Posted on 12/02/2009 5:54:36 PM PST by AmericanInTokyo
CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN can be a little lonely and isolated for the Westerner here. What with the distance from “home” and cultural differences. Little things, here and there. Missing some of the usual things from back home, especially for people like one particular 'American in Tokyo'. This year 2009 is again no different. However, in many respects I must say there is nevertheless one little thing that is so refreshing about being stuck in Japan during Christmas—after a few years—and for the occasions one cannot make it back "home".
It is almost like the clock has been refreshingly and unapologetically turned back years to a simpler and brighter, unfettered time in our own U.S.A. An era years before the phenomenon of "political correctness" and religious censorship raised its cruel, offensive and unwelcome head in the United States of America. In many of our shared pasts, when the simple words メリークリスマス！ "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" were everywhere easily to be seen, heard, offered and received during that special season at the end of each year. There was no fear. There was no hesitation. There was no political threat. There was no busload of salivating, slick lawyers in the background ready to pounce. There were no second thoughts, "gee, should I say it or just be silent?" There was no shame. There were no silly dictates from the Scrooges on High, from school boards to the White House and Pentagon lording it over the unwashed masses that we somehow become "sensitive" and are to turn our "Christmas Trees" into "Holiday Trees", or have our kids take "Winter Break" instead, or that one must wish "Happy Holidays!", or "Seasons Greetings!" or "Joyous Winter!" at the workplace or in other areas in public for fear of "offending" unnamed people with unnamed faces of unnamed percentages…
And so, from Japan this 2009, as in all years—yes-barely 1% Christian JAPAN, where with the overwhelming preponderance of adherents to Buddhism, Shintoism and even Atheism one would think a collaborative oppression would be the order of the day, it is almost nothing BUT "Merry Christmas". This is everywhere one turns. The photos tell a story and what a story indeed my friends.
In Japanese stores, in supermarkets, at bus stops, at airports, in coffee shops, in restaurants, in office lobbies, on trains and subways, in convenience stores, in tiny cafes, in huge department stores, even in elevators in major business centers. Everywhere, in Japan, one is simply overwhelmed at this wonderful, simple two-word phrase of loving greeting which has taken such a beating in overwhelmingly Christian America through the tyrannical dictates of a very few.
I will be the first to recognize that Christmas in Japan does have very strong commercialism tendencies, tinged with secularism, with the focus being on sales, sales, sales. (Indeed, is that any different than in America?) But as I pondered these points over a few weeks in 2007 I took my camera along and share with you what my eyes saw here in Japan. 2009 versions of photos will also be on their way to this thread and appropriate links, too. Nothing will have changed in two years--no moral decay, no cultural war setbacks. Not only the eyes were pleasantly pleased day in and day out making the rounds in Tokyo in December, the ears were pleased, too. I heard the faint melody of "Adeste Fideles" in a Japanese 7-Eleven near the boiling oden. I caught the end of "Joy to the World" in a tea salon as I entered. I enjoyed"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" between in front of the sashimi counter in a little local supermarket. Huge loudspeakers in a major Japanese department store equivalent to an American Macy’s or a Bloomindales cheerfully blasted "The Night, When Christ Was Born" from "O Holy Night", big, red and white 10’x 4’banners streaming down ever four feet from the ceiling heralding "Merry Christmas!" in English. People were actually smiling. I shook my amazed gaijin head at the parts of words featuring "Christ" filling such a huge, bustling department store of December shoppers and I thought how the constipated, impeccable Windsor-knotted attorneys would be readied if such a thing were happening in most places in America these days. Ironic, yet sad at the same time! I once explained the words and concept behind the new-found "Happy Holidays" in America to a Japanese friend. He just stared at me with an odd look. It took nearly 30 minutes, before he said, "Ah, but, you Americans and Europeans-first through missionaries and later through American GIs--brought such a tradition to us here in Japan in the first place. Do we really have to stop saying or displaying "Merry Christmas", too?" It took another one hour just to explain to him the overall concept and silliness of "political correctness." He got it, but he kind of did not get it. Regardless, my Japanese friend was noticeably embarrassed and sad for us.
And I told my friend, not to worry, that people in the USA for example were really starting to rise up against political correctness and the societal ban on "Merry Christmas" in a big way. He seemed satisfied and his concerns were allayed. We were both late for separate meetings. And so, of course, I wished him "Merry Christmas" as we grabbed separate, spotless Tokyo taxis.
From Japan this year as in 2007, enjoy the photos linked to Flickr and travel back in your minds to this wonderful time in our own country—that may just be around the corner for America again if people rise up in increasingly greater and bold numbers, and take back their country without fear--in supermarkets, at bus stops, at airports, in coffee shops, in restaurants, in office lobbies, on trains and subways, in convenience stores, in tiny cafes, in huge department stores, in elevators in major business centers, and yes, even in some places, in front of the sashimi counter. It might just even start with you, tomorrow morning somewhere at just the perfect time. And so to my compatriots in the United States of America and many other Western lands which celebrate the season, well…”MERRY CHRISTMAS!” from Japan!
(“AmericanInTokyo” is a 10 year+ member of the conservative American news site “FreeRepublic.com”, and spends of part of each year in Tokyo, Japan. Additional photos to be taken in December 2009 to prove the author’s point again, will be added to this thread throughout the 2009 Christmas Season and to the Flickr collection.)
Like I said (or wanted to say), Christ’s richest blessings to you and yours’ at this time, and thank you so much for your input! ;-)
Bump! Merry Christmas!
Crikey mate, is the Goron in Houston?
It looks like the snow might make it to Kansas City on Sunday, or not.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
The HILTON HOTEL.
Great pic!
French: Joyeux Noel
Italian: Buon Natale
Japan: Kurisumasu Omedeto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul och Gott Nytt r
Albanian: Gzuar Krishlindjet
Palauan: Ungil Kurismas
American English: Happy Holidays
/sarc
I hear ya...
Great.
Omoshiroi. Good summation of a lot of Christmas history in Japan in a few succinct sentences!!
I spent Christmas of 1996 (and New Years a week later) in the Osaka/Kansai area - proposing to the future Mrs. Zetman. It felt a bit depressing having December 25 be just another regular business day, but the thrill and novelty of being in a foreign country (other than Canada or Mexico) for the first time helped make up for it. Plus, Kyoto on New Years Eve is a very happenin' place to be!!
I do what is called by some in the Catholic Church "The Old Latin Mass", and attend a Parish run by an Apostlate devoted exclusively to that Rite (The Institiute of Christ the King). This year, they ordained their first Japanese seminarian - Raphael Ueda. He is also from the Kansai area, although the Institute has posted him in Rome, Italy. It would be nice if they would send him to start a Parish in Japan someday. Perhaps he could help increase that 1% a bit more!! Either way, we hope to meet him in person sometime this year, if they have him visit the USA.
As someone once said, if, after nearly 400 years, you only have abou 1% market share, your business development, advertising and marketing plans are somehow in need of a tweaking.
Well, it sounds like there was "illegal restraint of trade" for much of those past 400 years. Hard to "market your brand" under such conditions. However, there has also been adequate time between repressions to make greater inroads. So, who knows why Christianity remains a persistent member of The One Percent Club?? You probably have a much better idea than I do.
Personally, I have heard the 1% figure bandied about, without change, for so many years that I am not sure I believe it anymore. One would expect that figure to fluctuate up and/or down a bit over time. I suspect that there may now be more than 1% of the Japanese population that is Christian, but the secular left-wing news media has no interest in reporting such things (or is too lazy to conduct the research necessary to update their demographic data).
Either way, at this point, the way things are continuing to go downhill here in the West, we are increasingly in need of Missionaries of our own back here (and even more so in Europe)!! So, I am not sure we can spare as many for Japan.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.