Culture of Japan

Ancient and modern culture of Japan from the "Subtlety of Tourism". All the most interesting about Japan: from the samurai to the fine arts.

Japan is a fascinating and not always understandable country for Europeans. The geographical position, the peculiarities of state policy and the ancient traditions of its people have led to some of its isolation from other countries. Because of this, the culture of Japan and Japanese aesthetics have distinct features that distinguish them from what can be seen in other countries.

In the depths of the centuries, the traditions of Japanese literature were formed .Such poetic genres as hokku, tank, haiku gave the world exactly Japan .Ancient Japanese prints still amaze connoisseurs and lovers of fine art with their expressiveness and completeness .The culture of everyday life, the inalienable components of which are the veneration of the elders younger and the specific attitude towards the woman, the search for beauty and harmony in all spheres of life did not come to modern Japanese society from the outside, but are a continuation of the traditions that originated in the centuries .

The culture of ancient Japan

Like in any other country, the basis of culture in Japan is its language and writing. The so-called Old Japanese language was formed by borrowing a system of hieroglyphs and writing of Ancient China. Gradually transforming, it nevertheless always remained extremely difficult to study.

Shintoism and Zen Buddhism, which for many centuries are the main religions in this country, have initiated a certain attitude towards life and art. Shinto - something like an ancient mythology, describing the life of the gods and spirits, who unconditionally worshiped the ancient Japanese. Under the influence of religion in the country, very strict interrelations are established within social groups, a cult of leaders and the cult of the dead are being formed.

The arrival of Buddhism in Japan and its rapid spread is still a mystery to scientists, but nevertheless, from the 5th to 6th centuries it began to have a serious impact on the minds and psychology of the population of the country.

Almost all the works of ancient painting in Japan, one of the main places is nature, which from the religious point of view is the embodiment of the divine beginning.

Surprisingly early is the Japanese literature .While Japanese men wrote using Chinese characters, women who were forbidden to learn foreign languages were written in Japanese, creating surprisingly beautiful works that realistically depict the world and filled with national coloring .The Tokyo National Museum (address: 13-9 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 110-871) provides an opportunity to get acquainted with the richest collection of exhibits, allowing to trace the interrelation between various facets of Japanese culture and their development for many centuries .

The Torii Gate at the Itucushima Shrine

Stone image of Buddha in Kamakura

Flying carp during the celebration of Children's Day, Japan

Flying carps during the celebration of Children's Day

Samurai of Japan

A unique layer of culture of this country is associated with the traditions of samurai .Usually, the military feudal class of small noblemen is called samurai .There was nothing analogous in Europe, although it is possible to draw some analogies with the medieval chivalry .Samurai originated in the 7th century, and in the 10th and 13th centuries it was finally formed .By this time, the main clans were not just in the service of aristocratic families, but gained political weight .Samurai ideology was based on Zen Buddhism, which was based on the teachings of bushido - a code of honor, to which samurai followed strictly .Education was also welcomed in this milieu: influential families sought to educate their children for all arts, not just the military .From the rest samurai differed and outwardly: a special hairstyle and two swords, large and small, were obligatory .The appearance of the samurai-bushi - developed in the 18th century .The history of the samurai estate ended already in the 19th century, but the spirit of bushido continues to live in the Japanese, which became quite obvious during the Second World War .To better understand the traditions, lifestyle and way of thinking of samurai, it's worth visiting the same Tokyo National Museum .In its halls are presented many unique items that give an idea of the life of the Japanese military nobility and now have the status of the national treasure in Japan .

In particular, a special interest is the collection of samurai swords, the oldest of which dates from the 11th century.

The Art of Japan

The search for harmony between all the components of life is, perhaps, what is most typical for all art trends in Japan .The desire to find those brightest strokes that best emphasize the individuality of the depicted object, regardless of the way information is delivered, makes the art of this country relevant always and everywhere .I must say that many kinds of art came to the daily life of the world from Japan: the origami is increasingly popular - the art of folding a variety of figures from paper .

The art of making bouquets - Ikebana - has long been firmly established in the arsenal of all professional florists of the world, and the creation (namely creation, otherwise you will not say) of bonsai, that is, the cultivation of dwarf trees and combining them into compositions, is gaining popularity among residents of modern close megacities .30 km from Tokyo, in the suburbs of Omiya, there is a bonsai park .His collection of bonsai trees is unique .Here you can see the bonsai from 10 cm to 120 cm in height, they are all equally elegant, despite the completely different appearance of .It is in this park that it becomes clear that bonsai is, first of all, art, and only then technologies .

The art of organizing a tea ceremony is also becoming popular. Today this is no longer a strictly ritual, held under the guidance of a tea master in a special tea pavilion, but rather an occasion to see friends. But, as before, pedantic observation of all stages of this action leads its participants into a peaceful, contemplative mood, and this is what so often lacks modern people.

The exact balance of the finest color transitions in combination with the refined lines in the works of painting is distinguished by the paintings of Japanese masters .All of them, including utilitarian works used in everyday life, are full of hidden meaning and make us take a fresh look at the surrounding reality .It is inherent in painting and the art of calligraphy, which consists not only of the ability to write beautifully the hieroglyphics, but also to precisely choose those that best convey the mood of the author .In the Gallery of Applied Arts at Tokyo, 1-1 Kitanomaru-koen, you can see a lot of Japanese artisans' products .Presented works from glass, paper, metal, plastic, ceramics, bamboo .The most outstanding samples are stored in the collection of the National Museum of Modern Art at 8-36 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo .

Flowers in the art of Japan

It is impossible not to mention the Japanese design. First of all, this is the design of household appliances and other industrial goods. Elegance, harmony and the highest degree of functionality distinguish almost all Japanese goods, we are talking about pens or cars. A number of outstanding works by Japanese designers of the current and past centuries are presented in the halls of the National Museum of Modern Art (website in English), and with ordinary samples can be found in the shops, in the range of which there are Japanese goods.

Despite the fact that the world cinema is experiencing the clear influence of American cinema, Japanese cinema has given the world a lot of great paintings, awarded awards of the most prestigious festivals and triumphantly passed across the screens of the whole world. Directors such as Akira Kurosawa (who, by the way, was born in the family of a hereditary samurai), Kaneto Shindo, stand alongside the most outstanding figures in the world cinema.

Surprisingly, the Oscar-winner Akira Kurosawa, so subtly showing the world to Japan, was never fully understood in her native country, and one of his best films Rasemon (which does not leave the list of the best films in the world) was not recognized in Japan as a masterpiece

Theater in Japan

Japan's theatrical art is multifaceted and many-sided .Perhaps the most famous is the Kabuki Theater, formed in the 17th century .All roles in this theater are performed by men, and plays for him are written by outstanding Japanese playwrights .Tours of the Kabuki Theater in Europe and America evoke a constant full house and enthusiastic feedback from the audience .In Tokyo, the performance can be seen at Kabuki-za, 4-12-5 Ginza, Chou-ku .Order tickets by phone 81-3-5565-6000, the cost of them ranges from 2250 to 16800 yen .The presentation lasts from 16 .30 to 21 .00, but for an inexperienced viewer to look at it completely will be quite tiring, too specific is the genre .Many tourists hire a headset (650 yen rent and 1000 yen deposit), in which the detailed explanations for the play are broadcast (in English) .

Globalism manifests itself in everything, and the modern culture of Japan has not withstood the onslaught of the cultural currents of the countries of Asia, Europe and North America. The modern art of this country traces the trends formed outside of it, but nevertheless any work of Japanese artists, poets, writers, cinematographers carries in itself those bright features that have protected the Land of the Rising Sun for many centuries as one of their treasures.