Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Japan And Her Unique Culture

By Ron Otaku

Japan as a country has a cultural background that is wide ranging and special. A growing number of people have taken fancy to a culture that has a unique ability to pique a person's interest and pull them in deeper. The Japanese are now known more for their fascinating exports that grew from an age of modernization than anything else.

This cannot be more true than in her export of fashion. The Japanese never rest on their laurels and are always on the cutting edge when it comes to designing and dressing up. This has meant becoming an industry leader especially in the surrounding regions.

Fashion in Japan has huge variety. There is the popular street fashion that is copied in other Asian cities like Seoul and Singapore, while Western youth have taken to it readily. The more off-center Japanese Cosplay and Kogal fashions also enjoy hardcore cult followings all over the world due to the explosion of anime's popularity.

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.

The Japanese language has also prospered as more foreigners are taking up lessons in order to understand the various Japanese hobbies they have. Music is one such area where fans have flocked to take up courses so they can know what their favorite J-pop stars are singing about.

The more artistic cultures have also had their own followings throughout history. Japanese calligraphy and artists have their own distinct flavors. They are not found in similar forms in other Asian countries, which is why fans sometimes prefer them.

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.

The above are just some of the unique features about Japanese culture. They are also amongst the most popular ones that are often used to identify the country and her people. With such fascinating traits and exotic charm, there is much more waiting for you to learn about them.

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