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Video article 2:37
10,000 Lanterns at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. The 1,200-Year-Old Lantern Floating Ceremony Is an Event in Hiroshima Where People Pray for Peace
Traditional Culture Travel Festivals & Events- 255 plays
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Video article 4:45
What is the best time and place to see the Suigo Shihoroi Iris Festival in Shihoroi City, Ibaraki Prefecture? Brides in white kimono riding on a traditional "Yomeiri Boat" are as beautiful as irises!
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Video article 6:47
Gagaku (traditional Japanese court music) performance during the Sakura Festival (Cherry Blossom Festival) at the Fujiyama Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine in Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture! Watch a video of the elegant Kagura "Hoei no Mai" (Dance of Prosperity)!
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Video article 4:00
Hino Hinamatsuri Kiko - Experience Hino, Shiga, Decorated With Adorable Hina Dolls! Introducing the Hinamatsuri Event Held in a Town That Will Transport You Back to Japan’s Showa Period!
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Video article 1:56
【Easy Japanese】What Is Setsubun? An Introduction to the Bean-Throwing Tradition of Japan + 3 Recommended Setsubun Festivals in Japan!(【やさしい日本語】節分とは?日本の豆をまく伝統の紹介と日本のおすすめ節分会3選!)
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Video article 4:54
A Look at Various Traditional Crafts That Have Been Handed Down From Generation to Generation in Various Parts of Japan as Well as Their Craftsmanship and Artistic Beauty
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You'll Be Amazed at How Fast This Swordsman Draws His Katana! You'll Have Been Cut Down Before You Even See His Hands Move! Check out the Overwhelming Speed of Battojutsu in This Video!
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A Wedding at Namba Yasaka Shrine, the Iconic Shrine Shaped Like a Lion's Head! Experience a Traditional Japanese Wedding in the Heart of Osaka, Japan!
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A City That Produces 95% Of the Shogi Pieces Used in Japan. Introducing the Traditional Culture and Shogi Craftsmen of Tendo, Yamagata!
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What is the Japanese confectionery “Ochigan” offered at the puja at Senshuji Temple in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture? Enjoy the beautiful traditional confectionery in 4K video! How it is made, its origin, characteristics, etc.
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'Dou' or 'The Way' – Learn About Traditional Japanese Cultures and Understand the Spirit of Harmony in Japan Through Ancient Japanese Cultures Like Kendo and Archery!
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'Dou' or 'The Way' – Learn About Traditional Japanese Cultures and Understand the Spirit of Harmony in Japan Through Ancient Japanese Cultures Like Kendo and Archery!
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How to Put on a Yukata for Men! A Must for Any Guy Looking To Wear a Yukata During Summer in Japan!
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Radio Calisthenics Have Been Around in Japan for Approximately 90 Years and Has Been Ingrained Into Japanese Culture. Loved by Many, It's a Source of Health for the Japanese People!
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Karakuri Puppets With Delicate Movements: Traditional Japanese Technology, Realistic Movements, and All Done Without Electricity!
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Sanuki Kagari Temari - A Traditional Handicraft of Takamatsu, Kagawa. Enjoy an Inside Look At How the Beautiful Patterns Are Made!
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Edo Furin (Wind Chimes) Have Been Used in Japan for Hundreds of Years as a Way To Feel Cool and Refreshed in the Heat of Summer. Find Out Exactly How They're Made in This Article!
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Noh - Fall in Love With the Classical Japanese Dance Theatre. A Look at Its History, Charm, and Aesthetics
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The Urasenke School of Tea Has Detailed Rules on Not Only How To Drink Tea, but Also on How To Take Sweets! Experience the Hospitality of Japan's Ancient Tea Ceremony!
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Traditional Culture Overview
What Is Traditional Japanese Culture?
In Japan, culture that has been passed down from generation to generation is very important.
There is no definitive definition of traditional Japanese culture, but it includes the lifestyles, customs, and practices rooted in each region of Japan, the local festivals and traditional events that have been passed down as part of a regions culture or faith, the beliefs, ideologies, systems, and spirituality of a region that has been passed down through the generations, the historical architecture of temples, shrines, and Buddhist monasteries, as well as the academic and artistic traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation since ancient times.
It is something that lies in the traditional art, crafts, and folk arts that have been handed down through Japan's long history.
Major examples of traditional Japanese culture include Noh theater, Kyogen, Kabuki, Rakugo, Kodan, Sarumawashi, Japanese dance, paper-cutting, loach scooping, koto playing, shakuhachi, shamisen, and Japanese drums.
"Traditional Japanese Culture" is at the top of the list of favorite things to experience in Japan, according to foreign visitors to Japan.
Kabuki and Noh Theatre - Two of Japan's Most Famous Traditional Cultures
Kabuki, Noh, and Kyogen are traditional Japanese cultures, traditional performing arts, and entertainment cultures that have been passed down through generations in Japan.
Kabuki is one of Japan's unique forms of theatre and traditional performing arts, and is popular overseas as well. It has also been designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property.
From the end of the Warring States period (1467-1568) to the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1868), Kabuki was popular in what is now Kyoto, and the term "Kabuki" originally referred to people who liked flamboyant costumes and unusual garments, and acted in a way that was out of the ordinary.
Kabuki dance, which incorporates the novel movements and flamboyant costumes of Kabuki performers, took Kyoto by storm during the Keicho period (1596-1615) and has been handed down to the present day.
The stage names of Kabuki actors, such as Danjuro Ichikawa, are called myoseki (roughly "stage names"), and are passed down from one generation to the next. As actors gain experience, they gradually take over larger and larger names and come to embody what the name represents.
In most cases, the name is passed down to one's own son, but it is also sometimes passed down to an adopted son, brother, or talented apprentice.
Besides Kabuki, Nohgaku is another type of traditional Japanese theatre that includes both Noh and Kyogen.
Nohgaku has also been designated as a an Important Intangible Cultural Property, and is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Property.
The differences between Noh and Kyogen, two main forms of theatre in Japan, are that Noh utilizes masks called "omote," whereas Kyogen is performed without the use of masks.
Experience Traditional Japanese Culture!
Like Kabuki, Noh, and Kyogen, Rakugo is one of the most popular traditional performing arts of Japan and also performed on stage.
Rakugo is a traditional performing art familiar among Japanese people today, and is still broadcast on television regularly.
Rakugo is a traditional storytelling art that began in the Edo period and has been handed down to the present day. It is characterized by its "punchlines" at the end of a story.
Unlike other traditional performing arts such as Kabuki, Noh, and Kyogen, Rakugo uses only facial and hand gestures, with almost no costumes or stage equipment, and a single performer plays several roles while making the audience laugh or cry.
Apart from these popular traditional Japanese performing arts, there are other traditional cultural art forms, such as Budo, which aims to perfect one's character through the practice of martial arts, calligraphy, ikebana (flower arranging), and tea ceremony, as well as the techniques and works of artisans, including bonsai, Japanese cuisine, sword smithing, and horseback archery.
These arts have been passed down in various forms and we must continue to pass on traditional culture and performing arts as a part of Japan's precious historical culture.
There are a variety of classes that allow you to experience various types of traditional culture to feel the Japanese spirit of "Wa," and you can learn more about the beauty of Japan by experiencing traditional culture firsthand.
We highly recommend trying the tours offered by travel agencies, including pottery, yukata, kimono, calligraphy, bonsai experiences, and more.
Traditional Culture That Can Be Easily Experienced in Japan
Below is Samurai've's 2016 "Top 10 Japanese History and Traditional Culture Experiences."
No. 1 Onsen
No. 2 Kabuki
No. 3 Kimono Experience
No. 4 Tea Ceremony
No. 5 Sword fighting choreography experience
No. 6 Origami Experience
No. 7 Calligraphy
No. 8 Ikebana (Flower Arrangement)
No. 9 Woodblock Printing
No. 10 Food sample making experience
In recent years, many foreigners have come to Japan to experience these aspects of traditional Japanese culture.
By actually experiencing the Japanese spirit, hospitality and etiquette, you can further enjoy the beauty of Japan.
Please note that many of the traditional culture experiences listed above require reservations in advance.
COOL JAPAN VIDEOS is a site that introduces the charms of Japan through videos related to traditional Japanese culture!