Stretching from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, the long, narrow Japanese archipelago is blessed with a rich variety of ecological niches.The combination of diverse natural environments and contacts with neighboring cultures has resulted in formation of distinct local traditions. In addition,many people from other countries have also come to live in Japan in recent years, adding new elements to the mix. In this section we approach Japanese culture from four perspectives: Ritual,Festivals and Performing Arts, Everyday Life, Okinawan Lives, and Multiethnic Japan.