Syed Karim.

Student ID: 4118091

ARTS017 Personal Essay The abstract word of culture has many broad and varying definitions. Culture can be described simply as the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively or it can be thoroughly described as The cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving (Choudhury, 2008). Because culture has such a varied definition, it would be near impossible to succinctly condense the rich cultures of Japan and India into a meager thousand words. For this reason, I will focus on some aspects that individually offer an exciting glimpse into these cultures and allow the reader to get a taste of these fascinating cultures without making a thorough meal off it. The points that Im going to compare and contrast include religion, attitude towards cleanliness, food, tea, greeting styles and comics. Religion has always influenced the culture of a nation and at times it has been influenced by the culture itself. Indian culture or more accurately Indian Muslim Culture has been largely influenced by Islam as well as the Hindu culture that had existed before the arrival of Islam. The influence of culture on religion can most readily be seen at marriages and other ceremonies. So it would be necessary to talk about the religion of Japan in order to get a better understanding of the culture of the place. The native religion of Japan is Shinto, an indigenous folk religion that finds spirits abounding in nature. There is no formal creed, or indeed much of any philosophy behind it. It basically allows followers a way of currying favor with various gods so as to receive good luck. (Bramble, 2005, pg 24). Mahayana Buddhism is another religion that has a large following in Japan and interestingly Shinto and Buddhism have coexisted side by side in Japanese culture so much so that it is possible for a person to be both Buddhist and Shinto at the same time. India on the other hand has a diverse mix of religions which to a large extent coexist peacefully and interweave together to create a rich cultural tapestry. In Indian culture we pay particular emphasis on cleanliness but when it comes to that the Japanese are almost pathological. The similarities begin with that they both are derived from religions. For example, Islam tells it followers to pay particular emphasis on hygiene and cleanliness as prayers can be considered void if a person is not completely pure. But the degree at which cleanliness is pursued is where these two cultures begin to part ways. Partly, its explained by Shintos emphasis on ritual washing as a means of becoming pure. However many Japanese also demonstrate a fear of bacteria that borders on obsessive/compulsive (Bramble, 2005, pg 40).

In India food comes in all types and flavors depending on the region of the country. However, the general view of Indian food is that it is flavorsome with a lot of spices being utilized. Also, Indian cuisine pays little to no attention to the aesthetics of food when it is presented. Japanese food in contrast (can be considered almost banal by Indian standards) typically consists of boiled rice, lean fish and pickled or raw vegetables. However a lot of emphasis is placed on the aesthetics of the food when it is presented at the dinner table. Feed the eye first, is the first injunction to the Japanese cook (Ashkenazi, Jacob, 2003, preface page 10). Artistry is not limited to the table arrangements, outdoor gardens, or exterior and interior architecture of the venue and the main rooms. The visual appeal of a feast can be bewildering to the uninitiated and allows the diner to have a unique culinary experience. Both the nations of Japan and India are heavy consumers of tea. But the similarities are mostly restricted to the quantity consumed. The way tea is drunk in both these countries differs greatly. Tea is generally consumed (accompanied by snacks or biscuits) at set times during the day or at tea time in India. In Japan however tea is appreciated through ceremonies. The tea ceremony which is still practiced by many Japanese was founded by Sen-no-Rikkyu. It is a form of aesthetic appreciation of not only of the drink, but of an entire way of life and thinking, and of specific goods ceramics, fine iron and bamboo work, fabrics, painting, flowers- that were and are an essential part of the ceremony. (Ashkenazi, Jacob, 2003, page 8). Indians generally greet each other with a handshake or with their palms pressed together to form the introductory Namaste. It is a rather informal way of greeting as compared to the Japanese culture where most greetings and departures are done by bowing. For either gender it is entirely correct to keep the arms at the sides while bending from the waist to a forty-five degree angle. Women only may execute a more formal bow by holding one hand with the other, palms inward, just below the waist and bowing to the same angle, elbows compressing ever so slightly. (Bramble, 2005, pg 60). In the Indian Culture comics are mostly read by children and there are very few comics that can be considered for adult consumption. However, in Japan, comics or Manga as they are called are very popular amongst both kids and adults and have innumerous varieties and authors. For a country that has one of the lowest rates of violence and crime in the world, Japan produces many comics that depict acts of extreme violence, including scenes of almost unmatchable blood and gore. And for a country that is puritanical in regard to sex and pornography, Japan tolerates a remarkable amount of sex of all kinds in its comics. (Varley, 2000, pg 347) The cultures of Japan and India though they share some basic concepts (like cleanliness, appreciation for tea) are all in all very different from each other. It is fascinating to read and contrast these two cultures and knowing the history behind certain ceremonies and routines helps us to identify and appreciate the seemingly strange and foreign culture of mainland Japan.

Reference List: [1] Choudhury, 2008. Culture [online]. Available at: http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/choudhury/culture.html (Accessed on 7 July 2012). [2] Bramble, 2005. Culture Shock. Portland, Oregon. Graphics Art Center Publishing Company. Pg 24, 40, 60. [3] Ashkenazi, Jacob, 2003. Food Culture in Japan. Westport, Connecticut. Greenwood Press. Preface Pg 10, Pg 8. [4] Varley, 2000. Japanese Culture. Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press. Pg. 347