KABUKI
Kabuki originated in the early Edo period, when a woman called Okuni of  Izumo performed a Buddhist dance in an unusual costume in Kyoto. the  dance was later deemed morally unacceptable,and woman were prohibited from performing it. Instead, only adult men were allowed to perform.This custom has been maintained in present-day kabuki. 		kabuki
NO & KYOUGEN
No originated in the art of dengaku(ritual field music and dance) and   sarugaku (mimic plays) in the kamakura era; which developed as    music-plays incorporating beautiful music and dance in the Muromachi era. Kyougen, on the other hand, is comedic drama. 		no
UKIYO-E
A genre painting popular among the common people during the Edo     period (1600-1868). Ukiyu means "pleasure-seeking," or "sensual" in    Japanese, and this world was actually the subject of paintings called   Ukiyo-e.Most Ukiyo-e were  prints that could be mass-produced. Drawings were rare. Recommend Site 		ukiyo-e
CHA-NO-YU (tea ceremony)
Chanoyu, tea ceremony, originated in China and was refined by    Sen-no-Rikyu in 16th-century Japan. It incorporates Zen customs and promulgates "wabi" aesthetics, that is simple beauty.		 cya-no-yu
TRADITIONAL CRAFTS
ARITA-YAKI (Arita/Imari wear)
Arita pottery is a craft that has been handed down for many generation in  Arita, Saga Prefecture. Local toseki (stone which becomes clay) is used for the material. 		old-imari
WAJIMA-NURI (Wajima lacquerware)
The discovery of jinoko (powder obtained from a special soil) in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture,triggered the development of a revolutionary technique for making durable lacqerwere. 		wajima-nuri
WA-SI (handmade Japanese paper)
Japanese paper has been made for more than 1,000 years from local   plans like Kozo(paper mulberry) and mitsumata, mixed with pure river   water. 		wa-shi
TRADITIONAL SPORTS
SUMO
Sumo is national sport of Japan. It is a match of two sumo wrestlers who wear only belly belts in the ring. 		sumo
JUDO
Judo developed as a "samurai" art of self-defense in the Edo period     (1600-1868). Using judo, one can defend oneself from attack, catch the opponent and defeat him without the use of weapons.Judo is now a world-class sports, and become an official Olympic sport at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Kodokan 		judo
KARATE
The native martial art of the Ryukyu kingdom (now Okinawa), karate took its original influence from Kung-fu, which later changed into Tode (Chinese hands) and developed into karate. The Karate World 		karate
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
BASEBALL
Central League
Pacific League
FOOTBALL
J. League
GOLF
Japan Golf Tour