Abstract:

 Okuribito, the Japan' s film awarded Oscar in the United States in 2009, implies the game and conflict between the Eastern and Western cultures, that is, both the heritage of the Eastern traditional culture and the strong influence by the Western culture. The socalled heritage and conflict chiefly display the following three aspects. First, there is the collision between individualism and collectivization. For a long period of time, the Japanese society is characteristic of collectivization, and individuals, in general, exist as part of collectivity. This situation, after World War II, begins to change, but the feature of the family culture heritage doesn' t disappear, for example, the familization of Japan' s enterprises. Nevertheless, Kobayashi, the protagonist of Departures, is an individual who has no collective cultural background. Secondly, there is the collision between the crime culture and shame culture. According to Benedict' s The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, in Japan' s culture, there is the "shame" instead of the "sin". But the protagonist of Departures adheres to his own idea, and, against the pressure of the family and society, does not give up his encoffining work, which just displays the Western "sin" instead of Japan' s "shame". Thirdly, there is the grand narrative about the "father". From a deep level, Departures demonstrates a return to traditional family culture, and, by way of the change of the relationship of Kobayashi father and son from tension to reconciliation, shows active and positive attitude toward the maintaining and heritage of blood kinship ties in the family culture.

Key words: Japan s films, shame culture, crime culture, family culture