just as in the old days, just as it used to be

(archaic, colloquial) a nickname of Ariwara no Narihira, Heian-period waka poet

(archaic) used in the beginning of narratives or story literature: once upon a time, long ago

Modern English

modernization

to modernize

a play focusing on modern events and issues from World War II and up; contemporary drama, a modern play

modern

modern man/person

modern language / (especially in reference to Japanese) modern Japanese; Japanese in its current form, spoken since the Meiji era and based on the Tokyo dialect