Japanese culture: A guide to traditions, history, customs & more

There's no country like Japan. On your first few visits to this idiosyncratic country, your jaw would keep dropping, your eyes bulging, and your mouth spewing exclamations.

"I'm writing a blog post, not a book. What do I cover about Japanese culture? What would our dear readers want to know?" After brainstorming for hours, I've settled on some topics and I'm determined to wow you with interesting facts — at least a few times!

Before you read on, I recommend bookmarking this page. Because there'll be more specific and in-depth articles linked to this post later on.

Done?

Cool. With this article, you'll pick up some Japanese words as a bonus. I'm super curious to know what you'll find fascinating!

Table of contents

• Historical roots of Japanese culture
  • "Native Japanese"?
  • Samurai
  • Bunmei kaika
  • Post WWII
• Classic Japanese culture and traditions
  • Arts and crafts
  • Festivals & celebrations
  • Religion
  • Food
• Interesting facts about Japanese culture
  • Language
  • Tradition meets technology
  • Etiquette & social norms
• Differences between American and Japanese culture
• Conclusion

Historical roots of Japanese culture

Japan has a couple of thousand years of history as a civilized country. Let's have a look at these hand-picked key periods and topics here.

"Native Japanese"?

Japanese people seem pretty homogenous, but the majority have a mix of multiple origins. One of the indigenous Japanese ethnic groups is called the Ainu, native to northern Japan, including Hokkaido. They faced oppression for centuries and had to fight hard for their rights. It wasn't until 2008 that they were officially and legally recognized as a Japanese Indigenous tribe.

A group of Ainu people, 1904. (Source: "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People " ISBN: 0967342902)

Even though the Ainu and Japanese languages don't share the same roots, they've influenced each other through interaction. These Japanese words originally came from the Ainu.

Yes, kombu means sea kelp! Imagine my confusion when I first saw 'kombucha' in the States. ('Kombucha' in Japan is a salty drink made with this sea kelp.)

Samurai

In the Heian Period (794-1185), warriors, mainly men, served for noble houses and started to establish their power. They're known as 侍 (さむらい - samurai). You might think of their traditional outfits, epic sword fights, and maybe the unique ways of moving and speaking.

"Tomoe Gozen in the Battle of Awazu" by Utagawa Yoshikazu. (Image in the public domain.)

Japanese has a lot of sociolects, forms of language used by particular social groups, age groups, or genders. 'Samurai kotoba' is one of them, spoken by samurai, and reflects the strict social hierarchy. It's not useful today —just amusing to hear someone use it—, but delving into it can give you a deeper understanding of the societal aspects of Japanese culture.

Bunmei kaika

Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate had the 'sakoku policy' for over 200 years until 1853, monopolizing international trade and banning Christianity. They saw foreign influences as a threat to their power centralization and tried to shut them out.

After opening up its doors, Japan started soaking up American and European culture and systems at many levels. (Adopting the Gregorian calendar is part of it.) This phenomenon is called '文明開化' (ぶんめいかいか - bunmei kaika) which means 'civilization'.

"Tokyo Koamichō Yoroibashidōri Azumatei" by Inoue Tankei. (Image in the public domain.)

Newly imported things and concepts needed Japanese names, and a bunch of intellectuals coined many of them. These '和製漢語' (わせいかんご - wasei kango, Japanese-made Chinese word') are still widely used today. Here are some surprising examples.

Post WWII

The world wars have changed everything. Economic miracle. Fridge at home. Western-style clothing. Voting rights for women. Bread and milk on the table.

Japan's rapid post-war development was driven by the concept of '追いつけ、追い越せ' (おいつけ、おいこせ - oitsuke, oikose), which translates to 'Catch up and surpass (the West)'. How then is Japanese style still a far cry away from the West?

Japanese women voting for the general election for the first time. (Source: Old Magazine Articles)

Japan's adaptability can be summed up in these words: 和洋折衷 (わようせっちゅう - wayōsecchū) and 和魂洋才 (わこんようさい - wakon'yōsai). The first means 'Japanese and Western styles blended together', and the second refers to 'Japanese spirit with Western learning'. The new systems, technologies, and culture were tweaked to fit the existing Japanese culture and mentality. Think of things like Western-style buildings with traditional Japanese roof tiles, kimono (traditional Japanese garments) paired with leather boots, or matcha ice cream.

Classic Japanese culture and traditions

The fascinating stuff you might or might not have seen or heard about. Check out what they are and some unique facts about them.

Arts and crafts

• 浮世絵 (うきよえ - Ukiyoe), Woodblock prints
  Japanese folks loved those colorful prints and bought them at bookstores during the 17-19th century. But it wasn't until the 1867 Paris Exposition that they were first recognized as 'art'. This pattern of Japanese art(ist) being first acclaimed outside the country and then acknowledged in Japan — has happened quite a lot.
• 書道 (しょどう - Shodō), Japanese calligraphy
  This expressive art form was imported from China and has developed divergently in Japan. The size of the brushes can be as small as 5.5mm in diameter or as big as an adult human (for more performative forms). The differences between Chinese calligraphy include the types of papers, brushes (and how to hold them), and inks.
• 歌舞伎 (かぶき - Kabuki)
  It's a form of Japanese theater featuring dramatic performances. Kabuki was originated by a woman named Okuni in the early 17th century, but then women were banned from performing because "it would corrupt the public morals". *shrugs* Since then, kabuki has been played only by men.
• 漆器 (しっき - Shikki), Japanese lacquerware
  Also known as 'japan', it uses resin harvested from 漆 (うるし - urushi) tree. (Hence the kanji.) It's said to have been around for about 9000 years. (Not 900, NINE THOUSAND!) The lacquerware often comes in black or vermillion because of the dark color of the resin, but modern technology has made it possible to paint it in a wider range of colors such as white.

Festivals & celebrations

• 正月 (しょうがつ - Shōgatsu), New Year
  Japan celebrates its New Year, the most important holiday, in January. One of the common traditions during 正月 is 'お年玉' (おとしだま - otoshidama), New Year's gift money given by adults to kids. Originally, 餅 (もち - mochi, sticky rice cake) used to be distributed instead of money. It was eventually replaced with cash, and nowadays it can come in digital currency!
• 桃の節句 / 雛祭り (もものせっく / ひなまつり - Momo no sekku / Hinamatsuri)
  People celebrate this Girls' Day on March 3rd every year to wish for the healthy growth of girls. You see a set of dolls called '雛人形' (ひなにんぎょう - hina ningyō) everywhere, representing a wedding from the Heian Period. Back in the day, marriage was believed to be crucial for a woman's happiness, and pesky adults would urge us to put the dolls away immediately after the festival otherwise, "You'd marry late!" *shrugs*
• 端午の節句 / こどもの日 (たんごのせっく / こどものひ - Tango no sekku / Kodomo no hi)
  People celebrate this Boys' Day on May 5th every year to wish for the healthy growth of boys. You see lots of carp-shaped streamers called '鯉幟' (こいのぼり - koinobori) flapping in the sky everywhere. The superstition goes that a carp turns into a dragon when it swims up the waterfall, symbolizing men's success. (Why not women's success?)
• お盆 (おぼん - Obon)
  Most areas celebrate this annual Japanese holiday from August 13th to 16th. (In other places, July 13th-16th.) Like Halloween, the belief goes that the ancestors' spirits come back to our world during the period, and there are various traditional events all over the country. The word 'お盆' derives from the Sanskrit word 'ullambana', which means 'hanging upside down'.

Religion

• 神 (かみ - Kami), God
  Shintō, the oldest religion in Japan, believes that gods are present in everything. While no 'god' exists in Buddhism, the major religion in Japan. The word 神 is used in daily conversations, and it usually means something supreme, not any specific deity.
• 仏教 (ぶっきょう - Bukkyō), Buddhism
  There are 13 schools (denominations) of Buddhism in Japan. Most 'supposedly Buddhists' are unaware of which school they belong to or the differences among those schools. It's commonly seen as outrageous to set off firecrackers at a cemetery, while it's a Buddhist tradition in certain areas with a certain Buddhist school.
• 鳥居 (とりい - Torii)
  It's the big, vermillion gate standing at the entrance of or within Shintō shrines. There are so many fascinating stories about it —why '鳥' (tori, bird) in the name?— but let me share one here; we're NOT supposed to walk through 鳥居 straight down the center because it's reserved for the gods.

Food

• 鍋料理 (なべりょうり - Nabe ryōri)
  A lot of Japanese people would call 鍋料理, or 鍋 (なべ - nabe) for short, as a staple winter food. It's a type of hot pot dish that has countless variations. The basic one has vegetables, meat, or fish cooked in soup stock, and you serve them in your small bowl as the food is ready. This video explains how to cook a typical 鍋料理.
• 海藻 (かいそう - Kaisō), Seaweed
  So many kinds (more than 100!) of seaweed are consumed in Japan. The aforementioned 昆布 (kombu) is often used to make soup stock, and 海苔 (のり - nori) is the black sheet that wraps sushi. They're rich in water-soluble dietary fiber, and minerals including iodine. So when you try some and like them, go easy on them!
• フグ (ふぐ - Fugu)
  Isn't it crazy to eat this deadly poisonous pufferfish? Still, フグ is seen as a nice delicacy in Japan. Only professionals with a special license are allowed to prepare this fish, and the majority of the poisoning cases are caused by unlicensed folks. Sashimi (sliced raw fish) of フグ is usually so thin you could see through the plate. It's the work of highly trained specialists, too.

Interesting facts about Japanese culture

"Isn't everything interesting?" Pretty much. Let me share a few hand-picked cultural facts you may or may not have heard of.

Language

漢字 (かんじ - kanji) is one of the three Japanese scripts and is normally translated as 'Chinese characters'. But there are a bunch of kanji that were invented in Japan by combining existing Chinese characters in a non-Chinese way. They're called '国字' (こくじ - kokuji, national characters) or '和製漢字' (わせいかんじ - waseikanji, Japan-made Chinese characters). Here are some examples:

The types of the script can impact the reader's impression; text dense with 漢字 appears formal and maybe academic. If it's full of 平仮名 (ひらがな - hiragana), it'd look soft, possibly a bit childish. With lots of 片仮名 (かたかな - カタカナ - katakana), people would assume it's about a foreign country or culture, or something techy.

Tradition meets technology

折り紙 (おりがみ - origami) is a traditional Japanese art/play of paper-folding. Oh yes, I've played it a million times. Flowers, boats, cranes... but no, never made something like a solar panel. 折り紙 techniques have been applied to space science, with its easy-to-fold-and-open mechanism enabling big solar panels to be compactly stowed into the satellites. Can't really picture what it's like? Check out this video.

Etiquette & social norms

There are indeed tons of do's and don'ts in Japan. Even Japanese people get nervous about them, worrying if they're doing it right.

Let's say, you're invited to someone's home.

First thing first, arrive on time. Don't risk being perceived as disrespectful and unreliable by turning up late. Take off your coat outside the front door, and say "お邪魔します" (おじゃまします - ojamashimasu), which means "Excuse me for intruding", when entering the house. Oh, and of course, remove your shoes like in this video. And... there's a lot more.

Why so many rules? It's how they demonstrate their respect. You appreciate the host's time and effort made for you, and you don't bring anything dirty into their territory because cleanliness and hygiene are serious business.

Differences between American and Japanese culture

"Isn't everything different?" Basically, yeah. Even McDonald's serves different menus, and their burgers aren't exactly the same. Here are some facts and concepts that can be helpful when you interact with Japanese folks.

Communication styles

This expression sums up the expectations in the Japanese communication: '空気を読む' (くうきをよむ - kūki o yomu). It literally translates as 'read the air'. Japanese people expect you to not only read 'between the lines' but also the situation, context, and how others may be feeling or thinking, AND optimize your words and behaviors accordingly.

In the States, communication style is often more about clearly delivering your opinions. If someone gets annoyed or offended, there'll be a discussion (or an argument).

When communicating with a Japanese person, you might need Sherlock Holmes-level observation skills and cultural psychology expertise to understand their true intentions. There's a chance they're not 'saying' what they really mean to avoid potential conflict. (To be fair, even Japanese folks fail to get it right!)

Individualism vs. Collectivism

Why do the Japanese avoid conflicts? The key concept here is '和' (わ - wa, harmony). In Japanese culture, the benefits of social groups are often prioritized over those of individuals.

Part of it derives from Japan's high population density and historical need to share limited resources. It's more effective and comfortable if everyone thinks and behaves the same way. Contribution to this 'harmony' may come from a place of kindness, consideration, or obligation, and it also leads to peer pressure.

While being 'average' or doing things like 'everyone else' might not sound cool in the States, it can mean PERFECT in Japan. (Don't be afraid to be yourself and be a champ, just ensure you make others shine, too!)

Work Culture

What comes to your mind when you think of the Japanese work culture? Demand for high-quality results, long-hour labor, strict hierarchy... By and large, yes. Japanese customers aren't particularly easy to please. 9-5 workday exists only in the dream. Languages used for peers, senior coworkers, higher-ups, and clients — are most likely different.

In the States, you probably call your bosses by their first name like, "Hey Aretha!" Let's say Aretha Murphy is a marketing manager. In Japan, her junior coworkers may greet her, "（マーフィー）課長、おはようございます！" (Manager (Murphy), good morning!) Sounds kind of like the military, but it can be said in a friendly way, too.

It signifies Japan's 肩書社会 (かたがきしゃかい - katagaki shakai) which literally translates to 'title society'. Titles matter unless you're in a flat organization.

What intrigued you?

I didn't want only to highlight how wonderful Japanese culture is or illustrate how it sucks. You might've picked up on a hint of my personal feelings towards various aspects of it.

The other blogs on this theme might give you a totally different impression. So go experience Japanese culture yourself, for real, off the phone/computer screen.

Or if you’re looking to start by dipping your toe in, discover all the wonderful articles about Japanese language and culture on our Japanese blog here.