Background Info After World War II, in September 1945, Japan suffered major loss to the country’s economy and population including nearly 3 million war dead and the loss of a quarter of the national wealth. It was a miracle that Japan was able to rapidly stabilize financially to the point where they became the second…
Singapore: “An Impregnable Fortress” In the 1930s, Singapore – a tiny island off the southern coast of Malaya – was viewed as a jewel in the crown of the British Empire. It was regarded as an unassailable island due to its strong seaward defenses. Singapore’s defenses were concentrated at their naval base in order to…
Cinema was first introduced to Japan in 1896 when the Kinetoscope, invented by Thomas Edison three years earlier, was imported to Kobe. The first public showing of a film was held on 25 November. This was soon followed by showings in Osaka, Tokyo and the rest of Japan. In February 1897, the Cinematographe, invented by…
The dry landscape garden, or karesansui, is a symbolic element in Zen. Not only is it utterly simple, which is very common to Zen, but it is also very planned and structured. A possible catalyst for enlightenment, the Zen garden is used as a place for contemplation, deep thought, and zazen. It is considered to…
At the beginning of the movie, Oishi Kazihiro is in a training camp for failing executives. He has been a failure in his business career thus far because he is too lenient with his workers. He is tagged with countless banners and it is screaming particular phrases repetitively. This shows the dedication and rigorous conformity…