Exploring the Unique Culture of Japan: From Tradition to Modernity

Abstract

Institutional affiliation Culture Shock: The Culture of Japan Introduction Japanese culture is a multi-layered and complexed culture that has been in the process of developing within itself and still changing for over thousands of years. The culture has greatly absorbed influences both from Asia and other parts of the world. primarily, the culture was first developed by the Yayoi people who are said to have settled in Japan between 1000 BCE and 300 BCE. The culture eventually spread to Honshu, which is the main early and gradually mixed with the native Jomon culture. It is estimated that the current population of Japan has 20% Jomon and 80% Yayoi ancestry. This paper aims at exploring various perspective of the Japanese culture including their food, language and music and how the culture has interacted with American culture. Notably, the history of culture of Japan is unique and long. As stated, the culture is said to have originated from the Yayoi people who the settled in the island between 1000 BCE and 300 BCE (Davies, 2016). In the Middle Ages, the culture was largely influenced by various Chinese dynasties and to a given extent by other Asian countries. For instance, the writing of the Japanese language basically uses Kanji characters but the Japanese culture does not have generic link with the Chinese culture. Overtime, the culture has largely been influenced by western countries since the Meiji period. In a detailed comparison of the Japanese culture with the American culture, various notable variations can be picked. Japanese people are more formal compared to Americans. Japanese are known to be socially colder than American and individuals tend to stand at a far distance apart while speaking or interacting. Also, people in Japan are nationalistic but have a relatively low regard to politics. On the other hand, American culture tends to have a high regard to politics and have a high approval to the activities of the politicians. Correspondingly, Japanese people tend to be more subtle while the Americans tend to be blunter and more direct. The culture of Japan sometimes considers being direct as rude including the accrued body language that an individual use in the process of communication. In other words, the Japanese people tend to be more reserved compare to the Americans and they tend to share lees sensitive and personal information compared to the Americans. In a review of the behavior, mentality and lifestyle of people in Japan, housing is usually mansions or apartments. The houses are mainly traditional with futons and mats. However, western style of housing is increasingly becoming popular among the Japanese people. In review of their behaviors, Japanese people take time management seriously and they are usually punctual to their activities. They are also kind and usually thoughtful of others. An example is their normal practice of bringing a gift when an individual visit another (Davies, 2016). They are also known to be very shy people a notion that can be linked to their accrued focus on respect and politeness. People in the country are not outspoken and they fear disrespecting others in the process of communication. The Japanese people are also relatively clean and they encourage the culture of cleanliness all over the country. It is common to find Japanese people picking trash voluntarily in the streets. Regarding the Japanese food, they have a long culinary past where they have developed refined and sophisticated cuisine which has become fashionable all over...