Japan is in the year 2683?
Japan is in the year 2683?
On Time in Japan
Kia ora koutou. Tim Bunting the Kiwi Yamabushi here bringing you concepts, life advice, and hiking guides from the Japanese mountains.
Discover Japan’s Best Hikes: Yamagata’s Hidden Paradise!
First up, I’ve climbed 29 of the 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata. Here’s a brand new video guide to one of my absolute favourites!
On Time in Japan
I asked the proprietor when the original temple was built.
'Tenth year of Genroku.’
Tenth year of Genroku? And in the Gregorian calendar?
'I don’t know, I’d have to look it up’.
Thanks, Japan.
But also, thanks Japan.
On my office wall I have a calendar from Dewa Sanzan Jinja (shrine). It’s a really cool calendar. It has a stunning photo of Gassan taken by Minori Inata who made some incredible Dewa Sanzan photography books over the years.
But one thing that really intrigues me about this calendar is the year. Or more precisely, the years.
Not only does this calendar feature the Gregorian calendar, it features the Japanese Imperial year as well. This year just so happens to be 2683.
2683!
Many people, Japanese included, forget the Japanese empire is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world. The Empire dates back to the legendary founding of the country by Emperor Jimmu way back in 660 BC, and we’re currently at Emperor number 126.
126!
The Dewa Sanzan is a Shinto entity, the head of which is the Emperor. It’s only natural to include such a calendar. To confuse you even more, however, in Japan we do indeed use the Gregorian calendar, but also the calendar with the year of reign of the current emperor.
That’s right, like the three alphabets in Japanese, Japan has three calendars.
When Emperor Emeritus Akihito abdicated in 2019, ending the Heisei period, we entered the current period of Reiwa under Emperor Naruhito. This is also where that Genroku part came from. The Genroku period lasted from 1688 to 1704, coinciding with the reign of Emperor Higashiyama, and was also part of The Edo period.
Following me?
In short, Japanese people talk about their pre-and-post-war period of over half a century like we talk about the 1980s.
It’s not hard to see why though. The Showa period includes the all important bubble years, when everyone and their cat was raking it in. It also includes the all important Showa 63, the year I was born.
But there’s another interesting thing about calendars and Japanese people that took me a little while to get used to. You could even say I’m still not used to it.
Walk into a typical Japanese office, or in my case home, and in most likelihood you will see multiple calendars. Just like those walls of owl clocks with eyes that move side to side, so too are these walls covered in calendars.
Of course I’m exaggerating a bit here*, but you should know Japan is a country that loves its calendars.
And there’s a very simple reason for this, too.
In English, when we talk about doing something next Wednesday, in Japanese they talk about doing something on the 14th.
In English, when we talk about making plans, in Japanese they are compelled to physically look at a calendar. Tell someone you want to meet them next Thursday, and they’ll ask ‘what date was that?’
There’s nothing wrong with this, and in fact, it’s quite helpful.
Japanese is a language known for being ambiguous. In Japanese, it’s normal to suck your teeth and use the phrase ‘it’s difficult’ to really mean ‘No, I’m not going to your birthday party’ or ‘No, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to invite him’.
Yet when it comes to calendars, using the date avoids the back and forth of deciding which week is next week. Does next Monday mean the next Monday, or the Monday after?
When does the week even start? On Monday or Sunday?
With a precise date, we know for certain.
But then again, there’s always:
'The tenth year of Genroku.’
*I’m also overgeneralising a bit. This is limited to my limited experience in Japan, and only in Yamagata at that.
Yamabushi Back in Action
On Friday I did a short yamabushi experience with a reporter from Yamagata Broadcasting Company. It involved a Misogi ritual in the Haraigawa River. The water was 7.5°C, which was fine for me, but obviously not for Kadota-san! Our yamabushi Shugyo (training) is starting up again for the year this week, and I couldn’t be more excited!
Daily Yamabushi This Week
My most popular post for this week was Deciding to do something is deciding to give it your best effort. This was closely followed by Are you doing enough to change lives?
Plus:
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Ka kite ano.
Tim.