Saturnalia—the ancient Roman festivities that took place in mid-December—may be the earliest verifiable ancestor of our Christmas/New Year festivities. Evergreens and holly probably have more to do with this tradition from frosty Europe than with the events in Mediterranean Bethlehem, as they symbolize faith in the return of the sun’s warmth and the regeneration of all that is green and growing, not to mention edible.
Japan has a tradition of reverence for the sun, too. Just look at the national flag—a red circle on a white background representing the rising sun. One of Japan’s preeminent geographers, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, wrote in one of his works that this choice showed a certain ecological wisdom. The American environmentalist Hazel Henderson would agree. Asked to place an economic value on solar energy, she replied, “Should we figure in the value of pre-warming the planet?” Without the sun, we might as well be Pluto.
Japan, too, tries to celebrate Christmas, but the festivities are more like Saturnalia—a way to brighten up a cold season that contains the shortest day and the longest night. Frankly, I like it. I like the idea of taking the given circumstances and making something out of them.
Makiguchi, the Japanese philosopher who gave our ancestors credit for recognizing the worth of solar light and warmth, didn’t advocate worshiping the sun as a god/goddess. Instead, he advocated a philosophy that asked, “Given your circumstances, what are you putting forth? What are you creating? What value are you adding to society?”
I like that thought a lot. Joy, cheer, an appropriate gift, breaking bread together! There are so many ways to put forth creative contributions out of our own particular circumstances.
Happy Holidays to All!
2009年12月26日土曜日
2009年11月21日土曜日
Another Fine Mess
The serviceman who killed the pedestrian in Yomitan now realizes that the blood all over his wrecked car came from a human being, not a tree. He is willing to apologize to the dead man's family. Great. But not as great as giving the man back to the people who were counting on him.
What would be even greater is if the US would apologize to the serviceman for sending him to a place like Yomitan in the first place. He doesn't belong there. He belongs in his own home town with people who speak his language.
It is too late to return the Okinawan man to his family, but not to late to return the 27 year old serviceman to his.
Just do it.
What would be even greater is if the US would apologize to the serviceman for sending him to a place like Yomitan in the first place. He doesn't belong there. He belongs in his own home town with people who speak his language.
It is too late to return the Okinawan man to his family, but not to late to return the 27 year old serviceman to his.
Just do it.
2009年11月13日金曜日
He's Here!
Mr. Obama arrived in Tokyo to much fanfare. It was a rare treat to see a Japanese prime minister speaking to an American president in English. It was an equally rare treat--something we haven't seen in about eight years--to see an American president speaking real English.
Let us hope that genuine communication ensues.
PS: About the same time Mr. Obama was thanking the troops for their "contribution" in Okinawa, a US GI was arrested for killing an Okinawa resident in a hit and run accident. The GI said he couldn't understand what the arresting officer was saying. Was there something about the evil of killing a pedestrian and running away that needed to be explained?
Let us hope that genuine communication ensues.
PS: About the same time Mr. Obama was thanking the troops for their "contribution" in Okinawa, a US GI was arrested for killing an Okinawa resident in a hit and run accident. The GI said he couldn't understand what the arresting officer was saying. Was there something about the evil of killing a pedestrian and running away that needed to be explained?
2009年11月12日木曜日
Okinawa vs New Jersey
Tomorrow US President Obama will meet in Tokyo with the new Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Hatoyama. The US air base at Futenma, in Okinawa, is one of the topics on the agenda. The base occupies the largest part of a congested city, and it is next door to a major university.
Not so long ago, a Futenma-bound US helicopter crashed and burned on that university campus, spewing radioactive material helter skelter. That was not nice. No one wants a burning helicopter on their lawn, especially one whose ashes can kill.
Okinawa--the island with all the US bases--is smaller than the US state NJ. If you have 2 hours, you can drive the length of it taking time out for lunch and a little sightseeing. There are sixteen (16!) US military installations on Okinawa. How many similar-sized US bases are in NJ?
(two: Fort Dix and Fort Monmouth)
Not so long ago, a Futenma-bound US helicopter crashed and burned on that university campus, spewing radioactive material helter skelter. That was not nice. No one wants a burning helicopter on their lawn, especially one whose ashes can kill.
Okinawa--the island with all the US bases--is smaller than the US state NJ. If you have 2 hours, you can drive the length of it taking time out for lunch and a little sightseeing. There are sixteen (16!) US military installations on Okinawa. How many similar-sized US bases are in NJ?
(two: Fort Dix and Fort Monmouth)
2009年11月8日日曜日
A Parade in Manhattan
It was a glorious moment, the parade featuring the Yankees' MVP Hideki Matsui. For some reason, the sight of Mr. Matsui waving from an open car reminded me of a Walt Whitman poem. I looked up the poem, and here is the first verse:
"OVER the western sea, hither from Niphon come,
Courteous, the swart-cheek’d two-sworded envoys,
Leaning back in their open barouches, bare-headed, impassive,
Ride to-day through Manhattan."
This was written by Whitman in honor of the first Japanese visitors to the US, who paraded down Broadway 150 years ago at the opening of the Meiji Era. The poem celebrated the idea of the one-ness of the world.
I think 150 years is a very long time between parades, but the outpouring of enthusiasm was just the same.
As Whitman put it, hurray for geography! We are all in it together.
"OVER the western sea, hither from Niphon come,
Courteous, the swart-cheek’d two-sworded envoys,
Leaning back in their open barouches, bare-headed, impassive,
Ride to-day through Manhattan."
This was written by Whitman in honor of the first Japanese visitors to the US, who paraded down Broadway 150 years ago at the opening of the Meiji Era. The poem celebrated the idea of the one-ness of the world.
I think 150 years is a very long time between parades, but the outpouring of enthusiasm was just the same.
As Whitman put it, hurray for geography! We are all in it together.
2009年10月18日日曜日
The Dust of Ages
Everyone knows the name Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital that is dotted with historic buildings. That they still stand is partly due to the restraint shown during WWII when bombs were dropped on all the most populous cities but not on Kyoto. But a lot is due to the materials used and the craftsmanship with which they were built.
One popular attraction is the 400-year old Katsura detached palace, which is a landscaping gem, worth visiting just for the gardens. True afficionados, though, fall in love with the buildings. The flooring, the ceilings, the woodwork and the columns that support it all are designed to show off the natural patterns in the logs that were selected for construction centuries ago.
Perhaps because the Katsura palace sits all by itself in a lovely natural environment, detached from the jam-packed jumble of Kyoto's crowded neighborhoods, it never fell victim to the fires that destroyed so many other original landmarks. The wooden parts aged, and grew more beautiful with time.
And then...termites!
In the mid 70's, a team was organized to save the Katsura palace by replacing all the wooden parts. First they took it apart, board by board, wrapping the beams in brown paper and tying them up with string, and then storing them lovingly in a storehouse erected just for them. A pair of mummified catfish found under the foundation was carted to the storehouse. Someone even swept all the dust from the rafters and stored the dust in a brown paper sack.
The project moved along nicely until the replacement for the termite-eaten central column was selected. It was perfect in every way except one: it was too new. It gleamed like pale yellow gold, beautiful in its own way but out of place in the dimly-lit rooms decorated with hand-painted, aged by the centuries artwork.
Can you guess how they saved the historic atmosphere and made that shiny pillar fit in?
(hint: think of the items that were tenderly packed away in that storehouse)
Someone got the brilliant idea that, if it was the dust of ages that created the special atmosphere of Katsura, then it was the dust of ages that could transform that column. One of the artisans made it his job to bathe that column three times a day in a solution made from the dust in that brown paper sack and a fixative until the pillar developed the proper coloration.
This story, first broadcast in an NHK documentary, captivated me. Imagine making good use of that bag of dust! For people like me who hate to throw things away, though, it might be better to pretend it never happened.
One popular attraction is the 400-year old Katsura detached palace, which is a landscaping gem, worth visiting just for the gardens. True afficionados, though, fall in love with the buildings. The flooring, the ceilings, the woodwork and the columns that support it all are designed to show off the natural patterns in the logs that were selected for construction centuries ago.
Perhaps because the Katsura palace sits all by itself in a lovely natural environment, detached from the jam-packed jumble of Kyoto's crowded neighborhoods, it never fell victim to the fires that destroyed so many other original landmarks. The wooden parts aged, and grew more beautiful with time.
And then...termites!
In the mid 70's, a team was organized to save the Katsura palace by replacing all the wooden parts. First they took it apart, board by board, wrapping the beams in brown paper and tying them up with string, and then storing them lovingly in a storehouse erected just for them. A pair of mummified catfish found under the foundation was carted to the storehouse. Someone even swept all the dust from the rafters and stored the dust in a brown paper sack.
The project moved along nicely until the replacement for the termite-eaten central column was selected. It was perfect in every way except one: it was too new. It gleamed like pale yellow gold, beautiful in its own way but out of place in the dimly-lit rooms decorated with hand-painted, aged by the centuries artwork.
Can you guess how they saved the historic atmosphere and made that shiny pillar fit in?
(hint: think of the items that were tenderly packed away in that storehouse)
Someone got the brilliant idea that, if it was the dust of ages that created the special atmosphere of Katsura, then it was the dust of ages that could transform that column. One of the artisans made it his job to bathe that column three times a day in a solution made from the dust in that brown paper sack and a fixative until the pillar developed the proper coloration.
This story, first broadcast in an NHK documentary, captivated me. Imagine making good use of that bag of dust! For people like me who hate to throw things away, though, it might be better to pretend it never happened.
2009年10月11日日曜日
What's Blooming Now?
October, and the kinmokusei is blooming its beautifully fragrant heart out. The dictionary calls it "fragrant olive". Hmmm... Maybe it is a fruit-free distant cousin of the olive tree.
In any case, it sends out a sweet perfume, but you shouldn't cut off a branch and stick it in a vase to enjoy indoors. If you touch the blossoms, you'll get a poison-ivy-like rash. Some beauties are best enjoyed from a distance.
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