The influence of Eastern culture on the West over time.

Throughout history, Western countries’ attraction to Eastern culture has been increasing. There is something exotic and particular in Asian flavors, figures and customs that seduce us and invite us to borrow them.

Perhaps it is also because, over the last few decades, various Chinese and Japanese communities have settled in our country, spreading their culture and diversifying the offer of being able to experience it up close. So much so that, currently, we are not surprised when in large cities we find neighborhoods dedicated almost entirely to the proliferation of establishments aimed at people of oriental origin.

Chinese influence in the West:

Of these new citizens, many come from Chinese immigration, becoming so important that the Chinese New Year is celebrated in the large Spanish cities every spring, to the delight of local residents who are attracted to a festival as important as this one.

The participation of Westerners in cultural activities on the occasion of festivities in the country of Chinese origin has increased thanks, precisely, to the fact that the different local public and private organizations have committed to benefiting the celebration of said activities at a local level, coming to be seen as a powerful tourist attraction .

Another of the most notable influences of Chinese culture is their diet , to which they are faithful. This diet is based mainly on rice and soups in all their variants. It is not very difficult to find Chinese restaurants where we can delight our palates with the most characteristic flavors of this country and, furthermore, the prices are truly affordable.

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The best-known board games in China have also transcended to us , the most important and popular of them all being mahjong, the ancient Chinese chess or, perhaps the oldest if possible, Tangram.

And, of course, we should mention the large number of people who sign up for martial arts methods such as tai chi or those who go to acupuncture specialists to heal muscle ailments.

Japanese influence in the West:

Japan is another of the eastern nations with the greatest influence in the West and, especially, in Spain.

Continuing with issues related to health, the number of people interested in Japanese sanatorium practices and methods has been increasing over time, such as Jin Shin Jitsu , an ancient form of healing that requires a lot of practice.

Furthermore, as haiku-futon.com reminds us,  numerous studies have shown that adopting Japanese rest customs can help reduce or partially eliminate stress and solve muscle ailments.

More and more people are becoming interested in reading manga or watching anime , powerful Japanese industries that increasingly cover more Spanish territory. After all, who hasn’t seen or read great sagas like Dragon Ball or Akira?

As a curiosity we also like to point out that Japanese literature does not only remain in mangas, but great award-winning authors such as Kenzaburō Ōe or the now so popular Haruki Murakami have managed to take places of honor on the shelves of many national bookstores.

Another of the most important industries in Japan consumed internationally are video games , making many of them considered classics with an erasable mark on the collective memory, as is the case of PacMan or the epic Final Fantasy.

And Eastern culture on the West:

if we were talking about the Chinese diet , we will also have to do the same with the Japanese and its ramen, udon or sushi, increasingly popular and demanded in the West. So much so that many people take on the personal challenge of finding the best Japanese restaurant in their cities, the one that guarantees the most faithful and authentic flavor.

What is clear is that the importance of the Japanese influence in our country reaches the point that two Autonomous Communities and eight cities are twinned with prefectures or cities in the Japanese country. The same thing happens with the Camino de Santiago itself and the Camino de Kumano, which established a fraternal relationship back in 2013.