This document is an ABC book about Japanese culture. It provides short descriptions for each letter of the alphabet that highlight aspects of Japanese culture such as geography (Asia, islands), plants (bamboo, cherry blossoms), traditions (Emperor, Geisha, sumo wrestling), holidays (New Year's, Hanami), art forms (origami, wooden dolls), architecture (pagodas, shrines), and more. Each entry includes one or two sentences and sometimes an image to illustrate the cultural element being described. The book is intended to introduce young readers to foundational aspects of Japanese culture through brief, image-enhanced alphabetical definitions.

1. ABC Book
of
Japanese
Culture
Click on each picture to see a video or a

2. A
is for Asia.
The earth has
7 continents
including
Asia. Japan is
part of the
continent of
Asia. Match
up the islands
in the
Japan Puzzle.

3. B
is for bamboo.
Bamboo grows in the forests of
Japan.

4. is for chopsticks.
Most Japanese eat with chopsticks.
C

5. is for dragonfly,
the Japanese symbol for success,
strength
D

6. is for Emperor.
Emperor
Akihito is the
leader of
Japan. He
lives with his
wife, Empress
Michiko, and
his family in a
beautiful
E

7. F
is for flag.
The flag of Japan is easy to draw.
The red circle represents the rising

8. G
is for Geisha.
A Geisha is
an entertainer.
She sings,
plays
instruments,
and serves
meals to her
guests. She
wears white
makeup and a
traditional

9. H
is for Hanami.
It celebrates the blooming of the
Cherry Blossom trees.

10. I
is for islands.
Japan has many islands.

11. J
is for Jinja.
A Jinja is a Japanese shrine.

12. K
is for koi fish.
Japanese koi
fish are
symbols of
strength and
power
because they
often lift their
entire body
up and jump
out of the

13. L
is for lantern.
Paper lanterns are hung outside a
store.

14. M
is for Mount Fuji.
It is the tallest mountain in Japan.

15. N
is for New Year’s
Celebration.
To celebrate the New Year, the Japanese
give gifts like this hand-made card.

16. O
is for origami.
It is the Japanese art of folding

17. P
is for pagoda.
There are
many
beautiful
pagodas in
Japan. They
have three or
more levels
and were built
close to
Buddhist

18. is for quince.
A quince is a Japanese flower.
Q

19. R
is for religion.
Buddhism is the major religion in

20. S
is Sumo Wrestler.
Sumo is a
Japanese
style of
wrestling and
Japan's
national
sport. Each
wrestling
match lasts

21. T
is for Tokyo.
Tokyo is Japan’s largest city.

22. U
is for uniforms.
Most Japanese students wear
uniforms. Their school day is much

23. V
is for volcano.
The islands were formed by
volcanoes.

24. W
is for wooden dolls.
Kokeshi dolls are carved from
bamboo wood.

25. X
is not a letter in
Japanese.
The Japanese
use characters
instead of letters.
Each one makes
a different sound.
These characters
are called the
Kanji. Students
must learn 1,945
characters, but
we learn only 26

26. is for yen.
Japanese money is called yen.
Y

27. is for zen garden.
The Japanese use the gardens to
relax and meditate.
Z

28. ABC Book
of
Japanese
Culture
Click on each picture to see a video.