Japanese Culture

Copying Buddhist sutras is called shakyo and in Japan it typically refers to copying the Hannya Shingyo (The Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra).

Japan is the only country in the world that uses a seal registration system.

Furoshiki are square cloths for storing, wrapping, and carrying items. They are also used to cover things that are important to protect from dust.

Gagaku is a traditional Japanese art form which combines singing and dancing elements from classical Japanese styles such as kagura (shinto music and dancing) with elements from the ancient Asian continent such as from China.

Origami is a traditional form of Japanese entertainment in which you make various shapes such as cranes, boats, and helmets by folding colored paper.

In contrast to the type of paper that originated in the West, there is also a type of paper made through a traditional Japanese manufacturing method called washi(Japanese paper).

Chopsticks are indispensable cutlery items when it comes to Japanese cuisine. They are used not only for eating, but also for cooking.

Fireworks that color the night sky are synonymous with summer in Japan, and fireworks festivals are held throughout the country every year, mainly during July and August.

There is a range of yakatabune from small boats with a capacity of 10 people, to larger luxurious ships that can carry up to 100 people.

A yukata is a type of Japanese clothing that is worn in summer. It is a thin cotton kimono that is relatively easy to wear compared to a regular kimono.

Nohgaku is a Japanese traditional art that has been practiced since the Muromachi period — more than 600 years.

Kado（flower arrangement） is a traditional Japanese art in which flower vases are adorned with seasonal flowers and plants for people to appreciate. This art is also known as ikebana.

Shodo means the traditional Japanese art of calligraphy, in which kanji and kana letters are written using a brush and ink.

Nihonshu (Japanese sake) is a type of alcohol made by fermenting rice. It has been produced in Japan for more than 1,000 years.

Rakugo is an art of humorous storytelling that has been around for 400 years, since the Edo period. It is performed in an entertainment hall known as a "yose".

Kimonos are Japan's traditional national dress.

At first, castles were defensive bases, but later shoguns and samurai started living in them.

When sumo wrestling first became popular in Japan 1500 years ago, it was a ritual used to predict the outcome of crop harvests.

Zazen is a practice found in Zen, one kind of Buddhism.

The Ninjas that often appear in Japanese period dramas were undercover fighters who were active from the Sengoku period to the Edo period.