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Land Of The Rising Son
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Oodles Of Gratitude
Gratitude can be expressed many ways, each in its own self special, to be drawn upon strategically, the light of this iteration, as light on the situation—reflecting harmonic reciprocity.
Avatar Or Clone
This may very well be the first elimination round—a fork in the road if you will—for those who have been led to believe a successful life means sacrificing their life in the elusive pursuit of money, in the empty hope materialism brings meaning to an otherwise empty and futile existence—it is only on the deathbed that this truth becomes clear.
Bungaku Mama Became God Today
It was the good fortune of the Incidental Occxie to have been able to meet Ms. Yasuda the sole princess of the ancient Yasuda clan, first daughter of Eiji and Yae Yasuda, where the Incidental Occxie took Bungaku Mama’s first daughters sweet hand in marriage—was this wedding scene conjured up out of the phantasmagorical movies plot into an Earthly materialized scene.
Dashboard Of Reality
Those with rigid, binary mindsets face a profound shake-up when they open their hearts and realize their perceived reality was nothing more than a delusional fantasy—observable as mere mental activity on the dashboard of reality.
Delusional Lunatic
Recognizing social conventions founded upon reciprocity—the main pillar being compatibility—shows us how to thrive and breathe within a phantasmagorically curated society, the crux of this delusional lunatic’s fantastic ride.
Otsubone Sama
Currying favor—a zesty spice—is key for those eager to pierce the mythology surrounding Japan’s invisible walls, demands one first identify and pacify the otsubone sama, in essence that is all.
Horse Trading
Some relationships last decades—rooted in commonality and the shared loneliness among foreigners wandering the countryside—outsiders to the Japanese community.
Puppy Party Club
A couple of puppies shape this child’s life, teaching the importance of caring for those whose lot in life is significantly different from human avatars—an important study session—the subject of investigation—the meaning of life.
One Third Left
Just recently, Head Master Derek was overheard saying something that sounded absurd—I have only 1/3 of life left, having entering into the nifty 50s—what can this possibly mean?
Copy ‘n Paste
Then it came—personalized computation power—a massive paradigm shift—the second Big Bang in this epoch of Hardcore History—copy ‘n paste—a fundamental property of emerging humanity.
Uasail Ó Seachnasaigh
This is where the story takes a magnificent leap, shifting into a surreal theme—tracing the paper trail and the pathway leading to the magnificent front gate of Uasail Ó Seachnasaigh.
Thirty Years On The Rock
Understanding a language rooted in its cultural context can be challenging for someone coming from an opposing conceptual spectrum—one shaped by the Western Age of Enlightenment with its distinct narrative structures.
Boys Cry
In light of this enlightenment, there’s need for an upgrade to these symbolic metaphors, which were paid for by the blood, sweat, and tears of the ancestors and tutelary deities of the neo-clans.
Dilbert Sensei
Crossing into the farthest reaches of the Far East at just 23, demolished all previously constructed realities, flipping the incidental Occxie instantly into a functional illiterate, who could neither speak, write, nor read Japanese.
Country Song
The beauty is profound, thousands of generations, pebbles have become magnificent stones covered in moss.
Akemashite Omedetō-Reiwa 7 Gantan
年越し蕎麦—toshikoshi soba
A traditional Japanese dish eaten on New Year’s Eve.
Buckwheat noodles symbolize the release of past hardships and the welcoming of a fresh start in the new year.
Saint Nishizawa Noemi
Her son, born in Japan yet not considered Japanese—whatever that may mean—in the ethnocentric nature of this island nation, which refers to mixed children as—half—a misnomer, to say the least—he is trilingual, holds a master’s degree, and is complete as anyone could be.
Rich Man Poor Man
Through the skill of constant rejection, this Incidental Occxie found himself in the ice-cold call-dialing zone—where Yellow Pages once existed—practical Japanese language skills were inevitably honed.
Reciprocity
Supporting each other through trials and tribulations, solidifying and consolidating over time in futuristic societies embedded into the pixels of the screen of perception, forming pathways to communal serenity.
Head Master Derek
The manifestation of an Oracle—a molecular vibration of the highest order—choreographing harmonic resonance—his ephemeral existence reflects an incarnation of a tutelary deity—connecting dots on phantasmagorical plots through the wisdom of his sagacious self-reflective teachings.
Paper Trail
The magnitude of the official seal is not merely extraordinary, but a time-honored necessity, embodying reputation and honor—the gravity of the Almighty Chop seals genuine deals among the principled principal stewards of emerging civil societies.
The Feed
The power within this common breakfast dish causes an upheaval for the taste buds, raising the hackles of Western culinary sensibilities, as the beloved natto boasts extraordinary properties.
Seity
This anointed wizard conjured silicon brains and endless chains of communication relays—microchips powering modernity—a sculptor of inorganic life, forged from silicon and timeless sands by his empyrean hands—forever altering history—a mastermind of Silicon Valley, shepherded by the matriarch—Seity.
Quality Of Qualia
As can be plainly seen in the modern media scene, a solid grasp of linguistic proficiency is apparently no longer mandatory to become a well-compensated talking head reading off a teleprompter, broadcasting to the ubiquitous boob-tube, or as is more commonly known, ‘idiot box screens.’
Three-Leaf Clover
What does it mean to love dogs so deeply that you’ve conjured up your own version of a high school girl’s dream—can anyone say—Siberian Husky ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶
Destination Destiny
Each person’s life is like a personalized movie—all are called to act in individual scenes—the secret is to know, all of this is under control—play a starring role in the greatest ever dog and pony show this galaxy has ever seen.
Wind Of Today
Growing up in the snowy mountains of BC—informed the meaning of samui—comfort depends solely on a point of view the real crux today’s fable is in the way you choose to couch the way, as anything above minus 10℃ in BC feels like a fresh spring day.
That’s That
All it takes is an intentional reframing of any past events in need of urgent care—voila the past has changed, instantaneously—shrill tired old narrative making your agency and will ill, an incessant voice stirring distress in essence stealing an enlightened future—every single day.
Geekfest ‘89
In the early days of Apple in Japan, the first computer came via the Canon salesman—Macintosh IIci, Hewlett-Packard DeskWriter C, and Photoshop 1.0 to begin creating digital art—1.5 million yen for this innovative technology in 1989 sounded like a true bargain right from the start.
Bottleneck
The samurai salaryman of the roaring 80s had plump, juicy expense accounts—¥100,000 on company-sponsored nights out in the nooks and crannies of bars, snacks, and soapland—making business deals while carousing around, blind to the natural flow of things—as surely as the party starts, surely it will end.
Number None
An Incidental Occidental, a savage stinking of grass-fed butter—a challenge to the delicate senses of the Japanese citizens who pride themselves on subtlety, restraint, and the ancient notion of wabi-sabi—if more than anything but a transient tourist, must be catalogued and tracked—for this was the law of the sacred Yamato island.
Country General Store
One fine morning, on a daily routine, a quick car ride to the bank initiated this surreal scene—life spent in the subpar category of the lesser humans—Muse gave the divine order—killed on the spot by a drunken driver—smeared onto highway 97b at 11:30 in the morning, never to be again heard from or seen.
Harvardtard
This Harvardtard bro, also the leader of a quirky group of business people who named themselves ‘fruits in suits,’ happened to be connected to the world of telomeres in the grand city of New York.
Stupification
The abject failure of sub-standard instructors left this experimental class far behind, in essence, left for dead—in the blink of an eye, a merciless jackboot from behind—off to grade two with no reading skill, and no clue.
Eighty-Four Suns
Maggie May has now been playing this phantasmagorical game for over eight decades, collecting eighty-four suns with many more to come, for she too, was mandated to follow the sun.
No Carping
The Japanese Code Word arasagashi saliently describes the art of nitpicking. This is where a highly refined form of unpleasant passive-aggressive behavior reaches the pinnacle of high art—a specialty of the Japanese.
Onoda Hirō Sama
Embodying values based on the ancient principles of the Japanese, Onoda Hirō was instilled with strong values of loyalty and perseverance, facilitating the wherewithal for his 29-year, awe-inspiring camping trip in the deep, humid jungle of the Philippines.
Can’t vs Won’t
Too hot for a walk—what to do—my beloved puppy needs to stretch his legs and go for a jog—roasting hot at 06:00 on the dot—might just voluntarily succumb to the heat, balking at the walk admitting defeat.
Platitude Power
Internalize Japanese to reserve a room with a panoramic view—unseen frequencies of Japanese communication protocol, grant unfettered access to the magnificent ancient world of the Japanese—way of knowledge—way of reach—way of civility—imbued into Civilization Three.
Grandfather Ωmega
True fortune is in the locus of the beholder, ban butsu, life in all things, organic, visceral, and surreal, exceptionally good fortune of pure energy had The Little Girl delivering the original Omega grandson to Kizuna Jinja Main Gate.
Disastrous Mouth
The urge to merge—Kind-Necessary-True—with Form-Order-Process—leaves not much left, but one small step—and without further ado—a gift from us to you—the evolution of creative communication solutions.
Be Better
Once starting there is no stop—no exit from the infinity train—if you stop, it is never a flop, but you must start from the beginning again—shortcuts do not exist in the Material Sludge manifestation game.
Infinity Professor Deutsch
The fabric of reality has now been laid threadbare by Infinity Professor Deutsch, master communicator of the esoteric notions of infinite possibilities, describing consciousness and its counterpart, dark matter, weaving it all into a phantasmagorical spectral tapestry.
Welcome Mat
After being chided by Muse to become more deeply aware of the nature of humans, to ascertain what people without dreams look like—no original thought, no original scheme—all they can do is repeat what is on TV.
One In One Out
So, what exactly does it take to become the tutelar deity of a neo-clan is a critical question popping straight into inquiring alert flexible minds.
Onozuto Protocol
Like any rock solid relationship that stands the test of time, the key to the kingdom and happiness is growing throughout the nooks and crannies of space and time.
Civil Bifurcation
A rocket ship piloted by Muse leaves every morning of each day—on ko chi shin—our ancestors laid the foundation for the neo-clan to create the future of Civilization Three.
Grand Scheme
A formative instance inside the folly of youth, demand the lyrics of the world’s greatest rock drummer replay like the ultimate 1981 rock record, the rush of adrenaline fueled the indoctrination into the notion of freewill, has never been better said
Constitutional Merger
The reanimation of two distinct constitutions has recently come to the forefront, causing significant stir and commotion—heralding societal evolution, the bifurcation of civilization, and the emergence of neo-clans with expanding global communities.
Culturalization
Understanding the Japanese protocol of Form Order Process facilitates creation of articles culturally familiar, thus worthy of the attention of the fickle Japanese.
Flow
Bight eyed and bushy tailed, the prospect of what would come from this isolation here in the Land Of The Rising Son was not imagined nor actively sought, it is what happens when you reject the notion of institutionalised drudgery.
Loose Muse
This self-directed revelation is where the rubber meets the road—personal emancipation unfolds as Muse gets loose giving birth to a golden goose laying solid 99.999% rhodium ruby encrusted eggs each day.
Societal Evolution
The transformation from adolescence entailed a massive reframing of the collective Japanese brain embracing the monumental difficulties transforming this cultured ancient society into the pinnacle of cultured civilization and everything such an achievement entails.
Neo Clan
This profound realization resonated like a major chord, a direct revelation not to be taken lightly or conjured up on a whim—attaining serenity, rising above pettiness, and definitively ascertaining the meaning of life—ban butsu—infinite life in all things.
Zoology 101
Originally the zoo was a place where a segment of the animal kingdom is put on display for the amusement of a different class of animal—mammalian humanoid—supreme rulers of all beasts—at least in this particular fleeting picosecond of infinity.
On The Money
A historical figure of such magnitude fulfilling destiny as the original pioneer of women’s education in Japan, she now takes her rightful place as a powerful woman of honour, where her exquisite face now graces the freshly printed ¥5,000 Japanese bank note.
Solidarity of Purpose
Embrace turmoil as the change it brings points the way to create personalised days—tumultuous water grinds away fear, honing the family’s legacy and way.
Just Like You
The Universal Truth in this story is like a sublime Aesop’s tale—it matters not the birth order dilemma nor on which side of the tracks or the place where born—you are not where you came from—you are who you are today.
Big Shoes
Initially, there is an instinctive urge to follow a leader, yet after a while, reveals itself to be a deeply flawed hypothesis as family dynamics are merely the beginning of the quest to seek and discover a pair of your own shoes, and where journey manifestly begins.
Under God’s Shadow
The practical nature of the Japanese shows how to successfully structure societies that adapt and evolve, enriching the greater world encapsulating Japanese life philosophy—live and let live—what will be will be.
Curry Favour
Even though Japan is know for its incredible traditional cuisine, the Japanese also have an insatiable appetite for an exotic array of Indian curries, along with other scrumptious cuisine—along with exotic spices, comes their virtuous Hindu kindred spirit—binding them deeply to the heart of Japan.
See All You Can Be
Why not choose to tune into different frequencies, this path leads to existence inside the ΩNE super-conscious being—frolicking inside the deepest frequency—the conviction of ‘believing is seeing’( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Love Is All You Need
The feeling when first falling in love is as exciting and infatuating as warm spring air—what’s not to love about feeling warm and fuzzy about Each Other, if only temporarily.
Carved In Stone
The Japanese have always embodied the notion to seek reason, ideas, and guidelines from Outside Worlds, internalising the findings, setting objectives for the newly acquired objects their affection—this is the Way of the Japanese.
God Fraud Squad
Even though Japanese are not considered by Others to be religious people—as a matter of fact, all Japanese are embedded inside specific social, cultural, and moral protocol—in essence, being Japanese.
Five Rupee Coin
Many moons ago, a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple was established in our rural town of Japan—along with it came friendly Sri Lankans, leaving behind their cherished loved ones in a distant homeland, seek a better life for their clan.
Daily Natto
In case still unaware, natto is Japanese soul food, with its sensational taste, positive influence upon gut microflora, with a healthy dose of vitamin K—also serving as a metaphor to pick yourself up off the floor, setting the tone for more significant days.
Fellow Traveler
Waiting for a night flight to Taipei, Northwest Airline was experiencing a long delay, a two hour wait at the boarding gate, with two more sitting idly on the plane—it was then and there this now defunct airline received its new official name—Northworst.
Akemashite Omedetō-Reiwa 6
Every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year presents a juncture for a frequency phase shift—embrace the day.
Be Another Day
Every morning is a brand new page and the story to tell is what will describe the daily profile for a new chapter written in honour of one more incredible day.
Mnemonics
The seemingly insurmountable task of reading Japanese left this wayward student functionally illiterate for several years after arriving in the Land Of The Rising Son.
Ramp Up Frequency
Disregarding this Universal Truth leaves the indoctrinated majority vulnerable to an unnoticed phantom frequency phenomena embodying entities lurking out-of-gamut humanoid realms, which are in fact, other world’s realities.
Rat Race Rut
Rat-rut-race, a metaphor for the ceaseless competitive struggle to get ahead financially—for most monkeys, failure and emptiness, reflecting undesirable conclusion of a predetermined life strategy.
Let’s Go Molecular
Coming to terms with the fascinating reality of the intricate intertwining of heart, mind, body, and soul is exactly where the story begins—you are now in control of a new constructed reality where the legitimate meaning of life as the revealed revelations are slowly unpeeled.
Matrix Escape
If you are Japanese, or aspire to integrate Japanese societal protocol into your core being, but do not understand the fundamental protocol of tatemae, you will be labeled as KY—kūki yomenai.
Less Hope More Vision
Regrettably those relying on the notion of hope for some meaningful motion in life is merely wishing upon a star to sprinkle into the hopeful notion of some elusive magic potion.
Happiness
Declaring the profoundest edict in the entire spectrum of infinity, Mr John Locke merely points out inalienable rights as sovereign individuals—irrefutable and irrevocable—never to be changed, nor once recognised unseen.
Clear As Mud
It’s imperative to hear this cautionary tale crystal clear—avoid like the plague or risk becoming the dregs—internalize the meaning of yobi sute—呼び捨て
What exactly is yobi sute ΩNE might say?
Personal Universe
Realizing the existence of the Personal Universe is of paramount importance, and the critical first step to ignite Personal Agency.
Mr. Mike
Memories can still clearly recall riding in their Datsun 510—three Japanese kids in the back—this Incidental Occxie riding shotgun—that’s a fact.
Maverick
Searching the ether on a knowledge quest, seeking a specific industry expert is where then and there, Maverick appeared serendipitously out of nowhere.
Old Friend
The notion of friendship and what it entails is clearly differs from that of the Japanese and the reality of Japanese hierarchical class structure starts early in earnest at around six.
Which Class
Understanding the significance of class and the importance of societal harmony based upon this notion has not been lost on this wayward classless boy.
Whose Movie
Realizing the plot of the movie, and your role in the film would be the first step to understanding the meaning of life, and for those who dare to care, become the star, producer, and director of a very intimate and stylized Truman Show.
Make It Material
These three loyal allies can be relied upon over and over facilitating smooth harmonic transference from the abstract notions inside the enigmatic human mind—moulding the vibrating notions into material structures in these historically significant times.
Fly In Ointment
As a matter of fact, any and all incidence of grouching and grumbling surely originate from the Chip On Shoulder zone, don’t fret, you are not alone.
Chip On Shoulder
Recently, a deeply disturbing manifestation of unpleasant chips has become evident inside the schoolhouse halls in what used to be known as higher-learning institutes.
Jack Of All Trade
Being a jack of many trades, while aspiring to master just one has lead to an early morning daily practice exploring the linguistic nooks and crannies of the Japanese language—this is the gist of Follow The Sun.
Léonie Gilmour
In 1901, she answered a classified advertisement placed by Yone Noguchi, who was a 25-year-old Japanese writer having recently arrived in New York, successfully facilitating Noguchi to publish a fictional diary of a Japanese girl entitled—The American Diary of a Japanese Girl.
Incidental Occxie
Depending on personal disposition and status inside the organization or circle, these terms of endearment ran the gamut while nicknaming with a tart tongue and a smattering of love and affection.
War Child
When the war ended he was tasked with the clean up and rebuilding of his family.
Recorded April 15, 2020, you can hear Masatoshi Kodama talk for the first time about his experience as a child of war through the eyes of a 9 year-old child.
Letting Go
After the initial internal turmoil of brutal self realization, serenity bestows a peace of mind and mental clarity unlike any other, as the heart starts to move toward Universal Truth, no longer a slave to the Flavour Of Today.
Flavour Of Today
Once upon a time, in a distant land, the Japanese government owned the means of international communication—Kokusai Denshin Denwa (KDD)—the charge for 3 minutes to Canada circa 1988—¥1,200.
Here is where the beauty of technology and relief on the pocketbook came into clear focus.
Road Less Travelled
Nothing like the stark realization of having become deaf and dumb, as well as illiterate, having moved to a country in which the communication system is vastly more complex than the familiarity of the English alphabet soup.
Tied Up
When having a deeper ponder on the meaning of the necktie—remember its origins are due to a mandate of a long dead seven-year old boy—the reach of his influence stifling the spirit of the necktie tribes even now in this modern day.
Four Characters
For those cultivated under the 26-letter alphabet soup used as the communication mechanism of English, the initial shock upon discovering Japanese students must go through 2,136 mandatory characters at the behest of the Ministry of Edification can not be denied.
Minister of Edification
Born into the Satsuma clan twenty-one years before the 1868 Meiji Restoration ended the Tokugawa Shogun’s rule, very few Japanese could have ever foreseen such an abrupt end to over two centuries of peace, or the crucial role the Satsuma clan would play in the transition to Westernized Industrialization.
Bungaku Mama
Not only is her comprehension of Japanese language extensive, she is also a highly skilled mahjong player—meeting weekly with her girlfriends who are also soul-mates—living a full vibrant life in the suburbs of Yokohama—83 years-young, spirited, and spry.
Bacon Sensei
Ms. Bacon is truly a remarkable figure in the spectrum of Enlightened Education—reflecting her altruistic pedagogical notion—enlightened Emerita Professor, in alliance with Tsuda Umeko having created a powerhouse civilized union.
Maggie May Way
Incessant churring of unpleasant murky past narration, remains the antithesis of the benevolent heart and rock solid constitution—the unshakable foundation of the Maggie May Way.
Declaration of Interdependence
Regardless of the inevitable growing pains during the coming-of-age ceremony of the nation of Japan, it is now clearly understood—Japan has given birth to civilization 3.0—having never wavered from its foundational principals—Form Order Process.
Leo禅Zen
For even though he was accepted in kindergarten as a valuable friend, it was at this early stage of age, where that fantasy came to an abrupt end.
Do Or Don’t
When one of the most successful basketball players to ever walk the talk, offered up a worthy philosophy for practical usage as a guidebook somewhat akin to decision support.
Once a decision has been made, it is not necessary think about it ever again—Don’t Touch It.
Grease
All language, verbal or otherwise, embody culture, heritage, and traditions of their respective native speakers, in particular, this phenomena is reflected in the cohesiveness of Japanese culture and society.
Colourful Coloring Book
Coloring books given to Little People by BigPeople, hitherto have someone else’s construction-paper world already filled in and then thoroughly glossed over.
Don’t Touch It
Japanese have specific roles to play, when deadwood does not pull weight (productivity), lethargic slugs find their chair, has been moved in sideways motion, to arrive then reside beside the window—becoming a shamed member of the dreaded Window Tribe.
Heal By Healing
In Asian societies, the mental wellbeing of One’s clan members, particularly in domain of mental stability, is never responsibility of State.
Identification Please
It was here inside extreme adverse weather and impoverished attitudes of those living under frozen icy conditions, where the Noble Notion of color blindness was hardwired into One’s electrical circuitry via Maggie May, the matriarch of our Clan.
Frequency
The frequency of Japan embodies the essence of what it means to be Japanese, imprints of ancient protocol, which are embodied in four-ideogram-compounds which is the key into the psyche of the Japanese and their deeply ingrained Notion of Motion
Bet On Yourself
A most important, yet simple book—initiating fate of this wandering Son under the Sun—invoking courage—to take paths—into the multiverse, and the Notion Of Motion, and what infinity entails.
Dividing Spoils
One can observe this Universal Truth in the timeless branches of Japanese eternity, which is represented by the lives of all Japanese people—living—dead—unborn—and in the lives of those whose final destination is enlightenment into the Japanese Way.
Small Things
The highly worthwhile compounded effects, were somewhat akin to a miracle at the time, but when in fact, merely an accumulation of small intentional acts, culminating in a significant change, over immeasurable moments of time
Draw The Line
In Old Japan, right and wrong were based on the universal concept of “might is right,” and this established law-of-the-jungle still sets the rules and remains firmly in place today.
This truth is clearly reflected in the language protocol of the Japanese—particularly the predominate communication conventions of honne and tatemae.
Grow Old
An unprecedented time to be alive, growing old offers a plethora of opportunity for the mature and wise to formulate, create, and build a strong and powerful clan with peaceful, thriving, knit communities.
Material Sludge
Depending on the place of birth, and whether born with a silver spoon in the mouth or not, the material sludge is profoundly different and each situation as unique as a snowflake.
Matter Over Mind
Perhaps the most famous of the master Japanese swordsman, the example set by Musashi Miyamoto was by no means rare during that particular era.
Before the rapid industrialization of Japan from the 1870s, effectively all Japanese, in whatever art or craft, spent most of their lives in pursuit of perfection in their fields.
Long Chicken
All guest, no matter what class or status, were there united in a common purpose—to consume the masterful cooked Toricho chicken-on-a-skewer—among many other home-style cooking of the Japanese country kitchen.
Wide Face
Certainly in Japanese, the concept of face embodies significantly deeper implications than conceptually available to Occxies who only communicate using Latin based languages—particularly those featuring singular and plural and countable and non-countable nouns.
Naivety
The Occxies only see innocence and naivety as characteristics that are appropriate only for the very young.
In Japan, on the other hand, innocence and naivety had traditionally been regarded as highly admired traits in people of all ages, and something that was especially admired in adults.
Three Success Doors
The Japanese have realized there is a spiritual element in all worthy achievement, the greater the achievement, the greater the contribution of spirit.
Change Is Constant
To the Japanese the world is in a constant state of flux thus the ultimate life philosophy of flowing with the wind.
Occxies, on the other hand, have look upon the world as fixed in place and relationships and human activities as unchanging.
Akemashite Omedetō-Reiwa 5
By virtue of living in Japan, the opportunity to meet people from diverse cultures and life experiences has deeply enriched one’s own life in ways too profound to be express in mere words.
Spiritual Home
Despite long periods of virtual isolation from China, the Japanese are still in the process of purging themselves of innermost feelings that they were little more than imitation the Chinese, which they clearly are not.
Mind Over Matter
Much to one’s surprise, the heating system consisted of a worn out kerosene heater, that had seen better days sitting in the back of the classroom.
Unfazed by the icy cold, the pupils carried on about their day in a most routine manner—some of the boys in short pants.
Shame On You
The protocol of shame originated from Shinto, in which all Japanese are direct earthly descendants of gods and goddesses, and that any behaviour displeasing their godly ancestors was shameful and discourage.
Lawnmower Girl
Ms. Hanako not only runs her farmhouse like a well oiled glove, at 82 she also swings her lawnmower with the skill of a master mower.
Cousin Dennis Celebration
Dennis would travel great distances around North America to see all the contemporary music acts of the 70.
He was also so very kind as to take a 14-year-old boy to the record store to buy Led Zeppelin IV.
What Goes Around
The never ending flow of enchanting four-character compounds—yojijukugo—is a source of endless fascination.
Frequently, these salient phrases are embedded with profound wisdom, moral lessons, and cautionary decrees—which are to be ignored at one’s own peril.
Turning Of Leaves
One can see the Japanese in droves at the airport—dutifully line up in strict order waiting for the start of their 5 nights/6 day whirlwind tour of the pristine Rocky Mountains of Canada—the turning of the leaves in what is arguable the most spectacular natural phenomena in Mother Nature.
Empress Grace
She perches on ‘Rose Throne’ preening and posing as she view the subjects of her domain with steely eyes.
Never one to back down from a fight, she is capable of icy stares, which would make the Satan himself retreat to safer grounds.
Maggie May’s Magical Garden
Seeing these traditional shops when first coming to Japan in the late 80s brought back fond memories of days growing up in central Central British Columbia in the 60s and 70s.
Reach 59
When about to win, with only one last squares remaining the Japanese will shout out—REACH, which means “almost there.”
In Japanese, the handy word REACH can be use in many situations, and this particular case of REACH is particularly salient for the author of this article.
Venerable Rice
The look of shock and horror on the faces of the Japanese when observing this affront to Japanese cultural sensibilities served as a point of amusement, if not some times a bone of contention—soy sauce is used for cooking and to dip sashimi—never to be poured onto rice directly.
Mutual Dependency
Most of the Japanese are packed together in big cities where their highly complex social skills developed—this is a phenomenon of a society based upon mutual dependency.
Way-Station No. 9
Japan is the last stop before exiting the atmosphere of mother earth to reside as a god—one foot in this material world—the other in Nirvana.
Keep in mind, in indigenous Japanese mythology (Shinto), all who pass from the material to spiritual world become a God to be venerated by the descendants of the clan.
Uniqueness
The Japanese evolved on a series of small volcanic islands over millennium, thus, ordinary Japanese were rarely exposed to other ways of life or thinking.
Fork In Road
One passes by important forks in road all the time—without noticing—wandering aimlessly—going left and right—or in many case—stopping altogether—going nowhere at all.
Do not ignoring important forks in the road, whatever they may be.
Common Ground
Well over half of the world’s population believe in a spiritual afterlife, which in principle is not such a bad thing, who doesn’t want to live forever?
After entering the atmosphere, indoctrination starts in earnest, and more often than not, there is the promise of eternal life contained with in these fantastic stories.
Who Is Tokyo Rose?
Shortly after arriving, the tension between Japan and the U$A escalated making it impossible for her to return home—last ship bound for America—left without her— so here she was stranded—in the Land Of The Rising Son—alone—Ms. Tokyo Rose.
Back To Skool
Truly, one was also shocked to see Japanese children going to school on Saturday of all things!
In the pristine mountains of Occxie-land, Saturday was clearly the first day of the coveted weekend, and going to the indoctrination center was the furtherest thing from this author’s mind.
Personal Agency
Certainly, the antiquated image of the Japanese is one of expressionless people―with cold hearts―who are robotic in nature―or so the historical narrative went.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Suck It Up Buttercup
Truly, most Japanese distain those who come here with the arrogance of attitude embodied within “open up Japan,” and the boisterous blob of the greedy American was no exception in failure to “open up Japan.”
So what exactly does “Suck It Up Buttercup” mean?
Royal Tutor – Elizabeth Vining
Elizabeth Vining was personally selected by Emperor Hirohito to become the private tutor to then Crown Prince Akihito from 1946 to 1950 and the profound influence upon Japan of Ms. Vining, a Quaker English instructor can not be disregarded.
Eye For An Eye
The Japanese government carried out a capital punishment event recently.
This particular execution was carried out to atone for a heinous crime which took place on June 8, 2008.
Love Is Fertilizer
One could say the opposite of love is hate, but that would be a misnomer.
The top three enemies of love corrupting minds leading to mass depression, despondency, and abject hopelessness for the future should be consider:
Bigotry, Narcissism, and Greed
Master Music Molecule Manipulator Maestro Motsuri
Understanding music molecules molecularly is reserved for those who see sound at a quantum level, bringing obscure molecules together for mini-masterpieces of sound design.
How does Maestro Motsuri do this?
Taste Of Meiji
One of the deep charms of Japan is regardless of modernization having taken place starting with the Meiji Restoration, there are still shops in the nooks and crannies in the Land Of The Rising Son preserving the way of Old Japan.
Unfinished Masterpiece
Here is where one can put away any preconceived notions concerning the arts, and one would be best served to look upon life as art.
Care Factor Zero
Having acute sensitive as to what others are thinking, was, and still is a highly valuable skill to navigate the murky air of the unspoken ancient protocols of the Japanese society.
Lot In Life
When querying a spectrum of younger Japanese about their dreams, desires, and aspirations, one is mostly left with blank stares, or them fumbling around trying to understand exactly; “What does this all means?”
Friends
A somewhat enigmatic society, the Japanese are often viewed by the casual observer as cold, distant, and even unfriendly.
Why is this so?
New Kind Of Freedom
Viewing the world through the lens of curated Japanese media, the Japanese now look upon the United States with its multiracial and multiethnic society, as having been infected by a nefarious mind-virus leading to the current state of dystopia in the Dis-United States of ‘Merica.
Sakoku 2.0
The sakoku 1.0 era occurred between 1603 and 1867.
The peace and stability of the Tokugawa period, and the economic development it fostered, set the stage for the rapid modernization that took place after the Meiji Restoration.
Suffrage Pioneer – Komako Kimura
This incredible Japanese woman was responsible for some of the most important yet difficult work as one of the first advocates of women rights in the early 20th century, especially coming from the samurai roots of a male dominated Japanese culture.
Wipe The Hard Drive
The initial indoctrination from birth, combined with experiences thereafter, construct each individual’s hard drive, and contain many preconceived notions and fabricated prejudices.
Not proactively recognizing the existence of one’s own preconceived notions, which morph into blatant prejudice, is disingenuous and indicative of a meaningless life.
Call Me Grandfather
Having grandson use the word “grandfather” will act as a permanent pronunciation exercise to haunt him throughout his life.
Along with the extreme vexing “r” pronunciation at the beginning of “grandfather” it is also part of the double-consonant “gr.”
Gravy ‘n’ Rice
This remarkable meeting of these two culinary culture touchstones fuses these staples into a flavour unlike any other.
Indeed one’s beloved father in the French Canadian tradition was deeply fond of porcine and the versatility of this staple.
Be Japanese
From centuries past, the Japanese were acutely aware of the aesthetics of design, not only of craftsmanship, but extending into the conceptual and sublime societal protocol of form, order, and process, which are critical for a successful life in Japanese society.
Godless
The attitude and behaviour of the Japanese in most practical matters including those of a sexual nature are in fundamental alignment with nature, as is indicative of an agrarian island nation.
Mark Of The Beast
In Christian mythology the number 666 is know as “the mark of the beast, and indeed some Americans actually think world governments are possessed by Satan.
One could even say that large swaths of humanity have actually been brainwashed into the ridiculous notion of evil existing outside of oneself.
Father Became God Today
He made his way out of the darkness of poverty through the sheer force of his will and settled down in 1963, in a pristine paradise, which is referred to by the locals as “gods country.”
Anyone who has had the joy of fly-fishing for rainbow trout, on a pristine mountain lake nestle in the alpine mountains of British Columbia, can understand the significance of such deep and meaningful childhood experiences.
Born Again
Here is something that is universally applicable to ponder, no religion necessary:
Do not judge a book by its cover.
Civilization Three
The chasm between “East” and “West” has never been as volatile since the enslavement of the Chinese nation with massive opioid addiction in the early 20th century.
Let us refresh our collective memories as to why this historical inflection points has now set up a showdown between these two civilizations, and why the nation of Japan has always represents the third pillar of modern civilization.
Class Fee Of Life
Think of the class fee of life in the following way:
A needle on a vinyl album of the symphony of life.
It skips back over and over while play the same old tired phrase until a lights turn on.
Analogue vs Digital
Hey hey mama said the way your move it’s gonna make you sweat it’s going to make you groove.
Nothing can replace a memory of an eccentric older cousin passing through our small rural town in British Columbia, and stopping by to take me to a record store to buy Led Zeppelin IV.
Brigadier General Bonner Fellers
Like so many that come to understand and respect the Japanese people for their culture and unique way of life, Bonner Feller also understood the true nature of the Japanese when he befriended Aya Shimada in 1932, a Japanese exchange student in America before the outbreak of World War II.
Moreover, this level-headed soldier character was formulated by the Religious Society of Friends Family (Quakers), to which he was an adherent.
Sensei
Your sensei is not merely a teacher, but also a mentor for life, fortifying disciple with knowledge and wisdom to forge a unique path in the world.
Here one can internalize the concept of sensei, by erasing the Occidental notion of what it means to be a teacher.
Heavier Rice – Deeper Bow
minoru hodo kōbe wo tareru inaho kana
The sake flowed and the party at the counter got underway in earnest, and during this party, each individual character was laid bare for all to see.
Onomatopoeia
A delightful arrow in the linguistic quiver is to sprinkle one’s Japanese with onomatopoeia.
These most flavourful sounds and phrases always add special sauce to the esoteric Japanese language.
Meta-Cognition Master Timmothy
There are 2,136 ideograms that must be studied by all students attending compulsory education in Japan.
One could say Master Ferriss’s first steps to Meta-Mastery is when he encountered his first major Meta-Cognition Event when memorizing the Japanese Education Ministry’s Jōyō Kanji Hyō during his stay in Japan.
Each Other
The importance of trust of each other, and trust in one’s own community is embodied in the spirit of this magnificent ideogram.
互
This Is Japan
Using the philosophy of ichi go ichi e, it is always best to take each encounter as an extraordinary moment in time, regardless of the tone, timbre, or hue contained within the encounter.
Sword – Jewel – Mirror
All cultures have meaningful symbolism strewn throughout the spectrum of their respective religions and cultures.
Many of these old stories remain very much alive, continuing to influence countless masses of adherents, immersing generational obedience to deep dogma of long gone but not forgotten distant times.
Reflections
In this historic work, Japan, An Attempt At Interpretation, Patrick Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) endeavoured to suggest a general idea of the social history of Japan, and a general idea of the nature of those forces which shaped and tempered the character of the Japanese people.
But the fact that Japan can be understood only through the study of her religious and social evolution has been sufficiently indicated.
Akemashite Omedetō-Reiwa 4
For the Japanese, the ringing-in of the New Year is the most important holiday in the Land Of The Rising Son, along with Obon where the ancestor worshiping Japanese honour their dead.
For the most part, the Japanese celebrate this special occasion in a solemn and reserved manner.
Industrial Danger
At the time of the opening of Japan, society had not evolutionally advanced beyond a stage corresponding to that of the antique Western societies in the seventh or eighth century before Christ.
Everywhere the course of human civilization has been shaped by the same evolutional law.
Official Education
In the Occidental world, the repressive part of moral training begins in early childhood.
The European or American teacher is strict with the little ones, we think that it is important to ingrain the duties of behaviour.
The “must” and the “must not” of individual obligation, as soon as possible.
Modern Restraints
It has often been asserted by foreign observers that the real power in Japan is exercised not from above, but from below.
What cannot be denied is that superior authority has always been more or less restrained by tendencies to resistance from below.
Survivals
After the reconstructions of the Meiji period, after the abolition of the feudal fiefdoms, and the suppression of the military class, it still maintained its former shape, just as the tree would continue to do when first abandoned by the gardener.
Shinto Revival
The slow weakening of the Tokugawa Shogunate was due to causes not unlike those which had brought about the decline of previous regencies.
The race degenerated during that long period of peace which its rule had inaugurated.
The strong builders were succeeded by feebler and feebler men.
Feudal Integration
During two hundred years of peace, prosperity, and national isolation, the graceful and winning side of this human nature found chance to bloom.
The multiform restraints of law and custom then quickened and curiously shaped the blossoming, as the gardener’s untiring art evolves the chrysanthemum flowers into a hundred forms of fantastic beauty.
Jesuit Peril
The second half of the sixteenth century is the most interesting period in Japanese history for three reasons.
First, because it witnessed the apparition of those mighty captains, Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Iyeyasu.
Religion Of Loyalty
The history of the Japanese people strongly exemplifies these truths.
Among no other people has loyalty ever assumed more impressive and extraordinary forms.
Among no other people has obedience ever been nourished by a more abundant faith, that faith derived from the cult of the ancestors.
Rise Of Military Power
Although everything prior to the seventh century remains obscured for us by the mists of fable, much can be inferred concerning social conditions during the reigns of the first thirty-three Emperors and Empresses.
Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), completed in 712 CE, and the Nihon Shoki contain records of fact, but fact and myth are so interwoven, it is difficult to distinguish the one from the other.
Social Organization
Its original unit was not the household (Domestic), but the patriarchal family, that is to say, the clans.
These clans consisted of a body of hundreds or thousands of persons claiming descendant from a common ancestor, and so religiously united by a common ancestor worship; the cult of the Ujigami.
Introduction of Buddhism
Intolerance of ancestor worship would have long ago resulted in the extinction of Buddhism; for its vast conquest have all been made among ancestor worshipping races.
Everywhere it made itself accepted as an ally, nowhere as an enemy, of social custom.
Rule Of The Dead
Ethics were not different from religion, religion was not different from government, and the very word for government signified “matters-of-religion.”
To obey was piety, to disobey was impious, and the rule of obedience was enforced upon each individual by the will of the community to which he belonged.
Developments Of Shinto
Ancestral ghosts, considered more or less alike when primitive society had not yet developed class distinctions of any important characteristic.
Subsequently these ancestral ghosts became differentiated, as a society itself differentiates into greater and lesser.
Communal Cult
Like the “religion” of the home, Domestic, the religion of the community, Communal is also based upon ancestor worship.
What the household shrine (kamidana 神棚) represents to the immediately Japanese family, the Shinto parish-shrine represents to the greater community.
Japanese Family
Three stages of ancestor worship are to be distinguished in the general course of religious and social evolution, and each of these can be found in the history of Japanese society.
Ancient Cult
Ask any Japanese what their “religion” is, and they will say, “We don’t have one.”
For the Japanese do not have a “religion”, and never have.
The Japanese have an indigenous way of life, which has continued for millennia until this day, and has been labeled a “religion” by others.
Strangeness and Charm
One of Yakumo’s dearest friends said to him:
“When you find, in four or five years more, that you cannot understand the Japanese at all, then you will begin to know something about them.”
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn
Lafcadio Hearn is a historic figure of Meiji-era Japan, he introduced Japanese culture to the West with intriguing observations about Japan.
Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 6
Americans are the most obvious example of a left-brain dominated people as exhibited by their behaviour, action, and words.
For it can be said, the Japanese regard Americans as the most unpredictable people on Earth, due to the absence of any precisely defined societal form, order, or process.
Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 5
Stories from the annals of the Japanese are replete with incidents where the fate of individuals, groups, and even the entire nation hung in the balance, and these critical decisions were based upon intuition, rather than reason.
Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 4
The core principal which can be considered the Japanese way of thinking can be though of as fuzzy thinking, or better still, holistic thinking. If this concept has not became apparent yet, this “way of thinking” contrasts sharply with the linear way of thinking in which most of the rest of the world operates.
Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 3
The core principal which can be considered the Japanese way of thinking can be though of as fuzzy thinking, or better still, holistic thinking.
Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 2
According to the research of Dr. Tadanobu Tsunoda in the 1970s, there is a fundamental difference in the hemisphere dominance of the brains in the Japanese and non-Japanese. His research also demonstrated the difference in dominant side…
Right-Brain Left-Brain – Part 1
Remember, Lafayette De Mente was the first writers to introduce the Japanese terms wa, nemawashi, kaizen, tatemae-honne, shibui, and wabi-sabi to the Western world.