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Relations between Japan and the US in Those Days
The immigration from Japan to the US started in 1868 (the 1st year of the Meiji period), with the Meiji Restoration. At first, the immigrants headed toward the Hawaiian Islands, but since 1880s, the number of Japanese immigrants into North America increased, for in 1879 the California State Assembly passed the bill that Chinese immigration be prohibited. Since then, Japanese immigrants as cheap labor force increased in number, many of whom came from Chugoku and Kyushu Regions such as Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Kumamoto and Fukuoka Prefecture. They were engaged in the railway construction or the mine development in central and western North America. Around 1905, the Japanese residents in the US amounted to about sixty thousand, about ten thousand of whom were laborers for the railway construction. Immigrant laborers were paid a dollar a day each. One dollar was worth two yen after the World War I. The immigrant laborers were paid more than twice as much as those working in Japan. In 1920, the US, as well as other countries, was struck by the First Great Depression. As the result, anti-Japanese movement arose, in which Americans exclaimed that Japanese should be expelled from California, claiming that the wages for American laborers were lowered and their jobs were deprived by the Japanese immigrants, who worked hard for low wages and sent what they earned to their own country. It is true that American society had a tendency toward Anglo-Saxon supremacy, but Americans might as well have been increasingly alarmed by the exclusive attitude of the Japanese immigrants, who were unwilling to assimilate into American society.

Since around the World War I (1914 ~ 1918), the relations between Japan and the US got worse and worse due to the conflict of interests concerning the colonial policies. In 1912, Yukio Ozaki, the mayor of Tokyo, concerned about this undesirable situation, presented Boston City with about 3,000 young cherry trees, hoping for the goodwill between the two countries.

The cherry trees grew up, and Cherry Blossom Festival held every year along Potomac River in Washington D.C. has been famous as the annual event celebrating the coming of spring. On the other hand, however, the fact that young dogwoods were presented Tokyo in return in 1915 is not known very much.

In Japan, the Kanto Great Earthquake occurred in 1923, which brought Japan the economic depression. In 1925, the Maintenance of Public Order Act and the Universal Manhood Suffrage Act were proclaimed, followed in the next year by the death of Emperor Taisho and the change of the name of the era to Showa. In 1927, the Japanese government dispatched troops to Shangtung in China, while inside Japan a number of banks failed successively due to the financial crisis, which led some people into selling or killing themselves.
　In the US, many people lost their jobs due to the prolonged economic depression, and the anti-Japanese sentiment intensified due to the Japanese unchanged attitude not to try to assimilate into American society. Under such circumstances, in 1924, the US Congress passed the New Immigration Law (the Anti-Japanese Immigration Law), on the purpose of excluding Japanese immigrants. Even though the citizen volunteers and the church leaders throughout the US collected money to offer relief supplies to the victims in Japan immediately after the Kanto Great Earthquake (they were brought to Japan by the American relief ships, the Merit and the Möbs, which arrived in Japan on September 18th, 1923, only 17 days after the earthquake), the anti-Japanese movement was unstoppable. The blue-eyed dolls came to Japan under such an oppressive situation.

Cape Cod style dates back to the 17th century during the American colonial period. This architectural style was first observed on the Cape Cod peninsula in Massachusetts and later spread throughout the United States. Let's explore some history and features of Cape Cod style homes below.

 

Origin and History: Cape Cod style was introduced by settlers from England in the early 17th century. These early homes had small and efficient designs to withstand the cold winters. This style continued to be used in the 18th and 19th centuries.

 

Design Features:

Simple Shape: Cape Cod style homes are typically rectangular, single-story structures with characteristic gable roofs (A-shaped roofs).

 

Central Chimney: Originally, chimneys for heating were centrally placed.
Small Windows: Cape Cod style homes commonly feature small-pane windows, initially designed to protect homes from the cold winter chill.

 

Materials:

Wood: Cape Cod style homes are usually constructed with wood, and cedar shakes or wooden exteriors are common.

 

Updates and Changes:

Cape Cod style evolved over time, and by the 20th century, additional floors and expanded spaces were incorporated, resulting in various adaptations from the original simple form.

 

Continued Popularity:

Cape Cod style homes remain popular in modern times due to their clean design and comfort. This style is incorporated into many new homes and renovation projects.

 

Cape Cod style homes are considered an important architectural style in American history, owing to their historical roots and distinctive features.

In ancient times, it was said that the "way of the sword is not intended to kill people but must be a means to nurture and preserve life."

 

The primary focus is on refining one's swordsmanship and physical abilities, while simultaneously cultivating the spirit within the "scabbard."

 

The ultimate goal is the development of one's character, emphasizing the pursuit of harmony. The essence of Iaido lies in "always harboring victory within the scabbard, harmonizing with the universe without unsheathing the sword."

 

It is a path of "entering the heart through form, cultivating the heart through technique." Rather than winning through conflict with others, the ultimate objective is to acquire moral principles as a human through the practice of technique and inner development of the heart.

 

The aim is to control others without fighting, achieve absolute victory, and master harmony.

 

The profound nature of Iaido's spirit lies in the concept of achieving "absolute victory" by controlling others without engaging in combat and mastering harmony.

弓道（きゅうどう）は、日本の伝統的な武道の一つであり、弓を使用した射術の技術と精神修養を目的としています。

 

弓道においては、「真善美」（しんぜんび）という思想が重要視されています。これは、技術の向上だけでなく、心の成長や人格形成においても大切な価値観です。

 

★真（しん） - Truthfulness or Sincerity（誠実）: 真は誠実さや正直さを指します。弓道では、自分自身との誠実さや他者との誠実な関わりが重要視されます。技術の向上だけでなく、正直で真摯な心が、弓道の実践においても重要な役割を果たします。弓の射ることだけでなく、自分自身と向き合い、他者との信頼を築くことが真の意味での成長とされています。

 

★善（ぜん） - Goodness or Virtue（美徳）: 善は美徳や良い道徳的な行動を指します。弓道では、技術の向上だけでなく、善良で礼儀正しい態度が強調されます。他者への思いやりや尊重、礼儀正しい態度が、弓道修行者にとって善の表れとされ、個人の成長を通じて社会に対する良い影響をもたらすと考えられています。

 

★美（び） - Beauty or Aesthetics（美的感覚）: 美は美的感覚や調和を指します。弓道では、技術の優れていることだけでなく、その動作や心の持ち方に美を見出すことが重要視されます。技術だけでなく、美しい心の持ち方や流れるような動作が、弓道の本質的な美を構成しているとされています。

 

この「真善美」の思想は、弓道を単なる技術の向上だけでなく、人間性の向上と心の成長を追求する武道として位置づけています。技術の向上と同様に、誠実さ、善良な態度、美的感覚の追求が、弓道を通じて個人がより良い人間になる手段となっています。