Japan - The Land of the Rising Sun

Last week, I visited Japan after a lapse of 36 years. I enjoyed pleasant nostalgic memories of my earlier trips including my orientation in Japanese language, the long technical training at Mitsubishi Electric in Kobe and later at the Japanese management training program. I found Japan has not changed much - it still remains an unique country that combines tradition and modernity.

The Japanese Emperor is revered and lives in a grand Imperial Palace. The palace has many gardens and I had the time and opportunity to visit the Eastern Gardens of the Imperial Palace. Like you see some places in India, the palace has a moat around it. (see picture alongside).

The Royalty and the people of Japan love nature. You can witness this love of nature exhibited in many forms - like in art, colorful paintings, roof gardens, sculpture and others. Ikebana - the art of flower arrangement is an example. The Japanese have maintained a continuity of traditions along with amazing transformations of the country through technology.

The Vedas proclaim "Aham Brahmāsmi (I am the Universe). Each one us is a part of the Almighty. Like the dew on each blade of grass shines like a gem reflecting the Sun, each of us have the sparkling Jeevatma in us. So, it is in Japan - the land of the rising Sun.

Buddhism, an offshoot of Hinduism, originated in India and later spread to Japan. Vedas too got transmitted to Japan by the sea route from South India and Southeast Asia. In fact, a year ago, a delegation of 150 Vedic priests conducted a grand yagya at Mount Fuji in Japan to cleanse the environmental problems faced by Japan. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A--V8NV4eyc).

There is some similarity between Sanskrit (Samskrutam to be correct) and Japanese languages. I noticed it in some words - like we say  "homa" in Sanskrit to describe the Vedic ritual fire; in Japanese they call it "goma." The priest is called "achari" in Japanese - similar to "Acharya" (teacher) in Sanskrit.

I derive great inspiration from Japan and can go on and on with many more observations. This is just to share my immediate thoughts soon after I returned to India from Japan.

If you have any comments, please feel free to write to me. Dhanyavaadah!