Yasukuni Shrine

On my last full day in Japan, I took the train from Takamatsu back to Tokyo, from which I would fly back to Beijing the next day.  I got into Tokyo in the afternoon and decided to make an effort to go and see the Yasukuni Shrine.  As you can see, I made it to the first torii right as the sun was setting.

The formal entrance to the shrine takes you along a long path as you pass under three torii.  This is the second.

You can see the third torii and then in the far background Main Hall of the shrine.

So why does the Yasukuni shrine cause so much controversy amongst Asian nations?  The Yasukuni shrine was built in the 1870's by the Emperor Meiji.  The emperor, wishing to honor the memory of those who had died for their country (or at that time empire), built this shrine.  Any Japanese person who has died in a war for the country is enshrined at the Yasukuni Shrine as a deity.  At this point there are about 2.5 Million deities.  The controversy stems from the fact that in the 1970's in a secret move, the major war criminals from World War II were enshrined here as deities.  This particularly angers the nations of China and South Korea.  Additional anger is brought forth when Japanese leaders make a visit to the shrine.

The military tribunal for the Far East found a number of Japanese leaders and military leaders guilty of crimes against humanity.  However,  Dr. Radha Pal was the only judge who did not insist all defendants were guilty.  Because of that, he is given a memorial in the shrine complex.

Also honored are the women and children who suffered because of the war and the consequences of the war.

The last morning of my trip, I met up with Uncle Nino, who is my Dad's high school classmate.  We ate brunch and talked about, guess who...my Dad!