Reflections Upon Japanese Life

With so little time left in Japan, I can't help but think back on the few culture classes we've had since the midterm. They may have been few in number, but they were astonishing. They also feel "bigger" in a way, especially the Aizu trip, because it was an overnight ordeal with a good number of stops along the way; it was like having five or six culture classes in one.

The trip we took to Aizu was both fascinating and refreshing. Having seen only Tokyo, and that being the only cultural representative for the entire nation of Japan since we've all been here, can skew one's notions about a certain place. Seeing rural Aizu was such a vibrant contrast to the neon-soaked landscapes of Shinjuku, and a very welcome one by the time we arrived. As much history as one can gather from the relics around places like Shinjuku (the shrine on one of the main streets, between two huge buildings, for example), you really don't get a firm grasp on it until you're immersed in it.

Driving so far away that even the climate was different was quite an experience. Mountains began to replace skyscrapers. Snow was something that existed, as opposed to just the never-ending rain of the city. The four-hour trip to get there was more than worth it.

The historical locations we visited (now partly museums), were fascinating. The fact that one of the was restored to its original form about twenty years ago says a lot about the Japanese attitude towards history and the preservation thereof. Going to such lengths as to rebuild something that had no practical purpose anymore (given the lack of Samurai in modern-day Japan) is n admirable task.

The palace we visited was beautiful as well. The view from the top floor balcony showed exactly what kind of contrast rural Japan had to offer. The palace grounds went on for some distance, but were then interrupted suddenly, after a line of trees, by the borders of modern-day civilization. Factories and other commercial buildings as far as the eye can see, once you look past the amazingly well-preserved past.

The contrast and simultaneous embrace of both past and present (and, in a way, technologically, future) will never cease to amaze me, still being an outsider with so much to learn.

Upon returning to the states, I plan on reading lots about the history of Japan; before coming here I had very little background knowledge regarding the country's past. Vague images of Samurai, and then the eventual western influence, were all I had to go on. It turns out that I have so much to learn, it's almost daunting. I'm not intimidated though; I approach my studies of this country with nothing but excitement and wonder.