JAPANESE CULTURE - OCCUPATIONS

Geisha are famous female traditional entertainers, who sing, dance, play traditional Japanese
musical instruments and engage their clients with interesting conversation. Today there are still
some active Geisha in places such as Kyoto and Kanazawa.

Samurai were a traditional warrior class in pre-industrial Japan, who were easily recognised as
they were the only men allowed to carry two swords. Samurai were committed to a single daimyo
(normally a wealthy leader).
JAPANESE CULTURE - FASHION

The Kimono is the most famous form of traditional Japanese clothing for women. The Kimono is
actually a style with many different forms; from the casual to the wedding style, all which have a
particular meaning and are wore to different events or occasions.
JAPANESE CULTURE - CEREMONIES

The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a highly developed art form, with several different schools or
styles of Japanese Tea Ceremony in existence. The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a very formal
event in which many exacting steps are followed.

Traditional Japanese weddings ceremonies are normally based on the Japanese Shinto religion
ceremony. Traditional Japanese weddings are major occasion with the wearing of traditional
Japanese clothing including the bride in the wedding kimono.
JAPANESE CULTURE - MUSIC

Japanese Music is a major part of Japanese culture which spans from the traditional Japanese
music and instruments to modern Japanese music including J-POP and Japanese Rock Music.

The Koto is one of the most refined and sophisticated of the traditional Japanese musical
instruments. To the western ear the Koto would sound similar to a harp. What is equally amazing
about the Koto, is seeing it carried by petite Japanese woman.
JAPANESE CULTURE - FESTIVALS

Bon-Odori Festival is a traditional Japanese summer festival featuring Japanese drum music,
dancing and special summer food. During summer evenings everywhere in Japan, the local
community enjoys Bon-Odori (dance) in the near-by park or playground. This tradition was
originated when the farmers thanked the Rice Paddock God for the good summer crop. The Dance
movement is simple and repetitive

Shichi-Go-San Festival is a traditional Japanese festival where parents celebrate on the fifteenth of
November their children growing up as they turn three, five and seven years of age. Shichi-go-san
is a festival celebrated by parents on the fifteenth of November in Japan, to mark the growth of
their children as they turn three, five and seven years of age.

Shichi-go-san literally means seven, five and three. These ages are considered critical in a
childs life. Particularly, at the age of seven, a young girl celebrates wearing her first obi, while at
the age of five a young boy celebrates wearing his first hakama pants in public. The age of three
marks the first time whereby both boys and girls are allowed to let their hair grow.

Japanese New Year is celebrated at same time of the year as western countries, but is
celebrated in a distinctive style. Japanese New Year is an important family time of the year
and there are many traditions involved The Japanese people attach great importance to the
New Year season. There are traditional New Year's foods that are eaten to give strength, give
good luck, good health and long life. One traditional food prepared at New Year's time is
mochi.
Mochi pounding is the biggest event of the New Year's celebration. To pound mochi, sweet
rice is soaked overnight then steamed until soft. Then place the mochi in the usu (big, deep
bowl). One or two people pound the mochi while another person turns the mochi in the usu
between the pounds and sprinkles some water on it. When the mochi is smooth, it is placed
on a table and shaped into flat balls with the hand.
Ozoni (mochi soup) is made on New Year's eve and is eaten after midnight. It is believed to
give strength throughout the upcoming year. Having a whole red fish is greatly believed to
bring you good luck.
Our family New Year's tradition is to attend a service at the Buddhist temple, and pay our
respects to deceased family members. At midnight each person helps to ring the church bell
and we drink a toast of warm sake. Then we dash home through a thick blanket of smoke to
light strings of firecrackers, believed to scare away evil spirits.

Japan is a secular society- make good friendships with others by using cooperativeness especially during
[[#|social]] obligations
Japan's Most Important Values- harmony, order and self-development (these underlie Japanese social
interaction)
Japanese tend to avoid open competition and confrontation
Heavily into group work- symbols like uniforms, names, banners and
songs distinguish separate groups. they are prized on working together
and like to sustain the feeling of being in a group, especially after work.
Japanese [[#|people]] like to go after-work bar hopping to continue the feeling
of being in a group and also to release social tensions.
They also believe white people are idiots stupid and very ugly.