Japanese culture — 4000 years tradition, samurai code, Zen, anime. Unique culture where ancient and future coexist.
Language
Japanese — kanji (Chinese origin) + hiragana + katakana. Three writing systems. Complex honorific system. One of hardest languages to learn.
Traditional Arts
Tea ceremony, ikebana, calligraphy, noh, kabuki, bunraku (puppet theatre), sumo. Bushido spirit — honor, loyalty, courage. Martial arts — judo, kendo, karate, aikido.
Literature
Murasaki Shikibu Tale of Genji (11th c.) — world oldest novel. Bashō haiku. Yukio Mishima, Yasunari Kawabata (Nobel 1968), Kenzaburō Ōe (1994), Haruki Murakami.
Art and Architecture
Ukiyo-e — Hokusai (Great Wave), Hiroshige. Hōryū-ji — world oldest wooden building. Kyoto — over 1000 temples and shrines. Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma — modern architecture.
Cuisine
Washoku UNESCO (2013). Sushi, sashimi, ramen, tempura, sukiyaki, okonomiyaki, bento, matcha. Japanese cuisine — world finest subtlety and beauty. Michelin stars — Tokyo world #1 in count.
Anime and Manga
Conquering world culture. Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy), Hayao Miyazaki (Ghibli, Oscar), Makoto Shinkai (Your Name), AKIRA, Dragon Ball, One Piece, Pokemon, Naruto.
Modern Culture
J-Pop culture (J-Pop, J-Drama). Fashion — Harajuku, cosplay. Technology — games (Nintendo, Sony), robots. Mount Fuji — sacred symbol.