Japan

written by Tomohide Warabi


Japan is thought as one race. According history, however, it is clear that the opinion is wrong. Japan has been influenced by other countries. From ancient era, Japan had studied from China. Nowadays Japan study from America, so we tend to spotlight foreign countries. Of course foreign counties called big countries affect Japan, but I want to note the influence of Japan own.
I think Japan can divide into three sections because of Japanese history. Needless to say, Japan was not one nation at first. From the fifth century to the sixth, the kings of Japan called Yamato emperors governed the land of Japan, but these emperors could not influence on the northern part of Honshu, Hokkaido and Okinawa. In Heian era, the kings of Japan called Tennou governed the northern part of Honshu, but Hokkaido and Okinawa finally became the parts of Japan in Meiji era. In other words, Hokkaido and Okinawa are different nations until Meiji era, so I try to divide into Japan between Hokkaido, Okinawa and the rest of Japan parts.
There were Ainu people in Hokkaido. These people hunted animals and fish. They did not cultivate the land of Hokkaido. They did not develop agriculture and stock farming. The land was not apt to cultivate because of cool weather, but was abundant in animals and fish. They lived happily in the rich land. However, The life was broken by people in Honsyuu in Edo era. People in Honsyuu got frequently to come to Hokkaido in order to take the rare animal and fish to be used in trade to the foreign countries. In Meiji era, Hokkaido became the part of Japan nation officially, and the government of Japan enacted Kyuudojinhogohou whose law resulted in wiping out Ainu people.
Okinawa was in strange position in Edo and Meiji era. Okinawa nation served not only Japan but also China at that time. Okinawa flourished by trading. The country mediated between foreign countries about trading, and made profits because Okinawa was not abundant in the nature resources. Okinawa became the part of Japan officially when the Sino-Japanese war in 1894 to 95 was over. Japan won the war, as a result Japanese government put together Okinawa as a part of Japan. people in Okinawa are merry, maybe because of the hot weather, so there are many TV personalities who come from Okinawa such as Amuro Namie.
The land of Japan except Okinawa and Hokkaido is united in Heian era. The emperor of Japan who was Kanmu-Tennou at that time dispatch the general who was Sakanoue Tamuramaro to the northern part of Honsyuu. The general won the war against the northern people called Emishi. He succeeded to conquer the land, and the emperor of Japan could govern there, and it meant the emperor of Japan had influenced all over Japan country except Hokkaido and Okinawa. The climate in Honsyuu is various, and there are many kinds of animals and fish. The power balance between the East and the West changed at Edo era. The west had had strong power from Yamato emperor to the general who was Toyotomi Hideyoshi. However, the East replace the position after civil war between the east and the west called Sekigahara no Tatakai. Tokugawa Ieyasu is the general of the east, and led to winning the battle. He established Edo Bakuhu which was in the east not the west. The effect of the civil war remained in present time, because Tokyo which was the hometown of Ieyasu antagonizes against Osaka which was the hometown of Toyotomi. The battle is well shown when Tigers versus Giants game is held.
In this way, Japan seemed to be one nation and the same trait, but the aspect is not correct. Japan has various people and characteristic. Today, the idea of globalism is spreading all over the world, and we are likely to concern about foreign countries. However, we should not disregard own country. We need to learn about own country because the relation between Japan and other countries is important more than ever by contraries.