Created By: Ariana Chavez, Saveliy Buryanenko, and Cheyenne Diaz

Japanese Culture

Folk Music● Eight Different Styles of Traditional Japanese

Music: Kabuki (theatre), Noh (theatre), Gegaku (court music), Shōmyō (Buddhist Song), Jōruri (Narrative Music), Nagauta (Kabuki Dance), Shakuhachi music, and Sōkyoku.

● The main instruments used were the taiko, ōtsuzumi, and kotsuzumi.

● Each genre of music represented different events in Japan.

● The Yoshida Brothers and Rin’ are two very famous musicians that has made Japenese Traditional Music.

Popular Music● J-Pop (Japanese Pop), Rock, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop,

Electro Pop and Club Music are now the modern tastes in Japan.

● Japanese Rock was heavily influence by bands like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones.

● However, today J-Pop is the most popular genre in Japan.

● Instruments such as guitars, bass, and drums rule the Japanese Rock genre where choreography and singing plays a major part in J-Pop.

Breakfast

A traditional Japanese-style breakfast consists of steamed rice, miso soup, and various side dishes.

Common side dishes are broiled/grilled fish, tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), tsukemono pickles, nori

(dried seaweed), natto, and so on.

Lunch

There are many various types of food that Japanese people eat for lunch. Some varieties includes, Sushi Rolls, Sushi, Teriyaki Chicken,

served along with Rice and a cup of soup and/or vegetables. Another great item that can be ordered is the Bento Box, It is a box

filled with portioned food and is very inexpensive.

Dinner

A proper Japanese dinner consists of one soup and three dishes along with rice. That is called, Ichijyu Sansai, in Japanese. The soup

could be Miso Soup or a clear broth soup. The three dishes include one main dish like

Tempura, grilled fish, Hamburger Steak, and so on, and two other smaller vegetable dishes

like salads and boiled vegetables.

Dessert

There are many different varieties of desert. Some include, Sponge cakes,

Purin, Green Tea Ice Cream, and Miso Cookies. Another desert is Anko. This is red beans smushed together to make a custard nd is

made into a paste that many people find very good.

History of JapanJapan has a long history with the first humans arriving around 35,000 B.C.. The position of Japan close to the Asian mainland had played a considerable role in the country’s development. Throughout most of Japan’s history, it has been closed to the outside world, having little to no contact with foreigners. The history of Japan can be divided into 7 major periods:

● The Yayoi Period (300 BC to 300 AD) : At that time the Japanese learned to grow rice. They also learned how to make tools out of bronze and iron. Farming and other skills caused a division between classes in the society.

● The Kofun Period (300 BC to 710 AD) : At the time Japan became united. Shintoism and Buddhism became the two major religions in Japan. Japanese culture was heavily influenced by China.

● The Heian Period ( 794-1185) : During this period the arts and learning flourished. The power of the emperor grew weaker. Where the rich landowners became increasingly powerful.

● The Middle Ages : The Shogun became the real power in Japan. Cities grew and local trade flourished. Also Zen Buddhism became popular.

● The Tokugawa Period: During this period, Japanese society was strictly divided. At the top were daimyo, the landowners, then came the warriors called samurai. Below them came the farmers, the craftsmen then the merchants. The arts flourished at the time. So did trade and commerce.

● Japan late 19th century : The Meiji Restoration was a great turning point for Japan. Under the Emperor Meiji, Japan was transformed from a primitive, agricultural country to a modern and industrial one.

● Japan early 20th century : This was the time period of numerous conflicts. The Russo-Japanese war turned into a complete victory for the japanese. During and after WW1, Japan began colonizing regions in the Pacific. This caused tension between Japan and USA which later turned into a full-fledged war.

● After America dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered. The US had created a new government in Japan,the Liberal Democratic Party.

Today, Japan is one of the most developed nations in the world.

Japan’s total population is 126,999,808

Japan’s GDP total: 4.902 trillion USDJapan’s GDP per capita: 38,492 USDJapan’s HDI: 0.890Japan’s NIR (literacy rate): 99%

Language

The official language of Japan is Japanese. Over 125 million people speak it, mainly in Japan and Palau. It is the member

of the Japonic language family.There are four different writing systems in Japan; Romaji, Katakana, Hiragana, and

Kanji. Although many theories are present of when this language was created, it is widely believed that japanese originated in 400 B.C. , when Korean immigrants came to

Japan.

Basic words and phrases:● Hello - Konichiwa ● Goodbye- Sayonara ● Yes- Hai● No- Iie● Thank you- Arigato● How are you?- O-genki desu ka?● Good morning- Ohayo

Population of Japan consists of 5 ethnic groups. With Ethnic Japanese making 98.5% of the population, Koreans with

0.5%,Chinese with 0.4% and Filipinos, Brazilians and Ainu with 0.6% of the total population. The Ainu is a aboriginal ethnic Japanese tribe.

The Ainu are native to land of northern Japan. According to several theories, the Ainu are descendents of Mongoloid migrants who

entered Japan over 3000 years ago. Although the Ainu heritage still exists today, a lot of information about them is still unknown. One

example of a centripetal force in Japan is the group called Zainichi. The Zainichi are a group of Japanese Koreans who want to preserve

their culture and recover the purity of Korean traditions and customs. Similarly, this is also an example of Neolocalism. An

example of a centrifugal force in Japanese history is the Genpei War. During this war two clans, Taira and Minamoto were fighting for control in Japan. In this period Japan was divided by many different clans, where each wanted to have complete power over the other.

Ethnicity

ReligionJapanese Religion is made up of 4 components: Shinto, Soka Gakkai, Confucianism, and Christianity. ❖ Shinto was Japan’s earliest religion. It is the indigenous faith and

is believe to be as old as Japan itself. ❖ Soka Gakkai is a Buddhist sect. Founded in 1930, it has about 10

million members in Japan.❖ Confucianism was introduced to Japan from Korea in 285 A.D.❖ Christianity consumes fewer than 1% in Japan!

EnvironmentEnvironment has a huge impact of Japanese culture. Culture can be

varied from festivals, to food, to pop culture.The Nango Summer Jazz Festival, celebrates the entire season of the cherry blossoms. There are festivals in nearly every region of Japan, and in some locations,

food is available or a park may be decorated with lanterns. Throughout time, the Japanese have developed a very unique cuisine. In recent years, Japanese food has become fashionable and popular in the United States, Europe, and many other countries. Dishes such

as sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are some of the foods that are common in these places. Another example of material culture is anime. Anime is very popular around the world and is continuously gaining more audience , as well as Japanese video games, music,

fashion, and game shows.

Folk Culture Art: Japanese paintings (Ukiyo-e), Ikebana (the art of arranging flowers), Origami (the art of paper folding), Bonsai (the art of miniature tree cultivation) and Shodo (Japanese calligraphy)Rituals: Sado: Japanese Tea Ceremony Kado: Incense CeremonySport: Sumo Wrestling Festival: Matsuri are local festivals that annually worship a particular shrine’s deity.Clothing: The traditional dress of Japan is the kimono. Kimonos are generally made of silk, have large sleeves and reach from the shoulders all the way down to the heels.Homes: Traditional Japanese homes are made from wood and are supported by wooden pillars. Shoes are always taken off when entering the home.

Popular Tourist Destinations

Mount FujiMount Fuji is a volcano located on

Honshu Island. It is the biggest volcano that is located in Japan. It's visible from many

regions of Japan. It’s best known for its lining and symmetry.

Popular Tourist DestinationsTokyo Disney Land

Tokyo Disneyland is a 115-acre theme park at the

Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. The theme park is identical to the theme park

that is as well located in Anaheim,

California/ Many tourist come to see the difference

Popular Tourist Destinations

Kinkaku-JiThis temple is translated as the Golden Pavilion. This is the Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It was a way to integrate the structure within the landscape in an artistic way. The garden designs were characterized by a reduction in scale, a more central purpose, and a distinct setting.

Popular Tourist Destinations

Kiyomizu TempleThe Main Hall (Hondo) of the temple is designated as a national treasure.

Kiyomizu Stage was built using a special method; huge 12-meter high pillars were assembled without using any nails and the floor was made using more than 410 cypress boards. he beauty of Kiyomizu-dera is shown by the cherry

blossoms and fresh verdure in spring and colored leaves in autumn. It is known as a landscape that represents Kyoto.

Interesting Facts:

1. Raw horse meat is a popular food in Japan.

2. Sometimes the trains are so crowded railway staff are employed to

cram passengers inside.

3. Vending machines in Japan sell beer, hot and cold canned coffee,

cigarettes, and other items.

4. Japan is the largest automobile producer in the world.

5. Tsukiji market in Tokyo is the world's largest fish market.

6. On average there are around 1,500 earthquakes every year in Japan.

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