This video is made from Isys100 group - Japanese Culture and it's specifically talking about the most popular delicious Japanese food worldwide. we are actually talking about four types of food:

Sushi:

The word "sushi" is often ambiguous for non-native Japanese. We think of it as being interchangeable with raw fish. Sushi is vinegared rice topped with other ingredients.

Tempura:

Tempura is a popular element of Japanese cuisine, and consists of battering fish and/or vegetables and deep frying them. It is distinguished from many other battered and deep fried foods by being much lighter and tending to carry less grease. In addition to being served at many restaurants, tempura is available in Japan at roadside stands, where it is often sold in paper cones for consumption while strolling the street. This style of deep frying is also popular in the West, where it is served at many Japanese restaurants.

A curry is the antidote to winter, cold wintry weather calls for hot, warming meals. This curry is sure to warm them up, mild, yet tasty its one for all the family. Serve it with steamed rice, Indian breads or pappadums. - See more at: http://www.beefandlamb.com.au/Recipes/All_recipes/Detail/Mild-curry-beef-casserole#sthash.90Lhon7a.dpuf

A curry is the antidote to winter, cold wintry weather calls for hot, warming meals. This curry is sure to warm them up, mild, yet tasty its one for all the family. Serve it with steamed rice, Indian breads or pappadums. - See more at: http://www.beefandlamb.com.au/Recipes/All_recipes/Detail/Mild-curry-beef-casserole#sthash.90Lhon7a.dpuf

A curry is the antidote to winter, cold wintry weather calls for hot, warming meals. This curry is sure to warm them up, mild, yet tasty its one for all the family. Serve it with steamed rice, Indian breads or pappadums. - See more at: http://www.beefandlamb.com.au/Recipes/All_recipes/Detail/Mild-curry-beef-casserole#sthash.90Lhon7a.dpu

Ramen:

Japanese noodle soup made commonly from either pork bone broth or chicken bone broth — is a dish that has taken Sydney by storm. Debate rages among educated local food lovers about who makes the city’s “best” ramen, although those who love the soup caution against labelling one better than another.

Chinatown in Japan

Chinatown is known as chukakai in Japanese, is the largest chinatown in the world which held in Yokohama in Japan. In chinatown gather a lot of Chinese people and a small amount of Taiwanese. It is different from Sydney Chinatown, Chinatown in yokahama takes big area with lots of streets. In the chinatown has lots of shop which sell   Chinese jade, food restaurant for every type of Chinese cuisine , clothes shop which sell bruce lee and kung fu panda’s clothes and so on.

 There are have a small Taiwan school in Chinatown which names Chuka kakuin is a high school. The students who are study in Chuka kakuin normally is come from China , Taiwan and small amount of Japanese who are want to study Chinese , they are study subject in Chinese and only got 5 hours per week to study Japanese.

 This Chinatown has two Chinse temples inside. Firstly is the Kanteibyo is dedicated to Guan Yu who are help Liu Bei revive the legitimate throne of the Easter Han Dynasty. Secondly is the Mazu Temple which is dedicated to Mazu who are the goddess of the sea.

During lunar new year, there are have a biggest celebration in Chinatown. The students from Chuka kakuin they will performances of the lion and dragon dance. Chinese do not need to go back to China in new year, they are also can feeling of home.

Osaka dotonburi

Osaka dotonburi or “Japan’s kitchen” located around Namba station in the centre of Osaka city. Osaka is known as the gastronomists’ town, the areas of Dotonburi are surrounded by unbelievable number of restaurants. Dotonburi defined as the entertainment district of Osaka, during 1662 is has a historically of a theatre district as known as the mechanical puppet theatre. Dotonburi is the only place in Osaka where tourists never faded away.

Dotonburi is the only place that will make you wish to have more than one stomach, it is a very crowdy area however, Dotonburi area is very colourful and impressive as people can easily locate the restaurant that they are looking for.

At night the area appeals hundread of neon lights and many attraction mechanized signs, including fukunara nihon octopus or kani doraku crab sign. This is highly recommended as if you are a first-timer, be prepare to be amazed because in my experienced every restaurant provided great service and amazing chefs cooking that would leave customers an impression in their stomach forever. The prices are reasonable for the amount of food, some of them have very wonderful tastes as well as crazy price, nevertheless it is worth to try.

Okonomiyaki

Some food are really pricy that will me you forever regret (if you missed it! J)

Samurai Culture

Origins of the Samurai:

The samurai, a class of highly skilled warriors, gradually developed in Japan after the Taika reforms of 646 CE. The reforms included land redistribution and heavy new taxes, meant to support an elaborate Chinese-style empire. As a result, many small farmers had to sell their land and work as tenant farmers.
Meanwhile, a few large landholders amassed power and wealth, creating a feudal system similar to medieval Europe's. As in Europe, the new feudal lords needed warriors to defend their riches. Thus, the samurai warrior (or "bushi") was born.

Early Feudal Era Samurai:

Some samurai were relatives of the landowners, while others were simply hired swords. The samurai code emphasized loyalty to one's master, even over family loyalty. History shows that the most loyal samurai were usually family members or financial dependents of their lords.
In the 900s, the weak emperors of the Heian Era (794-1185) lost control of rural Japan.

The country was riven by revolt; the emperor soon wielded power only within the capital. Across the country, the warrior class moved in to fill the power vacuum. By 1100, the samurai effectively held both military and political power over much of Japan.

Rise of Samurai Rule:

The weak imperial line received a fatal blow to its power in 1156, when Emperor Toba died without a clear successor. His sons, Sutoku and Go-Shirakawa, fought for control in a civil war called the Hogen Rebellion (1156). In the end, both would-be emperors lost; the imperial office lost all its remaining power.
During this civil war, the Minamoto and Taira samurai clans rose to prominence. They fought one another in the Heiji Rebellion (1160). After their victory, the Taira established the first samurai-led government. The defeated Minamoto were banished from the capital at Kyoto.

Kamakura Period:

The two clans fought once more in the Genpei War (1180-1185), which ended in victory for the Minamoto. Minamoto no Yoritomo established the Kamakura Shogunate, with the emperor as a mere figurehead. The Minamoto clan ruled much of Japan until 1333. While the Kamakura were powerful, they never conquered the far northern and western areas of the country. The shoguns also faced periodic resistance from other samurai clans.
In 1268, an external threat appeared. Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler of Yuan China, demanded tribute from Japan. Kyoto refused. The Mongols invaded in 1274 with 600 ships, but a typhoon destroyed their armada. A second invasion fleet in 1281 met the same fate.

Early Muromachi (Ashikaga) Period:

Despite such incredible help from nature, the Mongol attacks cost the Kamakura dearly. Unable to offer land or riches to the samurai leaders who rallied to Japan's defense, the weakened shogun faced a challenge from Emperor Go-Daigo in 1318. The emperor was exiled in 1331, but returned and overthrew the Shogunate in 1333.
This Kemmu Restoration of imperial power lasted only three years. In 1336, the Ashikaga Shogunate under Ashikaga Takauji reasserted samurai rule, but it was weaker than the Kamakura had been. Regional constables called "daimyo" developed considerable power, meddling in the shogunate's succession.

Later Muromachi Period:

By 1460, the daimyo were ignoring orders from the shogun, and backing different successors to the imperial throne. When the shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, resigned in 1464, a dispute between backers of his younger brother and his son ignited even more intense bickering among the daimyo.
In 1467, this squabbling erupted into the decade-long Onin War. Thousands died, and Kyoto was burned to the ground.
The Onin War led directly to Japan's "Warring States Period," or Sengoku. Between 1467 and 1573, various daimyo led their clans in a fight for national dominance. Nearly all of the provinces were engulfed in the fighting.

Technology in Japan

Japan was the first major non-Western nation to take on board the Western technological and organizational advances of the century after the first industrial revolution. It subsequently proved fully able to exploit and contribute to the broad, sustained technological advances that began in the 20th century, as science became harnessed to technology. Japan's economic development remains a model for many technologically less advanced countries which have not yet mastered modern technology to organizational forms.

Knowledge of Japanese technological and economic history can contribute importantly to our understanding of economic growth in the modern era. This book studies the industrial development of Japan since the mid-19th century, with particular emphasis on how the various industries built technological capabilities. The Japanese were extraordinarily creative in searching out and learning to use modern technologies, and the book investigates: the emergence of entrepreneurs who began new and risky businesses; how the business organizations evolved to cope with changing technological conditions; and how the managers, engineers, and workers acquired organizational and technological skills through technology importation, learning-by-doing, and their own R&D activities.

The book investigates the interaction between private entrepreneurial activities and public policy through a general examination of economic and industrial development, a study of the evolution of management systems, and six industrial case studies: textiles, iron and steel, electrical and communications equipment, automobiles, shipbuilding and aircraft, and pharmaceuticals. The book shows how the Japanese government has played an important supportive role in the continuing innovation, without being a substitute for aggressive business enterprise constantly venturing into unfamiliar terrains.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine or (Fushimi Inari Taisha) located in Fushimiku-Kyoto, it is the widest and long shrine in Japan (about 5km long) which takes 2-3 hours (by walking) to reach the other side since it has been built to covered on top of the whole mountain. The shrine was built during early Helan period in 965. In 1946, Inari shrine was officially became one of the first rank of government supported shrine. Fushimi Inari shrine also serves as the headquarters for more than 40,000 shrines across the Japan.

Fushimi Inari shrine is well known as “god of rice”. The Japanese prayers of the New Year believe that the shrine brings the prospect and success in business, many businessmen and marketers seeking blessing for their enterprises.

Foxes are symbolized as a god Inari, they are said to bewitch people.

There are 10,000 torii gates (the orange gates in the picture) from all donation every year. Moreover, several restaurant and Japanese local snack shops located beside of the walk ways along the shrine, in order to fulfill visitors who is in hungry/thirsty and help them to continuing their walking journey. Most of the foods and snacks are serves as a fox’s form in order to make it suitable in Inari atmosphere.

 

Japanese Food Culture

Japanese cuisine has been influenced by the food customs of other nations, but has adopted and refined them to create its own unique cooking style and eating habits.
The first foreign influence on Japan was China around 300 B.C. , when the Japanese learned to cultivate rice. The use of chopsticks and the consumption of soy sauce and soybean curd (tofu) also came from China.

The Buddhist religion, one of the two major religions in Japan today (the other is Shintoism), was another important influence on the Japanese diet. In the A.D. 700s, the rise of Buddhism led to a ban on eating meat. The popular dish, sushi (raw fish with rice) came about as a result of this ban. In the 1800s, cooking styles became simpler. A wide variety of vegetarian (meatless) foods were served in small portions, using one of five standard cooking techniques. All foods were divided into five color groups (green, red, yellow, white, and black-purple) and six tastes (bitter, sour, sweet, hot, salty, and delicate). The Japanese continue to use this cooking system.

 

Beginning in the early 1200s, trade with other countries began bringing Western-style influences to Japan. The Dutch introduced corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. The Portuguese introduced tempura (batter frying).

After a ban of more than one thousand years, beef returned to Japan during the Meiji Period (1868–1912). Western foods, such as bread, coffee, and ice cream, become popular during the late twentieth century. Another Western influence has been the introduction of time saving cooking methods. These include the electric rice cooker, packaged foods such as instant noodles, instant miso (fermented soybean paste) soup, and instant pickling mixes. However, the Japanese are still devoted to their classic cooking traditions.