Japanese Culture

The Japanese rice bird is also known as the Java Sparrow, Java Temple Bird and the Paddy Bird. The rice bird's scientific name is Padda Oryzivora. In most parts of Japan, the bird is seen as a...

All over the world--and the internet--sword vendors sell what they advertise as authentic Japanese samurai swords. Unfortunately for the hopeful collector, many of these are fakes. In fact, faking...

Writing any name in Japanese requires knowledge of the basic Japanese syllabary. First, you need to establish the pronunciation, then you can set about writing it. "Matthew" presents a special...

Writing Sarah in Japanese is relatively simple as it is made up of two sounds natural to the Japanese language: "Sa" and "Ra." There is no need to include the final "H" when writing this name in...

In the 1900s, China and Japan embarked on two historically divergent paths: China into economic and political disintegration, which would result in a socialist system; Japan into industrialization...

A Tsu could be one of the symbols of the Japanese syllabary, or an abbreviation for "setup time" in digital electronics, but most probably what you are referring to the acronym for Telecom...

Although Christmas in Japan is not celebrated widely as a religious holiday, many Japanese still take part in traditional activities like gift giving and celebrating the season's end. For those...

To write a word in Japanese, you will use one or more of the three Japanese scripts, or character sets. The base set is kanji, a set of complex characters derived from the Chinese writing system....

A bayonet is any spiked-shaped weapon such as a knife, dagger or sword designed to fit over the muzzle of a rifle barrel, turning a gun into a spear. Bayonets provide a useful addition to rifles...

Bonsai is the ancient art of growing miniature trees. It has become a popular hobby among American horticulturalists, who delight viewers with tiny representations of many different kinds of...

Zen gardens, also known as dry gardens, have become popular landscaping accessories all over the world. Originating in Japan and China, these rock gardens help users relax and relieve stress....

Samurai military training took a variety of different forms throughout its long history. Japan's reliance on the Samurai was extensive, and formed the backbone of its military forces for hundreds...

Japanese calligraphy, or "shodo," is the art of writing beautifully. Unlike Roman letters, Chinese characters ("kanji") have specific stroke orders that are mastered in the aesthetic practice of...

Fortune cookie messages can be inspirational, an expression of love, a gift or help celebrating a joyous occasion. Ideas can come from famous quotes or you can use your own.

Ninja villages were once home to deadly Japanese spies and assassins. Today, ninjas are mostly martial artists who train in ninjitsu for fun, exercise and self-defense. Spending time in a ninja...

The Sharingan is a characteristic of the Uchiha family in the popular manga and video game series Naruto. A Sharingan eye is red and contains additional pupils, called tomoe, that give the bearer...

Japan has the highest per capita concentration of vending machines, called Jidohanbaiki (jido: "automatic"; hanbai:"sell"; ki:"machine"), in the world. They dispense a wide variety of beverages,...

Living the Samurai Warrior Way can be done simply by adopting and adhering to a personal code. In translation, "Samurai" means "to serve". Feudal Japanese Samurai lived by...

If you love food and are seeking a healthful lifestyle, convenient public transportation, quality education for your children, beautiful, historic sites and the latest in high-tech gadgetry, Japan...

The traditional process for making an authentic Japanese nihonto or katana, the iconic curved sword of the medieval Samurai warrior, begins with the extraction of iron ore from the magnetite-rich...

A city with a military past, almost destroyed by an atomic bomb, and later a center of peace, Hiroshima has a marked place in history. It continues to be a place of fascination and sorrow for...

Urabon, also known as "Festival of the Dead" or "Feast of Lanterns," is an annual summer event in which the Japanese honor deceased ancestors. The name probably comes from the Sanskrit...

Lolicon is the romanization of a Japanese term that refers to the obsession of young girls, particularly in a sensual sense, and a mental disorder known as a "Lolita complex" that is a common...

A significant cultural icon both nationally and abroad, the "nihonto," or Japanese sword, has inspired sword enthusiasts around the world.

Japan has one of the most recognized flags in the world. The flag--known as the Hinomaru or "sun disc"--features a red circle against a white background. Nippon, Japan's name among the Japanese,...

Samurai warlords emblazoned flowered designs on their kimonos as a family crest. Men and women receive gifts of flowers on their anniversaries and flower language (hana kotoba) is used in all...

Tatami are often used in martial arts training as a tool for practicing swordsmanship. Throughout Japanese history, tatami mats were made from soft rush straw that was stuffed with rice straw....

Kimonos have been part of Japanese culture since the eighth century. Originally, the word kimono referred to any clothing. Now, the term refers to the specific Japanese dress. The style of kimonos...

Samurai swords have been forged by Japanese craftsmen for over centuries and are renowned for both their durability and strength. While the samurai warrior class of Japan is a historical memory,...

Japanese calligraphy is an art that has been practiced since antiquity. Traditional and modern poetry written via calligraphy often sells for very high prices. Skilled, well-known calligraphers...

Japanese is a difficult language - but, then, so is English. The best way to approach learning a new language is to use a variety of different study methods, and to remember one very important...

The topography and climate of Japan is vast for the small land mass found within the borders of the country. The vastness of the climate and topography provides conditions suitable for numerous...

The issue of runaways living in Japan has received increased public scrutiny in recent years, largely due to the employment of underaged girls in the sex industry and the fact that an increase in...

Japanese symbols are beautiful and unique. They have an air of mystery and intrigue because they are not only words but also pictures. Here are some common Japanese symbols and their meanings.

Japanese gift wrapping is famous for its beauty, complexity and symbolism. For the Japanese, wrapping a gift is not about obscuring the gift to make it a surprise for the recipient. Instead,...

Japanese kimonos are long robes that literally translate to mean a "thing to wear." Kimonos first emerged in Japan in the late 700s and were used to separate ranks of formality. Today, kimonos are...

Warriors in medieval Japan were known as samurai. They were bound by oaths of loyalty to their lord, and they practiced a code of honor similar to that of a European knight. Like knights, samurai...

Haiku poetry, with its simple structure and brevity—17 syllables in three lines of 5, 7, 5—invites many to try their hand at it. But composing a really good haiku is not simple. While it is...

Raku pottery's unique look is created by both the fire and the smoke in a raku kiln. Raku pottery is created by first bisque-firing the piece, then glazing and firing the piece in a raku kiln....

Masks have played an integral role during Japan's long history for many religious, ceremonial and performance events. The mask may signify a heroic individual, evil character, spirit, god, devil...

The Haruhi dance is a pop/hip-hop-style dance performed at the end of a popular Japanese anime TV show. It requires a lead dancer and four backup dancers - two female, two male. Fan-made YouTube...

Manga is often described as Japanese comic books. Anime is often used to describe the animated versions of Manga. However, in western circles, Manga and Anime are often used interchangeably....

In 1980, rock-pop act the Vapors released a song entitled "Turning Japanese." While we can't help you do that, there are some fun ways to learn the language. Let's jump into a few. Or as the...

While Japanese is a difficult language for many foreigners to learn, the basic pronunciations are remarkably easy. Unlike many Western languages, the pronunciation of Japanese vowels will not...

In Japan, it is customary to remove ones shoes before entering a home and many businesses and restaurants. Although this custom may seem odd to Westerners, especially Americans, it is considered...

The type of cartoons known as anime have become popular in the Western world in recent years. While outside of Asia cartoons are seen as primarily something for children, anime is more than...

The tonfa is a Japanese martial arts weapon, used for both self-defense and training. It originated on the Okinawan Islands, where for a long time, owning weapons was illegal. Thus, Okinawan...

The umbrella has been around for thousands of years. Its use can be traced back to Ancient China and Egypt where it became a status symbol for the rich. What began as a way to shield the upper...

Although there are a number of different learning styles in any culture, cultures often cluster around certain ways of learning as a result of linguistic requirements and educational traditions....

The Japanese language consists of a combination of three different character, or symbol, sets: Kanji (Chinese characters) are often considered a simplified version of Chinese characters, and...