Library > Geography & Travel > Asia > Japan

Seeking the World Cultural Heritage of Japan

1999
When Japanese people give something to someone, they often say "it is such a worthless thing". This is the original Japanese way of being humble, and if someone says his/her opinions too clearly, they are said to be rude. This peculiar Japanese character comes from the ancient times, and are also seen in many Japanese cultures. Take Sado (the way of tea) for example. Here, the heart is more important than words, so not many words are spoken. Also, another Japanese character is the spirit of concerning others. In Sado, the host must do his best to ensure that his guests enjoy their stay. The Japanese love peace and harmony, and hate having disputes with others. Also in Japan, Shinto and Buddhism both exist without hardly any oppositions towards each other. One reason is probably because in Shinto, there are no absolute god. But another reason is perhaps, because of this peculiar Japanese character, which always tries to keep peace and harmony. In this way, Japan has produced many wonderful cultures from its peculiar character of loving peace . The Japanese may seem unclear, but this is one of the cultures Japan created through its history. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan has become so westernized, that people have gradually forgotten their own culture. However, today, the western countries are taking notice of the Japanese culture, and introducing them from the western point of view. In our Home Page, we would like to introduce Japan from the Japanese point of view.