Japan As Unique Country with Many Different Cultural Values, Religions, Foods, And Sites To See

Japan is a very unique country that consists of many different cultural values, religions, foods, and sites to see. Japan is a country that is located in East Asia. The Sea of Japan as well as the Pacific Ocean border this country. Japan is mostly known for their traditional arts but they also have many other unique features presented. In the country of Japan it is a completely different place then what we are used to in America. I hope after reading my essay I will convince you to go see this beautiful country for yourself.

The first thing I will discuss about Japan is what the culture is like. The language that is mostly spoken in Japan is Japanese. Ryukyuan is also a language that is spoken it is just not as popular as Japanese. If you want to go to Japan and learn more about the language I would suggest going with a translator. Therefore they could speak and tell you what the people are saying, making your experience a lot better. The two most popular religions that are in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. Shinto is also known as Shintoism and originated from Japan. Shinto shrines are where the people go to worship the kamis which are the gods or spirits that live there. The celebration festivals for the Kamis are commonly used. Men and women may become priests and can also marry and have children as well. Buddhism is where the people believe in Amida. These two religions are the main two performed and practiced in Japan Buddhism is one of the largest religions not only in Japan but the world. Japan celebrates holidays just like we do. The most famous holiday celebrated in Japan is new years. During this time most businesses will tend to shut down for about three days as families gather to spend time with each other. During these times the Japanese people believe the new year staring is a fresh way of putting the past behind them. The streets are decorated as well as the homes of people with ornaments bamboos and plum trees. This makes the streets look very pretty as they light up the night. The main meal served on New years eve is toshikoshi soba which is a type of buckwheat noodles.

Now that I have discuss the main parts of Japanese culture I will tell you about the proper etiquette to be used while in Japan. First, before you enter a home or somewhere indoors, the owner may ask you to remove your shoes. They do not want any dirt getting into there homes because they care so much about their art. Although you must take your shoes off, some places provide slippers that are ok to wear inside. If you notice a mat beside someones home that is your signal to take your shoes off. Be respectful of their values and treat them how you would treat them. Secondly, to show respect, most people will bow when they are being greeted or introduced to someone. You might not remember to do this often which understandable but once you are there for a while you will start to get the hang of it. The longer and deeper you bow indicates how much respect you are showing. If you bow soft you still respect someone but just show it quickly. If its a deep bow you are showing much respect to an individual. Finally, you should know about how tipping works. You are not expected to tip while in Japan. In america we are supposed to tip everywhere we go but while in Japan you only need to tip if you are feeling generous. This would be hard for me to adjust to, I feel like I would tip everywhere I went. This would be a very hard thing for me to adjust to.

The final thing I will discuss in my research paper is the famous sites that are in Japan. The first one being the most famous which is Mt. Fuji. Mt. Fuji is also known as Fuji-san and is considered one of the three sacred mountains in Japan. This mountain sits at 3,776 meters and is the country tallest peak. Climbing this is a fun activity that lots of tourists like to explore and do on their trip. Another famous monument is Ancient Kyoto. Ancient Kyoto is the imperial capital of Japan. This place is a very beautiful monument that is surrounded by flowing waters and a fertile basin. Finally, the last place to sightsee or visit in Japan would be Sensoji. Sensoji which is also known as Asakusa kannon is located in Asakusa and is a Buddhist temple. This temple is very colorful and is one of Japans most famous temples.

As you can see Japan is a very unique and different country then what we have here in America. I hope one day I can visit this country and experience what the culture is like in real life. By reading and doing research it makes me eager to buy a plane ticket and fly out right now. If it was not for this virus going around right now I maybe would have went. I guess I will have to wait now. Hopefully this essay helped you getting a better understanding of what life in Japan is like.