Japanese writings in Meiji period 

There are two identical notes on the monuments at the birthplaces of Okubo and Saigo, two of the most important figures in Meiji Restoration. The note, written in 1890, is purely in Chinese characters. It is surprisingly modern for a Chinese reader today. It is much easier to read than a formal writing from China at the same time. Why?

There are probably several reasons. First, Chinese have adopted many Japanese words invented around that time as our own words. We feel their writing is modern because we have adopted many of their words. Second, our writing styles are similar. We reason more in our writings, as opposed to the old Chinese writings that relied heavily on the ancient authorities. 

Today, Japanese have moved away from that style of writing. They need translation to modern version to understand the text. A Chinese like me, on the other hand, can understand and resonate with the text easily.