Living History

It seems to me that modernizing is often associated with pushing the past aside. I feel that was the view held by the US until recently. Back when we went for soup over salad, there was a feeling that people had to integrate into society, rather than holding onto their old cultural values and history, instead embracing what it was to be "American". I think that has come back to bite us in recent history. When we are faced challenges and influences from other countries, not to mention the feeling of alienation that can come with ever-advancing technology, we begin to think about what we are, where we came from. Our identity. The problem is, whereas many of the countries in the world have a real national culture and history to cling to, the US does not. I think that is part of the uneasiness that we begin to feel now that America has become the "salad bowl", seeing others now bringing their culture, history, and values into our country, or even as we look overseas to understand either friend or foe, we struggle to find our own. I consider this an inherent weakness to the original "melting pot" and, on top of this, our country is so young in the grand scheme of things.

Japan most definitely has a history behind it. Their history and culture is so ingrained into their society that, by this point, they are inseparable. Wherever you may visit in Japan, you can be fairly certain that there is only a short distance between you and the nearest shrine or temple. In both places that I lived in Japan, it was perhaps a 5 minute walk to the nearest Shinto shrine. Interesting to note, most Japanese people don't consider themselves "religious", but will make occasional visits to shrines. One major time to go to a shrine is for "hatsumode", the first shrine visit of the New Year, which many people do at midnight, much like the Western practice of staying up and partying. There are no major fireworks displays for the New Year, though fireworks are amazingly popular during the summer months. In terms of other religious practices that most Japanese will have, there are also Buddhist funerals. Indeed, Japanese people are not consciously "religious", but there are many religious practices that are so much a part of their culture that they do not even think about it. The cities of Kyoto and Nara are excellent places to see both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, as Kyoto was the capital before Tokyo, and Nara was even before that. Thus, they are both full of culture, and beautiful cities at that. Neither city is nearly so tall as nearby Osaka, and they feel much more relaxed in pace. If your goal is to get a feel for the culture, and you don't have much time in Japan, I would recommend heading to these ancient capitals. Though I never had a chance to live in Kyoto, I visited there quite often. Despite its large size, it just doesn't feel "big".

It is amazing to think about the history that is surrounding you when you are in Japan. From thinking about the fact that you are walking the footsteps of a samurai in Kyoto or exploring the passages of an old castle, it really is awe-inspiring. One of the most famous castles in Japan is Himeji, pictured at the top. West of Osaka, it rises sharply, contrasting with a rather quaint-yet-modern city around it.

I honestly think that our own lack of real culture to cling to is part of the reason that other countries like Japan and China are quickly surging to approach our place in the global economy, as well as overall influence. The solidarity of cultural belief and values brings strength.