Fly that flag.

Date : Thursday, December 9, 2010
Time : 1:36 PM

Traditions of Japan

Traditional clothing

Kimono and yukata are forms of traditional Japanese attire, while kimono is rarely worn in everyday life, there is an increasing number of youths donning the yukata nowadays. Kimono comes in many style and colours which are noted for the occasion, age and marital status of the wearer, it is considered formal attire. It is commonly worn with traditional footwear, geta.

Woman's kimono.

Yukata is a summer-wear, with thinner cotton fabric, and is worn during summer or after a hot bath. They are available at ryokans and onsens. Another summer-wear is a jinbei, which consist of a top and shorts.

Yukata and Jinbei.

Females in Japan wear furisode (Kimono with long sleeves) during their coming of age ceremony, which is during the year they turn twenty.

Furisode kimono.

Tea ceremony

It is a ceremonial way of drinking and preparing tear that is influenced by Zen Buddhism. Tea ceremonies are held in traditional Japanese rooms, mainly tatami room.

Tea ceremony.

Geisha

Geisha are professional female entertainers trained in traditional Japanese arts, like dance and playing the shamisen (three-string instrument played with a plectrum), that entertain guest during banquets, meals and other occasions. Geishas are generally trained from young in geisha districts, known as Hanamachi (Translate: Flower Towns), where they will learn the arts of being a graceful geisha.

They are dressed in traditional kimono with differing hairstyles and pin, kimono and obi during the different stages of their career. Geisha wears traditional makeup which consists of a thick white base with red lipstick, which is the most prominent feature about them. Geishas are not in any way related to prostitution as geishas are entertainers.

Geisha playing a shamisen.

Geisha performing traditional Japanese dance.

Japanese Garden

Japanese gardens are art in their own way, as they are specially created landscapes that can be divided into three types, Karesansui Gardens (Dry Gardens; miniature reproduction of scenery using water elements and plants), Tsukiyama Gardens (Hill Gardens; abstract, using stones, sand and gravel) and Chaniwa Gardens (Tea Gardens; built for tea ceremonies).

Tsukiyama garden using sand.

Traditional Music

Some of the traditional Japanese music (hogaku) includes:

- Gagaku: Court music

- Nohgaku: During Noh performances

- Minyo: Folk songs

Gagaku music.

While some traditional Japanese instruments includes:

- Shamisen (Three-stringed instrument played with a plectrum)

- Shakuhachi (Bamboo flute)

- Koto (Thirteen-stringed zither)

- Taiko (Drum)

Instruments: Koto (Left) and Shamisen (Right).

Public Baths

Public baths are common in Japan and they can cost from 200¥ to 2000¥. Most homes in Japan did not have bathtubs in the past, which led to this business, so that locals can wash themselves and also serves as a socializing platform. Different rules applies to different bath houses, some may have segregated baths for males and females, while some may not allow swimsuits to be worn.

Family-sized bathtub in a bath house.

Guests with tattoos are not allowed into bath houses usually as tattoos are seen as a connection to yakuza (Traditional organized crime syndicates) and are frowned upon. Bath houses or onsen resorts in rural or further from the city area may be more lenient with tattoos and allow entries but usually using a towel to cover it so that it will not disturb the other guests.