The Fourth Blog Post: Finale

Over the last two and a half weeks , my classmates and I embarked on a journey to Japan to experience a culture that differs from usual the American culture, and compare and contrast American and Japanese civil society. While we had prepared ourselves for this trip through prior readings devoted to civil society, our very own opinions in regards to Japanese and American civil society have been reinforced and formulated on the basis of our own experiences. Each and every member of the class has his/her own findings that address that may address the differences that classify Japanese civil society separately from its American counterpart. I have learned and witnessed many differences between the two and I thought it would be neat if I could share some of the things I have learned or seen firsthand.

I think one important aspect of this comparison to point out is the definition of civil society related terms in Japan. The term "NGO" in Japan is used exclusively to denote international aid programs whereas in the US, an NGO is denoted as a non- profit organization, known as an NPO in Japan. With that being said, there are not many large scale NGOs in Japan, despite the evidence that NGOs are growing. Unlike the United States, there is more government intervention, with the state shutting down organizations they don't like as discussed in class. There are also differing attitudes towards authority that are different from the States, with an idea of hierarchy being prevalent throughout Japan. All these differences, in my opinion, are reflective of the conformist culture that is dominant in Japan. Before the 15 year war, most of civil society was destroyed by Japan and within the last few decades, Japan has been ruled by one political party. It has only been through developments over the last few decades, such the 1995 Hanshin Earthquake and the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami where civil society has really been seen serving the people and playing a major role in Japanese society.

While civil society is weaker in Japan than it is in the US, it is very much a present force in the Japanese public. While everyone was going about to different places on the available free days, I stayed behind in Kyoto and ended up running into a blood donation trailer for the Japanese Red Cross just by Kyoto Station. It was a positive reminder for myself that civil society is present in Japan and supports the fact that it is growing. Throughout my travels in Japan, I have seen posters advocating things such as Fair Trade and blood donations. While Japanese society is conformist and civil society not as prevalent as back in the states, it has done nothing but pay dividends to the Japanese people. Even though making an organization incorporated costs 3 million yen and non- recognized organizations struggle to stay running, Japanese civil society continues to grow and to witness the fruit as a result of this growth has concluded my trip to Japan on a high note.

The Third Blog Post

The class trips to the Ritsumeikan Peace Museum, Yasukuni Shrine and Yushukan Museum, and the Hiroshima Museum of the Atomic Bomb have met all my expectations of what each visit would be like. Based from what I have read and heard about each museum prior to departure to Japan, the differences between the three museums are readily apparent and it is possible to contrast each museum with background information alone. It is clear that the Ritsumeikan Peace Museum holds a very liberal stance in contrast to the Yushukan Museum. The Ritsumeikan Peace Museum extensively covers Japanese aggression, mentions comfort women, and strives to promote peace. On the other hand, the Yushukan glorifies Japan's past military campaigns and serves as an example of Japanese revisionist historiography. The Museum of the Atomic Bomb, as its name implies, devotes its attention to dropping of the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima and the grave consequences it had on innocent civilians after the fact. While I can draw comparisons between these museums just from readings alone, these visits in my opinion were worth every bit of Yen that each ticket sold for. The excursions to these museums have allowed to me experience these museums first hand, to make the comparisons between each one, and to contrast them to museums back in the United States.

           

 I must say that my visit to the Ritsumeikan Peace Museum was my first visit to a Peace Museum of any sort. Viewing the multiple exhibitions of artwork, banners, and other artifacts had really made the museum as enjoyable as it was. The replica Japanese 1940's house allowed me to reflect what life during the era was like, serving as somewhat of a time capsule for the class. From what I saw, I felt that little necessary information was held back as the museum serves as a demonstration and tribute to the renouncement of war and the promotion of peace. One exhibit I found enjoyable was the display of textbooks from different countries, which attributes to the idea of collective memory and how ideas are transmitted, discussed later that day in class. In terms of minimizing bias and having a complete view of Japanese aggression during WWII, I felt that this museum was going to be as good as it gets compared to the other museums to be visited, considering the fact the museum covers the 15 year war extensively, depicts the negative aspects of Japanese nationalism towards the occupied territories, and mentions comfort women and chemical warfare, things I figured that I would not see in the Yushukan and Atomic Bomb museums. Most museums I have seen in America don't talk about atrocities that US soldiers have committed towards innocent civilians nor talk about peace in general. So upon my exit from the Peace Museum, I reflected on how Americans would react if they went to a peace museum and if there were more these respective types of museums in the states. While I could think of several possible reactions, the question still pops up in my head occasionally.

           

 In contrast to the Peace Museum, the class visit to Yasukuni Shrine and Yushukan Museum u-turns away from what we have seen at Ritsumeikan. The large torii gates of Yasukuni gave an overwhelming feeling as I first walked onto the premises. However the area was lined with multiple food vendors as a festival was going on. While the festivities were going on, I soon discovered how nationalist the place really was. After the first gate, I witnessed an elderly man worshipping a statue, going far as even taking off his suit jacket and tie in the process. I had never seen anyone whole-heartedly worship anything that was not even a deity or a religious figure. The worshipping I saw by Yasukuni itself only reinforced my uneasy feeling obtained earlier from watching the man worship.

            

Upon my initial steps into Yushukan, I immediately had gotten the feeling that the museum glorified Japan's war history without really relaying much of the failures and consequences of the campaigns. Knowing a little bit of Japanese history prior to the invasion of Manchuria, I had already noticed that some important facts and events were omitted or barely touched upon. It is also noteworthy to point out the fact the museum holds tribute to Japan's victory over the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War. My classmates and I were not really pleased at what we saw. Phrases such as "Chinese aggression" and "the Korea problem" really had some of my classmates' hearts pounding. As expected, there was no mention of the atrocities that the Japanese had committed. The fact that the museum recognized Manchukuo as a legitimate, not puppet state, really went against what I had read in the past. Fast forward further into the museum, I took note of the fact the Pearl Harbor was vaguely mentioned at all. The museum only stated that the Japanese had launched a bombing campaign in Hawaii and other parts of the Pacific, starting on December 8, 1941. In fact the only time I saw the words "Pearl Harbor" was in a description card for a model of a Japanese cruiser.  The exhibits within the museum serve as a clear model of revisionist historiography. Quite a few things observed in the Yushukan went against things that some of us may have learned inside or outside of the classroom in the past and it is understandable that a number of us were angry and had a right to be.

           

While most of the visit to the Yushukan invoked anger amongst the classmates, the only "positive" aspect I got from the visit was reading the letters from young soldiers and nurses to their parents and siblings. These letters, no matter the country, serve as a painful reminder of the hardships and overwhelming tragedies that war presents. As I read on, I couldn't help but raise a few questions. With the younger generation coming and older generation waning out, will less people visit the shrine and museum and how will it be viewed in the future? Will future Prime Minister visits still cause stirs with China and South Korea? Will the younger generation overlook the significance of the museum? The visit to Yasukuni and the Yushukan has only increased the number of questions.

            

While the Ritsumeikan Peace Museum and the Yushukan Museum offer differentiating views on many of the same moments in history, the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum somewhat provides as a middle ground for the two other museums. Visiting Hiroshima was very different compared to Ritsumeikan and Yasukuni because of the fact that Hiroshima is very much a graveyard to those who had passed when the bomb had dropped. Because of this viewpoint, walking through the city, visiting the Peace Park, staring at where exactly the bomb landed, and viewing survivors pay tribute to their lost friends and family was extremely surreal. With every pace I took, I could not help but imagine how Hiroshima looked like right after the atomic bomb was dropped.

            

The Atomic Bomb Museum offers a deep insight towards the destruction the atomic bomb had caused and suffering that the people had gone through. The exhibits presented offer a testament to the destruction that atomic weapons cause and that no other person should ever witness the kind of suffering the citizens of Hiroshima went through. However at the same time, I felt the museum also tells an excellent story of resilience and hope since it also covers the rebuilding of Hiroshima after the destruction. The whole visit was one I would never forget.

            

While the museum covers a great deal of the damage sustained by Hiroshima and its people, a few things are not told. Like the Yushukan, I did not see anything that mentioned Japanese aggression during WWII. However since the Atomic Bomb Museum's purpose is to discuss matters related to its subject, I did not really expect to see this aspect. Also I did not see any mention of the 10 Americans that were held captive at Hiroshima at the time the bomb was dropped, those same prisoners being killed by the bomb. So even though the visit to the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum was a memorable one, it is not without some missing puzzle pieces.

            

Overall these three museums have allowed me to look Japan's storytelling in many ways. I have been presented with a liberal, nationalist, and victims' point of view and with these visits complete, I have the rest of the trip to continue reflecting on each one. Until the end of the trip, I will just continue to be surprised in my travels as I was at the beginning of my stay here in Japan.

The Second Blog Post: The Surprises up to Now

I arrived in Japan on the 8th and so far I have enjoyed my brief stay here in Kyoto. When applying for this program, I had signed up with the intent of being surprised by visiting a country that is very different from mine. So I am delighted to say that ever since I have set foot on Japanese soil, I have been nothing but surprised! Everything from the plethora of vending machines seamlessly located in every block to the washrooms has really opened my eyes in one way or another. It is also notable to mention that it is also very hot here with highs of 90 plus degrees and lows of 75 have really taken the wind out of myself and my fellow classmates as we walked along the backdrop of Kyoto. So the heat has been a surprise, albeit not a pleasant one. But not even the heat can stop the class from enjoying visiting friends at Ritsumeikan, enjoying the Golden Pavilion, and meditating at the Zen garden within Ryoan-Ji! Within the short period of time, the class has seen so much and has been met with nothing but surprises.

However while these several aspects of the visit have surprised us, there is one surprise that really stuck out compared to the rest. That one surprise was finding out from Professor Nakatsuji's lecture that the United States had censored information on Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic bombs were initially dropped. Additionally, it is also surprising to find out that the US, after the dropping of the bombs, had censored the story of 47 samurai in Japan since it was a story about revenge. I was not aware of these facts and it is because these new things learned that makes me even more happier to be in Japan. 

The class is only three days in and already we have learned quite a bit from our brief stay. It wont be long until everyone is fully adjusted somewhat to the climate, culture and the time difference. Much more is to come, especially with Osaka and Tokyo coming up soon!

The First Blog Post: The Things to See at Yasukuni...

Through the multiple sources given to the class, it is evident that Yasukuni Shrine serves as a national symbol to Japan, regardless of the individual perspective that either an individual classmate or Japanese citizen may hold. Visits to Yasukuni by different Japanese Prime Ministers have caused stirs in the backdrop of Asia. While the shrine has generated controversy in terms of international relations with countries such as China and South Korea, according to "The Yasukuni Shrine Dispute and the Politics of Identity in Japan" by Daiki Shibuichi, "A visit to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is a must for any one interested in Japanese society or politics." Based on the Yasukuni readings and links given to the class, it is clear that there is a lot to discuss dealing with the significance of the shrine to the Japanese people and the international community, as well as what to expect when the opportunity finally arises to visit the site.

Banking off the website link on Yasukuni, the shrine is traced back to the Meiji era, the monument being established in 1869, renamed as Yasukuni in 1879. Yasukuni houses the "souls" of the fallen who have served in conflicts during the Meiji Restoration all the way up to World War II. The deceased are worshiped here on a daily basis through multiple offerings. An important statement to point out is that "These people, regardless of their rank or social standing, are considered to be completely equal and worshiped as venerable divinities of Yasukuni." Worshiping is done within the context of the Shinto faith where it is part of the Japanese culture to worship the dead. The shrine, while providing as a place of worship, has not been without its controversy. The ambiguity of the shrine in relation to the government has drawn attention to the clause of "separation of state from religion." Prime Minister visits, such as those of Prime Minister Nakasone and Prime Minister Koizumi, have generated uproar from countries such as South Korea and China. It is most notable to point out that the shrine houses the "souls" of 14 class-A war criminals while the adjacent Yushukan museum displays multiple exhibits of what "Diminishing Returns? Prime Minister Koizumi’s Visits to the Yasukuni Shrine in the Context of East Asian Nationalisms" by Phil Deans refers to as "revisionist historiography", a Japanese reinterpretation of past events.

What the class should expect to see is a witnessing of the worshiping of the dead that is common practice in Yasukuni and the Shinto faith. It is also interesting to be point out is that the Mitama Festival will be going on during the class visit. So fellow classmates should anticipate lanterns to be around as well as many visitors coming over to worship. The class should also expect to view many examples of "revisionist historiography" throughout the Yushukan museum. Plenty is to be observed during the visit.