East Asian cultural sphere
Chinese culture, Japanese culture, Korean culture (South Korea &amp; North Korea) and Vietnamese culture are generally considered to be principal cultures in the East Asian cultural sphere. Hong Kong (Cantonese culture) and Taiwan (ROC), are part of Greater China and are considered to be Han Chinese. Taiwan and Korea were also once Japanese colonial states, whilst Hong Kong and the rest of Southeast Asia experienced brief Japanese occupation during historical Imperial Japan. Additionally, Japan (under Ashikaga Shogunate), Korea, and Vietnam were also at one point tributary states of Chinese dynasties following extensive prior interactions.