This week, we’re talking about one of the oddest moments of the final years of feudalism: a spontaneous outbreak of dancing and religious worship collectively referred to as the “Ee Ja Nai Ka” movement. What was it, what motivated it, and how much can we even answer those questions to begin with?
Sources
Miura, Takashi. Agents of World Renewal: The Rise of Yonaoshi Gods in Japan
Partner, Simon. Koume’s World: The Life and Work of a Samurai Woman Before and After the Meiji Restoration
Jansen, Marius. The Making of Modern Japan
Images
Fascinating episode (just caught up with the Koume’s World episodes as well, which were similarly fascinating). It feels to me like this period in Japan has similar vibes to Early Modern Europe. You’ve got war and political chaos coupled with extreme religious uncertainty, a chaotic media environment where unsubstantiated rumours can propagate extremely quickly, a proliferation of eccentric religious movements, etc.
I think you can definitely make the argument, and indeed there’s a really good book of essays (Edo and Paris is the name) that is framed around exactly that comparison!