“The International Exposition,” said Viscount Kaneko, “as far as I have seen in Europe and America, have been too large in extent and scope, so that as a rule it is too great for any one to grasp as the exhibits are over-full, and might be described as ‘too much of a muchness.’ Neither the eyes nor the ears can take in the magnitude, so you are dumb and numb, and you come out overawed by the detail. The extent and magnitude have defeated often their object: too much paltry stuff, and show and display, not realizing the educational purpose, have become rather a sight-seeing scheme.
“This was said of Paris and of St. Louis, and I have heard from different sources, commissioners, executives, both European and American, express this feeling, and so at this juncture of world’s fairs, I think the organizers are thinking to lessen the extent and magnitude and thereby to make the exposition compact, systematic, and effective.
“I believe that in the future the world’s fairs will be lessened in size and in indiscriminate exhibits. That is my idea, which I hope to incorporate in the coming exposition. We mean to emphasize to the world that in the grandeur of the buildings we cannot compete with Europe and America, and also Japan cannot show anything of electricity, manufacturing or machinery, and we cannot give any lesson to the world either, in going ahead of other nations in the ensemble;—we hardly hope to show much of overwhelming value on any line to the world, as it is the first International Exhibition in the Orient. Consequently we expect to make the Asiatic exhibit the special point; we want to exhibit all the products of Asia and the Indian Archipelago, the Philippines, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Australia, New Zealand, and Formosa, and so we will have the first Asiatic expression of commerce on so large a scale, showing unity of language, racial features, religion and customs, for we can collect from all those peoples and realize a unifying of the Oriental Nations, and enlighten the world as to the Oriental essence, thought, ideals,—past and future. This is our aim.
“Next, we expect to make Tokyo the centre from Tokyo then, expanding in the radii of Nikko and Sendai in the north, and in the south Nagoya, Nara, and Kyoto, and farther down south Shimonoseki and the Island of Kyushu, and thus the whole country will be thrown open to the people as an exhibition ground. All the temples will be open to the western visitors, and every corner and every mountain and all the scenery will form a part of the Exposition grounds, and thus we expect to show to the Western peoples the manners, customs and life of the Japanese, and show them also, not only in public, but at home. Thus also by interchange of ideas between the Japanese and Western nations, they will come to a better understanding of each other for mutual benefit, so many misunderstandings between the East and the West may be corrected and also it will bring about a “rapprochement” of sympathy and interest, and in this manner we will contribute something to the world’s commerce, diplomacy and civilization. These are the general lines along which we shall move and we expect to organize.
“We wish the exposition also to serve in statecraft. Formerly the Sovereigns and Ministers negotiated the diplomacy of a nation in secret conclaves, but within the last fifty years this has been changed. Now the people hold the power. If we can bring a better understanding between the Orient and Occident by the means of a friendly rivalry of an Exposition, the ends of civilization will be met and progress will be served.
“Japan is considered the leading artistic nation of the Orient, but the nations of the world have not seen Japanese art arranged in order. Now we expect to have an exposition of Japanese ancient art, arranged chronologically, and also according to schools, covering a period of 1,500 years, after the introduction of Indian religion and Chinese philosophy into Japan. This period will be divided into eight periods of Japanese artistic history, and each period will show the characteristic arts of painting, bronze and pottery, and lacquer, and so forth, and will show characteristic ideas and instincts of the Japanese people. Thus the whole history of Japanese art will be brought down to the modern age.
“These are only a few details of the forthcoming Exposition which will, we trust, bring the East and West into greater unity.”
BARON TAKAHASHI
