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Monday 26 November 2012

Japanese Culture

 Japanese cuisine offers a great variety of dishes and regional specialties. Some of the most popular Japanese and Japanized dishes are listed below. They are categorized below into rice dishes, seafood dishes, noodle dishes, nabe dishes, meat dishes, soya bean dishes, yoshoku dishes and other dishes. Please note that some dishes may fit into multiple categories, but are listed only once.
  •  Rice Dishes
  • For over 2000 years, rice has been the most important food in Japanese cuisine. Despite changes in eating patterns over the last few decades and slowly decreasing rice consumption in recent years, rice remains one of the most important ingredients in Japan today.
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  • Rice Bowl
  • A bowl of plain cooked rice is served with most Japanese meals. For breakfast, it is sometimes mixed with a raw egg and soya sauce (tamago kake gohan) or enjoyed with natto or other toppings.
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  • Sushi (more info)
  • Sushi may refer to any dish that contains sushi rice, cooked white rice flavored with seasoned rice vinegar. There are various kinds of sushi dishes, such as nigirizushi (hand formed sushi), makizushi (rolled sushi), and chirashi (sushi rice topped with raw fish). Sushi is the most famous Japanese dish outside of Japan, and one of the most popular dishes among the Japanese themselves.
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  • Donburi (more info)
  • Donburi refers to a bowl of plain cooked rice with some other food on top of it. Donburi are served at specialty restaurants, but they are also a common dish that can be found on all kinds of restaurants' menus. Some of the most popular varieties are gyudon (stewed beef), katsudon (tonkatsu), tendon (tempura), oyakodon (chicken and egg), tekkadon (maguro), and kaisendon (raw seafood).
  • Rice Balls (Onigiri)
  • Rice balls, or Onigiri, are made of cooked rice and are usually wrapped in nori seaweed. They are usually lightly seasoned with salt and often contain a filling such as umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum), okaka (dried bonito shavings and konbu), or salmon. Rice balls are a popular and inexpensive portable snack available at convenience stores, but are also commonly served at general restaurants and izakaya.
  • Kare Raisu (Curry Rice) (more info)
  • Kare Raisu (Curry Rice) is cooked rice with a Japanese curry sauce. It can be served with additional toppings such as tonkatsu. Curry is not a native Japanese spice, but has been used in Japan for over a century. Kare Raisu is a very popular dish, and many inexpensive Kare Raisu restaurants can be found especially in and around train stations.
  • Fried Rice (Chahan)
  • Fried rice, or chahan, is a dish that was originally introduced from China. There are an infinite variety of ingredients that can be added to fried rice. Some common ones are peas, egg, green onions (negi), carrots and pork. Chahan is a suitable dish for using left over rice.
  • Chazuke (Ochazuke)
  • Chazuke, or okazuke, is another simple comfort food consisting of hot water, tea, or light fish stock poured over rice (sometimes made with leftover rice). Chazuke is often garnished with toppings such as umeboshi, grilled salmon, or pickles. Chazuke is commonly served at izakaya, and is a popular dish to eat after drinking.
  • Kayu
  • Kayu, or okayu, is Japanese rice porridge made by slow cooking rice in lots of water. It tends to be thicker than other types of rice porridge or gruel, and is a suitable dish for using left over rice. Kayu is often garnished with umeboshi, and is commonly served to sick people because it is easily digestible.
  • Seafood Dishes
  • Hundreds of different fish, shellfish and other seafood from the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers are used in the Japanese cuisine. They are prepared and eaten in many different ways, such as raw, dried, boiled, grilled, deep fried or steamed.
  • Sashimi (more info)
  • Sashimi is raw seafood. A large number of fish can be enjoyed raw if they are fresh and prepared correctly. Most types of sashimi are enjoyed with soy sauce and wasabi.
  • Yakizakana
  • Yakizakana means grilled fish. Many varieties of fish are enjoyed in this way, especially mackaral (saba), sweetfish (ayu), and hoke.
  • Noodle Dishes
  • There are various traditional Japanese noodle dishes as well as some dishes which were introduced to Japan and subsequently Japanized. Noodle dishes are very popular in Japan, and are served both hot and cold depending on the season. Noodle restaurants and food stands are ubiquitous, and it is common to find noodle stands along train platforms.
  • Soba (more info)
  • Soba are native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour or a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flour. Soba are about as thick as spaghetti, and are served either hot or cold and with various toppings.
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  • Udon (more info)
  • Udon are Japanese noodles made of wheat flour. Udon are thicker than soba and are also served either hot or cold and with various toppings such as fried tofu (kitsune udon), tempura (tempura udon), and mountain vegetables (sansai udon).
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  • Ramen (more info)
  • Ramen is Chinese style noodles prepared in a soup with various toppings. Ramen is one of the many popular dishes that were originally introduced from China but have become completely Japanized over time.
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  • Somen
  • Like Udon noodles, somen are Japanese noodles made of wheat flour, but they are much thinner than Udon and Soba. Somen are usually eaten cold and are considered a summer speciality.
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  • Yakisoba
  • Yakisoba are grilled or fried Chinese style noodles mixed with pieces of meat, cabbage, carrots, or other vegetables, and garnished with red ginger. It is a popular festival food.
  • Nabe Dishes
  • Nabe, or hot pot dishes, are prepared in a hot pot, usually at the table. Typical ingredients are vegetables such as negi (Japanese leek) and hakusai (Chinese cabbage), various mushrooms, seafood and/or meat. There are many regional and personal varieties, and they are especially popular in the cold winter months. Some special nabe dishes are:
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  • Oden
  • A nabe dish prepared with various fish cakes, daikon, boiled eggs, konyaku and kombu seaweed, slow simmered in a soy sauce based soup. Oden is a popular dish available at convenience stores in the winter.
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  • Sukiyaki
  • A nabe dish prepared with thinly sliced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and shirataki (konyaku noodles) simmered in a sweet soy sauce broth. The pieces of food are dipped into raw beaten egg before being eaten.
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  • Shabu Shabu
  • Shabu shabu is Japanese style meat hot pot where pieces of thinly sliced meat, seafood, vegetables, mushrooms and tofu, are cooked by dipping them into a hot soup. The bite sized pieces are then dipped into a ponzu citrus or sesame sauce before being eaten.
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  • Chanko Nabe
  • Chanko nabe is the traditional staple diet of sumo wrestlers. There are many varieties of chanko nabe, which can be tried at one of the several specialty chanko nabe restaurants found around Ryogoku, the sumo district in Tokyo.
  • Meat Dishes
  • Meat has been eaten in Japan in larger amounts only since the second half of the 19th century. Nowadays there are a variety of popular Japanese meat dishes.
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  • Yakitori (more info)
  • Yakitori are skewered grilled chicken pieces seasoned with salt or sauce. Almost every part of the chicken is used for yakitori including the white and dark meat, gizzards, skin, and other organs.
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  • Tonkatsu
  • Tonkatsu are deep fried pork cutlets. Tonkatsu is usually served accompanied by shredded cabbage or on top of cooked rice (katsudon). It is also a common addition to Japanese style curry rice (katsu kare).
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  • Yakiniku
  • Yakiniku literally means "grilled meat" and refers to grilling bite-size pieces of meat - mostly beef and pork - on a grill at the table. Specialized yakiniku restaurants are among the most popular restaurant types in Japan and usually serve a wide variety of meat parts at multiple quality (and cost) levels.
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  • Nikujaga (more info)
  • Nikujaga is a popular dish of home style cooking made of sweet stewed meat (niku) and potatoes (jagaimo).
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  • Teppanyaki
  • Meat, seafood and vegetables are prepared on a large iron griddle (teppan) around which the diners are seated. The chef artfully prepares the dishes in front of his customers.
  • Soybean Dishes
  • Tofu, natto, miso and many other important ingredients of Japanese cooking are made of soybeans. The following are some of the most popular soybean based dishes:
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  • Hiyayakko
  • Hiyayakko is fresh chilled tofu (usually soft tofu) commonly garnished with grated ginger, katsuobushi (shaved bonito flakes), and green onions and seasoned with soy sauce. Diners should pour a little soy sauce over the tofu before eating it if it did not come already seasoned.
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  • Yudofu
  • Yudofu are tofu pieces boiled in a clear, mild soup and dipped into soy sauce or ponzu (citrus sauce) before being eaten. Yudofu is a specialty of Kyoto and commonly served during the colder winter months.
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  • Agedashidofu
  • Agedashidofu is made of lightly breaded tofu which is fried and served hot in a dashi soy sauce broth and commonly garnished with green onions or grated daikon. Agedashidofu can be found in a variety of restaurants and is common izakaya food.
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  • Miso Soup
  • Miso soup is made by dissolving miso paste in dish stock (dashi). Common additions include wakame seaweed, small pieces of tofu, and sliced aburaage, etc.
  • Yoshoku Dishes
  • A large number of Western dishes have been introduced to Japan over the centuries. Many of them have become completely Japanized, and are referred to as Yoshoku dishes. Some of the most popular ones are:
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  • Korokke (more info)
  • Korokke has its origins in the croquettes which were introduced to Japan in the 19th century. Korokke consist of a filling that is breaded and deep fried, and are eaten with a worcestershire tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage. They come in many varieties depending on the filling, the most common of which is a mix of minced meat and mashed potatoes.
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  • Omuraisu
  • Omuraisu, short for omelete rice, is fried rice wrapped in a thin egg omelete. Omuraisu is usually shaped like an American football and may be garnished with ketchup or demi-glace sauce. It is a common diner or cafe food, although specialty omuraisu restaurants also exist.
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  • Hayashi Raisu
  • Hayashi rice is Japanese style hashed beef stew, thinly sliced beef and onions in a demi-glace sauce served over or along side cooked rice. It resembles kare raisu, and, like kare raisu, is also eaten with a spoon.
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  • Hambagu
  • Hambagu is Japanese style hamburger steak (as opposed to hambaga, which are hamburgers in a bun). Hambagu is usually served on a plate along side vegetables and rice or bread, and seasoned with a demi-glace sauce.
  • Other Dishes
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  • Bento
  • Bento, or boxed meals, are inexpensive, single portion take out meals served in a box. They usually consist of small portions of meat, vegetables, fish, or pickles together with rice. Bento come in both hot and cold varieties and are sold at specialty restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores, and are a favorite item at train stations (ekiben) and airports (soraben).
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  • Tempura (more info)
  • Tempura consists of seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, or meat coated with batter and deep fried. The resulting food has a light, but crispy texture, that may be seasoned with salt or dipped in a light sauce before eating. Tempura was introduced to Japan by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and has become one of Japan's most famous dishes internationally.
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  • Okonomiyaki (more info)
  • Okonomiyaki is a type of pancake where various ingredients such as seafood, vegetables and meat are mixed into a batter and grilled. Okonomiyaki specialty restaurants have a large hotplate built into the table where the patrons cook their own food.
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  • Monjayaki
  • Monjayaki is a Kanto region specialty that is similar to okonomiyaki; however, the batter used is much thinner than okonomiyaki resulting in a moister, less uniform dish. Monjayaki is often served at okonomiyaki restaurants.
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  • Gyoza (more info)
  • Gyoza are dumplings stuffed with a filling made of minced vegetables and ground meat. Gyoza were introduced to Japan from China. Japanese gyoza are usually prepared by frying them, and they are commonly served as a side dish to ramen.
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  • Chawanmushi
  • Chawanmushi is savory steamed egg custard that usually contains pieces of chicken, shrimp, fish cake and a ginko nut mixed inside. It is served in a small, lidded cup, and eaten with a spoon.
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  • Pickles (more info)
  • Japanese pickles, or tsukemono, come in many varieties, and are served as an appetizer, side dish, or snack, or used as a garnish or topping. They are though to aid in digestion, and a small dish of pickles is usually served with traditional Japanese meals.
  • Drinking plays an important role in Japanese society. Drinking parties, typically held at restaurants and izakaya, are a common activity that are used to strengthen both social and business ties. A large variety of alcoholic beverages can be found in Japan. Some of the most popular ones are:
  •     Beer
  • Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in Japan. The leading breweries are Asahi, Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo. The art of brewing beer was imported in the early Meiji Period from Germany as a development project for the northern island of Hokkaido.
  •     Happoshu
  • Happoshu (lit. "sparkling alcohol", also known as low-malt beer) is a relatively recent invention by Japanese brewing companies. It has a similar flavor and alcohol content as beer, but it is made with less malt, which gives it a different, lighter taste. Also due to the lower malt content, happoshu is taxed differently than beer and is consequently sold at a lower price.
  •     Third beer
  • "Third beer" (also known as "Shin Janru" or "New Genre") is the most recent development in the Japanese beer industry. In order to counter tax changes that reclassified the malt content of beer and subsequently raised the price of happoshu, this beer-like beverage contains no malt, instead using pea, soya, or wheat spirits.
  •     Rice Wine (nihonshu or sake)
  • Commonly called sake outside of Japan, nihonshu or sake (note that "sake" is also the general Japanese term for alcohol) is brewed using rice, water and white koji mold as the main ingredients. Besides major brands, there are countless local rice wines (jizake). The alcohol content of nihonshu is typically about 10-20%. It is drunk either hot or cold, and it is usually filtered although unfiltered nihonshu (nigorizake) is also popular.
  •     Shochu, Awamori
  • Shochu is a distilled spirit with an alcohol content usually between 20-40 percent. It is commonly made from rice, sweet potatoes, wheat and/or sugar cane. It is usually served mixed with water and ice, fruit juice and sparkling water, or oolong tea. Awamori is the Okinawan version of shochu. It differs in that it is made from long-grained thai-style rice instead of short-grained Japanese-style rice and uses a black koji mold indigenous to Okinawa.
  •     Chuhai
  • Chuhai (shortened from "shochu highball") are fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks with an alcohol content between 5-8 percent. Common flavors include lemon, ume, peach, grapefruit, lime, and mikan (mandarin orange). In addition there are many seasonal flavors that come and go. Recent ones include winter pear, pineapple, and nashi (Japanese pear). Chuhai are made of shochu and soda, and are available premixed in cans anywhere alcohol is sold.
  •     Highball
  • Whiskey highball, often simply called highball, is a carbonated drink made of whiskey and soda water. Originally popularized in the 1950s, the drink has enjoyed a recent resurgence as it is successfully promoted as an alternative to beer. Highball has an alcohol content of between five and seven percent and is widely available at restaurants and sold in cans.
  •     Plum wine (umeshu)
  • Umeshu is made of Japanese plums (ume), sugar, and shochu or nihonshu. Its sweet, fruity, juice-like flavor and aroma can appeal to those who normally dislike alcohol. Commonly made at home, it is also easily found anywhere alcohol is sold. It is usually served on the rocks, mixed with soda, or as an umeshu sawa (umeshu sour).
  •     Wine
  • Wine is gaining popularity in Japan, especially among women. While imported red, white, and sparkling wines from France, Italy, the United States and Australia are widely available, there also exists a sizable and increasing domestic wine industry. The most famous wine producing region within Japan is Yamanashi Prefecture.
  •     Other liquors
  • Whisky is perhaps the most popular other western liquor in Japan and is often served on the rocks or mixed with water and ice. Gin and vodka based drinks are also commonly available at bars, restaurants, and izakaya.
  • Alcoholic beverages are sold in supermarkets, department stores, convenience stores, liquor stores (sakaya) and at vending machines (although machines in public shut off after 11PM). The legal drinking age is 20 years old, the same as for purchasing tobacco products.


  • Drinking Manners
  • When drinking alcoholic beverages, it is customary to serve one another, rather than serving yourself. You should periodically check your friends' glasses, and replenish them before they are empty. Likewise, if someone wants to serve you, you should drink to make room in your glass if it is full, hold it up for the person while they pour, and then take at least one drink before putting the glass down. These customs apply to everyone in your party even if they are not drinking alcohol.
  • At the beginning of a meal or drinking party you should not start drinking until everybody at the table is served and the glasses are raised for a toast, which is usually "kampai". Other toasts are acceptable, but avoid using "chin chin" when making a toast, since in Japanese this expression refers to the male genitalia.
  • While it is considered bad manners to become obviously drunk in some formal restaurants, for example in restaurants that serve kaiseki ryori (Japanese haute cuisine), the same is not true for other types of restaurants such as izakaya, as long as you do not bother other guests.
  • Kimono and yukata are traditional Japanese clothing.
  • Kimono are made of silk and are usually very expensive. Nowadays they are worn at formal or traditional occasions such as funerals, weddings or tea ceremonies. Only rarely kimono can still be seen in everyday life.
  • Kimono differ in style and color depending on the occasion on which it is worn and the age and marital status of the person wearing it. To put on a kimono needs some practice. Especially tying the belt (obi) alone is difficult so that many people require assistance. Wearing a kimono properly includes proper hair style, traditional shoes, socks, underwear, and a small handbag for women.
  • The yukata, on the other hand, is more of an informal leisure clothing. It is a comfortable dress on summer days or after a hot bath. Yukata are relatively inexpensive and made of cotton. While staying at a ryokan, you will be provided with a yukata.
  • Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. They have been co-existing for several centuries and have even complemented each other to a certain degree. Most Japanese consider themselves Buddhist, Shintoist or both.
  • Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today. The average person typically follows the religious rituals at ceremonies like birth, weddings and funerals, may visit a shrine or temple on New Year and participates at local festivals (matsuri), most of which have a religious background.
  • Shinto ("the way of the gods") is the indigenous faith of the Japanese people and as old as Japan itself. It remains Japan's major religion alongside Buddhism.
  • Introduction
  • Shinto does not have a founder nor does it have sacred scriptures like the sutras or the bible. Propaganda and preaching are not common either, because Shinto is deeply rooted in the Japanese people and traditions.
  • "Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains, trees, rivers and fertility. Humans become kami after they die and are revered by their families as ancestral kami. The kami of extraordinary people are even enshrined at some shrines. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu is considered Shinto's most important kami.
  • Some prominent rocks are worshiped as kami.
  • In contrast to many monotheist religions, there are no absolutes in Shinto. There is noabsolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami.
  • Shinto shrines are the places of worship and the homes of kami. Most shrines celebrate festivals (matsuri) regularly in order to show the kami the outside world. Please read more on our special information pages about shrines and festivals.
  • Shinto priests perform Shinto rituals and often live on the shrine grounds. Men and women can become priests, and they are allowed to marry and have children. Priests are aided by younger women (miko) during rituals and shrine tasks. Miko wear white kimono, must be unmarried, and are often the priests' daughters.
  • Important features of Shinto art are shrine architecture and the cultivation and preservation of ancient art forms such as Noh theater, calligraphy and court music (gagaku), an ancient dance music that originated in the courts of Tang China (618 - 907).
  • Ise Jingu is Shinto's most sacred shrine.
  • Shinto History
  • The introduction of Buddhism in the 6th century was followed by a few initial conflicts, however, the two religions were soon able to co-exist and even complement each other. Many Buddhists viewed the kami as manifestations of Buddha.
  • In the Meiji Period, Shinto was made Japan's state religion. Shinto priests became state officials, important shrines started to receive governmental funding, Japan's creation myths were used to foster an emperor cult, and efforts were made to separate and emancipate Shinto from Buddhism.
  • After World War II, Shinto and the state were separated.
  • Tokyo's Meiji Shrine is dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji.
  • Shinto Today
  • People seek support from Shinto by praying at a home altar or by visiting shrines. A whole range of talismans are available at shrines for traffic safety, good health, success in business, safe childbirth, good exam performance and more.
  • A large number of wedding ceremonies are held in Shinto style. Death, however, is considered a source of impurity, and is left to Buddhism to deal with. Consequently, there are virtually no Shinto cemeteries, and most funerals are held in Buddhist style.
  • Buddhism originated in India in the 6th century BC. It consists of the teachings of the Buddha, Gautama Siddhartha. Of the main branches of Buddhism, it is the Mahayana or "Greater Vehicle" Buddhism which found its way to Japan.
  • Buddhism was imported to Japan via China and Korea in the form of a present from the friendly Korean kingdom of Kudara (Paikche) in the 6th century. While Buddhism was welcomed by the ruling nobles as Japan's new state religion, it did not initially spread among the common people due to its complex theories.
  • There were also a few initial conflicts with Shinto, Japan's native religion. The two religions were soon able to co-exist and even complement each other.
  • During the Nara Period, the great Buddhist monasteries in the capital Nara, such as Todaiji, gained strong political influence and were one of the reasons for the government to move the capital to Nagaoka in 784 and then to Kyoto in 794. Nevertheless, the problem of politically ambitious and militant monasteries remained a main issue for the governments over many centuries of Japanese history.
  • Nara's Todaiji
  • During the early Heian Period, two new Buddhist sects were introduced from China: the Tendai sect in 805 by Saicho and the Shingon sect in 806 by Kukai. More sects later branched off the Tendai sect. Among these, the most important ones are mentioned below:
  • In 1175, the Jodo sect (Pure Land sect) was founded by Honen. It found followers among all different social classes since its theories were simple and based on the principle that everybody can achieve salvation by strongly believing in the Buddha Amida. In 1224, the Jodo-Shinshu (True Pure Land sect) was founded by Honen's successor Shinran. The Jodo sects continue to have millions of followers today.
  • In 1191, the Zen sect was introduced from China. Its complicated theories were popular particularly among the members of the military class. According to Zen teachings, one can achieve self enlightenment through meditation and discipline. At present, Zen seems to enjoy a greater popularity overseas than within Japan.
  • The Lotus Hokke or Nichiren sect, was founded by Nichiren in 1253. The sect was exceptional due to its intolerant stance towards other Buddhist sects. Nichiren Buddhism still has many millions of followers today, and several "new religions" are based on Nichiren's teachings.
  • Kamakura's Great Buddha
  • Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi fought the militant Buddhist monasteries (especially the Jodo sects) at the end of the 16th century and practically extinguished Buddhist influence on the political sector.
  • Buddhist institutions were attacked again in the early years of the Meiji Period, when the new Meiji government favored Shinto as the state religion and tried to separate and emancipate it from Buddhism.
  • Nowadays about 90 million people consider themselves Buddhists in Japan. However, the religion does not directly affect the everyday life of the average Japanese very strongly. Funerals are usually carried out in a Buddhist way, and many households keep a small house altar in order to pay respect to their ancestors.
  •  Shinto shrines are places of worship and the dwellings of the kami, the Shinto "gods". Sacred objects of worship that represent the kami are stored in the innermost chamber of the shrine where they cannot be seen by anybody.
  • People visit shrines in order to pay respect to the kami or to pray for good fortune. Shrines are also visited during special events such as New Year, setsubun, shichigosan and other festivals. New born babies are traditionally brought to a shrine a few days after birth, and many couples hold their wedding ceremonies there.
  • The following structures and objects can be typically found at a shrine:
  •     Torii
  • One or more torii gates mark the approach and entrance to a shrine. They come in various colors and are made of various materials. Most torii, however are made of wood, and many are painted orange and black.
  •     Komainu
  • Komainu are a pair of guardian dogs or lions, often found on each side of a shrine's entrance. In the case of Inari Shrines, they are foxes (see picture) rather than dogs.
  •     Purification trough
  • Found near the entrance, the water of these fountains is used for purification. You are supposed to clean your hands and mouth before approaching the main hall. More details
  •     Main and offering hall
  • Depending on the shrine's architecture style, the main hall (honden) and offering hall (haiden) are two separate buildings or combined into one building. The main hall's innermost chamber contains the shrine's sacred object, while visitors make their prayers and offerings at the offering hall. More details
  •     Stage
  • Stages for bugaku dance or noh theater performances can be found at some shrines.
  •     Ema
  • Shrine visitors write their wishes on these wooden plates and then leave them at the shrine in the hope that their wishes come true. Most people wish for good health, success in business, passing entrance exams, love or wealth.
  •     Omikuji
  • Omikuji are fortune telling paper slips found at many shrines and temples. Randomly drawn, they contain predictions ranging from daikichi ("great good luck") to daikyo ("great bad luck"). By tying the piece of paper around a tree's branch, good fortune will come true or bad fortune can be averted.
  •     Shimenawa
  • A shimenawa is a straw rope with white zigzag paper strips (shide). It marks the boundary to something sacred and can be found on torii gates, around sacred trees and stones, etc. A rope similar to the shimenawa is also worn by yokozuna, the highest ranked sumo wrestlers, during ritual ceremonies.
  • There can be a variety of additional buildings such as the priest's house and office, a storehouse for mikoshi and other auxiliary buildings. Cemeteries, on the other hand, are almost never found at shrines, because death is considered a cause of impurity in Shinto, and in Japan is dealt with mostly by Buddhism.
  • The architecture and features of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples have melted together over the centuries. There are several construction styles, most of which show (Buddhist) influences from the Asian mainland. Only a few of today's shrines are considered to be built in a purely Japanese style. Among them are Shinto's most important shrines, the Ise Shrines.
  • There are tens of thousands of shrines across Japan, some of which can be categorized into a few major groups of shrines. Some of these groups are:
  •     * Imperial Shrines
  •       These are the shrines which were directly funded and administered by the government during the era of State Shinto. They include many of Shinto's most important shrines such as the Ise Shrines, Izumo Shrine and Atsuta Shrine, and a number of shrines newly built during the Meiji Period, such as Tokyo's Meiji Shrine and Kyoto's Heian Shrine. Imperial shrines can be recognized by the imperial family's chrysanthemum crest and by the fact that they are often called "jingu" rather than "jinja".
  •     * Inari Shrines
  •       Inari Shrines are dedicated to Inari, the kami of rice. They can be recognized by fox statues, as the fox is considered the messenger of Inari. There are thousands of Inari Shrines across Japan, among which Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Shrine is most famous.
  •     * Hachiman Shrines
  •       Hachiman Shrines are dedicated to Hachiman, the kami of war, which used to be particularly popular among the leading military clans of the past. Of Japan's thousands of Hachiman Shrines, the most famous is probably Kamakura's Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
  •     * Tenjin Shrines
  •       Tenjin Shrines are dedicated to the kami of Sugawara Michizane, a Heian Period scholar and politician. They are particularly popular among students preparing for entrance exams. Tenjin Shrines can be recognized by ox statues and plum trees, Michizane's favorite trees. The first and most famous Tenjin Shrine is Dazaifu Tenmangu near Fukuoka.
  •     * Sengen Shrines
  •       Sengen Shrines are dedicated to Princess Konohanasakuya, the Shinto deity of Mount Fuji. More than one thousand Sengen Shrines exist across Japan, with the head shrines standing at the foot and the summit of Mount Fuji itself.
  •     * Shrines dedicated to the founders of powerful clans
  •       Some powerful clans in Japanese history established and dedicated shrines to the their clans' founders. The most famous example are the several dozens of Toshogu Shrines dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, including the famous Toshogu Shrine at Nikko. Another example is Kanazawa's Oyama Shrine which is dedicated to Maeda Toshiie, the founder of the powerful, local Maeda clan.
  •     * Local Shrines
  •       Many shrines are dedicated to local kami without association to other shrines.
  • Japanese houses have thin walls because of the mild climate and overlapping, slanted, and slightly curved roofs because of the fact that there is plenty of rain especially during early summer. Timber is the traditional building material for Japanese houses. It makes them airy which is important during the humid summer months. The disadvantages are that the houses can be damaged easily by earthquakes and fires. Nowadays, concrete and steel are, of course, widely used as well.
  • When Japan opened herself to the rest of the world around the year 1868, Western architecture began to displace traditional Japanese architecture. Nevertheless, some modern Japanese detached houses still have a typically Japanese appearance.
  • Housing statistics
  • Figures from the 2003 Housing and Land Survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications indicate that Japan had 53,890,900 housing units at the time. Of these, 46,862,900 (86.9%) were occupied and 7,027,900 (13.0%) unoccupied. Of the occupied units, 28,665,900 (61.2%) were owned by the resident household. The average number of rooms per unit of housing was 4.77, the average total floor area in was 94.85 square meters (28.69 tsubo; 1,021.0 sq ft) and the average number of people per room was 0.56.[1] 45,258,000 units (96.6%) were used exclusively for living and 1,605,000 units (3.4%) were used both for living and commercial purposes. Of the units used exclusively for living, 10,893,000 (24.1%) were equipped with an automatic smoke detector. As of 2003, 17,180,000 housing units (36.7%) are classified by the Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication as being located in urban areas while 27,553,000 housing units (58.8%) are located in rural areas.[2]
  • As in America, most Japanese live in single-family housing.[3] During the postwar period, the number of multi-unit dwellings in Japan increased rapidly, although single-family housing remained the dominant housing type, albeit a declining number. In 1990, for instance, 60% of Japanese dwellings consisted of single-family homes, compared with 77% in 1958.[4] Two years earlier, in 1988, 62.3% of the total housing units in Japan were single-family units and 37.7% were multiple-unit dwellings.[5] That same year, a survey carried out by the Japanese economic planning agency showed that 62.3 per cent of the Japanese population owned a detached two-storeyed house.[6]
  • In the 1980s, a new home in Japan cost 5-8 times the annual income of the average Japanese, and 2-3 times that of an average American.[7] The typical loan term for Japanese homes was 20 years, with a 35% down payment, while in the United States it was 30 years and 25%, due to differing practices in their financial markets, resulting in the typical Japanese buying a home later in life as a result of the relative expense of the time.[7]
  • According to a housing survey carried out in 1993, single-family homes accounted for 59.2% of all housing in Japan.[8] In 1997, it was estimated that about 60% of Japanese lived in detached houses.[9] In 1998, 52% of all dwellings in Japan were found to consist of detached houses owned by their residents, 36% were rented dwellings in apartment complexes, 8% were owned dwellings in apartments complexes, and 4% were rented detached houses.[10] In 2008, it was estimated that six out of ten Japanese lived in single-family houses.[11]
  • [edit] Interior design
  • [edit] Traditional homes
  • Kusakabe House, built in 1879, Takayama
  • Traditional Japanese housing does not have a designated use for each room aside from the entrance area (genkan, 玄関), kitchen, bathroom, and toilet. Any room can be a living room, dining room, study, or bedroom. This is possible because all the necessary furniture is portable, being stored in oshiire, a small section of the house (large closets) used for storage. It is important to note that in Japan, living room is expressed as i-ma, living "space". This is because the size of a room can be changed by altering the partitioning. Large traditional houses often have only one ima (living room/space) under the roof, while kitchen, bathroom, and toilet are attached on the side of the house as extensions.
  • Somewhat similar to modern offices, partitions within the house are created by fusuma, sliding doors made from wood and paper, which are portable and easily removed. Fusuma seal each partition from top to bottom so it can create a mini room within the house. On the edge of a house are rōka, wooden floored passages, that are similar to hallways. Rōka and ima are partitioned by shōji, sliding and portable doors that are also made from paper and wood. Unlike fusuma, paper used for shōji is very thin so outside light can pass through into the house. This was before glass is used for sliding doors. Rōka and outside of the house are either partitioned by walls or portable wooden boards that are used to seal the house at night. Extended roofs protect the rōka from getting wet when it rains, except during typhoon season where the house gets sealed completely. Roofs of traditional houses in Japan are made of wood and clay, with tiles or thatched areas on top.
  • For large gatherings, these partitions are removed to create one large meeting room. During a normal day, partitions can create much smaller and more manageable living spaces. Therefore, kitchen, bathroom, toilet, and genkan with one multipurpose living space create one complete Japanese housing unit. However, the bathroom, toilet, and even kitchen can be communal. (See Sentō.) Therefore, the minimum Japanese housing arrangement, which is still possible to find if one is looking for the cheapest room to rent, consists of just genkan and one living room/space.
  • [edit] Modern homes
  • Housing is typically listed in real estate advertisements in the format of a number of rooms plus letter designators indicating the presence of common room areas, for example: 1R or 2LDK. R designating room, L for living room, D for dining room, and K for kitchen. In this format, the bathroom and toilet are not mentioned but are included with the exception of some very small 1R or 1K's. L, D and K are not really separate and are part of or next to the kitchen. An LDK is bigger than a DK. The number before the letters indicates the number of additional multipurpose rooms. Often the rooms are separated by removable sliding doors, fusuma, so large single rooms can be created.
  • Additionally, advertisements quote the sizes of the rooms—most importantly, the living room—with measurements in tatami mats (jō in Japanese, traditional mats woven from rice straw that are of a standard size: 180 cm by 90 cm (5 feet, 10 inches by 3 feet) in the Tokyo region, and 191 cm by 95.5 cm in western Japan): "2DK; one six-tatami Japanese-style room, one six-tatami Western-style room" is an example.
  • In Japan, multiple-unit blocks are referred to as one of two types: 1) Apaato (アパート)often older[when?] buildings, which are usually only a few stories in height, without a central secure entrance 2) Manshon (マンション) more modern[when?] expensive buildings with multiple floors, elevators, and a communal secure gate, with centralised postboxes; they are usually more sturdily built than apaato, normally of reinforced concrete (RC) construction.[12]
  • Though commonly accepted standards for description exist, this is not a legal requirement, therefore descriptions may not be entirely accurate.

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