Abstract: The object of the study is the work of the Japanese animator, director Hayao Miyazaki. The subject of the research is the relationship between parents and children in Japanese society on the material of the animated fantasy film, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The empirical material of the article is not only the film itself, but also interviews of the director, participants of the film creation process, journalists, viewers, and posts in social networks. The research focuses on the images of the parents of the main character Chihiro and her parents from the point of view of Japanese viewers. The goals of Miyazaki in creating the image of «inadequate parents» are defined and analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the description of the beliefs associated with spiriting away (hidden by kami) in Japan. The authors describe cases of missing children in medieval Japan, including such phenomenon as 間引き mabiki – «getting rid of children». The basis of the research methodology is an interdisciplinary socio-cultural approach, methods of cultural and phonological interpretation and linguocultural commentary.
The relevance of the research topic is determined by the expanding space and forms of intercultural communication, the popularity of Hayao Miyazaki's works all over the world, the humanistic nature of his works, the increased interest of researchers in the subculture of anime, which transfers cultural values and behavior models and serves as a tool of youth socialization.
Scientific novelty of the study is determined by the fact that for the first time the film «Spirited Away» is analysed in terms of the relationship between parents and children, taking into account the broad context of national and cultural attitudes. Original materials in Japanese and their interpretation are introduced into the scientific turnover.
In the course of the research, the authors conclude that the main task that the director was to help unleash the inner life force of the main character Chihiro, and for this purpose he sent the girl on a journey full of trials.

Abstract: The article is devoted to money as an important element of Japanese culture and universal means that may be brought up in all kinds of discussions. Izotova analyzes the history of Japanese money from the point of view of the axiological concept, describes kinds of coins and banknotes that are presently used, and defines their peculiarities. Izotova focuses on the ethnocultural features of the Japanese monetary behavior and describes particular Japanese traditions, for example, to give money as a present, not to give tips and special attitude to cash. The research is based on the use of a set of methods such as contextual interpretative analysis, diachronic research method, comparison and theoretical summary of the results of linguistic material. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the fact that there are very few researches of money in Japanese from the point of view of cross-cultural differences. Thus, this work makes a contribution to the concept of money as a conservative and national specific means of socio-cultural interaction. The results of the analysis give an oportunity to better understand value systems of Japanese and their ambivalent attitude to the role of money in the society. 

Abstract: The subject of the research is sumo as a traditional Japanese wrestling that has the status of a national sport in Japan. The rationale of the research is caused by both the fact that there are not so many researches devoted to the topic, and a growing interest in Japanese culture which developed peculiar national traditions and protects them with special care. The aim of the research is to define typical features, the place and role of sumo in the socio-cultural life of a Japanese society. In her research Izotova describes the main stages of sumo developing and factors that have been influencing it. The researcher pays special attention to the description of ethnocultural peculiarities of wrestling rituals and ceremonies. The methodological basis of the research implies the interdisciplinary and integrative approaches. To analyze and interpret data, the author has used the method of structured description allowing to trace back the evolution of the wrestling in a diachronic aspect. The results of the analysis demonstrate that being an essential part of culture, sumo presents special cultural codes and develop its own semiotic system of mental senses, archetypes and relations that reflect the nature of Japanese people's values. The milestones of the development of sumo are closely related to social relations at different stages of historical development. Being created as a religious ritual, sumo has turned into a professional sport that is popular not only in Japan but also abroad. The  novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author defines a regulatory function of sumo. The semantics of combats have preserved the mythopoetical content and have remained the same since the epoch of Edo. Rigid rituals and ceremonies that are rooted in shinto philosophy are transfered through generations and stimulate moral behavior of modern Japanese, contribute to the preservation and transmission of traditional cultural values. 

Abstract: The subject of the research is the symbolism of chrysanthemum in the world view of native speakers of the Japanese language. The goals and objectives of the research are determined by the point of view that flowers are a spiritual component of Japanese traditional culture and consist in describing the evolution of the symbolism of the chrysanthemum, determining the factors that influence its formation, the means of actualization in the national consciousness. Having examined the general mythological foundations of the image of chrysanthemum, the author explores the ways of the formation of heraldic symbols, determines the role and place of the flower in the festive and everyday culture of the Japanese. The methodological basis is linguoculturological analysis, related to the study of the interrelation between language and culture, interpretative and descriptive methods, axiological approach. The author comes to the conclusion about the special semiotic status of chrysanthemum in Japanese lingvoculture. Throughout the centuries, the image of the chrysanthemum, the sacred symbol of the sun and the goddess Amaterasu, longevity and imperial power was constantly enriched with new meanings. A definite contribution to the study of the topic is the identification and description of the ambivalent semantics of the chrysanthemum: during the Meiji era, the image of white chrysanthemum became an attribute of funeral ceremonies, during the Second World War contributed to the aestheticization of death.The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the author in his work operated with new sources and illustrative material, which have not been published anywhere in Russian.