Prince Shotoku's Secret Diary: His Favourite Pilgrimage is Buddhism, His Hobby is Planning the Future?

Prince Shotoku's Secret Diary: His Favourite Pilgrimage is Buddhism, His Hobby is Planning the Future!?

Hello! I'm Prince Shotoku. I've traveled back in time from the Asuka period. Can I tell you a little about myself today? History textbooks tend to give me a stuffy introduction, but actually, I had a pretty interesting life.

My title: Prince, but not just any prince.

Let me start by introducing myself. I was born Prince Umayado and was in charge of politics under Empress Suiko. In today's terms, I was the "Creative Director of Yamato." I organized the political system, engaged in diplomatic relations with China and the Korean Peninsula, spread Buddhism, and thought about the education system... I was constantly multitasking.

At the time, Japan as a country still didn't have a clear shape, so it was necessary to draw a vision for the future and create a system to realize it. I was constantly thinking about how to make this country beautiful, peaceful, and culturally rich. So, rather than just being a prince, it might be more accurate to call me a future designer.

The Seventeen-Article Constitution is not just a set of rules.

Have you ever heard the phrase "Harmony is the most important thing"? This is the first article of the Seventeen-Article Constitution that I wrote. However, this is a little different from what we would call a law. It doesn't have any penalties like modern constitutions, but is more like a "guideline for how to live" that tells officials what kind of attitude they should have when they do their jobs.

For example, "Don't let anger get the better of you" and "Set aside your selfish desires and work for the public good" are all things that are still relevant in today's society. Perhaps the spirit of "value harmony" is especially necessary in this day and age when social media is prone to flame wars. I wanted to create a society where everyone can calm their minds and cooperate with each other.

Why I became obsessed with Buddhism

The reason I became interested in Buddhism wasn't just because of religious interest. At the time in Japan, there was constant conflict between powerful clans, and many people were feeling uneasy. In that environment, I was really drawn to the Buddhist ideas of "calming the mind," "letting go of desires," and "respecting life."

Buddhism isn't just about praying at a temple, it's a tool for arranging your life. It's like mindfulness or meditation apps today. I thought, "To organize the country, we must first organize people's hearts," so I focused on spreading Buddhism.

The construction of Horyuji Temple was part of that. He wanted to create not just a building, but a space that could be a "refuge for the soul." It was a kind of "spatial poetry" that combined architecture and philosophy.

Simultaneous interpretation? That's my specialty.

Have you ever heard the legend that "I could listen to 10 people talking at once"? I don't know if that was actually possible, but I was good at listening to people and understanding them. In other words, I had extremely high communication skills.

In modern times, it would be like being able to listen to 10 of your friends talk about their love lives at the same time at a cafe and give accurate advice to each of them. I thought that "listening to people is the first step in politics." You can't make good decisions unless you understand the other person's feelings.

That's why, in diplomacy, he respected the culture and values ​​of the other party, and at home he skillfully coordinated the opinions of powerful clans and tried to bring things together in a way that everyone could agree on. I guess you could say he was like a facilitator or mediator in today's terms.

My vision: A beautiful country that will continue for 100 years

What I wanted to do wasn't just politics, but to "create a culture for the future." Building Buddhist temples, improving the education system, and showing how officials should behave...all of this was with the idea that people 100 years from now would think, "This country is great."

I believed that "culture transcends time." That's why I wanted to value long-lasting beauty and philosophy over immediate profits. Like WABISUKE, I aimed to "pass on beauty and philosophy." To infuse "space" and "meaning" into everything: space, words, systems. That was my plan for the future.

If I were alive today, I'm sure I'd be making zines, talking about Buddhism on podcasts, and sharing the aesthetics of Horyuji Temple on Pinterest. Even if the means of communication change, the feelings I want to convey remain the same.

So, did you enjoy Prince Shotoku's Secret Diary? History isn't just about memorization; it's also about learning about a person's way of life. Next time, it might be interesting to plan something like "What if Prince Shotoku had a TikTok account?" or "Opening up a chat room with Empress Suiko." If you have any requests, please let me know.

And it is you, who live in the present, who will create the future. I would be happy if the dreams of my time could reach you today.