Shinto and Buddhism are Japan’s two major religions.   Shintoism is Japan’s polytheistic indigenous spirituality. The focus of Shintoism is on keeping evil spirits away.  It is more of a moral code than religion with no religious text or set doctrine.   Shintoism is generally associated with the most important life ceremonies such as the rites of passage to adulthood or the birth of a child.   Buddhism was imported from the mainland in the 6th century and has set rules and doctrine and more concerned with the soul and afterlife.  They coexist successfully together, and most Japanese are both Shinto and Buddhist.

Among the most important holidays in Japan is Shogatsu, the Japanese New Year celebration. It is an extremely important holiday and stretches out days before and after January 01.  Between March and May, the Hanami (Cherry Blossom Festival) is a major event celebrated nationwide with tea ceremonies, flower viewing, traditional dances, and pageants.  Golden Week from the end of April to May 06 is one of the most important holiday periods in Japan consisting of four holidays combined in one week.  Most offices close during this period for vacation.  Obon is a Buddhist 3-day celebration when many return to their ancestral homes to honor their ancestors. Obon is the most widely observed of Japanese summer festivals and can vary from region to region but is celebrated in mid-August and based on the lunar calendar. The Emperor’s Birthday is a patriotic occasion in Japan and is one of only two days each year when the inner grounds of the Imperial Palace are open to the public, December 23.

The Japanese people are ethnically closely related to the other ethnic groups of eastern Asia.Japanese regard themselves as belonging to a single ethnic group.   A few exceptions include those classified as resident alien Koreans and the indigenous Ainu on Hokkaido Island and, to a much lesser degree, those of Okinawan origin. Japan also has a small population of Chinese descent.

The preparation and presentation of Japanese cuisine reflect the traditional emphasis on form, color, and texture. Japan’s huge dependence on fish and seafood is famous. Less well known is the fact that Japan has many indigenous vegetables, edible roots, grasses, and even flowers that are simply not found elsewhere.  Traditional Japanese cuisine called Washoku is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This cuisine consists of a bowl of rice prepared with several side dishes. It is vital that all of the dishes fit well with one another as a whole and create a perfect balance of flavors. Originating in the 15th century, other important food ingredients include products made from soybeans such as soy sauce, miso, and tofu.  Also, popular today are Chinese-style ramen restaurants and food stalls.  Most large cities have considerable numbers of foreign-food restaurants serving French, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Korean, and other cuisines.  Tokyo has an almost unlimited selection of the world’s available foods. Unlike Japanese restaurants abroad, restaurants in Japan generally specialize in a single type of cooking such as sushi, tempura, shabushabu, and sukiyaki, etc.