Arts & Architecture - Historically, Japan has been subject to sudden invasions of new and alien ideas followed by long periods of minimal contact with the outside world. Over time the Japanese developed the ability to absorb, imitate, and finally assimilate those elements of foreign culture that complemented their aesthetic preferences.

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Bonsai - Literally translated as “plant in a tray”, the ancient art and horticulture that is bonsai is commonly assumed to be a uniquely Japanese tradition, one that has since been studied and appreciated by Western culture.

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Calligraphy - The art of calligraphy has existed and underwent a lot of study for more than three thousand years. The appreciation and understanding of Japanese culture would be beneficial move if an expertise on calligraphy is acquired. Good handwriting is not only achieved and exercised but the principal art of the Orient is also enlivened.

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Food & Dining Etiquette - It is always an advantage to know the dos and don’ts whenever you are in a foreign land. Being able to adapt to their ways and taking care not to offend them will surely help a traveler in several ways.

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Fans - A fan for every event of a man or woman's life in Japan - that is how a Japanese fan came to symbolically represent life itself.  For a person not familiar with Japanese ways, this might sound strange, but such strangeness is what gives Japan a character that is exclusively its own.

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Gardens - Japanese gardens (Kanji, nihon teien) in the tradition of Japan can be found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, at Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, and at historical landmarks such as old castles. Many of the Japanese gardens most famous in the West, and within Japan as well, are Zen gardens.

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Geisha - The innocence of the outside world of the truth behind geishas leads them to believe that these women are seductive temptresses who snare men into a web of deceit.

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Ikebana - Ikebana is the art of association of ideas and impressions of nature expressed through flowers. In Ikebana the elegance of a branch conveys the change of the seasons. A single flower symbolizes nature. Bamboo symbolizes integrity since it doesn't bend. The Amur Adoni represents good luck. The evergreen pine suggests the abode of a deity.

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Judo - Tracing its origins way back to the feudal times in Japanese history, the sport of Judo started out as a highly specialized system of unarmed combat. Considered as a more serene and refined version of Jujitsu, Judo has evolved from being just a form of martial arts to various social functions.

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Kabuki - The culture of each country goes through a lot of changes in the same manner that people are subjected to the passing of time. Some circumstances allow us to be able to do something about what is happening and in some situations we are just audiences waiting for the conclusion to the story. Kabuki is a story that proves beauty can never be defined for always the essence of it will be in the eyes of the beholder.

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Karate - Karate is a martial arts technique that originated in Okinawa and emphasizes on punching, kicking and other striking techniques. The word Karate means ‘empty hand’ and adding a suffix ‘do’, which means way or path, would imply that karatedo is not just the study of techniques and movements in fighting but it is also a channel to self-knowledge.

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Kimono - Kimono (Japanese meaning "something one wears") are the traditional garments of Japan. Originally the word kimono was used for all types of clothing, but it came to refer specifically to the full-length garment that is still worn by women, men, and children.

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Learn Japanese - Learn japanese, words, translation, English to Japanese, japan basic language, phrases and writing guide - an introduction to speaking and writing Japenese.

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Legends & Folklore - Different cultures around the world have their own sets of myths and stories to tell. Whether they are based on fact or fiction, these legendary stories have truly highlighted the history and essence of the cultures from where these stories originated.

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Ninja - In feudal Japan, ninja or shinobi (literally, "one who is concealed," or "one that endures") were assassins and agents of espionage. Ninja, like samurai, followed their own special code of conduct, called ninpo¯. Some modern practitioners of budo ninjutsu argue that ninja were used primarily as spies, not assassins.

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Noh Theatre - Noh or No is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Together with the closely-related kyogen farce, it evolved from various popular and aristocratic art forms, including Dengaku, Shirabyoshi, and Gagaku.

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Origami - Origami is a Japanese word which comes from the words ori (to fold) and kami or gami (paper). It is in Japan that the art first originated, some 1400 years ago.

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Painters - The beautiful mixture of sophisticated simplicity and raw complexity is what makes Japanese paintings an object of many studies, and the most common of all Japanese art forms. It reflects the universal nature and beliefs of its culture which is common from art piece to art piece.

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Religion - Religion in Japan is a rich tapestry of diverse traditions with a history of nearly 2,000 years. Many Japanese people display some kind of alleg-iance to more than one religion; a person will usually be expected to have a Shinto wedding and a Budd-hist funeral, though Buddhist and secular weddings are also possible.

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Samurai - The Samurai is a hereditary military class of Japan. From circa 1000 AD the Samurai dominated Japan, though after circa 1600 their activities were less military than cultural. Comprising 5% of Japanese, they exerted influence through Bushido, a code which demanded feudal loyalty and placed honour above life. The Samurai class lost its power in the reforms of 1868.

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Shinto - Shinto is a native religion of Japan and was once its state religion. It involves the worship of kami, which can be translated to mean gods, spirits of nature, or just spiritual presences.

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Sumo - Sumo is synonymous with Japan. No other country can claim this sport for it is uniquely Japan. It is embedded in its religion in its martial arts and is awash with rituals and symbolism that can only be defined as authentically Japanese.

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