Discovering 6 interesting cultural features of Japan

Kimono - Japanese national outfit. Each county has its own unique traditional outfits, such as “Ao dai” for Vietnam, “Hanbok” for Korea, and “Chut Thai” for Thailand. Similarly, Japan has Kimono, which has been associated with the Japanese for a very long time. In the past, Kimono was widely worn. This; however, has changed due to the introduction of Western culture and the change in people’s clothing needs. Nowadays, kimono is mostly worn during holidays such as New Year’s, festivals, weddings, etc. 

Kimono attracts many visitors with its unique and distinctive design. The national costume has a captivating beauty, where both men and women have their own designs. The design for men is much simpler with deeper tones to highlight their strength, whereas that of women has brighter, more eye-catching colors and patterns such as flowers, leaves, clouds, etc, expressing the Japanese’s love for nature. 

Tea ceremonies: Those living in Japan surely is no stranger to the tea ceremony culture in Japan. It is not simply just about making and drinking tea, there are also certain rules and etiquette that people need to adhere to. 

This makes the tea ceremony culture in Japan attractive in the eyes of travelers, with many wanting to experience it at least once. However. It is not simple at all to do so, as the tradition is associated with the deep philosophy of life that is: “Harmony” - “Respect” - “Purity” - “Tranquility.”

• Harmony: Refers to the harmony between humans and nature, as well as between the one drinking the tea and the one brewing the tea. It shows the bond between the Japanese. 
• Respect: Respect for others and life.
• Purity: Shows respect for life and all things around. Without anger and discrimination, the heart can automatically become peaceful and calm.  
• Tranquility is the highest realm of the human soul, referring to the silence and calmness in one’s soul, thereby bringing a sense of peace and happiness.  

Martial spirit: Associated with the spirit of a fighter, the symbol of samurai is one of the most distinctive features of the land of cherry blossoms. It represents the energetic and determined lifestyle that the Japanese always aim for.

To become a samurai, one must have all of the following factors; integrity, courage, benevolence, politeness, self-control, loyalty, and honor. With the spirit of martial arts, Japan has risen to become one of the richest and most developed countries in the world.  

Communication style: Japan places great importance on etiquette, especially in communication. If you are communicating with a Japanese for the first time, you might be taken aback by their seriousness and delicate gestures. This is what makes communication in Japan distinct from that of other countries. 

There are different methods of communication in Japan, such as bowing, making eye contact, waving your hand, silence, nodding, thanking, apologizing, dressing up, and giving gifts. .

• Bowing: Japanese people always bow to people that they meet regardless of their age. This gives the other a sense of respect. 
• Eye contact: In Japan, people tend to not make eye contact while talking, but rather look in another direction. This is because they believe that looking directly into one’s eyes while communicating with them is disrespectful.  
• Wave their hands: In Japan, you can call others by waving your hands. However, you have to pay attention to waving properly because if not, it would be seen as a sign of disrespect. 
• Silence: Most people would regard a conversation where the other keeps silent as uncomfortable and disrespectful. However, in Japan, the opposite is true. People would not speak too much because they believe that actions are better than words.
• Nodding: During conversations, Japanese people always listen very carefully and smile. Nodding your head in Japna during a chat is not only about agreeing, but it is also an act of politeness as it shows that you are listening to the other and want them to talk more. 
• Thanking and apologizing: These are probably two of the most commonly used phrases in Japan, “Thank you” and “Sorry.”  People new to Japan might be surprised or even confused when first talking to the people here. 
• Clothing: This is also a crucial factor of communication in Japan. More specifically, wearing an outfit that is polite, clean, and not crumpled will create a feeling of respect toward the person to whom you are talking.  
• Gifting: In Japan, gifting is not only limited to holidays but is a common method of showing respect and love to other people.

Taking off your shoes before entering the house: This is a culture that those who live in Japan must have known. However, there might still be places where you don’t need to take off your shoes before entering. To distinguish whether you need to do so or not, just take a look around to see if there are any shoes or sandals neatly placed near the entrance or not. If yes, do the same and take out your shoes, and if no, just directly enter with your shoes. Be careful to not make any unfortunate mistakes!

Making eating noises: Most countries tend not to make noises while eating so as to not affect others. In Japan; however, many would make eating noises. As a first-timer here, you might find this to be rather impolite. 

The Japanese believe that the louder the eating sounds are, the more delicious the food is. And so eating quietly means that the food is not too good. This might seem weird at first, but as time goes by, you will get used to it soon and even find this cultural aspect to be rather interesting. 

Japan is a nation with very distinct cultural aspects, and it is thanks to those aspects that make the country attractive in the eyes of foreign visitors. Thus, it is important that the younger generation maintain it so that the culture does not fade with time.

With the above information, GoEMON hopes that the article was helpful to everyone. Stay tuned for more interesting articles about Japan! 

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