Japan Culture Lesson

Narissa H., Sabina S., Aoife D.

Fun facts about Japan

● Tokyo is the capital

● Extremely clean

● Active volcanoes

● 1,500 earthquakes a year

● 67% of japan is covered by forests

Languages

● Uses a mix of Chinese and Arabic numerals

● 3 Main Languages
○ Japanese (Nihongo)
○ Ryukyuan language
○ Okinawan language
Traditions/Customs Japanese Parasol Dance

● When greeting one another,

instead of shaking hands, they
bow.
● Kimonos are traditional
Japanese garments worn for
special occasions, mainly by
women.
● Hatsumode: visiting the
temple for the first time in the
New Year.
 Education System
● Value education very highly

● There are three schools:

○ Elementary School
○ Middle School / Junior High School
○ High School

● An entrance exam determines which High School you

attend
● To perform well, most attend ‘Cram Schools’
● Usually school is from 9am-3pm, after-school club, then
‘Cram School’ till late evening
● Fun Fact: after school each day the students participate in
o soji - the cleaning of the school

**Discuss with your table: the similarities and differences

between Japanese schools and American schools.
 Wheel of Questions!!

Instructions:

Place yourself in groups of 2-3

Each group will have to answer the question the wheel selects

https://wheelofnames.com/
 Government

● The government is a
constitutional monarchy with
parliamentary government
● Their emperor is called
Naruhito
● There are three branches of
government
● The Prime Minister is Fumio
Kishida

**Discuss with your tables:

Similarities and differences
between the U.S. government
and the Japanese government.
History of Origami
- The word “origami” is derived from the words Ori and Kami.
- Origami was used for upper class peoples religious ceremonies.
- Origami became a more widespread practice in the Edo period.
- Akiri Yoshizawa is the father of modern origami.
Make Your Own Origami Fish
https://youtu.be/djPgd1m6IMY
Learning Styles

Visual - We used videos and different diagrams for the origami, government, and
education to give a better picture.
Social - We initiated class discussions so that the students could collaborate with
one another to talk about what they learned. We also have them a chance to work
in groups for the wheel of questions game.
Creative - We have the opportunity to learn origami through discovery through the
video tutorial. We also allowed them to decorate their fish if they had time.
Spatial - We allowed students to construct their own origami fish through hands on
learning.
Sources
History of origami. History of Origami | Paperdev Gatech Edu. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2022, from https://paperdev.gatech.edu/kinetic-joy/history-
origami

Japanese educational system. (2022, July 22). JAPAN Educational Travel. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://education.jnto.go.jp/en/school-in-japan/japanese-education-system/#:~:text=The%20Japanese%20school%20system%20primarily,elementary%20and
%20junior%20high%20school

Johnson, M. L., & Johnson, J. R. (1996, October). Daily life in Japanese high schools. FSI. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/docs/daily_life_in_japanese_high_schools

Kimono. kimono | Japan Module. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.japanpitt.pitt.edu/glossary/kimono

Lemony, D, T. P., Georgia, & Mehta, P. (2022, August 31). Mind-blowing facts about Japan. The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog. Retrieved October 16,
2022, from https://theplanetd.com/facts-about-japan/

Matcha. (2015, December 17). Hatsumode - visiting a shrine or temple at New Year's: Matcha - Japan Travel Web Magazine. MATCHA. Retrieved October
16, 2022, from https://matcha-jp.com/en/1346#:~:text=Hatsumode%20is%20the%20Japanese%20tradition,is%20called%20sanpai%20in%20Japanese.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. (n.d.). Kids web Japan. Government - Explore Japan - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/government/index.html#:~:text=Japan%20has%20a%20parliamentary%20system,cabinet%20of%20ministers%20of
%20state

NG, A. (2020, June 2). Japan facts. National Geographic Kids. Retrieved October 14, 2022, from
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/countries/facts-about-japan/

Tomar, K. (2022, March 14). Parasol dance - japan: 'the umbrella dance'. Dance Ask. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://danceask.net/parasol-dance-
japan/#:~:text=History%2Forigin%20of%20the%20Parasol,dance%20style%20was%20then%20created.