3WAVES BLOG

Friday January 1st, 2010 | Posted in Behind the Name | No Comments

When creating  3Waves Japan we kept coming back to how vital the historical context of modern Japan was to comprehending contemporary Japanese culture.  Our name refers to the three major social revolutions of modern Japan.  The first wave occured when Commodore Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay in 1853 and ended 200 years of Japanese isolation.  What followed was the rapid modernization of Japan as it sought more connection with the outside world.  The second wave occured when the nation lifted itself up from the ashes of World War II to build the world’s second largest economy; one that became the envy of much of the world.  The third wave has yet to fully hit the shore, however, we believe it is starting to roll in. After the bursting of Japan’s economic bubble in 1990, there has been a great deal of social upheaval.  Society is quickly changing as today’s youth shun many of the traditions of a highly complex and traditional culture. Recently we have also seen the election of a new government after almost 50 years of rule by the same party, signifying that Japanese people young and old are searching within themselves to find a path for social change.