Who was the British royal who made Ryoanji Temple,famous for its dry landscape rock garden, world famous?

Queen Elizabeth

Ryoanji is a Zen temple founded in 1450 by Hosokawa Katsumoto, a powerful figure in the Muromachi Shogunate. Karesansui is a garden style that uses stones, sand, plants and topography to express the flow of water without using water, and rock gardens that give the impression of infinite expanse in a limited space were particularly popular in Zen temples during the Muromachi period. In 1975, Queen Elizabeth II of England praised the rock garden during her official visit to Ryoanji, which helped boost the Zen boom of the time and made it world famous. In 1994, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Cultural Monuments of Ancient Kyoto."

Learn , Enjoy and Convey “WA ーJapanese Cultureー”  Be a Japanese specialist!

Exam Information

The Level 2 certification exam is scheduled to be held in the Fall /Winter of 2024.
The Level 3 certification exam is scheduled to be held in fiscal year 2024.

The Level 1 certification exam is scheduled to be held in fiscal year 2025.

Once the details are decided,

We will announce it on this website.

Course Information

Before the Level 2 certification exam, we will hold the Preparation Courses.
(We will not be holding Level 3 certification exam Preparation Courses)

Once the details are decided,

We will announce it on this website.

DENKEN-TEST Official Textbook [for the Level 2 and 3]

Scheduled for Release in Summer 2024

Traditional Japanese Culture Test Abbreviated as “DENKEN-TEST"

The first step as an understander and supporter of Japan's traditional culture and industries.

The traditional culture and industries that have been cultivated in Japan for a long time are now facing declining demand due to changes in lifestyle and a lack of successors. It is in such a critical situation that its very survival is in jeopardy. In order to preserve Japan's traditions and pass them on to the future, it is important above all to make as many people as possible aware of their value. The “DENKEN-TEST" is a new examination aimed at understanding, supporting, and developing Japan's traditional culture and traditional industries through independent learning. The in-depth knowledge of traditional culture and traditional industries that I gained through my studies is It will surely help make your daily life more colorful and sustainable.

DENKEN-Test Overview

1級:アンバサダー 各ジャンルの深い知識を身に付ける上級レベル 年1回開催

2級:仕事や暮らしなどに応用できる知識を身に付ける中級レベル 年1回開催

3級:日本の伝統文化について、基礎知識を身に付ける初級レベル 年2から4回開催

  • アンバサダー(1級)

    Ambassador

    Advanced level to acquire in-depth knowledge of each genre

    開催数1回/年

  • マスター(2級)

    Master

    Intermediate level to acquire knowledge that can be applied to work, life, etc.

    開催数2回/年

  • サポーター(3級)

    Supporter

    Beginner level to acquire basic knowledge about traditional Japanese culture

    開催数2~4回/年

Scenes Where DENKEN-TEST is Useful

Use at Your Job

Obtaining certification of DENKEN-TEST exam will be useful in a variety of business situations, including jobs that involve a lot of contact with tourists and foreigners, as well as customer service and business negotiations.

Enrich Your Life

By learning about Japanese traditional culture, you can gain a new appreciation for the wonderfulness of Japan, expanding the range of  your hobbies and interactions with people, enriching your daily life.

  • Use Cases at Jobs

    Use at Your Job

    Obtaining certification of DENKEN-TEST exam will be useful in a variety of business situations, including jobs that involve a lot of contact with tourists and foreigners, as well as customer service and business negotiations. 

    • Tour guides, hotel concierges, cabin attendants, interpreters... it will be useful in explaining things to customers' questions.

    • For those who are posted or travel abroad, or those who do a lot of business with foreign countries, you can convey Japanese traditional culture in your own words and have lively conversations.

    • This will be useful for salespeople at craft shops, people working in museums and galleries, etc., when serving not only foreigners but also Japanese people.

    • For craft artisans and manufacturers involved in manufacturing, learning more about Japan's traditional culture will broaden the scope of your creativity and product planning.

    • Chefs and others involved with Japanese cuisine...knowing not only food culture but also seasonal customs and tableware will lead to the provision of even more excellent cuisine.

    • When job hunting, not only can you fill in the qualifications section of your application form or resume, but you can also use it to your advantage during interviews.

    Industries where obtaining certification of DENKEN-TEST is useful

    • Travel, Tourism and Aviation
    • Publishing, Advertising, and Media
    • Trading Company
    • Design Fine Arts
    • Sales and Customer Service
    • Government Agencies, Local Governments, and Organizations
  • Use Cases in Daily Life

    Enrich Your Life

    By learning about Japanese traditional culture, you can gain a new appreciation for the wonderfulness of Japan, expanding the range of  your hobbies and interactions with people, enriching your daily life. 

    • Learning about Japan's traditional culture in advance, such as visiting historical tourist sites and traditional craft workshops, can help you plan and enjoy your trip.

    • By learning a wide range of traditional Japanese culture, you can enjoy incorporating Japanese culture into your daily life.

    • By learning about traditional Japanese culture before studying abroad, you can rediscover the wonders of Japan and broaden your interactions with friends.

    • By learning about the historical and cultural background, tools, crafts, and more, the lesson of "Tea Ceremony" becomes more profound.

    • By learning about the traditional Japanese culture that we come into contact with every day and passing it on one by one to our children and grandchildren, we can increase conversation at home and develop an emotional education.

    • By learning about Japan's traditional culture as a whole, you will learn the background and connections between making, using, and eating things, and this will increase the enjoyment of your daily life.

    Who is suitable to obtain the certification DENKEN-TEST exam

    • Peaple who like traveling
    • Peaple who often go to art galleries and museums
    • Lots of interaction with international students and foreigners
    • Peaple who want to expand their hobbies
    • People who interested in Japanese food and culture
    • People who like crafts
    • People who want to properly explain about Japan to my children

Group Exam

If a group of 10 or more applicants from School, Cram School, Company, etc. gathers together, it is advantageous to apply for the "Group Exam." Discounts on exam fees apply!

Japanese Traditional Culture

We provide various information related to Japanese traditional culture.

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