A journey to the heart of Japan
Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) was the most famous swordsman, teacher of the Way of the Sword, and ronin (masterless samurai) of the early Edo period. His story has been enshrined in popular legend, novel and movie; the movie is repeated on television each New Years in either its 7 or 15-hour version. Musashi was like many… [Read more]
“Ronin” is the Japanese term for a masterless samurai and is written with the characters for ‘floating’ and ‘man’, i.e., a warrior adrift with no lord to serve nor stipend for income. During the late stages of the Warring States period and early years of the Edo period, many samurai were thrown out of work… [Read more]
The sword was the preferred weapon of the samurai as well as the warrior’s symbol of office in the Edo period. All other classes of people were prohibited from bearing any arms. During the Edo period, the social position of the samurai class was ideologically affirmed by the use of Confucian social philosophy under which… [Read more]
The novel in Japan is both very old and completely modern. Novels in a nearly modern sense were being written in the 10th and 11th century. The most famous novel from this era is The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) written by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady at the imperial court. Genji provides the reader with… [Read more]
Scattered along the Nakasendo, at Shinchaya, Shimo-suwa, and Karuizawa, are rocks on which are inscribed poems. Composed by Basho, the poems evoke the local landscape at a particular time of year and are much appreciated by local residents who have erected the stone memorials to the poet. Basho was a master poet who developed poetry,… [Read more]
Haikai poems developed out of a tradition of renga or linked verse. Haikai was typically a short verse of three lines made up of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. A second verse would have two lines of 7 and 7 syllables. The third verse would repeat the form of the first and the fourth would… [Read more]
Elections in the upper House of Councilors occur every three years when half the members have to stand for election. The 1992 election for the upper house had the potential for dramatic change, but it did not happen. In the previous election, the ruling Liberal-Democratic Party narrowly lost its majority in this House. This forced… [Read more]
Before 1945 Between 1913 and 1941, Japan evolved a two-party parliamentary system. but since other minor parties were able to survive the system is properly called a multi-party system. The history of parties goes back to the 1870s when government leaders from the former Tosa domain, disagreeing with their share of power, left the government… [Read more]
The Japanese political structure was reformed by the Allied Occupation after 1945 in ways that were intended to democratize the country by removing impediments to democracy and by imposing some new institutions. At the top on the national level, the emperor is now a ceremonial institution, much like the British monarchy. The institution still has,… [Read more]
A political campaign in Japan is very carefully limited by laws as well as by tradition. Legally, some forms of campaigns common in other countries are prohibited: door-to-door soliciting for votes is illegal, for example. Others forms that are prohibited are more familiar: gifts may not be given to voters (they might constitute bribes) and… [Read more]
There is often an impression that although the Japanese have developed a strong sense of appreciation for their landscape, they appreciate a carefully cultivated garden more than the natural environment or a contemplative stroll in a park rather than a hike in the mountains. Perhaps the most popular rural sport is fishing. In a nation… [Read more]
Golf may not be mentioned with sumo wrestling and baseball as a national pastime, but it certainly ranks high on the list for a sports enthusiast in Japan. The number of golf courses, practice ranges, and practice nets in backyards would surprise even the inventors of the game, the Scots. Walk along any commuter train… [Read more]
Buddhism entered Japan after the Indian offshoot from Hinduism was transformed in China. Together with Shinto, it is the religion which most Japanese profess to and has been a major religious and cultural influence on Japan. Buddhism entered Japan in the great wave of Chinese cultural influence in the 6th century. Specifically, Buddhism is said… [Read more]
Shinto is Japan’s native religion. It is often called ‘The Way of the Gods’ because it is written with two Chinese characters which can be so translated. Shinto often seems to be a confusing amalgam of beliefs because it combines a huge variety of local traditions with a more tightly defined body of beliefs important… [Read more]
Christianity came to Japan in two waves: in the 16th century and again in the 19th and 20th centuries. In both periods, it achieved some influence and made a moderate number of converts, but it has always remained Japan’s least important religion compared to Shinto and Buddhism. The Jesuits traveled with Portuguese and Spanish explorers… [Read more]
Since 1960, market gardening has been encouraged by the government as an alternative to rice cultivation which has long been seen as subject to low economic returns and to high price fluctuations due to over or under-production. Official policy encourages farmers to switch to money crops like vegetables and fruits. These often provide higher yields… [Read more]
Only about 16% of Japan’s land is considered suitable for farming. This includes a considerable portion which is too steep to terrace for rice or other flat land crops which have a high yield and, usually, a high economic return. This land, however, is crucially important to agriculture. Many crops are suitable only to upland farming since… [Read more]
Rice has traditionally been the main-stay of the Japanese diet. Until the most recent times, many people ate only rice, vegetables and pickles with an occasional piece of fish, chicken or other meat. Since rice provided most of the calories and a good portion of the vitamins and protein required for sustenance, successful cultivation has… [Read more]
Compared to other developed nations Japan has a relatively small amount of land available for agriculture. In fact, only 16 percent of the land surface is suitable for cultivation, yet a comparatively high proportion of the workforce is engaged in farming. As a result, Japan has one of the highest densities of farmers per acre… [Read more]
In the Edo period, craftsmen were recognized as one of the four social classes in Confucian philosophy. The products from their hands were regarded as useful creations which were valued by the other classes. In contrast, the work of the merchant class was viewed as parasitic because nothing useful was produced. Daimyo competed to attract… [Read more]
Like many Asian family systems, the Japanese family system was an extended family which included distant relatives as well as the dead. In the earliest times, and certainly with the influence of China, ancestor worship was a strong and vibrant belief which made deceased real, active members of the family. Noble families, and families of… [Read more]
The first lord of Hikone, Ii Naomasa, had been one of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s most loyal and trusted generals. As a reward for his services the Ii family were entrusted with a hereditary position of high status and authority as fudai daimyo in the Tokugawa shogunate. The Ii daimyo, otherwise known by their honorific title of… [Read more]
Pachinko is a game which can be found throughout Japan. It is a noisy, garish, glittery form of gambling which never seems to loose its popularity. Pachinko is like a pinball game. The object is to get a metal ball into one of the many holes on an upright playing board. The board is studded… [Read more]
“Sake”, which is pronounced with an ‘a’ as in father and an ‘e’ as in egg, is both a generic term for alcohol and for wine made from rice. The wine was the main alcoholic beverage in Japan until Western wines, beer and distilled liquor were introduced mainly in the 19th century. The alternative to… [Read more]
The following entries provide information specifically about the Nakasendo highway, especially as it was in the Edo period at its height of development. Bansho Barrier Stations Five Roads Express Post 17th Century Travel A Century of Change in the Kiso Valley The Warring States Period Tateba Tea Houses Toge — Mountain passes Highways Joyato —… [Read more]
The Nakasendo highway from Kyoto to Edo (present day Tokyo) passed through 67 post-towns. Of these post-towns, eleven are in the Kiso River Valley where the highway was called the Kisoji (or Kisoro). This area of the Nakasendo highway could be thought of as the heart of the highway today because the road and the… [Read more]
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