Japan

Surely you have heard of Japan!

It is an archipelago of 6,852 islands. It is located in East Asia and is an isolated nation in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the most fascinating Countries in the world, guardian of a millenary culture, rich in history and mystery.

What are the things that come to your mind when you think of Japan?

Its large metropolises such as Tokyo and Kyoto, the mountainous landscapes of Mount Fuji, the imperial palaces, temples and shrines, make the Country even more beautiful. Cherry blossoms occur between April and May, that is Hanami (花 見 “look at the flowers”). Cherry trees or Sakura are the symbolic flowers of Japan and indicate ephemeral beauty, melancholy and the awareness of the end.

The symbolic clothing is the Kimono and the spoken language is Japanese. An alphabet is not used but syllabaries (Hiragana and Katakana) and a set of symbols (the Kanji).

In recent years, the phenomenon of anime and manga has spread in Japan. Anime are animations and manga (漫画) are small format comics. They can be of different kinds: adventure, romantic, historical, comedy, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror and erotic.

I am a big fan of Japanese culture. What can I wish you? Nankurunaisa (な ん く る な い さ)! It means time fixed. It is an encouragement to believe in the power of life and in ourselves.