Everyday Japan In Photos, And A Brief History

Take ten ‘Japanophiles’ and ask what it is that draws them to the ‘land of the rising sun’ – the odds are good that, as long as they’re not all from the same anime club, you’ll get a different answer from each of them.

Delve a bit deeper, beyond the simple declarations of love for Japanese cars, animation and girls/boys, and most will acknowledge that the general way of life in Japan – the ‘Dò’ – plays its own part in their fascination with the country.

The sometimes subtle, sometimes glaring differences between Japan and most Western countries (all of which, despite their own differences, do most things more or less alike) is due to a complex mix of factors – but… more on that later.

From the slightly blue tinge to the green lamps of the country’s traffic lights, to the unique ‘bing bong’ of the train/road crossings, and the traditional sushi stalls next to the huge multi-level car accessory stores, even the most familiar things – the things most like life here in the West – are strangely and subtly different.

For a stirring look at regular every day life in Japan, check out Ken’s Flickr gallery.

And if you’ve got your own photos of your own visit to Japan, why not link them in the comments?

And Now, A Brief History of Japan.

For hundreds of years, Japan was an almost entirely isolated land, a world within a world.

That isolation was initially due to the tough winds and currents between the Chinese mainland and the Japanese islands that kept sea-passage difficult for a long time.

Then, after a time, when Japan had become more unified as a nation, that isolation became a mandate, foreigners turned away except for small trading ports along the coasts.

During both periods, Japan’s culture and identity evolved almost entirely without external influences, except of course for early Chinese migration and interaction.

When the US Navy’s Admiral Perry showed up with his huge ships, Japan’s world was turned upside down. Forced to open its ports, Japan’s samurai-topped caste system shattered and a new fascination with the West (the fascination works both ways, after all) swept the country.

In the years before Japan’s militarisation and its involvement in World War 2 (along with its actions in China and elsewhere), a massive Western influence could be seen everywhere, from fashion to architecture.

Post World War 2, occupied Japan was forced to adhere to hundreds of new laws drawn up by its Western administrators, governing almost every facet of life, business and government in Japan.

And so today, thanks to less than 200 years of rapid Westernisation and Western influence, Japan is in many ways an almost surreal other-worldly place, struggling to stay in touch with its heritage despite its place in the upper echelons of the international business world.

This is all, of course, a very brief look at Japan’s long and storied past, and because I’m no expert, some of it is undoubtedly wrong. If you spot a glaring error, let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to fix it!