Japanese Culture 1

Konnichiwa...

Japan has a fascinating and multifaceted culture; on the one hand, it is steeped in the deepest
of traditions dating back thousands of years; on the other, it is a society in a continual state of
rapid flux, with continually shifting fads and fashions and technological development that
constantly pushes back the boundaries of the possible. This is part of what makes it such a
fascinating country to visit. If you are looking for something different you are sure to find it
here!

Japan is truly timeless, a place where ancient traditions are fused with modern life as if it were
the most natural thing in the world.

JAPANESE CULTURE (R, S, F, D, JG, S, TH, M&A)

 RELIGION (A, F, S/B/J)

For centuries Japan has operated with a syncretic belief system: Shinto and Buddhist rituals
coexisting side-by-side with increasing influence from other religions. This is why they say that
in Japan, people are born Shinto, get married Christian, and die Buddhist

1. Architecture

From Kyoto's incredible Golden Pavilion and hilltop Kiyomizu-dera Shrine to the never-ending
forest graveyard of Mount Koya, to the "floating" torii gate of Miyajima and the elaborate
mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu at Nikko; religion in Japan is responsible for a great wealth of
architectural treasures

2. Festival
Japan is exceedingly fond of festivals (or matsuri as they are known in Japanese): religious
ceremonies that are celebrated with music, dance, parades, costumes, food, and
drink. There are thousands of national and local festivals across Japan each year, and they
are a fantastic way to learn about Japanese religious beliefs and mix with the locals.

3. Shinto, Buddhism, and the Japanese belief system

Religion in Japan is a wonderful mish-mash of ideas from Shintoism and Buddhism. Unlike in the
West, religion in japan is rarely preached, nor is it a doctrine. Instead, it is a moral code, a way
of living, almost indistinguishable from Japanese social and cultural values.

Japanese religion is also a private, family affair. It is separate from the state; there are no
religious prayers or symbols in a school graduation ceremony, for example. Religion is rarely
discussed in everyday life and the majority of Japanese do not worship regularly or claim to be
religious. However, most people turn to religious rituals in birth, marriage, and death and take
part in spiritual matsuri (or festivals) throughout the year.

 SPORTS (S, K, K, A, J)

Sport plays a significant part in the fabric of modern-day Japanese life. From a young age,
children join school teams, instilling a sense of camaraderie, pride, hard work, and dedication.
Though modern sports such as baseball, badminton, tennis, and football are popular, Japan is
perhaps better known for sports with a more ancient, traditional profile

1. Sumo

Japan's de facto national sport (although this is not an official status) is the enthralling and at
times bewildering spectacle that is sumo. Though it has developed into a professional sport,
elements of these rituals are still apparent, from the use of salt to purify the ring, to the shrine-
like roof hanging above. Sumo tournaments, or basho, take place every two months in Tokyo,
Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka and are a truly fantastic way to spend the day.

2. Kendo

The furious, noisy sport of kendo is perhaps Japan's oldest martial art and blends power, skill,
and bravery. Kendo could be described loosely as "Japanese fencing", though the "swords" are
today crafted from four substantial bamboo slats, usually held together by leather straps.

3. Karate

The term karate originally meant "Tang hand" or "Chinese hand", but after World War Two the
name (and character) was changed to mean "empty hand", which is also pronounced "karate" -
an effort to develop the art in a Japanese style. Accordingly, karate features largely unarmed
combat with a spectacular array of blows and blocks delivered by the fists, feet, legs, and arms.

4. Aikido

Aikido is sometimes loosely translated to mean "way of the harmonious spirit". It is a less
overtly aggressive martial art that focuses on defense by redirecting the power and energy of
the attacker, with the ideal outcome that neither the attacked nor the attacker is harmed.

5. Judo

Of all of Japan's martial arts, Judo is perhaps the one that has spread most successfully around
the world. The essence lies in the speed, subtlety, and skill of using the size and strength of the
opponent against themselves. Judo is practiced both recreationally and professionally. Judo
means "gentle way" and was created by a man named Kano Jigoro in 1882. The inspiration for
judo was born out of the bullying that Jigoro witnessed at the English medium boarding school
he attended in Tokyo when he was just fourteen years old.

 FOOD

Japanese cuisine is one of the best things about a trip to Japan. In fact, for many visitors, it's the
main event! Though Japan is principally famous for dishes like sushi, rice, noodles tempura,
Kobe beef & teriyaki chicken

1. Noodles

There are three main types of noodles in Japan: ramen, soba, and udon.

o Ramen are thin and usually served in a broth with meat or

fish and vegetables;

o soba is made from buckwheat and can be served hot or cold;

o udon are thick, wheat flour noodles.

2. Kobe beef

Kobe beef refers to cuts of beef from a strain of wagyu (Japanese) cattle called
Tajima. It's truly melt-in-the-mouth delicious and can be eaten in a fantastic variety
of ways.

3. Rice

Harvesting rice is very labor-intensive and the Japanese are reminded of this from a
very young age, which is why rice is rarely wasted and leftover rice is put to good
use. Aside from

o sushi, popular dishes include

o donburi (simmered fish, meat, or vegetables served over rice),

o onigiri (small parcels of rice wrapped in dried seaweed),

o Kayu (a rice porridge),

o mochi (pounded rice cakes), and

o chazuke (cooked rice with green tea often served with salmon or
cod roe), to name a few.

4. Seasonal & local food

 Kaiseki cuisine (kaiseki ryori) are small dishes containing up to as many as 12
beautifully presented courses of steamed, simmered, or grilled dishes, sliced raw
fish sashimi, tempura, soup, rice, pickles, and a small dessert. Dishes usually reflect
what is available and in season. One of the best-known regional dishes
is okonomiyaki (a type of savory pancake) famous in Hiroshima and Osaka. A trip to
Hiroshima is not complete without visiting Okonomimura (okonomiyaki village)
where watching the chefs prepare the food is as much fun as tasting this unique
regional delicacy.

5. Fish

It's fair to say that fish is an integral part of the Japanese diet. Whether it's
eaten almost live

(Odorigui; still dancing!)

(Raw; nama or sashimi),

(Grilled; yaki), or

(Deep-fried; tempura),

it seems that the Japanese have tried and tested every possible method of
preparation.

6. Vegetarians

Try the wonderful zaru soba (buckwheat noodles served cold with a dipping sauce), a
bowl of udon (thicker noodles) in a mountain vegetable soup, tofu steak,
or okonomiyaki. If you are feeling adventurous you could try natto - a sticky and
slightly smelly concoction made of fermented soya beans.

 DRINKS

Japan is a country of drinkers - and a few rituals should be considered before taking a
tipple. Never pour a drink for yourself; your friend or host should do this for you and you, in
turn, should keep your companions' glasses filled to the brim! A word you'll hear quite often
is kampai - "cheers" in Japanese.

1. Green tea

In Japan, you'll hear lots of different words for green tea. One of the most common
you're likely to hear is matcha, which refers to the finely ground, powdered tea that
is used in the Japanese tea ceremony. You can find all kinds of matcha-
 flavored products in Japan, from a matcha latte at Starbucks to matcha-flavored ice
cream, chocolate, and all kinds of sweets.

2. Sake
Sake, or rice wine, is Japan's unofficial national spirit. Brewed from rice, the name
"rice wine" is misleading as the fermentation process used is actually more similar to
beer. What's more, the word’s sake in Japanese is used to refer to all kinds of alcohol;
what we in the west think of as "sake" is more commonly called nihonshu in
Japanese.

3. Vending Machine

Japan is a nation obsessed with vending machines, and you will find one on almost
every street corner. There is approximately one vending machine for every 23 people
in Japan, the highest number per capital in the world. With so many vending
machines comes a vast array of drinks. More new soft drink beverages hit the market
in Japan than anywhere else in the world. Japan's vending machines serve a dazzling
array of hot and cold drinks, and even the world's only hot fizzy drink: Canada dry
ginger ale.