Japan has a fascinating and multifaceted, yet somehow uniquely Japanese culture and lifestyle. On one hand, it is deeply rooted in traditions dating back thousands of years, on the other hand it is a society with continually and unabashedly shifting fads, fashions, and technologies. Superficially chaotic and fragmented, the core and coherent elements of Japanese culture, its characteristics and spirituality can still be widely seen. This is part of what makes Japan such a fascinating country to visitors.
An environment of current Japanese culture, social events, and way of life is deeply rooted in the Japanese indigenous religion of ancient Shinto. Shinto is a polytheistic religion, has no founder or written doctrine, but places a great emphasis on ancestor and nature worship. Buddhism on the other hand was introduced to Japan in the 6th century, and has established its original Buddhism culture, co-existing with Shinto as well as other religions including Taoism and Confucianism. Such mixed cultural environments have formed unique characteristics which can be seen in traditional arts and sports, as well as manners found in Japanese daily life, considered to be a virtue of Japan. Never forgetting a sense of respect and consideration for others, for rules, and for social harmony.
Manners and customs are an important part of many facets of Japanese life, including bowing, taking off footwear, eating manners, etc. Your tour manager will be on hand to guide you through local customs and cultural differences on our tours.
