Image of Japanese Society and Culture in Hindi Travel Memoirs

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  • हिंदी यात्रा-संस्मरणों में जापानी समाज और संस्कृति की छवि

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Abstract

In this article I have attempted to examine the impression of Hindi writers about Japanese society and culture. There are not much written materials available in this regard. Only eight or nine complete books and around ten articles have been found to know about the image of Japanese society in Hindi travel memoirs. The first and I think one of the best books about Japan (The title of the book, too, is ‘Japan’) in Hindi was written by Rahul Sankrityayan in 1936. He came to Japan in the summer of 1935. He stayed in Japan for around three months. He wrote 215 pages about Japanese culture and different places. Before World War 2 Japan was completely different from the Japan after 1945. Culturally Japan was full of patriotic feelings and heavily nationalist. Industrialization was more or less same. But farming sector was bigger than the industrial sector in Japan around 1930s, according to this book. Just after this book another Indian writer Vishnu Dutt Shukl wrote ‘Japan ki Baten’ in 1938. After these two books written during 1930s, no other books could be found related to forth decade. This could be that because of WW2 no Indian writer had visited Japan. After WW2, four Hindi books about Japan could be found, which were written during 1950s. And then in the following decade, only one piece of travel memoirs was published during 1960s. Further I have found three travel memoirs that were written during 1970s. No travel memoirs of 1980s could be found. However, during the next thirty years, we could find a greater progress so much so that six travel memoirs were made available. In a broader sense, the image on Indian mind about Japanese society is highly industrialized nation, the people are very hard-working, patriotic, peaceful and nature loving, Buddhist, educated and well mannered. Most of the writers have mentioned in their respective works that the Japanese people are very much helping nature. This is true that language is a big problem for foreigners in Japan. But this problem is nothing because of the helping nature of the island. Travelers always feel and very much aware of this that the Japanese people are very honest and there is no insecurity anywhere in Japan. Picturesque beauty of Japan is another common point that almost all the writers have noticed and mentioned in greater respect. However, only one book that I have found has different opinion. In 1954 an Indian politician Seth Govind Das (1896-1974) travelled Japan and other countries of the world. He wrotePrithivi Parikrma (Revolving Earth) about his experiences and impressions. His impression about cleanliness of Japan were different from his former and latter travelers. Most of Japan’s images in Hindi travel memoires are full of praises and inspirations for Hindi raders. Decentralization of growth is also a very good aspect in Japan. Even in village life, travelers noticed that electricity have been available there since 1930s or perhaps before that. All the Japanese are well educated and there is a system of universal education for all Japanese nationals. And there is no discrimination of any kind. No caste system, no religious enmity and other kind of social problems are visible in Japan. Behind the progress of Japanese society all the writers have highlighted that the Japanese education system has been the main factor. Educated, high-skilled, hardworking and honest people have created development for their society.

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