Monday, February 9, 2009

Japan And Her Unique Culture

By Ron Otaku

Japan as a country has a cultural background that is wide ranging and special. A growing number of people have taken fancy to a culture that has a unique ability to pique a person's interest and pull them in deeper. The Japanese are now known more for their fascinating exports that grew from an age of modernization than anything else.

This cannot be more true than in her export of fashion. The Japanese never rest on their laurels and are always on the cutting edge when it comes to designing and dressing up. This has meant becoming an industry leader especially in the surrounding regions.

Fashion in Japan has huge variety. There is the popular street fashion that is copied in other Asian cities like Seoul and Singapore, while Western youth have taken to it readily. The more off-center Japanese Cosplay and Kogal fashions also enjoy hardcore cult followings all over the world due to the explosion of anime's popularity.

From fashion comes music. The two have always gone hand in hand and never more so than in Japanese culture. J-pop is not only the pride of the country, but often dominates other Asian music charts as well. In the beginning, Western countries frowned upon the overly commercial leanings of the Japanese popular music industry. Now, they have accepted it and are even adopting their best features.

The same foreigners who have developed a love for anything Japanese have not spared the language either. There has been a constant influx of people who have made the effort to study the language in Japan, as well as to soak in the culture and atmosphere right in the country. A strong desire to learn more about Japan is at the heart of this movement.

Japanese culture is not just about music or clothes. They also indulge in fine arts such as brush calligraphy. The ancient martial arts are also part of their identity and there is a huge cult following for both samurai and ninja philosophies outside of the country.

There is an overriding obsession with cute and kitschy items in Japan. This has grown from their mentality and fondness for them since the modernization of the country gathered pace. The need to export also led to a heavy concentration on unique designs which eventually developed into a national identity that focused on cuteness.

The above are just some of the unique features about Japanese culture. They are also amongst the most popular ones that are often used to identify the country and her people. With such fascinating traits and exotic charm, there is much more waiting for you to learn about them. - 16887

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