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Japanese Culture is eclectic in nature. The indigenous Jomon culture of Japan
has now become modified into a hybrid culture that is concoction of cultures of
Europe, North America and other countries of Asia. Especially after the world
wars the country of Japan was profoundly influenced by American and European culture,
reflection of which can be seen in the music and fashion of the country. The culture
of Japan is reflected in its clothing, music, literature, cuisine and sports.
The traditional Japanese dress is Kimono; initially the term 'Kimono' referred
to all types of clothing of Japan. But now it refers only to the full-length
garment, which is also known as naga-gi. Today 'Kimono' is worn by men and women
only during any traditional festival and occasion. In daily life the Japanese
people wear Western clothing, which includes trousers, skirts, t-shirts, sweaters
of various styles, Western-style undergarments and Western-style footwear.
Music of Japan is also diverse. Influences of the West as well as East can
be seen in the instruments, scales and styles of Japan. Instruments like koto
have been in vogue since the ninth and tenth centuries. The present musical
scenario of Japan is heavily influenced by Western music and the popularity
of the J-Pop artists clearly reflects the fact that Japan's present generation
is inclined towards Western music.
Japanese Literature is variegated. The earliest example of Japanese literature
are two books of history, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki and book of poems,
Man'y?sh?, which was written in the 8th century. The Heian period saw the first
Japanese narrative, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. During the Edo Period Japanese
literature was characterized by a change in the readers and the authors and
the onus shifted from the aristocracy to the common people. The Meiji era was
marked by the disintegration of the traditional literary forms and by the infiltration
of the Western literary influences. The first modern novelists of Japan were
Natsume S?seki and Mori ?gai and they were followed by other Japanese modern
writers like Akutagawa Ry?nosuke, Tanizaki Jun'ichir?, Kawabata Yasunari, Mishima
Yukio, and more recently, Murakami Haruki. Japan also boasts two prize wining
authors, Kawabata Yasunari (1968) and ?e Kenzabur? (1994). Both of them had
won the Nobel Prize for literature in the years 1968 and 1994 respectively.
One of the highlights of the culture of Japan is its cuisine. A traditional
Japanese meal boast of Japanese rice along with tsukemono pickles, a bowl of
miso soup, seafood, meat, egg, and vegetable dishes and green tea. Japanese
people begin and conclude their meals with phrases like itadakimasu and gochis?sama,
respectively. Some of the popular Japanese dishes and beverages are sushi, sashimi,
ramen, sake, wasabi, sukiyaki and teriyaki.
Sports and recreational activities have also been characterized by flux and
change. The traditional sport of Japan is martial arts known as "budo",
which includes jud?, karate and kendo. But then today the Western games have
taken over from the traditional sports. Presently baseball and football are
the two most popular games of the country.
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