“Wasting“((万歳), means “Hurish” or “ten thousand years” in Japanese, and is written with two kanji which mean those two words. Its history crosses different centuries and contexts, and according to tradition it is used as a wish for long life and prosperity, a bit like our “One hundred of these days“: It is generally repeated three times to express enthusiasm, celebrate a victory or to celebrate a happy opportunity. Born in China to pay homage to the emperor, over time it has spread throughout the Far East.
Origins and meaning
In reality, the expression “Banzai” is taken from Chinese “Wànsuì“((万岁), a term that was also commonly used in China to wish the emperor long life. It was introduced to Japan around theVIII centurymaintaining the original meaning and becoming an expression of loyalty and devotion to the emperor.
It was during the period Meiji (1868-1912) that “wasting“He changed connotation, becoming a patriotic cry. In fact, during the Second World Warassumed a whole connotation military: the Japanese soldiers, the suicide bombers, used it as battle cry during the Suicide charges against the allied forces. These “Banzai charges“They were desperate front attacks, often with devastating results for the attackers themselves, and during the race the battle scream was: Tennouheika Banzai (“Long live to the emperor“). For example, in the battle of Saipan in 1944, over 4,000 Japanese soldiers lost their lives in a single charge, also causing numerous losses among American forces.
Contemporary use
In modern Japan, the expression has lost most of its military and imperial connotations, reducing a way to express joy and celebration. It is used during parties, weddings and other convivial events in which there is something to celebrate, for example during the New year parties at the Imperial Palace, It is common to hear the crowd exclaim “Banzai” while greeting the emperor and the imperial family.
An interesting curiosity concerns the use of “Banzai” in marriages, especially in the Japanese communities of Hawaii Where the toast is a tradition in which guests wish long life and happiness to the married couple and is performed in two parts: the first, led by a friend of the family, is aimed at the spouses with exclamation “Shinro Shimpu, Banzai“(” Long life and happiness to the spouses “); the second, led by a family member, is aimed at guests with”Raihin Shokun, Banzai!“(” Long life and happiness to all guests “). The same ritual is however less widespread in weddings in Japan.
However, it is important to underline that the use of “Banzai” can be inappropriate In certain contexts, precisely because of its historical associations, in some celebrations it is preferred to use the term “kampai” (which means “health”) instead of “Banzai” to avoid possible offenses.
