Japanese CultureThe small island country of Japan is rich in culture that has developed over thousands of years. It is very difficult to analyze another culture without first having some knowledge of that culture. During my two years of residence in Japan, my eyes were opened to the culture of Japan and its people and I learned to love it as much as my own. (The ideas expressed in this essay come mainly from my own knowledge and observations of Japan). The Japanese are a very traditional people. But this should not be confused with a primitive people, as the Japanese are not primitive according to the definitions of the word given in most dictionaries. Japan has changed in recent years in its view of its own economy, in its social interactions, in its thinking about religion, and in its overall view of its place in the world and among other nations. Over the past decade, the Japanese economy has been one of the strongest and most stable economies in the world. To analyze the reasons for this success, several factors must be taken into account. First, Japan's education system is one of the highest ranked in the world. The reason is that Japanese children go to school and study more than students in most other countries. The school year lasts 240 days and each school day is very long. Additionally, most students go to "cram schools" to study even more after the regular school day is over. All of this is in preparation for the college entrance exam (Morton, 251-255). Some also said it prepares young Japanese for their future in companies with jobs that require great dedication and 80-90 hour work weeks. This dedication of Japanese employees in their work contributes greatly to the strength of Japan's economy. They feel like they are part of a big family (the company). Employees work together for the benefit of the company as a whole. They truly feel that their hard work and success contribute to the success and growth of the company. Companies also offer special programs and classes for employees, who are children, to make them feel at home. There are corporate sports clubs and cultural classes, such as flower arranging and tea ceremony. Since everyone is a member of the "family" in Japan, the decisions the company must make circulate among the lower echelons of the workforce for their opinion...... middle of paper .... .. a well-organized priesthood. Although his worldview is quite different from that of Shintoism, the optimism the two share causes them to get along well. Christianity is also present in Japan, but only about 1% of the total population is of the Christian faith. Despite the low percentage of Japanese Christians, many people now hold Christian weddings in Japan. Finally, comparing Japanese culture to American culture is a very difficult task. Japan is a country that is thousands of years older than the United States. Although one might think that the Japanese look nothing like Americans, outwardly they are very similar. For example, Japanese people listen to music, watch movies, play sports, and go to work and school the same way Americans do. But it is the “kokoro,” which is the mind and soul of a Japanese, that is truly different from that of an American. This “kokoro” is something that cannot be easily explained or understood. It is a realization that one slowly comes to as one is truly immersed in the culture of the sun, 1994