Japanese Culture

By Althea DeBrule

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Research has shown that friendships are one of the key factors that influence happiness, self esteem, and satisfaction. Friends often affect the health and energy of a person as well. Cross cultural friendships are usually formed, like any ... more »

How to Exchange Yui-No Gifts Before a Japanese Wedding

By eHow Weddings Editor

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Prior to your wedding, prepare a yui-no ceremony, in which the bride and groom and their families exchange a series of gifts that signify happiness and fortune... more »

How to Hire Geisha in Japan

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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Hiring geisha in Japan is often believed to be virtually impossible for an outsider to their world, especially a foreigner, to pull off...but not always. These artisans work hard to make a party a success and want to be sure that their efforts to ... more »

How to perform a Japanese tea ceremony.

By tassie

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Although a true tea ceremony may last up to two hours and takes years of practice, here are some basics you would need to know to perform a Japanese tea ceremony... more »

How to run an Artists Alley table at an anime convention

By okii

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It's not hard to make money from your art at a convention if you stay organized and know how to use your budget... this is a sort of all-inclusive guide/checklist to help you do that if this is your first time selling in Artists Alley or you just ... more »

How to say the days of the week in Japanese

By brettkun

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In japanese, the days of the week are easy to learn. They are easier to learn than any romance language's days of the week because there is one thing they all have in common. The words for the days of the week in Japanese all use the word for ... more »

How to See Kabuki Theater

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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Kabuki is a traditional Japanese form of theater that uses a high degree of stylization and formalism to evoke subtle emotion and dramatic themes. As one of the oldest and most prominent modes of expression in Japan, Kabuki has percolated into ... more »

How to Wear Traditional Hakama Pants

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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Hakama pants are very wide, pleated pants that are worn over a kimono. They can either have two defined legs or are undivided like a skirt. Hakama pants are the traditional costume of many types of Japanese martial arts. They are used by both men ... more »

How to Act as Kaishakunin During Seppuku

By Jonathan F.

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Seppuku—the art of Japanese ritual suicide—is not an easy task. It is elaborately planned and performed, and very often requires an assistant, or kaishakunin. This kaishakunin will actually inflict the death blow, and so his role is of the utmost ... more »

How to Be an Otaku

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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While the term "otaku" was originally a term of derision that referred to someone who was obsessed with Japanese anime or manga, today the term refers to a general current of passionate interest in the comics and anime subculture. If you have an ... more »

How to Fold a Shirt in Japan

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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The East Asian island nation of Japan has a culture that is rich in tradition. One long-held Japanese tradition, is that of proper shirt folding. Possibly influenced by the delicate folds of origami or the swift movements of karate, folding a ... more »

How to Have a Japanese Valentine's Day

By DawnChesbro

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While Valentine’s Day isn’t celebrated much outside of the United States, Japan has taken to the day of lovers, but in a distinctly Japanese way. On Feb. 14, schoolgirls, housemothers and working women go into overdrive by making, buying and ... more »

How to Learn Japanese Online for Free

By Chidori N

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Can't find any Japanese teacher nearby? Your schedule not allowing you to take a class? There are many ways to do it online, for free. Here's my review of various websites and online services for learning Japanese... more »

How to Make Natto (Fermented Soy Beans)

By Jonathan F.

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Natto is a traditional Japanese food of fermented soy beans, most often enjoyed for breakfast. Typically eaten on rice, it was a vital source of nutrition in feudal Japan. It's powerful smell and strong, distinctive consistency very often make it ... more »

How to Perform Seppuku (Hari-Kari)

By Jonathan F.

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Commonly known as hari-kari to foreigners, seppuku is the ancient Japanese tradition of ritual suicide. Reasons to commit seppuku included junshi (killing yourself upon the death of your lord), funshi (to express great indignation), kanshi (to ... more »

How to Throw a Japanese Announcement Party

By K Mueller Stroup

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After reading this article, the reader will learn how to throw a traditional Japanese "Announcement Party.".. more »

How to Understand the Japanese Blood Type Theory of Personality

By Jonathan F.

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Japan has a seemingly infinite number of beliefs which regularly confound unwitting foreigners. One little-known example is the widespread Japanese belief that blood types help determine personality. Knowing a person's blood type is akin to ... more »

How to Build a Bento Box

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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Japanese culture has created great architecture and cuisine that is appreciated in many cultures. A lesser known Japanese export is the bento box. This unique invention is seen mostly in Japanese restaurants with a variety of flavorful foods ... more »

How to Celebrate New Year's in Japan

By eHow Holidays & Celebrations Editor

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The New Year, or shogatu, is the most important holiday in Japan. Honor this holiday by celebrating three days in full Japanese tradition... more »

How to Create Your Own Meishi (Japanese Name Cards)

By Adrien-Luc Sanders

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Meishi, or Japanese name cards/business cards, are essential to social and business interactions in Japan. Strangers often exchange name cards on first meeting; businessmen (and businesswomen) exchange business cards at every opportunity. ... more »

How to Get Married in Japan

By dalady

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So you want to get married in Japan, huh? Are you a little lost when it comes to actually making it happen? let me help ..... more »

How to Get Over Your Love for Ninjas

By Christopher Miller

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Despite what ninja fan sites will tell you, the life of the modern day ninja isn’t all glory and glamour. While serving as the private army for some feudal lord might have been your previous life, today, ninjas find themselves in an increasingly ... more »

How to Make a Zen Board

By Dani Fausek

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The Zen Board is known by many different names including Buddha Board, Mystic Art Painting and Aquadoodle. While used primarily for practicing Japanese writing brush strokes, it has become popular as a means to enhance creativity and relaxation. ... more »

How to Make an Origami Bird Chopstick Rest

By Nella Bella

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Eating with chopsticks is half the fun when going out for Asian food. But sometimes where to place the chopsticks in between bites of food can be a challenge. When there’s no room on the plate and you don’t want to place chopsticks on the table, ... more »

How to Observe Japanese Dinner Etiquette

By Adrien-Luc Sanders

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Cultural differences can invite interest, rupture friendships or even spark wars. When visiting another country, observing the proper etiquette over meals can go a long way toward opening lines of communication. Japanese dining etiquette is ... more »

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