Japanese Culture

Japanese Culture 1

Japanese Culture
HUM/205
December 3, 2011

Japanese Culture 2

Japanese culture is something that has always peaked my interest even as a young girl. One thing that made me interested in finding out more about Japanese culture was the fact that it was often confused with Chinese culture. Even though there are some vast similarities they are uniquely different.   Everything from family dynamics to Japanese fashion is of interest to me.
The first thing that I like to discuss is the Japanese Geisha. I have an interest in Geisha because of the style of dress and the way makeup is worn.   The way makeup is worn is interesting as well as artistic. Geisha were traditional Japanese entertainers closely similar to court gestures.   They were very common in the 18th and 19th centuries.   I was surprised to find out that most Geisha were male performers. As time evolved so did the meaning of the word Geisha.   If you look at American movies Geisha were female prostitutes. According to Japaneselifestyle.com.au (2011) “Geisha are not prostitutes they are merely companions who entertain male company behind closed doors.”   Geisha are free to choose a “dana”, which is a husband. If a “dana” is chosen he has to be financially able to support his Geisha’s lifestyle.
Another piece of Japanese culture that I love is the Kimono. It is worn by men and women. The word kimono simply means “clothing”. The design of the Kimono has changed over the years. According to Japan-zone.com (2011) there are kimonos for different occasions.   There are different kimonos for young girls and single women. They will not wear the same style that a woman who is married would. They would wear furisode. These kimonos are bright and colorful. A married woman would wear something less vibrant in color.
There are many facets of Japanese culture that are eye opening. It seems are everything captures the eye in some way shape or form because a lot of their... [continues]

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