Japanese Culture

Japanese culture

SWIBS 128 ADA Introduction:

It is well known that Japanese culture has been greatly influenced by the Chinese culture,and yet China and Japan are almost as different from each other as any two neighboring countries can ever be.However,due to the separation of two land masses,the differences between the two societies and cultures have been extended vastly. Through this report,I hope to provide a clearer picture of Japanese culture in the fields of Japanese foods,festivals and customs.

Main text:

The first Japanese culture I’d like to introduce is food culture.Because of its uniqueness,Japanese cuisine is respected appreciated,and most of all,enjoyed by people all around the world.Japanese cuisine includes a wide variety of products,some 1,500 different items,with noodles and rice at its center.Based on considerations of food freshness and quality factors,Japanese food also emphasizes on seasonal produce,and uses many special foods such as mustard and natto.Those products are shared with other Asian countries, but also have their own special Japanese style and taste.Japanese cuisine is perhaps most unique for its‘UMAMI’,because fresh seafood is one of the most important components of Japan eating customs.Japanese cuisine is not only the mouth to take the food,but also the eyes and nose,it has beautiful appearance and pleasant smell,which pay attention to the ‘artistic’and ‘elegance’.All the above reflect the everlasting pursuit to beauty and health of Japanese nation. Japanese businessmen may have leisurely business chats with their partners in traditional Japanese family style restaurants,these restaurants always specialize in one or two particular types of food.Unlike their western countries’counterparts,family restaurants in Japan offer exceptionally good value,great service and tasty food ,which provide suitable atmospheres to have business dinner.However,colleagues prefer to invite each other to go home for dinner and after that, pub is a general selection to have a drink for relax.

Japanese is always famous for their serious,but they do know how to kick back and have fun.Foreigners might be surprised by how wild Japanese festivals can get:Fertility festival,Fire festival,Snow festival,etc..The most well-known festival is Cherry Blossoms Festival,it is the spring season during which the Japanese cherry blossom trees begin to bloom.These trees are often planted across parks and people are known to enjoy picnics and tea ceremonies under them to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of spring,it is also a symbol of life’s all-too-brief span and a excellent excuse for Japanese to get drunk and dance around in cemeteries.In modern society,the Cherry Festival is a time when concerts are arranged and there is plenty of

musical activities going on in the country.At that time,the streets are filled with games and rides of different kinds for the Japanese children to enjoy.Japanese women even wear KIMONO,the traditional Japanese dress,to celebrate the special time. Basically the cherry blossom festival season is a mixture of all kinds of activities ranging from one end of the boundary to the other,besides flower-watching and recreational activities,young men and women may encounter their future partners and develop romantic liaisons under the cherry blossom trees.To fit a modern age,many organizations even hold parties for youth.

Though some Japanese customs stem from ancient Japanese culture,they are followed to this date.Almost all Japanese bow down to opposite person to express their reverence,especially in business occasions.Shaking hands is not very common in Japan,because Japanese believe that is impolite to have a close contact with others.Similarly,kissing and holding are also regarded as disrespectful actions.Under the influence of western culture,when having a conversation with Japanese,it is best to avoid personal questions,such as age,salary and marital status,even if the Japanese counterparts are doing so.If Japanese offer to invite their business partners to their home,it is a big honor and to respond to the goodness,visitors should carry gifts,the type and price of the gifts depend on the relationship with the recipient.It is deserve to be mentioned that the Japanese are very punctual people,and adhere to a predetermined agenda.By this way,they consider late is a rude gesture,and can reflect the deficiency of workplace ethics as well as social engagement.

Conclusion:

It is important to have knowledge about any culture before a business visiting and it is the best way to make the host appreciative of the fact that foreigners have made effort to learn about their culture.I believe the knowledge of Japanese culture above can make visitors more culturally aware and do business with Japanese more smoothly.