Life

Yoko Mori

Associate Professor, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Mejiro University; 2004 Letters, '06 Master of Letters, '09 Doctor of Letters

As a child, I learned about something called stromatolites in an encyclopedia. They are apparently underwater masses that have been producing oxygen since ancient times. The knowledge that the source of life was a stationary object was a surprise that was difficult to truly grasp.

At the beginning of the Kojiki myths, it is said that when the primordial land was floating like oil or a jellyfish, something like a reed shoot appeared and became the deity Umashiashikabihikoji. Shinobu Orikuchi, who was once a professor at Keio University, reportedly translated this humorously as "the funny ashikabi old man" (Yasaburo Ikeda, Marebito no Za).

The Japanese people's familiarity with reed shoots is also evident in the 1913 song "Soshunfu" (Early Spring Ode), which sings of how "the ice melts away and the reeds begin to bud" (Nihon Kashoshu). This attention to reed shoots, which poke out of the muddy early spring soil like animal horns, has been maintained since ancient times. Quite apart from the accurate knowledge of natural science, I believe the spirit of the Japanese ancestors—who found the beginning of life with their own eyes in their daily lives and reaffirmed it year after year—is also a kind of truth.

Kentaro Koike

Executive Vice President, Koike Shoji Co., Ltd.; Secretary, Toyohashi Mita-kai; 2008 Economics

Gamagori City in Aichi Prefecture is a warm tourist destination surrounded by the calm Mikawa Bay and gentle mountains. Located five minutes from the station of this small town with a population of less than 80,000, the "Sea of Life Science Museum" stands facing the sea. The first thing you see upon entering is a large whale fossil. This specimen has been on display since the museum opened in 1999, but surprisingly, subsequent research identified it as a new genus and species. In the spacious first-floor area where such specimens are displayed, events mainly for children are held, and local families often visit.

The paid exhibition rooms on the third floor display the evolution of life set in the sea, featuring specialized content that can be challenging even for adults. The Nantan meteorite, which visitors can touch, is the size of an adult and weighs 855 kilograms. Rubbing it leaves the smell of iron on your hands, allowing for a learning experience with a realistic texture.

After enjoying the Sea of Life Science Museum, it is also good to stop by the nearby Takeshima Aquarium. It is a small aquarium that was recently renovated, but it features displays of rare deep-sea creatures and how fish eat, providing another place to think about life.

How about a trip to feel life in a seaside town?

Ryo Ueno

Deputy Director, Sports Division, Japan Lifesaving Association; 2018 Environment and Information Studies

The sea is a truly enjoyable place. Swayed by the sound of waves and wind, looking into the far distance, you can feel the Earth. It makes you realize how truly small humans are in the face of nature.

While the sea is a fun place, it is also a place of danger. It is greatly affected by tides, wind, and waves. Even if you are confident in your swimming, once you enter, there are currents you cannot resist.

Nowadays, safety is guaranteed in the city, and we can live without feeling danger, but nature remains unchanged. That is precisely why we must not forget the awareness of "protecting our own lives" when facing the sea and the natural environment.

Accidental deaths at sea have not decreased at all over the past 30 years. This is despite the fact that the number of people visiting the sea is decreasing. Paying attention to danger and protecting oneself while having fun—this attitude learned through lifesaving is useful everywhere.

Everyone loses their life eventually. But that place must not be the "sea." Drowning is a "preventable death." I want to continue my activities so that the sea remains a place full of smiles.

Ryoko Fukuzawa

Assistant Senior Researcher, Life Design Research Department, Dai-ichi Life Research Institute Inc.; 2020 Graduate School of Media and Governance

The major individual decision to "take one's own life" is heavily influenced by the systems of the society to which one belongs. Reading Durkheim's classic "Suicide" as a university freshman, I felt it was like a world of science fiction, and this book sparked my interest in society. Yukichi Fukuzawa reportedly translated the word "Society" not as "shakai" but as "jinkan kosai (society)." It can be said that society is precisely what is created through human connections.

At the Life Design Research Department where I work, we conduct daily research and disseminate information so that each individual's way of living and lifestyle can move in a better direction. In particular, I have a strong interest in lifestyles where people help each other with childcare or elderly life in places like share houses. People who are not family connect and live while repeatedly cooperating and arguing. There is certainly a small society there. How does such a society make us realize the importance of "life" and improve the quality of life? I want to closely observe various phenomena and explore their significance.