The unquiet past
Seven decades on from the defeat of Japan, memories of war still divide East Asia
THERE can be no more pleasing spot in Tokyo on a July evening than the Yasukuni shrine. The cicadas murmur as you pass along the avenue of ginkgo trees framing the great shinmon gate, fashioned out of dark balks of cypress. The chrysanthemum drapes of the worship hall flutter alluringly; lanterns line the way, and the crowds are in a holiday mood and summer robes. Parties chant with gusto as they parade past with the palanquins housing their neighbourhood deities.
This article appeared in the Essay section of the print edition under the headline “The unquiet past”
Essay August 15th 2015
From the August 15th 2015 edition
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