Alberta and Japanese Students: Read the following posts and comment on them. The name used for your comment should put your class code followed by a "-" then your first name and last initial (Anonymous comments may or may not be posted and if you are being marked, you will not get a mark)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Sofukuji Temple
Site in Nagasaki. This temple was built during the early Tokugawa Period by Chinese residents of Nagasaki, and houses two National Treasures and several Important Cultural Properties. It is distinct in that the architecture is Chinese rather than Japanese, demonstrating some rare foreign influence in Japan during its period of isolation, especially considering its designation as a National Treasure.
Memorial to the Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan
Site in Nagasaki. This memorial is dedicated to twenty-six Christians, twenty Japanese and six missionaries, who were arrested in Kyoto in 1597 under the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi for preaching Christianity and forced to walk nearly 600 kilometers to Nagasaki, where they were executed to serve as an example to the Christians there. This memorial also has a museum with several exhibits of the history of Christianity in Japan, including the Tokugawa Bakufu's harsh methods of interrogating and torturing Christians and how the covert Christians remained hidden. This memorial and museum demonstrate the reaction of both the Bakufu and commoners to Western ideas, Christianity in particular, and the spread and repression of these ideas before and during isolation.
Edo-Tokyo Museum (江戸東京博物館）
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| Edo-Tokyo Museum Building |
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| An exhibit in the Edo-Tokyo Museum |
This museum in the Ryogoku district of Tokyo was built to preserve the historical heritage of the city of Tokyo. It includes exhibits such as a replica of the original Nihonbashi (see here for more information). One section of the museum contains exhibits that show the lifestyle, culture, politics, etc. of Edo during the Tokugawa Period, and another section shows the changes that occurred as Edo became Tokyo, including Western influence, World War II, and reconstruction after the war. A third section has a special exhibition that changes several times a year, each time having a different theme.
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| Edo-Tokyo Museum Library |
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| Audio-visual hall |
Completing the museum experience, there are two souvenir shops, lounging areas ideal for enjoying a bagged lunch, a Japanese tea room, and two cafe/restaurants. For details regarding these restaurants, including hours of operation and the types of food served, please click here.
You can view the English version of the official museum website here for information about current exhibitions, hours, and admission fees.
Urakami Cathedral
Site in Nagasaki. This Roman Catholic cathedral was built during the Meiji era, after the overthrowing of the Tokugawa shogunate, under whose rule Christianity and other foreign religions were outlawed. It was built by former "kakure Christians" (covert Christians) who wanted a place of worship now that the oppression of the Tokugawa Shogunate was gone, and was built on a location where the Tokugawa Shogunate would interrogate suspected Christians. It was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945, but has been rebuilt since. The original bell tower remains on the grounds, destroyed by the bomb, and the rest of the remains of the original building are on display in Nagasaki's Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. This cathedral was built to commemorate the suffering of Christians during the Tokugawa period, and demonstrates the radical change during the Meiji Restoration to religious freedom and acceptance of Western ideas.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Nagasaki City
Nagasaki is a major city on Kyushu Island, on the very Western end of Japan, with a population of 446, 000. While many know of it best as the second city to be subject to nuclear attack by the Allies, its historical significance far precedes World War II. Beginning in the 16th Century, the city was a major trading location with Europe, particularly with the Portuguese and the Dutch, and remained so under the isolated period, though strictly regulated. The City of Nagasaki demonstrates early European influence on Japan.
Sites in Nagasaki covered by this blog:
Nikko City
Nikko, which literally means "sunlight," is a small city of 92 thousand people in Tochigi Prefecture, 140 kilometers north of Tokyo. Much of Nikko is in the mountains, and its climate is far colder than Tokyo. Nikko is a very popular tourist attraction in Japan particularly for its temples and shrines, the first of which was built by the Buddhist monk Shodo in the eighth century. Within the most important temples are the mausoleums of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun, and his grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu. The city is also known for its nature, which include mountains and waterfalls. There are also many hot springs in the area.
Sites in Nikko covered by this blog:
Yokohama City
Yokohama is the capital and largest city of Kanagawa Prefecture, with a population of three million people. It is the second-largest city in Japan and is one of seventeen designated cities. Kanagawa Prefecture borders Tokyo Metropolis to the north and is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Kanagawa is historically notable for being the landing site of Commodore Matthew C. Perry in 1854, and Yokohama itself became Japan's major port city after Japan opened its ports. The City of Yokohama has a major foreign population and includes many buildings with Western architecture and the biggest Chinatown in Asia.
Sites in Yokohama and other locations in Kanagawa covered by this blog:
Tokyo
Tokyo is the capital and largest city in Japan. It has a population of 13 million, and a density of nearly 6000 per square kilometer. Tokyo literally means "Eastern Capital," and was named such when Emperor Meiji moved his residence from Kyoto (which means "Capital City") to Tokyo. Prior to this, Tokyo was known as Edo. The Tokugawa Shoguns, who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1858, had their seat of power in Edo, and it became one of the most important cities in Japan during this time. Much of Tokyo was destroyed during Allied bombings in World War II, including many important historical sites, but some of the most significant historical locations have been rebuilt.
Sites in Tokyo covered by this blog:
Monday, May 17, 2010
Futarasan Shrine
Site in Nikko, north of Tokyo. Shinto shrine first founded in the eighth century, but many of the buildings were a contribution of the Tokugawa Shogunate. This site demonstrates the role Shinto played in early Japan, the Tokugawa Bakufu, and today. All buildings are designated Important Cultural Properties, and two swords in the shrine are National Treasures of Japan.
Rinno-ji
Site in Nikko, north of Tokyo. Buddhist temple built in the eighth century that would later be the site of the mausoleum of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third Tokugawa Shogun. It was the religious base of the Tokugawa Shogunate after Iemitsu was enshrined, and demonstrates the role religion played in the Tokugawa bakufu. The mausoleum is a National Treasure of Japan.
Nikko Tosho-gu
Site in Nikko, to the north of Tokyo. One of the most significant shrines and tourist attractions in Japan, this shrine is the mausoleum of the shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Eight buildings in this shrine are National Treasures of Japan. As this site deifies Tokugawa, this demonstrates the Japanese worldview regarding historical figures and their place in religion.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Yokohama Chinatown
Site in Yokohama, a city neighboring Tokyo. One of the largest Chinatowns in the world, founded after Japan opened its ports and many Chinese as well as Western traders made their residences in Yokohama and other ports. The presence of such a large Chinatown clearly demonstrates that it was not only Westerners that made an impact on Japan after Japan opened its ports, but Chinese people were involved as well.
Yokohama Foreign General Cemetery
Site in Yokohama, a city neighboring Tokyo. Thousands of people from over 40 different countries are buried in this cemetery, after Yokohama became a major port in the newly-opened Japan and became home to many foreigners. It was requested by Perry for the burial of Robert Williams, a marine on his ship, and eventually was used for foreigners in general who died in Japan. The founding of this cemetery demonstrated one of the many changes brought about by Western presence in Japan, and shows the beginning of Westernization.
Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History
Site in Yokohama, a city neighboring Tokyo. Covers the history of Kanagawa Prefecture, just to the south of Tokyo. Two sections of this museum are dedicated to the Edo and Meiji periods, respectively. One demonstrates Kanagawa Prefecture's role in transportation and popular culture during the Edo Period. The other shows how the influence of Perry's landing in Kanagawa impacted the prefecture and Japan as a whole, and how the prefecture Westernized.
Yamate Seiyokan
Site in Yokohama, a city neighboring Tokyo. Contains several foreign residences built after Japan opened its ports. This site demonstrates the beginning of Japan's acceptance of Western presence in the country.
Yokomizo Yashiki
Site in Yokohama, a city neighboring Tokyo. This is a well-preserved Japanese farmer's house that contains exhibits demonstrating the way of life of Japanese farmers in the Edo Period. Gives insight to the way of life and worldview of a Japanese farmer during this period, during which the vast majority of the population were farmers.
Perry Park
Site in Kurihama, near Yokohama, a city neighboring Tokyo. Contains a memorial to the arrival of Commodore Matthew C. Perry, and includes a free museum containing replicas of documents and pictures of Perry's arrival. This site is valuable for an in-depth view of Perry's arrival, and the beginning of contact between the Japanese and Westerners after the closing of the country.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
An Introduction to Japanese Student Life 2010 pilot
This post will be a summary of comments made by Japanese students. Once we have two or three classes of students making comments. Students will be assigned the task of summarizing the comments. The best summaries will be posted.
Instructions:
Read the comments of others and then add a unique comment of your own. You may comment on what others have said or disagree with what they have said.
How to comment:
Use the Name/URL option to identify your comment. The name used for your comment should put your class code followed by a "-" then your first name and last initial (Anonymous comments may or may not be posted and if you are being marked, you will not get a mark).
Instructions:
Read the comments of others and then add a unique comment of your own. You may comment on what others have said or disagree with what they have said.
How to comment:
Use the Name/URL option to identify your comment. The name used for your comment should put your class code followed by a "-" then your first name and last initial (Anonymous comments may or may not be posted and if you are being marked, you will not get a mark).
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Glover Garden
An open-air museum in Nagasaki featuring the former residences of Thomas Glover, Frederick Ringer, and William Alt, merchants who came to Japan after the country opened its ports. Glover was influential in toppling the Tokugawa Shogunate by providing gunpowder to the rebellion armies, and was honored with the Order of the Rising Sun. This site demonstrates foreign influence in the Meiji Restoration, and how the Japanese view of foreigners changed during this era.
Site: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4406.html
Dejima
This artificial island in Nagasaki, at the very west end of Japan, was the only place Dutch traders were allowed to remain in the Edo Period. Currently, the island is full of reconstructions of important buildings, museums, etc. This is one of the most important historical sites in Japan in regard to its interaction with other nations.
Site: http://www1.city.nagasaki.nagasaki.jp/dejima/en/index.html
Tsukiji Foreign Settlement
After Japan opened its ports following Commodore Perry's visit, a small section of land in Tsukiji was relegated as a foreigners' settlement. This was the only place in Tokyo where foreigners could live, or spread their ideas, including preaching Christianity. During this time, missionaries started twenty major universities in this district. While the universities have since moved, there are several memorials that mark the place of the former university. Additionally, St. Luke's International Hospital, a missionary-founded hospital, was built here. While the hospital has been rebuilt, the original hospital has been retained. This area demonstrates how Japanese were eager to learn Western ideas in the late Tokugawa era and the Meiji era.
Site: http://www.oldtokyo.com/tsukiji-foreign-settlement.html
http://www.luke.or.jp/eng/index.html (St. Luke's International Hospital)
Meiji Shrine (明治神宮）
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| 40-foot high gate entrance to the park |
Shinto is considered Japan's ancient, original religion and it is deeply rooted in the Japanese way of life. This Shinto shrine was built after the death of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, as a memorial to the emperor. The Emperor passed away in 1912, and the Empress in 1914. 100,000 trees from all over Japan and overseas were donated to build a forest to commemorate the Emperor and Empress. In 1920, a shrine was erected in the middle of this forest of 245 different species of trees.
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| Forest Surrounding Meiji Shrine |
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| One of the many large trees in the middle of the shrine |
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| Treasure museum |
The shrine also includes a treasure museum (Homotsuden Honkan), which is open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays. Admission costs 500 yen per person, 200 yen for high school students, but 300 yen and 100 yen respectively in a group over 20. Middle school children and younger have free admission. This site is valuable because it clearly shows how much Westernization impacted Japan during the Meiji period, and how Meiji himself was fond of Western culture.
Spring Festival
The Meiji Shrine Spring Grand Festival is held at the shrine from April 29th to May 3rd. During this time, several solemn Shinto ceremonies are held. During this festival, various traditional Japanese performances are performed in honour of the deities on the stage in front of the main shrine building. These are open to the public and include Hogaku and Hobu (classical Japanese dance), Bugaku (ancient imperial court music), Sankyoku (traditional Japanese music), Noh and Kyogen (classical Japanese theatre), and Satsuma biwa (Japanese lute music).
Websites: http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/, http://studenttrip.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/travel-to-do-list-6-tokyo/
Monday, May 10, 2010
Imperial Palace (皇居）
Formerly known as Edo Castle, this was the former residence of the Tokugawa Bakufu, and later became the residence of Emperor Meiji, and remains the Imperial Residence today. It is known as Kokyo, which literally translates into Imperial Residence. It is located in Chiyoda, the center of Tokyo. From a historical perspective, the location of this castle makes sense as it would have been the focus of the city Edo (now called Tokyo).
The wide grounds are, for the most part, not open to the general public, except on New Year's and on the Emperor's birthday, when the Imperial family makes a public appearance on the balcony of the Imperial Palace. However, the Outer Gardens and Kitanomaru Park are open to the public, and the Eastern Gardens are open during the day, except for Mondays and Thursdays.
Foreigners can join free guided tours of the Imperial Palace grounds, though bookings must be made in advance. These tour groups, being high in demand, usually consist of hundreds of people in each group. These tours are in Japanese, but an English audio guide is available to be pre-ordered without charge.
You can view a map of the Imperial Palace grounds here.
Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社）
This shrine was built in the Meiji period and honors Japanese soldiers who died in wars from the Meiji period on. Currently, its Symbolic Registry of Divinities lists the names of over 2,455,000 enshrined men and women. These people include many who sacrificed themselves in conflicts including the Boshin War, the Seinan War, the Saga Uprising, the Sino-Japanese War, World War I, and World War II.
Aside from soldiers, other people such as those involved in relief operations on battlefields, and those students who worked in factories for the war effort, are also enshrined here. Even ordinary Japanese citizens, including those not native to Japan, were also included.
It is recorded that every year some five million people visit the shrine to pay their respects, and twice a year - in autumn and spring - major rituals take place involving offerings from the Emperor. Everyday rituals are held to offer meals and words of appreciation to the dead. This stems from the Japanese belief that in order to properly respect the dead they must be treated the same as they were when alive.
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| "Illustration of Grand Festival at Yasukuni Shrine" by Shinohara Kiyooki, 1985 [2000_513] Sharf Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston |
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| Yushukan |
It is important to realize that this shrine is actually slightly controversial because some enshrined here are war criminals and because the museum at the shrine, Yushukan, blatantly celebrates the questionable ideology that lead to many very young pilots acting as kamikaze.
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| August 15th 2010, Yasukuni Shrine |
The effects of this controversy can be seen very evidently on August 15th demonstrations, an event held on the anniversary of Japan's surrender at the end of World War II. Several thousands of Japanese visit the shrine to pray, but the grounds are surrounded by riot police and the mix of conflicting views between people holding extreme political views results in protests and confrontations, though it is usually nothing extremely violent. Due to this controversy it has long be questioned whether Japanese politicians should pray at the shrine, and in the 2010, it was the first time in 25 years that no member of the cabinet attended the event.
This shrine has strong ties to the Emperor and was one of the principal State Shinto shrines. This shrine demonstrates the imperialism and militarism that was brought about in the Meiji Restoration, as well as the values and beliefs surrounding war in this period. You can visit the shrine's official website here for more information on planning your visit, including information on festival (Matsuri Rituals) dates.
Websites: http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/about/index.html, http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/about/deities.html, http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1609931,00.html, http://mit.out.ac.tz/OCWExternal/Akamai/21f/21f.027j/throwing_off_asia/toa_core_01.html, http://travel67.wordpress.com/2010/08/30/august-15th-yasakuni-shrine-tokyo/
Nihonbashi (日本橋）
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| Nihonbashi |
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| A model of the Mitsui Echigoya |
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| Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi [A seven story department store completed in 1935] |
In the 1960s, the Shuto expressway was built over it, and it was not until recently, when Tokyo was making a bid for the 2016 Olympics, that there was talk about moving the Shuto underground. This bridge is a sign of how the Bakufu (the Shogunate) kept the daimyo under control: daimyo that the Bakufu trusted less were assigned lands further from Edo, as measured by the bridge. The Shuto Expressway also gives a glance of the modern Japanese worldview, especially their view on their heritage.
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| The zero mile point sign at Nihonbashi |
Kanda Myojin
This shrine is one of the oldest and most important shrines in Edo/Tokyo, and has been rebuilt several times. In both the Edo Period and the Meiji Period, this shrine was seen to offer protection for the shogun or the emperor, and is known as the Tutelary Shrine of Edo. This shrine demonstrates how the Japanese worldview affected the place of religion in both everyday life and in politics.
Yushima Seido
A Confucian temple constructed in the Edo Period. Rather than a site of worship, this was an institution for higher learning. The present site is directly across from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University. This site demonstrates the interconnectedness of religion and education in the Japanese worldview, as well as the influence of Confucianism on the Japanese worldview during the Edo Period.
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