Daily life and cultural practices
An overview of documented cultural practices and output — not an exhaustive list, and without claiming to sum up the real diversity of people's habits.
UNESCO-listed temples, shrines and castles
Japan has 27 properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List (22 cultural and 5 natural), including the monuments of ancient Kyōto, Himeji Castle, Itsukushima Shrine and the hidden Christian sites of the Nagasaki region, witnesses to Christianity's clandestine survival under the Tokugawa shogunate.
Noh, kabuki and the tea ceremony
Noh theatre, a masked dramatic form codified in the 14th century, and kabuki, more spectacular and popular, born in the early 17th century, are both inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The tea ceremony (chanoyu) and flower arranging (ikebana) are still taught as disciplines in their own right.
A world-renowned cuisine
Washoku, traditional Japanese cuisine based on rice, fish and seasonal vegetables, has been on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2013. Tokyo is the city with the most Michelin stars.
Manga, anime and video games
Japan is the world's leading producer of comics (manga) and animated films (anime), with considerable international reach, alongside a video game industry that has been a pioneer since the 1980s (Nintendo, Sony, Sega).
Sumo, the national sport
Sumo, a ritual wrestling of Shinto origin, remains the iconic traditional sport, with six professional tournaments (basho) a year; judo, karate and baseball, introduced in the 19th century, are among the most popular disciplines.