Like A Rolling Stone

Have you ever heard the Japanese national anthem? Known as Kimigayo, Japan's anthem is a sad sounding, solemn dirge. At least to me. But to the Japanese, Kimigayo is calm and dignified. It's not loud and pompous like the Russian national anthem - and I mean pompous in a good way - I love that one! It's proud like O Canada and the Star Spangled Banner, and so too is Kimigayo.

Have a listen to Kimigayo. Did you read the words? Kind of awe-inspiring, isn't it? If you haven't the means to listen to it, here are the words:

May the Emperor's reign
Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations,
Until the pebbles
Grow into boulders
Lush with moss.
This is a waka, a 31 syllable, five lined poem and was written in a pair of chronicles entitled the Kokin wakashu and Wajan roeishu - written in the Heian period of 794AD to 1185AD when the country's capital was in Heian-kyo, now known as Kyoto. It was an era when the arts reigned supreme.

In 1869, a year after Japan opened up its borders--to allow gaijin (foreigners) in, and for the Japanese to get out (funnily enough, I haven't heard too much about the Japanese wanting or actually leaving Japan)--J.W. Fenton of England suggested that Japan get with the program and create its own national anthem. With the words chosen by Oyama Iwao, Fenton created the music - though in true Japanese fashion, they took what others did and reworked it to make it better - making it what it is today.

While the waka and song describe Japan's wish for the Emperor's rule to last forever, after WWII the Allies made Japan admit that the Emperor was not on the same level as 'God'. I put it in 'quotes' because I'm unsure which god they meant. With the Emperor forced to lose face in the minds of the world, there was some internal Japanese criticism for Kimigayo continuing to be the national anthem... how can you sing about the Emperor's reign lasting forever if no one believes the Emperor actually holds any sway over the nation?

And, while a rolling stone gathers no moss, no matter how one looks at it, Japan's Emperor is a symbol of Japan, and wanting that symbol to last forever is a wish for Japan to last forever.

Somewhere standing on guard for thee,
Andrew Joseph  
Today's title is by Bob Dylan. LIKE A ROLLING STONE is kind of about a guy who has fallen from grace. And while I don't believe that about Japan presently, I believe it may indeed have done so just prior to (with it's invasion of many surrounding countries) during (Pearl Harbour et al) and just after (capitulating to the victors in allowing them to destroy a symbol of Japan) WWII. I'm not going to get into any philosophical discussions about War and armies, save that I bet there are a lot of people everywhere glad when someone stepped in to intervene on their behalf. Justice should always prevail over greed and tyranny.