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https://github.com/jacobwgillespie/timekeeping-in-japan

:jp: Presentation on Timekeeping in Japan
https://github.com/jacobwgillespie/timekeeping-in-japan

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:jp: Presentation on Timekeeping in Japan

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[Presentation Slides](https://jacobwgillespie.github.io/timekeeping-in-japan/)



# Timekeeping in Japan



National history can be studied through a variety of means.  We can trace a country’s dealings through their writings, their art, their theater.  Trade agreements, diplomacy, and foreign affairs can give insight into the relationships between a country and its neighbor countries.  However the way a country tells time can also afford insight into that country.  Japan is no exception, as its timekeeping has evolved over the years in response to the national climate.



Uninterrupted from year 701 to today, Japan has followed a system of naming eras called *nengoo* ("year name").  Typically the emperor would establish the name of the era during his reign; however in later years, the eras began to be named after the emperor’s reign.  Western nations have adopted those era names when studying Japanese history.  There are over 240 different era names, so to simplify matters, groups of eras are referred to by their dominant era.  



During the Edo period, also called the Tokugawa period, between 1603 and 1868, Japan was governed by the Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal military style of government, that ruled Japan from the Edo Castle located in modern-day Tokyo.  The country was governed by the *daimyo*, feudal lords who held large hereditary land holdings and ruled the country under the shogunate.  At the beginning of the Edo period, the *daimyo* were reorganized into *han* (or domains) based on their rice production, rather than land mass.  Each geographic region was thus separate and distinct from the other, as, while they were all under the rule of the shogunate, each had its own *daimyo*.  During this time, each area had its own regional timezone using a traditional and simplistic timekeeping strategy: noon was at "high noon", the time when the sun was at its zenith.  This system was kept throughout the Edo period and functioned well for the country of Japan.



In 1868, Japan returned to a system of imperial rule after the Meiji Restoration.  The Meiji Restoration was a series of events so named because they "restored" emperor rule.  The current and last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, resigned in November of 1867, offering his allegiances to the emperor, and in January of 1898 the new emperor made a formal declaration of his restoration of power.  After some struggle, imperial rule was established and Japan entered the Meiji period, so named after Emperor Meiji.



The Meiji period was a transitionary period for the nation, as Japan exited its isolated feudal state and began to transform into its modern state.  Many different areas - from politics, military, social structure, to its attitudes toward foreign powers - began to change.  One byproduct of this change was modern transportation, which began to put stress on the former timekeeping system.  Especially with the introduction of trains, timekeeping across cities became difficult.  For example, a train leaving from Osaka would arrive in Tokyo 20 minutes behind the time in Osaka.  



To alleviate this situation, the Japanese government issued Ordinance 51 in 1886 that established Japanese Standard Time.  This ordinance chose 135 degrees east as the standard offset from GMT, setting the nation of Japan at 9 hours ahead of GMT.  As the city of Akashi, and specifically the Akashi Municipal Planetarium, was located exactly at 135 degrees east longitude, it because associated with the standard time zone and became known as *Toko no machi*, or Town of Time.



As Japan began to develop, it began to look to expand.  As part of a political doctrine *nanshin-ron*, or southern expansion doctrine, southeast Asia and the pacific islands were of great interest to Japan, economically as well as potential territories.  Japan looked to European nations as models to emulate in an imperial system, and as many of the European powers began extending their reach closer to Japan, *nanshin-ron* became more important politically.



One of the first targets for this expansion was Taiwan.  Japan wanted to make Taiwan a model colony, so many improvements to the public infrastructure and economy were enacted.  This included bringing Taiwan into the time fold, with Ordinance 167 creating a new Western Standard Time, renaming Japanese Standard Time to Central Standard Time in 1865.  This new timezone was set to 8 hours ahead of GMT.  Continuing their expansion, Japan moved Korea away from Korea Standard Time (8 ½ hours ahead of GMT) to its Central Standard Time in 1912 two years after taking control of Korea.



With the death of Emperor Meiji in 1912, Emperor Taisho succeeded his father, ushering in the Taisho Era.  Japan continued its expansion, fighting in World War I on the side of the Allied powers, allowing it to expand its hold on Asia.  Starting in 1937, various holdings began to abolish their timezones and adopt Japan Standard Time, removing the previously created Western Standard Time.  Emperor Taisho died in December of 1926.  He was succeeded by Emperor Hirohito, also known as Emperor Showa.



Thus began the Showa era, moving Japan towards fascism and totalitarianism.  This was a time of social upheaval in the world at large.  Japan attempted an invasion of China and participated in World War II, ultimately being defeated.  On condition of the defeat, the US occupied Japan, enacting many social changes along the New Deal policies from US President Roosevelt.  Among the many changes economically, politically, and educationally, timekeeping was affected as well, as the US brought daylight saving time to Japan during its occupation.  US occupation ended in April of 1952 with the San Francisco Peace Treaty.



Some of the US "reforms" were kept after Japan regained its national sovereignty, and others were abolished.  Daylight saving time was one of the first to go, being generally disliked across the nation.  People complained about sleep disruption and the increase of daytime labor.  That absence of daylight saving time has continued to today.  Although there has been some movement from the current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to reintroduce daylight saving time as an energy-saving measure, all attempts to reintroduce have thus far been unsuccessful.



Exploring Japanese history through its timekeeping gives an insight into its history in a way not often discussed, though complementary to other aspects of Japanese history.  Japanese timekeeping has mirrored its national climate, showing us another facet of the nation and its attitudes toward the world.



## Sources



J.McKinstry and H. Kerbo, *Japanese Society and History*. 2013. [audiobook]



United States Naval Observatory. *Publications of the United States Naval Observatory.* 1906



Hongo, Jun. The Japan Times. *Daylight saving: Is it finally time to convert?.* 2011. [online]



Japanese Government. *明治十九年勅令第五十一号.* Ordinance 51. 1886



Japanese Government. *明治二十八年勅令第百六十七號標準時ニ關スル件中改正ノ件.*

Ordinance 167. 1937.