Love Japanese culture? Here’s how to learn more about it
Are you passionate about Japanese culture and want to learn more about it? Read below to find out what you can do to immerse yourself in Japanese culture.
People around the world are intrigued by Japanese culture, thanks to its uniqueness. From different traditions, exceptional cuisine, edgy pop culture, and breathtaking art, Japan is a land of wonders. Here’s how you can learn more about the country’s fascinating and multifaceted culture.
Read some books on Japan’s history
Everybody has heard about Japan’s samurais and geishas. But there’s so much more in the country’s history to learn about.
A country’s culture always comes from its history. If you want to learn more about Japan’s culture today, you need to know about its past and history.
So, an excellent first step would be to read some books on Japanese history and culture. Look for books that explore the country’s art, theology, architecture, theatre, and even cuisine.
Take a Japanese cooking class.
Japanese cuisine is an important part of the country’s culture. Who hasn’t heard of sushi, ramen, unagi, onigiri, miso soup, and other famous traditional Japanese foods?
But have you ever tried those dishes? Or even better, have you ever cooked them? If not, it would be a good idea to take a Japanese cooking class and get familiar with the country’s cuisine.
Watch anime and Japanese TV dramas
Manga and anime are integral parts of modern Japanese life these days. In fact, some anime and manga, and TV Japanese dramas actually accurately depict Japanese culture. So, there’s a lot to learn about the country’s culture and traditions from them. Binging these Japanese shows will help you immerse in Japanese culture and understand it better.
Where to watch anime and Japanese TV dramas? Although Japanese TV has become very popular worldwide, most of its content is blocked in other countries. So, you’re wondering how you can access it? If you are outside Japan, It is easy to watch Japanese TV with a VPN and watch as much Japanese TV content as you want.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) helps you trick the Japanese TV sites into believing that you are trying to access them from Japan by hiding your real location.
Study the Japanese language
Assuming you have zero knowledge of the Japanese language, if you are passionate about the country’s culture, it’s a good idea to study its language as well.
Did you know that the US foreign Services Institute ranks Japanese as the most difficult language for native English speakers? What’s more, the Institute suggests that it can take up to 88 weeks to learn Japanese. Yet, this doesn’t mean that learning Japanese is impossible.
Hire a Japanese tutor to help you learn the language. You can also use language learning apps such as Duolingo to study Japanese yourself. What’s more, watching Japanese TV content will also help you learn the language.
Travel to Japan
The ultimate way to immerse into the Japanese culture is actually to see it with your own eyes. What better way to learn more about a country and its culture than to visit it?
If traveling to Japan is an available option for you, do it! Visiting the country, connecting with locals, hearing the language, trying traditional Japanese foods, and simply walking on the streets of Japanese cities will help you discover more about the country’s culture than any book.
There’s so much you can do and see when visiting Japan to help you understand the country’s cultural heritage so much better. You can wear a kimono, sleep in a temple, attend a fan convention, participate in a tea ceremony, or watch a sumo match.
Get a Japanese pen pal
If you can’t travel to Japan, there’s still a way to connect with the country’s culture through the stories of a pen pal who lives there. Well, thanks to technological advancements, you won’t have to write letters to correspond with a pal from Japan.
You can look for international and cultural exchange groups on Facebook or forums and find a person who lives in Japan and is willing to teach you more about their country’s culture, traditions, and history. Communicate with that person and ask about them any curiosity you may have about Japan. People who are part of these groups are more than happy to teach others about their lifestyle, society, traditions, and values. Plus, corresponding with a Japanese pal will also help you practice your Japanese skills.
There are so many resources you can use to learn and understand the Japanese culture. Use the tips from above to understand Japan’s rich and intricate culture.
