Introduction to Japanese Culture

by: Debbie Salcedo

Highly traditional.  Two words that best typify the Japanese culture. Their rich traditional heritage are demonstrated in their practice and the protocols of the elaborate tea ceremony, graceful forms of ikebana and bonsai, the formal No theatre, spectacular and melodramatic Kabuki to the frenzied pop and punk culture driven by modern life and technology in the cities.

Japan is also a veritable treasure trove of fine and folk arts such as porcelain Japanese dolls, intricately embroidered kimonos, chiseled stone lanterns, hand crafted ceramic dishes and beautifully designed lacquer bowls.

Traces of Chinese and Korean influences prior to the 17th century may still be seen in some aspects of Japanese culture. Still, Japan retains its individuality and continues to share with the world their signature contributions:

Food

It’s healthy but it’s raw. Japan’s traditional diet of fish whether raw or cooked, is one of the healthiest in the world. A typical meal consists of sea food accompanied by gohan (a bowl of rice), miso shiru (miso soup) and tsukemono (pickled vegetables).

Sushi, tempura, robatayaki and teppanyaki are considered the main representatives of Japanese cuisine.
 

Other Japanese dishes like the shabu-shabu (meat and vegetables cooked in broth and eaten with sauces) and sukiyaki (sliced beef, vegetables and tofu in broth) are also slowly gaining recognition and acceptance in restaurants in other countries.
 

Music

Traditional Japanese music, known as Hogaku, is of various styles. The oldest of which is the Gagaku, was performed in courts and is inherited from China and Korea.

Japanese instruments include the Biwa (a guitar with four strings), Hayashi flute, Tsuzumi drum, Koto (a zither with 13 strings), Shakuhachi (a 55 cm long flute), Shamisen (a three-stringed guitar), and taiko drums.

Nogaku music is normally played in accompaniment to No performances, while the Shamisenongaku accompanies Kabuki and Bunraku performances.


Japanese Garden

Characterized by exquisitely landscaped gardens, stone lanterns, sculpted plants, and situated amongst stone, sand, rocks and bridges over reflective pools of water, the Japanese garden is a Zen-like experience in itself.

 

Art, Architecture and Literature

Early 7th and 8th century art were greatly influenced by Buddhism, which was spreading to Japan from China. Japan in the 9th century saw a greater proliferation of secular art, with the Japanese beginning to develop indigenous forms of expression.

The Japanese people’s mastery over the fluidity of painting has been helped largely by their use of the brush in writing scrolls and such expression. Sculptures are mostly religious in form while architecture can best be described as minimalist and clean-lined.

Significantly, women writers dominated early Japanese literature. Men were educated in Chinese, and therefore the influences of Chinese languages and styles are predominant in literature by men. Women however wrote in the Japanese script, and therefore developed authentic Japanese literature.