Emotions and Forms: Uniquely Japanese

Emotions and Forms: Uniquely Japanese

Much of my formal education and training had been in science and law; both disciplines based upon logic. As I grew older, and hopefully wiser, and as a student of traditional Japanese Budō and Bushidō, I began to read and study about the Japan of past days; and as I experienced life in Japan, not only in the dojo but in the small towns and villages, away from the cities, I began to think about such Japanese things as jōcho (emotion) and katachi (forms of behavior). People took tradition seriously. They often enjoyed dressing in kimono; they enjoyed eating together as a family, gathered around a low table in the living area of a simple home. People who were too loud or boisterous were given a cold shoulder. I witnessed Japanese unspoken communication and personality projection. Away from the cities, the national character was entirely different. Customs and traditions, sincerity and humor, were considered of much greater value than the logic I had learned and trained in at school. Of course there were some people who clamored for “more”, “more is better”, “modern is better”; yet, those who shouted for more reform to the modern ways, were discreetly criticized by the elders as “lacking a proper sense of humor.”

I began to realize that, yes indeed, logic had its place, but aesthetics, emotions and forms of behavior could be equally important if not more; things uniquely Japanese. When I mention “aesthetics,” I am speaking of such things as nihonjin no shizenkan, the concept of nature. When I say “emotion,” I am not speaking feelings such as joy, anger, sympathy, sadness or happiness, which we learn about in school and which we all experience naturally; I am refereeing instead to emotions that are cultivated through cultural experience; such emotions as natsukashisa, a sense of yearning for the lost, an mono no aware, an awareness of the pathos of things. By “forms,” I mean the code of conduct that has been with us for centuries, derived from Bushidō, the samurai code of ethics.

When considered together, these are the things that make Japan and the Japanese special, unique in the world. Just as Nitobé Inazo pointed out that Bushidō was the foundation of Japan’s national character, so also are these others. Even as far back as the Meiji Restoration, both emotions and forms of behavior began to go into a gradual, imperceptible decline. The rate of decline was accelerated in the Showa Era and sustained extensive deterioration after World War II, as the country suffered from Americanization and free market principles which reached deep into the Japanese heart to exert their influence on Japanese society, culture and its character as a nation. Even the Japanese educational system, has served to erode the Japanese pride and confidence in their country, largely at the hands of revisionist politicians and historians. People, particularly in the cities began to forget those things that were the country’s traditional emotions and forms of behavior, the things that should have given them the pride to be uniquely Japanese. Instead, the country falls prey to the logic and reasoning of the West and the decline continues through a process of globalization, which is nothing more than an attempt at making the world homogenous. Japan must find the means to realize and preserve its individuality and to recapture its simplicity in living, its emotions, and its forms; thus, remaining forever, uniquely Japan.

SAMURAI FIGHT

SAMURAI FIGHT (c. 1890)

(Artist Unidentified)

A riot - bands of samurai fighting in a snowy street in Edo as innocent citizens flee to safety.

Manners Lesson

Manners Lesson

Gray beard walks in peace

Youths want to bully –

Painful manners taught

From an incident of yesterday's morning walk. There is not always strength in numbers and the old are not always weak. There are always surprises! Yet, I also failed by my response. Today my harmony is now restored.

BUSHIDO LESSON: ON ONE'S OWN DEATH

On One's Own Death

One who follows Bushido believes that it is of prime importance to keep their death in mind at all times. This means every day, every night: from New Year’s Day morning until New Year’s Eve night.

If one keeps their own death in mind at all times, and by this I mean an awareness or consciousness of ones own death (but not to the point of obsession) one will always be able to fulfill the needs of loyalty and family duties. With this “consciousness” one can also then avoid a myriad of evils, calamities, and hardships. One is likely to be more physically sound and healthy; thus, they may actually have a longer life. An additional benefit is likely to be that one’s character will improve and they will grow in virtue.
You may well ask, “Why?” All life, including human life, can be likened to the evening dew or to a morning frost; that is, life is something that is indeed quite fragile and ephemeral. This is true of anyone’s life, no matter what his or her station in life may be.
If a person blinds themselves to the inevitability of their own death, that is, if they take comfort in the belief that they will live a long time, that they will live “forever,” it may indeed be possible that something will happen to them. They may think that they have “forever” to do their work and to take care of their families. Because of this belief that “tomorrow will never come,” they may well feel that it is not necessary to work hard or to tend to their families with less care and intensity.

If one realizes that the life that is here today may not be here tomorrow, then when one is given a task by their employers or when they look at their families, they may have the sense to realize that “this could be the last time.” In doing so, one cannot help but to become more attentive to their work and to their family.

Be that as it may, if one unmindful of death and thus becomes careless or inattentive, they will have a tendency to be less cautious and careful in their lives. For example, one may be more inclined to say something that is offensive to another and get into an argument, which could itself lead to any number of consequences. One might find themselves in places or in situations that they perhaps would not have otherwise gotten into, again with any number of consequences for themselves or for those around them or for their employer, parents, siblings, or children. The consequences of our actions can have far reaching results sometimes, results that perhaps should have been easily avoided, had one kept in mind their own mortality.

With one’s own transience in mind, when one speaks and in replying to what is said by others, one is more likely to understand the substance and significance of every word. One will be less likely then to engage in pointless arguments.

People from all economic and social groups tend to excess, that is, they overeat, they tend to drink too much, and they indulge in their desires to a harmful degree, all because they give not even a small thought about their own death. This kind of behavior, this kind of “lifestyle,” over time can put a strain on their bodies. As a result, there is every possibility of their dying at a younger age or at the least, becoming sickly and weak. With the potential of one’s own death in mind, even if one is young and healthy, they will automatically know how to take care of themselves. They will be moderate and be mindful of food and drink, avoid addictions, and are more likely to be more sensible. The result is that they will tend to remain healthy and to increase the opportunity for a longer life.

On the assumption that one will “live forever” or that their passing is so far into the future so as to not be worth consideration, one will be likely to develop a money-oriented or acquisitive mentality. That is to say, they will have a tendency to become more desirous of things, cling to their possessions, and to desire more. When one realizes that life may be very short indeed, greediness, acquisitiveness, and materialism weakens and thus the character improves.

How does one keep death in mind? Well, certainly it is illogical and therefore wrong for one to simply sit there and wait for death, or for one to become obsessed with it. This may be all well and good for a monk but with such a mindset, one cannot function or survive in the modern world. To regard one’s death in that way is to turn one’s back on their duties to themselves, their families and to their employers and it defeats the entire purpose of thinking about it at all.

The idea is for one to go about their duties every day, and at some time when their mind is free of distraction, to give some thought to the transience of their existence. Perhaps, in the morning, before going out and about they duties is a good time to give thought to this matter, for the thought of life’s fragility will stay in their mind for the entire day. Perhaps also at night, before retiring, is another good time for such thoughts. Think about the day just past and recall everything that ha happened. Ask yourself questions.

“Did I do well today?” The answer will be either “yes” or “no.” “If I have another day to live, can I do better?” The answer will always be “yes.” And as your eyes close at the end of that day, take that thought with you and bring it on to the next.

BUSHIDO LESSON: RIGHT AND

RIGHT AND WRONG

As long as it is both realized as well as accepted that people must comprehend right and wrong, and in doing so strive to do right and to avoid wrong, then Bushido is alive.

“Right and wrong” means the same as “good and evil.” Right is good, wrong is evil. It is that simple. Generally, people are not totally lacking in an understanding of good and evil, right and wrong; however, they find it rather boring and tedious to act rightly and to strive for decency and integrity. Acting wrongly and behaving badly is “fun” and it is familiar (it seems more so now than in earlier days) so people can drift toward things that are wrong and bad. Indeed, it becomes rather dull for them to do right and to cultivate good.

A person who is truly insane, or a person who has never developed a proper capacity for thought and reason cannot distinguish good and bad or right and wrong so they should not be included in this discussion. Once one has determined something to be wrong or bad, to avoid social demands and justice and do what is wrong is not the proper attitude for a follower of Bushido and it is the “high point” of the immaturity of our modern times. This can be attributed to a lack of inner strength and perseverance in people.

It is really and truly important for one to be aware of wrong and to seek right.

There are three ways of doing right. For example, suppose you are going somewhere with a friend who has a large sum of money with him, and he asks to leave it at your house until he returns, rather than carry it with him. And suppose you take this money for him and put it away where no one can find it. And suppose further that your friend suddenly dies and no one but yourself knows that he left the money at your house and no one knows that you have it.

Under these circumstances, if you have no thought other than sorrow at the loss of your friend and you tell his relatives of the money and give it to them without delay, then you can be said to have truly done right.

But, suppose also that instead of being a friend, the person was simply a casual acquaintance and no one knows about the money he left with you and there are likely to be no questions asked about it. And suppose further that you are in bad circumstances financially yourself at that time. Well, on one hand this might seem like a stroke of luck! Why not just keep quiet about it and keep the money for yourself?

If one finds themfself ashamed to find such a thought occurring to them, and they change their mind and return the money to the rightful heirs, then one could be said to have done right out of a sense of shame.

Now, suppose that someone in your home, perhaps your wife or child, knows about the money and suppose further that you return the money to the rightful heirs out of shame for any possible recriminations from your family and perhaps out of fear for the legal consequences. In this case you could be said to have done right out of shame in relation to others.

Ah, but what would you do if no one knew about it at all? Even in such a case, it could still hardly be said that you were not a man who knew what is right and does it.

The process of developing the habit of doing right begins with the fear of being disrespected by those close to you, starting with your family. It then advances to refraining from doing wrong and intentionally doing the right thing out of fear of laying yourself open to the shame of being criticized and ridiculed by the community or society you live in. If you do this, it will naturally become habitual, so eventually you develop a mentality that prefers to follow what is right and scorns doing wrong.

Within the context of military matters (which might be seen as a metaphor for modern business life) there are those who are born brave and are not deterred by attacks on the battlefield, no matter how intense. They make targets of themselves, framed between loyalty and duty. The courage of their spirit can show physically so that it goes without saying that they were splendid in action.

There are also those who are hesitant in the face of danger and their hearts are pounding and their knees tremble, yet they go forward, right along with the brave ones, in the realization that their comrades will see them if they remain behind and thus are determined not to expose themselves to derision later on. Although they are not the same as the “brave ones”, when they have gone through this several times, over and over again, they become used to it. Eventually their minds settle and they become praiseworthy, strong and firm, and in the end, not so different at all from those who are naturally brave.

So then, when it comes down to doing what is right and to being courageous, there is nothing to go on but a sense of shame. If you do wrong and are unconcerned for its consequences or that people will say it is wrong, or if you care nothing that people will despise your for your spinelessness, then there is nothing that anyone can teach you.

SAMURAI ARMOR

Samurai Armor

A modern ukiyo-e print showing samurai full armor and decorative helmet, by Tokuriki Tomikichiro (1902-1999). The print itself is dated about 1950. Tomikichiro Tokuriki was one of the members of the Sosaku Hanga movement. He was born in Kyoto where he attended the School of Fine Arts and Crafts. After World War II he established his own publishing company, Matsukyo Publishing Company. Tomikichiro Tokuriki was a passionate Sosaku Hanga printmaker. However he earned his living with prints in Shin Hanga style. Today everybody knows him for the Shin Hanga style prints published by Uchida and Unsodo

Thoughts From A Takayama Rooftop

THOUGHTS FROM A TAKAYAMA ROOFTOP

Minna-san Konnichiwa!

Irasshaimase!

Thank you for visiting.

I began writing essays about Japanese art, culture, aesthetics, history, Budo, Bushido, and even politics several years ago. When placed on the Internet in the form of a blog, these essays (much to my surprise) grew immensely popular. But blog hosting sites come and go, things disappear or suddenly become inaccessible. As a consequence, we have had many requests both from long-time readers and new, to re-print the early essays and articles. To that end we have created this blog. We have also had numerous suggestions and requests to compile many of the articles, essays, poetry and stories into some sort of printed collection. To that end, we are working toward finding a solution.

I am a writer, artist, I hope sometimes a poet, and a teacher of several forms of martial arts and Budo. I have even been accused of being a humorist. We shall see! Often the source of what I write is not so much any particular muse, although if I had to name one, it would be my wife Aoi. Often my thoughts, ideas, coming from walking the streets lined with old shops and buildings, walking by the river, or just sitting up on the rooftop. Thus the title of this collection, “Thoughts from a Takayama Rooftop.”

I hope that you will visit us often as I try to discuss a variety of topics from Japanese art and culture, to Bushido, Asian philosophy, and even the weather and find enjoyment here.

-Tokugawa Hayato-
15 October 2008