A 20th-century feminist in Japan declared
Photo:
Amaterasu cave – large – 1856. 19th century Japan. Public domain image.
March is “Women’s History Month” in the US. Several major institutions join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history.
I would like to take this opportunity to learn more about women in history, especially in Japan. Contrary to what is commonly understood, I sense that women in Japan once enjoyed much more freedom, equality, and even power than modern day.
Hiratsuka Raicho 平塚雷鳥 (1886 – 1971) is well-known as the founder of Japan’s first all-women literary magazine, Seitō (青鞜, literally Bluestocking). The opening of the first issue of Seito was also a very famous line, “In the Beginning, Woman Was the Sun .（元始、女性は太陽であった）”
When Raicho wrote this statement in 1911, women in Japan didn’t have voting right. Much stricter social norm was imposed upon women than on men. Starting a magazine company run by all women must have been epoch making.
What is more intriguing for me, however, is her declaration. She reminded us of what the Japanese took for granted, that is, in Japanese mythology, the sun was a goddess, not a god.
Ancient Japanese people paid pretty impressive respect to women, don’t you think?