("Respectfully Happy New Year," it reads over the sign of the shinto-talisman dealing counter, around Tokyo; you may cleans your hand before entering the holy precinct even if your hand is clean...)Great New Year Eve of Japan
"Whee! It is the new year eve ('O-Misoka' in Japanese) at last!"
"Uh! What should I do? What can I do finally before 0:00 of January 1?"
"Ah! I must go to a shrine after 0:00 of January 1 to pray to whatever holy spirit for my wish!"
"Whee! It is O-Misoka ('the new year eve' in English) at last!"
Yet, Christians, Muslims, Judaists, Chinese, Indians, and others might just think:"Oh, January 1, 2010 is Friday. We get a long weekend from the beginning of 2010."
But, the New Year Day ("Gan-Tan" in Japanese) is beyond the week system for Japanese people.
It is truly strange that the Vatican has not ever declared that Jesus Christ must have been born on January 1, since He is the Son of God.
SECTION I: THE WOMAN OF 2009 (the Japanese version)
Maybe, the Japanese Woman of 2009 is the wife of Mr. Hideki Matsui, a Japanese Major League Baseball Player, since he won the title of the Most Valuable Player in the World Series as he overwhelmingly contributed to the world championship of the New York Yankees.
However, no one will complain if I suggest that the Japanese Woman of 2009 is still Ms. Megumi Yokota who was abducted by North Korean agents in their spy operation decades ago, since she is yet to be set free and return to Japan and her parents waiting for so long.
Yet, some might like to nominate Ms. Eriko Fukuda (DPJ lawmaker), Ms. Ai Miyazato (golfer), Ms. Noriko Sakai (actress), etc.
SECTION II: IPPEN
There are two Nobel Prize winners for literature in Japan.
Only one of them is alive and active, since Mr. Kenzaburo Oe (1935-) was born in Ehime Prefecture of the Shikoku Island situated southwest of Kyoto and Osaka.
Ehime Pref. is also well associated with So-seki Natsume (1867-1916), the most respected author in Japan of the modern era.
Yet, you might still remember the Ehimemaru Incident that occurred in early 2001. Nine crewmen of Ehimemaru, a Japanese high school fishing training ship, were killed in collision with an American submarine, USS Greeneville. This tragedy triggered not only resignation of then Prime Minister Mr. Yoshiro Mori, but also foretold the coming 9/11 Terror, for some reasons. (Refer to the EEE Reporter posting on Tuesday, January 16, 2007.)
The most important figure is however Holy Buddhist Priest Ippen (1234 – 1289) among prominent people from Ehime.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ippen
From my study on the Japanese Buddhism, I believe that Ippen is the most important Buddhist for Japan.
He, an ex-samurai, preached all over Japan like a beggar, abandoning a family life with his wife and a daughter and teaching poor people how to believe in Buddha, while the first samurai regime of Japan was going to face invasion by the Mongolian forces of Yuan Dynasty in 1274 and 1281. From this war with Mongolians, the concept of "kamikaze" was created.
Anyway, Ippen said, "Abandon all, and then you prove your faith and you will be saved."
A picture scroll depicting his travelling with bare feet is a very precious cultural asset for Japan today.
In that Ippen emphasized thoroughly a need for being poor and loved truly the poor as one of them, he is so close to Jesus Christ.
SECTION III: CORRELATION BETWEEN WEALTH AND INSIGHT
Experiences, knowledge, information, and data can be purchased.
Accordingly a big company has more experiences, knowledge, information, and data than a small company.
Yet, big companies also suffer a loss, financial difficulties, and disadvantageous competition sometimes.
They cannot even avoid a recession.
If you have $1 billion, you need insight into $100 billion matters.
If you have $1 million, you need insight into $100 million matters.
If you have $100, you need insight into $10,000 matters.
If you have $1, you need insight into $100 matters so as to perfectly take the responsibility required for the money you have.
This kind of an accelerated scale effect is critically lacked in analyses by economists.
It can be also extended to the degree of combination.
A theory effective in a situation where only one or two combinations are possible cannot be simply applied to a situation where 100 or more combinations are available.
This kind of a multiplied combination effect is critically lacked in analyses by economists.
Indeed the business world only dealing with a margin, if as a result of many and complicated calculations, is too barren.
*** *** *** ***
Have you met anybody you can respect this year 2009?
If that somebody is richer than you, you have to think about Jesus Christ more.
It is so, since Jesus Christ was as poor as those who respected Him 2000 years ago.
Finally, it is truly my wish that you have had actually a happy year in 2009.
In Japan, it is said literally that an afreet or a human-like monster will laugh at you if you talk about things of the next year. God knows what may happen next year.
Now, 1 hour and 50 minutes to 0:00 of January 1, 2010 in Japan.
(An hour ago or so, I saw a flickering jet plane, which could not be an ordinary commercial one, flying high somehow roaring to the southwest in the cold, dark night sky governed by strikingly cool and clear moon shining almost vertical over my head...Good Night!)
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mar 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mar 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.