Japan an island group roughly 120 million people strong, is one of the largest economic powers in the world today. In the eyes of history, Japan’s economic success happened overnight and yet it didn’t come out of the blue. Cultivating an ancient legacy, modern Japan continues to hold on to its past. And while today many of the ancient crafts are struggling to survive, they provide the foundation for modern Japan’s technological success. What the Ancient Japanese knew helps explain the industrial marvel of one of the largest economic powers in the world.