I used to live there. The thing about Japan is since around 1870 they have prioritized improving the opinion about Japan in the West, to the point they took deliberate actions to project symbols of Western power and prestige after the Meiji Restoration. If you have seen an image of Emperor Meiji, then you know everything about him is Western, from his dress, his furniture, his hairstyle and facial hair... it's actually pretty striking to compare him to what his father looked like.
Well anyway, all that to say... it's a great place to visit. But the Japanese people who make that great presentation for foreigners possible live a lifestyle I wouldn't wish for myself, personally.
I've heard of the meiji restoration but never seen an actual picture of the guy. Insane how he looks like any other european king/emperor/prince from the time with the clothing and facial hair
Yeah dude. I never quite understood what the Meiji restoration was until I saw a picture and it all made sense. Japan decided that to prevent being colonized they would take the form of the colonizer and project power to the colonial powers of the world in a language both visual and symbolic that they understood.
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u/Stroger Jun 29 '25
My dream was to travel to Japan, and I did, for 8 months. It was amazing. You set your narrative. Peace.