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Hi Everyone,
Today I want to talk a little bit about the Japanese history.
Please skip it if not interested (sorry! I will write about makeup products next time )
Yesterday I mentioned Ieyasu Tokunaga who was born near Hakone. He is one of the most known Japanese in Japan, mostly in good ways.
I had a co-worker from Malaysia, who became a Japanese citizen . He picked a Japanese name ‘Tokugawa.’ He told me every Japanese knows Tokugawa! It is true.Ieyasu was the first Shogun for the Edo(Edo is Tokyo now) period, which lasted about 300 years from the year 1600. He governed Japan in a unique way by closing a door to the world and trading with only two countries （ China and Holland) . This policy apparently developed Japan’s unique culture, on the other hand, the technological development was limited.
I sometimes think : it may have been different if one samurai was not killed. His name was Nobunaga Oda. Nobunaga, the boss of Tokugawa, almost conquered Japan but in 1582, he was killed by one of his disciples, Mitsuhide Akechi, in Kyoto.
Nobunaga liked changes or he was too radical to most of Japanese at that time,
He employed a strategy using guns not ‘Katana,’ a traditional sword.
He created a free trade city. He promoted his subordinates only by performances, not by which family they were from. He loved the new culture , especially, the Western culture brought by Portuguese.It is said that Nobunaga was killed by some powers who did not like changes. And Akechi was only controlled by them.
As a result, Tokunaga became the Shogun and Japan did not change much for 300 years.
So…
If Nobunaga was not killed…
The Japanese culture would have been different with more international influences : Maybe Japanese speak English better now LOL.This is a big IF, I think interesting to imagine)
P.S.
By the way, the first African came to Japan in the 16th century and met Nobunaga. He was named ‘Yasuke’ and became a samurai. He became one of the Nobunaga’s close disciples. He fought with Nobunaga in Kyoto but after some battles, he was ordered to run for a help. He was captured, but was not killed by MItsuhide and lived longer. I wonder what happened to him….Thank for reading !
I will write tomorrow,Regards,
Toshiya -
Sorry I haven’t written a blog for a while.
Now it is the autumn and I say it may be one of the best seasons in Japan. ( summer in Japan is too HOT). Especially the mountains are beautiful with autumn leaves.
I grew up in Hiroshima and the red leaves were all over. We even had monkeys ( Japan monkey – Nihon zaru ) . Yes, we have wild monkeys in Japan! I was helping my grandmother’s vegetable farm when I was about 7 years old, and one monkey came to the farm, I was hoping to be a friend, we were staring at each for five minutes, but he or she just ran away. I remember the scene so vividly) . Cold day in the autumn.
Now I live in Tokyo, and I need to take a train or car to see red leaves. This time, I went to Hakone. Hakone has many mountains and you can see Mt. Fuji if the weather is good. And onsen (hot Spring )!
Onsen is good for body and skin, and many Japanese love onsens traditionally. I am not a big onsen fan, but when I take it , I feel good) .This time, a room had an onsen bath as well, so I took a big bath at night and took a small one when I woke up. (Please see the pictures)
Hakone is also close to a town where Ieyasu Tokugawa, Samurai Shogun was raised. I want to write a little bit of Japanese history next time.
Thank you for reading again, and I will write tomorrow !
Toshiya
Fude Japan (Makeup brushes from Japan) 