"Kon-nichiwa." a Japan Travel Page by seagoingJLW

This was before I was married. I went over to Japan on a freighter. I had the best of both worlds since there was a US armed forces presence in Japan at the invitation of the Japanese government. Thus, when I needed something, I would wait outside a PX for a serviceman to come along and escort me in. I bought army scrip at a yen sales window from soldiers who were waiting in line. I traveled free on the army buses. The Japanese drivers didn't dare challenge me.

I remember the problems trying to locate an address in Tokyo. It seems the houses were numbered in the order in which they were built and not according to their locations.

I remember visiting the gounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as well as some temples. I remember the lights of the Ginza, even then. You took your life into your hands when you rode in a taxi. There were no rules about driving on the right or the left. It was every man for himself.

I went by bus down to Kamakura to see the giant buddha. It was very impressive.

In Tokyo at the time, the luxury hotel was the Imperial. It was earthquake proof and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I stayed at a small hotel near the British Embassy called the Fairmont. It was very convenient. But, remember, this was in 1954.

I loved Kyoto. I stayed at the Miyako there and visited more temples than I can count. I was very impressed by the quiet dignity of the people around me.

I remember feeding the deer in the park in Nara.

I remember climbing up Fujisan. I was young then. I doubt I could do it today.

I remember staying at a Japanese style inn in Nikko where I slept on a futon laid out on the tatamis.

It was a very interesting and exotic trip.

For up-to-date info and pix of Japan, go to my son's pages about his recent (May, 2001) trip there.

Bruce's Pages

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History

In the year 300, Japan was united for the first time. Buddhism was introduced between the years 538 and 552. In 604 Prince Shotoku's Consstitution of Seventeen Articles was developed. The Taika reform started in 645.

In 710 Nara became the first permanent capital, but it was moved in 784 to Nagaoka, and in 794 to Kyoto.

In 1016 Fujiwara Michinaga became regent. Then, in 1159, the Taira clan under Taira Kiyomori assumed power after the Heiji War.

In 1175 the Buddhist Jodo sect was introduced.

The Minamoto clan took over from the Taira in the Gempei War (1180-1185).

In 1191 the Zen sect was introduced.

In 1192 Minamoto Yoritomo was appointed Shogun and established the Kamakura government. The Jokyu Disturbance in 1221 ended a struggle between Kamakura and Kyoto with the Hojo regents in Kamakura winning. Mongols tried unsuccessfully to invade Japan twice. Then in 1333 the Kamakura bakafu failed.

The emperor restored power over Japan in 1334 (Kemmu restoration). then in 1336 Ashikaga Takauji captured Kyoto causing the emperor to flee and establish a Southern court in Yoshino. Takauji founded the Muromachi government and a Northern court with a second emperor in Kyoto.

In 1392 the two courts united.

The Portuguese introduced firearms and Christianity to Japan in 1542. In 1568 Nobunaga enterd Kyoto and by 1573 the Muromachi Bakafu fell. this was followed by the Takeda clann being defeated in 1575 at the Battle of Nagashino.

In 1582 Nobunaga was murdered and succeeded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and in 1590 Japan is reunited after the fall of Odawara.

After an unsuccessful invasion of Korea, Hideyoshi died in 1598. Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated his rivals in the Battle of Sekigahara and was appointed Shogun in 1603.

Ieyasu established the Tokugawa government in Edo (Tokyo) and presecuted Christianity. When he captured Osaka Castle in 1615 the Toyotomi clan was destroyed. By 1639 Japan was almost completely isolated from the rest of the world.

In 1792 the Russians tried unsuccessfully to establish trade relations with Japan. It wasn't until 1854 with the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry that the Japanese government was forced to open a limited number of ports.

1868 brought about the Meiji restoration, and the Meiji Constitution arrived in 1889.

Wars followed: The Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Japan annexed Korea in 1910 and then, Meiji died in 1912.

From 1914 to 1918 Japan joined the allied forces in World War I. this was followed by the devastating earthquake of 1921931 produced the Manchurian Incident and in 1937 came the start of the second Sino-Japanese War. In 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the Pacific War started.
It continued until the surrender of Japan in 1945 after the devastation caused by two atomic bombs.

1946 brought a new constitution. By 1952 the allied occupation of Japan ended and by 1956 Japan became a member of the UN.

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At the Fish Market

Miscellaneous Information

Japan is located in northeast Asia. It is an island chain between the north Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula.

The total area is 377,835 sq km. This includes the Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto, Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto). There are 29,751 km of coastline.

The climate ranges from tropical in the south to cool temperate in the north. The terrain is mostly rugged and mountainous.

The population is 126,771,662, of which 99.4% are Japanese. Koreans make up the remaining 0.6%.

Both Shinto and Buddhism is observed by 84% of the population. Others are 16% including Christians who make up 0.7%.

The official language is Japanese.

Westerners may be familiar with Japanese scene through Japanese prints. To see what they are like, go to my <A HREF="http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/.104312/article/76/40/">

Mythology

Amaterasu Omikami, Goddess of the Sun was angered by the behavior of her brother, Susan No Mikoto, God of Prowess and Storms. As a result of her anger, she hid herself in a cave causing the world to become dark and all the people to panic.

All the gods and goddesses gathered at the cave opening and decided to have a sake party to lure her out. Ameno Uzimeno Mikoto, Goddess of Dance and Music, performed authentic Japanese dance. Hearing the applause, Amaterasu Omikami opened the door slightly and peeked out. Seeing her radiance reflected in a mirror which had been set up at the entrance, she was amazed at her brilliance and opened the door further.

Tachikara Ono Mikoto, God of Power, pulled the cave door totally open. Once again there was sunlight in the world.