Saorin

The saying “Good people bring out the good in other people” is attributed to Plutarch, an ancient Greek philosopher and biographer. This phrase suggests that in order to attract excellent talent, one must first be excellent themselves. In other words, if you do great work, you are more likely to attract similarly great people to work with you.   A similar statement was made by Cao Cao in China. 才子相聚，必有异人　（Chinese) 才子は才子を呼ぶ    (Japanese) This phrase means that in order to…

The Maori gradually realized that they were losing their land and demanded that the British government regulate and control the settlers. However, this gave the British an opportunity to take advantage. To address the situation, the British government sent Captain William Hobson to New Zealand. In 1840, Captain William Hobson and Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi. This treaty guaranteed British protection of all Maori rights, including property rights, in exchange for the Maori accepting Queen Victoria as their…

On Saturday, December 28, 1929, there was a large peaceful march in the capital city of Apia to honor the members of Mau who had been expelled by the authorities. However, the authorities were vehemently opposed to the Mau, and during the march, they opened fire in an attempt to arrest the demonstrators. Amidst the chaos, the leader of the Mau, Prince Tamosese, was killed, which led the Mau to declare its intention to seek independence from New Zealand. A…

It is believed that the first inhabitants of New Zealand were people from Southeast Asia who migrated eastward from island to island until they reached the Central Pacific. From there, they continued southward until they reached New Zealand, estimated to have occurred around 750 B.C. They named New Zealand “Land of the long white cloud” or “Aotearoa”. The Maori people arrived in New Zealand around 750 AD. According to legend, a second group of Maori arrived in the 13th and…

Do you know the Liao Dynasty? This drama is about the Liao, a nation of Khitan people who, in the 10th century, established an empire that stretched from the eastern Mongolian plateau to northeastern China under the first emperor, Ye Lu Abo Ki. During the reign of the second Liao emperor, the Liao acquired what are now the cities of Beijing and Datong, and as a result, became the first conquest dynasty in Chinese history to establish a dual rule…

Do you know Yoshiko Kawashima? Yoshiko Kawashima was born in Beijing in 1907 as the 14th princess of Prince Su, a member of the Qing Dynasty imperial family. Her real name was Aixinjueluo Xianzhi. It was the end of the Qing dynasty, and her father was struggling in the court to make the Qing dynasty a constitutional monarchy like the Meiji Restoration in Japan, instead of the old absolute monarchy, in order for the dynasty to survive the times.  …

Dr. Clark, whom all Japanese know, is from Massachusetts, USA. He came to Sapporo, a pioneer village of only 2,500 people at the time, and established Sapporo Agricultural University. His students include Inazo Nitobe and Kanzo Uchimura. There is a bronze statue of Dr. Clark at the current Hokkaido University. The words he left behind are still taught in schools today.

Edo Kiriko is a traditional Japanese craft that originated in Edo (present-day Tokyo) at the end of the Edo period (1603-1868). The word “Kiriko” means cut glass. Even today, about 100 craftsmen in and around Tokyo continue to create works of art using techniques that have been handed down from generation to generation.  ”Kiriko” has various patterns. Nanako” pattern: The pattern of fish eggs lined up in rows, signifying the prosperity of offspring. The chrysanthemum flower pattern has the meaning…

There are sake breweries in various regions of Japan. Each has its own characteristics, but if you are thinking of a Tokyo souvenir, how about a sake brewery in Tokyo? Toshimaya Honten Founded in 1596 Representative Director (16th generation) Toshiyuki Yoshimura The company was founded in 1596, the first year of the Keicho Era. 「What needs to be protected, we will protect; what needs to be changed, we will change boldly.”」 Under this philosophy, they have overcome many crises, including…

The Tokugawa shoguns were traditionally supposed to be buried in turn at Kan’eiji Temple and Zojoji Temple. However, after the Meiji Restoration, Yoshinobu Tokugawa was demoted to the status of a duke. As a gesture of gratitude to Emperor Meiji, he converted to Shintoism, the same religion as the Emperor, and was buried in Yanaka Cemetery, which was established by the Meiji government. Yoshinobu Tokugawa was born in the Kamiyashiki of the Mito Domain, which is now Koishikawa Korakuen in…

Let’s examine a map of Kan’eiji Temple and Zojoji Temple, where the tombs of the Tokugawa shoguns are situated, as well as Asakusa Shrine, Hieda Shrine, and Kanda Myojin Shrine, where the three major festivals of Edo take place. The line connecting Kan’eiji Temple, Kanda Myojin, and Zojoji Temple with Asakusa Shrine and Hieda Shrine intersects at Edo Castle. These five temples and shrines form a protective belt-like shape across the northeast to southwest direction, which is known as the…

This belief is rooted in the concept of “Kimon,” or the demon’s gate, which suggests that evil spirits enter through the northeast and southwest directions and must be safeguarded. Even today, this idea is taken into account when constructing homes in Japan. The northeast direction, known as “Kimon,” is believed to be the gateway for malevolent entities, while the opposite direction, the southwest, is called “Urakimon.” This belief was prevalent during the reign of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who wished to be…