Shiatsu society just insists they will carry on using bamboo image on their logo
Finally, we have received a letter from the society's co-chair, Elaine Liechtiy.
I am so disappointed by what they wrote. They just declared that they will insist usage of the bamboo image, insult both Japanese and Chinese people in different ways.
This is the extract from their letter:
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Dear M,
I am replying on behalf of the Shiatsu Society Board to messages sent by you via Facebook in response to posts on our Facebook page. In regard to the Society’s logo and the use of bamboo: one of our members who is Japanese has sent this link to the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries website that presents the relationship of Japanese culture/life and bamboo (https://www.maff.go.jp/j/pr/aff/1301/spe1_02.html only in Japanese). It explains that the history of bamboo in Japan goes back to Jomon era (ca.14000 to 300 BCE) (Before the arrival of Chinese culture) – archaeologically approved. The plant was used for food, agriculture, fisheries, building, craftworks, instruments, tools and a lot more since and even now. Bamboo also appears in Japanese classical literatures (e.g. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter / Taketori Monogatari or in numbers of haiku), Shinto rituals and tea ceremonies etc. On this basis and on the fact that bamboo is a plant which grows widely in Japan and is associated in the public mind with East Asia, the Board is happy that our use of bamboo as an image for our logo is culturally acceptable.
Yours sincerely Elaine Liechti Co-Chair
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I am not at all happy with their reply, as they are not considering about our feeling towards bamboo.
We know there are some areas using bamboos in Japan. We use bamboos and there is also a fairly-tale using bamboo. We have lived with bamboo from ancient time.
However, this doesn't support the fact we recognise bamboo as Japanese culture.
Symbols unique to Japan are cherry blossoms, mt. Fuji, Lotus flower, Perseverance, Crane.
By looking at bamboos, we clearly see China, with an image of a panda. Panda is unique to China, and their symbol, with an image of bamboos.
The fact we lived with bamboo, doesn't mean Japan's symbol is bamboo. This is similar to this, English people have been embracing Italian food, French food, Spanish, German and architecture. However, this culture will never be British culture.
What they are shamelessly doing is, claiming Spagatti is British culture, because British people have been eating Spaghetti for a long time.
We Japanese, do not recognise bamboo as Japan's cultural representation. We think this is an insult towards both Chinese and Japanese people.
We are committed to stopping this insult towards Asian people.
If you agree with me, please share this petition, write comments here, to show your support.
Yours sincerely.
M Shiatsu