ABC Bookof Japanese Culture
Click on each picture to see a video or a game.
A is for Asia.The earth has 7 continents including Asia. Japan is part of the continent of Asia. Match up the islands in the Japan Puzzle.
B is for bamboo.
Bamboo grows in the forests of Japan.
is for chopsticks.
Most Japanese eat with chopsticks.
C
is for dragonfly,
the Japanese symbol for success, strength
and happiness.
D
is for Emperor.
Emperor Akihito is the leader of Japan. He lives with his wife, Empress Michiko, and his family in a beautiful palace in Tokyo.
E
F is for flag.
The flag of Japan is easy to draw. The red circle represents
the rising sun.
G is for Geisha.A Geisha is an entertainer. She sings, plays instruments, and serves meals to her guests. She wears white makeup and a traditionalkimono.
H is for Hanami.
It celebrates the blooming of the Cherry Blossom trees.
J is for Jinja.
A Jinja is a Japanese shrine.
K is for koi fish.Japanese koi fish are symbols of strength and power because they often lift their entire body up and jump out of the water.
L is for lantern.
Paper lanterns are hung outside a store.
M is for Mount Fuji.
It is the tallest mountain in Japan.
N is for New Year’s Celebration.
To celebrate the New Year, the Japanese give gifts like this hand-made card.
O is for origami.
It is the Japanese art of folding paper.
P is for pagoda.There are many beautiful pagodas in Japan. They have three or more levels and were built close to Buddhist temples.
is for quince.
A quince is a Japanese flower.
Q
R is for religion.
Buddhism is the major religion in Japan.
S is Sumo Wrestler.
Sumo is a Japanese style of wrestling and Japan's national sport. Each wrestling match lasts only a few seconds.
T is for Tokyo.
Tokyo is Japan’s largest city.
U is for uniforms.
Most Japanese students wear uniforms. Their school day is
much longer than ours.
V is for volcano.
The islands were formed by volcanoes.
W is for wooden dolls.
Kokeshi dolls are carved from bamboo wood.
X is not a letter in Japanese. The Japanese
use characters instead of letters. Each one makes a different sound. These characters are called the Kanji. Students must learn 1,945 characters, but we learn only 26 letters.
is for yen.
Japanese money is called yen.
Y
is for zen garden.
The Japanese use the gardens to relax and meditate.
Z
ABC Bookof Japanese Culture
Click on each picture to see a video.