I’m in the middle of my work on Japanese History within that very period, it’s amazing what I’m learning even though I consider my general education to be generously wide. In short, that time-span is the modernization and westernization of Japan. Japan as we know it is only 130-some years old. As close from now as 1867, the Tokugawa Shogunate was ruling Japan. That’s right, we’re talking Samurais and Shoguns here, it was a feudal military dictatorship. Guys like these:

How alien is that?

What sparked this change to a modern-industrial Japan? Well that’s what I’m researching right now, but I know it must have something to do with Commodore Matthew C. Perry of America and the leaders of the Meiji Restoration. Particularly interesting was the first generation of western-educated Japanese youth, seeing how they grappled with themes of Japanese national identity, western ethics and the Christian religion. Among those, Tokutomi Soho and the Min’yusha rooted for a total dissolution of traditional Japan in favor of a purely western Japan. With articles and editorials in the popular liberal/western magazine Kokumin No Tomo (Friend of the nation) operated by the Min’yusha, they argued their position in what became a cannon of western thought throughout Japan. There were other intellectuals advocating western adoptions of culture, but they were uneasy with importing western ethics and religion. Opting rather for traditional Confucian education and rejection of the Christian religion. Their primary argument was that a strong nation couldn’t afford to simply imitate the western powers for fears of growing to be culturally dominated and subservient. The most impressive of these events was that these people were no older than 30 years old when it all started. Think about it, such a profound and distinct generational cleavage brought from the west. Young people were operating presses and discussing western science, industry and philosophy while the old people were occupied with feudal agriculture while sometimes reading Confucius with a Katana handy. You might have thought that you were SO much more refined than your parents but let’s face it, you got nothing on them.

Understanding this change also brought new light into my understanding of the Kurenai anime. Without giving any spoilers, watching that show with purely western eyes is missing something.

What I might do is publish my final essay here but for that, I’d have to write said essay in English. Most of my education was done in French so I’m hesitant in exercising my right to hand in my work in the English language. Translating afterward would be fairly time consuming too. Anyhow, since it’s taking up most of my time and interest, I’ll probably post more about Japanese History so stick around or subscribe!

(Nothing prevents you from hitting up the library and picking up a half a dozen books on the subject like I did by the way!)

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