Japan is a land of paradox; this is no longer a secret. Most of their buildings are not isolated against cold weather in the winter and again, those same buildings surprisingly will possess some hi-tech toilet seat straight from star trek that will make sure you do not have a bad experience going to the washroom. Some even have leads that lift up and down automatically. Japanese do not display public affection nor talk about sex, yet they are one of the biggest consumers of pornography in the world. Another example can be found in the super hectic city frenzy where people literally constantly bump into each other; look between two shops and you will found the quietest open air shrine.
The reason the past and the future are flirting to this extend in the land of the rising sun is simply because Japan had to “catch up” with the rest of the western world quite rapidly. Until the Second World War, Japan was a powerful country and that had some delusions of grandeur which were shut down by the Allies and the bombs of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. At that moment, Japanese were stripped down of all their pride since their military was dismantled. In the event that a country would attack the island, the United States promised to defend them…hard pill to swallow for one of the most powerful countries in the 1930s and 40s.
The rest of the story is Japan regaining its status in the international field, which it did to some extend. It would be fair to say that they are indeed a power in East Asia, although it is being challenged by uprising China at this moment. All the changes and the technology happened so fast that “old Japan” did not have the time to disappear or at least be tamed. As a result, Japanese are living in a world where old and new, analogue and digital, tradition and modernization are side by side. On a side note, one should not overlook the geographical isolation of the island.
The reason the past and the future are flirting to this extend in the land of the rising sun is simply because Japan had to “catch up” with the rest of the western world quite rapidly. Until the Second World War, Japan was a powerful country and that had some delusions of grandeur which were shut down by the Allies and the bombs of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. At that moment, Japanese were stripped down of all their pride since their military was dismantled. In the event that a country would attack the island, the United States promised to defend them…hard pill to swallow for one of the most powerful countries in the 1930s and 40s.
The rest of the story is Japan regaining its status in the international field, which it did to some extend. It would be fair to say that they are indeed a power in East Asia, although it is being challenged by uprising China at this moment. All the changes and the technology happened so fast that “old Japan” did not have the time to disappear or at least be tamed. As a result, Japanese are living in a world where old and new, analogue and digital, tradition and modernization are side by side. On a side note, one should not overlook the geographical isolation of the island.
For a foreigner, this situation is quite unusual and leads to much reflection time. One always feels like walking on a fence: should I look back or forward? Actually I think the Japanese are asking themselves the exact same question everyday.
