What makes Japan a strong cultural Civ?

[BrotherInJah]

I don't think they are. For stable cultural victory, the tier list is the following.

T1: Civs with tourism UI( or Indonesia UI) , which only require Flight to make effect.
T2: Civs with strong Science bonus, which allows faster Radio and Computer.
T3: Civs with culture bonus, making getting great writers and archealogists earlier.

For unstable cultural victory, there're two other factors.
P1: Civs with more book slots, making Cultural victory with Great Writer only becomes possible.
P2: Civs with strong religion bonus and more relic slots, making it possible for relic victory.
(The above 2 victory type can be fast given good map condition, but are not very stable)

Japan have a tiny T3/P2 bonus, making it about an average civ for cultural victory.

I like this breakdown a lot. Can you apply it on all civ in matrix..?

 

[Pietato]

They are not quite a cultural civ. Electricity comes too late for that. But the R&F changes did make their adjacency bonus much better.

 

[myclan]

Archaeologists come around in the late Industrial Era. Correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you even get the option for monumentality that late in the game.

Late Renaissance actually

 

[Softly]

Late Renaissance actually

They unlock at Natural History which is a late industrial era tech.