The article elucidates the twofold character of the Meiji period of the Japanese history: on the one hand, it strove for revolutionary innovations in technologies, social and political structure and even spiritual values; on the other, it aimed at the restoration of the Emperor’s political and religious power and traditional communal values. Japanese intellectuals managed to perform much work during twenty years to understand the necessity of complex attitude – specific for different “layers”—to their native culture. The activities of the Japanese enlighteners are the main focus of the author’s attention.