All About Japan
"A land of incredible diversity: modern yet steeped in custom; home of the friendliest of welcomes. A country of blazing neon lights and rugged mountains, coasts and valleys."
Japan has a fascinating and multifaceted culture; on the one hand it is steeped in the deepest of traditions dating back thousands of years; on the other it is a society in a continual state of rapid flux, with continually shifting fads and fashions and technological development that constantly pushes back the boudaries of the possible. It could therefore be said that Japan is a country of stark contradictions and is in part this that makes it such a fascinating country to visit and unique tourist destination. If you are looking for something different you are sure to find it here!
People
One people, one race?

Japanese people appear at first glance to be one of the most socially and ethnically homogenous groups in the world. It is reasonable to equate Japan’s rapid post-war economic development to the 1990s with social solidarity and conformism. Despite labour shortages since the 1960s, authorities resisted officially sanctioning foreign workers until the 1980s, relying on increased mechanization and an expanded female workforce instead (1). Until recently, Japanese workers have associated themselves primarily with the company they work for – a businessman will introduce himself as ‘Nissan no Takahashi-san’ (I am Nissan’s Mr Takahashi). By extension, we might get the idea that a Japanese person subordinates the self to the objectives of society.
In 2008, however, long-serving Japanese politician Nariaki Nakayama resigned after declaring that Japan is ‘ethnically homogenous’, showing that the old ‘one people, one race’ idea has become politically incorrect. Criticism of Mr Nakayama’s statement focused on its disregard for the indigenous Ryukyukan people of southern Okinawa, and the Ainu people from the north island of Hokkaido colonised by the Japanese in the late nineteenth century. In 1994 the first Ainu politician was elected to the Japanese Diet, suggesting that the Japanese are keen to officially recognise distinct ethnic groups in Japan.
Modern Demographic Development
The most recent census asked people to define themselves only by nationality and not ethnicity, so the true demographic of the country is still unclear Although only around 15,000 foreigners are naturalized each year, immigration has continued officially and unofficially since Japan ended its policy of isolation in the mid 18th century.
Apart from foreign immigration, Japanese people and their descendants have moved freely since the borders were opened. Although the census does not recognise them, there are now an estimated 750,000 Japanese citizens with mixed heritage, as well as 1.5 million permanent foreign residents in a total population of around 126 million. Some ‘harufu’ have gained a high profile in Japan, contesting the nationalist assertion that homogeneity is synonymous with Japanese prowess. In 2004 Yu Darvish, of mixed Japanese and Iranian heritage, pitched an entire game for the professional Nippon Ham baseball team without a batsman reaching first base. More recently, Finnish-born Tsurunen Marutei became a member of parliament.
Since Japan’s main indigenous and immigrant ethnic groups tend not to reside in the densely populated Kanto and Kansai areas of central Honshu where holidaymakers generally go, a tourist would probably conclude that the non-Japanese population is a relatively tiny number of white Caucasians. There is a floating population of Western English language teachers and finance sector workers, particularly in Tokyo, but the authorities have extremely tight restrictions on extending specialist work visas beyond three years so very few become permanent residents.
The largest ethnic groups represented are in fact originally from Korea, China, Brazil and the Philippines. Since the 1970s there has been a steady inflow of Brazilians of Japanese descent, and this group now make up 5-10% of the population in some industrial towns in Japan. These days the younger generations speak only Japanese and not the language of their forebears. In addition to these families, tens of thousands of long-term ‘guest workers’ have been drafted in for factory and menial work under agreements since the 1990s.
The case for ethnic diversification is evident throughout Japanese society. The UN predicts that Japan will reach an economic crisis point by 2050 where the non-working population will outnumber the working population. Initiatives such as the 1994 Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement suggest that Japan is seeking a solution by granting more 3 to 4 year stays for trained workers and caregivers, though it is still very reluctant to grant permanent residency. Conservative politicians still advocate increased mechanization as the solution; swift advances are being made in robotics, particularly in the field of elderly care, but production would need to increase exponentially if the UN estimate of a ten million shortfall in workers by 2050 is remotely accurate.
Beyond ethnicity, there are cultural distinctions between the regions, most of which have existed for a long time but are not immediately obvious to a foreign visitor. For example, Osaka-ben, the idiomatic language used in the Kansai area, espouses the open discussion of money whereas Tokyoites are likely to take great pains to avoid discussion of the raw figures (2). Residents of Kyushu – the most southern of the four large Japanese islands - compare themselves with the Mediterranean, ‘with traditional Japanese reserve taking a backseat to more demonstrative temperaments.’ (3)
Challenges for the Next Generation
Distinct differences are also evident between the generations since the economic bubble burst in the 1990s. Younger generations are facing a dramatically different working culture in which a job for life is no longer guaranteed. Consequently, the identification of the self with the company is weakening. Japanese companies now routinely outsource work and lay off workers who may have been with the company for decades, as dramatised through the character of the father in the 2008 film Tokyo Sonata.
While that movie is of course a work of fiction and does not necessarily represent a typical situation, it does highlight the cultural shift away from an often-quoted Japanese idiom: ‘the nail which stands up must be hammered down.’ The movie espouses individual development over conformity, as the son flourishes as a piano prodigy despite his father’s attempts to have him conform to the existing system of education and employment. The wide generation gap and imposition of values is evident in the fact that the average politician is in his or her sixties, and the current Prime Minister Naoto Kan is 74.
In a highly competitive job market where learning fluent English is seen as one of the keys to success, more and more young Japanese people are studying abroad mainly in the United States. This means that some are developing more stereotypically western individualist outlooks in their formative years. There is also the social phenomenon of furita, young people who take a number of part time jobs instead of a single full-time role, and intersperse these with stints in places like Bali and Australia. Traditionalists are particularly troubled by the number of otaku, a population of young adults estimated to be between one and three million who never leave home. In a significant number of cases, they are not employed and not paying taxes. This adds to the state’s dilemma of how to provide for an increasing elderly population – the largest in the developed world - while the population as a whole is decreasing and some young people are only entering employment part-time, if at all.
The long-established equation between age and standing in a clearly defined hierarchy appears to be holding firm, and the relationship between the senpai (experienced) and kohai (inexperienced) is evident everywhere from college baseball teams to offices and factory hierarchies. Nonetheless, these structures are under scrutiny in economically uncertain times, and may belie a paradigmatic shift in the values and goals of young people questioning what it means to be Japanese.

1 - Japan’s Minorities: the Illusion of Homogeneiety, Michael Weiner
2 - Jazz Up Your Japanese Onomatopoeia contains contrasting chapters to illustrate this.
3 - National Geographic Traveler: Japan ed. Nicholas Bornoff
Social
Manners, Customs and the Japanese way
Manners and customs are an important part of many facets of Japanese life. Japanese people will grow up picking up the subtleties of this unique culture as they go through life, respecting the invisible and varied societal rules. There are many aspects of this seemingly complicated culture that as a foreign visitor, you will not be expected to know, but there are some things that will be easier to grasp than others.
Bowing

One of the most obvious social conventions is the bow. Everyone bows when they say hello, goodbye, thank you or sorry. Bowing is a term of respect, remorse, gratitude and greeting.
If you meet someone in Japan you may wish to give them a little bow, but you do not necessarily need to bow to everyone who bows to you. Entering a shop or restaurant for example, you will be greeted by shouts of ‘irrashaimase’ (welcome) and a bow from the staff as a sign of respect to you as the customer. As the customer, you will not be expected to bow back as you could be facing a long bow-off as the staff will feel it necessary to bow back to you. You may prefer to adopt the casual head-nod version of the bow as a sign of acknowledgement when thanked for your purchase at the end of your shopping experience. Many Japanese people use the head-nod in more casual everyday situations.
There are several forms of bowing such as the 45 degree ‘Saikeirei’ bow used for moments for sincere apology or to show the highest of respect, or the 30 degree ‘Keirei’ bow which is also used to show respect to superiors. As a visitor to Japan you will probably have no use for wither of these. The ‘Eshaku’ 15 degree bow is used for greetings when meeting people for the first time and is semi formal. You may have more use for this bow during your time in Japan, but you will not be expected to use it and Japanese these days are more than familiar with shaking hands.
Taking off footwear

This is something that confuses many visitors to Japan, but is so easy to understand. It is customary in Japan to take off your shoes when entering a traditional ryokan (guesthouse), a home, temple or the occasional restaurant for example. Traditionally, the Japanese took off shoes entering homes as people would sleep, sit and eat on the tatami matted floors and footwear worn outside would spread dirt across their living area. Today people still take off their footwear, partly to keep the inside of the building clean, but also as a sign of respect.
As a visitor to Japan, you may not find yourself entering too many private homes but you will probably find yourself in a traditional ryokan or Minshuku guest house or entering a temple building and you will be expected to take off your shoes. You will enter a building and often find yourself in the ‘genkan’ (entrance hall) which will usually be on a slightly different level to the rest of the floor. You may see a sign asking you to take of shoes, you may see lots of shoes sitting neatly or you may see an area or lockers to place your footwear, all signs that you should take off your shoes.
Most Japanese will glide effortlessly in and out of their footwear from ‘genkan’ to tatami floor in one swift move. As soon as you step out of your shoes, step up straight onto the main floor and to be polite, you might like to turn around and reposition your shoes neatly or put them in the appropriate place. Although you may not have mastered taking off your shoes as well as the Japanese, it is a simple concept that is considered vey important in Japan.
Other social tips
Respect
* The suffix “san” is often used when you refer to someone else and is a term of respect. If referring to Mr/Mrs Suzuki, you would say, “Suzuki san”. However, you would never refer to yourself as “-san” and would only use your name on its own.
Eating
* Before eating a meal, Japanese put their hands together and use the term “Itadakimasu” (I humbly receive). After the meal, it is polite to say “Gochiso sama deshita” (thank you for the meal). * Japanese will understand if visitors do not have proficient use of chopsticks but there are some rules you should try and follow; * Do not stick your chopsticks into your bowl of rice or pass food around with them. As well as being slightly uncouth, these actions have relevance to the Japanese funeral ceremony. * It is also advisable not to douse your rice in soy sauce. Japanese are very proud of their rice and this seemingly innocent action may surprise and even offend some ryokan/restaurant owners. * It is not common practice to walk and eat in public and is considered bad manners. You may sit down in a public place and eat or stand at “tachi-gui” restaurant/shops, but walking and eating is not polite. * There is no tipping in Japanese restaurants or other places that many westerners will expect to tip. The Japanese will always give the best service they can and do their jobs proudly. A waiter or chef would certainly not accept a tip for doing their jobs and if you tried to leave one, they would awkwardly return your money, so don’t tip.
There are many social conventions in Japan which westerners might find hard to understand, but that is the nature of different cultures and is part of the fun about being in a country like Japan. Although it is nice if you are able to respect every social custom, as a visitor you will not be expected to know them all. A little bit of respect goes a long way in Japan and your sensitivity will be appreciated.
Religion
Shinto, Buddhism and the Japanese belief system
Religion in Japan is a wonderful mish-mash of ideas from Shintoism and Buddhism. Unlike in the West, religion in Japan is rarely preached, nor is it a doctrine. Instead it is a moral code, a way of living, almost indistinguishable from Japanese social and cultural values.
Japanese religion is also a private, family affair. It is separate from the state; there are no religious prayers or symbols in a school graduation ceremony for example. Religion is little discussed in every day life and the majority of Japanese do not worship regularly or claim to be religious. However most people turn to religious rituals in birth, marriage and death and take part in spiritual matsuri or festivals throughout the year.
Religion and the Emperor
Until World War II, Japanese religion focused around the figure of the Emperor as a living God. Subjects saw themselves as part of a huge family of which all Japanese people were members. The crushing war defeat however, shattered many people's beliefs, as the frail voice of the Emperor was broadcast to the nation renouncing his deity. The period since has seen a secularisation of Japanese society almost as dramatic as the economic miracle which saw Japan's post-war economy go into overdrive.
However, much of the ritual has survived the collapse of religious belief. Today, religion defines Japanese identity more than spirituality, and at helps strengthen family and community ties.
Shintoism versus Buddhism

Shintoism is Japan’s indigenous spirituality. It is believed that every living thing in nature (e.g. trees, rocks, flowers, animals, even sounds) contains ‘kami’ or gods. Consequently Shinto principles can be seen throughout Japanese culture where nature and the turning of the seasons are cherished. This is reflected in arts such as ikebana (flower arranging) and bonsai, Japanese garden design and the annual celebration of sakura or cherry blossom.
Shinto only got its name when Buddhism came to Japan by way of China, Tibet, Vietnam, and ultimately Korea. Buddhism arrived in the 6th Century establishing itself in Nara. Over time Buddhism divided into several sects, the most popular being Zen Buddhism.
In essence, Shintoism is the spirituality of this world and this life, whereas Buddhism is concerned with the soul and the afterlife. This explains why for the Japanese the two religions exist so successfully together, without contradiction. To celebrate a birth or marriage, or to prey for a good harvest, the Japanese turn to Shintoism. Funerals, on the other hand, are usually Buddhist ceremonies.
Shrines versus Temples

As a general rule of thumb, shrines are Shinto and temples are Buddhist. Shrines can be identified by the huge entrance gate or torii, usually painted vermillion red. However you’ll often find both shrines and temple buildings in the same complex so it is sometimes difficult to identify and separate the two.
To appreciate a shrine, do as the Japanese do. Just inside the red torii gate you’ll find a water fountain or trough. Here you must use a bamboo ladle to wash your hands and mouth to purify your spirit before entering. Next look for a long thick rope hanging from a bell in front of an altar. Here you may pray: first ring the bell, throw a coin before the altar as on offering (5 yen coins are considered lucky), clap three times to summon the kami, then clasp your hands together to pray. At a temple, you’ll need to take your shoes off before entering the main building and kneeling on the tatami mat floor before an altar or icon to pray.
Lucky charms

Luck, fate and superstition are important to the Japanese. Many people buy small charms at temples or shrines which are then attached to handbags, key chains, mobile phones or hung in cars to bring good luck. Different charms grant different luck, such as exam success or fertility.
Prayers are often written on votive tablets: wooden boards which are hung in their hundreds around temple grounds. At famous temples such as Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera, you’ll see votive tablets written on in a variety of languages.
A final way to learn your destiny is to take a fortune slip. Sometimes available in English, a fortune slip rates your future in different areas: success, money, love, marriage, travel and more. If your fortune is poor, tie your slip to a tree branch in the temple grounds; leaving the slip at the temple should improve your luck.
Religious ceremonies

The most important times of year in the Japanese calendar are New Year, celebrated from 1st to 3rd January, and O-Bon, usually held around the 16th August. At New Year the Japanese make trips to ancestral graves to pray for late relatives. The first visit of the New Year to a shrine is also important to secure luck for the year ahead.
At O-Bon it is believed that the spirits of the ancestors come down to earth to visit the living. Unlike Halloween, these spooky spirits are welcomed and again the Japanese make visits to family graves.
Births are celebrated by family visits to shrines. The passing of childhood is commemorated at three key ages: three, five and seven, and small children are dressed in expensive kimono and taken to certain shrines such as Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine. Coming of age is officially celebrated at 20. In early January, mass coming of age ceremonies (like graduations) are held in town halls followed by shrine visits by young people proudly dressed in bright kimono.
In Japan today marriage ceremonies are a great clash of East meets West. A Japanese wedding may have several parts including a Shinto ceremony in traditional dress at a shrine as well as a Western style wedding reception in a hotel or restaurant. In the second part it is now popular for a bride to wear a wedding gown for a howaito wedingu (white wedding).
Funerals are overseen by Buddhist priests. 99% of Japanese are cremated and their ashes buried under a gravestone. To better understand Japanese funerals, InsideJapan Tours highly recommend the Oscar winning film, Okuribito or Departures, about a concert cellist who goes back to his roots in Yamagata and retrains as an undertaker.
Japanese matsuri are festivals connected to shrines. In a tradition stretching back centuries matsuri parades and rituals relate to the cultivation of rice and the spiritual well-being of the local community
Other religions

According to Article 20 of the Japanese constitution, Japan grants full religious freedom, allowing minority religions such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism to be practiced. These religions account for roughly 5-10% of Japan’s population. However, the spiritual vacuum left by the Emperor's renunciation was also rapidly filled by a plethora of new religions (shin shukyo) which sprang up across Japan.
Mainly concentrated in urban areas, these religions offered this-wordly benefits such as good health, wealth, and good fortune. Many had charismatic Christ-like leaders who inspired a fanatical devotion in their followers. It is here that the roots of such famous 'cults' as the 'Aum cult of the divine truth', who perpetrated the Tokyo subway gas attack of 1996, can be found.
However, the vast majority of new religions are focused on peace and the attainment of happiness, although many Japanese who have no involvement appear suspicious of such organisations. Tax dodging or money laundering are, according to some, par for the course.
Some of the new religions such as PL Kyoden (Public Liberty Kyoden) and Soka Gakkai have, however, become very much a part of the establishment in Japan, and it seems their role in politics and business is not to be underestimated.
Where to visit?
For those who have an interest in Buddhism or Shinto, Japan is full of fascinating places to visit. Nara, in the Kansai region near Osaka, is thought to be the original home of Buddhism in Japan and features an extensive museum of Buddhist art and artifacts, as well as the huge statue of Buddha that is Nara's central visitor attraction.
Kyoto is full of beautiful shrines and temples and can provide a unique look back through history to a time when religious belief was a more significant part of everyday life, as well as being simply stunning to behold. In fact, everywhere you go in Japan, you will see the face of the country's religious heritage.
Traditional Sports
Sport plays a significant part in the fabric of modern day Japanese life. From a young age children join school teams, instilling a sense of camaraderie, pride, hard work and dedication. Though modern sports such as baseball, badminton, tennis and football are popular, Japan is perhaps better known for sports with a more ancient, traditional profile.

Sumo

Japan’s official national sport is the enthralling and at times bewildering spectacle that is sumo. Deeply rooted in Japan’s culture, it has a history of over 1500 years. Legend has it that the very survival of the Japanese people balanced on the outcome of a sumo match between the gods, and indeed sumo originated as a form of Shinto ritual. Though it has developed into a professional sport, elements of these rituals are still apparent, from the use of salt to purify the ring, to the shrine like roof hanging above.
Sumo tournaments, or ‘bashos’ take place every two months in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka and are a truly fantastic way to spend the day. Though the pre-bout antics are strict and formalized, the fights are a spectacular blur of flesh, noise and power as the two man mountains attempt to push, pull or slap each other out of the ring, or onto any part of their body other than the soles of their supersize feet. Though quintessentially Japanese, in recent times the number of foreign wrestlers has gradually increased and a growing number of non-Japanese excel at the sport and the complex set of cultural traditions it carries
Take a bento lunch box, grab a beer and cheer on with the crowd as they rally their favourite ‘rikishi’ to victory!

Kendo

The furious, noisy sport of kendo is perhaps Japan’s oldest martial art and blends power, skill and bravery. Kendo could be described loosely as ‘Japanese fencing’ though the ‘swords’ are today crafted from four substantial bamboo slats, usually held together by leather straps. Its origins lie in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and with the samurai, who needed to practice their swordsmanship. They established ‘kenjutsu’ schools for this purpose, and, with the influence of Zen Buddhism it took on a rather spiritual as well as physical essence. Over time the swords were replaced with the bamboo staves, and thick, protective body armour was introduced. Today kendo is practiced all over Japan and is a sport for all ages of participants.

Karate

Though arguably one of world’s most famous martial arts, its beginnings are somewhat hazy. Often thought of as Japanese, the ancient origins of karate are said to have originated as far away as the Indian Subcontinent. From there it passed into China, where it was developed and refined. Chinese traders brought these fighting skills to the Ryukyu Islands as early as the Fourteenth Century. Now incorporated in what is known as Okinawa, and fully part of Japan, these were once both an independent and culturally different kingdom. Over hundreds of years various styles of these martial arts were practiced, and karate was not properly introduced to mainland Japan until the early Twentieth Century. Meaning ‘empty hands’, Karate features largely unarmed combat with a spectacular array of blows and blocks delivered by the fists, feet, legs and arms.
Aikido

Aikido is sometimes loosely translated to mean ‘way of the harmonious spirit’. It is a less overtly aggressive martial art that focuses on defence by redirecting the power and energy of the attacker, with the ideal outcome that neither the attacked nor the attacker is harmed. It was founded in the 1920s by Ueshiba Morihei. Morihei was born in Tanabe, located in the south of the Kii Peninsula. This is a remote, beautiful region to the south of Kyoto and Osaka and a place of great spiritual significance. This sense of spirituality became infused in the essence of Aikido, as were aspects of Japanese dance, Shintoism, Buddhism, Karate and Kendo.

Judo

Of all of Japan’s martial arts, Judo is perhaps the one that has spread most successfully around the world. The essence lies in the speed, subtlety and skill of using the size and strength of the opponent against themselves. It is practiced both recreationally, and professionally; the epic bouts are one of the highlights of every Olympic Games. Judo means ‘gentle way’ as was created by a man named Kano Jigoro in 1882. The inspiration for judo was born out of the bullying that Jigoro witnessed at the English medium boarding school he attended in Tokyo, when he was just fourteen years old. He wanted to be trained in the art of ju-jitsu, an ancient form of self-defence favoured by the samurai. Though finding a teacher proved difficult, He eventually studied under two masters before founding his own school and dojo at Eisho-ji temple in Tokyo, and from here judo came into being.
Manga and anime
As Manga (Japanese comics) and Anime (Japanese animation) have become integral parts of modern Japanese life and culture, there is no way of escaping their influence wherever you go in the country. Without either of them, Japan would definitely not be the colourful and intriguing country that it is.
The modern forms of Manga and Anime date back to drawing styles and techniques that emerged after World War II. Whilst the country has modernised and changed significantly since, many aspects of Japanese culture and values have remained the same, meaning that the characters and stories are still very much relevant to audiences of all ages today.
You don’t necessarily need to be an otaku (the Japanese word for “geek” but with less negative connotations than the English translation) to dip your toe into this side of Japanese culture. Manga and Anime characters can be found literally everywhere: advertising, fashion, omiyage (souvenirs), food, stationery and the all important mobile phone accessory are just a few examples.

Manga
Manga books are generally printed in black and white and cover a wide variety of genres and subject matter aimed at both sexes and all ages, not just for young boys who comics are generally marketed to in the West. Themes include romance, action adventure, science fiction, comedy, sports and can also venture into darker subject matter for adults such as horror and more risqué material; though the latter tends not to be acknowledged in everyday life and culture.
As it makes up a large section of Japan’s publishing industry, Manga books can be found and seen everywhere. People reading Manga on trains during rush hour is a common sight in Tokyo as well as the rest of the country. Every town will have a book store with aisles upon aisles of different Manga genres and larger cities even have stores entirely dedicated to the medium over multiple storeys. Convenience stores are quite happy for patrons to stand and read Manga even if they are not going to buy and many waiting rooms and restaurants have bookshelves with popular serialisations.
Most Manga aimed at children uses a simplistic style and the adorable characters feed Japan’s love for all things kawaii (cute). Characters also have oversized eyes through which the artists are able to convey emotion more easily. Below are a few examples of the more popular manga comics amongst children:
AstroBoy (created by Osamu Tezuka and first published in 1952) is about a world where humans and robots co-exist. The protagonist, AstroBoy, is a robot who uses his superior powers to fight crime and as a result of the care and attention of his owner is able to experience human emotions.
Doraemon (created by Fujiko F Fujio and first published in 1969) follows a blue robotic cat who has travelled back in time from the 24th Century to help a young schoolboy, Nobita Nobi, through the trials and tribulations of life.
DragonBall (Created by Akira Toriyama and first published in 1984) follows Goku and his friend Bulma exploring a mythical earth, learning martial arts and searching for “dragonballs” which summon a magical dragon that assists them in times of danger. As you move away from the books aimed at children and to those aimed at teenagers and young adults, the themes can become a little darker, however, the general ideas of good overcoming evil still remain. The style of the artwork is a lot more detailed and realistic, however, physical features of the characters are still over stylised and exaggerated. Below you will find a couple of examples popular amongst the teenage audience:
Bleach (created by Noriaki Kubo and first published in 2001) is about a teenager named Ichigo who gains the power of Soul Reaper (similar to a death god) and protects the human world against evil spirits as well as guiding deceased spirits safely to the after-world.
Death Note (created by Tsugumi Oba and first published in 2003) follows Light, a Senior High School student, who receives the “Death Note” from a death god. When Light writes the name of a person in the notebook their life comes to an end so he takes it upon himself to rid the world of criminals and evil.
Both Bleach and Death Note, along with other popular serialisations, have been published in English. However, their popularity in Western countries are not on the same scale as in Japan, but interest is growing. Anime
Once certain Manga have proven their worth by popularity, the natural progression is for an animated TV series to be created, however, Manga is not the only source of inspiration for Anime. For example, Pokémon was a worldwide hit as a video game for Nintendo before it was made into Manga and Anime series.
The obvious differences from Manga such as colour, movement and sound bring Anime to life, but there is one additional element which is extremely important: the theme song. Artists from the J-pop and J-rock world are all falling over themselves to write the theme songs for the next big Anime series as it is almost a guaranteed hit and provides great exposure. The anticipation of which artist it will be can often out shadow the Anime itself, being the topic of hot discussion in school playgrounds and internet forums.
One of Japan’s most famous, successful and critically acclaimed animators is Hayao Miyazaki, co-director of Studio Ghibli which was founded in 1985. His long career has seen him create numerous original feature films in the animated form which have touched the hearts of the Japanese people as well as the rest of the world. On a visual level, his animation style is very unique and cannot be mistaken, especially as his characters tend to have small eyes, going against the usual trend for larger eyes as mentioned earlier. Another distinguishing feature of his work is that most of the protagonists are strong independent girls or women.

Some of Miyazaki’s most famous works include Princess Momonoke, My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away, which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards.
Many popular Anime series and Miyazaki films have found some levels of success elsewhere in the world after being dubbed into various languages but, to get the real sentiment of the work, they really do need to be watched in Japanese.
Most visitors to Japan simply skim the surface of Manga and Anime by visually appreciating the characters which pop up wherever you go with no real knowledge of who they are. However, a little research into this fantasy world can enrich your time in Japan as your knowledge of characters will create instant common ground with Japanese people you may meet and you will find yourself actively searching for and spotting the characters you know. If you do decide to delve deeper into these vast worlds then be careful: once you are in it is very difficult to find your way out and before you know it, you may be considered (or even call yourself) an Otaku.