Name and ID No: Aiza B.

Malveda/2018-0982
Course, Year and Section: AB-Filipino/4th year/NIH001A
Date Submitted: October 19, 2021 (Tuesday)

NIH001A: Basic Nihonggo

Worksheet #1

JAPANESE CULTURE AND SOCIETY

Instruction:
Find appropriate references (books, magazines, websites, fb pages, blogs/vlogs, podcast,
and other online sources) and answer the following briefly:

I. List 10 aspects or components of Japanese culture and its society that you like or you
wish to know [more] and/or you want to experience.
II. What aspect of Japanese language do you want to learn?

1. Language

Japanese Culture and Tradition | Japanese Translation (globalizationpartners.com)

The national language is Japanese, which is the primary spoken language across the country. Old
Japanese, or “Kanbun”, originated from China and the earliest Japanese text, the “Kojiki,” was written in
the early 8th century and was written primarily in ancient Chinese characters. Modern Japanese developed
during the Edo period, between 1603 and 1868.
Modern Japanese consists of three alphabets:
• Kanji (logographic Chinese characters)
• Hiragana (a phonetic Japanese alphabet)
• Katakana (a phonetic alphabet used for foreign words)
The development and widespread use of Katakana is illustrative of Japan’s recent adoption of Western
cultures, ideas and words.

2. Shinto and
Buddhism

Shinto And Buddhism cultural features - Famous Cultural Features in Shinto And Buddhism, Japan | Insight Guides
The major tenets of Shinto – Japan’s indigenous religion – were the imperial family’s direct
descent from the Sun Goddess and the resulting divinity of the emperor. Although his divinity was
renounced after World War II, the emperor remains Shinto’s titular head.
The way of the gods
Literally ‘the way of the gods’, Shinto has a strong component of nature-worship, with shrines in
such places of great natural beauty as mountain tops or forests, where divine spirits are believed to
inhabit waterfalls, unusual rocks or great trees. Its followers respect the deities through ritual purification
ceremonies.
Shinto remains a less solemn religion than Westerners are used to. The commercial bustle around
Tokyo’s Asakusa shrine evokes the atmosphere of a Western country fair. At the shrine, people clap
their hands to attract the gods’ attention, bow respectfully, toss coins into a slotted box and offer up
prayers. Then they visit the food stalls, amusement booths and souvenir shops located inside the sanctuary
grounds. In few countries do religion and commerce coexist so harmoniously.
Buddhism
Buddhist philosophy originated in India c.500BC. Pure Buddhist doctrine teaches the quest for
enlightenment (nirvana) by the progressive abandonment of desire, the source of all life’s pain. In
Japan, Buddhist practice shifted away from private contemplation to public charity work. The
requirements of celibacy and asceticism were also gradually dropped.

3. Cuisine

Japanese Cuisine cultural features - Famous Cultural Features in Japanese Cuisine, Japan | Insight Guides

If Japanese culture expresses itself most vividly in its food, that is also where the ultimate
adventure for foreign visitors lies. The preparation and presentation of Japanese cuisine reflect the
traditional emphasis on form, colour and texture. Any fine Japanese meal is supposed to be a feast for the
eyes as well as the palate.
The secret of enjoying Japanese food is to abandon all preconceptions about what a meal should
be and how it should be served. Things you are used to eating hot will be served in Japan at room
temperature, and dishes you expect to arrive separately will appear all together – or vice versa. Even
people who consider themselves reasonably familiar with Japanese cuisine will find themselves baffled
by much of what they encounter in Japan.

4. Onsen Japanese
Hot Spring

Onsen Japanese Hot Springs cultural features - Famous Cultural Features in Onsen Japanese Hot Springs, Japan
One of the great experiences awaiting travellers to Japan is a long, relaxing soak in one of the
country's numerous springs, known as onsen. There is a long and venerable tradition of communal bathing
in these natural baths, and a great variety to choose from. Many are in picturesque locations in the
mountains.
Males and females go their separate ways at this point, but as in all onsen, soap and thoroughly
rinse off first, sitting on a little wooden stool and dousing your body from a wooden bucket. Then – bliss
is the only word for it – it’s time to lower yourself inch by inch into the waters (hot but not scalding) and
let the body gradually adjust. It’s a tingling cleanliness that washes over you, that penetrates beneath the
skin, and that drowsily wafts over the mind. After 10 or 20 minutes, heave yourself out, dry off, and climb
back up to the tatami room. The maid will pull out your sitting pillows and serve tea and marzipan balls.
The balcony looks out over tiled roofs and trees, and laughter and the contented buzz of conversation
drifts over from adjoining rooms.

5. Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom cultural features - Famous Cultural Features in Cherry Blossom, Japan | Insight Guides

Japan is about to welcome the most beautiful season of the year. Cherry blossom (“Sakura” in
Japanese) is one of the most gorgeous, beautiful and fascinating sights you can see on the planet. As
much as we love Japanese cherry blossoms, how well do we know about it??

So, when did cherry blossoms start in Japan??

Cherry blossoms have been a symbol of Japan for many centuries. Accordingly the history of
cherry blossoms in the country started hundreds years ago and from 8th century, people started
enjoying cherry blossom viewing (“Hanami” in Japanese). Since then, people have been obsessed
with this pretty pink flower and Hanami is now one of the biggest seasonal customs in Japan.

Over 150 varieties exist, varying in terms of size, colour and exact blooming time. Why the big
fuss over these precious pink petals? For many Japanese, the cherry blossom epitomises the fleeting nature
of beauty and purity, the concepts of transience and impermanence that imbue so many aspects of
Japanese culture, psyche and even identity. During World War II, Japan’s notorious kamikaze suicide
pilots were even romanticised as human cherry blossoms, their young lives abruptly ending after a
supposedly dazzling moment of glory.

6. Sumo Wrestling

Sumo Wrestling cultural features - Famous Cultural Features in Sumo Wrestling, Japan | Insight Guides

Sumo is Japan's national sport, a uniquely Japanese pursuit involving physical strength, strictly
observed ritual, a complex code of behaviour, religious overtones, a daunting hierarchy system and
feudalistic training regimes. It originated 15 centuries ago in ancient Shinto ceremonies.

The apprenticeship of wrestlers (called rikishi) is long and harsh. Only when the wrestler makes it to
the higher ranks of ozeki or rarely achieved yokozuna (grand champion) does life become easier. Those
in the lower ranks become servants of the ozeki or yokozuna, running errands and scrubbing backs.

7. Ryokan Traditional
Inns
 Ryokan Traditional Inns cultural features - Famous Cultural Features in Ryokan Traditional Inns,
Japan

Ryokan (Japanese-style inns) exude an atmosphere of traditional Japanese living and a stay will be
a rewarding experience. They charge an average of ¥9,000 per person, depending on the type of bath
facilities offered. The rates at a truly elegant ryokan can rise far higher. There are about 80,000 ryokan in
Japan, of which 2,000 are members of the Japan.

Guests sleep in rooms covered with tatami (straw) mats, on futons. The baths are sometimes
communal, though there are usually separate baths for men and women. Some establishments feature the
private use of a Japanese-style hot tub.

8. Tea Ceremony

13 Reasons Why Japan Is the World’s Most Unique Country (theculturetrip.com)

The tea ceremony was introduced to Japan by Chinese monks over 1,000 years ago. But over the
centuries, the Japanese tea ceremony has become such a unique and distinctive art that the two now have
few similarities.

The tea ceremony is known as chanoyu, or sado, in Japanese, and the art and performance of
preparing and presenting matcha powdered green tea is called otemae. Chakai are informal gatherings
held to appreciate the ritualized serving of tea, while the more formal occasion is a chaji. An alternative,
but less common, version of the ceremony uses tea leaves and is known as senchado.

9. Kimono

13 Reasons Why Japan Is the World’s Most Unique Country (theculturetrip.com)

Traditional fashions such as kimono are unique to Japan and one thing that sets it apart from
other cultures. Many locals still enjoy wearing traditional clothes for special occasions, including
graduation, weddings, and festivals.

Kimonos were popular for many reasons, mainly for being versatile. They could easily be layered or
altered to suit any season. Heavy silk kimonos could be worn in the fall and winter, while the light linen
and cotton kimono, known as a yukata, could be worn in summer. The yukata is still commonly worn
during seasonal summer festivals and fireworks displays (miyabi).
 10. Anime and Manga

13 Reasons Why Japan Is the World’s Most Unique Country (theculturetrip.com)

Astro Boy, written in the 1950s, is one of the world’s first manga. The comic was admired for its
progressive style, and decades later, manga and anime would grow to become one of the country’s most
iconic exports. Japan’s manga has a strong influence on the comic book artistry in South Korea and
China in particular.

Modern-day manga is defined as comics, corresponding to a Japanese style which originated

during the mid-1900s. The word 'manga' can be loosely translated as whimsical pictures. In Japan, the
word refers to all comics, while elsewhere it refers exclusively to comics of Japanese origin.Doraemon
generic
Anime can be best described as manga's onscreen counterpart. Once a manga series has proved its
worth by popularity, it is usually adopted into an anime, or Japanese style animation.

The popularity of both manga and anime has skyrocketed since when they were first introduced in
the mid-1900s. Today, there is a huge domestic industry for manga and anime, and the two genres are
becoming increa

II. What aspect of Japanese language do you want to learn?

The aspect of Japanese language that I want to learn is the Modern Japanese which consist of three
alphabets the Kanji, Hirigana and Katakana.