According to legend, Japan as a nation came into being in 600BC, under Emperor Jimmu, allegedly a direct descendant of the sun goddess and ancestor of the present ruling imperial family. Hmm? The first recorded contact with the western world occurred about 1542, when a Portuguese ship, blown off its course to China, landed in Japan. Ever since that time, Japan has tried to adapt beneficial western ways while keeping sacrosanct the Japanese roots and traditions which arose from its beginnings. In recent years, that attempt to maintain the mystique has been obscured by incursion of the digital information age.
Japan has a long and complex history that has been affected by a number of different events and factors. One of the most important aspects of Japan’s modernization process is the way that the country has dealt with its past. Japan has often been seen as a country that has gone through a quick, dramatic transformation from a feudal society to a modern, industrialized nation. This transformation has been largely due to the efforts of a few key people and groups, and it has been a process that has been watched and analyzed very closely by historians.
One of the most important aspects of Japan’s modernization process has been its relationship with its past. From the very beginning of Japan’s modernization process, the country had to deal with the legacy of its feudal society. This legacy included a number of traditions and customs that had to be changed or eliminated in order for Japan to move forward. In some cases, this process was very difficult and involved a lot of resistance from the people. However, by the end of the 1800s, Japan had largely overcome this obstacle and was able to modernize in a way that was largely successful.
One of the main reasons for Japan’s success in modernizing was its willingness to accept new ideas and concepts. This was evident in the way that Japan was able to adopt many different aspects of modernity, such as democracy, capitalism, and technology. In fact, Japan was one of the first countries to adapt these concepts and begin using them in its everyday life. This openness to new ideas was something that allowed Japan to quickly move forward in its modernization process and achieve considerable success.
Another important factor in Japan’s modernization process was the way that the country’s leaders approached the task. Unlike many other countries, Japan’s leaders were not afraid to take risks and experiment with new ideas. This willingness to try new things was one of the main reasons that Japan was able to make such rapid progress in its modernization process.
Overall, Japan’s modernization process was largely successful and demonstrated the country’s strong desire to progress and become a leading nation in the world. This process was watched closely by historians and was an important part of the country’s history.
#
26 Martyrs, 3500 Years in Ten Pages
A
Ainu Historical Events, Anthropology of Japan in Japan
B
Brief History of Japan For Kids, Brief History of Japan, A Brief History of (Just-In-) Time, Brief History of Nissan Motor Company, Burakumin History
C
Castles of Japan, Causes of the Showa Restoration, Center for Ainu & Indigenous Studies at Hokkaido University, Chronology of Japan’s Fine Arts, Costume History
D
Development of Capitalism in Japan, Dutch Traders in Japan
E
Edo-Era Japanese Porcelin, Edo Japan, Education in Japan’s Past
F
G
Gakaku Japanese Court Music, Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, Guide to Japanese Castles
H
History Tidbits About Kansai, Hiroshima Revisited, Historic Towns and Districts in Japan, Historical Science Society of Japan, History and Philosophy of Japanese Tea Ceremony, History of Japan (video), History of Japanese Clothing and Accessories, History of Japanese Bamboo Rod, History of Japanese Candlesticks, History of the Japanese Catholic Church, History of Japanese People, History of Japanese Sexual Values, History of Japanese Shipbuilding, History Of Japanese Swords, History of Jewish Kobe, History of Kobe Beef, History of Leprosy in Japan is Unsettling, History of Magazines in Japan, History of Natto, History of Osaka, History of Sake, History of Shinjuku, History of Shirayuki & Japanese Sake, History of Sushi
I
Idojiri’s Jomon Pottery, Ikebana (flower arrangement) History, Imperial Japanese Airplane Museum, Imperial Japanese Navy, International Cemetery at Tomary, International War Tribunals For The Far East, Israelis Came To Ancient Japan
J
Japan Atlas of Historical Sites, Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, Japan World Heritage Sites, Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame, Japanese Dance History, Japanese Historical Maps, Japanese in Bakumatsu-Meiji Period, Japanese Pottery and Lacquer-ware History, Japanese Samurai History, Japanese Society of Cultural Anthropology
K
Kanji History, Kobe City History
L
Life During the Edo Period, List of World Heritage Sites in Japan, Live Japan Perfect Guide
M
Meiji-era Photographs, Military Leaders in Japan, Modernization in Japan and the Ukiyo-e
N
National Archives of Japan, National Museum of Ethnology, National Museum of Japanese History, National Research Institute for Cultural Properties of Tokyo, Nineteenth Century Japanese Photography
O
Old Stories of Japan, Old Tokyo, Osaka History
P
Pilgrimage on Shikoku Island, Practice of Chinese Herbal Medicines in Japan
R
Recent Trends in Business History of Japan, Remembering Nagasaki, Roots Of The Japanese Emperor
S
Samurai Archives, Samurai Tour in Illustrations and Drawings, Soramitsu
T
The Spread of Chinese Civilization to Japan, Ten Historical Sites of Nara, Toyohashi Museum of National History