The Compass: Japan ~ Historian Fact

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The Compass: Japan

October 24, 2020 No comments

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Japan

In Japan, a deep reverence for nature and tradition vies with a fascination of all that is futuristic—and this jarring contrast is part of the country’s strong allure. Neon-lit cityscapes, ancient temples clinging to forested hillsides, and markets brimming with exotic ingredients: Japan is a feast for the senses. In this edition, we discover the twists of fate that made Nagasaki a target 75 years ago, learn why whale watching is on the rise even as commercial hunts resume, and journey to an island that unlocked the secret to long life.
Let’s explore Japan.

HISTORY & CULTURE

Emperor Akihito, left, poses with his wife Empress Michiko and son Crown Prince Naruhito in Tokyo in 1981.

PHOTOGRAPH BY THE ASAHI SHIMBUN, GETTY

We are now living in the imperial Reiwa era. What’s that?

For more than 1,300 years, the crowning of each new Japanese emperor has brought with it a new age. Here’s why the Reiwa era will be very different from its predecessors.

Fuminori Akoa, 29, has been in his room for a year. "According to him, he is a great man and could do extraordinary things, but he does not always try his best," explains photographer Maika Elan who visited him with a social worker.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MAIKA ELAN

Pictures reveal the isolated lives of Japan’s social recluses

A photographer explores the hidden world of the hikikomori, and the human bonds that draw them out.

Kana Wasai prepares tea during a class by Yumiko Takada in Tokyo, Japan. The Japanese tea ceremony is considered a fine art. It embodies masterful preparation, with the guest always at the forefront of the host's mind.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LISA MAREE WILLIAMS, GETTY IMAGES

This tea master is preserving an ancient art for future generations

The sensei from Japan began learning how to host the ceremonies when she was just six years old.

Two camphor trees guard the entrance to the Sanno Shinto Shrine roughly a half mile from where the atomic bomb exploded over Nagasaki. Heat and debris from the blast stripped the tree bare and split the trunks in two. Although considered dead at the time, within months new buds emerged from the scorched branches. Today the trees stand as living, natural monuments to the bombing.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HIROKI KOBAYASHI, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Twists of fate made Nagasaki a target 75 years ago

The Japanese port was not the U.S.'s first choice for a nuclear attack in August 1945, but shifting circumstances and last-minute choices doomed the city.

EXCERPT: RARE WORLD WAR II MAPS REVEAL JAPAN'S PEARL HARBOR STRATEGY +

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Pedestrians, shoppers, and people-watchers stroll on Chuo-dori in Ginza, one of Tokyo’s busiest destinations. Cars travel on the street during weekdays, but on weekend afternoons a one-mile strip is closed to traffic and becomes a promenade. Cafés, high-end boutiques, and street performers attract local residents and visitors.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER

Tokyo became a megacity by reinventing itself

Walk through Japan’s energetic urban heart and see a vibrant, creative culture that bounced back from war and natural disaster.

Standing six feet tall, Saigo Takamori—seen here in a statue from 1898 in Ueno Park, Tokyo—would not be considered an especially tall man now. But he was a giant compared with the Japanese average at that time, an effect heightened by his broad neck, square shoulders, and large, penetrating eyes with bristly eyebrows.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GARY CONNER, GETTY IMAGES

Who was Saigo Takamori, the Last Samurai?

The stuff of legends and Hollywood movies, Japan's samurai are known for tradition and swordsmanship. But their last defender came to symbolize a conflict over modernization.

ANIMALS

Though it’s nowhere near the size of the industry in the United States, whale watching has been steadily growing in Japan.

PHOTGRAPH BY DAVID FLEETHAM, NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY

Whale watching in Japan is on the rise, even as commercial hunts are set to resume

New data shows Japanese citizens prefer whale watching to whale meat.

Ussurian tube-nosed bats spend the coldest months in snow-covered dens—the only mammal species known to do so besides polar bears.

FOOTAGE BY HIROFUMI HIRAKAWA

These bats make tiny igloos to survive the winter

The Ussurian tube-nosed bat of Japan joins the polar bear as the only animals known to hibernate in snow.

TRAVEL

DREAM NOW, GO LATER

A bullet train passes below Mount Fuji. Set up a Japan Rail Pass before your visit to make the most of the country’s extensive public transportation system.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SEAN PAVONE, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

5 unforgettable train trips through Japan

Soak in hot springs, slurp ramen, and see the sights on these thematic rail journeys.

Visitors enjoy the sunset at Nagu-misaki Cape on Dogo, the largest island of the Oki Islands.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KRISTA ROSSOW

Shimane prefecture: Japan's best kept secret

Head west for adventure, art, and the world’s holiest annual meeting.

Celebrations like the Ungami Festival, held at Shioya Bay and devoted to the god of the sea, bring the community of Ogimi together. A robust social system is said to help residents live longer.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALESSANDRO GANDOLFI, PARALLELOZERO/INSITITUTE

This island unlocked the secret to long life—and knows how to get through tough times

Residents of Okinawa are some of the world’s healthiest and happiest. Strong social networks and good food may be why.

Between June and August, an estimated 400,000 people climb Mount Fuji.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER

A reverent ascent

Climbing Mount Fuji remains one of Japan’s most sacred traditions.

WHERE WILL WE JOURNEY TO NEXT?

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