Prime Minister of Japan

The Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣 Naikaku-sōri-daijin^?) is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japanafter being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office. He is the head of the Cabinet and appoints and dismisses the Ministers of State; the literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Minister for the Comprehensive Administration of the Cabinet or Minister that Presides over the Cabinet.

The office was created in 1885, four years before the enactment of the Meiji Constitution. It took its current form with the adoption of the current constitution in 1947.

The current Prime Minister is Yoshihiko Noda, who took the post on 2 September 2011.

Appointment

The Prime Minister is designated by both houses of the Diet, before the conduct of any other business. For that purpose, each conducts a ballot under the run-off system. If the two houses choose different individuals, then a joint committee of both houses is appointed to agree on a common candidate. Ultimately, however, if the two houses do not agree within ten days, the decision of the House of Representatives is deemed to be that of the Diet. Therefore, the House of Representatives can theoretically ensure the appointment of any Prime Minister it wishes.^[1] The candidate is then formally appointed to office by the Emperor.^[2]

The Prime Minister must resign if the House of Representatives adopts a motion of no confidence or defeats a vote of confidence, unless the House of Representatives is dissolved within ten days.^[3]

[edit]Qualifications

• Must be a member of either house of the Diet. (This implies a minimum age of 25 and a Japanese nationality requirement.)
• Must be a "civilian". This excludes serving members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, as well as any former member of the Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy who is strongly connected to militarist thought. Note that former military officers from the World War II era may be appointed prime minister despite the "civilian" requirement, Yasuhiro Nakasone being one prominent example.

[edit]Role

[edit]Constitutional roles

• Exercises "control and supervision" over the entire executive branch.^[4]
• Presents bills to the Diet on behalf of the Cabinet.^[5]
• Signs laws and Cabinet orders (along with other members of the Cabinet).^[6]
• Appoints all Cabinet ministers, and can dismiss them at any time.^[7]
• May permit legal action to be taken against Cabinet ministers.^[8]
• Must make reports on domestic and foreign relations to the Diet.^[5]
• Must report to the Diet upon demand to provide answers or explanations.^[9]

[edit]Statutory roles

• Presides over meetings of the Cabinet.^[10]
• Commander in chief of the Japan Self-Defense Forces.^[11]
• May override a court injunction against an administrative act upon showing of cause.^[12]

History

After the Meiji Restoration, the Daijō-kan system, which was used in the Nara period, was adopted as the Japanese government entity. Political powers of their leader, Daijō Daijin and his aides,Sadaijin and Nadaijin were ambiguous and frequently conflicted with other positions such as Sangi. In the 1880s, Itō Hirobumi, then one of Sangi, started to examine the reformation of the governmental organization. In 1882, Ito and his staff, Itō Miyoji and Saionji Kinmochi, traveled to Europe and investigated constitutions in constitutional monarchies, the British Empire and theGerman Empire. After his return to Japan, Ito urged the need of a Constitution and a modern governmental system and persuaded conservatives to approve his plan.

On December 22, 1885, in the Daijō-kan order No. 69, abolition of Daijō-kan and the induction of the Prime Minister (内閣総理大臣) and his cabinet were published.

[edit]Official office and residence

Kantei, the Office of the Prime Minister

The Office of the Prime Minister of Japan is called the Kantei (官邸). The original Kantei served from 1929 until 2002, when a new building was inaugurated to serve as the current Kantei.^[13] The old Kantei was then converted into the Official Residence, or Kōtei (公邸).^[14] The Kontei lies to the southwest of the Kantei, and is linked by a walkway.^[14]

[edit]Honours and emoluments

Until the mid-1930s, the Prime Minister of Japan was normally granted a title in the peerage (kazoku) usually just prior to entering office if he had not already been ennobled. Titles were usually bestowed in the ranks of count, viscount or baron, depending on the relative seniority and status of the Prime Minister. The two highest ranks, marquess and prince, were only conferred upon extremely senior statesmen, and were not conferred upon a Prime Minister after 1916. The last Prime Minister who was a peer was Baron Kijuro Shidehara, who served as Prime Minister from October 1945 to May 1946. The peerage was abolished by the Supreme Commander Allied Powers in October 1947.

Depending on tenure, the Prime Minister is ranked in the first place in accordance, or second. Certain eminent Prime Ministers have been awarded the Order of the Chrysanthemum, typically in the degree of Grand Cordon. The highest honour in the Japanese honours system, the Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum, has only been conferred upon select Prime Ministers and eminent statesmen, and rarely when they were still alive; the last such award to a living Prime Minister was to Saionji Kinmochi in 1928. More often, the Order of the Chrysanthemum has been a posthumous award; the Collar of the order was last awarded, posthumously, to former Prime Minister Sato Eisaku in June 1975. The most recent posthumous award of the Grand Cordon was toHashimoto Ryutaro in July 2006. Currently, Nakasone Yasuhiro is the only living former Prime Minister to hold the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum, which he received in 1997.

Since the 1920s, Prime Ministers have typically been conferred the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, or the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers (until 2003 a special higher class of the Order of the Rising Sun), depending on tenure and eminence. However, honours may be withheld due to misconduct or refusal on the part of the Prime Minister (for example,Kiichi Miyazawa).

[edit]List of Prime Ministers from 1982 - 2012

Name	Term of office	Dates of birth and death
Yasuhiro Nakasone	1982–1987	1918-05-27
Noboru Takeshita	1987–1989	1924-02-26 – 2000-06-19
Sōsuke Uno	1989	1922-08-27 – 1998-05-19
Toshiki Kaifu	1989–1991	1931-01-02
Kiichi Miyazawa	1991–1993	1919-10-08 – 2007-06-28
Morihiro Hosokawa	1993–1994	1938-01-14
Tsutomu Hata	1994	1935-08-24
Tomiichi Murayama	1994–1996	1924-03-03
Ryutaro Hashimoto	1996–1998	1937-07-29 – 2006-07-01
Keizo Obuchi	1998–2000	1937-06-25 – 2000-05-14
Yoshirō Mori	2000–2001	1937-07-14
Junichiro Koizumi	2001–2006	1942-01-08
Shinzō Abe	2006–2007	1954-09-21
Yasuo Fukuda	2007–2008	1936-07-16
Taro Aso	2008–2009	1940-09-20
Yukio Hatoyama	2009–2010	1947-02-11
Naoto Kan	2010–2011	1946-10-10
Yoshihiko Noda	2011–	1957-05-20

Top 10 Places to Visit in Tokyo

1. Himenji Castle
Himedji is an area in Japan famous for the most impressive castle in the country built there at the beginning of the 17th century. The palace complex is known in Japan as Shirasagijo, which in translation means White Heron Castle, because its design resembles a bird that spread its wings in flight. To reach the inside of the castle one should follow the trail, which passes small towers, walls and massive wooden gates. Central tower, called daytenshu looks at a small courtyard, where the samurais performed ritual murders - sepuko. In the southern part of the yard is situated a well which is believed to have been the home of spirits. Besides the main palace in Himedji, particularly interesting for visitors are the so called Inland sea, the Historical Museum of Hyogo Prefecture and the Literary Museum.


2. Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto 
Kinkaku-ji Temple, known also as the Golden Pavilion, was built in 1397 as the residence of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and after his death has become a Zen Buddhist temple. Visiting that magnificent temple covered with gold embossed ornaments and surrounded by beautiful Japanese garden is one of the mandatory things to do in Kyoto. The Golden Pavilion Temple literally shines in color of the precious metal. The whole building is gilded, because it keeps relics of Buddha.  The beautiful Japanese garden that surrounds Kinkaku-ji completes this spiritual complex. In front of the pavilion there was built a small pond that is surrounded by alleys, streams and exotic plants. The garden of Kinkaku-ji and the pavilion itself are one of the most magnificent places in Kyoto.
3. Mount Fuji 
Fuji Mountain truly deserves the right to be among the biggest attractions in Japan. This is the highest point of the island. The vast hill is located about 100km west of Tokyo on Honshu Main Island. Japanese themselves consider Fuji to be their most sacred mountain and cherish it as a saint.  If you manage to reach the crater of the volcano you will be on the highest point in Japan situated at 3776 m altitude. Many of the tourists go to the summit to enjoy the incredible view especially at the time when the cherry trees at the foot of the hill are covered with lovely blossoms.
4. Tokyo Tower 
Most people say that Tokyo is a place where the rest of the world is going to imagine how the future will look like. One of the most amazing structures worldwide and a symbol of the city is the Tokyo Tower. It is 333 m high and is a copy of the Eiffel Tower in Japan. When built in 1958, the tower symbolized the rise of Japan as a major economic force. Observatories, which are located at 150 and 250 meters offer bird's eye view over the city. Besides admiring the panoramic views you can also enjoy a great wax museum and art gallery located inside the tower.
5. Todai-ji Hall, Nara 
The city of Nara is located in the northern part of the prefecture and is close to Kyoto. Seven temples and ruins in Nara together with forest Kasugayama form the so called "historical monument of ancient Nara". The main attraction of the park is a colossal bronze statue of a seated Buddha placed in the "Todai-ji" (Great Eastern Temple), considered to be the largest wooden building in the world built in the 8th century. This is the most visited place in Nara that attracts Buddhist pilgrims and people from all over the world. Nara is famous for its tame deer that roams the city and especially the park. According to the legend a mythical god of Kasuga temple arrived in Nara on a white deer to protect the new capital. Since then deers are considered sacred animals that keep the city.
6. Umeda Sky Building, Osaka
The Umeda Sky Building is a spectacular high building in Osaka. It is also known as the "New Umeda City". The building which is 173-meters high consists of two main towers which are connected by the "Floating Garden Observatory"  located on the 39th floor. The observatory offers a great and unforgettable view of the city. While enjoying the breathtaking sights you can also directly feel the wind, which at 170 meters off the ground can get quite strong. From this magnificent spot you can not only see all of Osaka but as far away as Awaji Island.

7. Yonaguni  Island 
Yonaguni is the westernmost populated island of Japan which became famous in 1987 when divers found off the coast at a depth of 25 meters mysterious underwater stone structures. Even today, scientists debate about their origin, but nobody knows for sure where and how they appeared in the ocean. Natural phenomenon or human creation are the pyramids? According to some experts the underwater monument was artificially created many years ago by an unknown civilization vanished from the earth. A heavenly place for anyone willing to plunge into the depths of the ocean and touch the mysterious structures.

8. Itsukushima 
The island of Itsukushima, situated in the inland sea Seto is a holy place of Shintoism since the ancient centuries. The first shrine buildings here were probably built in the 6th century. The present temple dates back to the 12th century and shows very artistic and technical skills. In the temple design you can see a game of contrasts in colors and forms. The island is considered a sacred place and for a long time the common people were not allowed to step on it. The place has become a symbol of Japan and is one of the most visited tourist attractions.

9. Hiroshima 
Hiroshima is one of the most famous cities in the world. The tragic occasion that made it notorious will hardly ever fade. Still Hiroshima continues forward and is emerging as an increasingly preferred destination, being a place of memories, modern entertainment venues and unique flair of Asian culture and traditions. One of the symbols of the city is Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, where is situated the Peace Museum, opened in 1955. The Peace Memorial Park is a kind of oasis in the heart of the city, where among the trees, paths, pleasant atmosphere and interesting monuments you can relax after your tour across Hiroshima. In the park is situated a half-destroyed monument called the Atomic Bomb Dome, which is one of the few buildings that survived after the bombing.
10. Ginza District, Tokyo 
Ginza District is the most famous shopping district of Tokio and one of the preferred shopping areas worldwide. There you can embark on shopping trips because this area is a shopping heaven full of many department stores, boutiques and restaurants. This Tokyo district has been classified as one of the most chic and expensive shopping destinations in the world. Besides the fine art galleries and fabulous stores, Ginza District hosts the largest fish market in Asia, and the Sony Building, which is one of the most amazing tourist attractions in Tokyo that you can visit for free.

Top 5 Cities in Japan

1. Kyoto

If you’re really keen on checking out the real culture and the origin of Japan, we recommend you to directly go to Kyoto instead of going to the metropolitan city, Tokyo. Old Japanese atmosphere still lingers on in this city and you can see plenty of shrines, temples, and other historical monuments. Kiyomizu Temple is a must visit place in Kyoto. It’s a huge Buddhist temple made of wood but not one nail is used in the construction. Kinkaku Temple (Golden Temple) is also an indispensable place to see. This temple was built in 1397 and this wooden structure is covered by gold leaf on its surface. Ryoan Temple is famous for its beautiful and peaceful stone garden. Not only these monuments, but there are also many things to get an exceptional experience from. You can participate in events such as the Japanese Tea Ceremony or Zazen (Zen practice) to understand and get real Japanese experience. While you’re walking in the Gion district, for example, you could encounter a Geisha or two if you’re lucky.

2. Tokyo

The capital of Japan, this metropolitan city is one of the biggest cities in the world with more than 10 million people. There’s nothing that you cannot get in Tokyo. There’s everything from all over the world kind of like New York City. In this metropolitan city, I’d suggest that you not go only to the famous touristic places but also some hidden places where tourists rarely visit. Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Roppongi are truly central areas of Tokyo and suitable for everything: sightseeing, shopping, gourmet, nightlife, and so on. A well-known site, Kaminari Mon (Asakusa Temple), in Asakusa is usually used as a symbol of Japan due to its famous huge red paper lantern weighing 700kg. Visiting the Tsukiji Fish Market would also be a really peculiar experience on your trip to Tokyo. It’s a huge area, full of fresh fish and other seafood, and lots of Sushi restaurants owners trying to buy the best quality materials at a bargain. You can feel the energy here and you can also withess some fish sellers gutting fish at a crazy speed. The show is really amazing.

3. Osaka

Osaka is the second biggest city in Japan and also well-known as a city of commerce and Japanese cuisine. Compared with the sophisticated city of Tokyo, you’ll feel more of a downtown atmosphere in Osaka. Actually people from Osaka are very passionate and energetic, and its original culture is consistent with this ambient. Mainly, there’re two major economic parts in Osaka, one called “Kita” (means North) and another one called “Minami” (meaning South). Kita area has a sophisticated image and you can browse through the upscale shops and shopping mall near the Osaka main station or along Midosuji Boulevard. On the other hand, Minami area has very throng atmosphere and you can get a glimpse of the life of locals. There’s a bunch of smaller shops. In the Dotonbori area you can have your pick for dining, from tiny restaurants with local dishes such as “Okonomiyaki” or “Takoyaki” to expensive restaurants, bars and clubs. You should also visit Osaka Castle, Kaiyukan which is one of the biggest aquariums in Japan, and Universal Studio Osaka as well.

4. Okinawa

People who visit Okinawa say that it doesn’t look like Japan. Of course not. That’s because Okinawa used to be an independent kingdom called “Ryukyu” until 1879. Thus, the culture, custom, ideology, and even the people are really different and even now you can still see these differences in the city. For instance, Shuri Castle shows typical influence of the original old Ryukyu culture which is nothing similar to the Japanese one. Moreover, Okinawa was ruled by the USA until 1972, thus you can also see the unique mixed cultures of the Ryukyu, Japanese, and American. Cuisine in Okinawa is very unique even for Japanese people. You can try not only traditional Okinawa cuisine, but you can also try food with various influences such as American and Latin American. There is abundant nature with the tropical weather and beautiful beaches including many natural parks and islands, and lovely and unique animals. If you’re a nature lover and interested in something unique, your destination in Japan should be Okinawa.

5. Fukuoka

Fukuoka is always one of the most relaxed Japanese cities to live in with a good quality of life. It’s a well-organised urban town which provides you a nice environment to enjoy your life. The elegant city centre in the Tenjin area is really suitable for shopping and trying typical Fukuoka cuisine which is especially famous like “Ramen” noodle, and there are many cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs. Fukuoka has a long bay area and it’s nice to walk around. From the Hakata area to Tenjin, you can see many “Yatai” which are mobile food stalls typically selling Ramen. A typical image of Fukuoka at night is seeing people get together in Yatai eating, drinking and talking, and of course you can also join the fun. Fukuoka is calm and relaxed, but full of activities at the same time.

Politics regarding the use of nuclear energy

On 27 February 2012 three Kansai cities, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe, jointly asked Kansai Electric Power Company to break its dependence on nuclear power. In a letter to KEPCO they also requested to disclose information on the demand and supply of electricity, and for lower and stable prices. The three cities were stockholders of the plant: Osaka owned 9% of the shares, while Kobe had 3% and Kyoto 0.45%. Toru Hashimoto, the mayor of Osaka, announced a proposal to minimize the dependence on nuclear power for the shareholders meeting in June 2012.

On 18 March 2012 the city of Osaka decided as largest shareholder of Kansai Electric Power Co, that at the next shareholders-meeting in June 2012 it would demand a series of changes:

• that Kansai Electric would be split into two companies, separating power generation from power transmission
• a reduction of the number of the utility's executives and employees.
• the implementation of absolutely secure measurements to ensuring the safety of the nuclear facilities.
• the disposing of spent fuel.
• the installation of new kind of thermal power generation to secure non-nuclear supply of energy.
• selling all unnecessary assets including the stock holdings of KEPCO.

In this action Osaka had secured the support of two other cities and shareholders: Kyoto and Kobe, but with their combined voting-rights of 12.5 percent they were not certain of the ultimate outcome, because for this two-thirds of the shareholders would be needed to agree to revise the corporate charter.

At a meeting held on 10 April 2012 by the "energy strategy council", formed by the city of Osaka and the governments of the prefectures, it became clear that at the end of the fiscal year 2011 some 69 employees of Kansai Electric Power Company were former public servants. "Amakudari" was the Japanese name for this practice: rewarding by hiring officials that formerly controlled and supervised the firm: among these people were:

• 13 ex-officials of the: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
• 3 ex-officials of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,
• 2 ex-officials of the Ministry of the Environment,
• 16 former policemen,
• 13 former civil engineers.
• 16 former policemen,
• 10 ex-firefighters

Besides this, it became known that Kansai Electric had done about 600 external financial donations, to a total sum of about 1.695 billion yen:

• 70 donations were paid to local governments: to a total of 699 million yen
• 100 donations to public-service organizations: 443 million yen,
• 430 donations to various organizations and foundations: a total of 553 million yen

During this meeting some 8 conditions were compiled, that needed to be fulfilled before a restart of the No.3 and No.4 reactors Oi Nuclear Power Plant:

• the consent of the local people and government within 100 kilometer from the plant
• the installation of a new independent regulatory agency
• a nuclear safety agreement
• the establishment of new nuclear safety standards
• stress tests and evaluations based on these new safety rules ^[36]

[edit]Economy

The gross city product of Osaka in fiscal year 2004 was ¥21.3 trillion, an increase of 1.2% over the previous year. The figure accounts for about 55% of the total output in the Osaka Prefecture and 26.5% in the Kinki region. In 2004, commerce, services, and manufacturing have been the three major industries, accounting for 30%, 26%, and 11% of the total, respectively. The per capita income in the city was about ¥3.3 million, 10% higher than that of the Osaka Prefecture. MasterCard Worldwide reported that Osaka ranks 19th among the world's leading cities and plays an important role in the global economy.

The GDP in the greater Osaka area (Osaka and Kobe) is $341 billion. Osaka, along with Paris and London, has one of the most productive hinterlands in the world.

Historically, Osaka was the center of commerce in Japan, especially in the middle and pre-modern ages. Nomura Securities, the first brokerage firm in Japan, was founded in the city in 1925, and Osaka still houses a leading futures exchange. Many major companies have since moved their main offices to Tokyo. However, several major companies, such as Panasonic,Sharp, and Sanyo, are still headquartered in Osaka. Recently, the city began a program, headed by mayor Junichi Seki, to attract domestic and foreign investment.

The Osaka Securities Exchange, specializing in derivatives such as Nikkei 225 futures, is based in Osaka. The merger withJASDAQ will help the Osaka Securities Exchange become the largest exchange in Japan for start-up companies.

According to a U.S. study, Osaka is the second most expensive city for expatriate employees in the world and in Japan behind Tokyo. It jumped up nine places from 11th place in 2008. Osaka was the 8th most expensive city in 2007.

[edit]Transportation

[edit]Air

Osaka is served by two airports outside the city.

Kansai International Airport (IATA: KIX) handles all scheduled international passenger flights, some domestic flights, and most cargo flights. It is on anartificial island that sits off-shore in Osaka Bay and is administratively part of the nearby town of Tajiri. The airport is linked by a bus and train service into the center of the city        and major suburbs.

Osaka International Airport (IATA:ITM), on the border of the cities of Itami and Toyonaka, houses most of the domestic services, some international cargo flights, and international VIP charters from and to the metropolitan region.

[edit]Sea

The port of Osaka serves as a shipping hub for the Kansai region along with the port of Kobe.

[edit]Ferry

Osaka's international ferry connections are far greater than Tokyo's, mostly due to geography. There are international ferries that leave Osaka for Shanghai, Tianjin, Korea, and until recentlyTaiwan. Osaka's domestic ferry services include regular service to ports such as Kitakyushu, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Okinawa.

[edit]Shipping

Shipping plays the crucial role for the freight coming in and out of the area nationally and internationally, and Greater Osaka areas exports and imported raw materials span the globe, with no one port dominating. Though the port of Kobe was in the 1970s the busiest in the world by containers handled, it no longer ranks among the top twenty worldwide. Kansai area is home to 5 existing LNG terminals.

• Port of Osaka
• Port of Kobe
• Port of Sakai-Senboku (In Osaka Prefecture)
• Port of Himeji

Culture of Japan

                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                        the culture of Japan has evolved greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary hybrid culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe, and North America. The inhabitants of Japan experienced a long period of relative isolation from the outside world during the Tokugawa shogunate, until the arrival of "The Black Ships" and the Meiji period. 

Japanese language

 Japanese language is spoken mainly in Japan, but also in some Japanese immigrant communities around the globe. It is an agglutinative language and the sound inventory of Japanese is relatively small but has a lexically distinct pitch-accent system. Early Japanese is known largely on the basis of its state in the 8th century, when the three major works of Old Japanese were compiled. The earliest attestation of the Japanese language is in a Chinese document from 252 AD.

Japanese is written with a combination of three scripts: hiragana, derived from the Chinese cursive script, katakana, derived as a shorthand from Chinese characters, and kanji, imported from China. The Latin alphabet, rōmaji, is also often used in modern Japanese, especially for company names and logos, advertising, and when inputting Japanese into a computer. The Hindu-Arabic numerals are generally used for numbers, but traditional Sino-Japanese numerals are also common.

[edit]Literature

Early works of Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural contact with China and Chinese literature, often written in Classical Chinese. Indian literature also had an influence through the diffusion of Buddhism in Japan. Eventually, Japanese literature developed into a separate style in its own right as Japanese writers began writing their own works about Japan. Since Japan reopened its ports to Western trading and diplomacy in the 19th century, Western and Eastern literature have strongly affected each other and continue to do so.

[edit]Music

The music of Japan includes a wide array of performers in distinct styles both traditional and modern. The word for music in Japanese is 音楽 (ongaku), combining the kanji 音 ("on" sound) with the kanji 楽 ("gaku" music). Japan is the second largest music market in the world, behind the United States, and the largest in Asia, and most of the market is dominated by Japanese artists.

Local music often appears at karaoke venues, which is on lease from the record labels. Traditional Japanese music is quite different from Western Music and is based on the intervals of human breathing rather than mathematical timing. In 1873, a British traveler claimed that Japanese music, "exasperates beyond all endurance the European breast."

[edit]Visual arts

[edit]Painting

Painting has been an art in Japan for a very long time: the brush is a traditional writing tool, and the extension of that to its use as an artist's tool was probably natural. Chinese papermaking was introduced to Japan around the 7th century by Damjing and several monks of Goguryeo, later washi was developed from it. Native Japanese painting techniques are still in use today, as well as techniques adopted from Continental Asia and from the West.

[edit]Calligraphy

The flowing, brush-drawn Japanese rendering of text itself is seen as a traditional art form as well as a means of conveying written information. The written work can consist of phrases, poems, stories, or even single characters. The style and format of the writing can mimic the subject matter, even to the point of texture and stroke speed. In some cases it can take over one hundred attempts to produce the desired effect of a single character but the process of creating the work is considered as much an art as the end product itself.

This calligraphy form is known as ‘shodō’ (書道) which literally means ‘the way of writing or calligraphy’ or more commonly known as ‘shūji’ (習字) ‘learning how to write characters’.

Commonly confused with Calligraphy is the art form known as ‘sumi-e’ (墨絵) literally means ‘ink painting’ which is the art of painting a scene or object.

[edit]Sculpture

Traditional Japanese sculptures mainly consisted of Buddhist images, such as Tathagata, Bodhisattva, and Myō-ō. The oldest sculpture in Japan is a wooden statue of Amitābha at the Zenkō-ji temple. In the Nara period, Buddhist statues were made by the national government to boost its prestige. These examples are seen in present-day Nara and Kyoto, most notably a colossal bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana in the Tōdai-ji temple.

Wood has traditionally been used as the chief material in Japan, along with traditional Japanese architecture. Statues are often lacquered, gilded, or brightly painted, although there are little traces on the surfaces. Bronze and other metals are also used. Other materials, such as stone and pottery, have had extremely important roles in the plebeian beliefs.

[edit]Ukiyo-e

Ukiyo-e, literally "pictures of the floating world", is a genre of woodblock prints that exemplifies the characteristics of pre-Meiji Japanese art. Because these prints could be mass-produced, they were available to a wide cross-section of the Japanese populace — those not wealthy enough to afford original paintings — during their heyday, from the 17th to 20th century.

[edit]Ikebana

Ikebana (生花^?) is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It has gained widespread international fame for its focus on harmony, color use, rhythm, and elegantly simple design. It is an art centered greatly on expressing the seasons, and is meant to act as a symbol to something greater than the flower itself.

[edit]Performing arts

The four traditional theatres from Japan are noh (or nō), kyōgen, kabuki, and bunraku. Noh had its origins in the union of the sarugaku, with music and dance made by Kanami and Zeami Motokiyo. Among the characteristic aspects of it are the masks, costumes, and the stylized gestures, sometimes accompanied by a fanthat can represent other objects. The noh programs are presented in alternation with the ones of kyōgen, traditionally in number of five, but currently in groups of three.

The kyōgen, of humorous character, had older origin, in 8th century entertainment brought from China, developing itself in sarugaku. In kyōgen, masks are rarely used and even if the plays can be associated with the ones of noh, currently many are not.

Kabuki appears in the beginning of the Edo period from the representations and dances of Izumo no Okuni in Kyoto. Due to prostitution of actresses of kabuki, the participation of women in the plays was forbidden by the government in 1629, and the feminine characters had passed to be represented only by men (onnagata). Recent attempts to reintroduce actresses in kabuki had not been well accepted. Another characteristic of kabuki is the use of makeup for the actors in historical plays (kumadori).

Japanese puppet theater bunraku developed in the same period, that kabuki in a competition and contribution relation involving actors and authors. The origin of bunraku, however is older, lies back in the Heian period. In 1914, appeared the Takarazuka Revue a company solely composed by women who introduced the revue in Japan.

[edit]Architecture

Japanese architecture has as long of a history as any other aspect of Japanese culture. Originally heavily influenced by Chinese architecture, it also develops many differences and aspects which are indigenous to Japan. Examples of traditional architecture are seen at temples, Shinto shrines, andcastles in Kyoto and Nara. Some of these buildings are constructed with traditional gardens, which are influenced from Zen ideas.

Some modern architects, such as Yoshio Taniguchi and Tadao Ando are known for their amalgamation of Japanese traditional and Western architectural influences.

[edit]Gardens

Garden architecture is as important as building architecture and very much influenced by the same historical and religious background. Although today, ink monochrome painting still is the art form, most closely associated with Zen Buddhism. A primary design principle of a garden is the creation of a landscape based on, or at least greatly influenced by, the three-dimensional monochrome ink (sumi) landscape painting, sumi-e or suibokuga.

In Japan, the garden has the status of artwork.

[edit]Traditional clothing

Traditional Japanese clothing distinguishes Japan from all other countries around the world. The Japanese word kimono means "something one wears" and they are the traditional garments of Japan. Originally, the word kimono was used for all types of clothing, but eventually, it came to refer specifically to the full-length garment also known as the naga-gi, meaning "long-wear", that is still worn today on special occasions by women, men, and children. Kimono in this meaning plus all other items of traditional Japanese clothing is known collectively as wafuku which means "Japanese clothes" as opposed to yofuku (Western-style clothing). Kimonos come in a variety of colours, styles, and sizes. Men mainly wear darker or more muted colours, while women tend to wear brighter colors and pastels, and, especially for younger women, often with complicated abstract or floral patterns.

The kimono of a woman who is married (tomesode) differs from the kimono of a woman who is not married (furisode). The tomesode sets itself apart because the patterns do not go above the waistline. The furisode can be recognized by its extremely long sleeves spanning anywhere from 39 to 42 inches, it is also the most formal kimono an unwed woman wears. The furisode advertises that a woman is not only of age but also single.

The style of kimono also changes with the season, in spring kimonos are vibrantly colored with springtime flowers embroidered on them. In the fall, kimono colors are not as bright, with fall patterns. Flannel kimonos are ideal for winter, they are a heavier material to help keep you warm.

One of the more elegant kimonos is the uchikake, a long silk overgarment worn by the bride in a wedding ceremony. The uchikake is commonly embellished with birds or flowers using silver and gold thread.

Kimonos do not come in specific sizes as most western dresses do. The sizes are only approximate, and a special technique is used to fit the dress appropriately.

The obi is a very important part of the kimono. Obi is a decorative sash that is worn by Japanese men and women, although it can be worn with many different traditional outfits, it is most commonly worn with the kimono. Most women wear a very large elaborate obi, while men typically don a more thin and conservative obi.

Most Japanese men only wear the kimono at home or in a very laid back environment, however it is acceptable for a man to wear the kimono when he is entertaining guests in his home. For a more formal event a Japanese man might wear the haori and hakama, a half coat and divided skirt. The hakama is tied at the waist, over the kimono and ends near the ankle. Hakama were initially intended for men only, but today it is acceptable for women to wear them as well. Hakama can be worn with types of kimono, excluding the summer version, yukata. The lighter and simpler casual-wear version of kimono often worn in summer or at home is called yukata.

Formal kimonos are typically worn in several layers, with number of layers, visibility of layers, sleeve length, and choice of pattern dictated by social status, season, and the occasion for which the kimono is worn. Because of the mass availability, most Japanese people wear western style clothing in their everyday life, and kimonos are mostly worn for festivals, and special events. As a result, most young women in Japan are not able to put the kimono on themselves. Many older women offer classes to teach these young women how to don the traditional clothing.

Happi is another type of traditional clothing, but it is not famous worldwide like the kimono. A happi (or happy coat) is a straight sleeved coat that is typically imprinted with the family crest, and was a common coat for firefighters to wear.

Japan also has very distinct footwear.

Tabi, an ankle high sock, is often worn with the kimono. Tabi are designed to be worn with geta, a type of thonged footwear. Geta are sandals mounted on wooden blocks held to the foot by a piece of fabric that slides between the toes. Geta are worn both by men and women with the kimono or yukata.

fundoshis, furisodes, hakamas, hantens, happis, jinbeits, gūnihitoes, kimonos, obi (sashes), samues, sokutais, tomesodes, uwagis, and yukatas are all Japanese clothing tested for a definite allergic reaction and the results turned out safe. Those clothes are believed to be a copy of a ancient gods clothing made for human beings and passed down for thousands of years and they also make Australians have more cultural belief in other gods.