Japanese culture has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoricJōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia and other regions of the world.[1]
Since the Jomon period, ancestral groups like theYayoi andKofun, who arrived to Japan from Korea and China, respectively, have shaped Japanese culture.Rice cultivation and centralized leadership were introduced by these groups, shaping Japanese culture. Chinese dynasties, particularly theTang dynasty, have influenced Japanese culture throughout history and brought it into theSinosphere. After 220 years of isolation, theMeiji era opened Japan to Western influences, enriching and diversifying Japanese culture.Popular culture shows how much contemporary Japanese culture influences the world.[2]
There are two competing hypotheses that try to explain the lineage of the Japanese people.[3][4]
The first hypothesis proposes a dual-structure model, in which Japanese populations are descendants of the indigenousJōmon people and later arrivals of people from the East Eurasian continent, known as theYayoi people. Japan's indigenous culture originates primarily from the Yayoi people who settled in Japan between 1000 BCE and 300 CE. Yayoi culture spread to the main island ofHonshu, mixing with the native Jōmon culture.[5] Modern Japanese have an estimated 80% Yayoi and 20% Jōmon ancestry.[6]
The second hypothesis proposes a tripartite model of genomic origin.[3] This hypothesis proposes that contemporary Japanese people are from three distinct ancestral groups: Jōmon, Yayoi andKofun, with 13%, 16% and 71% of genetic ancestry, respectively.[3] During the Kofun period, it is said that migrant groups from China came to Japan and settled on the island, bringing with them various cultural advances and centralized leadership.[3] The migrants who came to Japan during the Kofun period appear to have had ancestry that mainly resembles the ancestry of theHan Chinese population of China.[3][7][8] The Jomon people werehunter-gathers; the Yayoi people introduced rice cultivation; and the Kofun migrants introduced imperial state formation.[3]
Japanese culture was influenced from ancient times to the Middle Ages primarily by multipleChinese dynasties, with substantial derivation from theTang dynasty,[9] and to a lesser extent by otherAsian countries. For example, one of the scripts for writing in theJapanese language is Chinese characters (kanji), but Japanese has nogenetic relationship withChinese.[10] Since theMeiji era, Japan has been primarily influenced byWestern countries.
The inhabitants of Japan experienced along period of relative isolation from the outside world for over 220 years during theTokugawa shogunate until the arrival of the "Black Ships" and the Meiji era.
Today, the culture of Japan stands as one of the most influential cultures around the world, mainly because of the global reach of itspopular culture.[11][12][13][14] In 2023,U.S. News & World Report ranked Japan's cultural influence as the highest in Asia and 4th worldwide.[15]
Japanese is the national and primary language of Japan. The language is a lexically distinctpitch-accent system. Early Japanese is known primarily by its state in the 8th century when the three major works ofOld Japanese were compiled. The earliest attestation of the Japanese language was found in a Chinese document from 256 CE. However, the Japanese language has no genetic relationship with Chinese, nor any clear affiliation with any other language.[10] While there are a number of theories about the origins of Japanese, the strongest arguments for affiliation are with Korean on the basis of similar syntax. More controversially, it has also been paired withAltaic languages due to a similar number of systems and verb forms.[10] While Japanese is the only official language of Japan, other languages such asAinu[16] andRyukyuan[17] are spoken on the Japanese islands.
Written Japanese uses a combination of three scripts:Chinese characters pronounced as "kanji"(漢字) in Japanese,hiragana, andkatakana. Japan had no writing system prior to adopting kanji from China in 751 CE,[18] and like Chinese, kanji are used extensively in Japanese aslogograms.[19] Presently, there is a notable number[clarification needed] of kanji in modern Japanese with a different meaning from the correspondinghanzi character used in modern Chinese. Modern Japanese also features far fewersimplified Chinese characters in comparison to modern Chinese as Japanese typically uses fewer kanji, mainly fornouns,adjective stems, andverb stems.[20] Both hiragana and katakana are phonetic syllabaries derived from the Chineseman'yōgana of the 5th century.[21] Hiragana and katakana were developed from simplified kanji; hiragana emerged somewhere around the 9th century[22] and were mainly used by women for informal language while katakana was mainly used by men in formal language. By the 10th century, both systems were used commonly by everyone.[23]
Japanese vocabulary consists of 49% words ofChinese origin, 33% words ofJapanese origin, and 18% loanwords from other languages, includingEuropean languages, words of mixed origin, and the made-in-Japan pseudo-English known aswasei-eigo.[24] TheLatin alphabet is often used in modern Japanese, especially for company names, logos, advertising, and when inputting Japanese into a computer. TheHindu–Arabic numerals are often used for numbers and can be read in either Japanese or English, but traditionalSino–Japanese numerals are also common.[25] The influence of Japanese culture in theWestern world over the past few centuries has led to many of its terms, such asorigami,tsunami,karaoke, and pop cultural terms likeshonen andshōjo being incorporated into the English language. Words like these have also been added to theOxford English Dictionary.[26][27]
Shinto andBuddhism are the primary religions of Japan. According to the annual statistical research on religion in 2018 by theGovernment of Japan's Agency for Culture Affairs, 66.7 percent of the population practicesBuddhism, 25.6 percent practices Shintoism, 7.7 percent other religions.[28] According to the annual statistical research on religion in 2018 by theGovernment of Japan's Agency for Culture Affairs, about two million or around 1.5% of Japan's population areChristians.[28] Other religions includeIslam (70,000) andJudaism (2,000), which are largely immigrant communities with some ethnic Japanese practitioners.[29][30]
Shinto is an ethnic religion focusing on ceremonies and rituals. In Shinto, followers believe thatkami – Shinto deities or spirits – are present throughout nature, including rocks, trees, and mountains. Humans can also be considered to possess akami. One of the goals of Shinto is to maintain or strengthen the connection between humans, nature, andkami. The religion developed in Japan prior to the 6th century CE, after which point followers builtshrines to worshipkami.[31]
Buddhism developed in India around the 6th and 4th centuries BCE and eventually spread through the Sinosphere and South East Asia. It arrived in Japan during the 6th century CE, where it was initially unpopular. Most Japanese people were unable to understand the difficult philosophical messages present in Buddhism; however, an appreciation for the religion's art and its close relation to China led to Buddhism growing in popularity by the 8th century.[31]
Christianity was introduced in the 16th century.[32][33] When the religion was banned during the 17th century, a group ofhidden Christians blended Christian theology with Shinto and Buddhist practices.[34][32][33]Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region have becomeWorld Heritage Sites, and the unique style ofChristian art is now recognized.[32][33]
Despite being a minority religion in Japan,Christian chapel marriage ceremonies are a popular wedding style in Japan.[35]
A minority of Japanese are Muslims. Cultural differences and a predominantly non-Muslim society present unique challenges for Japan's Muslim community, mostly immigrants from Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Iran.[36]
Muslims are scattered in Japan. Mosques and halal food are scarce due to their dispersion. Family-linked long-term residents are assimilating into Japanese society despite language and cultural barriers. Analysts say the small Muslim community and cultural differences between Islam and Japan reduce future conflicts. Syncretic Sufi Islam may increase Japan's Muslim population.[36]
The Japanese "national character" has been written about under the termNihonjinron, literally meaning 'theories/discussions about the Japanese people' and referring to texts on matters that are normally the concerns of sociology, psychology, history, linguistics, and philosophy, but emphasizing the authors' assumptions or perceptions of Japanese exceptionalism; these are predominantly written in Japan by Japanese people,[37] though examples have also been written by foreign residents, journalists and even scholars.
Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China andChinese literature, often written inClassical Chinese. Eventually, Japanese literature developed into a separate style in its own right as Japanese writers began writing their own works about Japan.The Tale of Genji, written byMurasaki Shikibu during theHeian period, is known worldwide as a unique Japanese literature. Since Japan reopened its ports to Western trading and diplomacy in the 19th century, Western and Eastern literature have strongly affected each other and continue to do so.
Japanese calligraphy, rendered using flowing, brush-drawn strokes, is considered to be a traditional art form, as well as a means of conveying written information. Typical calligraphic works can consist of phrases, poems, stories, or even characters represented by themselves; the style and format of the calligraphy can mimic the subject matter through aspects such as the texture of the writing and the speed of the brush strokes. Several different styles of Japanese calligraphy exist, with considerable effort put into the outcome; in some cases, it can take over one hundred attempts to produce the desired result of a single character. This form of calligraphy is known asshodō (書道), literally meaning 'the way of writing or calligraphy', or more commonly,shūji (習字), 'learning how to write characters'. Commonly confused with calligraphy is the art form ofsumi-e (墨絵), literally meaning 'ink painting', which is the art of painting a scene or object using diluted black ink.
Painting has been an art in Japan for a very long time: the brush is a traditional writing and painting tool, and the extension of that to its use as an artist's tool was probably natural. Japanese painters are often categorized by what they painted, as most of them constrained themselves solely to subjects such as animals, landscapes, or figures. Chinesepapermaking was introduced to Japan around the 7th century. Later,washi was developed from it. Native Japanese painting techniques are still in use today, as well as techniques adopted from continental Asia and from the West. Schools of painting such as the Kano school of the 16th century became known for their bold brush strokes and contrast between light and dark, especially afterOda Nobunaga andTokugawa Ieyasu began to use this style. Famous Japanese painters includeKanō Sanraku,Maruyama Ōkyo, andTani Bunchō.[38]
Ukiyo-e, literally means 'pictures of the floating world', is a genre ofwoodblock prints that exemplifies the characteristics of pre-Meiji Japanese art. Because these prints could be mass-produced, they were available to a wide cross-section of the Japanese populace – those not wealthy enough to afford original paintings – during their heyday, from the 17th to 20th century.
Japanese lacquerware andceramics have historically gained international fame, and lacquerware has been actively exported since theMuromachi period and ceramics since theEdo period. Japanese crafts became known in Europe afterNanban trade.[39][40]
Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It has gained widespread international fame for its focus on harmony, color use, rhythm, and elegantly simple design. It is an art centered greatly on expressing the seasons and is meant to act as a symbol to something greater than the flower itself.
Thekimono is the national garment of Japan, having developed from Chinese court clothing in theNara period followingthe exchange of diplomatic envoys between the two countries at that time. The wordkimono translates literally as 'thing to wear on the shoulders'; however, this term developed some time around the Edo period, before which most kimono-like garments were referred to as thekosode ('short sleeve'), with longer-sleeved garments being known asfurisode ('swinging sleeve').
The earliest versions of the kimono were heavily influenced by traditional Chinese clothing, known today ashanfu (kanfuku (漢服) in Japanese). This influence was spread through Japanese envoy missions to China, resulting in extensive Chinese cultural adoption by Japan as early as the 5th century CE.[41] It was during the 8th century, however, that Chinese fashions came fully into style, and following thecancellation of the 20th mission to Tang dynasty China, these fashions developed independently, with the overlapping, V-shaped collar becoming women's fashion and the precursor to the modern kimono.[41]
Kimono, alongside all other items of traditional Japanese clothing, are known collectively aswafuku, meaning 'Japanese clothing', as opposed toyōfuku, Western-style clothing. Kimono come in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes. Men mainly wear darker or more muted colors, while women tend to wear brighter colors and pastels, and, especially for younger women, often with complicated abstract or floral patterns.
In previous decades, married women wore short sleeved kimono, whereas unmarried women wore long sleeved kimono to both formal and informal occasions; however, the rise in both the average age of marriage and the numbers of women never marrying in Japan has led to the divide between sleeve length becoming one more of age, with most women in their early twenties wearing long sleeved kimono only to formal occasions, and most women past their early twenties wearing short sleeved kimono to formal events, regardless of marriage status. Other developments include the abandoning of layered kimono and the standardisation of the length of short sleeved women's kimono to a range of roughly 49–52 centimetres (19–20 in) in length, both developments driven by fabric shortages in WWII.
Thehappi coat is another form of traditional clothing. Ahappi (commonly Anglicised as "happy") coat is a straight sleeved coat typically decorated with a family crest and/or kanji along the collar. In previous centuries,happi-style coats known ashikeshi sashiko banten or simplyhikeshi banten were commonly worn byfirefighters; the coats would be constructed from several layers of heavy cotton stitched together, and would be soaked in water to provide protection from fire.
Alongside traditional clothing, Japan also has distinct footwear;tabi, ankle-length split-toed socks, are commonly worn with the kimono, and are designed to be worn with traditional shoes such asgeta andzōri. Geta are thonged sandals mounted on wooden blocks extending from the base of the shoe to the floor, and are worn by men and women with kimono oryukata; zōri are flat-based or sloping sandals made of a number of different materials, and are considered to be more formal than geta.
Fashion trends and consumer apathy have hurt the Japanese kimono industry. Kimono sales and traditional tailors suffered after WWII due to Western fashion. Innovative and diverse kimono makers have revived the declining industry. Internationally, the industry has tried casual styles. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts' "Kimono Wednesdays" led to cultural appropriation debates. Asian-American protesters cited Orientalism, racism, and cultural appropriation. Protests sparked global cultural debate and appropriation. The protests lacked Japanese and Japanese-American representation, say critics. Scholars say Edward Said's "Orientalism" may not always apply.[42]
Cultural appropriation could harm kimono exhibitions. War can hinder cultural exchange and Japanese fashion abroad. Japanese mainstream media and cultural commentators rarely mention it. Cultural appropriation may lead to kimono experimentation, say Japanese commentators. Cultural appropriation and Japanese fashion remain hot topics. Globally, the industry must balance cultural integrity and innovation.[42]
Japanese architecture was originally heavily influenced byChinese architecture and later developed many unique aspects indigenous to Japan. Examples of traditional architecture are seen attemples,Shinto shrines, andcastles inKyoto andNara. Some of these buildings are constructed withtraditional gardens, which are influenced byZen ideas. Some modern architects, such asYoshio Taniguchi andTadao Ando are known for their amalgamation of Japanese traditional and Western architectural influences.
Traditional Japanese garden architecture is considered to hold the same importance as traditional building architecture, and both are influenced by similar historical and religious backgrounds. A primary design principle of a traditional garden is the creation of the landscape based on, or at least greatly influenced by, the style of three-dimensional monochrome ink (sumi) landscape painting known assumi-e orsuibokuga; as such, garden landscaping is elevated to the status of an artform in Japan.[43]
TraditionalJapanese sculptures mainly focused on Buddhist images, such asTathagata,Bodhisattva, andMyō-ō. The oldest sculpture in Japan is a wooden statue ofAmitābha at theZenkō-ji temple. In the Nara period, Buddhist statues were made by the national government to boost its prestige. These examples are seen in present-day Nara and Kyoto, most notably a colossal bronze statue of the BuddhaVairocana in theTōdai-ji temple.
Wood has traditionally been used as the chief material in Japan, along with traditional Japanese architecture. Statues are oftenlacquered,gilded, or brightly painted, although there are commonly few traces of this on the surface. Bronze and other metals are generally not used. Other materials, such asstone andpottery, have had extremely important roles in traditional sculpture.
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The music of Japan includes a wide array of styles both distinctlytraditional andmodern.Traditional Japanese music is quite different fromWestern music and is based on the intervals of human breathing rather than mathematical timing;[44] traditional music also typically slides between notes, a feature also not commonly found in Western music. The word for music in Japanese isongaku (音楽), combining the kanjion (音, "sound") with the kanjigaku (楽, "enjoyment").[45] Major aesthetic concepts arejo-ha-kyū andma.Jo-ha-kyū (序破急) roughly translates to "beginning, break, rapid", it essentially means that all actions or efforts should begin slowly, speed up, and then end swiftly.Ma literally means a space or interval between two points (in space or time).[46] In music, it refers to rhythm. Innagauta (長唄, literally "long song") (played on theshamisen and used inkabuki theater),[47]uki-ma implies a slight lengthening of the first of a pair of beats, whiletsume-ma implies the reverse.[46] It is this meaning of timing that is seen as a unique aesthetic to explain otherwise inexplicable aspects of Japanese performing arts.[46] Japanese music stresses sound quality and prizes the richness and complexity of each instrument's sound spectrum.[46] Noise is also used in a highly formalized manner to imitate "nature" and the expressive energy and artistic potential of noise are accepted and incorporated.[48]
Traditional Japanese music finds its first major historic periods in theNara (710–794)[49] andHeian (794–1185)[50] periods. The two most common kinds of music during this time were the music of the court (Gagaku) and the music of Buddhist rituals (shōmyō).[50] The music of the Nara period can be classified as belonging to the first international period in Japanese music history.[51] The court music was all of Chinese, Korean, or Indian origin and was played primarily by foreign musicians in its original style.[51]Gagaku classical music has been performed at the Imperial court since theHeian period.[52] At the same time, Buddhist ritual music exerted some influence on the native vocal style.[51] While poetry anthologies indicate that folk music had continued its steady pace, the historical records and relics show us music that was primarily instrumental and often connected with dance.[51] By the time of the Kamakura period, most traces of the international character of Japanese music had disappeared.[53] Court music in general was declining, while there was a steady growth of more theatrical arts.[53] The indigenous folk ritual music of flute and drums here encountered the aristocratic aesthetic of poetry and literary tales.[54] Japan's indigenous musical culture can still be found in much of folk music and the music of Shinto festivals in local communities.[54]
Several traditional instruments were adopted and assimilated into Japanese culture from various sources.[55] They were further experimented with and developed by Japan.[55] One of the imported end-blown bamboo flutes from China developed into theshakuhachi,[56] which became the ritual instrument of theFuke sect of Zen monks.[57] By the middle of the eighteenth century, in secular performances, theshamisen lute andkoto, invented in China and brought to Japan during theNara Period,[58] 13-stringzither as used for genteel entertainment and professionally controlled by blind musicians who had the rights toheike narrative.[57] Theshamisen, modified from the Chinesesanxian introduced via the Ryukyu Islands in the late sixteenth century, came into its own in the theatrical contexts ofbunraku puppet drama andkabuki drama.[57]
Japan is the second largestmusic market in the world behind the United States, and is the largest in Asia,[59][60] with most of the market dominated byJapanese artists.[61] Local music often appears atkaraoke venues on lease fromrecord labels.
Western music has been adopted and adapted to the Japanese context and has often in the process become Japanized (domesticated) and different from its model.[62] Hybrid music has resulted, such asenka,J-pop, and 'contemporary Japanese music' (gendai hōgaku) or 'new Japanese music' (shin-hōgaku).[62] Famous enka singers includeHibari Misora,Saburo Kitajima,Ikuzo Yoshi, and Haruo Minami. One notable contemporary influence on Japanese musical music came from Ainu music and the so-called nationalist composer Ifukube Akiraa (b. 1914 in Hokkaido) who brought thetonkori zither onto the World Music scene.[62]
In the late 20th century Japanese music rose in popularity withAidoru (Japanese Idols) with popular audition shows such as the Suta¯tanjo¯(A Star Is Born).[63] Japanese music further evolved in the jazz, pop, R&B, and Rock music genres and continues into today. Popular artists of the 20th-21st centuries includeYoko Ono,Suzuka Nakamoto,Koji Tamaki,Hideto Takarai,Takahiro Moriuchi,[64]Kenshi Yonezu, andHaruomi Hosono.[65] Popular groups of the same eras includeThe Oral Cigarettes,Yoasobi,Bump of Chicken,King Gnu,Mrs. Green Apple,[66]Fishmans, andPerfume.[65]
The four traditional theatres from Japan arenoh (ornō),kyōgen,kabuki, andbunraku. Noh had its origins in the union of thesarugaku, with music and dance made byKan'ami andZeami Motokiyo.[67] Among the characteristic aspects of it are the masks, costumes, and the stylized gestures, sometimes accompanied by afan that can represent other objects. The Noh programs are presented in alternation with the ones ofkyōgen, traditionally in numbers of five, but currently in groups of three.
Thekyōgen, of a humorous character, had an older origin, in 8th century entertainment brought from China, developing itself insarugaku. Inkyōgen, masks are rarely used and even if the plays can be associated with the ones of noh, currently many are not.[67]
Kabuki appears in the beginning of the Edo period from the representations and dances ofIzumo no Okuni in Kyoto.[68] Due to concerns over the number of actresses engaged in selling sex, the participation of women in the plays was forbidden by the government in 1629, and the feminine characters had passed to be represented only by men (onnagata). Recent attempts to reintroduce actresses in kabuki had not been well accepted.[68] Another characteristic of kabuki is the use of makeup for the actors in historical plays (kumadori) and the performance ofnagauta ballads.
Japanese puppet theater (bunraku) developed in the same period as kabuki, in both competition with and collaboration with its actors and authors. The origin ofbunraku, however, is older, beginning in the Heian period.[69] In 1914, theTakarazuka Revue was founded, a company solely composed by women who introduced therevue to Japan.[70]
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In the long feudal period governed by thesamurai class, some methods that were used to train warriors were developed into well-ordered martial arts, in modern times referred to collectively askoryū. Examples includekenjutsu,kendo,kyūdō,sōjutsu,jujutsu, andsumo, all of which were established in the Edo period. After the rapid social change in theMeiji Restoration, some martial arts changed into modern sports, calledgendai budō.Judo was developed byKanō Jigorō, who studied some sects of jujutsu. These sports are still widely practiced in present-day Japan and other countries.
Baseball,association football, and other popularWestern sports were imported to Japan in the Meiji period.[71] These sports are commonly practiced in schools, along with traditional martial arts. Baseball, soccer, football, and ping pong are the most popular sports in Japan. Association football gained prominence in Japan after the J League (Japan Professional Football League) was established in 1991. Japan also co-hosted the2002 FIFA World Cup with Korea.[72] In addition, there are many semi-professional organizations, which are sponsored by private companies: for example, volleyball,basketball,rugby union, table tennis, and so on.
Through a long culinary past, the Japanese have developed sophisticated and refinedcuisine. In more recent years, Japanese food has become fashionable and popular in the United States, Europe, and many other areas. Dishes such assushi,tempura,noodles, andteriyaki are some of the foods that are commonly known. The Japanese diet consists principally of rice; fresh, lean seafood; and pickled or boiled vegetables. The Japanese diet is often believed to be related to thelongevity of Japanese people.[73]
Despite the traditional cuisine (和食 washoku) being very important and present, western cuisine (洋食yōshoku) has influenced Japanese eating culture tremendously.
Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present day but also provides a link to the past. Popular films, television programs,manga, music,anime andvideo games all developed from older artistic and literary traditions, and many of their themes and styles of presentation can be traced to traditional art forms. Contemporary forms of popular culture, much like the traditional forms, provide not only entertainment but also an escape for the contemporary Japanese from the problems of an industrial world. Many anime and manga series are very popular around the world and continue to become popular, as well as Japanese video games, fashion, and game shows.[74]
In the late 1980s, the family was the focus of leisure activities, such as excursions to parks or shopping districts. Although Japan is often thought of as a hard-working society with little time for leisure, the Japanese seek entertainment wherever they can. It is common to see Japanese commuters riding the train to work, enjoying their favorite manga, or listening through earphones to the latest in popular music. A wide variety of types of popular entertainment are available. There is a large selection of music, films, and the products of a huge manga and anime industry, among other forms of entertainment, from which to choose. Game centers, bowling alleys, and karaoke are popular hangout places for teens while older people may playshogi orgo in specialized parlors. Together, the publishing, film/video, music/audio, and game industries in Japan make up the growing Japanese content industry.[75]
There are 51 officialcultural landscapes (文化的景観,bunkateki keikan) in Japan. These landscapes evolved with the way of life and geocultural features of a region, and which are indispensable for understanding the lifestyle of theJapanese people.[76][77][78][79][80]
TheThree Views of Japan (日本三景,Nihon Sankei) is the canonical list of Japan's three most celebrated scenic sights, attributed to 1643 scholarHayashi Gahō.[81] These are the pine-clad islands ofMatsushima inMiyagi Prefecture, the pine-clad sandbar ofAmanohashidate inKyoto Prefecture, andItsukushima Shrine inHiroshima Prefecture. In 1915, the New Three Views of Japan were selected with a national election by theJitsugyo no Nihon Sha (株式会社実業之日本社,Kabushiki Kaisha Jitsugyō no Nihon Sha). In 2003, the Three Major Night Views of Japan were selected by the New Three Major Night Views of Japan and the 100 Night Views of Japan Club (新日本三大夜景・夜景100選事務局).
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TheJapanese archipelago is located to the east of theAsian continent. Japan is regarded as the most eastern Asian country, because east of Japan is the vastPacific Ocean.Minamitorishima is Japan's easternmost island. Thus Japan is the land where the sun rises before the Asian continent. The kanji that make up thename of Japan literally mean 'sun origin' (日本). It is pronounced as'Nihon' or'Nippon' in Japanese,[82] and is often referred to by theepithet "Land of the Rising Sun".[83] TheNisshōki (日章旗, "sun-rise flag") is the nationalflag of Japan. It symbolizes the rising sun and corresponds with the name of Japan. The earliest accounts of the rising sun flag is in the 7th century CE. In 607, an official correspondence that began with "from the Emperor of the rising sun" was sent to ChineseEmperor Yang of Sui.[84] Thus the central importance of the sun in Japanese culture is represented in the national flag and other cultural goods. Similarly, theJapan Self-Defense Forces have flags that symbolize the sun.
The Sun also plays an important role inJapanese mythology and religion as theemperor is said to be the direct descendant of the Sun goddessAmaterasu, the personification of Japan. She is seen as the goddess of the Sun and the universe in Shinto religion. The emperor is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people."Emperor Jimmu (神武天皇,Jinmu-tennō) is the national founder of Japan.
The national animals are thegreen pheasant,koi fish and thegreat purple emperor butterfly. TheImperial Seal of Japan is one of thenational seals and a crest (mon) used by the Emperor of Japan and members of theImperial Family. Thecherry blossom (Prunus serrulata) &chrysanthemum morifolium are de facto national flowers of Japan. Japan's de factonational dish is sushi,[85]Japanese curry[86] andramen.[87] The de facto national liquor issake.[88]
Mount Fuji (富士山,Fujisan) is the national mountain of Japan. It is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (三霊山,Sanreizan) along withMount Tate andMount Haku. It is also aSpecial Place of Scenic Beauty and one of Japan'sHistoric Sites.[89] The summit is considered a sacred place since ancient times. As a national symbol of the country, Mount Fuji has been depicted in various art and media such as painting, woodblock prints (such as theThirty-six Views of Mount Fuji), poetry, music, theater, film, manga, anime and pottery.[90]
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