About the Author

Toshikatsu Takano

Mr. Toshikatsu Takano is the president of a marketing company in Japan, and a special reporter for the Traditional Japanese Cuisine Restaurant Association. A specialist in traditional "Ryōtei" style restaurants, he hopes to bring more information to the world about the history and background of Ryōtei, geisha, and Japanese "hospitality".

Other Columns

No. 2

Historical Background

Japanese etiquette is said to have begun with the "Seventeen Article Constitution", a document written in 604 by Prince Shotoku, and one of the earliest moral documents of moral dictation. This document served as a kind of "moral guide" for government officials and nobility of the time, and it is said that general Japanese "manners" derive their roots here. As the social structure of the nobility and imperial courts became more complex, the emphasis was soon shifted toward form and style, rather than a true "spirit" of etiquette. As the samurai grew in power and split off from the nobility, their spartan sense of "etiquette" began to take hold.

With the samurai on the rise, Heian period architecture was slowly replaced by the more traditional style as it is known today. Toko-no-ma 床の間 alcoves and Zashiki 座敷 tatami rooms were built, with each position in the room having a special significance. From this complex architectural style began to develop a complex system of manners and gestures that had to be followed when entering or leaving these rooms, from things such as the way of walking along the tatami mats to the method of opening and closing the Shoji sliding doors. This change in architectural style turned out to be one of the factors that helped shape Japanese etiquette as it is seen today.

With the Edo Period came the prevalence of a system that rigidly divided Japanese society into four classes: samurai, farmer, artisan, and merchant. In addition, the male-dominated society was steadily in place, and the father was established as the absolute head of the household. In order to preserve this society, a variety of rules and manners were established governing etiquette for all aspects of life, from ceremonies such as marriages and funerals, to things such as clothing and food. These rules became accepted and were passed down by government regulation, Imperial protocol, shrines and temples, and general customs and practices.