Culture of Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The
culture of Japan has evolved greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric
Jōmon period,
to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia,
Europe, and North America. The inhabitants of Japan experienced a
long period of relative isolation from the outside world during the
Tokugawa shogunate after
Japanese missions to Imperial China, until the arrival of "
The Black Ships" and the
Meiji period.
Japanese language
Japanese is the official and primary language of Japan. Japanese is relatively small
[citation needed] but has a lexically distinct
pitch-accent system. Early Japanese is known largely on the basis of its state in the 8th century, when the three major works of
Old Japanese were compiled. The earliest attestation of the Japanese language is in a Chinese document from 252 AD.
Japanese is written with a combination of three scripts:
hiragana, derived from the Chinese cursive script,
katakana, derived as a shorthand from Chinese characters, and
kanji, imported from China. The
Latin alphabet,
rōmaji,
is also often used in modern Japanese, especially for company names and
logos, advertising, and when inputting Japanese into a computer. The
Hindu-Arabic numerals are generally used for numbers, but traditional
Sino-Japanese numerals are also extremely common.
Literature
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Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and
Chinese literature, often written in
Classical Chinese.
Indian literature also had an influence through the diffusion of
Buddhism
in Japan. Eventually, Japanese literature developed into a separate
style in its own right as Japanese writers began writing their own works
about Japan. Since Japan reopened its ports to Western trading and
diplomacy in the 19th century, Western and Eastern literature have
strongly affected each other and continue to do so.
Music
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The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both
traditional and
modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 (ongaku), combining the
kanji 音 "on" (sound) with the kanji 楽 "gaku" (enjoyment).
[1] Japan is the second largest
music market in the world, behind the United States, and the largest in Asia,
[2] and most of the
market is dominated by
Japanese artists.
[citation needed]
Local music often appears at
karaoke venues, which is on lease from the
record labels.
Traditional Japanese music is quite different from
Western Music and is based on the intervals of human breathing rather than mathematical timing.
[citation needed] In 1873, a British traveler claimed that Japanese music, "exasperates beyond all endurance the European breast."
[3]
Visual arts
Painting
Painting has been an art in Japan for a very long time: the brush is a
traditional writing and painting tool, and the extension of that to its
use as an artist's tool was probably natural. Japanese painters are
often categorized by what they painted, as most of them constrained
themselves solely to subjects such as animals, landscapes, or figures.
Chinese
papermaking was introduced to Japan around the 7th century. Later,
washi
was developed from it. Native Japanese painting techniques are still in
use today, as well as techniques adopted from continental Asia and from
the
West.
Schools of painting such as the Kano school of the 16th century became
known for their bold brush strokes and contrast between light and dark,
especially after
Oda Nobunaga and
Tokugawa Ieyasu began to use this style. Famous Japanese painters include
Kanō Sanraku,
Maruyama Ōkyo, and
Tani Bunchō.
[4]
Calligraphy
The flowing, brush-drawn Japanese rendering of text itself is seen as
a traditional art form as well as a means of conveying written
information. The written work can consist of phrases, poems, stories, or
even single characters. The style and format of the writing can mimic
the subject matter, even to the point of texture and stroke speed. In
some cases, it can take over one hundred attempts to produce the desired
effect of a single character but the process of creating the work is
considered as much an art as the end product itself.
This calligraphy form is known as 'shodō' (書道) which literally means
'the way of writing or calligraphy' or more commonly known as 'shūji'
(習字) 'learning how to write characters'. Commonly confused with
Calligraphy is the art form known as 'sumi-e' (墨絵) literally means 'ink
painting' which is the art of the paintings a scene or object.
Sculpture
Traditional Japanese sculptures mainly focused on
Buddhist images, such as
Tathagata,
Bodhisattva, and
Myō-ō. The oldest sculpture in Japan is a wooden statue of
Amitābha at the
Zenkō-ji temple. In the
Nara period, Buddhist statues were made by the national government to boost its prestige. These examples are seen in present-day
Nara and
Kyoto, most notably a colossal bronze statue of the
Buddha Vairocana in the
Tōdai-ji temple.
Wood has traditionally been used as the chief material in Japan, along with traditional
Japanese architecture. Statues are often
lacquered,
gilded,
or brightly painted, although there are little traces on the surfaces.
Bronze and other metals are also used. Other materials, such as
stone and
pottery, have had extremely important roles in the plebeian beliefs.
Ukiyo-e
Ukiyo-e, literally "pictures of the floating world", is a genre of
woodblock prints that exemplifies the characteristics of pre-
Meiji
Japanese art. Because these prints could be mass-produced, they were
available to a wide cross-section of the Japanese populace — those not
wealthy enough to afford original paintings — during their heyday, from
the 17th to 20th century.
Ikebana
Ikebana
(生け花, 活花, or 挿花?)
is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It has gained widespread
international fame for its focus on harmony, color use, rhythm, and
elegantly simple design. It is an art centered greatly on expressing the
seasons, and is meant to act as a symbol to something greater than the
flower itself.
Performing arts
Noh play at traditional Noh theatre
The four traditional theatres from Japan are
noh (or
nō),
kyōgen,
kabuki, and
bunraku. Noh had its origins in the union of the
sarugaku, with music and dance made by
Kanami and
Zeami Motokiyo.
[5] Among the characteristic aspects of it are the masks, costumes, and the stylized gestures, sometimes accompanied by a
fan that can represent other objects. The
noh programs are presented in alternation with the ones of
kyōgen, traditionally in number of five, but currently in groups of three.
The
kyōgen, of humorous character, had older origin, in 8th century entertainment brought from China, developing itself in
sarugaku. In
kyōgen, masks are rarely used and even if the plays can be associated with the ones of noh, currently many are not.
[5]
Kabuki appears in the beginning of the
Edo period from the representations and dances of
Izumo no Okuni in
Kyoto.
[6] Due to prostitution of actresses of
kabuki,
the participation of women in the plays was forbidden by the government
in 1629, and the feminine characters had passed to be represented only
by men (
onnagata). Recent attempts to reintroduce actresses in
kabuki had not been well accepted.
[6] Another characteristic of kabuki is the use of makeup for the actors in historical plays (
kumadori).
Japanese puppet theater
bunraku developed in the same period, that
kabuki in a competition and contribution relation involving actors and authors. The origin of
bunraku, however is older, lies back in the
Heian period.
[7] In 1914, appeared the
Takarazuka Revue a company solely composed by women who introduced the
revue in Japan.
[8]
Architecture
Hōryū-ji is widely known to be the oldest wooden architecture existing in the world.
Japanese architecture has as long of a history as any other aspect of Japanese culture. Originally heavily influenced by
Chinese architecture, it has developed many differences and aspects which are indigenous to Japan. Examples of traditional architecture are seen at
temples,
Shinto shrines, and
castles in
Kyoto and
Nara. Some of these buildings are constructed with
traditional gardens, which are influenced from
Zen ideas.
Some modern architects, such as
Yoshio Taniguchi and
Tadao Ando are known for their amalgamation of Japanese traditional and Western architectural influences.
Gardens
Garden architecture is as important as building architecture and very
much influenced by the same historical and religious background.
Although today, ink monochrome painting still is the art form, most
closely associated with
Zen Buddhism.
A primary design principle of a garden is the creation of the landscape
based on, or at least greatly influenced by, the three-dimensional
monochrome ink (
sumi) landscape painting,
sumi-e or
suibokuga.
In Japan, the garden has the status of artwork.
[9]
Traditional clothing
Traditional Japanese clothing distinguishes Japan from all other countries around the world. The Japanese word
kimono
means "something one wears" and they are the traditional garments of
Japan. Originally, the word kimono was used for all types of clothing,
but eventually, it came to refer specifically to the full-length garment
also known as the naga-gi, meaning "long-wear", that is still worn
today on special occasions by women, men, and children. The earliest
kimonos were heavily influenced by traditional Han Chinese clothing,
known today as hanfu (漢服, kanfuku in Japanese), through Japanese
embassies to China which resulted in extensive Chinese culture adoptions
by Japan, as early as the 5th century AD.
[10]
It was during the 8th century, however, that Chinese fashions came into
style among the Japanese, and the overlapping collar became
particularly women's fashion.
[10]
Kimono in this meaning plus all other items of traditional Japanese
clothing is known collectively as wafuku which means "Japanese clothes"
as opposed to yofuku (Western-style clothing). Kimonos come in a variety
of colors, styles, and sizes. Men mainly wear darker or more muted
colors, while women tend to wear brighter colors and pastels, and,
especially for younger women, often with complicated abstract or floral
patterns.
The kimono of a woman who is married (
tomesode) differs from the kimono of a woman who is not married (
furisode).
The tomesode sets itself apart because the patterns do not go above the
waistline. The furisode can be recognized by its extremely long sleeves
spanning anywhere from 39 to 42 inches, it is also the most formal
kimono an unwed woman wears. The furisode advertises that a woman is not
only of age but also single.
The style of kimono also changes with the season, in spring kimonos
are vibrantly colored with springtime flowers embroidered on them. In
Autumn, kimono colors are not as bright, with Autumn patterns. Flannel
kimonos are most commonly worn in winter; they are made of a heavier
material and are worn mainly to stay warm.
One of the more elegant kimonos is the
uchikake,
a long silk overgarment worn by the bride in a wedding ceremony. The
uchikake is commonly embellished with birds or flowers using silver and
gold thread.
Kimonos do not come in specific sizes as most western dresses do. The
sizes are only approximate, and a special technique is used to fit the
dress appropriately.
The
obi
is a very important part of the kimono. Obi is a decorative sash that
is worn by Japanese men and women, although it can be worn with many
different traditional outfits, it is most commonly worn with the kimono.
Most women wear a very large elaborate obi, while men typically don a
more thin and conservative obi.
Most Japanese men only wear the kimono at home or in a very laid back
environment, however it is acceptable for a man to wear the kimono when
he is entertaining guests in his home. For a more formal event a
Japanese man might wear the
haori and
hakama, a half coat and divided skirt. The
hakama
is tied at the waist, over the kimono and ends near the ankle. Hakama
were initially intended for men only, but today it is acceptable for
women to wear them as well. Hakama can be worn with types of kimono,
excluding the summer version,
yukata. The lighter and simpler casual-wear version of kimono often worn in Japanese summer festival is called
yukata.
Formal kimonos are typically worn in several layers, with number of
layers, visibility of layers, sleeve length, and choice of pattern
dictated by social status, season, and the occasion for which the kimono
is worn. Because of the mass availability, most Japanese people wear
western style clothing in their everyday life, and kimonos are mostly
worn for festivals, and special events. As a result, most young women in
Japan are not able to put the kimono on themselves. Many older women
offer classes to teach these young women how to don the traditional
clothing.
Happi
is another type of traditional clothing, but it is not famous worldwide
like the kimono. A happi (or happy coat) is a straight sleeved coat
that is typically imprinted with the family crest, and was a common coat
for firefighters to wear.
Japan also has very distinct footwear.
Tabi, an ankle high sock, is often worn with the kimono. Tabi are designed to be worn with geta, a type of thonged footwear.
Geta
are sandals mounted on wooden blocks held to the foot by a piece of
fabric that slides between the toes. Geta are worn both by men and women
with the kimono or yukata.
Cuisine
Traditional breakfast at Ryokan
Through a long culinary past, the Japanese have developed sophisticated and refined
cuisine.
In more recent years, Japanese food has become fashionable and popular
in the United States, Europe, and many other areas. Dishes such as
sushi,
tempura,
noodles, and
teriyaki
are some of the foods that are commonly known. The Japanese diet
consists principally of rice; fresh, lean seafood; and pickled or boiled
vegetables. The healthy Japanese diet is often believed to be related
to the
longevity of Japanese people.
Sports and leisure
In the long feudal period governed by the
samurai
class, some methods that were used to train warriors were developed
into well-ordered martial arts, in modern times referred to collectively
as
koryū. Examples include
kenjutsu,
kendo,
kyūdō,
sōjutsu,
jujutsu, and
sumo, all of which were established in the
Edo period. After the rapid social change in the
Meiji Restoration, some martial arts changed into modern sports, called
gendai budō.
Judo was developed by
Kanō Jigorō, who studied some sects of jujutsu. These sports are still widely practiced in present-day Japan and other countries.
Baseball,
Association football, and other popular western sports were imported to Japan in the
Meiji period. These sports are commonly practiced in schools, along with traditional martial arts.
Baseball and football are the most popular sports in Japan. Association football gained prominence in Japan after the J League (
Japan Professional Football League)
was established in 1991. In addition, there are many semi-professional
organizations, which are sponsored by private companies: for example,
volleyball, basketball,
rugby union, table tennis, and so on.
Popular culture
Japanese popular culture
not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present day, but
also provides a link to the past. Popular films, television programs,
manga, music,
anime and
video games
all developed from older artistic and literary traditions, and many of
their themes and styles of presentation can be traced to traditional art
forms. Contemporary forms of popular culture, much like the traditional
forms, provide not only entertainment but also an escape for the
contemporary Japanese from the problems of an industrial world. When
asked how they spent their leisure time, 80 percent of a sample of men
and women surveyed by the government in 1986 said they averaged about
two and a half hours per weekday watching television, listening to the
radio, and reading
newspapers or
magazines.
Some 16 percent spent an average of two and a quarter hours a day
engaged in hobbies or amusements. Others spent leisure time
participating in sports, socializing, and personal study. Teenagers and
retired people reported more time spent on all of these activities than
did other groups.
Many
anime and
manga are very popular around the world and continue to become popular, as well as Japanese video games, fashion, and game shows.
[11]
In the late 1980s, the family was the focus of leisure activities,
such as excursions to parks or shopping districts. Although Japan is
often thought of as a hard-working society with little time for leisure,
the Japanese seek entertainment wherever they can. It is common to see
Japanese commuters riding the train to work, enjoying their favorite
manga, or listening through earphones to the latest in
popular music on portable music players.
A wide variety of types of popular entertainment are available. There
is a large selection of music, films, and the products of a huge comic
book industry, among other forms of entertainment, from which to choose.
Game centers, bowling alleys, and
karaoke are popular hangout places for teens while older people may play
shogi or
go in specialized parlors.
Together, the publishing, film/video, music/audio, and game industries in Japan make up the growing Japanese content industry.
[12]
National character
Cultural map of the world according to the
World Values Survey, describing Japan as highest in the world in "Secular-Rational Values"
The Japanese "national character" has been written about under the term
Nihonjinron,
literally meaning "theories/discussions about the Japanese people" and
referring to texts on matters that are normally the concerns of
sociology,
psychology,
history,
linguistics, and
philosophy,
but emphasizing the authors' assumptions or perceptions of Japanese
exceptionalism; these are predominantly written in Japan by Japanese
people,
[13] though noted examples have also been written by foreign residents, journalists and even scholars.
See also
Books on Japanese culture:
References
- Cwiertka, Katarzyna J. (2007). Modern Japanese Cuisine: Food, Power and National Identity. Reaktion Books. ISBN 1-86189-298-5. Review
- Japan
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country Studies.
- Goldstein-Gidoni, Ofra (Fall 1999). Kimono And The Construction of Gendered and Cultural Identities. Enthology. 38. The University of Pittsburgh. pp. 351–370.
- Martin, Richard (1995). Our Kimono Mind: Reflections on 'Japanese Design: A Survey since 1950'. Journal of Design History. 8. The Design History Society. pp. 215–223.
- Nakagawa, Keiichirō; Rosovsky, Henry
(Spring–Summer 1963). "The Case of the Dying Kimono: The Influence of
Changing Fashions on the Development of the Japanese Woolen Industry". The Business History Review. The President and Fellows of Harvard College. 37 (1/2): 59–80. doi:10.2307/3112093. JSTOR 3112093.
- Varley, Paul. Japanese Culture. 4th Edition. Honolulu. 2000.
- Nippon The Land And Its People. 2006.
Notes
Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary, ISBN 4-7674-2015-6
- Peter N. Dale, The Myth of Japanese Uniqueness (London: Routledge, 1990; ISBN 0-415-05534-2), passim.
Further reading
External links
"America's Top Pop Imports". Forbes. 26 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
"News World news Germany Lost in translation"
Bowie, Henry P. (1952). On the Laws of Japanese Painting. Dover Publications, Inc. pp. 4, 16–19.
Web, Japan. "Japan Fact Sheet" (PDF). Noh and Kyogen: The world's oldest living theater. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
Web, Japan. "Japan Fact Sheet" (PDF). Kabuki: A vibrant and exciting traditional theater. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
Web, Japan. "Japan Fact Sheet" (PDF). Bunraku: Puppet theater brings old Japan to life. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
"Takarazuka History". Takarazuka Revue. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
Kuitert, Wybe (1988). "Themes, Scenes and Taste in the History of Japanese Garden Art.". J.C.Gieben, Publisher, Amsterdam. ISBN 978-90-5063-021-4.
Dalby, Liza (2001). Kimono: Fashioning Culture. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 9780295981550. OCLC 46793052.
"Cool Japan: Why Japanese remakes are so popular on American TV, and where we’re getting it wrong". AsianWeek. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
"Digital Content Association Of Japan". Dcaj.org. 27 January 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
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