Japanese soundscape more quantitatively, the categorized data of the answers of the first and second questions are compared. The categories are natural sounds, human sounds, mechanical sounds, social sounds, silence, and signal sounds. The percentage of each category is calculated.
We can see the Japanese features in the category of social sounds. The ratio of social sounds only heard in Japan is 47.9 % and that less often heard in Japan is 22.6 %. This category consists of various kinds of public announcements and background music using public address system in the station, in trains and buses, in department stores, and during election campaign. Also, the ratio of mechanical sounds only heard in Japan is larger than those less often heard in Japan.
In contrast, the ratios of natural sounds and human voices only heard in Japan are smaller that those less heard in Japan.
CONCLUSION
The questionnaire for the foreigners living in Japan points out the characteristic sounds in Japan. The obtained answers ars the sounds which we hear in daily life: the traffic sound signal for the blind, the exhaust noise by wild bike riders, the peddlers' cries, etc.
The Japanese usually do not recognize that these sounds are unique to Japan. However, for foreigners, these sounds characterize the Japanese soundscape.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author would like to thank Masafumi Oka for his assistance in the present work.
REFERENCES
Traux, B., Handbook for Acoustic Ecology, Vancouver, A. R. C. Publication, 1978.
Contact Information
Shin-ichiro Iwamiya (photo is in Seattle from June 21 (Sun.) to 27(Sat.). He is staying at the Westin, 206-728-1000 (fax 206-728-2259). His e-mail address is iwamiya@kyushu-id.ac.jp. His web site is http://www.kyushu-id.ac.jp/~iwamiya/ (mainly in Japanese).
