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Japan. Personal Diary, 1903
Japanese document dated 1903 (Meiji 36 or Jimmu 2563) containing daily personal notes. It includes proverbs, important dates, and military regulations.
On the last page, written in Japanese calligraphy, appears the motto Wakon yōsai (和魂洋才), meaning “Japanese spirit, Western technology,” an expression that emerged during the Meiji era and was influenced by Kokugaku. This concept promoted the modernization of Japan through the adoption of Western scientific advances and technology while preserving a traditional Japanese social and cultural framework.
Japanese document from the Meiji era.
