“和”(wa) means “harmony”. It is also used to mean “Japan”. For example, Japanese cuisine is known as “和食”(wa-shoku). Like “寿司”(sushi), “刺身”(sashimi).
And Japanese clothing is known as “和服”(wa-fuku). Like “着物”(kimono).
“Harmony” is a basic value defined as the ability of people to cooperate and work together well.
Japan is a country whose traditions developed out of an agricultural society where people were forced to work closely together on a limited amount of the land. In order to maintain this type of society, the needs of the village were more important than someone’s needs. People work together to plant the rice and harvest the crop.
Therefore, as opposed to immigrant-based societies, where a high value is placed on the powere or actions of the individual, a society developed in Japan where the value is placed on understanding those with whom one must interact and on taking action in groups. That is the definition of “和”.
“和” is at the heart of what has been necessary to nurture everything in the Japanese value system.
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Japanese Character Translation – Kanji Collection
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