Japan Travel Guides |
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Everyday you definitely hear something about Japan, subjects ranging from finance, goods trading, Japanese cuisine, gaming devices like Sony PSP and Nitendo Wii, auto makers big names like Toyota and Honda. We are seem so familiar with Japan yet it is so mysterious to us in both Western and Eastern world. What exactly can best describe this "Land of Rising Sun"? An automotive giant country as well as the coolest yet very innovative consumer electronic appliances producer? Or is it a land of colorful cultures from kabuki show to animation, from geisha to new age people in Harrazuku, ancient Shinto and Buddhist temple to modern skyscrapers? Japan Imperialism, Japanese History and Japan EdoAs a whole, Japan is a mix of West and East. It has its more than 2000 years of history which starts from Jomon period to current Hesei period that developed its own unique Eastern culture which is very much different from any Asia countries. This uniqueness has some similarity where it influenced by China culture, religion - Buddhism a lot especially during Kamakura period (1185-1333), writing system which named as Kanji during the Sui and Tang dynasty in 7th century. During the Edo period (1600-1867), led by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and his families in Nikko, Japan had numerous vigorous popular culture cultivate and prosper. Example like joruri pupet theather, kabuki, ukiyo-e prints, bunjin-ga painting, Basho's poetry, Saikaku's fiction, and Chikamatsu's drama. Samurai practices reached a new high where philosophical underpinning for the bakuhan, Confucianism and neo-Confucian Shushigaku became the major subjects for early-Edo samurai. However, 3rd Shogun Iemitsu practiced closed door policy where no foreign interaction from culture to commerce. This slowly lay the cracking of falling of the shogunate and Edo era. Back dated Meiji period which about 141 years since Japan nation started to catch up with the industrialized West. Seeking to "enrich the country and strengthen the military", industry was promoted, Western culture was encouraged, new constitution drawn, established parliament, unequal treaties during Edo period is banished. Until Japan won the battle in Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars moved Japanese capitalism onto the international stage and this was the time a true Japanizing Western culture flourished. Japan Modernization and CurrentThough out this 141 years, Japan accepted wholeheartedly the western cultures and products, yet they modify to suit its local people and making them unquestionably their own, hence Japan is well known as "Copy Cat" in early 50s. Something interesting to notice are the Japanese vending machines, gaming machines - Pachinko, corporate office that has tatami rooms, pizza with fresh raw fish, pretty white-glove elevator operators always with bright smiling greetings at well-known department stores, primary school kids taking their famous little red hard case backpack walking in group to school, eating fresh alive seafood at sushi bar near Tsukiji wholesale fish market and hangout at Roppongi Hills skyscrapers building or Tokyo tower seeing over the night scenic of Tokyo. Due to all of this unique blending of East and West into Japanese culture, Japan is always having its fascinating, interesting and mysterious inside which keep us looking deeper into. Constant discovery is the key to understand more about Japan as you never know what you will find out there!
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