JAPANESE  CULTURE

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• These works below, belong to Japanese culture.

• Aizu Lacquered Materials

• Animation ve Manga

• Bonsai (Japan’s Traditional Miniature Tree Growing Art)

• Bunraku (Puppet Theatre)

• Tea Ceremony and Ikebana

• Daruma

• Religion

• World Culture Heritage

• Literature

• Ema

• Festivals

• Go Game

• Japanese Gardens

• Japanese Language

• Kabuki, Noh ve Kyogen

• Calligraphy

• Kamon

• Kimono

• Kintsugi

• Architecture

• Fashion

• Music

• Origami

• Ryokan

• Shogi (Japanese Chess)

• Ukiyo-e

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AİZU  LACQUERED MATERIALS

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Lacquer work on the wood around Aizu Basin in the middle of Fukushima state, dates back to the 15th century. Strong bases of Aizu lacquer  materials were made by lacquer masters brought by a new feodal rulet transfered from Shiga to rule the area.

On the second half of 18th century, the feodal government of Aizu took initiative and invited various craftmen from Kyoto who were specialized in gold powder application and other decorative techniques and they began to rule the production. After that the area became famous for lacquered wood products.

 

Aizu lacquer work is based on division of labor. Expert craftmen carry out different tasks such as wood shaping and polishing. Especially the famous lacquer works are hananuri (unpolished lacquer technique) and makie (using gold powder in a decorative aim).

 

Aizu; continues to be one of the most famous production centers about lacquered wood products. They mostly produce furniture and kitchen utensils such as bowls, trays, packing boxes.

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It is very important in Japan to protect Japanese traditional culture values and carry out works about this area in order to create an awareness about the nation.

The works of Japanese (kokugaku, kokubungaku) which prioritize local and authentic one are very important. (Brownlee 1997: 5; Bentley 2017)

These works improved with Japanese national integrity (kokutai)and became effective to protect the Japanese identity and intoroduce to the world.

During the Japan’s modernisation search in the middle of 19th century, the government had an important anxiety for the ‘ideology’as a conscious attempt.

 

After the restoration in 1868, according to the leaders in Japan, it is not enough to change or transform the institutes for the safety of the public. Because it is not also enough to centralize the government only, they decided to improve the economy, rearrange the social classes, have an effect on the other people for the international famousness.

 

Many works on nationalism nowadays, emphasise the active role of the religion as a key factor that is shaped around the national and ethnic identity. The belief that takes place in Japan mythologies saying that their ancestry comes from the Gods, the position and the greatness of Japanese Emperor is an important example of the glorifying Japan’s own social structures.

 

Anthony Smith lists up the six fetures of an ethnic identity: (1) a collective proper name; (2) common ancestry legend; (3) shared historical memories; (4) one or more than one factors common culture that differentiate; (5) a relationship with a specific homeland; (6)feeling of unity for the important parts of the population (1991: 21). The conception of Kokutai in which these factors played a big role in Japan, was instilled in Japanese society. The work of Japanese named as Kokugaku (country search) started in Edo Period.

 

These works that emerged to take Japan’s local values from the center of China, aim to reveal the original sides of Japan.

 

During the following thirty years after the 1868 Meiji Restoration, country integrity was adopted in Japanese community as well as bigger political, administrative and educational centralization and economic growth. (Kosaku 1992: 61 – 62)

Between the years 1920-1945, Shintoism was introduced as a non-religious, patriotic ‘cult’, not like a religion in Meiji period.

Government authorities impressed Shintoism upon corporate life as a national ethical system not as a religion.

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Shintoism played an active role as a driving force behind the loyalty to the country under the influence of Japan militarist movements that increased in Asia until the Second World War.

 

In other words, Shintoism belief supported 2 nationalist ideology. (Fridell 1983: 165 – 166)

The belief of “Country of Gods” in Japan

Famous sociologist Max Weber thought that the emergence of local Gods had a considerable effect on the idea of a political unity.

 

He believed that sacred motives had an important role on the life as acts of daily purposes as well as military and economical factors.

 

Throughout the history in Japan, there have been an intense culture exchange with Chiese civilisation. 

This culture exchange had an effect on finding out the works which prioritized local traditions in Japan.

Because the topography of Japan is mountainous, this caused people to live seperately 

Even though archipelagos in Japan are not far from each other, mountains, forests and rivers flowing through the cities made the transportation and communication more difficult and it wasn’t easy to build a political structure.

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Considering the political unity and strong national identity of Japanese people, we can understand that this kind of unity and the shared identity are directly connected to long and continuous historical experience.

 

Archipelagos in Japan became completely distanced from the war in the zone. The problems of Japanese nationalism centred around Japanese ethnic origin uniqueness, culture, religion and uniqueness concept of the race

 

With the help of the topographic effect, irrigated rice farming that becomes an important part of the life Japanese people, served as an important factor on improving patience, endurance, cooperation, group awareness and dependence of Japanese people who had to live in a limited space.

Because the Japanese economy is considerably based on rice, it helped Japanese people to go along with the group and they think that a negative behaviour in the group causes anger of the group and the Gods.

 

Kamis (Gods) in Japan’s original belief, are believed to live in Shinto temples and shrines. Shrines are devoted to different Kamis, so the rituals of all of them can be different but the temples are believed to act as a driving force to revitalize the Kamis in the New Year.

Japanese people celebrates a festival named Matsuri that involves valuable qualifications of serving Kami, respect and obedience.

Shinto belief encourages gratefulnessto the ancestries and the God that is responsible for the life and blessings of the people. 

The statement ‘Country of Gods’ in Japan, is a term that refers to Japan by Korea.

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Tea Ceremony and Ikebana

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Both branches of art try to find the authenticity by applying the formality and traditional rules with the help of deep principles.

Tea ceremony emphasises the soul of Wabi that is materially plain and spiritually free and loaded.

Both the householder and the guests value this serving and getting a cup of tea momentas if they will not experience again in their life.

 

In Ikebana, seasonal flowers are arranged in a way that creates the aesthetics balance of flower, vase and surrounding area.

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SPECIAL DAYS

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• January 1st: Oshogatsu

• February 3rd: Setsubun

• March 3rd: Hina Matsuri (Baby Festival – Festival of Girls)

• March 14th: Day of White

• May 5th: Tango No Sekku (Festival of Boys)

• July 7th: Tanabata Day

• 15 November 15th: Shichi – Go - San Festival

• November 23rd: Thanksgiving Day For Workers

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