世論 What Japan Thinks

goo Ranking published a short ranking survey on the topic of which traditional culture people might like to learn. Demographical information is not present. The survey was conducted between the 19th and 20th of April 2007.

For me, I’d like to take up Go (I used to play as a kid) and calligraphy. I think I’d be more of the large-scale kind of guy with a huge broom slapping the ink on the canvas by the gallon in the hope of making up in quantity what I’m lacking in quality.

I’m a bit surprised, I suppose, seeing origami in there (another one I did as a kid) as it doesn’t feel to me like a traditional art. I’ve also never heard of carving Buddhas as being a traditional art! I’ve also once made a fan (badly) and had a day out at a traditional Kyoto Yuzen dyeing factory.

Do you participate in any traditional arts?

Ranking results

Which Japanese traditional culture would you most like to attend classes to learn?

Rank	Cultural art	Score
1	Calligraphy	100
2	Pottery (Japanese food utensils)	89.1
3	Tea ceremony	88.3
4	Kimono wearing	85.5
5	Flower arrangement	71.1
6	Kendo, judo, archery	62.5
7	Sumi-e ink painting	47.7
8	Japanese dance, sword dance	41.4
9	Traditional manufacturing (Temple building, fan making, wood-turning, Japanese paper-making, glass cutting, etc)	37.5
10	Go, shoji	37.1
11	Koto, shamisen, shakuhachi (musical instruments)	35.9
12	Incence-smelling	35.9
13	Japanese characteristic etiquette (seasonal greetings, etc)	32.8
14	Origami	30.5
15	Taiko drumming	28.1
16	Hand-copying of Buddhist sutras	26.2
17	Japanese clothing manufacture	25.0
18	Bonzai	23.8
19	Carving Buddhas	23.0
20	Rakugo comedy story telling	22.3