_ The map of Japan._ Japanese Styles._ Japanese Arts. _ Japanese Ceremonies

Japan known now as a developed country, which is famous because of its inventions, companies and arts. Here we are going to reveal some Japanese cultures, and some of their heritage that have a great effect on their culture.

Japanese Map

Japan consist of 3,000 islands. The Japan consist of 3,000 islands. The largest islands are Honshu, which largest islands are Honshu, which includes Tokyo the capital, and includes Tokyo the capital, and Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku.Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku.

Japan as a country has a past with its styles in its own tradition, in clothing, building and foods.

-Clothing: Japanese people used their

traditional clothing in the past, now they wear it just in special occasions.

e.g. Yukata “for men”, Kimono “for women”, Zori “sandals” etc.

Yukata>>

< <Kimono.

< Parasol Zori>

_ Buildings & Gardens:

In Japan there are many different buildings and gardens, that are a big part of its culture. They do not actually come from Japan, their ideas come from China. Here are some pictures.

-Nigiri: small rice with fish.

-Gunkan: small cups made of sushi.

-Norimaki: sushi rice with seafood.

Japanese people are famous by their healthy food which has great effects on their everyday life, it makes them more active and creative.

Japan is known by its amazing arts that are used till now, painting, games and martial arts are the most

remarkable arts in Japan.- -Martial arts:

For a long time Japan was governed by Samurai class, some methods that were used to train warriors were developed into martial arts.

- Japanese Games.- Japan has its own

traditional games as well.

< Board games.>

Judo>> . << Sumo.

- Japanese Painting: These are watercolors

paintings ,were done in a Western watercolor technique, they were drawn in 1890.

Festivals in Japan are occasions to celebrate with families and to wear traditional styles of clothing. They are an important part of life in Japan and can be enjoyed in cities and towns

throughout the country. e.g.

-Japanese cultural festival.-Japanese tea ceremony.

The tea ceremony (sado: "the way of the tea") is aceremonial way of preparing and drinking tea. The customhas been strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism.Nowadays, the tea ceremony is a relatively popular hobby.Many Japanese, who are interested in their own culture,take tea ceremony lessons. Tea ceremonies are held in traditionalJapanese rooms in cultural community centres or private houses. The ceremony itself consists of many rituals that have to be learned by heart. Almost each hand movement is prescribed. Basically, the tea is first prepared by the host, and then drunk by the guests. The tea is match a green tea made of powdered tea leaves.

- Hinamatsuri: Japanese doll festival.

Japanese Festivals are colorful celebrations that reflect the countries ancient religious beliefs, this celebration for girls. people believed the dolls possessed the power to conceal bad spirits in their bodies and will save the owner from dangerous encounters.

-Shichigosan: Traditional festival

day in Japan for children.

Dolls have been manufactured since the early days of Japaneseculture. Today, there exist various types of Japanese dolls. Thefollowing is a description of only a few of the most famous ones:

Daruma dolls are spherical dolls with a red painted body and awhite face, but without pupils. They represent the Zen monkBodhidharma. It is the custom to paint one of the doll's pupils inthe beginning of a new year, make a wish and paint in the

second pupil, if the wish comes true. Takasaki's Shorinzan DarumaTemple is the birthplace of daruma dolls as good luck charms.

Kokeshi dolls are simply shaped, wooden dolls from NorthernHonshu, which originated as souvenirs distributed at hot springresorts during the Edo Period. Kokeshi dolls have neither arms

norlegs, but a large head and a cylindrical body.

Japan has a great heritage which gave it its own culture. Throughout what is shown here we can study and learn so many useful things from their culture. and we can communicate with them to get the

best of their culture

Ikebana is the art of arranging floweraesthetically. One tries to represent the

three elements sky, earth, and mankind in a well balanced relation.

heaven

man

earth

Origami is the art of folding paper. Glue or scissors are usually not used.

One of the most popular folding objects is the crane. It is said that 1000 cranes make a wish come true. 1000 cranes are given to sick people in order to wish them a fast recovery. The folded crane is also a symbol for peace. In the peace parks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, large numbers of folded cranes are laid down beside the monuments that remember the atomic bombs.

Other popular folding objects are flowers, balloons, gold fish, frogs, swans, and many more.

Bonsai is the art of cultivating miniature trees.The pine, a tree that naturally grows many meterstall, is the most typical plant used for bonsai, butmany other tree species can be used. To achieveminiaturization, the tree is frequently transferredinto new pots, and on that occasion its roots arecut a little bit. Bonsai skills include the knowledgeof when and how much to cut the roots, ho much fertilizer and water is ideal, and whichbranches should be pruned to give the plant an

aesthetic look.

Kabuki is a traditional Japanese form of theater with its origins in the EdoPeriod. In contrast to the older forms of Japanese performing arts, such as Noh, Kabuki was popular among the common townspeople and not of the higher social classes. Kabuki plays are about historical events, moral conflicts, love relationships and the like. The actors use an old fashioned language which is difficult to understand even for some Japanese people. Actors speak in somewhat monotonous voices accompanied by traditional Japanese Instruments. Kabuki takes place on a rotating stage (kabuki no butai). The stage is further equipped with several gadgets like trapdoors through which the actors can appear and disappear. Another specialty of the kabuki stage is a footbridge (hanamichi) that leads through the audience. \In the early years, both men and women acted in kabuki plays. Later duringthe Edo Period, the Tokugawa Shogunate forbade women from acting, a restriction that survives to the present day. Several male kabuki actors aretherefore specialists in playing female roles (onnagata).

Noh is a very old form of traditionalJapanese theater with its origins in the14th century. The actors of Noh playswear masks. They speak and sing in avery monotonous way, accompanied by a chorus and traditional music instruments. The Noh stage is traditionally located outdoors and has aroof supported by fourcolumns.