Japanese Culture

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.