Learning Culture

The Emperor and some of his relatives, the imperial family, are referred to as the imperial household.

Japan is the only country in the world that uses a seal registration system.

For shops, kanban (signboards) are an important landmark. Other objects that serve the same purpose that Japanese people are familiar with are noren (shop curtains with emblems), nobori (flags), and chochin (lanterns).

Furoshiki are square cloths for storing, wrapping, and carrying items. They are also used to cover things that are important to protect from dust.

Gagaku is a traditional Japanese art form which combines singing and dancing elements from classical Japanese styles such as kagura (shinto music and dancing) with elements from the ancient Asian continent such as from China.

Origami is a traditional form of Japanese entertainment in which you make various shapes such as cranes, boats, and helmets by folding colored paper.

In contrast to the type of paper that originated in the West, there is also a type of paper made through a traditional Japanese manufacturing method called washi(Japanese paper).

An ingredient that is always used in making dishes like clear soup, broths for soba and udon, and in cooking vegetables and fish is dashi.

There was a kingdom known as Ryukyu that existed on the Nansei Islands, part of present day Okinawa

Tomioka Silk Mill in Gunma Prefecture was Japan's first large-scale machine-made silk factory that w

The Ogasawara Islands are located approximately 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo and consist of about

Gion, located in Kyoto's Higashiyama, serves as Kyoto's bustling downtown area.

Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture developed as one of Japan's port towns after the ports were opened i

Iwami Ginzan is a group of ruins in Shimane Prefecture where silver used to be mined in the 16th to

Yakushima is an island that floats in the sea off the southernmost tip of the mainland of Kyushu, ar

Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture is one of the big cities that represents the Hokuriku region.

The Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution are a series of historic heavy industry sites that

It is said that the Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri began in the Edo period as a festival for praying for a good harvest.

A traditional way to celebrate children's growth and pray for their good health is shichi-go-san, which typically occurs on November 15th.

The Yoshida Fire Festival, held in Yamanashi Prefecture's Fujiyoshida City on August 26th and 27th every year, is an autumn festival that marks the end of the Mt. Fuji climbing season.