Hi there! This week’s topic will be an exploration of Japan’s appreciation of nature. Throughout Japanese history, nature has been reflected in religion, art, and literature.

Do you know that in 2017, Shinto makes up the majority of Japan’s population? (Refer to this URL) Shinto (神道), also known as the ‘Way of God’ is a native religious faith that worships the existence of divine spirits. It is deeply entrenched in the Japanese way of life (Ono S., Woodard W.P., 2004) Shinto perceives life as something bestowed upon by the divination of natural forces. This shows me nature is revered by the Japanese not as something superficial but rather as an embodiment of divine supremacy with respectable intrinsic value, hence the notion of the need to protect nature.

Japan has always thrived in agriculture, and Shinto is seen to be accredited to its success. Matsuri (祭り), a Japanese term for festival is a traditional custom to express appreciation towards deities and serves as a platform for Japanese to pray for better agricultural yield in the following year. (Plutschow H., 1996)

The elegance of nature is also portrayed through art and literature. Artworks portray the profound beauty of natural landscapes as interpreted by artists of the past. One famous artwork is ‘Landscape of Four Seasons’ by Sesshu Toyo.

Japanese also indulged in seasonal poetry since ancient times. According to Japan and the Culture of Four Seasons: Nature, Literature, and the Arts, Japanese living in the Heian Period (8^th century-12^th century) tend to link natural objects with seasons. This led to the emergence of seasonal poetry, which embodied the influence of seasons on the sentimentalism of poets (Shirane H., 2013). Art also comes in the form of traditional rituals such as tea ceremonies, which cultivates patience and harmony with nature. (Refer to URL)

Religion, art, and literature are traditional norms passed down through the eons of time. They have impacted individual views towards the environment, which potentially led to Japan’s ethical and conservative stance to protect nature. In my opinion, their assimilation into societal norms could have nurtured the ecological mindset of the Japanese.

However according to a survey, the Japanese no longer actively engage in poetries and tea ceremonies. Perhaps other underlying factors uphold the spirit of conservation in the community (good idea for future posts!) Singapore is a multi-ethnic society so there is bound to be a diversity of religions, each with their own conceptions towards nature. I was brought up in a Buddhist family so naturally, I am inclined towards having respect for all sentient beings, inclusive of nature.

I do feel incorporating more art and literature propagating nature concepts into the school curriculum could be a good way to promote conservational awareness in Singapore. According to a survey I have conducted on 40 locals aged between 17-25, a huge proportion wanted schools to place more emphasis on environmental conservation.

So what do you think about attributing nature to religion and art?

-Wen Han

(Cover photo by D J from Pexels)

References:

1) D., O. S., & Woodard, W. P. (2004). Shinto the Kami Way (Illustrated ed.). Tuttle Publishing.

 

2) Plutschow, H. (1996). Matsuri: The Festivals of Japan: With Annotated Plate Section by P.G. O’Neill (Japan Library) (1st ed.) pp 169. Curzon Press Ltd.

 

3) Shirane, H. (2013). Japan and the Culture of the Four Seasons: Nature, Literature, and the Arts (Illustrated ed.). Columbia University Press.