Why the Japanese Emperor System Still Exists Today

Let's ask Shogo | Your Japanese friend in Kyoto

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Recently in Japan, the daughter of the brother of the current Emperor getting married to a commoner became big news. The news brought various debates in and out of Japan… and one of them was a very fundamental question:
“Why do we need an Imperial Family in Japan in the first place?”
So today, I will explain who the Emperor of Japan is in the first place and why the Emperor system has continued to exist for 2,700 years.
At the end of the video, I would like to introduce the ideas and opinions that I’ve studied and thought were the most understandable to answer the question, “Why Japan still needs an Emperor in the first place,” so I hope you can enjoy this video till the end.
However before I start, I want to make it very clear that I understand that for certain people, the existence of the Emperor and Imperial Family means more than others. I have no intention of denying anyone’s beliefs and please understand that this is just a video of me answering a question from my friends overseas.
Lastly, I have only properly studied about the Emperor system IN Japan, so please let me know in the comments about the history and systems in your country. I would love to learn from you.
[Time codes]
0:00 Let's START!
1:56 Who the Emperor is
4:09 Why the Emperor System has Lasted for Thousands of Years
7:50 Why Do We Need the Emperor System Today?
10:45 Today's Conclusion
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19 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 583

@joeltbasham 2 года назад

You’re absolutely right. It is part of Japan’s heritage and historic journey. In a way it serves as a great reminder of where you came from.

@markotv6761 2 года назад

U don't say 🤔

@andreasbraess3759 2 года назад

I think Japan without an Emperor would like so unbelievable as you would say this over England and King or Queen and thy have a little bit more power as higher Point how could give mercy. Self Europe had Emperor, King or Queen that was sent from above by will of the divine. The change was only also seen a will of the divine and only the one who step back from part of history now exist.

@marcoannunziata896 2 года назад

I agree with you

@samuraiboi2735 2 года назад

@@andreasbraess3759 yes as mentioned like the queen from uk and also in india we do have some kings who control certain regions.Brunei and thailand have their own kings who have grandchildren.Its preserving the hiearchy of the family and history.

@gf4913 2 года назад

How?

@TheShogunate 2 года назад

Glad to finally hear your take on this Shogo!

@masonclark9110 2 года назад

Hey ur the best on samurai history if you wanna learn about samurai and Japan shogo shogunate and metatron are for you

@timgersh6787 2 года назад

@@masonclark9110 he is a fine channel for history but I did not understand his video on this. I believe Shogo would be bad if he did a 50 part series of the Sengoku jidi

@BryanCobalt 2 года назад

Your comment is highly underrated. The most sensible take, and the least sycophantic. Cheers dude.

@slithbackle Год назад

More like the shogonate.

@josephmarble2371 2 года назад

I always wondered if the Emperor acted more as the Pope has traditionally in Western Europe. Technically, he doesn't have any real power today, but in the past he's had great sway over various governing bodes (e.g. Crusades). I also find it interesting in how there was a point when there were two emperors. It mirrors the schism in Europe when there were 3 popes at the same time.

@jayjaylates5749 2 года назад

Based on Crusader Kings Series, perhaps is not as temporal as it is, take for example the Queen of England who is also the Leader of the Anglican Church. The priests of Shintoism principle act more independent ingrained by the some Buddhist tenets, they preach their life on how the priest would interpret. They behaved more as a lay clergy E.g. Protestantism where Church of the pastor can be inherited by their children. Just like in Islam nowadays, Abudlaziz of the House of Saud, First King of Saudi Arabia didn't claim the Caliphate because 1) He was not that interested. 2) He can not control all the Sunnis from Morocco to Indonesia. 3) Muslims are not that zealous enough right after the WW1 because of the fall of the Ottomans. So imams today act as a lay clergy who serves as a religious and secular authority. At the genesis of the religion, there were no religious head erected.

@Borderose 2 года назад

Yes. Indeed. The Japanese Emperor is better seen as a Shinto Pope. The Shogun was the Emperor/King.

@zusty9589 2 года назад

@@jayjaylates5749 This was quite hard to read and poorly written, although perhaps you're simply not proficient in English. By 'Lay clergy', with regards to Islam and Shinto priests in feudal Japan, I presume you mean to denote the lack of some bodily structure? As for the original poster, I'd like to ask if you're comparing the Japanese Empero and the Pope with regards to the Emperor's role in Shintoism, or merely in regards to power.

@OnkelJajusBahn 2 года назад

Interresting comparison. I havn't thought about it. But it makes sense.

@sinoroman 2 года назад

the emperor is still seated, so down the line, another emperor can pull off another meiji. maybe better if there isn’t an emperor

@themartialway3317 2 года назад

I don’t think there’s a question I’ve had that hasn’t been answered on this channel. You’re awesome Shogo and very informative. Get this man to 1 mil subs

@panzlithium 2 года назад

In my country Malaysia, we have 9 kings and they take turn every 5 year to be a Supreme Ruler, Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Most of their power is through Royal Malaysian Army. If the country is in political disability or in emergency, Agong takes control as a neutral power until the problems are solved through new election or other means. Agong is very important to us and we prefer when Agong take control when the government is so corrupt

@runwiththeqase 2 года назад

Guess what? Even the payung kuning is corrupted. Ask Azam Baki.

@markkoi6067 2 года назад

That’s so cool, I think UAE is like that too where there are multiple Kingdoms headed by Kings and take turns for a period of time to be the supreme ruler

@ImperialEarthEmpire Год назад

nope, never let monarchs take over a country even for a minute or else they will ask for absolute power next...

@iliaselmaghrebi9114 Год назад

@@markkoi6067 uae have 7 princes and the prince of abu dhabi is always president and prince of dubai is always vice president and prime minister and so are all other princess

@berradaleonardo5417 Год назад

Agong ???

@capmidnite 2 года назад

Maybe Part II of the series could be about the dark side of being a member of the Imperial Family. It's basically like living in a golden cage, with your daily life completely controlled by the Imperial Household Agency. It was rumored that Princess Masako suffered a nervous breakdown and doesn't even have a credit card in her name.

@angief6364 2 года назад

And there is also the successsion rule about men from the imperial family can only ascend to the throne.

@xanthippus9079 2 года назад

When I read the stories of different kings and queens, one common aspect many shared was that I didn't envy any of them. Even zoo animals have more freedom.

@limitlesssky3050 2 года назад

With power comes responsibility, with responsibility comes restriction.

@wu1ming9shi 2 года назад

@@limitlesssky3050 Except that they don't have any real power at all.

@Riceball01 2 года назад

@@wu1ming9shi But they do, maybe not direct power like the monarchs of old, but they stil wield a certain amount of soft power and influence. They have the power to influnce public opinion/perception and that can lead the public to pout presure on their representatives in government, or sometimes, influence those representatives themselves. I know that, the Kings and Queens of the UK have that kind of soft power but the Queen chooses not to use it, preferring to remain neutral in matters of government.

@erikhagaman3467 2 года назад

Hey! I'm a patriotic Swede (yes, it does exist) and I love our royal family. They are great front figures for our country when it comes to diplomatic matters. For example, if a president or similar makes an official visit to Sweden. They are actually Sweden's largest tourist attraction. The royal palaces are often visited by tourists. Especially by Germans. It's hard to beat when it's a royal procession through the streets of Stockholm. It's very cool to watch. I have also heard that itshould be cheaper for us taxpayers to continue to have the royal family instead of a president. And I think it's nice to have a stable head of stat. Because i`am tired of politicians considering what today's Sweden looks like. Then it's nice that there is something that can unite us. Continue to make awesome and interesting videos. With love from Scandinavia. Love your channel. :)

@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 2 года назад

France have way more tourist for their castles and palaces. Can even rent a room for a night im many of them. The king has been silent for a while though... : P

@vrilgod4176 2 года назад

The Swedish royal family isn't even Swedish. Exact same situation in Spain, which is why you have the carlists to dethrone the French royal family and replace them with a Spanish obe.

@irokosalei5133 2 года назад

Swedes have a culture of conciliation so your royal family is literally trying to be democrats. Otherwise they would be either useless like in the UK or gone like in France.

@charlesmeaux3954 28 дней назад

It is ABSURD that "royalty" even exists today. As long as there are royals and religion the world will never have peace.

@klausernstthalheim9642 2 года назад

I don't think that Japan having an emperor is bad. It helped japanese people with their identity and having a moral authority that is strictly being neutral and has no political power also have unifying effect. So Japan having an emperor has a stabilizing effect on society.

@limitlesssky3050 2 года назад

Cultural and national identity is important, having something or someone that has existed since the founding of the country can be used as a cultural anchor for the nation.

@np7133 2 года назад

I totally agree with you: by being neutral, the Emperor will always mean something to every Japanese, no matter which politics are led by the Government. For example in France where I live, we don’t have any figure to deeply respect, because the President is a politicsl figure.

@Albemarle7 2 года назад

@@anmalaag1225 Mac was the last Shogun, so far.

@imperiumgrim4717 2 года назад

Mexico needs that but it won't last for many years tho.

@harshanasamarakoon1086 2 года назад

Very informative video series. What I like about it the most is how calmly and expressively Shogo san explains everything.

@evaagoston4112 2 года назад

As someone from a country that's founding dynasty died off in the 14th century, was ruled by kings of other nations for centuries, and has no monarch at the moment, I think the Japanese people should value their Emperor. People do need a symbol of unity, especially when the politicians do nothing but divide people. I do think our nation would need a symbol, a cornerstone, that could bring us together. Be thankful that you have the Imperial Family, filled with wonderful people who really serve their people well! Love from Hungary!

@Leo-zr1qv 2 года назад

Yes they are blessed unlike me who’s British and has questionable kings and queens in the past like Mary I (Bloody Mary) and Henry VIII. However queen Elizabeth II is an Amazing person who even served in WW2 as a support mechanic. 🇬🇧✊🏾

@paolotorres8537 2 месяца назад

So bold of you to talk about the 14th century when it’s so far off that many consider it ancient history.

@LycorisRaidata 2 года назад

I think the emporer system is an integral part of Japanese culture, the resources and political anguish of removing him would be more than it's worth. Besides the emporer is revered by the people

@lapiswolf2780 Год назад

Plus imagine the possible power vacuum of removing the family.

@LycorisRaidata Год назад

@@lapiswolf2780 they hold ceremonial power. They don't have much political power other than admiration

@lizawinslow4773 2 года назад

Thank you Shogo! Again, another informative and educational video on your culture💥

@specialnewb9821 2 года назад

What I found fascinating was there are 2 instances prior to 600s where it was entirely possible that the nobles found a random dude and just said he was related to the previous line. There is a strong practical streak in Japanese history from what I've read! My personal opinion is that head of state+legislature (as in Japan, UK etc.) is generally better than presidential systems though each has positives and negatives. A nuanced video, you should be proud of your work.

@theMOCmaster 2 года назад

Also there was the northern and southern court lines where the legitimate southern line was dropped because Ashikaga shoguns wanted a puppet. Basically the emperors are always just a practical tool as a symbol used for legitimacy by whatever rulers were actually in charge.

@thegirlalmighty2140 2 года назад

One of the best and most informative channels here on youtube.

@MurakamiTenshi 2 года назад

The imperial family is an important cultural symbol for Japan, as well as one of the few royal families still existing!

@1UPWonders 2 года назад

I learn so much from this channel, it's fantastic, thank you Shogo!

@santinolowe7225 2 года назад

The imperial family is invaluable because if the government collapses they can keep the people united socially and structurally

@beardfistthegoldenone7273 2 года назад

Shogo-san, thank you so much for your interesting and informative videos. These are truly wonderful insights into historical and modern day Japan.

@cumulus3341 2 года назад

Exactly the same question I've been thinking. thank you Shogo.

@Steven-xn9dv 2 года назад

I agree with your assessment and when I compare to China’s dynastic emperors, it amazes me how enduring the Japanese imperial system is. Very well done and very thought provoking!

@Moji_Poom 2 года назад

Thanks for the video Shogo-san. Love everything about Japan, from your subscriber in Thailand. 🇹🇭🇯🇵

@Legal-Canadian 2 года назад

People usually ignore the second question: is there a benefit to doing or not doing something?

@djlaace1334 2 года назад

I think the system should continue to exist. It is one of the things that makes Japan unique, specially today. Plus, I think the fact that someone bearing the title "Emperor" in modern times still exists is pretty cool! :)

@limitlesssky3050 2 года назад

Your point on the Emperor seems really on point. Great video as always.

@primeholyassasin20 2 года назад

How strange, in my mind I was wondering when Shogo would eventually cover this topic, and lo and behold this video debuts.

@mahmoudajjan466 2 года назад

1st i think that there has to be much and much more people like you in the world really, people who has knowledge of the past and present to achieve a better future and i hope someday it happens, thanks for the video ✌,2nd thank you for accepting me in your channel, this is the 1st video I've watched yet and I hope there are more to come.

@Akhen. 2 года назад

In my eyes, it's also just cool and charming to have an imperial family like this. I wish them a great future!

@markotv6761 2 года назад

U don't say 🤔

@DuskSunDawn 2 года назад

i'm from Spain, we have monarchy here. Monarchy is based in the rational believe that a person deserves more things (money, job, health care .etc) just because he/she is born into a certain family. The citizens (= public money) are paying them (their clothes, their food, their education, their toys, their houses, their lawyers, their jobs, their medical care etc) since birth. They have a lot of things without having the obligation of proving their worthy. Is it equality? I don't think so. Being born into a certain family means nothing. There is nothing special about them, they are like everybody else. They should survive, earn money, have worries...like everybody else. Those who want to be at the top should prove that they deserve it. Those who want to be a ruler should prove that they deserve it.

@johnnottellingyou2402 2 года назад

@@DuskSunDawn you can't criticize the Japanese imperial family without criticizing the english royal family. Plus they serve no purpose besides being a reminder of tradition, history, and Japanese pride. but of course a European descended from the weakest colonial superpower ever doesn't like the fact that their nation is and has been irrelevant since the 1800's

@xanthippus9079 2 года назад

@@DuskSunDawn Well, career politicians also survive on tax payers' money just by winning popularity contests (ie elections). Not to mention the great number of lazy public servants. Also, some monarchies help stabilise a countries politics and maintain traditions despite having little direct political power.

@user-ut4tk4ph5z 2 года назад

@@xanthippus9079 How is that in topic ??

@NazimKhan_1 2 года назад

I was thinking about this 🤔 question for many days finally i got my answer. Arigato 😁

@mr_masutha 2 года назад

Hayo Shogo. My name Is Khomotso from South Africa, I'm fascinated by Japanese culture curtesy of your videos. Thank You for this lovely Education and Knowledge.

@lastnamefirstname8655 2 года назад

thanks for this. i thought it was just a part of maintaining tradition and culture to not forget or lose part of the history.

@moniquesilva6181 2 года назад

People inherently need some sense of consistency to not feel overwhelmed and stressed by chaos/anarchy. While the voted-in leaders may change, the empire is steady and provides a comforting sense of endurance. "We've gotten through this before, and we always will."

@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 2 года назад

So what is with the suicide rates and karoshi? How does the presence of the emperor alleviate that?

@sa34w 2 месяца назад

@@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74the suicide rates not that high but it’s due to high expectations

@ShadowPuppet3001 2 года назад

great video, Happy New Year 😀 😊

@rolandgdean 2 года назад

I see royals as an important LINK between the people and their governments. They can be a powerful tool to grow and encourage patriotism in their nations. They have heavy sway when they appeal to the government on behalf of the people as well. A royal family can be analogous to the "home team" in sports...it represents something the people can ALL love and "get behind"...commonality is important in group settings in maintaining peace and encouraging unity. I think this is what royals focus so much on public opinion...they MUST be loved by as many as possible and must NEVER be divisive...interesting and difficult job indeed.

@gwillis01 2 года назад

hello Shogo Thank you for this video

@missmarsh1011 2 года назад

Didn't Emperor Emeritus Akihito -- the previous Emperor -- also marry a commoner when he was the Crown Prince? Everybody expected him to pick a consort from one of the old aristocratic families, but he chose Shouda Michiko, the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, instead. Empress Emerita Michiko is also a Catholic, which introduces an extra wrinkle into Shinto tradition. What would happen if the Emperor practiced a religion that rejected his divinity?

@user-ys8xe1xd2x 2 года назад

Many Japanese emperors were enthusiastic Buddhists.

@eccentricthought4511 2 года назад

@@user-ys8xe1xd2x I feel like Japanese Buddhism reinterprets the kami as other forms of Buddha and bohdisatvva

@slayer0235 2 года назад

Not as much as one may think. The imperial family formally relinquished their claim of divinity after WWII. Though, given the symbolic and cultural links between the emperor and traditional beliefs there certainly would be some upset over an emperor promoting any religions other than Shinto and Japanese Buddhism

@Ozymandias1 2 года назад

The Dutch royal house long had a rule that members of the royal family couldn't marry a Roman-Catholic. However our current monarch is married to an Argentine Roman-Catholic queen and that never seemed to be a problem. Some traditions change.

@_Tizoc_ 2 года назад

Love these videos

@whoismyfather07 2 года назад

Love your content 🤙

@Cacaborea 2 года назад

Me too

@helenamonteiro3716 2 года назад

😍I loved it. I love Japan and I love your channel.

@kristinesharp6286 2 года назад

Very clever way to continue the line of the family. 👏🏻

@goreaddiction 2 года назад

I really love your videos! I'm a new subscriber. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷

@cristianfilip2448 2 года назад

Thank you for teaching me the history of this wonderful country.

@Athlynne 2 года назад

Hajimemashite! New to your channel, fascinating video! Subbed!

@Baard5Szomoru 2 года назад

No need to speed your videos :) every second is enjoyable

@magiv7573 2 года назад

I completely agree on the religious parallels you made and think that point above all else is really needed for this argument. One thing I wonder about though is the wealth of the imperial family and where does it come from? If it's like some countries that retain their royalties as figureheads but are still given tax moneynfrom the citizens, then that could be a potential argument otherwise. At the end of the day though its entirely up to the japanese citizens to decide what they wish to happen to the family, and I'm just prodding for other angles to this whole situation.

@mh-tw4kx Год назад

Don't forget they have their own personal real estates too, it's hard differentiat state owned vs monarch owned

@HaroldtheNihongoStudent 2 года назад

You speak faster than previous videos. You're getting better.

@birdsarcasm 2 года назад

A very nice touch of putting the whole emperor or any royalty system with religion and science. And yes, there is no clear answer for this, to each their own I guess. Allow me to use your religion and science analogy from now on!

@michaeljosephdimaano2802 2 года назад

I think you can say that the emperor is like a rich man who established a business but did not wish to run it, instead he hired people that could run it.

@aniriis 2 года назад

I live in a very small country, Denmark, and we have a queen. For many years the danish kingdom have “one” been a simple of the nation. Most people in Denmark our crown is more like a national thing. Every year the hear the queen’s speak at New Year’s Eve and the Royal family is very popular with the Danish people.

@RealUlrichLeland Год назад

In Britain we have the Queen's speech on Christmas day

@ct18083 2 года назад

I think the emperor is still needed, especially during these trying times as someone to unite the people, although I don't agree with some imperial household laws and the restrictions that were placed upon the emperor and his family as well as the law that only allows male heirs to ascend to the chrysanthemum throne he Is still an important figure in japanese society. His majesty is a figure that can single handedly calm the nation after natural disasters and such major events, something not many celebrities can ever hope to accomplish on a national level.

@augustdavis4725 5 месяцев назад

You really spoke my Monarch language on the subject.

@georgetsialos8210 2 года назад

Hello, if it interests you as a topic, i would recommend you to make a video about reiki. Great work

@ammaranuar2544 2 года назад

The most common reasoning for abolishing the japanese monarchy, just like in any other countries with monarchies, is that the money used to maintain the monarchy can be better used to develop the country or the people.

@2712animefreak 2 года назад

@CipiRipi00 You can easily get rid of monarchy. Switzerland is founded on centuries of resisting monarchical rule. It is one of the wealthiest and safest countries in the world. The counter to corruption is direct democracy. Even the wealthiest person in the world can't bribe everyone.

@CrossoverGenius 2 года назад

very interesting take, I appreciate your measured and objective approach to topics!

@StarDog-dy7nr 2 года назад

I am from Mexico, and it is little known that Mexico use to have a monarchy. When the Mexican independence happened our people stayed with the monarchy system the Spanish left us with. Although this way of government only lasted a few years before shifting to democracy.

@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 2 года назад

Then later became a empire then became a republic again then napoleon the 3rd of france placed maximilian the 1st a habsburg in power to become emperor which he was lead to believe was a popular decision by the ppl when it was actually rigged by the napoleon and he was promptly overthrown then the republic was restored again.

@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 2 года назад

Maximilian actually was a well meaning dude too. He actually cared about the welfare of the mexican ppl but was unfortunately played as a pawn in geopolitical politics and was seen as the symbol of foreign oppression by the ppl.

@imperiumgrim4717 2 года назад

@@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 he was a well minded person then his brother Franz Joseph tho

@armorbearer9702 2 года назад

You mentioned the religious role the emperor has in Shinto. I heard the monarchy helps with international relations. Emperor greets foreign diplomats and may establish relationships with important people. Other people mentioned that the emperor provides a sense of stability. Perhaps the emperor system has many passive benefits that justify its exitance.

@ludicrousfunone5705 2 года назад

We in the UK still have a Monarchy however, we realize that they're little more than a cash cow that brings lots of tourists in. But let's not forget she's still the queen of Canada, Australia New Zealand and many other countries in the "Commonwealth". It's strange! But this is very informative. Excellent video

@bishop51807 2 года назад

Aren't those countries independent now? I'm pretty sure they are.

@ludicrousfunone5705 2 года назад

@@bishop51807 Yes they run their own parliament's. However the Queen is "Head of State" basically like in Japan. Just a symbol of stability. She doesn't have any power

@neko_3851 2 года назад

@@bishop51807 different nations but still the same kingdom. Think of it like this, all countries in the Commonwealth Realms have different laws(stemming from the same place actually, just slight tweaks to each), different immigration systems etc, but still the same Kingdom technically. It does have a lot of benefits such as not needing a visa to visit other Realms, such as the UK and Jamaica( of which all nations in the Commonwealth Realms do have btw) and voting on others elections while not being a citizen(as long as your in the actual country for elections) except for the PM. Aside from the benefits it's just symbolic really, along with a few powers the queen still technically holds.

@gabbar51ngh 2 года назад

They don't bring in any tourists. Infact they are burden on taxpayers. CGPgrey who's a British monarchist tried to defend this on his channel & was ripped apart in the comments section when he tried to use a French monument as a comparison to mock. France gets more tourists without any royals. Some of the tourist places make less money by being occupied by the british royal themselves which France doesn't have to deal with. The current descendants of Mughal dynasty living in poverty doesn't mean people won't come to see Taj Mahal. Goes for all tourist places in other countries. This outmoded defense that Royals Bring in money somehow is silly.

@muhammadasruni8992 2 года назад

@@gabbar51ngh which one! As burden of taxpayers?

@howardroark7726 2 года назад

Well done, Shogo. You have presented a balanced view of the imperial system. It's very impressive that the Japanese imperial family always behaves with such dignity unlike certain other royal families elsewhere. I believe the value of the Emperor represents something intangible that is very similar to what Roman legionary eagles and military battle standards represent. Men have sacrificed their lives for Roman eagles and battle standards. Although none of those eagles or standards had the intrinsic value of a man's life, somehow these pieces of cloth and metal inspired warriors from ancient times till today. There's a story that the Roman legionaries did not want to disembark to invade Britain but the aquilifer bearing the eagle jumped off the transport and the legionaries could not bear to let it be captured. I think it was a respect for the Emperor that inspired the kamikaze pilots to follow their orders. That said, you know much more about Japanese history than me so I'd defer to you.

@shivohamutsav8447 2 года назад

Hey there new to ur channel I really appreciate how well you explain ur content 🤗🤗 btw I also love japan and Japanese culture 🇮🇳❤️🇯🇵

@markotv6761 2 года назад

😆😆🤣🤣🤣

@aesyamazeli8804 2 года назад

It's not a need but people mostly like to go with the flow. Most people in this world really don't care who is the leader as long as they live comfortably.

@chansouvannarath3789 2 года назад

I totally agree with you here. I was born and raised in Laos and I am old enough to see the abolishing of the the Dynasty wit few hundred years.

@deepism 2 года назад

Why have a queen or a king of England? An Emperor, King, or Queen, is a cultural leader. That in of itself is very important, and if you think about it, does grant the Emperor a respectable amount of power in contrast to the government. They're cultural icons and are deeply rooted in history and tradition.

@Sernik_z_rodzynkamii 15 дней назад

This is a wonderful material! Thank you! I come from a country that used to be a monarchy before 1917. Our Royal Family's descendants are still with us today, but most of them have less connection to Russia nowdays because they all live in Europe.

@FullRamenAlch3mist 2 года назад

I wish I could make a channel structured like yours but on my country, Burundi But idk much about our history since most of it is oral tradition and I vaguely remember the language as I moved to the US as a child. Also our history can be very muddled, not knowing which is which and what the truth may be bc people say different things, even regarding a *very* significant recent event that started around the time I was born.

@donwaltman4276 2 года назад

Great video Shogo, I find Japanese culture and traditions fascinating. Is it true that a certain year can be expressed as "Year X of Emperor Y's reign" ? Thank you

@MiguelLopez-qi8wh Год назад

Yes. Japan officially has 2 calendars. Gregorian and Japanese. The Japanese calendar is based on the emperors reign. For example it's 2023 but it also is 5 Reiwa in Japan, since the Reiwa era started in 2019. Most people just use gregorian but the other date is still often used for formality.

@augustajuliuscaesar1031 2 года назад

Very nice video, balanced opinion. Although I’m an absolute monarchist myself so I resonate more with the divine right, Emperor Meiji type administration. Too bad Showa got used by the military though.

@renemarot544 2 года назад

Hi Shogo and thanks for your various views on Japan. Canada have the same system and the Queen is in England not even in the country but we still keep her. I guess your point about nobody is directly hurt by the emperor is the valid one. Why go all the social trouble to remove this kind of symbol ? And sometimes I see our royal family as our grown-up Barbie Dolls and feel a bit sorry for them. Yes they are rulers but they have limited options. You will be king or queen my son or daughter ... You want to be a plumber ? Sorry this is not on the menu.

@specialnewb9821 2 года назад

Of note: Barbados did just that this month, removing the queen as the head of state. For some people, the legacy may be symbolic of certain things that they want to change. In the end, as long as people have a real choice I think whatever they choose is fine.

@neko_3851 2 года назад

@@specialnewb9821 note on that, the people of Barbados didn't vote on it, it was a decision by the parliament of barbados, we don't actually know if the people wanted to get rid of her or not.

@specialnewb9821 2 года назад

@@neko_3851 The parliament had to amend the constitution with a super majority and the party that did this have been pushing this quite openly for a number of years. To me that strongly falls into indiferrent/support category. If it matters there's every indication the voters can remove them.

@MasterReaperSID 2 года назад

@@specialnewb9821 that is kind of a misnomer, the people's will and political opinion almost never collavorate together. Many of the people in the party were likely incumbent, making it difficult for other parliamentarians to get into office.

@specialnewb9821 2 года назад

@@MasterReaperSID misnomer...? Uh... Anyhow there are like 25 people in the lower house. Not that corruption wouldn't exist but c'mon now.

@pramodkashyap4662 2 года назад

I love the way you explain love from India

@thomasturner4253 2 года назад

Thanks for the education about Japanese society You are the best source on things Japanese Thumbs up 👍 Shogo

@thebestisyettocome4114 5 месяцев назад

WWII , Japan to America. What a mess nearly 80 years ago. USA, made the imperial family to a point of prime minister to day to day operations of government. I love the Japan people. Five years I lived over there. They are a nation of peace. But one time , one of the largest army's of the world.

@gerardcoyle2587 2 года назад

Thanks!

@silviomarquardt8987 2 года назад

Beloved & fellow 武道家 Shogo...Could you provide more in-depth information about the costs of the Japanese Imperial Family ? How much Japanese national tax money is invested or spent in all different aspects & institutions of the Japanese Imperial System ?...Friendly greetings from someone who lived in Honsu and now lives in the former 蝦夷共和國 🙂

@OllamhDrab 2 года назад

One thing the whole thing about the Imperial family's troubles made me wonder about was.... Well, how many people/families in Japan are even nobility these days, an how's that delineated? You don't seem to hear much about people walking around with titles and the like, at least from over here.

@Watch-Yisus 2 года назад

In Spain we have a monarchy. It's interesting that it has both many similarities and many differences to Japanese emperors. However, Spain's crazy history has made the monarchy vs not-monarchy conflict much louder and aggresive. Spain has been conquered and reconquered, had monarchies, republics and several dictatorships. Specially the last dictatorship, from Francisco Franco, was insane. Imagine if Hitler won... Well, that's what was happening in Spain until 40 years ago. For that reason, patriotism is something that doesn't mean the same in Spain as in other countries. Patriotism, the king and the flag are seen by some as symbols of the dictatorship, bad, sometimes even evil things. It doesn't help that recently it was discovered that the current king's father, the prior king, gifted millions of euros to a lover and recieved bribes from other countries, so it's certainly not a symbol of moral either. EDIT: Reading the comments everyone seems to percieve the Emperor as something worth keeping for stability. This is what makes Spain different. Not only is stability hard to find in our history, but our last "stable leader" was a fascist dictator like Hitler, so yeah, that changed our way to percieve the world a lot. And then we have Pais Vasco and Cataluña, two sections of Spain that have been fighting for centuries for independence, to the point of terrorism (thankfully the terrorists decided to stop violent acts years ago), which now has provoked fear in the people, which lead to overcompensation, pacifist independentists being attacked or imprisoned. To sum up, Spain is divided in two halves constantly fighting and insulting each other, the "traitors to the country, communists and terrorists" and the "descendants of Franco, dictators, corrupts and greedy". The monarchy is seen as a part of the latter.

@ISTAYUPLATE 2 года назад

The spanish monarchy is linked to fascism? Wasn’t it the work of Juan Carlos I who rejected Francoism and used his power as king to bring parliamentary democracy to Spain?

@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 2 года назад

If memory serves me the only reason why the fascist regime transitioned was because Franco's chosen and well-versed successor was offed by basque terrorists and which made the aging franco to decide to instead groom a "proper democracy".

@lancevance6346 2 года назад

Surprising amount of countries are divided in two halves right now it seems.

@joeldelica8706 2 года назад

You know, technically. We never wanted to separate from "mother spain"(as some dope use that term in my country). We just wanted full representation in government. And even become a royal province. Not some low class colony in Asia. But no. So you lost us at the turn of the 20th century to the americans.

@thedragonofechigo7878 2 года назад

Maybe it's also how the imperial family is tied to divinity so I suppose that's one reason but considering the warriors that walked those lands throughout the centuries, I'm surprised none of them tried to remove the imperial family outright although Takauji kinda did that when he installed Komyo as the emperor of the Northern court thus the Northern v Southern Court period began

@luanpetrickmaallanussa7396 2 года назад

Brazil had such a position of accepting an emperor, but, as the Brazilian Republic came in, our constitution banned any possibility of having such a figure. Today speaking about reviving the Imperial family again is the same of regression. It's taboo.

@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 2 года назад

They had 2 emperors and they were extremely competent as monarchs are concerned but not only that they actually maintained a connection to the livelihood* of the people which many monarchs really dont do. What endded the monarchy was the fact they ran out of competent heirs to replace the aging pedro the 2nd and the landowners and military saw a chance to seize power for themselves from the old and tired soldier king. He could have pressed his claims to reclaim the throne because of his popularity with the ppl but he was too tired and concerned about his ppl to throw their lives away for a nearly dead monarch as himself. Pedro the 1st and 2nd are a rarity in the usually apathetic and decedent nobility.

@justsomeguy1695 2 года назад

@@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 we can’t say about Pedro 1st as he didn’t rule for long but Pedro II was an extremely competent ruler his only mistake was that he didn’t arrange any succession to the throne or transition to democracy before he left the military dictatorship or ‘republic’ established after his ousting was completely inferior and in fact has significantly ruined Brazil as it was quite in stable and corrut

@ricardoyamada6409 2 года назад

In times of uncertanty, people need something they believe to be, firm land, to ancor themselves. Some like me fund, this answers in the faith,in institutions, and other people in culture and traditions. If the price to bring peace,to the peoples hearts, it's to mantain the imperial family, is to keep it,so keep it! Some invaluable things, can't be measured by money! "If you are ashamed of your flag,don't burn it,wash it!"(anonimous)

@ricardoyamada6409 2 года назад

Tamo Junto!(In portuguese "We're together!")

@timetwist1605 2 года назад

Hi, can someone explain to me what “Married a commoner” means? Is there like other nobility in Japan than the Imperial Family? Or who was she supposed to marry instead a commoner?

@evaagoston4112 2 года назад

Excellent point! A lot of people think marrying a commoner was a big deal, but in fact there really is no one else to marry. Every noble title except the Imperial was abolished after WW2 and there are no male members in the Imperial family to marry to, so yeah... They marry a commoner or they never get married.

@user-ys8xe1xd2x 2 года назад

There are no aristocrats legally. But we know who are the descendants of famous aristocrats and royal families, samurai descendants, and entrepreneurs.

@theMOCmaster 2 года назад

@@user-ys8xe1xd2x but they would still not be part of the royal family even if they married such a family

@thomasccail7607 2 года назад

@@theMOCmaster pedigree decides royalty… there are lots of royal family members who are not officially “royal” but are still part of the family

@d3thkn1ghtmcgee74 2 года назад

The old noble families other than the emperor are all commoners. Those ppl have pedigrees and are the only ones a royal can marry legally while still retaining the official royal titles. Many of the big corporations are actually owned by the old noble families too so that is also something to consider.

@zainmudassir2964 2 года назад

You sir make interesting videos I want to visit Japan after pandemic over

@thefreakmachine 2 года назад

I wanted to make a joke about the Warhammer 40k Emperor but I don't want to disrupt Shogo beautiful work.

@ItzStardustYT 2 года назад

Why was the first thing I thought of reading the title was Emperor, the stand from JJBA...

@valeriepark99 2 года назад

I like the existence of a monarch since to me, they are living existence that connects to the past. Plus having them around feel safe. When the PMs or presidents are always changing and things are often divided and a bunch of other things going around.... Their consistency is reassuring.

@marcioaraujomitrano686 2 года назад

Well, the Brazilian Emperor Pedro II was deposed in 1889, but not killed. In fact, the Imperial Family of Orleans e Bragança still exists as a private institution to this day, with lots of real estate and companies, and frequently lobbies for the return of an imperial or royal system, even if parliamentary, with them back in power. They also still use (unofficial) titles, like Duke and Prince.

@theharper1 2 года назад

Australia is in a similar position. The British Queen is technically still the head of state (actually the Governor General appointed by the Queen on advice from the Australian government), but the Queen has no political power. It would be hugely expensive to change the constitution to replace the Queen as head of state. The system works as it is, so the cost-benefit is to stay with the status quo. The Japanese emperor holds little real power, but changing the constitution would be difficult and expensive. I wonder how much the Imperial family costs to maintain though? They have a lot of expensive properties which have to be maintained.

@jessicalulila5709 2 года назад

I remember a documentary comparing the Emperor to the Pope

@Moples223 2 года назад

About Shintoism... What do you think of Larariums ( a place for worshipping Roman househould gods/spirits)?

@abooogeek 2 года назад

10: 45 I would agree with you and would follow a say we have in the lab "Don't fix it if it ain't broken". Why fix it if it works and do no harm to the society?

@theotherohlourdespadua1131 2 года назад

Aside from the fact the Emperor is the Head Priest of an entire religion and is the Japanese Government's traditional political punching bag?

@saintbrosef6149 2 года назад

It's just something shiny to look at. Like the royal family in England. They might have influence here and there, but for the most part, it's for culture.

@RePhantomz 2 года назад

In my opinion ot is not just heritage. There is a lot of case that people from democratic coutry still cant fully dismantle its old autocrachy culture lifestyle. For example the queen and lords in britain, heriditary governor position in Yogyakarta province based on family of Yogjalarta sultanate in indonesia and Chaniago clan in west sumatra which have old Datuk system reigning over some region still implemented untill now also in indonesia.

@Serenity_Dee 2 года назад

The head of state and the head of the government being two separate people, unlike here in the USA where the President has both roles, seems to have some advantages. It's how almost all of the existing monarchies of Europe operate; the monarch is the head of government and does all the public appearances and meetings with other heads of state and ceremonial crap, while the head of the government can absent themself from those things to some extent, focusing more on the actual business of running the country. I gotta say, though, it was more than a little weird the first time I heard a news headline about the collapse of the Dutch government, because to me "the government has collapsed" means that every person in the federal or national government has basically abandoned their job, probably because of a coup or some kind of crisis, but in parliamentary systems it just means "time for a new election."

@jeffscheurkogel 2 года назад

That's it. I have had enough. I'm going to give you a piece of my mind! Thank you for your immense dedication and passion. I am subscribing right now. Please continue to make such wonderful quality media but not at the cost of your health.

@Mr.Nichan 2 года назад

"The first emperor, Jimmu-tenno, ascended to the throne is 660 B.C." Did he really though? That's an awful long time before any written record of these events, or indeed of anything at all in Japan. EDIT: I see you addressed this well.

@harrisonstoliker4932 2 года назад

Politics and Monarchy aside. I think it's fascinating to have such a long lived line of succession. Beyond anything else, over 100 generations of this one family are on record. That's wonderful. I hope it lives to see 200 generations.

@pakuro64 2 года назад

2:06 Quick (and maybe dangerous) question: Is this why the Emperor is called 天皇? Like, 皇 coming from the 天. _For context: I only know a few words, and every time I see 天皇 I can't help but think about this... Please, forgive me if I was offensive by any means_

@dannychen9685 2 года назад

I have an inquiry regarding the court dresses that the officials and the Emperor and the Imperial Family wear. How come Spain or the U.K still retain their Empire-style ornate court uniforms with a sword attached to the side while the Japanese Emperor and the military and civic officials cease to wear the Imperial Empire-style uniforms of the Meiji Era? I have a few insights on the matter: and they stemmed from the Post-WW2 Occupation: 1. Purging the militaristic/militarism aspects associated with the government and the Emperor 2. The abolition of the peerage nobility and the cadet houses 3. To radically democratize Japan. However, I like your insights on this Shogo.

@timgersh6787 2 года назад

well Japan needs him to write the samurai news letter that is just really cool

@jackflip4877 2 года назад

Question. I have heard that the subjects of England's taxes help maintain the queen's livelihood and thus has been argued to be one reason to abolish the monarchy. Is this the same in Japan with the Emperor and thus a reason?

@jorgecanomartinez1 2 года назад

Here in Spain we have a king with no power as well, but there is an important part of population who wants to abolish it. Probably because there has been times we didn't have one, or that not always was the same household, so his "symbolic national role" is debatable. I guess Japan and Spain see their past quite differently. I'm glad Japan is somehow able to keep a bit of its essence

@gunnanusit1956 2 года назад

I always feel that Japanese monarchy remains just for the very purpose of existing - ensuring a sense of continuity for royalists. Other than that, its presence is really small, even ceremony-wise (which Japanese royalties tend to take minimalist stance, in contrast to the fanfare and pomp of the British's). Needless to compare emperors to powerful (and in many cases, corrupted) monarchs of gulf countries, Thailand, and Eswatini, I think being Japanese royalties feels even more suffocating than general standard in constitutional monarchy. It's as if they have to maintain this image of morally perfect family all the time without too many perks to enjoy.

@Sakura-zu4rz 2 года назад

🙏❤Hello❤Warm wishes on New Year to all of our wonderful and very special friend. ❤May you have a meaningful and successful year 2022 that brings you many joys and great big smiles! 😊