Cultural+History+of+Japan

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 * __Background-__** Japan is a series of islands in the Pacific Ocean east of china. It's flag is a red circle with a white backdrop. Japan has over 127 million people and consists of 6,852 islands. Greater Tokyo Area which which includes Tokyo and a other cities is the largest metropolitan area in the world.=====

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Japan has a very strong economy with the third largest economy by nominal GDP. Japan is also one of the healthiest and safest countries in the world. They have the second lowest homicide rate, the second highest life expectancy for women, and the third lowest child mortality rate.=====


 * __Culture-__** Japanese is the official language of Japan. 98.5% of the people in Japan are Japanese.

__**Arts-**__ Japans early literature was greatly influenced by the Chinese and the Indians. Painting has been a big part of Japanese culture for a very long time and old techniques are still practiced today. Sculpture is also a big part of Japanese culture. The original Japanese sculptures were mainly sculptures of Buddhist figures. Wood is the main material used in Japanese sculpture and architecture. The oldest sculpture in Japan is a wooden sculpture of Amitabha, a celestial Buddha. Music in Japan consists of styles that are both traditional and modern. Japan also has the second largest music market in the world right behind the United States. Japanese music artists take over most of Asia with their hit singles. Traditional music in Japan is still popular today and is very different from Western Music.

__** Clothing- **__ In Japan, men, women, and children wear kimonos which is a traditional Japanese garment. The kimono of a women who is married differs from a kimono of a women who is single. Men tend to wear darker colors as women wear lighter colors. Unlike American clothing, Kimonos do not come in specific sizes, they come in approximate sizes. Happi is another type of traditional clothing in Japan, but is not as popular as the Kimono. Japanese chefs usually wear the Happi. The Tabi is a high sock that is often worn with Kimono.

Japanese Kimono

Japanese Happi

Japanese Tabi

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__**Cuisine-**__ The Japanese have developed sophisticated cuisine that has spread throughout the world. The Japanese diet consists mainly of rice, seafood, and vegetables. Some of the main Sushi, Tempura, and Teriyaki. The Japanese diet is often correlated with the health of the Japanese people.=====

__**Pop Culture-**__ Japanese pop culture consists of aspects of the present day, also has background information from the past. Occuring themes can be linked back to traditional art in Japan. Japenese anime is popular all over the world and has become a worldwide phenomenom. Japanese Anime, Minga, Video Games, Fashion, Gameshows, and Music are recognized all over the world. When sureveyed by the Japnese government, 80% of the men and women spend 2.5 hours per weekday watching TV. In 2006 the Japanese fim, music, publishing and game industry was estimated to be worth at least 26 trillion yen/ 400 billion dollars.