TRANSFORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF JAPAN: FROM THE MEIJI PERIOD (1868–1912) TO THE PRESENT DAY

Abstract

The article analyzes the specifics of the transformation process and the evolution of Japan's cultural traditions – starting from the Meiji period (1868–1912) and up to the present day. The Meiji period became an important stage in the development of Japanese society, because the country, having overcome centuries of self-isolation, moved to the stage of active modernization, the introduction of Western technologies, administrative reforms and social changes. At the same time, there was a gradual adaptation of established customs and traditions to new conditions; they did not disappear, but, having undergone a process of rethinking, gradually integrated into a new socio-cultural reality. The article analyzes the impact of the modernization processes of the Meiji period on various spheres of Japanese culture, in particular education, art, literature, religion, etc. Special attention is paid to the impact of Shintoism and Buddhism on the formation of national cultural identity, the change in the status of the samurai class and the impact of the latter on the formation of the modern cultural code of Japan. The article also notes the further stages of the development of Japanese culture in the 20th–21st centuries, in particular the period after World War II, which was marked for Japan by an economic boom and increased integration into the world community. The processes that influenced the formation of modern cultural traditions of Japan as a symbiosis of the traditional and innovative are outlined. The impact of globalization processes on the traditional arts of Japan is also analyzed, including Noh theater, Kabuki, tea ceremony, ikebana. Special attention is paid to the development of Japanese cuisine and national clothing. The emphasis is on the popularization of Japanese cultural traditions in the world, in particular through the phenomenon of “cultural export”, which was reflected in the spread of anime, manga, Japanese fashion, design and cuisine beyond the borders of Japan itself. Thus, the article reflects a comprehensive analysis of the transformation and evolution of Japan's cultural traditions over the past centuries, reflecting that Japan has not only been able to preserve its identity, but also to achieve a balance in combining traditions and innovations.