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Location: Northeast Asia

Population: 122,737,425 (2024)

Capital: Tokyo

Neighboring countries:

China

North Korea

South Korea

Russia

Taiwan

Why I Choose Japan:

I choose to look into Japan because it is a very famous country because of its culture and I wanted to know more about that makes Japanese culture significant and relevant in the modern day.

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Yakiniku = Japanese term that “refers to grilled meat cuisine.”

Yakiniku is a Japanese style of barbecue where small pieces of meat are grilled over charcoal or gas grills. It is a popular dining experience where people cook the food themselves using various meats, such as beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and vegetables. The meats are marinated or seasoned with sauces like soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil before grilling and usually paired with rice, kimchi, and other side dishes. Yakiniku restaurants can be found throughout Japan and in various parts of the world.

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Mount Fiji is one of Japan’s most iconic symbols and tourist locations. Standing at 3,776, it is the tallest mountain in Japan and the second-highest volcano in Asia. The Japanese have created a spiritual bond with Mt. Fiji, leading to shrines, monuments, and fasts in dedication. Around 200,000 to 300,000 people climb Mt. Fuji every summer, and it is seen as a destination for pilgrimages, training, and worshipping.

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The Itsukushima Shrine is a centuries-old shrine located on the island of Miyajima. It is one of the most iconic shrines in the country and worldwide. The significance of the structure comes from its long history dating back to the 6th century when the shrine became dedicated to the daughters of the Shinto deity Susano-o no Mikoto (God of Seas & Storms). Its purpose is to serve as a sacred place and reflect Shinto’s belief in nature’s connection and divine presence. The floating aspect of the design is meant to symbolize the connection between humans and nature and reverence for nature.

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Cultural Event: Hakata Dontaku Festival 

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Cultural Event: Hakata Dontaku Festival 

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Hakata Dontaku is Japan’s largest festival. It is held in Fukuoka during May and usually attracts 30,000 participants and over 2,000,000 spectators. Thousand of revelers dress in bright, traditional costumes throughout the festival and dance throughout the streets. The dancers also parade through the streets clapping shamoji, which is said to have originated from a housewife preparing dinner and joining in by tapping the shamoji (rice scooper) in her hand. Along with the parades, stage areas throughout the city host different stalls for food, drinks, and performances. The festival originated in 1179 during the Heliana period and has continued since.

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The Fushimi Inari Shrine is the most important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. This shrine is the most important compared to the other several shrines because it is dedicated to Inari (Shinto god of Rice). There are also many fox statues around the grounds because foxes were thought to be Inari’s messengers. The main shrine building contains five shrines altogether (a lower shrine, a middle shrine, an upper shrine, and auxiliary shines (Tanaka & Shino-Okami Shrines)).

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Gagaku is Japanese classical music established during the Heian period (794-1185) and was historically used for imperial court music and dances. Gagaku was introduced to Japan around 589 when a Japanese official diplomatic delegation was sent to China to learn about Chinese culture. After learning about some Chinese instruments and music, Japan imported that form and started playing Gagaku as a ceremonial instrument. In the modern day, Gagaku is performed in three ways: as Kangen (concert music for winds, strings, and percussion), as Bugaku (dance music, stringed instruments omitted), or as Utaimono (singing to the solo instrument or voice).

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Origami is a paper-based art style based on folding paper together to create different types of tiny sculptures. Following the development of paper in the 2nd century in China, the idea of folding it came to Japan in the 6th century and has been popular since. The meaning behind the word “origami” is “fold” and “paper,” and many of its purposes were originally for the decoration of temples and shrines in Japan.

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Natsume Sōseki was a Japanese novelist born in Tokyo, Japan, on February 9th, 1867. He was best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat, and Light and Darkness. He is considered one of the greatest writers in modern Japanese history because of his impact on current Japanese writers. He unfortunately died on December 9th, 1916, due to a stomach ulcer, but his legacy is still well intact to this day. From 1984 until 2004, his portrait appeared on the front of the Japanese 1000 yen note.

Sōseki’s most prominent work would be his novel The Three-Cornered World (1906). This book highlights Japanese society, bounded by countless social restrictions and nature’s beauty. Its central ideas come from culture and freedom, being left without guidance, and discovering who you are.

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Famous Japanese Artist: Takashi Murakami

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Famous Japanese Artist: Takashi Murakami

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Takashi Murakami is a Japanese artist and entrepreneur. He is recognized for working with the aesthetics of Japanese traditional art and combing that with the context of popular culture. Murakami studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music with a bachelors of Fine Arts in 1986. Many of his work has been highlighted in Western culture as he as worked with Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton to produce fashion accessories in his art style. His style is a mix of two-dimensional forms and bold imagery which gave birth to the artistic movement known as Superflat. By 2005, Murakami has reached a new level of success in his career and his art was displayed world wife. One of his most high-profile works he did was the album cover on Kanye West’s 2007 Graduation and directing Billie Eilish’s music video for You Should See me in a Crown.

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Japanese’s Gift of Friendship: Cherry Blossom Trees

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Japanese’s Gift of Friendship: Cherry Blossom Trees

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The Cherry Blossom is the unofficial national flower of Japan. It has been celebrated for centuries and has a significant purpose in Japanese culture. Cherry trees usually bloom for a few days in spring and are celebrated with Cherry Blossom viewing parties to celebrate this occasion. Although cherry blossom trees did not originate in Japan, they have become significant in Japanese culture. In 1912, as a gift of friendship to the United States, Japan planted 2,000 cherry trees in Washington, DC, which is how we have them in America.

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Spirited Away is an animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli. It follows a young girl named Chihiro moving to a new neighborhood with her parents. She comes across a supernatural world and her parents are transformed into pigs. Chihiro has to navigate this spirit realm, while working in a bathhouse ran by a witch, to find a way to free her parents and return to the human world. It won many awards in Japan, as well as a couple overseas such as the 8th Critics’ Choice Awards (Best Animated Feature)and the 7th Academy Awards (Best Animated Feature). Also, as of May 8th 2024, it is the highest-grossing film in Japanese history with a total of ¥31.68 billion ($305 million).