The source of life, situated in the right chest like a battery, is called the “Inner God.” As an avatar of the All-Knowing God, it bestows a positive energy filled with absolute joy that constantly makes one want to dance. It is said that the dancing Lord Shiva vividly represents this release of energy.
Through good deeds, people can expand and further illuminate their inner God. When a person dies, they return the Inner God—which was bestowed upon them as an individual—to the all-knowing, all-powerful God, thus repeating this cycle.
Therefore, while there may be painful circumstances behind each case of suicide, in reality, it amounts to killing God and, at the same time, constitutes the sin of ruining the DNA data and physical body that were lent to you with permission.
For this reason, it is difficult to secure a good place in the afterlife.
Of course, causing suffering to others or murdering someone is completely out of the question.
The souls of malicious people will be reincarnated either in a hellish environment or in a position where they can fully understand the feelings of their victims. If one is possessed by a demon and involved in mass murder, they will never again be allocated “batteries” and will be condemned to infinite hell. In other words, they will not even be given the opportunity to be reborn and do good deeds for others in the future.
Crimes in this world occur because people are unaware of this invisible mechanism of reincarnation.
Although the concept of God—as recognized in various forms around the world—and the workings of the afterlife may seem complex, they essentially refer to the “strict law of cause and effect” itself.
Let’s get back to the topic at hand.
To begin with, singing and dancing originated in ancient times as offerings to gods, nature spirits, and shrines. Since people naturally raise their hands, jump, or leap when they are at their happiest, these actions were formalized as a way to express gratitude to a higher power.
The traditional Awa Odori, famous in Tokushima Prefecture, is said to beautifully embody the sacred radiance of the Inner God. It is danced not only in Tokushima but in various places throughout Japan.
In addition to expressing gratitude toward nature, the movements—which involve gently stamping the ground—are believed to help suppress earthquakes. Hula dancing is also said to have the effect of suppressing earthquakes.
Today, I’d like to introduce a few unique songs that embody “Japanese charm” in a subtle way—songs that are sure to lift your spirits.
Bubblegum Brothers, “Won’t Be Long” (1990)
Inspired by Awa Odori, this song was produced by Brother Corn, a native of Koenji, Tokyo. The music video shows the band singing and dancing alongside Awa Odori performers right in the midst of an actual Awa Odori festival held in Koenji.
The artists’ movements are somewhat animalistic and unrestrained. However, the contrast between the refined and elegant Awa Odori dancers and the wild, beast-like artists is captivating, making this a charming song that respects and incorporates Japanese culture. The song became a huge hit, and even after the craze subsided, it continues to be covered by young singers across generations.
It’s not just the Awa Odori dancers; at Japanese festivals in general, everyone seems to enter a trance-like state and move not with their bodies but with their spirits.
In the video, there’s a scene where the wife of a shop owner, while watching the festival, wipes away tears while holding a portrait of a deceased family member—presumably her husband. This moment instantly captures one of the meanings of Japanese festivals—the commemoration of the departed—and adds a very strong emotional resonance.
I felt that without this scene, the video wouldn’t be complete. In fact, many viewers have pointed out the middle-aged woman who was crying.
Ryuichi Sakamoto was a world-renowned artist. In his private life, he was known for acts of violence toward his subordinates and his involvement in left-wing activism, but he composed several songs that incorporated Okinawan folk music.
“Asadoya Yunta” (1989)
“Call from Tokyo” (1989)
“Neo Geo” (1987), and others.
For Japanese people, Okinawa in midsummer is perceived less as a leisure destination with beautiful beaches and more as a place with a deeply tragic wartime history.
That is precisely why many Japanese find Okinawan folk songs to be melancholic.
That he, a world-renowned artist, was able to fully incorporate the essence of these songs into his own work can only be described as a stroke of genius.
Furthermore, it is truly meaningful to see Okinawan folk singers performing with such joy. The many people who lost their lives in the war, as well as the nature spirits watching over Okinawa, will surely take pride in these songs forever.
“Matsuken Samba II” （2004）
is a song released by a man who once played a young lord in the popular period drama *Abarenbou Shogun*, and who, in his later years, released this incredibly upbeat track. That period drama was a classic tale of bringing the bad guys to justice.
It was quite a shock that, even though his character on TV wasn’t the type to do something like this, he made such an exuberant debut later in life.
Many Japanese people were disappointed that this song wasn’t featured in the opening or closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics, which were held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the song is titled “Samba,” it has some quirky elements that deliberately ignore cultural context—such as instructing the drummer to play bongos, which aren’t typically used in samba, using the Spanish word “Carnaval,” and incorporating the Flamenco-style shout “Olé.”
However, it’s said to have many beneficial effects: its sunshine-like brightness cures depression, makes you forget what you were worried about, calms crying babies, and dispels strange occurrences when played in rooms or hotels said to be haunted by evil spirits.
Well, it’s been five years since I returned to Japan for the first time in a decade. Over the past five years, I’ve been feeling a bit lost here.
At first glance, Japan seemed to be in decline. Crime had increased, and I found the morals, culture, traditions, food, and service to be of poor quality.
I also realized that many Japanese people are fundamentally unsuited for business and, in that sense, are not truly mature. It’s nearly impossible for them to turn a profit or devise overseas strategies. They’re unable to deceive others and are too naive.
It is true that, compared to people in other countries, many Japanese tend to be serious, reserved, and law-abiding. However, when compared to the educated classes in Western countries who share similar characteristics, the Japanese seem to lack a sense of fairness and justice. Some even adopt a mean-spirited and cold attitude toward those younger than themselves or in a weaker position. It is believed that behind such behavior lie a mistaken belief that “no one will sue me,” a lack of objectivity, the postwar shift toward nuclear families (which led to the disappearance of older relatives from the household and the collapse of traditional family structures), and a growing distance from the teachings of Shinto and Buddhism.
The Japanese have a tendency to create unnecessary work or try to produce things that aren’t even needed. In short, the Japanese are childish yet earnest artisans.
Many of Japan’s politicians, as well as the companies and executives reaping massive profits, are naturalized Asians from countries other than Japan, and these people have amassed immense wealth by exploiting the Japanese and abusing them in various ways.
Even after realizing this structure existed, I thought there was nothing I could do about it. However, due to a major turning point last fall, the pyramid-like world structure has come to an end, ushering in a dynamic period of cleanup and the demise of the financial society. Furthermore, Ise-Hakusandou tells us that starting around 2039, human lifespans will begin to extend as they did in ancient times, and a “1,000-Year Nation” will rise with Japan at its center.
Thanks to his hugely popular blog, cultural traditions have been revived in many Japanese households over the past 20 years or so: people have once again set up altars as in the past, honoring their ancestors not only at gravesites but also at home, and installing a shelf above them to care for nature deities. These two shelves represent the pinnacle of Japanese culture, and by performing daily rituals in each household, Japan—and a portion of its people—have been spiritually reinvigorated.
As Rudolf Steiner pointed out, Japan is a unique place, like the summit of a mountain on Earth, and although there may be a slight time lag, events that occur in Japan have a significant impact on the entire world.
Since returning to Japan, I have felt that the number of Japanese people experiencing distress is increasing. In particular, I believe that the Japanese should distance themselves from international business and social structures modeled after the West and instead return to their original, ancient roles—devoting themselves to prayers and rituals at shrines and in the home, appeasing the spirits of the land, and engaging in activities such as dances to revitalize local communities. In short, I believe they should return to their true nature.
Among developed nations, Japan has a high suicide rate. This is because the Japanese are doing things that do not suit them. It is because they have become slaves to other nations. Japanese people, who work with expressionless faces like dead fish, seem to regain a sense of purpose in life and appear to glow during Shinto festivals. I speculate that this is not merely because such events provide a respite from daily life, but because each individual is expressing their genetic traits as a “shaman”—that is, someone who possesses powerful prayer abilities and is possessed by the spirits of nature.
If Japanese people wanted to build a company that generates enormous profits, they could do so; however, in the end, they are likely to be intimidated by foreigners, have their patents stolen, and be exploited.
The system is also set up so that high taxes are taken by other countries, but these sacrifices could ultimately be seen as an advance payment toward a spiritual society centered on Japan.
He always emphasizes that nothing is wasted.
Starting in 2039, life expectancy will increase, and people’s bodies will become translucent. By the time the future Emperor—who is currently a college student—ascends to the throne, Japan will become the center of the world alongside his female cousin, who will serve as the Grand Priestess of Ise Grand Shrine.
It is said that by then, there will be no one left who does not understand the worship of nature.
Generally speaking, when a person dies, they are judged on whether they lived off money from legitimate sources during their lifetime, whether they cherished their family and others, whether they treated the physical body they borrowed from their ancestors with care, and whether they showed respect to invisible beings. Based on this evaluation, the deceased is temporarily placed in the appropriate level of the afterlife, where they reflect on their life while watching a replay of it at three times the normal speed, awaiting their next reincarnation.
For people born in Japan—a sacred land—as well as for foreigners residing in Japan, the question of whether they showed respect to invisible beings—from the perspective of “being permitted to live in this sacred land”—will likely be a crucial criterion in the postmortem assessment.