Japan Unveiled Late-Blooming Culture

  https://chiku.setagayashakyo.or.jp/member/detail/1136 Fig. Students say Good Morning to the volunteer They walk to school. The randoseru is a durable, square backpack that Japanese elementary school students carry. It's a symbol of Japan's school culture, often given as a gift when kids start their educational journey.  Japanese kids go to school on their own. Every weekday morning from 7:45 to 8:25, volunteers stand at checkpoints to watch over the kids and ensure they arrive at school safely. Positioned strategically to control traffic when kids are crossing, the volunteers warmly greet them by saying, “Good morning. Have a safe walk.” “(Ohayo gozaimasu. Itte rasshai) As one of these volunteers, I can share what typically happens when I greet the kids. About 100 students pass by me, so I say "Good morning. Have a safe walk" around 100 times. Surprisingly, most of them bow to me with a cheerful "Good morning." When a kid does this,   before     I gr...

While Oda Nobunaga is often portrayed as a ruthless conqueror in game and anime, he sometimes showed his compassions for people. The following account is from Ohta Gyuichi [1], a retainer of Nobunaga. His book is considered relatively reliable. Fig. Oda Nobunaga (wood sculpture) Photo courtesy of Gifu Castle This is a replica of a 16th-century wood sculpture. Among the many depictions of Nobunaga, this one aligns with descriptions I’ve read, featuring his small mouth, well-defined nose, wrinkles between the eyebrows, and a nervous disposition. Fig. Yamanaka This is a schematic picture. The interested reader can visit the Wikipedia site at http://shmz1975.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2014/08/post-9b49.html In the late 1570’s CE, Nobunaga often commuted from Mino to Kyoto. Along the way, there was a place called Yamanaka, where a physically disabled man was always begging by the roadside. Nobunaga, seeing this man on commuting, he asked the townspeople why this man was begging always ...

  Fig. The Luís Fróis Memorial Description     日本二十六聖人殉教地 Date      Taken on 27 February 2012 Source   https://web.archive.org/web/20161021103818/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/67546293 Author             Ke Ki The Luís Fróis Memorial is located within Nishizaka Park in Nagasaki City, adjacent to the Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum   Fig. Oda Nobunaga (wood sculpture) Photo courtesy of Gifu Castle This is a replica of a 16th-century wood sculpture. Among the many depictions of Nobunaga, this one aligns with descriptions I’ve read, featuring his small mouth, well-defined nose, wrinkles between the eyebrows, and a nervous disposition. Fig. Fróis arrived Goa on 4 September 1548 CE Source: google earth modified by the author Luís Fróis (1532 CE – 1597 CE) was a Jesuit missionary and historian who worked primarily in Japan. He authored the extensive “ History of Japan .” [1] Born in Lis...

  Fig. Nakamura Testu http://www.peshawar-pms.com/pekai/ryakureki.html Reproduced with permission from Peshawar Kai Title translation by the author This is a documentary movie of Nakamura Tetsu, a Japanese medical doctor who improved the livelihoods of 650,000 people of Afganistan and Pakistan. Memorable scene: While Nakamura and his Afghan coworkers were working at the irrigation project site, American military helicopters flew overhead. The contrast was stark. While still images of Nakamura often give a calm impression, in videos and movies, his sharp gaze and commanding presence are striking. The visual content of this film is powerful enough even without Japanese narration. I believe it is worth watching for audiences who do not speak the Japanese language. Nakamura Tetsu was a Japanese physician who devoted his life to enhancing the well-being of people in Afghanistan through irrigation projects. He was born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, in 1946, just after the conclusio...

Yuzuru Hanyu is  the world renowned figure skater , who won  Two Olympic Gold Medals and two World Championship Titles among others.  Recently he visited the earthquake-devastated Wajima area to express his sympathy and solidarity with those affected by the quake.   Fig. Hanyu walks around the devastated  Wajima. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=fA1AC3saxp4&t=90s Figure skater Hanyu visits quake-hit central  Japan Nippon TV News 24 Japan   Fig. Wajima  source: Google Earth modified by the author Memorable Scene 1 : An Elderly Woman’s Resilience Fig. 06:45. An elderly woman on the right  tells her story. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=fA1AC3saxp4&t=90s Figure skater Hanyu visits quake-hit central Japan Nippon TV News 24 Japan An elderly woman shared her experience    (translation by the author) :   “The damage to my house was fortunately minimal, and I can still live there. H...

  Fig. Kasuke, the leader of the 1686 peasant uprising in the Matsumoto domain. The history of samurai is fascinating. I described some of the samurai history in my blog [1-4]. However, history of Japan is not solely the history of samurai. Samurai made up only a small portion of the population. I always wanted to explore the history of people other than samurai.　 In the summer of 2024, I had an opportunity to visit Gimin History Museum of Azumino , Nagano Prefecture . Their exhibits consist of the 1686 peasant uprising in the Tokugawa period (1603-1868).   Fig. Azumino, Nagano Prefecture.  Source: google earth, modified by the author Fig. Present day Azumino overlooking the North Japan Alps, known for its natural beauty. It is popular among mountain climbers. I have long romanticized the Tokugawa period (1603-1868), envisioning it as an era of peace where people enjoyed life, leading to the flourishing of the rich culture we associate with Japan today. Natural...