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Friday, February 13, 2009

The Different Cultures That Japan Has To Offer

By Ron Otaku

The culture of Japan is one of a kind and has great variety. It has millions of fans globally because of its ability to both fascinate and excite many individuals. The Japanese have also been able to adapt modern culture and made it their own, while retaining much of their past identity.

Japan has one of the best reputations in the world as a fashion mecca. Part of the engine for growth comes from a growing popularity of Asian fashion. The Japanese have gone one step further by establishing themselves as the leading fashion capital in the region through change and embracing of the coolest trends.

At the core of Japan's cultural soul is its ever changing face of fashion. Japanese street fashion is at its most popular and it has influenced other Asian and Western styles. Even the decidedly different cosplay style that has its roots in anime has already carved out a deep niche of its own all over the world.

J pop, or Japanese pop music as it is also known as, is another product of the modernization of Japan. It initially drew on Western influences to build an identity of its own. Now, J pop is constantly lapped up by adoring fans all over the world, even in the United States and Europe.

There is an increasing number of foreigners who have also fallen in love with the Japanese language. This is due in part to their need to understand and communicate with the people and their culture. For example, fans of J-pop would like to understand song lyrics as well as to sing the songs that they enjoy so much.

Japanese culture is not just about music or clothes. They also indulge in fine arts such as brush calligraphy. The ancient martial arts are also part of their identity and there is a huge cult following for both samurai and ninja philosophies outside of the country.

There is an overriding obsession with cute and kitschy items in Japan. This has grown from their mentality and fondness for them since the modernization of the country gathered pace. The need to export also led to a heavy concentration on unique designs which eventually developed into a national identity that focused on cuteness.

Japanese culture is just so diverse and interesting. The above are just some of the many facets of the East Asian country's rich background. If you are willing to dig deeper and find out more, there will be no disappointment but more surprises in store.

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