Japanese Culture
Culture refers to the traditions, notions, and social behavior of a particular community or society. The culture I chose to work on is the Japanese culture. The Japanese culture is a diverse and interesting one on all fronts, may it be in their language, symbols, socioeconomics, religion, kinship system, and religion. However, it is essential to understand the geographical aspect of the country as it is closely linked with many aspects of people’s culture. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss Japan, its people, and their traditions and customs to shed more light on the highly admirable society of Japan.
To start with, the term Japanese refers to the people of Japan, an island nation that borders the Pacific Ocean to the east. The island comprises of about 6900 islands, some more populated than others. The Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu islands are more populated than others and consist of 97% of the close to 127 million people living in the country’s population (Dawdy 4). The reason why some islands are more populated than others is that the majority of the Japanese people reside along the coastlines as opposed to the mountainous regions, which make up 73% of the country. The discussion that follows will shed more light on how this has affected their culture.
The national language in Japan is referred to as Japanese, similar to the terms used to refer to its people. On account of the Japanese language, the conclusion drawn is that the Japanese culture stemmed from the Chinese culture based on two reasons. One, Kojiki, the earliest Japanese text, is said to have originated from China based on the format in which it was written – ancient Chinese format. Two, it is confirmed that the Old Japanese language originated from China as well. It may also be noted that the Kanji alphabet of the Modern Japanese language comprises of Chinese characters. However, the most used alphabet is the Katakana, which is an alphabet consisting of foreign words, majorly derived from the Western cultures (Dawdy 1). The diversity of the Japanese culture, evidenced by the three common alphabets, the Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana, was achieved after Japan lifted its isolationist policy and opened its doors to the outside world. Because of this move, the Japanese culture experienced not only changes in their language but also their lifestyle, food, art, and religion, among others.
The symbol culture of the Japanese is also unique. Some of their symbols are shared with other cultures, while others solely belong to them. One shared symbol is Bonsai trees, which are said to have the same meaning as the Chinese penjing. Bonsai trees symbolize harmony between man, soul, and nature. In simple terms, these are a representation of all good things. Another shared symbol between the Japanese and Chinese is the mirror, which is a representation of the illusion that is life. A deeper meaning of this symbol is that it represents “an unenlightened mind that is deluded by appearances.” On the other hand, some symbols that uniquely depict the Japanese culture include the Koi fish, the Japanese flag, and their traditional dress, referred to as Kimono. The Koi fish is a representation of good luck, perseverance in the face of hardship and wealth. This meaning is derived from a cultural legend that says that if a Koi fish is persistent enough to climb the Dragon Gate Falls on the Yellow River, it becomes a dragon. The Japanese flag is connected to the country’s name in Japanese – Nihon – which means “origin of the sun.” The traditional dress of the Japanese people, known as the kimono, is also a significant symbol of the Japanese (Commisceo Global 5). Different sizes and designs of this dress can help establish an individual’s gender, age, socioeconomic status, as well as the occasion and season.
The Japanese have a unique economy. Some of the aspects that make it different are their currency, their developed state despite being highly populated, and their constantly growing economy. The Japanese currency is called the Japanese Yen and is used locally by the country’s residents. The country is grouped as a developed country as a result of its high income, evidenced by the low rates of unemployment recorded in the country. In the past five years, the percentage of unemployed Japanese nationals has decreased. For instance, between 2016 and 2017, the percentage declined from 3.10% to 2.80%. In 2018, the percentage dropped to 2.45% (Tsutsumi 8). Further, the decrease in unemployment levels coupled up with their high GDP in the industrial and services sector has significantly increased the country’s economic growth. Japan is known for its mass production of automobiles, machinery, chemicals, processed foods, and electronic equipment, hence the high GDP in the sector. However, the services sector is more lucrative for the country and has significantly contributed to putting Japan on the map of developed countries. The lowest GDP in Japan is obtained in the agricultural sector. The sector has mainly been affected by the island nature of the state, which makes it difficult to mass-produce crops. As such, only 20% of the country’s vast land is set aside for agricultural purposes.
The Japanese kinship system varies depending on location, age, and income. Nuclear families constitute 60% of the population, 20% is made up of extended families, and single-persons make up 16%. Various articles and reports show that most extended families are found in rural Japan, while the other two kinship systems are more common in towns and cities. However, these living arrangements are hardly the traditional Japanese living arrangement. Before incorporating the Western culture into their own, Japanese families were restricted to parents, children, and grandchildren, traditionally known as ie. Additionally, their kinship system varied based on social classes and region of residence. For instance, upper-class families were mostly nuclear families and lived in urban areas (Tsutsumi 3). On the other hand, the majority of low-class families resided in rural areas, most of which were extended. Middle-class families were found to have a mixed living arrangement – nuclear and extended families – and resided in urban and rural areas in equal measure. The ie followed a patrilocal and patrilineal pattern. The former pattern implied that a married couple was to settle in the husband’s home and not the wives, a custom that is still practiced today. The latter pattern implied that the male members of the family were dominant and were thus entitled to their father’s/ male relative’s property or position. Traditionally, households were grouped in a hierarchical manner in that one household would be considered a senior household and would oversee the other households, referred to as branch households. This system was called duzoku.
The religions of the Japanese people include Buddhism, Shinto, and Christianity. The most practiced religion is Buddhism, which was inherited from the Chinese. According to Tsutsumi (2017), about 39% of the Japanese are Buddhists. Those that ascribe to Christianity and Shinto make up 2.3% and 3.9% of the population, respectively (Commisceo Global 1). The religious preference of the remaining larger population is not known. If these figures are anything to go by, it can be noted that Japan is not a highly religious country.
Other exceptional aspects of Japanese culture include sports, food, and drink. Some of the common sports practiced in Japan include judo, karate, sumo, and aikido. Judo, one of the most common sport in the country and most spread internationally, involves using an opponent’s size, strength, and speed to one’s advantage. Karate is said to have originated in Japan’s Ryukyu Islands (Inside Japan Tours 3). This sport was inherited from the Chinese in the fourteenth century when traders from China brought the skill to the island. Sumo is also a traditional Japanese sport derived from the Shinto religion. Before becoming a sport, sumo was a ritual that Shinto believers practiced to ensure balance individually and as a community. The other common Japanese sport is the aikido, which basically means “way of the harmonious spirit.” Like judo, the sport entails redirecting an opponent’s strength in a less aggressive manner to ensure none of the participants get hurt. With regard to food, the Japanese culture has a variety of it and a passion for preparing it deliciously. Some of the common food recipes that are traditionally cooked today include rice, tofu, fish, and seaweed. Sushi is a commonly made Japanese dish that is made from rice mixed with vinegar, salt, sugar, and seafood. While eating in or out, the dedication the Japanese people in preparing it is topnotch. As for drinks, the Japanese maintain their drinking habits indoors, hardly going out. This is because of the long-existing culture of eating food accompanied by a snack or a full meal. Reports show that the Japanese have numerous vending machines in their streets, such that there is one for every twenty-three people (Tsutsumi 4). The Japanese also love a good cup of tea, and their brewing skills have been a source of admiration by so many other cultures around the world.
In conclusion, the uniqueness of the Japanese culture is evident in the way they carry themselves from their language to their religion, from their symbols to their kinship system, from their diet to their economy. The Japanese language is different from any other in the world, besides the cultural influences it has undergone. Similarly, their diet also differs greatly based on their enthusiasm for preparing and eating their wide variety of dishes. Finally, their diverse religions, several symbols, and their kinship system have also significantly contributed to making and enhancing the Japanese culture. All of these combined make the culture an interesting topic for both locals and nonlocals.
Works Cited
Commisceo Global. “Hello & Welcome to our guide to Japanese Culture, Customs, Business Practices & Etiquette.” Commisceo (2019). <https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/japan-guide>.
Dawdy, Jessica. “12 ThingsYou Didn’t Know About Japanese Culture.” Culture Trip (2017): 1-4. <https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/12-things-you-didn-t-know-about-japanese-culture/>.
Inside Japan Tours. “Japanese Culture.” Inside Japan Tours (2020): 1-17. <https://www.insidejapantours.com/japanese-culture/>.
Tsutsumi, Shigeru. “Japanese Culture and Tradition.” GPI (2017). <https://www.globalizationpartners.com/2017/12/11/japanese-culture-and-tradition/>.