A comment from someone that I read on youtube.com nags at me somewhat.

 

“What might have become of Japan if she was left well enough alone instead of being dragged through the Meiji Era?”

 

For those of you who did not take history in school, the Meiji Era is, easily put, the era that Japan started to become what it is now known as. The era that modernity entered the shores of Nippon with all its good & bad. The name Meiji itself means “Enlightened Rule”.

Alas, with the coming of all things new, there would always be a sacrifice or slow annihilation of all things old.

 

If Japan was really left on her own & not forced to open her doors to the outside world, what would she be like now?

 

Would there still be a ruling Emperor who is still thought of by the people as a half God?

Would there still be Samurais riding along on their steeds with the twin blades slipped on their left & right side as a mark of the Samurai caste?

 

Would Geishas still exist & not be damned to near extinction as they are right now?

 

Would WE, the other parts of the world, know of Japan & its famous Sushis?

 

Would we have the war torn past that makes Singapore the country that it is now?

 

Would we have heard of wonderful technologies from the country that has managed to produce the technologically advanced gadgets that this world has ever seen?

Would we have even heard of The Land of The Rising Sun?

 

Heck, would we have even heard of iPOD??

 

Questions that one can only assume & guess, but whose answers are forever left unanswered.

 

The Meiji period brought with it beautiful changes to Japan, but at the same time it also changed Japan to a country that ruled vastly when her knowledge for world power expanded.

 

For me personally, I do think I would love it if Japan can be so advanced & modern but still so strong in values & culture as she was during the 1800s.

It would be odd to see a Japanese man tinkering in the lab while wearing a Yukata & Hakama with a sword by his side. That I do agree.

But if you understand or know all the mysticism & wonderful cultures & traditions of Japan or even if you know half or some of it, or if you even know how much ‘Honour’ was such a big thing to them & how much discipline & perfection on what ever they do means to them, then such a scene would not be much of an odd ball.

 

I’ll end this entry with a clip that I found on youtube (like duh..) of short compiled clips from the movie Last Samurai. Incidently one of my favourite movie. I am posthing this because I think the person managed to capture the essence & beauty of what it is that makes me love Japanese culture so much by just putting together a few sporadic clips from a grand movie.

(my favourite scene is on 4:30 when the Samurais ride in to town on their horses sending the commoners into a frenzy of bows & respect that should be accorded to any Samurai during that era. There’s just something about the scene that is so majestically powerful that it makes my spine tingle. And the music that accompany’s the scene is just perfect for the magic) 

(trust me, I hate weirdo Tom but I’ve gotta admit, he was good in this movie lahhh)