ALL EYES ON JAPAN; WINTER OLYMPICS BEGIN IN NAGANO FRIDAY

Artist Utamaro Kitagawa (1753-1806) rendered this portrait of a Geisha girl, a traditional Japanese entertainer. She wore a kimono and her face is painted with white make-up.

Two modern-day geisha, wearing the traditional kimonos and make-up, crossed the street near the Ginza, Tokyo's high class shopping district.

This five-storied pagoda is situated near the Kanon Temple in Tokyo. Each tier represents one of the five elements of life: earth, water, fire, air and the heavens.

This tapestry depicted Kabuki actors by artist Toyokuni (1786-1864). The Kabuki Theatre, still in operation in Tokyo, presents traditional Japanese pageantry dating back to the era when Tokyo was known as "Edo."

The eyes of the world will turn eastward this week to Japan, the land of the rising sun, where they will remain for three weeks, when the 1998 Winter Olympics begin in Nagano on Saturday.

Still, for most Americans, Japan remains a distant land, not simply because of its location nearly halfway around the world, but because its history, culture and traditions are so very different from those of the United States.

Where America prides itself as a heterogeneous country, a melting pot of various cultures and traditions, Japan still considers itself one of the few homogeneous countries left in the world.

Part of Japan's traditional isolation from the rest of the world is due to its physical distance as a remote island entire of itself, separate from the Asian continent.

It is actually not just one island, but four main islands -- Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido --and thousands of more islands of lesser size lying between the mainland and the Pacific Ocean.

The land is small, but beautiful, with rugged mountains, like the famous Fuji, plunging quickly down to the sea. The celebration of the land and its beauty provides an insight in the culture.

In the Japanese myths which speak of the creation of the world, there was an original chaos which began moving of its own indwelling power or energy. From this movement came generations of "kami," or deities.

The final pair of these beings -- known as the "Amatsu Kami" or "deities of heaven" -- were male and female. From their conjugal union came the land of Japan.

Following the birth of Japan came the birth of the ancestors of the Japanese people.

Since the basis and origin for the faith of Shinto -- Japan's largest religion -- is found in these myths, the Japanese people have long felt they, along with the land, mountains, rivers and trees, were the off-spring of the kami.

As a result, nature is not consider merely the material world which undergoes development. Instead, all of existence is believed to be spiritual as well.

In fact, the Japanese word for nature, "shizen," has two meanings. One refers to the land, mountains, rivers and trees. It is the world of nature.

The other can be expressed as "the essential quality making up the character of every existence." All of life, in this meaning of the word, is nature.

This sense of their connection to the land and to all of creation has given the Japanese people a great pride in their traditions and their heritage.

The kimono -- a term that has come to mean any kind of Japanese clothing, but specifically refers to an ankle-length garment held in place by a sash and having long, loose sleeves -- is generally worn today only at formal occasions, such as weddings, funerals and New Year's holidays.

The tendency to isolate things Japanese from things foreign is observed when wearing the kimono; the only Western element tolerated with the kimono is the wristwatch.

Similarly, the kimono is more often worn for purely Japanese events, such as the tea ceremony ("chanoyu") or for a performance of traditional theatre, music or dance.

One traditional form of theatre, the classical "No" drama, was perfected centuries ago by the playwright and actor Zeami. The severe, static and solemn form of theatre, which uses neither scenery nor props, combines music, verse and prose to create a statement about the simplicity and beauty of life.

Even the architecture of Japan suggests the celebration of nature that is at the heart of the Japanese life and culture.

In the center of Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace, sits the Kanon Temple where visitors to the nearby open-air market stop to pray. Between the temple and the market stands a typical five-storied pagoda.

Each story of the pagoda represents one of the five elements of life -- earth, water, fire, air and the heavens. Existing together in one building is meant to suggest that all elements of life are joined together.