Once you have committed to learn Japanese remember that simply learning to speak the dialect is not learning the language itself. Feelings are incorporated in to every word or phrase used when speaking. These words are not just words, but a way to communicate with another individual therefore, you need to understand the culture and way of the people that speak it.
It can occur that while studying the language you forget to understand the words and where they came from. Japanese culture is known for being organized and task oriented, however, they also produce beautiful art, gardens, and buildings. This shows balance and the importance for beauty. Their poems and plays show the artistic side of this culture.
This country has a very old and traditional way of viewing society. Honor is a central theme that flows through much of their life. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors and being dedicated to tradition is important to their way of life. They still utilize rituals in many aspects and they interpret these rituals as art, gardens, films and other ways.
Looking at their architecture, dancing, or even their gardens and you see the simple beauty they respect. They find effortlessness essential and they respect its quiet loveliness. An example would be the kimono with its intricately woven cloth and rituals for putting it on. Writing haikus or poems about the ritual is poetry that honors their way and their language.
All these aspects of this people and the culture must be weighed when learning Japanese. Learning the way to say the words and mimic the inflections does not mean you speak the language. These words are how lovers express their desire for one another and how poets show the beauty they see. As all words are, they are sacred for what they help you say.
Japanese have continued to like clean lines and utilize the concepts of organization. While they are a nation known for their astute business sense they are also known for their minimally decorated homes and the use of gardens to instill beauty and grace. Whatever they make is well made and effectively created.
Their culture shows this even in the food they eat. The food is in square boxes with every part of the dish having a specific place. There is a simplicity and order that also shows through the way and phrasing of their language.
Of course the samurai are one of the parts of their history that has seeped into the world and people are struck with the samurai movies and their strength and honor that permeate their themes. This idea of respect is tantamount in this culture and you must know this when learning and then speaking their language.
A language is formed through its people and their lives. To learn Japanese is to incorporate all that into the language lessons and then draw it out when you speak the words. You are more than just parroting a language, you are speaking with words that a society has infused with their lives and their culture and this you must respect.
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