Lying in the Far East of Asia, surrounded by the oceans, Japan is very understandable to be isolated from the rest of the continent. Through "Kokoro, the heart within" and the feature films about Japan, we can see that this country has a long and unique history. According to Japan tradition, the year 660 B.C. is the date of founding of Japan as a nation under the mythological Emperor Jimmu. At that time, Japan's Shinto religion was established leading people to the beliefs of reverence for nature and ancestor worship. Since Shinto reflects Japan's history and traditions, it has become known as Japan's national religion and it plays a key role throughout the history of the country.
             In "Kokoro, the heart within", the producer starts out by depicting the importance of looking at Japanese people to find the heart within Japan. The simple life of the men living by the sea illustrates a part of Japan: the plain and peaceful but hard working life in the middle of the ocean. Another unique picture of Japan is the scene of the woman going to the temple everyday washes her hands and mouth with the pure water and praying for happiness. This image is a great example to demonstrate the value of Japanese people cherishing the purity of nature versus the impurity of evil which they need to wash off. Yet, the most significant part of the unique of Japan is the belief in Shinto which contributes to every aspects of life in Japan, even daily activities. Shinto emphasizes both Japanese deities and the forces of nature. Nature plays a central role in the religious worship. They believe that all natural objects including trees, mountains, rivers, the sun or the moon are imbued with living spirit and that God is within that everything so people can seek for when they need. This belief also leads to the unique way of thinking in Japan's building structure. All the temples and houses are constructed in harmony to natu...