{"id":27701,"date":"2020-07-13T19:31:31","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T18:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=27701"},"modified":"2021-01-06T12:02:34","modified_gmt":"2021-01-06T12:02:34","slug":"the-acceptance-of-impermanence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2020\/07\/13\/the-acceptance-of-impermanence\/","title":{"rendered":"The acceptance of impermanence"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>Along with the rest of the world, Japan is still grappling with the coronavirus pandemic. However, its islands and inhabitants are no strangers to dealing with times of crisis \u2013 not least from natural disasters.<\/p>\n<p>The country\u2019s earthquake-resistant building technology and disaster response plans are held up as examples around the world. But perhaps we should look at what we can learn from the Japanese psyche itself when it comes to dealing with crises \u2013 particularly a belief in, and acceptance of, impermanence.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27822 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-720x481.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-720x481.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-900x601.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-1440x961.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-780x521.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kyoto-2058-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Japanese resilience<\/h2>\n<p>Japan is a country affected almost constantly by natural disasters \u2013 earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding and mudslides caused by the rainy season, and typhoons. The sudden and unpredictable \u2018nature\u2019 of nature has been hard-wired into the Japanese people.<\/p>\n<p>Spring follows winter, sunny days follow cloudy ones, and better days follow the devastation of an earthquake or tsunami. This awareness gives people the strength to face such frequent disasters with acceptance, patience, flexibility and fortitude, while also reflecting on nature\u2019s unnegotiable power. This has led to an incredible resilience among Japanese people.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27776 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-720x480.jpg\" alt=\"Sakura at night\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/17836684_10158585178870014_2005181584_o-1.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>The cherry blossom<\/h2>\n<p>There are some obvious examples of accepting (and even celebrating) impermanence in Japanese culture. Perhaps the most quintessential of these is the sakura (cherry blossom). This beautiful, yet fragile spring flower blooms into life, then fades away in the span of a couple of weeks. To many Japanese people, sakura represents the transience of not just nature, but of life.<\/p>\n<p>Many samurai took the sakura as their emblem. It reminded them to accept the uncertainty of life and appreciate fleeting moments of beauty, rather than be overwhelmed by a feeling of morbidity and finite existence.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27779 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-720x540.jpg\" alt=\"Tea Ceremony\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea-510x383.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tea.jpg 1632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>The tea ceremony<\/h2>\n<p>Another of Japan\u2019s most famous cultural aspects, the tea ceremony, is also rooted in a sense of impermanence. Its key principle of <em>ichi-go ichi-e<\/em>, literally \u201cone time, one meeting\u201d, is itself a reflection on how each moment of our lives is unique and unrepeatable. Therefore, while recognising that each of these meetings is immediately lost to the past, there is a sense of a never-ending stream of change, as life carries on with new moments and new meetings.<\/p>\n<p>Both the sakura and the tea ceremony are examples of what is referred to in Japanese as <em>mono-no-aware<\/em>, \u2018the bittersweet poignancy of things\u2019. In other words, it is precisely because these moments will pass us by, never to return, that we can appreciate them all the more.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27788 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-720x482.jpg\" alt=\"Buddhist priest\" width=\"720\" height=\"482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-720x482.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-564x377.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-2048x1370.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-1200x803.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-900x602.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-1440x963.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-390x261.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-780x522.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Monk-Praying-Koyasan-510x341.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Shintoism and Buddhism<\/h2>\n<p>This acceptance and appreciation of impermanence can be traced back to the two prominent religions in Japan: Shintoism and Buddhism.<\/p>\n<p>Shintoism, the indigenous faith of the Japanese people, is based largely on our relationship with nature, its cyclical patterns and its inherent power. Rather than one all-powerful god, in Shintoism, there are over eight million <em>kami<\/em> (deities) whose cooperation results in the realisation of the world we live in.<\/p>\n<p><em>Kami<\/em> inhabit forests (hence the large number of shrines located in or near forests), mountains, waterfalls, rocks and animals. Because the actions of these <em>kami<\/em> are fluid, the world is also constantly changing and in a state of impermanence.<\/p>\n<p>When Buddhism arrived in Japan in the 6th century, its core belief that &#8220;all things are transient, and that everything with physical form will eventually perish&#8221;, was accepted by the Japanese as it fitted in with their pre-existing Shinto faith.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the two belief systems merged in many ways. This included linking the Buddhist sense of transience much more closely to the natural environment and the cycle of the seasons, and the rebirth that inevitably follows death.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, the well-renowned Japanese woodblock prints known as <em>ukiyo-e<\/em> have their basis in Buddhist beliefs in impermanence. Literally \u2018pictures of the floating world\u2019, they depict the transitory sphere of the licensed pleasure quarters and theatres of Edo. The word <em>ukiyo<\/em> was originally a Buddhist term to expresses the impermanence of human life.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27794 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-720x482.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-720x482.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-564x378.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-1536x1028.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-2048x1371.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-1200x804.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-900x603.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-1440x964.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-390x261.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-780x522.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kumano-Kodo-Nakahechi-route-Hakken-gura-lookout-510x341.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>The Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami<\/h2>\n<p>Of all the natural disasters that Japan has experienced, the earthquake and tsunami that hit the north-east of Japan on 3rd March 2011 were by far the deadliest and most destructive.<\/p>\n<p>The largest earthquake in Japan\u2019s history led not only to a tsunami with waves measuring as high as 38 metres but also to a nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. An estimated 20,000 people were killed or announced missing. Almost 500,000 were forced to evacuate their homes. The direct economic loss was estimated at $360 billion.<\/p>\n<h2>A trip to Kesennuma<\/h2>\n<p>While I wasn\u2019t in Japan at the time of the disaster, my Master\u2019s dissertation research on tourism and disaster recovery took me to Kesennuma some years later. This was one of the cities worst affected by the tsunami that devastated the Sanriku coastline. This stretch of coastline has experienced countless earthquakes and tsunamis; from the first recorded in 869, to the deadly tsunami in 1960 caused by an earthquake as far away as Chile. As I quickly found out during my conversations with the residents, if anyone can attest to the impermanence and constant change of natural cycles, it\u2019s the people of Kesennuma.<\/p>\n<p>What struck me first about these conversations was that there was undoubtedly an incredible sense of sadness and loss associated with the disaster. However, there was also an acceptance of the power of the ocean, which can be both harmful and beneficial to coastal communities like Kesennuma.<\/p>\n<p>As a local fisherman told me, \u2018It\u2019s true that the ocean is dangerous, but it is also in equal parts fun and gives us so much; it provides us with a way of life\u2019. None of these elements was separate from another, and all were in a constant state of impermanence.<\/p>\n<h2>Rebuilding the community<\/h2>\n<p>What struck me more was that the people of Kesennuma not only recovered but built their community back better than before.<\/p>\n<p>They focused on how they could use tourism to benefit the entire community, rather than the usual main players. Tourist associations partnered with NGOs. Organisations were formed to rekindle the relationship people had with the ocean, helping them to see it is a necessary and beneficial partner, rather than something to be feared or conquered. Pretty much everyone I spoke to talked about the positive things that had come out of the disaster, rather than the pain and suffering it had caused.<\/p>\n<p>So, what allowed the people of Kesennuma to bounce back so resiliently from such a devastating disaster?<\/p>\n<p>I think a large part of it has to do with their acceptance and belief in the impermanence of their situation. By accepting that the earthquake and tsunami had occurred, that there was nothing they could do about it, and that good days would come again, they focussed their efforts on things that they could affect.<\/p>\n<p>An example of this was a local sake brewer who found that two of the tanks containing sake in mid-fermentation had survived the disaster. With the help of those around him, he got the brewery functioning the very next day after the tsunami. Within ten days the finished product was ready.<\/p>\n<p>As he told me, \u201cFor us to make that [sake] was a symbol of the town\u2019s revitalisation, or rebirth, to help having the strength to keep pushing forward.\u201d By embracing the transience of nature and of life, instead of becoming swamped by a fatalistic attitude, the people of Kesennuma became empowered in their situation.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-27812 size-half-width\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-720x480.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Kanda-Bars-3-1-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Accepting impermanence<\/h2>\n<p>So, what relevance does this all have to us, as we try to navigate through lockdowns and cautious re-openings and a new normal that feels anything but normal?<\/p>\n<p>Well, as the Reverend Ashikawa, a female priest at a Buddhist temple in Wakayama prefecture <a href=\"https:\/\/apjjf.org\/2020\/9\/McLaughlin.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recently told an inquiring professor<\/a>, \u201cthe virus will necessarily disappear. All things are in a state of continual change\u2026 I\u2019m thinking about what to do once it\u2019s gone\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The acceptance of impermanence is to appreciate life in the here and now and to focus on what we can do to affect things around us. When we acknowledge that all moments \u2013 be they difficult, challenging, uplifting or uninspiringly plain\u2013 are transient, we can appreciate them all the more. This is because they are already leaving us, or we are already leaving them.<\/p>\n<p>We can also focus on what we can do in the here and now to affect the things that we can actually have an effect on \u2013like checking up on our loved ones, using our time to improve our skills, or just giving ourselves a moment to relax.<\/p>\n<p>We will get through this. And we\u2019ll be here in Japan waiting for you when we do.<\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F27701\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Along with the rest of the world, Japan is still grappling with the coronavirus pandemic. However, its islands and inhabitants are no strangers to dealing with times of crisis \u2013 not least from natural disasters. The country\u2019s earthquake-resistant building technology and disaster response plans are held up [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,2368],"tags":[4715,4718],"class_list":["post-27701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-only-in-japan","tag-natural-disaster","tag-stay-inside"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27701"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29483,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27701\/revisions\/29483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}