The Past is the Present in Japan

Posted on 09/29/2020 Last updated on 11/06/2020

A brief trip around the Osaka and Kashihara areas, and the ancient treasures one can find there if they look.

The United States is only a little over two hundred years old. Australia has been an independent nation for just over one hundred years. England may be said to be just over one thousand years old. Japan has them all beat—it marks its “Foundation Day” on February 11th for when the country ‘began’ back in 660 BC. So, as you might expect, an American like myself constantly finds reasons to be astonished at how the distant past lives side by side with the present in Japan.

Osaka is home to the eponymous Osaka Castle, constructed in the 16th century. Many pieces of stonework at the site date back to the original castle, but the main tower that stands today is a replica built in 1931. This landmark is certainly worthy of a visit and a reminder of what the country was like over four hundred years ago.

But, for something even more ancient, I was surprised to find that just one train stop away from where I live in Kashihara is the country’s old 6th century capital, Asuka. Although there are strict rules about construction in the area, any traveler will be astounded at the proximity of vibrant, friendly neighborhoods to the fourteen-hundred year-old burial mounds.

Visitors to the nearby museum may also have a look at several beautiful murals that have been uncovered and preserved by archaeologists. Strolling through Kashihara neighborhoods, one may see households built to beautiful, traditional notions of aesthetics, some of them dating back to the 19th century. In between the homes, a very common sight is food crops.

Farms in the area mostly grow rice, but also a variety of vegetables like daikon (Japanese radish), cabbage, and potatoes. Today, the people here depend on their own efforts in much the same way they did hundreds of years ago, growing food for themselves and to sell at local markets. It’s no wonder the food here is so good- the locals pour their heart and soul into the area they live.

For anyone hungering for a place where a connection to the past is always palpable, you don’t have to look far in Japan. Whether in its monuments, its landmarks, its people or the produce, history is very much a part of daily life in this beautiful country.