Umair Gaines
The history of timekeeping in Japan is a fascinating one, with the country adopting the seasonal time system until the early Meiji period (1868-1912). This system divided the day into 12 parts, with six daytime and six nighttime units of varying lengths depending on the season. While the introduction of the mechanical clock in the 16th century did not lead to a reorganisation of this time system, the country gradually transitioned to the fixed time system in the late 19th century. Interestingly, the shift to electronic technologies in the 1950s and the development of quartz watches in the 1960s revolutionised the horological industry in Japan and worldwide, marking a significant advancement in timekeeping technology.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Introduction of electric appliances in Japan | Late 1950s to late 1960s |
| Examples of electric appliances | Refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, TV sets, highways, Shinkansen |
| First use of quartz crystals in clocks | 1962 |
| First prototype of quartz watch | 1967 |
| First analog quartz watch | 1969 |
| Shift to electronic technologies in clocks | 1950s |
| Shift to electronic technologies in watches | 1960s |
| First battery-driven watches | 1966 |
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What You'll Learn
- The first mechanical clocks in Japan were introduced in the 16th century
- These were adapted to the Japanese temporal hour system
- The Edo period saw the development of unique Japanese clockmaking
- The Meiji period saw the transition to a fixed time system
- The horological industry in Japan boomed from the 1950s to the 1970s
The first mechanical clocks in Japan were introduced in the 16th century
The history of clocks in Japan goes back to the mid-7th century AD, when water clocks were used. The Nihon Shoki, a Japanese text, mentions that Emperor Tenchi made a water clock, or "rōkoku", in 660 and 671. These clocks were used for around 800 years, until the arrival of Christianity in Japan in the 16th century.
In 1551, Francis Xavier, a Spanish missionary, gifted a mechanical clock to Ouchi Yoshitaka, a daimyō of the Sengoku period. This was the first mechanical clock in Japan. Other missionaries and embassies followed, with clocks given to Oda Nobunaga in 1569 and Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1571 by Papal envoys. Two clocks were also given to Tokugawa Ieyasu, one in 1606 by a missionary and another in 1611 by a Portuguese envoy.
The arrival of Christianity and the presence of missionaries in Japan played a significant role in the introduction and spread of mechanical clocks in the country. Vocational schools affiliated with churches in Kyushu and Kyoto taught clock-making techniques, enabling the production of the first mechanical clocks by Japanese natives around the turn of the 17th century.
The Edo period (1603-1868) witnessed the adaptation of Western clock-making techniques to create a unique method of clock-making in Japan. Japanese clockmakers designed a double escapement to develop clocks that followed the country's traditional temporal hour system, where the day was divided into six daytime and six nighttime units of varying lengths depending on the season.
While the oldest mechanical clock in Japan no longer exists, the oldest surviving Western clock dates back to 1612. It was a spring-driven table clock presented to Shōgun Ieyasu by the viceroy of Mexico (then New Spain).
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These were adapted to the Japanese temporal hour system
Japan's traditional temporal hour system, also known as futeijihō (不定時法), is an "unfixed time system" where the length of an hour changed daily. This system was used for hundreds of years during the Edo Period (1603–1868) until the modernisation of the Meiji Era in 1868.
The Japanese temporal hour system divided the day into 12 segments, each called an ittoki (一刻). Daytime, from sunrise to sunset, was divided into six toki, and nighttime, from sunset to dawn, was also divided into six toki. As the length of the day and night varied with the seasons, the length of each toki also changed.
The Japanese adapted European clock designs to their traditional temporal hour system. This presented a challenge to Japanese clockmakers as European mechanical clocks were set up to tell equal hours that did not vary with the seasons. Most Japanese clocks were weight-driven, but they were also aware of, and occasionally made, spring-driven clocks.
To adapt to their temporal hour system, Japanese clockmakers used foliots with several divisions, allowing the user to set a relatively accurate rate. Foliot-controlled clocks were widely replaced in Europe by circular-balanced clocks, but they were utilised in Japan due to their adaptability to the temporal hour system. Constant weight and dial adjustments led Japanese clockmakers to develop the nichō-tenpu tokei (二挺天府時計) or "two-bar governor clock" around 1780. The weights in the nichō-tempu tokei were automatically set for the correct time of day or night with the use of two governors or balances, called tenpu (天府).
Japanese clockmakers also designed a double escapement to develop a clock that followed their uneven, traditional time schedule. These clocks, called wadokei, were built with different methods to follow the temporal hour system. Clockmakers also used a system that ran two balances, one slow and one fast, with the appropriate escapement changed automatically as the time moved from day to night.
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The Edo period saw the development of unique Japanese clockmaking
The Edo period in Japan, spanning from 1603 to 1867, witnessed a flourishing of unique clock-making practices that reflected the country's growing engagement with the outside world and its own indigenous innovations. This era marked a significant shift in Japanese timekeeping, as it transitioned from traditional time-measuring devices like water clocks and sundials to the adoption and adaptation of mechanical timekeepers introduced by foreign influences.
The initial encounters with mechanical clocks in Japan occurred through the country's interactions with European missionaries and traders during the 16th century. These early clocks, often presented as gifts to Japanese daimyo (feudal lords), were largely decorative and intricate in design, featuring elaborate automata and musical components. However, it was during the Edo period that Japanese craftsmen began to actively study, replicate, and enhance these foreign timepieces, leading to the development of distinctive Japanese clock-making techniques.
One of the defining characteristics of Japanese clockmaking during this period was the use of indigenous materials and decorative motifs. Japanese craftsmen adapted the construction of clocks to suit the materials readily available in the country, such as wood, copper, brass, and tin. They incorporated traditional Japanese decorative elements, resulting in timepieces that blended European mechanical principles with Japanese aesthetic sensibilities.
The Edo period also saw the emergence of skilled clockmakers, such as Tanaka Hisashige, who founded the manufacturing company that would eventually become Toshiba. Hisashige, often regarded as Japan's Edison, played a pivotal role in the development of Japanese clockmaking. He was instrumental in establishing the first clock factory in Japan, known as the "Manseido," which produced mechanical clocks that incorporated both Western and Japanese design elements.
Japanese clockmakers during the Edo period demonstrated their ingenuity and creativity by modifying the mechanisms of imported clocks to suit local preferences and requirements. They introduced unique features such as the "ji-ari," a striking mechanism that announced the hour with a distinctive sound, and the "nezumi-bana," a ratchet mechanism that prevented the clock's hands from moving backward. These innovations reflected the growing sophistication and localization of clockmaking practices in Japan.
In conclusion, the Edo period played a pivotal role in shaping the unique trajectory of Japanese clockmaking. Through the interplay of foreign influences and indigenous innovations, Japan developed a distinct clock-making tradition that combined mechanical precision with cultural aesthetics. This period laid the foundation for Japan's continued advancements in timekeeping technology, ultimately leading to the introduction of electric clocks in the late 19th or early 20th century, marking another significant milestone in the country's timekeeping history.
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The Meiji period saw the transition to a fixed time system
Japan has a long history of timekeeping practices, with water clocks dating back to the 7th century. The arrival of Christianity in the 16th century brought about the introduction of Western mechanical clocks to the country. During the Edo period (1603-1868), Japan adapted Western clock-making techniques to create a unique method that accommodated their traditional temporal hour system. This system divided daytime and nighttime into six periods, with the length of each period changing with the seasons.
The Meiji period, which began in 1868, marked a significant shift in Japan's timekeeping practices. The Meiji Cabinet issued Ordinance No. 453 in 1872, transitioning the country from the lunar calendar to the Western solar calendar. This move led to the decline of the traditional wadokei clocks and the emergence of a Western-style clock industry in Japan. The Meiji period also saw the introduction of the fixed time system in 1873, which replaced the seasonal time system. This change was facilitated by the removal of "temple bells" from shrines, which had previously been used to signal time under the seasonal system.
The transition to a fixed time system presented a challenge for Japanese clockmakers as they adapted European clock designs to fit the unique requirements of Japanese traditional timekeeping. Unlike the Western equal-hour system, Japanese timekeeping practices used unequal time units, with six varying-length periods during the day and night. This meant that the length of each period changed with the seasons, resulting in longer daylight hours in summer and shorter ones in winter.
To address these challenges, Japanese clockmakers demonstrated ingenuity in their adaptations of European mechanical clock technology. They had to devise new methods to create clocks that followed the traditional temporal hour system, known as wadokei. These clocks featured a double escapement design and utilised foliots with several divisions, allowing users to set a relatively accurate rate. The development of the "two-bar governor clock" around 1780 further showcased the resourcefulness of Japanese clockmakers, who were committed to finding solutions that harmonised Western innovations with Japan's distinct temporal traditions.
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The horological industry in Japan boomed from the 1950s to the 1970s
The history of horology in Japan is a fascinating blend of foreign influence and native innovation. The arrival of Christianity in the 16th century brought the first mechanical clocks to the country, introduced by Jesuit missionaries or Dutch merchants. These early timepieces sparked a lasting fascination among Japanese artisans, who began to create their own clocks using traditional metalwork and woodcraft techniques.
During the Edo period (1603-1868), Japan's national isolation under the Tokugawa shogunate led to the development of a unique approach to timekeeping. Japanese clockmakers adapted Western techniques to create the wadokei, a clock that followed the country's traditional temporal hour system. This system divided the day and night into six periods each, with the length of each period changing with the seasons.
Fast forward to the 1950s, and the Japanese horological industry was facing a new set of challenges. Swiss products dominated the market in terms of performance, style, and cost, and Japan sought to close this technological gap. The establishment of the Institute for the Development of Horological Production Technology in 1956, along with policies like the "Enterprise Rationalization Promotion Act" and the "Extraordinary Measures for the Promotion of the Machine Industry," aimed to modernize and enhance the country's clock production technology.
The efforts of the Japanese horological industry during this period paid off. From the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s, the industry experienced significant growth, driven initially by strong domestic demand. As Japan's technology and brand-name recognition improved, exports also expanded rapidly, establishing the country as a leader in the global watch industry. The quartz revolution of the 1970s, which Japan played a pivotal role in, forever changed the way the world measured time.
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Frequently asked questions
Electric clocks were introduced in Japan in the 1950s.
The traditional time system in Japan was known as the "seasonal time system," which divided the day into day and night, and then partitioned each into six equal parts.
The seasonal time system ended in 1873 when it was replaced by the fixed time system.
