By C. Perera, JadeTimes News
The season of hanami, marked by cherry blossom viewing parties, has come and gone. During this time, many, especially international visitors, might have wondered why crowds gather around blooming cherry trees with bento lunches and cups of sake. These gatherings are not solely about admiring the blossoms but also about empathizing with their fleeting beauty, which symbolizes the transient nature of human life, deeply rooted in Japan's animistic heritage.
It might not be an exaggeration to say that Japanese Hanami goers consider cherry blossoms as part of their kin. This sentiment borders on animism. Indeed, the Japanese often see animals and even plants as fellow beings. During the Heian period poets like Kino Tsurayuki and Saigyo Hoshi, a Buddhist monk, lamented the short lives of flowers, drawing parallels to human mortality. In the Edo period haiku poet Matsuo Basho captured the essence of nature through depictions of crows, frogs, and cicadas. Kobayashi Issa, another haiku master, expressed sympathy for sparrows, flies, and even mosquitoes.
This animistic reverence extends not just to animals but also to inanimate objects. The Japanese honor the souls of machinery and utensils through kuyo funeral services at the end of their useful lives. This cultural perspective suggests that there are two fundamental worldviews one that sees inanimate matter as mere material and another that sees it as possessing spiritual significance. The latter perspective often involves rituals such as funeral services for objects.
Despite the influx of Western science and modernization over the past 150 years, the Japanese have maintained this animistic mindset, integrating it seamlessly with modern scientific thought. This dualism allows modernism and traditionalism to coexist harmoniously in Japan, both in professional and personal spheres.
However, Japan's animism faces a new threat from extensive urban development. Trees and greenery, essential for nurturing animistic traits, are being sacrificed for construction projects in major cities. This transformation is leading to a decline in animistic beliefs among younger generations, who often find the idea of spiritual matter outdated and unscientific.
Urban development, particularly in mega cities like Tokyo, is accelerating this shift. For example, a redevelopment project in the Meiji Jingu Gaien area involves cutting down numerous trees, sparking significant debate. This trend echoes the concerns of Western conservative intellectuals like T. S. Eliot, who viewed urbanization as a manifestation of human hubris.
In conclusion, the excessive greening of Japanese cities threatens to erode the country's animistic culture. Without a robust animistic tradition, Japan risks losing a core aspect of its identity.
Kagefumi Ueno is a civilizationologist and former Japanese ambassador to Guatemala and the Holy See. This essay was originally published by the Japan News of Yomiuri on May 23, 2024, and has been revised for UCA News.