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July 19 when the midterms had started, our teacher meets us with a good mood and a beautiful smile. She gave us our new topic to be reported by each group in every meeting. The topics given to us were very interesting because of the abounding cultures and traditions of the different countries around the world. The reports were discussed in different ways, some group discussed it in a way of illustrating the culture and tradition, some just wrote it in a manila paper which is not discussed thoroughly in the class and the power point presentation which I think is the best way of reporting.
The topic that attracts my attention is JAPAN because the group provided some clips and pictures that make the report interesting and understandable. They had also showed to us some scenery and wonderful landscapes of Japan. The culture of Japan has evolved greatly over millennia, from the country’s prehistoric Jomon period to its contemporary hybrid culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America.
After several waves of immigration from the continent and nearby Pacific islands, the inhabitants of Japan experienced a long period of relative isolation from the outside world during the Tokugawa shogunate until the arrival of “The Black Ships” and the Meiji period. Japanese architecture has as long a history as any other aspect of Japanese culture. Originally heavily influenced by Chinese architecture, it also develops many differences and aspects which are indigenous to India. Examples of traditional architecture are seen at Temples, Shinto shrines and castles in Kyoto, and Nara.
Some of these buildings are constructed with traditional gardens, which are influenced from Zen ideas. Some modern architects, such as Yoshio Taniguchi and Tadao Ando are known for their amalgamation of Japanese traditional and Western architectural influences. Garden architecture is as important as building architecture and very much influenced by the same historical and religious background. Although today, ink monochrome painting still is the art form most closely associated with Zen Buddhism.
A primary design principle of a garden is the creation of a landscape based on, or at least greatly influenced by, the three-dimensional monochrome ink (sumi) landscape painting, sumi-e or suibokuga. In Japan, the garden has the status of artwork. Through a long culinary past, the Japanese have developed sophisticated and refined cuisine. In recent years, Japanese food has become fashionable and popular in the U. S. , Europe and many other areas. Dishes such as sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are some of the foods that are commonly known. The healthy Japanese diet is often believed to be related to the longevity of Japanese people.