And I enjoyed all the parts that enriched various anime I've watched, including Dororo (Warring States Period), Demon Slayer (Taishō period), the environmental themes throughout Miyazaki's canon, and the climate-MIC themes in Anno's work. Having read The Tale of Genji earlier this year, I appreciated the early sections on the Heian period, particularly Heian aesthetics. One wouldn't necessarily expect a strong climate focus in what looks like a Generic History of Country X, but I thought this theme was not only interesting and highly pertinent, but gave the narrative a cohesion it would otherwise have lacked - since "Japan" is not, despite the claims of various Japanese nationalists whom Walker discusses, a singular thing with an essence (kokutai) that gives, of itself, unity. Japan is part of the coterie of developed nations most responsible for anthropogenic climate change, and is among the nations most vulnerable to its effects, including rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Walker gives particular focus to the environmental degradations and human costs of Japan's 20th century post-War industrial development.
But the climatological constant of Watsuji's philosophy is upended by climate change and rising sea levels," (284).īeing a "history written in the Anthropocene," Walker highlights the human-driven changes in Japan's climate and topography over its long history. Watsuji sought to reconstruct Japanese culture from its natural foundations. In the early twentieth century, the most influential voice in this discussion was the philosopher Watsuji Tetsurô (1889-1960). "In Japan, centuries of philosophical rumination have sought to discern how the country's island nature drives its culture. It is a history for our times, posing important questions regarding how we should situate a nation's history in an age of environmental and climatological uncertainties. Integrating the pageantry of a unique nation's history with today's environmental concerns, Walker's vibrant and accessible new narrative then follows Japan's ascension from the ashes of World War II into the thriving nation of today. The book begins by tracing the country's early history through archaeological remains, before proceeding to explore life in the imperial court, the rise of the samurai, civil conflict, encounters with Europe, and the advent of modernity and empire. Walker tackles key themes regarding Japan's relationships with its minorities, state and economic development, and the uses of science and medicine.
To this day, Japan's modern ascendancy challenges many assumptions about world history, particularly theories regarding the rise of the west and why the modern world looks the way it does.
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