Starting from the dual question of what is genuinely Japanese in Japanese culture and what is culturally conditioned, Florian Coulmas demonstrates what distinguishes contemporary Japanese culture from others and clarifies what is meant by culture: everyday behavior and social relationships (manners, kinship, etc.); values and beliefs (especially of a religious nature); institutions such as the annual cycle, schools, or companies; and finally, forms of material culture (including clothing and fashion, housing and architecture, food and aesthetics). The focus is primarily on those characteristics of Japanese culture that have proven to be relatively stable and appear across different eras. Thus, the analysis of the intellectual background of cultural traditions allows for an understanding of behaviors, value systems, and forms of aesthetics.