True to their inherent sentimentality, the Japanese often get all misty-eyed about times past. Lately the phrase "furuki yoki Showa (the good old Showa days)" has been bandied about. But, one is inclined to ask, were the Showa days really as good as the media would have us believe?

The Showa Emperor's reign (1926-1989) was, for all intents and purposes, a pretty happening era. The Great Depression of Showa, followed by the rise of military dictatorship, World War II and the rebuilding of the country to Western specifications are some of the major milestones.

Add to that inventions like the Walkman and Nintendo and you get six solid decades jam-packed with incident. As 82-year-old Tani-san in my neighborhood likes to say: "Jigoku mo tengoku mo minna Showa ni ajiwatta (We tasted both hell and heaven during the Showa years.)"