Image taken on 1910-01-01 00:00:00 by The Library of Congress.
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The Japanese culture has developed over the years. From the ancient and classical Japan, to the birth of the samurais, and now a modern Japanese culture came to exist. Of course, many neighboring countries influenced it and it has played a great role in shaping the modern Japanese culture. It has been a combination of various cultures and although it has experienced isolation from the world during the Tokugawa reign, it has still that distinct Japanese culture. It does not only depict the creativity and the independence of the Japanese people, it also reflects the strength of the Japanese by heart. Japanese culture is indeed rich in the field of arts, music, literature, and many more. From its classical roots, Japan is known for their traditional art forms and their artistic nature. It has brought the world the wide range of manga and comics. Japanese culture consists of the many anime artists that made Japanese animation known throughout the world. Video games, music, and entertainment shows from Japan has lead great contribution to the cyber industry. During the ancient period, Japanese culture consisted of traditional music, geisha, samurai and many more. The geishas were trained from childhood and there were geisha houses that shelter them. This was part of the tradition that formed the Japanese culture. Another unique thing is the language they use. The Japanese language plays a vital role in the Japanese culture. It is widely spoken in Japan and many Westerners learn it. Japanese is written in three ways. The hiragana, the katakana and the kanji are the three scripts. The kanji was imported from China while the katakana contains Chinese characters. Calligraphy is also part of the Japanese culture, which is the way of writing characters in a very artistic way. Sumi-e or ink painting is the art of painting an object or scene. Another form of Japanese art that is a part of the Japanese culture is the Ikebana. It is the art of flower arrangement and is still widely used in Japan as well as in other countries. When it comes to theater arts, the Japanese culture is very remarkable. They have traditional theaters, which are unique in the Japanese culture. There are basically four types of theaters in Japan, particularly the noh, kyogen, kabuki and the bunraku. Performers used masks to depict the characters. Most of the time, they express emotions through their actions and dialogue. Part of the Japanese culture is the bunraku which dates back during the Heian period. It is actually a puppet theater, which highlight historical plays. When it comes to clothing, the kimono is the traditional garment for the Japanese people. They come in a variety of colors and designs. The yukata have lighter colors and usually worn during the summer time. Most men prefer to wear the kimonos that have dark colors. You can look for kimonos in shops at Nagoya, Mei, and Tokyo. But nowadays, the kimonos are used by Japanese on special occasions. Indeed the Japanese culture is rich in variety and has its distinct characteristics that make it one of the best cultures in the world.
Tokyo is Japanâs capital city and without any doubts also itâs largest as well as most attractive. Though it is actually one among the nations 47 prefectures, it is preferably called a metropolis rather than a prefecture. The metropolis consists of city wards, cities, towns and villages apart from quite a few small Pacific Islands which lie to the south of Japanâs main island Honshu. Almost one third of the metropolis area is made up of the 23 city wards which form the center of Tokyo. Tokyo was originally known as Edo which was to become the countryâs political center in 1603. It started growing into becoming one of the worldâs most populous cities and renamed Tokyo meaning âEastern Capitalâ. It was also at this time with the Meiji Restoration in 1868 the emperor and capital shifted to Edo (Tokyo).
The large entertainment, business and shopping area are a major attraction for most people, travelers and visitors. Known as Shinjuku and situated around Shinjuku Station it is one among the 23 wards of the metropolis. One can make advance room reservations in hotels in Tokyo which are today at par with the best in the world. This allows visitors and tourists an opportunity to experience the sights and attractions of this fabulous city without any hassles. One of the main buildings in the metropolis is the 243 meter tall twin towers. The twin towers and its surrounding buildings contain the offices and the assembly hall of the Tokyo government. One can view sights from the towers which house observatories on the 45th floor.
Shinjuku is known as the Skyscraper district of the metropolis. Some Tokyo luxury hotels also come under the category of skyscrapers. The prominent ones are the âKeio Plazaâ, âHiltonâ, âCentury Hyattâ and âPark Hyattâ. One can view some exciting sights from the top floors of the skyscrapers some of which also house restaurants on their top floors. Parks are an attractive feature of Japan and one can find lots of them in Tokyo. Check into any one of the Tokyo hotels to experience some fun time and fresh entertainment in the pleasant parks and famous cherry blossom viewing spots. The most famous and popular of the parks and cherry blossom viewing spots is the Shinjuku Gyoen which was opened for public viewing for the first time in 1949. Viewers would do well to note that the Gyoen remains open between 9.00 to 16.30 hours. At the time of the cherry blossom season which is from late March to late April and the Chrysanthemum Exhibition during the first half of November there are no closure days.
There are capsule hotels in Tokyo in which the guest is given an area of around three feet by three feet by six feet. The amenities provided to the guests include a TV and a light hanging from the ceiling. The capsule rooms have just enough space to sleep in and maybe sit up. There is but a little cloth curtain that separates one capsule from the other capsules above, below and all around. There are other types of Tokyo Japan hotels as well for the economical budget traveler such as cheap Tokyo hotels to ensure no one misses out on a holiday experience in the capital of the âLand of the Rising Sunâ. |
Tokyo City
September 10, 2010, 6:00 pm
 Partly sunny 27°Creal feel: 28°C
current pressure: 1010 mb
humidity: 65%
wind speed: 6 m/s S
wind gusts: 6 m/s
sunrise: 5:20
sunset: 17:56
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