Yasukuni Jinja ("Peaceful Country Shrine", located in Tokyo) is a Shinto Shrine created by the Meiji Emperor in 1869 to commemorate the spirits of those who died for the restoration of the Imperial Monarchy. Since that time, it was expanded to include all who died in the service of Japan, which includes the Boshin War (1868-1869), the Sino-Japanese Wars (both 1894-1895 and 1947-1945), and the first Indochina War (1946-1954). Over those years, it has been expanded to include all conflicts during the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa reign (1868 to 1945), Koreans and Taiwanese killed in the service of Japan, and all those killed by World War II, regardless of nationality. This includes Class A war criminals, which has lead to no Japanese Emperor attending the shrine since the 1970's.
(Note: Sakamoto Ryoma, a personal hero of the Bakamatsu period, is enshrined there.)
The first torii, the traditional Japanese gateway indicating the entrance into a holy precinct:
Thanks for the visual expansion of knowledge of that shrine TB, very interesting and another bright blue cloudless sky that day. Are there limits on visiting the Inner Shrine?
ReplyDeleteNylon12 - Ironically, the next day was rainy and cold.
DeleteThere are limits on visiting the Inner Shrine. There is a fee for the service, and my suspicion is that no-one can just "wander in" - for example, when we went in 2020 it was after we had performed an embu (demonstration) and we went with our headmaster.
I never considered it before, but a martial society would have quite a number of shrines to departed heroes. We sure do. And the acknowledgement of the widow and orphans was touching. There is a sensitivity in that shrine that seems to offset the brutality of their history somewhat. That whole balance of nature I guess. The peace garden here in Fredericksburg was very moving to me. But I never put it against the memory of what took place in WW2. Contrast...
ReplyDeleteSTxAR, they would - as you point out, we do as well.
DeleteOn the grounds at Yasukuni they also have a memorial for the horses, pigeons, and other "animals of war" killed in action.
The contrast of such places where we remember the dead - Peace gardens, the Vietnam Memorial, the Tomb of The Unknown Solider - should make us think more about the cry to rush to violence and war. Sadly, it almost never does.
The cherry blossoms are very pretty and unique.
ReplyDeleteYou mention commemoration of war criminals also. Good to see that not everyone is destroying reminders of history.
Thanks for always sharing your travels with us, TB.
You all be safe and God bless.
As someone wiser than I has pointed out, Linda, when we remove the bad things of history we are effectively condemning them to be forgotten. History is; it is not any generation's prerogative to change it to suit their fancy.
DeleteIIRC, during the war there were a group of swordsmiths working in the shrine, using traditional methods- these weapons are prized today by collectors.
ReplyDeleteGreat recall! Blades were indeed produced there between 1933 and 1945; Wikipedia estimates about 8,100 blades total were manufactured. At the moment per E-bay, such a blade will set you back $14,000.
DeleteI'm another one who always enjoys seeing pictures of things from your travels. Always interesting!
ReplyDeleteLeigh, it is a double joy to go to such places knowing I can share them with others when I get back.
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