Japon

Japan... (;



The Culture !!

Japanese culture is rich and diverse, dating back to 10,000BC when the Jomon people first settled in Japan. It is widely known for its traditional arts as well as its contemporary pop culture. Today in Japan it is still possible to see kimono-clad women shuffling down the street with umbrellas overhead, or oversized sumo wrestlers battling it out the ring. A sophisticated cuisine, unique social customs, and refined performing and visual arts also contribute to a culture which has become attractive, and sometimes fashionable, to many foreigners.
 

Japanese Painting

Japanese painting has had a rich history. Many of today's Japanese painters work in styles that are heavily influenced by popular culture and anime. The most popular and well-known of these contemporary painters is probably Takashi Murakami. He is part of a studio collective, which is called Kaikai Kiki. His work focuses on Japanese society in the post-war period. One of the intentions of his art is to blur the lines that separate fine art from its commercial counterpart.

Religion
 

Today many religions are practiced in Japan, but most Japanese follow a meld of Shintoism and Buddhism. Although religion does not play a major role in the everyday life of the average Japanese, they do have customs and rituals that are observed on special occasions like birthdays, weddings, funerals, and religious holidays.

Understanding the relationship between Buddhism and Shintoism can be confusing for foreigners. A common saying in Japan is, "We live as Shintoists, but die as Buddhists."

Japanese Tea Ceremony

 

 Japanese tea ceremony is a ritual that is heavily-influenced by the teachings of Zen Buddhism. There are two types of the tea gatherings with Ochakai being the simpler form of ceremony. It usually includes a service of confections, usucha (thin tea), and ten shin (light meal). Chaji is the more formal of the two ceremonies. It includes kaiseki (full-course meal), the service of confections, koicha (thick tea), and the thin tea. The chaji tea ceremony can last more than four hours. 

Japanese Incense Ceremony

 The Japanese incense ceremony known as kodo is an art form that has been refined over the centuries. To properly perform kodo, it takes many years of practice and study. It is said that it actually takes thirty years of study to master the art. One can participate in the ceremonies and games of an experienced master in multiple cultural centers and department stores around the country of Japan. One can also learn to play the simpler games at home with friends. The kodo ceremony provides an elegant experience that cannot be found outside Japan. It is an activity that tests the senses. Though kodo sets can be purchased on the Internet, it takes an enormous deal of patience to become a true practitioner of the art.

Traditonal Music

 

Traditional Japanese music usually refers to Japan's historical folk music. One of the defining characteristics of traditional Japanese music is its sparse rhythm. Regular chords are also absent. It is impossible for a person to beat time to the music. All of the rhythms are ma-based, and silence is an important part of the songs. The focus is on creating music that flows in an attempt to mirror the behavior of nature. It is regular for songs to start off at an extremely slow pace and to pick up speed as they progress. Then, they get slow again before transitioning into long and drawn out finishes.

Traditional Clothing

 

One of the most popular garments of traditional Japanese clothing is the kimono, which is worn by both men and women. Unlike the kimono that is worn by women, men's kimonos are much simpler and usually include only five pieces, not counting footwear. A few inches of the sleeves are left unattached at the bottom of the sleeves. The sleeves are also not nearly as deep as the sleeves of the women's kimonos. This is to make room for the obi that goes around the man's waist directly underneath the sleeves. On the woman's kimono, sleeves are able to hang on top of the obi and not interfere.

 

Hakama
                                                                                         

Kimono


Happi




Etiquette in Japan

   Many Americans felt US President Obama bowed too low when he met Emperor Akihito.

When entering a house, the guest must replace his shoes with slippers. The slippers are given to the guest by his host at the genkan (doorway). These slippers are taken off in rooms that are floored with tatami. It is rude for anyone to walk on tatami floors wearing anything other than socks or bare feet. There are even slippers that are exclusively worn in the washroom. The person leaves his house slippers outside the washroom door and wears the special footwear that is exclusively for bathroom use.

 

When greeting someone, it is customary to bow. These bows vary in effort, but if one is standing on a tatami floor, it is expected for him to get down on his knees while performing the bow. The longer and deeper the bow is, the more respect it conveys to the other person. People who hold higher social statuses expect others to greet them with long bows. Not doing so can result in social snafus. By the same logic, a smaller nod of the head is used for more casual or informal meetings.

Food !!!

Sushi is a dish of rice cooked with vinegar topped with seafood (often uncooked) or made into rolls. When raw fish is sliced and served alone, it is known as sashimi. When sushi is rolled around or inside of nori (seaweed), it is called makizushi. Inarizushi is when rice is packed into a fried tofu pouch, although many do not consider this an actual type of sushi. And, chirashi-zushi is sushi rice served in a bowl with scattered seafood on top. Many Japanese complain when they travel abroad that the quality of sushi is extremely low compared to Japanese standards.

 

Sport:
           Sumo

Sumo is known throughout the world as one of the most unique and exciting full-contact sports in existence. Sumo wrestling is a match of two large men facing off in a circular ring (dohyō). The man who can force the other out of the circle is the victor. A wrestler can also win by making his opponent touch the ground with any part of his body other than the bottoms of his feet. Japan, the country that created the sport of sumo wrestling, is the only country that supports professional matches. Sumo is considered by most to be one of the gendai budo (modern Japanese martial art), but the long history of the sport means that that classification is not correct.