Have tattoos been common among Japanese people since ancient times? When did the current tattoo culture disappear? fashion?
2024-01-07
Category:Japanese culture
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Japan has had a tattoo culture since ancient times.
You may hear people say that Japan does not have a culture of tattooing, but tattooing is actually an ancient Japanese culture. In Gishi Wajinden, it is written that Wa people liked tattoos, and both men and women had tattoos on their faces and all over their bodies. People in China and the peninsula don't have tattoos. It is said that these things are not done due to Confucianism. This is not a recommendation. People who don't want to don't have to.
Influence from southern Asia?
Many cultures were introduced to Japan from southern China, and there were people living in what is now Southeast Asia in the southern part. The method of preserving fish in vinegared rice, which is the origin of sushi, is said to have come from Southeast Asia, where tattoos are common. Sake is said to have originated from southern China's Shaoxing wine, which was originally made from sake-brewing technology that was brought to Japan. Northern China has a field farming culture, and southern China has a rice farming culture.
Tattoos that have been banned since the Meiji era
Tattoos began to be banned in Japan due to the influence of Confucianism. Even so, Toyama Kinshiro Kagemoto of Toyama Kin-san had a tattoo. Even judges had tattoos back then. It is said that tattoos were completely banned after the Meiji Restoration. The reason is for westernization. Even in the West, some people got tattoos, but they were only one-point tattoos, and they were not tattoos that covered the entire body like in Japan at the time. Amid these regulations, Japan's tattoo culture was inherited by the world of chivalry.
Read it together
Sphinx and Nagaoki Ikeda. Samurai takes a commemorative photo of Egypt and visits the Suez Canal
Mysterious group of samurai in front of the Sphinx
Goes to France to apologize for Idogaya Incident
The Suez Canal is a huge waterway for the colonization of Asia
Edo shogunate that canceled the Paris Agreement
Edo shogunate's country opening theory
The first photo was taken by a samurai in front of the Sphinx in Egypt. It is often introduced as a humorous image. In the scorching heat of Egypt, wearing a crested hakama seems to convey the heat. The second photo is Nagafuku Ikeda, a foreign magistrate of the Edo Shogunate who was participating in this group.
In 1863, the Idogaya Incident occurred in Japan, where three ronin, believed to be members of the Joi group, murdered a French military officer near Yokohama. A 34-person delegation, including Nagafatsu Ikeda, traveled to France to apologize and make peace with the incident.
The group arrived in Paris, had an audience with Emperor Napoleon III, apologized to the French government for the incident, and paid 195,000 francs in support to the family.
The 34-member delegation arrived in Cairo from Suez via India from Shanghai on their way to Paris, where they posed for a commemorative photo in front of the Sphinx. This is a picture of a samurai in front of the Sphinx.
The Suez Canal is an bypass built by France to allow ships from Europe to go to Asia without passing through Cape Hope at the southern tip of Africa. Ikeda and his colleagues inspected it.
Afterwards, reconciliation with France was reached in Paris, and the group, recognizing the power of Western civilization, signed the Treaty of Paris, which promised the opening of three ports, including Yokohama, as free ports.
The Edo shogunate ordered a mission to negotiate the closure of Yokohama Port, but this was difficult due to French resistance. Nagafuku Ikeda, seeing the strength of Western culture, abandoned negotiations and concluded the Treaty of Paris.
After returning to Japan, Nagafuku Ikeda appealed to the shogunate about the importance of opening the country, but it was not accepted, and the shogunate, which had a policy of closing ports, canceled the Treaty of Paris, and as punishment, Ikeda's stone allowance was cut in half. Although Ikeda was later forgiven and returned to politics, he soon resigned from his post and died at the age of 42. What kind of truth did Ikeda see during this trip?
Ikeda Nagafuku, as a member of the Edo Shogunate, called for the opening of the country. He was a member of the shogunate, which was on the opposite side of Sakamoto Ryoma, Katsu Kaishu, and Saigo Takamori, who started the Meiji Restoration. It can be said that the scale of the Western Industrial Revolution was shocking.
The Meiji Restoration side looked overseas and considered the future of Japan, but the Edo shogunate tried to maintain isolation and the shogunate system. Ikeda, who saw the West with his own eyes, felt the same feeling as the young people on the Meiji Restoration side.
Enactment of the Organized Crime Countermeasures Act
Due to this background, tattoos came to be considered anti-social forces. This is now called Japanese culture. Furthermore, in Japan, the anti-organized crime law was enacted in 1992, placing significant restrictions on the activities of anti-social forces in general society, and these groups are currently on the decline, with public baths now being sought after in the city. You no longer see people who were once members of organized crime groups.
Public baths where you cannot enter if you have a tattoo
Young people in Japan now have tattoos as a fashion item. In other words, they seem to be trying to create their own individuality by drawing something on their bodies, just like the Japanese of old. The pattern is a so-called tattoo that looks good on clothes. Tourists coming from foreign countries are told that if they have a tattoo, they won't be able to go to the traditional Japanese hot springs that they were looking forward to, so they wrap them in some kind of cloth to hide it, but they are told that the cloth is also bad. It seems that there are cases where the application is refused. On the contrary, it is said that young Japanese people with tattoos cannot go to hot springs, which is a part of Japanese culture.
Is it OK for men to take women's baths?
You may be wondering what I'm trying to say, but Japanese people need to protect the culture of public baths, which is unique to Japan, in a healthy manner. Nowadays, it seems that men who are women at heart are thinking about how to bathe women.
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[related article]
The Rose of Versailles is a Japanese work that was a big hit in Western Europe - Lady Oscar in France.
Beautiful Oscar in male clothing
A fictional story that doesn't exist
The Rose of Versailles became very popular in Europe
The royal family was the axis of opposition to democracy
Japanese culture focuses on the enemy
Former President Moon Jae-in says South Korea started the French Revolution
The Rose of Versailles is a manga that was serialized from 1972 to 1973. It was adapted into a stage play by the Takarazuka Revue Company and became a big hit, attracting attention and being made into an anime. The story takes place on the eve of the French Revolution. The main character, Oscar, is a woman, and as a beautiful woman dressed as a man, she is beautiful and strong, and is as good as any man. She later serves as the commander of Marie Antoinette's bodyguard when she is executed.
This is a work that frankly depicts his relationship with Andre, a man who is in love with Oscar, and his personal and romantic relationship with Marie Antoinette, who is protected by Oscar. What is surprising is that the main characters Oscar and Andre in the worldview of this magnificent work do not actually exist.
As you know, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were publicly executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. In other words, this work depicts the French royal family, who were the enemy of the people at the time. The animated work has been broadcast in Europe and is extremely popular. Of course, it was also very popular in France.
This work was created by Japan, an island nation in the East that has little cultural or historical contact with the West. On the other hand, if a Westerner created a work depicting the Edo period, would it be appealing to Japanese people?
The French Revolution was a major event that transformed France into democracy, and had the energy to change world history. In that sense, the French royal family at the time could be said to be war criminals in World War II and Hitler in Germany.
Steven Spielberg's ``Schindler's List'' is a work that depicts the human condition from the perspective of Hitler and the Nazis. In other words, The Rose of Versailles can be said to be a magnificent piece of work that shines a spotlight on what is considered evil in history.
Why don't the Korean people, who have the highest human rights consciousness in the world, condemn works such as Schindler's List and The Rose of Versailles? The Korean people who are familiar with the Nazis and Jews should be educating the people of the world. Former President Moon Jae-in told former President Macron that ``Korea started the French Revolution'' regarding the impeachment of Park Geun-hye.
The Korean - Urinara origin theory, which always obstructs Japan's registration of cultural properties, is due to a cultural desert that does not know the meaning of culture.
South Korea always obstructs Japanese cultural property registration
Karate originated from karate, which was introduced from China
California roll is American sushi
The Gracie family, the strongest jiu-jitsu family
South Korea infuriates Thais
Korea doesn't know the meaning of culture
Japanese washi paper was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014. A problem arose at this time. They claimed that the paper-making method came from the Korean peninsula to Japan, so it belonged to Korea, they went around promoting Japan as a thief nation, and they carried out activities to prevent Japan from being registered as a cultural culture. .
The origin of Japanese paper dates back to China. The manufacturing method and quality of washi paper have evolved uniquely in Japan. It goes without saying that UNESCO registered Japanese washi paper in accordance with international common sense.
Karate is a Japanese martial art. The Chinese martial art was transmitted from China to Okinawa as karate, and in Japan it evolved in its own way and became a form of karate. This is a story that many Japanese people know. Conversely, karate does not exist in China. This is because China is developing Chinese martial arts.
There is a type of sushi in America called the California roll. It's a sushi roll made with avocado and mayonnaise. There are probably few Japanese people who think of that as sushi. Even if California Roll were to be registered as an intangible cultural heritage, I don't think there would be any Japanese people who would complain. I would rather support it.
Korea claims that Japanese culture originated in Korea. Other traditions such as samurai, geisha, tea ceremony, and judo are also said to have originated in Korea.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the practice of the Gracie family, who studied and developed Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. However, I have never seen a Japanese person claim that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is Japanese. That belongs to the Gracie family.
South Korea infuriated Thais by claiming that Muay Thai in Thailand also originated from South Korea. Thai people are an ethnic group that historically lived in southern China, and we imagine that they are the origin of Chinese martial arts and Indian martial arts (there are no concrete records). However, Muay Thai is neither a Chinese nor an Indian martial art. Muay Thai is a Thai martial art and the national sport of Thailand.
In order for a culture to develop, it is necessary at least to have the imagination to imagine how many people, how much time and effort it took to develop it and establish it as the culture of that country.
This is a matter of understanding and respecting culture and tradition. In fact, because they lack such effort and experience, South Korea seems to easily claim that other countries' cultures are of their own origin.
When Koreans became enraged over China's claim that kimchi originated from Chinese foam cabbage, it sparked a controversy and was ridiculed by China as a sign of a cultural complex.
Japanese cuisine that brings out the taste of ingredients.Japanese unique evolution without spices.
Japanese food is said to be unique.Japanese food uses very little spice.The West colonized Asia for spices.In Western cuisine, pepper is a magic powder used to eliminate the smell of meat, and pepper is indispensable for preserved meat such as pancetta.It is said that Japan did not have access to spices because it was closed to the country at that time, but since the Meiji Restoration, there have been no dishes that use a lot of spices.South Korean food is rich in chili peppers, which came from Japan when Hideyoshi went to Korea.Soy sauce comes from China.The distinctive difference between Chinese and Japanese cuisine is that Chinese cuisine uses a lot of oil, but the Japanese don't like it.As a result, it led to the longevity of the Japanese.
The basis of Japanese cuisine is soup stock.In Japan, umami ingredients derived from seafood are historically used.Glutamic acid, the ingredient of Ajinomoto, was discovered by a Japanese, Ikeda Kikunae, and is said to have made world cuisine delicious.Glutamic acid is one of the delicious ingredients, which is also derived from the exploration of the taste and ingredients contained in Japanese ingredients.
In 1907, Ikeda Kikunae succeeded in extracting sodium L-glutamate from kelp.
In the West, the concept of soup stock includes French cuisine using consomme soup.In Italy, fish and shellfish are boiled down or fried as toppings, so you can get soup stock as a result.Boil down the ingredients in soup and you'll get the soup stock.The world-famous soups are Borscht and Tom Yum Kung.
Many foreigners say that Japanese sushi is delicious because it is fresh, but that's not the case.At high-end sushi restaurants, tuna is matured with the restaurant's technology for a reasonable period of time and sushi is made with ingredients that bring out sufficient flavor.Since there were no spices in Japan, it is the present state by pursuing technology and harmony that fully brings out the taste of the ingredients.This is one of the unique dishes in the world.
Japanese food has developed into its own style because spices did not enter Japan during the long period of isolation.
His Majesty the Emperor, who continued researching fish, discovered 10 new species - two were announced at academic conferences after his abdication.
Most members of the imperial family enroll at Gakushuin University, and their academic majors are not related to politics, economics, or military affairs. The reason is said to be that the Emperor, as a symbol of Japan, is not involved in these activities. Emperor Showa studied biology, and when his attendants said that the grass they cut around the Imperial Palace and Fukiage Palace was ``cutting weeds,'' he said, ``There is no such thing as weeds.''
``Every plant has a name, and each grows in its own favorite place. We shouldn't take a one-sided approach and label it as a weed. Be careful,'' he said. .
In 1964, His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus, then Crown Prince, visited Thailand with Her Imperial Highness Princess Michiko. When he met with King Bhumibol Adulyadej and learned about Thailand's current situation of food shortages, he proposed to King Adulyadej that they try growing tilapia as a protein source. Upon returning to Japan, he donated 50 tilapia raised at the Akasaka imperial estate to Thailand.
When former King Bhumibol Adulyadej bred them in his palace pond, the number of young fish increased to 10,000 in a blink of an eye due to their ease of raising and strong reproductive ability. They were sent to various places through the Fisheries Experiment Station, and became a source of food for the Thai people. Even today, it is a common fish in Thailand under the name Pranin. Pura is an abbreviation for Emperor, and Nin is the kanji for Akihito read aloud.
His Majesty the Emeritus also majored in biology and mainly conducted research on fish. In June 2021, after the Emperor's abdication, two new species of goby were discovered, and His Majesty the Emperor himself named them ``Awayukiftus goby'' and ``Sebosyftus goby'' and announced them at an academic conference. A total of 10 new species of fish have been discovered and announced to the world by His Majesty the Emperor.
The only one in the world? Japan eats raw eggs. Why are raw eggs safe in Japan? Egg rice is a soul food in Japan.
Japan seems to be the only country in the world that eats raw eggs. Japan is known as a country where tap water is drinkable, but you might think it's a similar story, but it's not. In Japan, tap water is drinkable because it is soft and sanitary water is thoroughly controlled, and eggs are only born from chickens, so there is no difference in countries around the world.
Even if you explain it as a food culture, eggs are probably eaten all over the world, so why did Japan come to eat eggs raw? You might think it's a matter of Japanese tastes, but foreigners say that sukiyaki is delicious, and even simple rice with egg is delicious. Could it be that only Japanese people noticed the taste of raw eggs?
If you ask foreigners, they will tell you that raw eggs are dangerous. Then, I wondered why Japanese eggs were so safe, and when I looked into it, I found out that Salmonella bacteria is contained in the parent hens' feces and urine and seems to penetrate through the egg shells. Alternatively, if the parent chicken is infected with Salmonella, eggs infected with Salmonella will be born. Current Japanese poultry farms take thorough measures to prevent Salmonella, which is why they can even be eaten as raw eggs.
Then, when did Japan start eating raw eggs? When I researched it, I found that before the Edo period, food derived from animals was avoided due to the influence of Buddhism, and there seems to be a mention of raw eggs in the Edo period. Later, there was a mention of tamago kakigohan (egg-dried rice) in the Meiji period, and it is said that Ogai Mori also liked eating it.
When I researched Salmonella, I discovered that it was named after Daniel Salmon, a bacteriologist who discovered the type strain of the Salmonella genus, Hog cholera, in the United States in 1885. It became. In the Edo period, there would have been no recognition of Salmonella.
In summary, Japanese people did not have any biological knowledge about Salmonella, but they did know that if parent chickens were kept in an unsanitary environment, the baby eggs would have fatal problems if eaten by humans. On the other hand, they knew that if they thoroughly managed and cleaned the chickens, this problem would not occur.