Japan- Land of

the Rising Sun

Nature- Shaping a
Worldview

The Beauties of Nature

The Japanese people take great pride

in their natural landscape.
Japan has four distinct, predictable
seasons, and they hold rituals or
special celebrations to mark the
change in the seasons.
Cherry blossoms are the most
beloved flowers in Japan and the spring
blooming of cherry trees is a time of
celebration.
Many cherry blossom festivals are held
throughout the country.

Japanese writers and poets often write

about cherry blossoms. They represent
new beginnings, beauty, and the
shortness of life.
A popular form of poetry originating in
Japan is the haiku.

Nature and the

Ainu
The Ainu are Japans Indigenous people.
Nature plays a dominant role in their
culture.
The Ainu regard things like fire, water,
wind, thunder, animals, and plants as
gods called kamuy who visit the earthly
world.
The brown bear is one of the most
important kamuy and the Ainu hold an
elaborate ceremony to send it to its own
world.
Many comparisons can be made between
the Ainu and the Indigenous people of
Canada. They have similar belief systems
and rituals and both groups had
assimilation forced upon them

Shinto: The Way of the Spirits

Shinto is the ancient religion of Japan.
The love and respect of nature is the most important
aspect of Shinto. Many traditional Japanese arts, such as
flower arranging and garden design, are based on the
Shinto ideal of harmony with nature.

Shinto is based on the belief that sacred spirits called

kami take the form of objects in nature such as
mountains, trees, and stones. Amaterasu, the sun
goddess is considered the most important kami.

Humans become kami when they die and are honored by

their families thought important festivals called
Matsuri.

Shinto does not have a founder and there are no

religious laws. For these aspects, the Japanese turned to
Buddhism and Confucianism from China. Borrowing
different aspects of these religions resulted in a
distinctly Japanese form of worship.

The Dark Side of Nature

Japan is located in an area where several

continental and oceanic tectonic plates meet.

Earthquakes are caused by shifts in these
plates.

Earthquakes and volcanoes that occur on the

ocean floor are also common near Japan. These
may cause devastating waves, known
throughout the world by their Japanese name,
tsunami, which means harbor wave.
In the late summer and fall, parts of Japan may
be struck by violent tropical storms called
typhoons.

While nature in Japanese society can be

peaceful and beautiful one moment, it can also
be frightening and violent the next.
The Japanese people have become very stoic.
They learn to adjust control their emotions
when enduring difficult experiences. They have