Chapter 1

Brief History General

Information
According to Japanese legend, Japan was discovered by Nigini no Mikoto, who was sent
to the region by the Sun goddess Amaterasu to establish rule. His grandson, Jimmu, became
emperor in 660 B.C. Jimmu is considered the first Emperor of Japan.
According to the myths contained in these chronicles, Japan was founded in 660 BCby its
legendary first Emperor Jimmu, a direct descendant of the Shint sun goddess, Amaterasu. The
myths
recorded that Jimmu
started a line
of emperors that
remains
to
this day.
who unifie
Tokugawa
who founded the Tokugawa
in 1603, were loyal followers
Nobunaga. These two were
build a unified Japan on the basis of Nobunaga's previous achievements.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi,
d Japan in 1590, and
Ieyasu,
Shogunate
of
able
to

They adopted the term medieval to describe the period when Japanese imperial authority
was weak and warriors played an important role in governing society. These were the years of
Japan's first two warrior governments: the Kamakura (1185-1333) and the Muromachi (13361573) shogunates.

Chapter 2

Distinct Culture

Holidays and Festival

Japan has thirteen public holidays (marked with ) and a lot of nation-wide as well as local
festivals. Find a short description of the public holidays and the most common nation-wide
festivals below.
In 1998 and in 2001 Japan amended its laws in order to to move a number of public holidays in
Japan to Mondays, creating a three-day weekend for those who normally have a five-day work
week. It is called the Happy Monday System ( Happ Mand Seido).
List of Japanese holidays;
January 1: (Ganjitsu, New Years Day)
Marks the beginning of the New Year season ( shgatsu). Usually, offices and shops are
closed from December 29 to January 3. Nowadays, department stores and supermarkets are open
during the o-shgatsu holidays. Japanese celebrate the New Year holidays with their families,
thus public transportation tends to be extremely crowded. Traditionally, people prepare o-setchi
ryouri (), dishes that are only eaten during the New Year holidays.

2nd Monday in January: (Seijin no hi, Adults Day)

Coming of age ceremony for people who have turned 20 years old during the year. Cities and
towns hold public celebrations to mark the age of maturity (20 in Japan). Young people dress up
formally, and girls don colourful kimono to mark the day. Until 2000, it was held on January 15,
but with the introduction of the Happy Monday System it was changed to the 2nd Monday of
January.
February 3: (Setsubun, Bean-Throwing Ceremony)
Literally the the seasonal divide, spring setsubun is also called risshun ( ) and part of the
Spring Festival ( haru matsuri). Japanese perform a ritual called mamemaki (, beanthrowing), conducted at peoples homes or in temples and shrines in order to expel evil spirits
and disease by throwing beans outside their house and exclaiming: ! ! (Oni wa
soto! Fuku wa uchi!), which translates as Demons out, luck in! The number of beans thrown
(and subsequently eaten) usually corresponds to a persons age.
February 11: (Kenkoku kinen no hi, Foundation Day)
Established in 1966, it is meant to commemorate the national foundation of Japan and to foster
patriotism in Japanese.

February 14: (Valentines Day)

Introduced in Japan in 1936 and popularized in the 1950s, it is the day when Japanese women
offer chocolate to men. Giri-choko ( ) is given by female employees to their male
counterparts (giri meaning obligation), while tomo-choko () and honmei-choko
( ) is reserved for friends, respectively boyfriends and husbands. Men have to
reciprocate twice or thrice (, sanbai gaeshi, literally, triple the return) what they have
received one moth later, on White Day.
March 3: (Hina matsuri, Doll Festival)
Dedicated to young girls, hina-ningy ( ), wooden platforms with up to seven tiers
covered in red carpets are decorated with dolls representing the emperor and the empress in
Heian court attire, ladies-in-waiting, musicians, ministers, samurai and other figures.
Hinamatsuri is celebrated until girls turn 20 years of age (unless they marry earlier) in order to
ensure their fortune and well-being. The dolls are displayed from the end of February until the
evening of March 3. It is commonly believed that failure to remove the dolls in time might result
in the girls late marriage.
March 14: (White Day)
Introduced in 1978, White Day is celebrated in Japan and South Korea. As only women give
presents on Valentines Day, men should return the favour one month later. They are supposed to

reciprocate two or threefold, but sometimes even expensive lingerie is given, which should not
be mistaken for a lewd suggestion.
March 20: (Shunbun no hi, Vernal Equinox Day)
Established in 1948 and dedicated to the admiration of nature and the love of living things.
March 21 and September 21: (Higan)
Buddhist holiday, on which memorial services for those passed away are held at temples during
the seven days preceding the vernal and autumnal equinox. People visit their family graves
during this period.
April 29 to May 5: (Golden Week)
Along with New Year and Obon, the Golden Week (usually abbreviated GW) is one of hte major
holiday and vacation periods in Japan, as it includes four public holidays within a week (Shwa
Day , Constitution Day , Greenery Day and Childrens Day
). Depending on the year, these will be fused with a weekend. As people either travel
within Japan or abroad or just visit their families, all means of transportation as well as
accomodation are fully booked, with prices and fees surging astronomically.
It is best to avoid this period when planning to travel in Japan.
April 29: (Shwa Day)
During Shwa period (until 1989) April 29 was a public holiday, marking the Shwa Tennos
birthday. After his death, the day was celebrated as Greenery Day. Finally, in 2007 Greenery
Day was moved to May 4 and April 29 proclaimed Shwa Day in honour of the late emperor.
May 3: (Kenp kinenbi, Constitution Memorial Day)
Established in 1948, it commemorates the Japanese consitution of 1947.
May 4: (Midori no hi, Greenery Day)
Introduced in 1989, it was held on April 29 until the year 2007, when it was moved to May 4, in
order to celebrate the blessings and the beauty of nature.
May 5: (Kodomo no hi, Childrens Day)
Originally celebrated as Boys Day, just as March 3 is Girls Day, it has nowadays become
Childrens Day and marks the last the of the Golden Week. Corresponding to the Dragon Boat
Festival ( tango no sekku), families with boys fly koi ((, carp) streamers (
koinobori) and adorn their homes with miniature samurai utensils, such as helmets (
kabuto), armour ( yoroi), swords ( katana), and bow and arrow (
yumiya).
July 7: (Tanabata Matsuri, Star Festival)
According the a Chinese legend brought to Japan in 755, a princess and a shepherd fell in love,
but were forbidden to meet, except for that day of the year (tanabata meaning the evening of the
seventh), when the two stars Kengy (, shepherd) and Orihime (, Weaving Princess)
meet in the Milky Way ( amanogawa, lit. heavenly river). On that day, children write

poems or wishes on streamers of paper and attach them on special tanabata trees. In some areas
of Japan, Tanabata is celebrated on August 7. The most famous festivals take place in Sendai,
Miyagi Prefecture and in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.
3rd Monday of July: (Umi no hi, Marine Day
First established in 1995, it commemorates the blessings of the oceans and its importance for
Japan as a maritime nation.
August 13-16: (Obon, Lantern Festival)
Bon () or obon () is a Buddhist festival to pay tribute to the ancestral spirits. During the
obon days, the spirits of the ancestors return to earth, and lanterns are lit in front of houses to
guide them to their families. Lanterns are then floated on rivers to indicate the way back to the
underworld, although the practice has disappeared in the cities. In most parts of Japan, obon is
held in the month of August ( hachigatsu bon), while in the Kant region (Tokyo,
Yokohama) as well as in some parts of Tohoku it is held in July( shichigatsu obon).
The obon holidays are one of the busiest vacation periods of the year.
3rd Monday of September: (Keir no hi, Respect-for-the-Aged Day)
Established in 1966 as a day to pay tribute to the elderly and hope for longevity. Originally
celebrated on September 15, it was changed to the 3rd Monday of September in 2003.
September 23: (Shbun no hi, Autumnal Equinox Day)
Established in 1948, it is a day to pay respect to those that have passed away.
2nd Monday of October: (Taiiku no Hi, Health and Sports Day
Originally held on October 10 in order to commemorate the beginning of the Tokyo Olympics in
1964, it was changed to the 2nd Monday in October in the year 2000 in order to enjoy sports and
observe a healthy lifestyle.
October 31: (Halloween)
Another virulent cultural import from Western countries, Halloween is becoming more and more
popular in Japan. It is usually celebrated in kindergartens and nightclubs, but children do not ask
for treats.
November 3: (Bunka no Hi, Culture Day)
Prior to 1948, November 3 commemorated the birthday of the Meiji Emperor ( Meijisetsu), since 1948 that holiday has been renamed to Culture Day to celebrate the new Japanese
constitution as well as peace and freedom.
November 15: (Shichi-Go-San, 7-5-3 Festival)
Shichigosan is the traditional rite of passage for boys aged 3 and 5 and girls aged 3 and 7 to be
blessed at the local shinto shrine to extend thanks for their good health and pray for their future
blessings. Children are dressed up in colourful kimonos.
November 23: (Kinr kansha no hi, Labour Thanksgiving Day)

Established in 1948, it celebrates labour and production, and is meant to thank one another.
December 23: (Tenn Tanjbi, The Emperors Birthday)
The birthday of the reigning emperor has been a national holiday since 1868. Emperor Akihitos
birthday is celebrated on December 23.
December 24/25: (Christmas)
Christmas is a popular celebration in Japan. Christmas decorations can be found in supermarkets
and department as early as in October, and quite a few Japanese decorate their houses to get in a
festive mood. It is common for (young) couples to go out and to exchange gifts, but Christmas is
not a family affair as in Western countries. Quiet family gatherings are reserved for the New
Year.

Chapter 3

References
January 14, 2017;
https://www.reference.com/geography/discovered-japan-9f61167d677f1732
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oda_Nobunaga
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Japan
www.colorado.edu/cas/tea/curriculum/imaging-japanese-history/medieval/essay.html
https://prezi.com/beaflamv8scr/japanesehttps://prezi.com/cbv5drj2qwer/cultural-analysis-japan/ulture/
http://www.jref.com/articles/japanese-holidays-and-festivals.76/