The Japanese are very open to incorporating elements from other cultures.
In Japan, people dress up in costumes for Halloween, decorate a tree for Christmas, and go to a shrine at the beginning of the year.
This may seem like a lack of cultural consistency, it is just an expression of how broad-minded the Japanese are.
This unique culture of accepting other cultures may be based on a particular type of admiration.
From the late 19th to early 20th century, after the end of the Edo period, Japan had a strong admiration for foreign countries, and developed a unique Japanese culture by imitating and adapting foreign culture. Many Japanese buildings and signboards from that era which imitated Western countries as much as possible with the techniques and materials available are still standing, and seeing them you can get a sense of the atmosphere of the time.
The brick buildings built in imitation of Western architecture, with the distinctive font of the letters on signboards of the time feel rare and unusual even for modern Japanese. There are many distinctive elements, such as western-style brick buildings with traditional Japanese title roofs, or English pronunciations translated on signboards into Kanji readings, and a variety of unique architectural styles not commonly seen in modern buildings.
For many in the younger generation, this imitative style is considered to be its own unique culture, and it has been growing in popularity.
From the architectural style of buildings, the distinctive arches of old bridges, signboards in back alleys, and even in gourmet cuisine! When travelling to Japan yourself, be sure to look for any retro culture you can find, and take photos to share with your friends!