Japan consists of over 6,800 islands with a mountainous landscape that is heavily forested. It has an extremely high population density and is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, giving it over 100 active volcanoes and the highest natural disaster risk worldwide. The national identity draws from traditions like geisha, samurai, and kimono. The language uses kanji characters from Chinese but is unrelated, and has no pluralization or articles. Shinto is the indigenous religion that worships nature. Gender roles are still somewhat influenced by Confucian ideals with expected marriages and household duties. Art forms include anime, manga, kabuki, and vocaloid music.

1. Japan
Alejandro Vallejo

2. Geography
● 6,852 islands
● 73% Forested, mountainous, and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial,
or residential use
● Extremely high population densities
● Located in The Pacific Ring of Fire
● 108 active volcanoes
● Highest natural disaster risk in the world

3. National identity
Geishas → artist not courtesans
Full-fledged geishas → geiko
Begins her training before 21 → maiko (much more prestige)
Samurai
Kimono → used in winter, more formal
Yukata → casual summer kimono
Sushi → not as the one we know

4. Language
- Japanese (about 125 million speakers) --> Japan national language
- No distinction between singular or plural
- No "genetic relation" with Chinese
--> use of Chinese characters (kanji)
--> portion of vocabulary borrowed from Chinese
- Nouns have no grammatical number or gender or articles
- Verbs conjugated for tense and voice but not for person

5. Phrases

6. Sayings

7. Business etiquette
●Business attire
→ suit and tie for man
→ suit with pants or skirt for woman

8. Urban tribes
●Otaku
→ “An avid collector or enthusiast, one who is obsessed anime, video
games or computer and rarely leaves home” (Dictionary.com)
●Lolitas
→ Mix of juvenile currents with Victorian and Edwardian clothing

9. Gender roles
●Women
→ “Japan, like China and Korea, is heavily influenced by Confucian
ideals” (japanpowered.com)
→ women dependent on men and expected to marry, produce heirs, and
over see the household
●Men
→ head of the house
→ works to provide food and money

10. Religion
- Shinto (( 神道 ) or kami-no-michi
-->indigenous religion of Japan
- “Way of the gods”
- Shinto practitioners --> Worship nature
- Deities → kami
- Rituals --> connection between present day Japan
and its ancient roo

11. Life stages
●1 year → health, like a baptism
●7 years → (Shichigosan)
●3 years (Kamioki) → blessed the children and showed they
survived infancy
●5 years (Hakamagi) → boys old enough to wear their first hakama
(shirt-like pants)
●7 years (Obitoki) → girls old enough to wear an obi (long, wide
cloth belt)
●15 years → boys become men (Genpuku)
●20 years → girls become women (Seizinshiki)

12. Art
●Anime
●Manga
●Kabuki → art form rich in showmanship
→ elaborately designed costumes
→ eye-catching make-up
→ outlandish wigs
→ exaggerated actions performed by the actors
→ meaning to the audience
→ old-fashioned form of Japanese difficult even for Japanese people to
fully understand
• Vocaloid →

13. 25 crazy things you will only find in Japan

14. References
https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~fgandon/miscellaneous/japan/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_language
http://www.historyundressed.com/2008/08/history-and-culture-of-japanese-geisha.html
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-Kimono-and-a-Yukata-in-traditional-Japane
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolita_fashion
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/otaku
http://www.japanpowered.com/japan-culture/gender-roles-women-
modern-japan
https://www.highlightskids.com/audio-story/japanese-children-celebrate-
shichi-go-san
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2090.html