Japan in the eyes of Albert Einstein

On November 17, 1922, the Nippon Yusen liner Kitanomaru carrying Einstein was approaching the port of Kobe via the Seto Inland Sea. More than a month had passed since the ship left the port of Marseille in France. Einstein described his impression of the Seto Inland Sea as follows:

“My curiosity peaked when I saw countless beautiful green islands glistening in the morning sun as the Kitanomaru sailed through a Japan channel.”

It was not only the scenery, but also the Japanese passengers on the ship that impressed Einstein.

“Many dainty ladies whom I had never seen before breakfast time walked cheerfully and laughingly on the deck at six in the morning, not caring about the cold morning wind, just to see their homeland as soon as possible. I was deeply touched to see how long they had been waiting to come home.”

This was the beginning of Einstein’s stay in Japan that lasted for 40 days.

The reason for Einstein’s visit to Japan was an invitation from Sanehiko Yamamoto. “When I received Yamamoto’s invitation to Japan, I immediately decided to go on a long trip that could last several months. I thought that if I passed up the opportunity to see Japan with my own eyes, I would live to regret it. I have never been more envied than the moment the people around me found out that I was invited to Japan. It was because Japan was, for us, a country shrouded in the mist of mystery like no other.”

A short time before, Lafcadio Hearn had written books interpreting Japan to Westerners with deep affection. Einstein had read some of those books and had high expectations of Japan. After arriving in Japan, Einstein wrote to his friend:

“Delicate and elegant people and art. The Japanese are more mysterious than I imagined through Hearn’s books. They are also affectionate and sincere.”

Europe at that time was in shambles immediately after the end of the First World War. There were probably many Europeans who felt a dead end in their modern Western civilization. On the other hand, Japan was still “a country shrouded in the mist of mystery” to them.

After arriving in Kobe on November 17, Einstein spent the night in Kyoto and headed for Tokyo the next day. From nine in the morning to seven in the evening, he enjoyed the train ride to Tokyo under cloudless skies. He passed the brilliant blue sea and the ports. Snow-covered Mount Fuji appeared to his left. The sunset on Mount Fuji was as beautiful as it could be. The silhouettes of forests and hills were fantastic. The towns were serene and peaceful and the schools were clean. The fields had been carefully plowed and prepared.

As soon as he arrived in Tokyo, Einstein found himself surrounded by a crowd of people and completely blinded by an avalanche of flashlights. The Osaka Mainichi newspaper the next day reported this scene, with a large image, as follows:

People screaming at Tokyo station – Einstein banzai! The crowd running towards Dr. Einstein threw Tokyo station into chaos. The Germans who were at the station to receive the professor were delighted to see the enthusiasm of the Japanese. Some of them were holding back tears.

About this warm welcome, Einstein later said: “That was the most enthusiastic welcome I have ever received in my life. In fact, I was very well received in the United States as well when I visited there. In Japan, however, I felt the genuine and unflappable sincerity of the people more intensely than in any other country. I assumed it was because the Japanese respected science. I was delighted and I felt extremely happy.”

On November 19, Einstein gave a six-hour lecture at Keio University braving the fatigue of the long journey. The Yomiuri newspaper reported:

Audience Awed By Six-Hour Lecture: Einstein gave his first lecture in Japan, “Summary of Special and General Relativity,” at Keio University. The professor started the lecture at 1:30 pm, took a one-hour break after speaking for three hours, and continued until concluding at 7:30 pm During this long lecture, none of the 2,000 spectators left their seats. Instead, they clung to every word of Einstein and translator Jun Ishihara, quietly and earnestly.

It is said that the entire audience was completely fascinated and enraptured by Einstein’s melodious voice, regardless of whether they could understand the difficult theory.

Following this lecture, Einstein delivered a six-part lecture series at the University of Tokyo and general lectures in the cities of Tokyo, Sendai, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Hakata. Each venue was packed with more than 1,000 spectators who listened to the lecture with great attention. However, it is hard to believe that so many ordinary people really understood the theory of relativity, no matter how simply Einstein explained it. What was behind the enthusiastic welcome of the people at the Tokyo station and the enthusiasm for the lectures?

On December 10, Einstein, who was back in Kyoto, visited the Kyoto Imperial Palace after giving a lecture. He described his impression of the palace as “It was the most beautiful building I have ever seen in my life.”

From the courtyard, he could see the main hall with the Emperor’s Chair where enthronement ceremonies used to take place. There were about 30 portraits of Chinese on display in the room. The portraits were displayed as a sign of the Japanese people’s appreciation and respect for the Chinese who brought their culture to Japan.

The Japanese still have that attitude towards foreigners. For example, it is impressive how respectful the Japanese who once studied in Germany have been with the German scientists. A temple was even built to commemorate the German bacteriologist Koch. The Japanese sincerely appreciate other people without sarcasm or doubt. This is one of the characteristics of the Japanese people. There may not be many other people in the world who have such pure sincerity as the Japanese.

In developing its economic and military powers, Japan owes much to the science and technology of Western countries. On the other hand, Japan also needed science and technology to carry out its national task of protecting the independence and freedom of Japan itself and many other nations in the Western countries that were trying to colonize the world. The Japanese people at the time had complicated feelings about Western science and technology. And Einstein was the best embodiment of Western science.

After Japan abandoned its isolation policy to resume foreign trade in 1868, it had been sending large numbers of students to Europe to learn Western science. Before visiting Japan, Einstein met those Japanese students and got an impression about the Japanese like this: “We see many Japanese who live a quiet life, study enthusiastically, and always give us a friendly smile. Although none of us can see the hidden feelings behind their smiles, we can imagine that they have a very different soul from ours.”

During his time in Japan, Einstein met many Japanese people between lectures and sightseeing, including top Japanese scientists such as Hantaro Nagaoka and Shibasaburo Kitazato, as well as students and journalists. He even visited some common people’s houses. Then he realized what “the feelings behind Japanese smiles” were: “In Germany, no one doubts that the purpose of education is to prepare people for the fight for survival as individuals. Especially in the cities, people are inclined towards unbridled individualism and engage in cutthroat competitions and fierce battles to obtain as much luxury and pleasure as possible.

World War I, which is said to have killed more than 19 million people for the purpose of colonizing the world, was the result of such fierce battles.

On the other hand, Japan looked completely different in his eyes. “There is a reason why the close relationship between individuals is easier in Japan than in our country. It seems that one of the common characteristics of the Japanese is that they do not express their feelings or emotions, but remain calm and reserved under any circumstances. They do it to maintain good personal relationships. This is why you can live under one roof, even together with someone you really don’t like, without painful friction and conflict. Here lies the deep meaning of the Japanese smiles that have always puzzled Europeans. It is because of their delicacy that they contain their feelings. It also stems from his strong compassion for other people.”

Because the Japanese do not express their feelings, Einstein was unable to delve into the soul of the Japanese while in Japan.

“However, the lack of direct interactions with the Japanese was supplemented by impressions of their arts. The rich and diverse Japanese arts impressed me more than those of any other country. By ‘arts’ here, I mean everything that humans have created with their hands. In this regard, I can’t get over the wonder of Japanese arts. In Japan, man and nature seem to be united in perfect harmony… Everything that comes from this country is charming, brilliant and closely connected with what nature offers us.

“Enchanting are the landscapes with small islands and green hills, the trees, the carefully divided small parcels of land and the carefully prepared fields, in particular the small houses that rise on the lands, and finally the people, their language, movements, clothes, with all the furniture and tools they use… Every little thing has a meaning and a function. Also, I was completely fascinated by the picturesque smiles of elegant people and how they lean and sit, which seemed impossible to imitate.”

The policy of increasing wealth and military power that Japan undertook 150 years ago ended up leading it to the power struggle waged by Western countries. Japan had no other choice to maintain its freedom and independence as a nation. However, the militant worldview was incompatible with the traditional Japanese view typified by the phrase “Wa o motte toutoshi to nasu (harmony is to be highly valued).” In addition, Japan enthusiastically learned Western science and technology with the goal of becoming a wealthy nation with a strong military. However, at the bottom of Western science and technology there was an attitude of analysis and use of nature as a goal of conquest. It was quite different from the traditional Japanese way of life in which they had lived in harmony with nature. The Japanese people’s attitude of admiring Western science was therefore different from the traditional Japanese way of life that Einstein acclaimed. About this contradiction, Einstein warned the following:

“It is true that the Japanese people admire the intellectual achievements of Westerners and have launched the pursuit of science under the banner of success and great idealism. I wish, however, that they do not lose or forget their virtues, which they have kept since long before knowing the Western world, such as the artistic sense and skill exercised in daily life, the simplicity and modesty expected of people, and the pure and calm Japanese soul.”

The development of science and technology makes our lives more comfortable. Yet at the same time, it also puts us at risk of using nuclear weapons and destroying the global environment. It seems to me that for the earth and the human race to survive, the world now needs the traditional Japanese view of life that places importance on harmony between people and between people and nature, which Einstein admired. More than anyone, the Japanese themselves will have to recapture their traditional way of life.