What Makes Japanese Culture Different Than The Rest?

• Japan Has Mixed Religion

The beliefs in Japan are based on a mixture of teachings of Shinto, Buddhists, and Confucius teachings. There are countless religious temples, with Kyoto alone having 400 Shinto shrines.

Kindness and respect are taught to children as a part of culture from a young age. Although the new generation does not usually classify themselves as a part of any religion. But the teachings of Japanese culture and religion reflect deeply among them.

• Samurai Culture

Japan is proud of its samurai history, which plays a significant role in shaping Japan’s culture. There are many heritage and memorial sites all over Japan that are dedicated to samurai warriors.

Their pride can be seen in statues, museums, historical battle sites, and even amazingly designed gardens.

• The Language

The Japanese language is very different from other languages. What makes it different is the three distinguished writing systems and various levels of politeness, which is a big part of Japanese culture, depicted in their language.

Japanese has three different levels of politeness. Each level is based on the person’s rank or how close you are to them. For instance, students fall under lower ranks, and they are usually spoken to informally, whereas guests, parents, and bosses are of higher ranks and are addressed formally.

If you want to study more about the Japanese language and how their writing system works, you can take a Japanese language course to understand the entire mechanism of the language.

• Anime And Manga

In the 1950s, the world’s first manga ‘Astro Boy’ was written by a Japanese artist. The comic was appreciated for its advanced style, and decades later, manga and anime would become one of the country’s most iconic exports.

Today, Japanese anime and manga are famous worldwide, and people of all ages enjoy them very much.

• Japanese Cuisine

Japanese cuisine is famous for its beauty and delightful subtle flavor. Traditional Japanese food always looks like a work of art since it’s based on ‘washoku’ with one main course and many side dishes. Apart from that, it is healthy, which is the estimated reason why Japanese people live a long life.

Some common Japanese cuisine that is enjoyed by both Japanese and foreigners alike are Yakitori, Unagi, Donburi, Sushi, Tempura, Karaage, Udon, Onigiri, ramen, sukiyaki, okonomiyaki, tamagoyaki, tonkatsu, Japanese curry, yakiniku, kashipan, anpan, nikujaga, shabu-shabu, gyoza, Takoyaki, kaiseki ryori, edamame, yakisoba, chawanmushi, mochi, Oden, Dango, omurice, senbei, korokke, Yaki Imo, Ochazuke, Kare Pan, Shogayaki, and more.

• Customer Service

Japan’s service industry sets the international standard for outstanding service. One of the best parts is that they are not doing it in the hopes that you will leave a good review but for genuine assistance.

In A Nutshell

Japan walks with the modern world while keeping its cultural heritage and traditions alive. If you are willing to learn more about Japanese culture and history, you may take this Japanese history course offered by Oku Sensei’s Japanese for great exposure.