"Hope to Be a Good History Teacher"... Controversy Over 'Wish Plaque' at Japanese Shrine

Our next hot topic: a wish plaque written in Korean at a Japanese shrine, reading "Please let me become a good history teacher," has sparked controversy.

The controversy stems from the fact that the shrine in question is the Meiji Jingu in Tokyo.

Let's take a look at the story.

A Korean tourist who recently visited Meiji Jingu shared several photos on social media, along with a post saying, "I couldn't believe it."

The photos show wooden plaques where visitors have written their wishes in Korean and hung them up.

As I looked closely at the various messages, one particular wish stood out.

It read, "Please let me pass the employment exam and become a full-time teacher," and "So that I can become a good history teacher."

Meiji Jingu enshrines the spirits of the Meiji Emperor and his wife.

During the reign of the Meiji Emperor, Japan began to actively pursue the colonization of the Korean Peninsula, which eventually led to the forced annexation in 1910.

For this reason, Meiji Jingu is often perceived by Koreans not merely as a tourist destination, but as a place that evokes the painful history of the Japanese colonial period.

Netizens have reacted with comments such as, "I wonder if they even knew the historical significance of the place before going," and "It's a problem whether they knew or not."

(Source: Threads)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.