Ever since Japan opened to the world in the Meiji Era, Japanese culture has enticed people in the West with its mystery and beauty. It's the main reason everyone is so attracted to this land. Whether we meet the culture through anime and manga, from movies, or martial arts, it's always the culture that initially draws us in. On one hand you have very peaceful and zen arts like tea ceremony, on the other you have the concrete chaos of downtown Tokyo, with oddities like Sumo thrown in, a sport which seems to outsiders to be nothing more than fat naked people pushing at each other. Let's dive in... The Animal ZodiacIn Japan, people hold many beliefs that are quite different from the beliefs we hold in the West, but yet oddly similar. Let's look at one of those. Just like in the West, the Japanese also have a horoscope they follow. However, instead of being based on the positions of stars and planets, it is based on years, directions, and animals. Sleeping on the floorSomething you may have heard of is that everyone sleeps on the floor in Japan. Is it true? Yep. Learn all about the Futon Slurping noodlesUnlike the USA, in Japan it is not rude to slurp your noodles, and in fact in certain places it's rude not to. The louder the better! School UniformsEveryone has an idea of what school uniforms look like here in Japan. So let's take a closer look and separate the facts from the rumor. Business CardsBusiness card usage in Japan is a bit different from in the West. It is much more formal, for one. There are polite ways to exchange business cards and rude ways. You don't want to make these mistakes! That's all for now. Be sure to surscribe to the rss feed (yellow box under the left menu) or check back to the blog on a regular basis to see when I post more. Also, don't forget to subscribe to the free newsletter (you can subscribe on the home page) in order to receive updates and unique content right to your inbox.
Return from "Japanese Culture" to the "Home"
|
