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.
The culture has evolved greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric time Jōmon
period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia, Europe, and North
America. Strong Chinese influences are still evident in traditional Japanese culture as China had
historically been a regional powerhouse, which has resulted in Japan absorbing many elements of
Chinese culture first through Korea, then later through direct cultural exchanges with China.
The inhabitants of Japan experienced a long period of relative isolation from the out side world
during the Tokugawa shogunate after Japanese missions to Imperial China, until the arrival of the
"Black Ships" and the Meiji period.
The Edo period( Edo jidai) or Tokugawa period is the period between 1603 and 1868 in the history
of Japan, when Japanese society was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's
300 regional daimyo(Japanese feudal lord).
Today, the culture of Japan stands as one of the leading and most prominent cultures around the
world, mainly due to the global reach of its popular culture.
Sky tree, 634m Tokyo
Imperial Palace, Japan
Asakusa Shrine, Tokyo 628 AD
Shintoism Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the
Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a
unified religion, but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology. Shinto today is the
religion of public, shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of 'spirits', 'essences' (kami), suited
to various purposes such as war memorials and harvest festivals, and applies as well to various
sectarian organizations. Practitioners express their diverse beliefs through a standard language and
practice, adopting a similar style in dress and ritual, dating from around the time of the Nara and
Heian periods (8th–12th century). (Nihon Shoki and Kojiki are two written documents on History of
Japan)
As much as nearly 80% of the population in Japan participates in Shinto practices or rituals, but only
a small percentage of these identify themselves as "Shintoists" in surveys. This is because Shinto has
different meanings in Japan. Most of the Japanese attend Shinto shrines and beseech kami without
belonging to an institutional Shinto religion. There are no formal rituals to become a practitioner of
"folk Shinto". Thus, "Shinto membership" is often estimated counting only those who do join
organized Shinto sects.
According to a survey conducted in 2008, 26% of the participants reported often visiting Shinto
shrines, while only 16.2% expressed belief in the existence of a god or gods (神) in general.
According to Inoue (2003): "In modern scholarship, the term is often used with reference to kami
worship and related theologies, rituals and practices. In these contexts, 'Shinto' takes on the
meaning of 'Japan's traditional religion', as opposed to foreign religions such as Christianity,
Buddhism, Islam and so forth."
Manners and customs are an important part of many facets of Japanese life.
Bowing (Ojigi)
One of the most obvious social conventions is the bow. Everyone bows when they say hello,
goodbye, thank you or sorry. Bowing is a term of respect, remorse, gratitude and greeting.
Taking off footwear
Traditionally, the Japanese took off their shoes when entering homes as people would sleep, sit and
eat on the tatami-mat floors and footwear worn outside would spread dirt across their living area.
Today people still take off their footwear, partly to keep the inside of the building clean, but also as a
sign of respect.
Most Japanese will glide effortlessly in and out of their footwear from genkan to tatami
floor in one swift move.
Respect
The suffix "san" is often used when you refer to someone else and is a term of respect. If referring to
Mr/Mrs Suzuki, you would say, "Suzuki-san". However, you would never refer to yourself as "-san"
and would only use your name on its own.
