Is there any Quaker style, reflective journals by Japanese Quakers?
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Yes, there is a prominent example of a deeply reflective, journal-style work by a notable Japanese Quaker, as well as a rich tradition of reflective essays that embody the Quaker spirit.
The most famous example that captures the reflective spirit often found in Quaker Journals is the work of Mieko Kamiya.
1. Mieko Kamiya's Journal: A Spiritual and Ethical Reflection
Dr. Mieko Kamiya (神谷 美恵子) (1914–1979), a Quaker physician and humanitarian known for her dedicated work with Hansen's disease (leprosy) patients, left a powerful body of work that is highly regarded for its profound inner reflection and ethical questioning.
Key Work: Kamiya Mieko Nikki (神谷美恵子日記) – The Mieko Kamiya Diary.
This published collection of her private diary entries spans 40 years (1939–1979). It is not a Quaker Journal in the 17th-century sense, but it functions as a deep, spiritual autobiography and ethical self-examination.
Content and Quaker Resonance: The diary chronicles her personal struggles, her quest for meaning ("Ikigai" – 生きがい, or purpose in life), and her tireless work in medicine. The entries reflect the core Quaker testimonies of:
Integrity and Truth: Her unflinching self-criticism and search for authentic truth.
Service: Her daily commitment to marginalized patients, seen as living out her faith.
The Inward Light: Her writings demonstrate a constant spiritual striving and dialogue with her deepest conscience, a process akin to the Quaker practice of listening for the "Inner Light."
Context: Kamiya was raised in a home steeped in the Quaker spirit, and she spent time at the Quaker study center Pendle Hill in the US, experiences that heavily influenced her work and life philosophy.
2. Reflective Essay Form (The Bushido and Internationalism Tradition)
While formal, long-form Quaker journals written by Japanese Friends are less common than those by early English or American Friends, the reflective spirit is powerfully channeled through intellectual and ethical essays (Zuihitsu).
Inazo Nitobe (新渡戸 稲造): As the most famous Japanese Quaker, his works are inherently reflective and bridge-building:
Bushido: The Soul of Japan: Though not a journal, this book is a profound reflection on the ethical and moral underpinnings of Japanese culture. It is a work of introspection aimed at explaining the "soul" of Japan to the West, using a framework that often aligns with Quaker integrity and social testimonies.
A Japanese View of Quakerism: This address reflects deeply on how the Quaker concept of the "Inward Light" resonates with Eastern philosophies, serving as a cultural and religious reflection on faith.
Yasaka Takagi (高木 八尺): A pioneer of American Studies in Japan, his academic and personal writings often reflected a commitment to democratic, liberal, and peaceful values—principles rooted in his Quaker conviction—serving as a spiritual and ethical witness in the academic sphere.
In summary, while the specific genre of the historical "Quaker Journal" is rare among Japanese Friends, the essence of that reflective spiritual practice is clearly evident in the published diaries, letters, and ethical essays of major figures like Mieko Kamiya, whose work stands as a testament to the introspective and service-oriented nature of Japanese Quakerism.
