Japan is an archipelago located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and stretching some 1700 miles from the North Pacific to the Sea of Japan.  The area of Japan is slightly smaller than California.  The country consists of 6,852 islands, including four main islands:  Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku.  Japan's topographical features includes coastlines with varied scenery, and towering mountains, which are very often volcanic.  Nearly  two-thirds of the national land area is covered with forests.  People first arrived in Japan across a land bridge from Korea some 30,000 years ago.

The country was ruled by emperors from the 5th century BC until the 12th-century AD.  Military shoguns then controlled Japan for several centuries, beginning a 200-year period of isolation that lasted until 1868, when emperors returned and began modernization. After the devastation of the Second World War, Japan quickly rose from the ashes to achieve remarkable growth during the second half of the 20th century—holding the title of the world’s second largest economy for more than 40 years.

Japan’s population today is over 126 million, with over half of people residing in three densely populated urban areas: Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. Even so, Japan remains an intriguing blend of the ancient and modern, with villages steeped in centuries-old traditions in close proximity to the neon-lit streets of futuristic cities. Icons of Japanese culture include everything from geishas and gardens to sushi, sake, and Shinto shrines.  

We came to Japan with Overseas Adventure Travel – and some of our favorite travelling companions:  Dennis and Vicky Shepard, Joyce and Ray Wertheim, and LaDene Larsen.  We began our adventure in Tokyo, before moving on to other areas including Hakone, Kamakura, Kyoto, and Hiroshima.  We took hundreds of pictures, as did most folks in our travel group.  We all learned how to use air-drop and other electronic magic to share photos, and we're happy to acknowledge that the photos in this blog represent a group effort - thanks to everyone!

TOKYO

Japan’s capital city is Tokyo. The population of Tokyo, Japan’s busy capital city, is approximately 12 million.  The greater metropolitan area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world.  Formerly known as Edo, Tokyo has been the de facto seat of government since 1603 when Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu made the city his headquarters.  It officially became the capital in 1868 when the emperor Meiji moved his seat from Kyoto.  Tokyo mixes the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples.  So much to see, so little time …

Ikebukuro District, where our hotel was located, is a crowded commercial and entertainment area of Tokyo.  Located here are the Ikebukuro Station (train and subway), shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores.  Ikebukuro Station is one of the busiest in Japan and the world. 

 

 

In the basement of the station, there are several small statues of owls. Thought to bring good luck, the owl has been a community symbol since just after World War II.  There are owl-themed items throughout the area, but the ones in the station have become a popular meeting place.  Almost every time we passed it, there were people hanging around.  Some nice folks cleared a path for me to take this picture!

Connected to the station is the Seibu Department Store, one of the biggest department stores in the world.  Ikebukuro is home to the flagship branch of this international chain.  The building is huge and the store is spread out over fourteen floors, including several specialty stores, dozens of restaurants, and a two-level food hall that is the biggest in Tokyo.  Even a dedicated non-shopper could spend an entire day wandering the floors of this place, where fashion and home decor make up the bulk of the goods sold. We spend our time in the basement grocery stores and gourmet hall, where it would be easy to spend hours walking through the aisles looking for fresh food, snacks, and other packaged goods.

Our first night in Tokyo, our trip leader gave us several suggestions for dinner, but we were on our own.  We tried one of Japan’s semi-automatic noodle shops. The “menu” was outside – a window full of food models showed what was available.  The next step was a vending machine – pick what you want to eat and pay the machine - in advance.  Carry the ticket to the window inside and hand it to the cook.  In no time, we had a big bowl of noodles with assorted vegetables – delicious!

Yanaka District  is one of the only areas of Tokyo undamaged during World War II; today, it is one of the best preserved quarters of early 20th century Tokyo.  It was a temple town during the Tokugawa shogunate, and it still has more than 80 temples.  Shrines, temples, traditional shops and wooden houses line the narrow streets.  To walk here is to step back in time to the stone courtyards, garden temples and craft shops of yesteryear.  The Yanaka Cemetery, with its many tombs, Buddha stones and cherry trees, is the resting place for famous writers, poets, actors and former shoguns.  Each grave is a family grave, some with many generations of ashes buried there.

Ueno District is another of the more traditional areas of Tokyo, one of the last places in Tokyo where one can see what the city was like in the old days.  What remains of Tokyo’s old city was once the heart and soul of early Japanese culture.  Ueno Park, known for its spectacular cherry blossoms, is one of the largest open spaces in the city and features seven museums, several temples, and the city zoo. 

 

Tokyo National Museum is a gigantic complex that houses over 100,000 art objects covering all that is known of Japan’s history to the present day.  It is the largest and oldest museum in Japan and the world’s best collection of Japanese art, including some rare Buddhist artwork.  In back of the museum is a small traditional garden.

 

 

Ameyoko is a busy market street in Ueno.  The name "Ameyoko" is a short form for "Ameya Yokocho" (candy store alley), as candies were traditionally sold there.  "Ame" also stands for "America", because a lot of American products used to be available there when the street was the site of a black market in the years following World War Two.  In those days, it was known as the American Alley.  Today, various products such as clothes, bags, cosmetics, fresh fish, dried food and spices are sold along Ameyoko.

 

A not-so-traditional capsule hotel (also known as a pod hotel) is also located in the Ueno area.  This type of hotel was developed in Japan, where space is a premium and compactness is a virtue.  The hotel features a large number of extremely small “rooms” (capsules) intended to provide cheap, basic overnight accommodation for guests who do not require or can’t afford the services offered by more conventional hotels.

The guest room is a modular block 3 by 4 by 7 feet.  Most include a television, an electronic console, and wireless internet.  The capsules are stacked side-by-side, two units high, with steps to access the second level, reminding one of corpse drawers in a morgue.  The open end of the capsule can be closed for privacy with a curtain or a door. Luggage is stored in a locker and washrooms are communal.  Some hotels also provide restaurants or vending machines, pools and other facilities. 

 

The major benefit of these hotels is convenience and low price, around 4000 Yen, or $40 U.S.  This style of hotel has not gained wide popularity outside Japan, although some are appearing in airports around the world. 

Asakusa District, located close to the Imperial Palace, was once the pleasure quarter for aristocrats of yesteryear.  It, too, is one of Tokyo’s more traditional districts, known for its ancient temples and shops specializing in Japanese crafts.

Sensoji Temple, popularly known as Asakusa Kannon, was built in the year 628 and dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy.  The oldest temple in Tokyo, it is the city’s most sacred and spectacular temple.  The original building was bombed and destroyed during WWII, but the rebuilt temple has since served as a symbol of peace and rebirth to the Japanese people. 

This was the first of many Buddhist temples visited during our stay in Japan, so here’s a little background information about this religion, which arrived in Japan in the first century A.D.   At its core is the concept that life is part of a cycle of suffering, death and rebirth than can only be broken through enlightenment.  There are 13 different Buddhist sects in Japan; the most popular are Pure Land, Nichiren, Shingon, and Zen.  About 75% of Japanese report practicing some form of Buddhism. 

It’s relatively easy to recognize a Buddhist temple.  There is usually a wall around the temple compound with a main gate directly facing the main hall.  Gates are built of wood and have a huge roof.  The Main Hall is the place where sacred objects are kept, the most important being the figure of a Buddha, usually placed in the center of the hall.  Between the gate and the main hall, there is an incense burner - a sort of pedestal containing sand where you burn your incense stick and then wave the purifying smoke toward your body with your hand.   

Elsewhere in the compound, there may be pagodas (usually have three or five stories, each representing an element: earth, water, fire, air, and space) and a bell that is rung for ceremonies (At year’s end, it is rung 108 times, once for every earthly desire we humans must overcome to reach enlightenment).  Rock gardens are characteristic of Zen Buddhism; their simplicity and harmony make them ideal for meditation. 

Somewhere near the temple, there will be a cemetery.  After the funeral rites, the body is incinerated and the ashes are buried under the earth in a family grave.  By the grave, there is a plaque where the names of all family members in it are written.  Offerings may be made – flowers, objects and food the deceased was known to like during life.

At Sensoji, we entered the temple complex at the famous Kaminari Gate, the “Thunder Gate,” notable for its two traditional guardians and a big red lantern in the middle. 

This is where the shopping street begins – the Nakamise-dori is a treasure trove of traditional wares, including obi sashes, hair combs, fans, dolls and kimonos.  Also a good place to sample senbei, a savory Japanese rice cracker. 

At the end of the shopping alley, there is a delicate statue of Buddha, polished smooth by the hands of those hoping for good luck.  Then comes another gate, the incense burner, and finally the main hall and adjoining five-story pagoda. 

 
There were LOTS of people at Asakusa, foreign tourists as well as Japanese tourists.  Japanese tourists are easy to spot – they like to rent kimono outfits for the day and stroll around the temples and shrines. 

Nearby, Asakusa-jinja, also known as Sanja-sama (“Shrine of the Three Gods”), is one of the most famous Shinto shrines in Tokyo.  The shrine honors the three men who founded the Sensō-ji; it acts the protector for Sensoji Temple.  This is a typical Japanese arrangement, to have a Shinto shrine close by a Buddhist temple.

Asakusa was the first of many stops at Shinto shrines.  Shinto is native to Japan and is the country’s oldest religion.  At its simplest, it is the practice of rituals meant to connect people to ancient Japan – the earth, nature, and people.  According to Shinto belief, everything on earth – from gods to natural phenomenon to revered ancestors – contains a spirit called kami.  Kami are diverse and countless; there are kami of roads, doorways, waterfalls, diseases, you name it.  People perform rituals asking for the favor of specific kami in roughly the same way Catholics pray to patron saints.  Kami are believed to inhabit physical space within a shrine.  Prayers and offerings of flowers, food or drink are left to keep favor with the kami, who can bring either good fortune or bad, depending on their mood.  Shinto’s organization is informal, with no hierarchy of practitioners beyond the head priest at each shrine. 

Shinto shrines share several distinctive features, most notably the gateway or tori.  This consists of two poles and a crossbar between them; torii are usually made of wood and painted red or orange.   Walking through this gateway signifies passing from the everyday world into the realm of the sacred.  Guardians, usually figures of lions or dogs, normally in pairs, may stand at the entrance.  Purification fountains are usually found a few yards before the entrance.  Before you enter and visit the deities, you must purify yourself by pouring water over both hands and rinsing your mouth.  The main hall (or hondo) is the place where sacred objects are kept.  There is an area where offerings can be made, it is recognized by the long ropes handing from the ceiling – the ropes are used to ring a bell.  To pray, you first make your offering by throwing money into an offertory box (saisenko), then you ring the bell to attract the god’s attention and make a request, facing the center of the hall.  There is no wall around the temple complex, but thick ropes may be coiled around torii gates, trees, or sacred stones to mark the boundaries of the sacred grounds. 

Fortune papers are sold in small envelopes at the shrine.  Inside is a strip of paper with your fortune written on it.  Once you have read it, you must attach it to a tree branch.  If you get a lucky paper, you will have good luck when you attach it.  If you get an unlucky paper, attaching it to branch will cancel the bad luck effect.  Fortune tablets are small wooden tablets on which you can write wishes.  Tablets are hung near the main hall or next to a sacred tree.  

Stacks of wine barrels containing sake (rice wine) are often seen at Shinto shrines.  Sake is seen as a way  of bringing gods and people together. People go a shrine festival and are given rice wine to drink, and they then feel happy and closer to the gods.  Sake is used in Shinto rites and festivals, where sipping a cup is a prayerful act of symbolic unification with the gods. Shinto shrines and sake manufacturers maintain a symbiotic relationship, in which the shrines conduct rites to ask the gods for the prosperity of the brewers, and the brewers donate the barrels of wine needed for ceremonies and festivals.  The barrels on display are empty.. 

At least 90% of Japanese people practice Shinto.  Since neither Buddhism nor Shinto requires exclusivity, both religions are often practiced together.  The two religions underwent a process of syncretism, in which separate belief systems co-mingle and merge in daily practice and theological thought.   Some Buddhists saw kami as Buddhas by another name, while many Shinto practitioners saw the Buddhas as kami by another name.  Buddhist temples were often built next to Shinto shrines, further entwining the two religions. 

This religious co-existence can be seen in the split between rituals surrounding birth and life and those associated with death and the afterlife.  Babies are brought to Shinto shrines for birth rituals, and weddings are increasingly Christian, but most often Shinto.  When it comes to the afterlife, Shinto has no formal rituals to comfort grieving family members; rather, death is seen as unlucky and impure.  Thus, 91% of funerals in Japan are held according to Buddhist practice.  As Shinto embraces new life and Buddhism comforts families in death, both religious are integral parts of Japanese culture.  Some say the Japanese are born Shinto, marry Christian and die Buddhist.

We entered the Asakusa Shrine through the tori, which were not red at all and were actually located inside of the wall surrounding the temple.  The purification fountain was to the left, a monster guardian to the right, and the main hall straight ahead.  Most visitors to Asakusa Shrine come to pray for the happiness of their family, protection against car accidents, success in business, good health, and to pass their entrance exams.   It is said that divine favor is granted here, so that nearly any wish will come true if made in earnest.

Tsukiji Fish Market is the biggest wholesale fish market in the world.  It has 1700 stalls selling over 700,000 tons of fish annually.  Sushi chefs and other restaurant owners arrive early to bid on the day’s best catches.  The fish market is part of a larger market, the Tokyo Central Wholesale Market, which includes other produce as well.  This is Japan’s “Food Town.”  The market is so huge and so overwhelming: it’s hard to begin to describe it.  We walked up, down and all around, taking it all in and – in some cases - wondering what we were seeing.

Tons of tuna come into this market.  Fresh and frozen are available; fresh sashimi can be eaten on the spot.  There are specialty stores for certain parts of the tuna: fatty tuna from the belly, leaner meat from the sides, and rare parts such as eyeballs.

Other seafood is plentiful.  Fresh crabs, shrimp, squid, and scallops are especially popular.  Dried fish is also a hot item – salted and air-dried fish will keep for a long, long time.

Meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables are available year-round.  Some of the produce is unique to Japan and used in traditional Japanese cuisine.  Many stalls sell processed food, often containing fish, vinegar, and/or rice.  There are pickles, fish cakes, spices, Japanese omelets, snacks, sweets, dried fish, fish flakes, seaweed, and a hundred more things unknown and unidentifiable!

There’s plenty to eat around the market and many folks seemed to be “grazing” on a variety of popular and traditional Japanese foods.  We were intrigued by the conveyor belt sushi bar, but our trip leader had made arrangements for us to try sushi at a place down by the waterfront.

 

Sushi is a small piece of raw seafood placed on a ball of vinegared rice. The most common ingredients are tuna, squid and prawns. Cucumber, pickled radish, wasabi, and sweet egg omelet may also be served.  It’s in the variety of flavors and textures – like tangy, creamy uni (sea urchin roe) and plump, juicy sweet shrimp – that makes things interesting. Sushi is quite expensive, but it has a humble origin as street food sold near the waterfront.

We joined the locals at a 24-7 sushi restaurant, lined up at the counter and got ready for the freshest sushi ever.  Most of us had traditional sushi – fish (fatty tuna, lean known, salmon, and unknown shellfish), and vinegared rice. Our vegan contingent had no fish, but lots of pretty green stuff.  For several members of the group, this was a first sushi experience – we were surprised that it tasted so good!

Also near the waterfront is the Namiyoke Inari Jinja (Wave-repelling Fox Shrine), where fishermen and traders come to pray for safety and prosperity.   Inari is the god of prosperity and success.  This shrine has become the unofficial guardian shrine for the marketplace.

On the other side of the market is the Tsukiji Honganji Temple, which has a distinctive architecture not found in other Japanese temples.  The stone exterior was based on an ancient Indian style and combines Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic architecture in a unique manner.  The columns and wide stairs are reminiscent of Greek and Roman buildings, and the main building includes a pipe organ made in Germany.  This unusual temple is highly valued for its fusion of myriad cultures. 

Meiji-jingu is a Shinto shrine built in the 1800s and dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife.  This is the most important Shinto shrine in Tokyo; it is ceremonially visited by Japan’s prime minister each year.  It is not Japan’s most beautiful shrine, but it is impressive to see it surrounded by lush woods in the middle of the city.  This forest was carefully planned as an eternal forest that recreates itself; now – after about 100 years – it cannot be distinguished from a natural forest, inhabited by many endangered plants and animals. 

We had the interesting experience of visiting during the annual Meiji Shrine Doll Thanksgiving Festival.   The Japanese believe that there are spirits residing in dolls, thus warranting a need to treat each doll with the utmost respect and care. Since historic times, even if a doll became broken, dirty, or worn out due to age, they were usually not thrown away carelessly. Before the owners could dispose of the dolls, the spirits within had to be exorcised along with a thanksgiving ceremony to express the gratitude of the owner towards the dolls.

 

Through the doll festival, the public is encouraged to bring their old, broken, or dirty dolls and stuffed animal toys to Meiji Shrine where a mass exorcism ceremony will be carried out to “transfer” the spirits from the dolls to paper figurines, and for owners to express thanks to these dolls which were once dear and important to them.

In 2016, some 9000 people from the Tokyo area alone brought a total of about 49,000 dolls to the festival. The number of dolls on display suggests that these numbers will be matched (or better), in spite of wet, rainy weather.   The down side of all this was that we didn't get a good picture of the shrine itself - too many people, too many umbrellas!

In the main hall of the shrine, there was a solemn ceremony to dispose of the dolls.  A priest prayed for them to drive out spirits, thank them for giving their owners fond memories and to purify them. Only those who have brought dolls for the exorcism ceremony were be allowed to observe.  This is a special day for many Japanese people, as the dolls they release often hold wonderful memories associated with loved ones.

The Imperial Palace is the home of the Emperor of Japan.  It is protected by moats and high walls and has been the official residence of the Japanese imperial family since 1868.  The current complex was built on the ruins of the former Edo Castle, which was constructed in 1590 by the first Tokugawa shogun.  Today the castle is said to occupy the most expensive square kilometer of land in the world.   The most famous landmark here is the Nijubashi Bridge, a double-arched stone structure east of the palace; built in 1888, this was once the palace’s main entrance. 

Ginza District is the pricey, upscale district where wealthy people go to shop for clothes and accessories.  It has spotless streets, luxury buildings with small boutiques, high-class shops, glitzy galleries and large department stores; it is the money and glamour center of Tokyo.  We had very little time to explore the Ginza, and … it was raining enough to discourage even these intrepid travelers.  Still, we made two stops worth mentioning.  

The first was at Nissan Crossing, where we watched a 3-D printer churn out a brand-new car.  It was just amazing to watch!

Our other stop was in the basement of the closest department store – the name doesn’t really matter, they all have tons of food on the bottom floors.  And it all looks good enough to eat!  You could make a meal from samples in the food section of the department store ...

Lunch with the whole group was in a specialty restaurant serving Shabu-shabu, a dish similar to the Chinese hot pot.  We were seated around a horseshoe-shaped counter, attended by staff to show us what to do, and provided with plates of meat and vegetables and a pot of boiling broth.

Shabu-shabu is tender, thin slices of beef or pork held with chopsticks and swished around in a pot of bubbling broth, then dipped in sauce before being eaten. It’s a decadent dish, with platters of marbled meat and vegetables brought to the table for diners to cook themselves – it takes only a moment – one mouthful at a time.  Once the meat and vegetables have been eaten, leftover broth from the pot is combined with the remaining rice, and the resulting soup is eaten last.  Yummy. 

Yasukuni Jinja is a shrine completed in 1869 to honor to Japan’s war dead.  It houses the souls of some 2.5 million people (soldiers and civilians) killed in wars throughout Japan’s history.  Since Shinto was the official state religion, and the ashes of all who died in war were brought here regardless of the families’ wishes.  Yasukuni became a controversial site after World War II, when over one thousand people convicted of war crimes were enshrined here.  

Yushukan, the adjoining museum, contains war memorabilia from the Samurai era to modern history.  Exhibits include swords and armor, paintings and photos, as well as weapons and other items collected from battlefields.  Here we met a Shinto priest (from the shrine next door) and had a chance to ask him questions about this particular shrine and Shinto in general. 

 

Kabukichō District is an entertainment and former black market district of Tokyo.  It is the location of over three thousand bars, nightclubs, love hotels, massage parlors, Pachinko parlors, Manga cafes, hostess clubs and the like; it is often called the "Sleepless Town." The district's name comes from late-1940s plans to build a kabuki theater here; the theater was never built, but the name stuck.

Pachinko is Japan’s number one national pastime.  Each year, over 30 million people play pachinko games in Japan; they spend over 300 billion dollars on the game and lose an astounding total of over 40 billion dollars annually.  The game of pachinko is played on Japanese pinball machines found in thousands of parlors in Japan, similar to the casinos found in the US.  A pachinko machine has a vertical playing field enclosed in a case. The player fires balls individually into the machine; the balls then bounce down through a forest of pins. If the balls go into certain pockets, a payout of additional balls is triggered.  Loud music, blinking LED displays, strobe lights, bright neon, or combinations of spinning signs and flashing images all mesh together in a sort of carnival sideshow display. The whole experience is one of excitement and sensory overload.

Dinner this night was in Kabukicho, at a local traditional restaurant called Hanano Mai.  We dropped our shoes at the door and climbed upstairs to a private room – with a very interesting seating arrangement.  We sat on the floor on cushions, but our feet went into a hole under the table; it was certainly easier than sitting flat on the floor, but getting in and out of there was a serious challenge for some folks.  The food also was interesting, though we didn’t get the name of this type of dish.  We started out with a small dish of pickled or steamed vegetables and a cooking pots in the middle of the table – stuffed full of vegetables to cook in broth.  The staff kept bringing other items, including sashimi, yakitori, and (of course) rice.

 

Sashimi is sliced raw fish eaten with soy sauce. Centuries before Japanese people were eating sushi, they first enjoyed raw fish without the rice. While the name “sashimi” refers to any thinly sliced raw food, including raw beef, chicken, and even horse, fish and seafood are the most popular. 

KAMAKURA

Kamakura is a small coastal town known for its beaches and temples.   It is an ancient city, surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea on the other.  Kamakura was the seat of the first Japanese shogunate, serving as Japan’s administrative capital from 1185 until 1333.  As a legacy, Kamakura today it has many historical buildings, including 19 Shinto shrines and 65 Buddhist temples.  It also has loads of visitors, especially school groups.

Near the main train station there is a small monument honoring Langdon Warner, an American college professor of Japanese culture and art.  When World War II spread to the Pacific, Warner appealed to the Allies to protect the three ancient cities of Japan - Nara, Kyoto and Kamakura – as well as artistic and historic architecture all over Japan.  As a result of his efforts, many cultural treasures were saved from the bombing of wartime. 

The Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine was built in 1063 and dedicated to Hachiman, the patron god and protector of Kamakura's samurai clans.   It was moved to its present location in 1191 to make it the core of the planned city of Kamakura.  The main building is located deep into the compound and is reached by walking under a big Shinto gateway, over the arched bridge and up the stone stairway. 

 

The shrine itself was beautiful, even in the rain.  It was even more special on the say we visited. as there were several weddings taking place in a pavilion at the foot of the long staircase.  A young monk/trainee was assigned the hopeless task of keeping visitors out of the way.  Some children were wearing traditional kimonos for age-specific Shinto ceremonies, and a rickshaw driver checked his messages while waiting for his riders.   

 

As we walked through town to our lunch spot, we happened upon a noodle shop.  It wasn’t open yet, but the owner was busy rolling out and cutting noodles.  It’s a labor-intensive process, but the end product is worth the effort.

 

Lunch was a group affair at a local tempura restaurant.  Tempura is food deep-fried in sesame oil after being coated with a mixture of egg, water and wheat flour. Among the ingredients used are prawns, fresh fish and vegetables. Our tempura was served with a dish of soy sauce-flavored broth spiked with grated radish for dipping.  We were never sure what all the other dishes contained, but it was pretty tasty stuff.

Kotoku-in is the temple of the Great Buddha (Daibutsu), Kamakura’s most famous sight.  Cast in 1252, this hollow bronze statue is 44 feet tall; a ladder inside provides access to shoulder level.  When the statue was completed, it was covered with gold leaf and placed inside of a great hall. The building was destroyed by strong winds (in 1334 and 1369) and swept away by a tidal wave in 1945 and not rebuilt.  Daibutsu is the only statue of Buddha in Kamakura that is designated as a national treasure.

Hase-dera Temple (aka Hase-Kannon) is devoted to Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy.  The temple houses a giant wooden statue of Kannon with 11 heads, each representing a characteristic of the goddess.  It is one of the largest wooden Buddhist statues in Japan. (No photography allowed.)   The simple and elegant temple is noted for the beauty of its gardens, and its Treasure House contains many ancient and priceless carvings and images. 

Dinner was on our own this evening.  Seemed like a good time to try some ramen.  We went to a tiny ramen restaurant near our hotel – six of us nearly overwhelmed the place.  They were glad to see us, but so sorry, nobody speaks a word of English.  This led to lots of pointing and gesturing and guessing – the staff were very patient and we were so pathetic that one of the customers (who DID speak a little English) decided to help us order a basic bowl of ramen.  He also told us it was most polite to slurp when eating the noodles.   Ramen, egg noodles in a salty broth, is Japan’s favorite late night meal. It’s also the perfect example of an imported dish – in this case from China – that the Japanese have made completely and deliciously their own. There are four major soup styles: tonkatsu (pork bone), miso (fish), soy sauce and salt; we had the pork variety, which bears absolutely no resemblance to the dried ramen available in the U.S.  Very tasty!

ASHIGAWA VILLAGE

Ashigawa is a small village about an hour’s drive from Tokyo.  We went there in search of opportunities to engage with local people and have a realistic look at life in the village.  OAT calls this A Day in the Life experience.  We were met at the village parking lot by a cheerful and energetic woman who seemed thrilled to see us and anxious to show us around the village. 

We were immediately impressed by gardens everywhere, in and outside of greenhouses.  This is an isolated spot and, as much as possible, folks need to grow what they eat.

 Our first stop was at the home of an older woman who lived alone in a large house.  We found her sitting on the floor at her table, which fit over a shallow pit underneath; in the pit was a heating element that kept her warm and cozy.  The rest of the house was cold and drafty, so we were happy to check out the warm table.  She told us that her children were grown and had moved away from the village, with occasional returns to visit her.  She worries about what will happen to her fine house when she is gone. 

As we walked through town, it was clear that keeping a manicured yard is expected of everyone.  Fancy tree pruning is the norm.

Our next stop was the village fire station, where our guide (a volunteer fire-fighter) proudly showed off the new fire truck.

Up the hill we reached the village nursery school, which provides child care for working parents.  Only 2 of the 5 kids were in attendance, and they were more interested in lunch than visitors.  At least the teacher was excited about the books we brought as gifts.

Passing the local Shinto shrine (and a small Buddhist temple), we assembled in the community center, a big old house with a thatched roof. 

Here two local women bravely offered to “help” us how to make hōtō, a popular regional dish made by stewing flat noodles and vegetables in miso soup.  The dough is prepared in the style of dumplings; it is kneaded with bare hands on a wooden board, then stretched out until very thin. It is then folded over and cut into large pieces with a wicked sharp cleaver. The noodles were boiled along with the other ingredients in a soup base made from dried sardines.  Vegetables included carrots, potatoes, onions, winter squash, burdock, and other unknown items. By the time it was cooked, we were hungry and it was delicious.

The women sat with us for a while after lunch, answering many questions about their lives here and future of the village.  It weighs heavy on all here that the village seems to be slowly dying – there are no jobs here and no incentive for young people to stay.  Sad to think that this charming spot may disappear in another generation.

HAKONE

Sitting in the middle of a volcanic caldera, Hakone is full of hot springs, pine trees, and hotels offering spa-like hot baths that take advantage of the healing minerals present in the water.  Hakone is renowned for its onsen (baths fed by hot springs) and for its spectacular views of Mount Fuji.   

The term onsen refers to both the hot spring itself and the bathhouse built around it. There are some 3,000 onsen in Japan, varying greatly in size, luxury, landscape, temperature, and medicinal benefits. Even the color—and odor—of the water changes depending on the minerals contained within. For centuries, the Japanese people have embraced these curative waters as an important part of their culture, both for their medicinal properties and as a way to relax and de-stress.  There are hundreds of hot baths at hotels, ryokans, and public places in Hakone, and one of these is located at our inn.  If course, we had to give it a try.

To enjoy the hot baths, one must first don a traditional yukata.   A yukata is a summer kimono made of cotton; the standard yukata ensemble consists of a cotton undergarment, the yukata, an obi (sash), sandals, a fan and a small bag for cell phone and other personal items.  Yukata are worn by men and women.  Yukata literally means “bath clothes,” and they are required dress for a visit to the onsen.

A visit to a hot-spring fed bath sounds simple and relaxing, but nothing in Japan comes without a strict code of conduct.  First, you must go down to the onsen wearing the yukata robe and slippers provided by the hotel and carrying two towels, one large and one small.  Be sure to enter the correct side of the onsen – women to the right, men to the left.  Inside, there are lockers in which to leave your robe, slippers and large towel.  Then, pick up one of the smaller towels – about the size of a washcloth - to cover whatever you want covered the most. 

Next, it’s time to go to the showers.  There is a line of showers from which to choose.  The showerheads are low, each hanging over a tiny stool and a basket full of shampoo, conditioner and soap.  Once you clean yourself off, you can enter the onsen, leaving the smaller towel on the side to stay dry.  Take a deep breath and slip into the steaming onsen.  There in the warm waters, one hopes to find serenity – after all, if there is anything the Japanese appreciate as much as good etiquette, it’s inner peace.  

 

Our hotel in Hakone was a traditional Japanese-style inn, so we were expected to wear our kimonos and slippers everywhere, even to dinner.  It was a great opportunity for photos – thanks to Martin Dekkers for serving as official photographer.

 

Hakone-Fuji-Izu National Park is a collection of sites that protect Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands.  The park encompasses a variety of geographic features including natural hot springs, coastlines, mountains, lakes, and more than 1000 volcanic islands.  Lots of possibilities, but we are here to celebrate Fuji-san ... and a birthday.

Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest mountain, at 12,390 feet.  Its perfectly symmetrical cone shape is one of the country’s most recognizable national symbols.  Dormant since 1707, Mount Fuji first erupted 8-10 thousand years ago.  Its upper slopes are loose volcanic ash, devoid of greenery or streams.  Before the 20th century, the volcano was considered so sacred that it was climbed only by priests and pilgrims; women were not allowed until 1872.   Today pilgrims are far outnumbered by recreational climbers.   

Lake Ashi, at the foot of Mount Fuji, is one of the most beautiful lakes in Japan.  It is a volcanic crater known for its scenic views of Fuji-san and the great tori of Hakone Shrine.  We enjoyed every minute of a boat cruise along the length of the lake – the views were magnificent. 

The Hakone Open Air Museum is a highly regarded repository of 19th century and contemporary Japanese sculptures.  The museum began operations in 1969 as the first open-air museum in Japan.  The beautiful grounds are the permanent home for over 100 works by modern and contemporary sculptors.

There is also a pavilion dedicated to the work of Pablo Picasso.  The gallery includes a wide range of works:  paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, gold and silver objects, tapestries, and photographs of the artist’s studio.

The Narukawa Art Museum houses Japan’s largest collection of approximately 4,000 pieces of modern Japanese-style paintings.  The works are rotated several times a year to allow visitors to appreciate fully the amazing art collected by owner Minoru Narukawa over the past 20 years.

The gallery is located on the shore of Lake Ashi.  This is one of the most scenic spots in Hakone – overlooking the lake as well as spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. 

Our last stop in Hakone was Hamamatsuya, a workshop specializing in wooden handcrafts, parquet, marquetry, wood inlay.  Here elaborate patterns are produced with various natural colors of woods and used to make puzzle boxes and other products.

The technique of making Hakone marquetry or mosaic woodwork was invented by a craftsmen in Hakone in the mid-1800s.  As the mountains around Hakone are blessed with many varieties of trees, the artist took full advantage of the natural colors and shades of the wood to form geometric patterns.  As machines and processing have improved, a variety of elaborate patterns can be produced.  The traditional technique is not found anywhere else in Japan.   

Our travel day from Hakone to Kanazawa included our first ride on the bullet train.  First we went by bus to Odawara, the closest place to board the Shinkansen, or bullet train.  Doing as the locals do, we bought a packed lunch in the station and brought it on the train.  The big difference was that the locals know what they are doing and we weren’t sure what we had purchased in our little bento boxes.  Turned out it was chicken, rice, assorted veggies and pickles – pretty good, but we stopped by a bakery to buy some bread to supplement the unknown. 

 

The bullet train or Shinkansen is the legendary high-speed train service pioneered by the Japanese.  It is one of the world’s finest quick-transit trains and still among the fastest trains in the world, traveling at speeds of up to 200 mph.  To board, one must stand at a precise location indicated by the coach and seats listed on the ticket.  The train stops exactly where it’s supposed to and, sure enough, our coach was right in front of us, right on time.

In Japan, trains are woven deeply into the fabric of life, and people expect them to be the best in the world—cleanest, fastest, with not just the latest technology but the next technology.  Japan measures train timeliness in seconds; on a daily average, the longest delay at a single stop is under 20 seconds, with an average variation from the timetable of under a minute along the length of an entire route. The system is so precise that if a train arrives more than five minutes late at your stop, authorities will offer you a written “certificate of delay” to take to work so that you don’t get in trouble for tardiness.

We rode the bullet to Nagoya, where we boarded the Limited Express train to Kanazawa.  This is the next fastest train (after the bullet).  Its speeds don’t approach that of the shinkansen by a long shot, but it stops only at the biggest, most often-used stations, so it is the fastest of the normal speed trains.  Our route passes through rolling countryside and modern cityscapes, reaching Kanazawa in late afternoon. 

KANAZAWA

Kanazawa was the capital of the old fiefdom of Kaga and has been one of Japan’s cultural centers ever since.  The city is known for arts and crafts, including lacquerware, ceramics, textiles, gold leaf, and paperware, as well as traditional cuisine and Japanese confectionery.  The city survived World War II unscathed and today it abounds in historical sights and unique architecture. 

The Kanazawa Castle was home to the Maeda family, which governed the Kaga Clan for more than 280 years.  The castle tower burned down and has not been rebuilt; most other fortress buildings have been reconstructed. 

 

The Ishikawamon Gate and the Sanjikken Nagaya (50-yard-long warehouse) have been designated as Japan's important cultural assets.

In the time of the Maeda family, moats surrounded the castle.  It had a fort function with peep holes on the outer wall to defend the castle from enemies. The white tiles on the roof are weathered lead and the wall is made of white mortar with flat tiles attached.

Located on a slope facing the Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en was designed as the castle’s outer garden, a strolling-style landscape garden.  There are some 12,000 trees of 150 species in this masterpiece of landscaping. 

Kenroku-en has been designated as one of the three great gardens of Japan.  It is named after the kenroku (six combinations) considered ideal for gardens:  spaciousness, serenity, venerability, scenic views, subtle design, and coolness provided by water. The meticulous groundskeepers work tirelessly to ensure the lasting beauty of this place.

Among the most famous structures in Kenrokuen is the Kotoji-toro stone lantern, built with two legs to represent the bridge of a koto—a traditional Japanese stringed instrument similar to a harp. The lantern has come to symbolize the city of Kanazawa.  The oldest original building in Kenrokuen is the Yugao-tei teahouse, built in 1774 and named for an ornamental moonflower carving that adorns one wall. 

Three old geisha districts remain in Kanazawa.  One of these is Higachi-Chaya-gai, with its many old wooden structures.  The streetlights and buildings here are unchanged since the 19th century, although the geishas who once frequented these districts are now reduced to a mere 50 or so. 

Kaikaro is a historic chaya or teahouse in the Higashi Chaya-gai district; it is one of seven that still functions as a working house of geisha entertainment today. It is the oldest and largest chaya in Kanazawa and is listed as one of the city’s historical buildings as it is over 195 years old.  In the evenings this exclusive teahouse receives wealthy patrons by invitation only. During the day it was open for us to visit and have a glimpse of the traditional refined beauty of the geisha world.

The 14 geishas who work here range from 18 to 84 years of age.  Many years of training are required to become a geisha; they are considered artists.  Most frequently geisha perform dances and play the samisen (a three-string instrument).  Geisha usually perform in private for men:  their role is to entertain them while they chat in social gatherings. After performing for a while, they may sit at the table and engage with their customers and fill their cups with sake.  Thus, their work entails freeing their clients from the daily burdens of life.  Hiring a geisha is very expensive, on the order of several thousand dollars.

Across the river, the Kazue-machi Chaya District is smaller, but looks much like the Higachi area – without the tourists.  This geisha district stretches along the river’s edge.  Its narrow streets are lined with old wooden buildings, some of which are still geisha houses. 

 

The Kanazawa Yasue Gold-Leaf Museum exhibits gold-beating tools and artistic handicraft articles collected by Komei Yasue, a famous gold leaf artisan.  The museum exhibits a large number of works, including folding screens, Noh costumes, kutani porcelain, a Buddhist altar, lacquer work, and  incrustation work.   We also learned about the process for manufacturing gold leaves. 

The history of Kanazawa gold leaf dates back to the late 1500s, but it was the Meiji Period (1868~1912) that saw the rapid rise of Kanazawa’s country-wide reputation for gold leaf production due to the superiority of its leafing technology and the excellent quality of the water used in the manufacturing process.   Kanazawa now accounts for over 99% of Japan's gold leaf production, and 100% of silver and brass leaf. The unique characteristics of Kanazawa gold leaf ‒ it never becomes discolored or oxidized ‒make it indispensable for the production of a wide range of arts and crafts, and in recent years, a variety of new uses have opened up, including interior accessories.

The Omicho Market (aka Kanazawa’s Kitchen) is a somewhat boisterous cluster of shops selling seafood straight from the Sea of Japan and a collection of sushi restaurants to serve it up as fresh as possible.  This 300-year-old market is similar to Tokyo’s massive Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo; Omicho is lively, but less intense and more accessible.  We saw many of the traditional specialties of the region – fish pickled in rice bran, fresh crab, lotus root, seaweed, and a variety of sweets. 

 

Our trip leader stopped at a dubious looking food stand and purchased several dishes for us to sample.  They all looked disgusting, but we put forth a valiant effort since Jimmy was trying so hard.  Sad to say, it tasted as bad as it looked.

Oyama Shrine is dedicated to the first lord of the powerful Maeda Clan.  The shrine was constructed in 1599.  It is known for its unusual gate, which was designed by a Dutch architect, using elements of European and Asian religious themes.  While the first floor displays a mixture of Japanese and Chinese influence, the upper floors once served as a lighthouse and feature a Dutch-style stained glass window.

Café Los Angeles is a small vegan restaurant operated by Miki Morishima, a refugee from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident.  The tsunami that followed the Tohoku earthquake caused a nuclear meltdown, hydrogen-air explosions, and the release of radioactive materials.  After much soul-searching, Morishima and his family relocated to Kanazawa, where he opened a café with financial support from his brother (who lives in Los Angeles). 

Here we learned about Daruma dolls, one of Japan’s popular good luck charms.  The Daruma’s roots go back 1500 years to Bodhidharma, who was credited with established Zen Buddhism in Japan.  The doll represents the silhouette of Bodhidharma, in a pose of deep mediation.  The Daruma doll is made of paper macheʹ, weighted on the bottom so it will always stand up.  The characteristic is motivational to this refugee family and is linked to an old Japanese proverb:  “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

Before we left Kanazawa, the Nakagawa family opened their home to four of our group for tea.  We were hosted by the man of the house, Fujio, as his wife and kids had other obligations.  He served us stem tea, something different, but delicious, along with a sweet cake.  He told us about his family and shared pictures of them at special occasions.  He gave us a tour of the house, including the special area where is wife teaches Japanese tea ceremony.  The burner for heating water is hidden under one of the tatami mats in their bedroom.  There is no furniture in the bedroom; at night they pull futons out of the closet and sleep on the floor.  He gave us each our own tea cup and a beautiful calligraphy piece with the symbols for harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.

Our last dinner in Kanazawa was on our own and we took this opportunity to try tonkatsu, a breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet.  The recipe dates to the late 19th Century when Japan opened its doors to Western influence, but the ingredients and attention to detail are thoroughly Japanese. Tonkatsu is melt-in-your-mouth tender, served with a side of miso soup and a mountain of shredded cabbage.  One of our favorites!

Shiragawa and Gokayama Districts are home to three historic villages located in a mountainous region that was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time.  These villages - Ogimachi, Ainokura, and Suganuma - subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and silkworms. Because of their relative isolation, these areas developed their own unique culture and lifestyle.  In addition to creating their own dances, festivals and traditions, residents developed a distinctive architectural style known as gassho-zukuri.  Their large houses with steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only structures of their kind in Japan.  Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1995, the villages are outstanding examples of a traditional way of life perfectly adapted to the environment and people's social and economic circumstances. 

As we approached the village of Ainokura, we stopped at an overlook that provided a broad view of the area.  Set far back in the valley, Ainokura is the most remote village in the Gokayama region.  It is also the largest of the villages and has 20 gassho-zukuri farmhouses. 









These thatched-roof houses are beautiful examples of an old farmhouse style; many of these houses are 100 to 200 years old. The oldest ones are said to have been built 400 years ago.  The houses have an architectural design and structure that can endure the harsh climate of this deep-snow region.  Many are private residences, but some have been converted into restaurants, museums, and bed and breakfast inns.

The Gasshō-style house ("prayer-hands construction" style) is characterized by a steeply slanting thatched roof, resembling two hands joined in prayer. This design, in combination with the unique properties of the thatching, allows the houses to withstand and shed the weight of the region's heavy snowfalls in winter.  No nails are used; the roof frame is lashed together with rope.  The roofs are re-thatched every 15-20 years.

The houses are large, with three to four stories enclosed between the low eaves.  Historically, they were intended to house large extended families and to provide space for a variety of home-based industries. The upper stories of the gasshō houses were usually set aside for cultivation of silkworms, while the areas below the first (ground) floor were often used for the production of potassium nitration, one of the raw materials needed for the production of gunpowder and fertilizer. 

 

After touring the village, we assembled at the community center.  This was formerly the local school and its walls are decorated with beautiful artwork done by the students.

 

 

We’re here for a lesson in mochitsuki, the art of rice-cake making.  Sticky rice cakes known as mochi are made from sweet rice that is cooked and then pounded until it is very sticky and smooth.  We all took a turn at pounding – taking a few years off the life of the poor woman responsible for adding water and turning the sticky mess between each strike of the mallet.

When the consistency was just right, the villagers took over.  They divided the  dough in half.  One half was coated with powdered soy beans, the other was left plain.  Next they formed rice balls – one of each kind for us to sample, along with green tea to wash it down.  Reviews were mixed – some of us loved it, others couldn’t force it down.  Either way, it was a new and different experience. 

Our next stop was at the Gokayama Washi-no-Soto for a lesson in making paper, specifically hand-made Washi paper.  This is made from a mixture of mulberry fibers and an extract of the hollyhock plant.  The final product is a thick, fibrous paper that is said to have a superior texture and is widely used by famous artists and calligraphers.  

Papermaking has flourished in Gokayama region for over one thousand years; today Washi paper-making still follows time-honored tradition and is a nationally- designated traditional craft.  The people of Gokayama have preserved and handed down Washi paper making from generation to generation. Products made from this high-quality, handmade paper include calligraphy paper, paper for sliding doors, letter paper, envelopes, notebooks, fancy cardboard squares, New Year's gift envelopes, paper goods, and paper strings.

We had an abbreviated lesson in paper-making, starting with scooping the thick mixture of fiber and glue into wooden frames that allowed the liquid to drain off, leaving sheets of formed paper.  This process was repeated several times to make paper thick enough for post cards, which we decorated with small pieces of paper cut into shapes resembling plants and animals of the area.  Our cards were pressed, dried and finished – ready to be mailed to friends and family.

Lunch was provided at local restaurant, named Yamajin (that’s what the sign says).  The arch over the street is modeled after the sasara, a very old type of musical instrument that is still common in this isolated part of Japan. 

We were promised a lunch of fresh mountain vegetables and these folks certainly delivered on that – they served us a tray filled with a wide variety of dishes.  There was something to please every taste – we thought it was perhaps the best meal of the whole trip, made even better when our hosts entertained us with some traditional songs and dance. 

After lunch we visited the Iwase House, which is over 300 years old.  Mr. Iwase is the current head (daimyo) of the Kaga clan here.  He and his wife welcomed us, served us tea, and told us a little about the structure history of this house.

The Iwase house is a 5-story building.  The first two floors are residential; the third, fourth and fifth were used (in the past) for raising silk worms and making silk.  In the old days, there were 20-30 people living and working here.  Today there are only two, Mr. Iwase and his wife.   They live on the ground floor, with few furnishings except for a small Shinto altar and a Buddhist altar; both religions are practiced here. 

There are no nails, no metal of any type was used in construction of the house.  The thatched roof is the big expense – it costs about $60,000 for a new roof.   In 1950, there were 1200 Gassho-zukuri houses in this area; today there are only 250 because folks just can’t afford the thatched roof.  Now that the government has designated these houses as important cultural treasures, there is some subsidy to help with roof replacement. 

We enjoyed a special demonstration of traditional song and dance called "Kokiriko-bushi."  The Kokiriko Sasara Dance is one of popular traditional dances in this area. Kokiriko is a small bamboo stick (23 cm) which is used for keeping the rhythm beat for the song and dance.   The dancers used the sasara, the musical instrument that was commonly used by street performers in Edo period. Gokayama is famous for its various kinds of local music because there was no written text in this area for long time, and all the songs were carried from generation to generation by singing. Their songs were the only records of their history.  

Our last stop of the day was a visit to the village of Shiragawa-go.  We got our first glimpse from a scenic overlook which provided a good view of this cluster of houses – most with thatched roofs, but several without.

Walking through the town we got another close-up look at these fascinating buildings.  This town was more crowded (i.e., touristy) than Ainokura, but just as interesting!

Sunday, October 22nd was a fateful day in our visit to Japan.  After lunch, we packed up and headed to the Kanazawa train station, ready for a 3-hour train ride to Kyoto.  We had been keeping an eye on the weather since Typhoon Lan was headed for Japan.  It appeared that we would miss it since the storm was headed to Tokyo and we were headed to Kyoto.  All went well until we were about 20 minutes from our destination, when the train stopped along the shore of Lake Biwa, pretty much in the middle of nowhere.   We later learned that the trains were stopped, or at best delayed, all over Japan.  The typhoon was reported to be a Level 3 hurricane and it did a lot of damage in some parts of Japan.  But … there didn’t seem to be any cause for alarm where we were sitting.  The train folks said our safety was their top concern, so they backed the train up into the small station at Omi-Imazu and told us to get comfortable.  The train was shut down until the storm was over.

Our fearless leader (Jimmy) and some of our fellow travelers headed out into the rain and walked to a nearby 7-11 store.  They came back with a bag full of things to eat, most of which involved rice and fish.  The train crew also came along and brought food and water. along with a noisy metallic space blanket for warmth.  We may not have been real excited with the food choices, but we didn’t go to bed hungry.

Actually, we didn’t go to bed at all – we tried to get some sleep, but this wasn't a sleeper car.  The seats did recline a bit, but it was pretty hard to get comfortable.  It was a long night.

Breakfast was more goodies from 7-11 and the vending machines at the train station.  Plus, the train crew came around again with more of the same.

Unbeknownst to us, Jimmy had scouted out the small town near the station and found a restaurant that was open and willing to feed us lunch.  So … we pulled out our rain gear and sloshed our way to eat some hot food.   Most folks chose noodles as the safest option – it wasn’t exactly an upscale restaurant, but everyone was appreciative of Jimmy’s efforts. 

Jimmy also got in touch with the bus company in Kyoto and had a bus come to pick us up.  The driver got caught in all kinds of traffic and we were about ready to walk to Kyoto by the time he finally showed up.  But, he did show up, the sun came out and we made it to Kyoto and enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant. 

KYOTO

Kyoto was the second capital city of Japan.  It was the imperial capital for more than 1,000 years, and today it is one of the most beautiful places we have visited.  A large number of its temples, shrines and gardens survived WWII, since Kyoto was not a target of bombing.  Kyoto remains an important cultural center and has 15 places designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

Kyoto Tower stands 131 meters tall just across from Kyoto Station.  It is Kyoto's tallest structure and a rare modern iconic landmark in the city famous for its ancient temples and shrines. The tower was completed in 1964, the same year as the opening of the bullet train and the Tokyo Olympics. 

Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) was built in 1603 for shogun Tokagawa Ieyasu’s visits to Kyoto.  The castle, its shrines and temples have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It was built to represent power - a showy display of wealth intended to humble the cash-strapped imperial court and prove that the military was truly in power.  It appears more of a royal estate, a gilded palace with a moat, than a military post fortified with weapons. 

The castle grounds are outlined by a fortified wall the length of over 4,000 football fields.  It had only three gates, and they were heavily guarded.  We entered through the Karamon Gate, the most elaborate and highly decorated.  The gate has four supporting pillars and beautiful carvings of cranes, pine, bamboo and plum blossoms.  The carved lions protect the palace. 

The largest building on the grounds is Ninomaru Palace, which is a series of linked buildings with 33 rooms together totaling 35,000 square feet.  Each consecutive building has a higher level than the previous one.  No matter how high a building was, there was always a raised platform for the shogun – that that he was always higher than his guests. 

The Grand Hall is in the main section of the Palace and contains the official audience rooms where the Shogun met with feudal lords and the Imperial Court nobility.  These photos show how the room looks today and how it looked in the time of the shogun. 

 

The wooden corridors connecting the shogun’s rooms   were intentionally built with squeaky “nightingale” floors so ninjas and other intruders would be heard approaching the main rooms.  Other relics of the military include a hawk-themed room dedicated to storing arms, and, next to the shogun’s seat, small chambers that concealed lurking bodyguards. 

The Ninomaru Garden was re-designed for the 1626 Imperial Visit.  It is a classical Japanese garden, with a large island symbolizing paradise, flanked by a crane island and a turtle island, both metaphors for longevity.  It is designed to be viewed from three different directions – all quite beautiful.

 

Nichijin is Kyoto’s traditional weaving district, named for the art of dying thread before it is woven into figured cloth used for kimonos and other traditional crafts.  The Nichijin Textile Center provided an opportunity to see how kimonos and other Japanese clothing are made and worn. 

 

We came primarily for the kimono show, a short fashion show in which professional models demonstrated the grace and beauty of the kimono.  Six women and one man showed us an amazing array of design and color.

The Seimei Shinto Shrine, located a few steps from the Nichijin Textile Center, is a popular neighborhood shrine.  In the short time that we were there, it was never crowded, but there was a steady stream of worshipers stopping by to pray.









The shrine was founded in 1007 and dedicated to the memory of Abe no Seimei, a famous practitioner of magic and divination.  The shrine was built on  the site of his home.

Two torii gates lead up to the entrance of the shrine.  A famous well is located on the shrine grounds and the water drawn from it is considered somewhat magical. 

 

The pentacle, known locally as a Sentei-star, is an important symbol found on many parts of the shrine.  Legend has it that Abe no Seimei came up with this design in the 10th century, symbolizing the five Chinese elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water).

FUSHIMI

Fushimi is one of the districts of the city of Kyoto.  It is known for its spring water, used for making sake, and for its many beautiful temples and shrines.  The most famous shrine here, Fushimi Inari Taisha is one of about 40,000 Shinto shrines in Japan dedicated to the deity Inari.  Inari is the god of rice, and by extension, wealth, so many business people come here to pray for success or to buy a charm of a fox, the messenger of Inari. 

This shrine, said to have been founded in the early eighth century, is the most important of all Inari shrines in Japan.  It covers the slopes of Mount Inari, and the trails between lesser shrines to other deities are lined with countless bright red tori gates.  This torii tunnel is the production of donations made to the shrine; the donors’ names are inscribed on the back of each gate.  There are about 10,000 torii, so close together that walking through them does feel like walking through a tunnel.  This long pathway of red tori was featured in the movie, Memoirs of a Geisha. 

The official name of Sanjusangen-do Temple is Rengeo-in Temple; the structure and its contents are listed as a National Treasure by the Japanese government.  It was built in the 12th century and is said to be the longest wooden building in the world. The temple came to be called Sanjusangen-do because of the 33 spaces or galleries between its pillars. No photography allowed here, so these pictures are from post cards.

Inside the main hall, there are an impressive 1,001 statues of the Goddess Kannon.  The statues are made of Japanese cypress and stand in rows ten deep.  Each of the human-size images is festooned with arms (for saving worlds) and heads (for hearing the prayers of the faithful).  A total of 124 of them date from the temple’s founding in 1164, the rest are copies carved after a fire in 1249.  Tradition dictates that you try to find one that looks like someone you know.  In the middle sits a giant Kannon, carved by master sculptor Tankei. 

Powerful and dynamic statues of the Thunder god and the Wind God are places at either side of the temple hall on raised pedestals shaped like clouds.  The images of these gods derived from people’s fear of and gratitude for nature in the old days.  People worshiped them as deities who controlled rain and wind and brought about good harvests. 

 

The Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum displays sake-brewing equipment and materials related to the history of sake production in Fushimi.  It took us through the process of making sake as explained though the exhibited tools and raw materials.  Fushimi is well known for production of this rice-based beverage, but the real secret is in the water.

Adjoining the museum, the Gekkeikan Sakekobo is a mini-brewery where sake is made all year around.  That leads us to the museum shop and the area for sake-tasting.  We tried three different varieties, ranging from 14 to 18% alcohol.   All were served cold – we were told that good sake is served cold, inferior sake is served warm.  Who knew?

ARASHIYAMA

Arashiyama District is the peaceful western side of Kyoto, said to reflect the city’s aesthetic and spiritual heart.  Even the emperors and aristocrats in ancient times like to escape the urban bustle, and Arashiyama (Storm Mountain) was their favorite place to go.  Today this hilly western edge of the city is a popular area for strolling and a choice site for luxurious suburban homes. 

Senkoji Temple is a 400-year-old Zen Temple, cloistered halfway up Mount Arashiyama.   The Zen branch of Buddhism stresses the search for wisdom through meditation, and we are bound to join in the search.   We began our pilgrimage at the Togetsukyo Bridge, also known as the Moon Crossing Bridge, over the Katsura River just west of Kyoto.  This low wooden bridge was built more than a thousand years ago and refurbished in the 1930s.  It was placed for maximum beauty, with cherry trees in a park at one end, and at the other end a dense forest that turns vivid colors in the autumn.  

  

We walked from the bridge along the river until the sound of the temple gong beckoned us to begin the climb up the 200 stone steps hewn in the side of the mountain.  The stairs wind their way upward until we lost sight of them in the trees. We climbed through the greenish light filtering through the trees and the vibrating noise of the temple’s gong.  It grew increasingly louder the higher we climbed. 

 


The old wooden stair railing has seen better days.  Some sections have rotted and fallen away, making the climb a bit precarious.  The Grand Circle Foundation is providing financial support to repair and replace the wooden railing with a stone structure that will have a much longer lifespan.  (Note:  for readers not familiar with Grand Circle and Overseas Adventure Travel, a portion of our fee goes to the Grand Circle Foundation, which provides financial support to schools, health care facilities and other worthy causes in the areas of our travels.  Each trip usually includes a visit to one of these sites.)

At last we passed the line of trees and step into the sunlight.  The temple’s gong – a massive, engraved iron bell – was still calling to us. Each traveler was given a turn to pull back the gigantic mallet and sound his/her own ringing welcome.  Gongs and bells are used in Buddhism as a call to mindfulness, a way to focus attention to meditation and prayer. 

 

As we continue along the path, Senkoji Temple came into view; it is a small, airy building that seems perched upon the mountainside, almost hidden by trees.  Blonde wood beams, rice paper screens, and wide open windows bring in the sunlight and provide a panoramic view of the leafy vista below.   

Arriving at the temple, we removed our shoes and sat on low benches to partake in a tea ceremony.  Before each of us are two simple objects:  a clay bowl and a small wooden whisk.  Inside the cup is a fine green powder, matcha, Japan’s most esteemed variety of green tea.   For matcha, the tea plants are covered the last weeks before harvest, so that they don’t get any sunlight.  Only the best shoots are handpicked for matcha production; unlike other teas, the leaves are ground to an extremely fine powder. 

The resident monk knelt before us at a low table and explained to us the way of tea.  To brew the beverage, hot water from a steaming kettle was poured over the matcha powder in everyone’s cup.  Then we were instructed to whip the tea with the bamboo whisk until it foamed slightly.  The significance of the tea is more than just its precise preparation:  the ceremony is a traditional art form that exhibits the Zen ideals of beauty and simplicity.  An integral part of the ceremony is the appreciation of the place where the tea is prepared and enjoyed.  The act of drinking the tea should be a spiritual experience – incorporating the values of respect, harmony, purity and tranquility.  That seems a lot to ask from one cup of tea, but the stillness of the mountains pulls our focus to the task at hand – making tea.

We picked up our bowls and our whisks and began to stir.  Sure enough, the powder and water were transformed into the desired light green foam.  We all picked up our cups together and carefully rotated them before taking a sip.   The tea was hot, slightly bitter and fresh-tasting.  We each had a tiny cake to eat with the tea – a reminder of life’s sweetness and bitterness.  This moment was sweet indeed – a rare moment of quiet up in the treetops.

The monk gave us a overview of Zen Buddhism, the origins of meditation and the importance of chanting a sutra as a way to focus and clear the mind.  He led us in a rather lengthy chant – you definitely had to concentrate to read the unfamilar words and keep up with the leader.  

We then we undertook a meditation session in which we tried to free our minds of all thoughts. The monk offered a whack on the back (with a wooden stick) to those who needed assistance in concentrating. He said that to understand the true meaning of Zen, we should practice meditation several times a day.  

After our temple visit, we traveled to Kameoka, a small city that has largely preserved its sense of heritage.  Many temples and shrines from Kameoka's long history remain in excellent condition in their natural surroundings, attracting many visitors, hoping for good luck and fortune.  We came to visit Heki-tei, a home built over 300 years ago during the Edo period as the residence of a famous Samurai warrior.  The Heki family was known as the originators of Kyūdō, traditional Japanese archery. Nowadays, the Heki-tei is highly prized as an historic Japanese house and is still owned by the Heki family. 

Entering the tatami-floored rooms, the whole place was a living museum - without glass display cases.  Edo-period Samurai weapons, such as spears and bows, were laid out in on the floor.

After welcoming by Mrs. Michiyo Heki, we met the two local women, Yumi and Yoko, who would teach us how to make traditional, handmade rolled-sushi known as temari sushi. We first donned white aprons that looked more like choir robes than aprons.  We were well-protected from the sushi ingredients, which were beautifully presented. 

Following the provided recipe and the instructions of our teachers, we made four balls of vinegared rice and transformed them into four kinds of ball sushi:  (1) fresh cucumber and pickles, (2) cooked salmon with mayonnaise and pink peppers, (3) thin omelets tied with Japanese bonewort, and (4) steamed shrimp with wasabi.  They were delicious and filling, but only appetizers … followed by a full meal, Japanese style. 

 

Tenryuji Temple (Temple of the Heavenly Dragon) was built in 1339, the largest in Arashiyama and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The temple has burned down again and again over the centuries, finally restored in the form we see now during the Meiji era.

The Zen landscape gardens remain as they were designed more than 700 years ago by master gardener Museo Soseki, whose work so impressed the shogun that he was made head priest of the temple.  This is one of the oldest gardens in Japan; it is known as the Sogenchi Garden and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Sagano Bamboo Forest (sometimes called Arashiyama Forest) was planted by a Zen monk in the 14th century.  The forest today is composed of giant mosa bamboo trees rising 90-feet high. Because the canes are roughly the height of six-story buildings on either side of a narrow uphill path, the treetops seem to almost meet above you, and with nothing but bamboo for six square miles, it is truly like being enveloped in jade.

The grove was planted to ward off evil spirits and thus protect the nearby Tenryuji Temple—and it seems to be doing its job. The setting is so placid that when the Japanese government lists the wind through the Sagano bamboo branches as one of the best soundscapes in Japan – to encourage people to slow down and find calm in the world around them.  No one hurries here, as the path only takes 20 minutes to traverse each way. It’s not about getting to a destination—here, the magic is simply all around you.

We stopped here for some ice cream – not just any old ice cream, this was a three-for-one sampling of green tea ice cream:  sencha, roasted tea, and matcha.  This will not go down as our favorite food – green tea kit-kats are better – but we’re glad we got to try it.

We also had the unusual experience of having some young Japanese women ask for a picture.  Here Fran looks like she’s on safari, with three young ladies decked out in their finest for strolling around shrines of Kyoto.

Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion) is a shariden, a Buddhist hall containing relics of Buddha.  The pavilion is part of a temple that is name Rokuon-ji Temple, but is commonly called the Kinkakuji Temple, or the Temple of the Golden Pavilion.  It is a Zen Buddhist temple, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A small, three-story villa covered in gold lacquer outside and gold leaf inside, the pavilion was built in 1398 by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, whose reign was largely marked by failure.    He abdicated his powers to his nine-year-old son and focused on building something worthy of the heavenly paradise of the Buddha.  The building became his retirement villa, a symbol of extreme wealth and power. 

 After his death, it became a Zen temple, although its opulence is a jarring contrast to the simple concepts of Zen.  Zen or not, the pavilion, surrounded by a pond and set against a forested hillside, is a striking sight to behold. 

 











NARA

Nara is a small city, and its unhurried ambience seems designed to avoid disturbing the long sleep of its illustrious ancestors.  While Kyoto’s grandeur emerges from a relatively recent past, Nara and its environs contains buildings of such antiquity that their very survival is quite astonishing. Nara was the capital of Japan before Kyoto and it was here that Japanese civilization first appeared. 

Nara-kuen is a 1,235 acre park roamed by approximately 1,500 tame (and hungry) deer.  The Nara deer have been here longer than the Japanese, and over the centuries they have perfected the doe-eyed look that guarantees maximum handouts.  They also bow when they are offered deer cookies sold around the park.  This is Japan’s largest city park, and it contains some of Nara’s greatest treasurers, including the world’s largest bronze statue. 

Todai-ji is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its mighty bronze Buddha, the Daibutsu, housed in the largest wooden building in the world.  Emperor Shomu built the temple in the year 752 to accommodate a colossal bronze statue of the Buddha that he had commissioned.  At the dedication ceremony for the statue, visiting foreign monks brought it lavish gifts that are preserved in the Nara National Museum. 

The finely sculpted octagonal bronze lantern in front of the main hall is an eight-century original.  The massive Great South Gate (Nandaimon) before the entrance also dates from the eighth century, though it was partly restored after a 12th-century typhoon.  

The Hall of the Great Buddha (Daibutsuden) has been repaired many times due to fires and natural disasters and was rebuilt for the last time in 1708.  The hall is one of the world’s largest wooden structures:  187 feet wide by 164 feet deep and 157 feet high.  It has to be big in order to house the Diabutsu, the biggest bronze statue in the world.  The seated colossus weighs 550 tons, including 290 pounds of gold; it soars to 53 feet above its pedestal. 

The main statue is surrounded by statues of Kannon and two heavenly guardians.  A huge pillar to the right of the Buddha is thought to open the path to enlightenment to those able to crawl through a hole the size of the Buddha’s nostril (in the base of the pillar).  If you can just squeeze through into the mind of the Buddha, there will be no need for all that meditation – enlightenment may come as easily as a sneeze. 

All over the Todai-ji compound today, there were busloads of schoolkids, in uniform and perfectly behaved.

The Kasuga Grand Shrine (Kasuga Taisha), dating back to 768 A.D., is Nara’s most celebrated Shinto Shrine.  It was established at the same time as the capital and is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city.  The main building has been rebuilt many times over the centuries. 

Kasuga Taisha is famous for its lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers.  Hundreds of bronze lanterns hang from the buildings, while many more stone lantern line the approaches to the shrine.  The lanterns are lit during twice-a-year Lantern Festivals. 

There are many small auxiliary shrines in the woods around the main complex, as well as other features you expect to find at a Shinto shrine:  barrels of sake, a place for hanging wishes, and beautifully dressed young visitors. 

Lunch at a local restaurant was fun – another place so small that our group of 16 completely filled it to capacity.  More tempura, more noodles, and our second taste of green tea ice cream. 

After lunch, we walked through narrow streets, just admiring the neighborhood -  lots of small shops, traditional homes, and interesting people.  We eventually reached the Kofukuji Temple, with its famous five-story pagoda.The pagoda is beautifully reflected in the nearby lake and draws many artists to capture the scene. 

Kofukuji Temple was founded just after the capital was moved to Kyoto in the late 700s. The large temple, together with its now defunct sister temple Saiji , flanked the southern entrance to the city and served as the capital's guardian temples. This temple is one of Kyoto's many UNESCO world heritage sites.  The Kondo Hall is the temple's main hall and largest building; it houses the temple’s main object of worship, a large wooden statue of the Yakushi Buddha.  Nearby is Kofukuji's five storied pagoda and a small Shinto shrine.  The pagoda was originally erected in 826. It stands 57 meters tall, making it the tallest pagoda in Japan, and has become a symbol of both the temple and the city of Kyoto. 

HIROSHIMA

After another fast ride on the Bullet Train, we were in Hiroshima in time for lunch.  Hiroshima is a synonym for the horror of war; the city became well-known after being destroyed by the first atomic bomb dropped on a populated area.  In the years since WWII, the city has rebuilt, grown and created the Peace Memorial Park.  Hiroshima is the prefectural capital of an industrial coastal region, a thriving city whose optimistic residents rarely mention the bomb. 

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park – was built as a symbol of peace, providing current and future generations with warnings from the past.    It occupies an area very near the center of the A-bomb blast.  There are memorials commemorating the victims of that fearful day and the ruins of a building that was less than 600 feet from the detonation.    

As we arrived at the park, we were met by a gang of school kids looking for tourists on whom to practice their English.  They wanted to know where we were from, did we like Japan and other hot topics.

Genbaku Dome (aka A-Bomb Dome) is one of the only buildings to remain standing in the city center after the explosion.  It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. 

The 40-foot-tall Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students stands to the south of the A-bomb Dome; it honors the boys and girls who were ordered by the government to work for the war effort.  As a consequence of the bombing on August 6, 1945, there were far more causalities among the mobilized students in Hiroshima than anywhere else in Japan.  Many who lived through the bombing shared a sense of guilt over the fact that they survived while others died to work for the nation’s war effort. The Hiroshima Mobilized Student Victims Association erected the tower in 1967.

The Peace Clock Tower chimes every morning at quarter past eight, the time at which the A-bomb struck Hiroshima in 1945.  The clock’s chime represents a prayer for perpetual peace and an appeal to the peoples of the world that this wish be answered promptly.  May this message reach the remotest corners of the earth.

The Children’s Peace Memorial stands in memory of all children who died as a result of the atomic bomb.  It is often festooned with garlands of colored paper cranes, a traditional ‘get well’ symbol still made by school children all over Japan for ailing survivors and as offerings for harmony on our planet. 

On the day of our visit, there were several school groups in the park – one of these groups assembled at the children’s memorial for a ceremony.  They sang the national anthem and spoke to the children who died at Hiroshima; they pledged to fight for the end of all nuclear weapons, for everlasting world peace.  

Nearby stands the Peace Bell, a large Japanese temple bell hanging inside a small open-sided structure. Visitors are encouraged to ring the bell for world peace; the loud tolling of this bell rings out regularly throughout the park.  Today it was occupied by school children; taking turns ringing the bell and having pictures made to remember their visit. 

The Cenotaph holds the names of all the people killed by the bomb.  The saddle-shaped monument that covers it is aligned to frame the Peace Flame and the A-Bomb Dome. The Memorial Cenotaph was one of the first memorial monuments built on open field on August 6, 1952. The arch shape represents a shelter for the souls of the victims.  It stands in front of the rectangular Peace Pond, where the Flame of Peace burns. The flame will not be extinguished until the last nuclear weapon is destroyed. 

The Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims is meant to remember and mourn the sacred sacrifice of the atomic bomb victims and to express Japan's desire for genuine and lasting peace. On the roof, near the entrance is a clock frozen at 8:15, the time the bomb went off. Inside, the Hall of Remembrance, contains a 360 degree panorama of the destroyed Hiroshima recreated using 140,000 tiles — the number of people estimated to have died from the bomb.

The Peace Memorial Museum tells the story of the atomic bomb and its consequences.  It displays remnants of the bombing day and the accounts of survivors.  Exhibits included detailed before-and-after scale models, disturbing photographs, burned and tattered school uniforms, a twisted tricycle, and melted bottles, tiles and metal appliances. 

A clock in the lobby tracks the time since the bomb struck Hiroshima.  It stands next to a monument commemorating the visit here by Pope John Paul II in 1981.  Downstairs there is an exhibit showing one of the paper cranes that U.S. President Barack Obama gave to school children when he visited here.

Our trip leader arranged for us to attend a presentation by one of the few remaining survivors of the bombing of Hiroshima 71 years ago.  Mr Takashi was 10 years old in August of 1945, a student in the fifth grade.  He told us what he remembers of this terrible event that killed most of his family members.  He was inside his home when the bomb hit, a fact that probably saved his life even though the house collapsed over him.  He and his aunt fled the city, trying to get away from the heat and destruction.  He remembers seeing people with burns so bad that their skin was peeling.  He remembers the rivers were full of dead and dying people who were seeking water.  He remembers running with a sheet of metal over his head to protect himself from the radioactive black rain. Today he prays for peace and an end to nuclear weapons.

After a long, emotional day, our trip leader had something special lined up for dinner – Hiroshima Soul Food, known locally as Okonomyaki.  We went to a tiny restaurant near our hotel – barely enough room around the bar for our group of eleven.  We were served drinks and appetizers and then settled in to watch the ‘chef’ prepare our dinner.  Here is play-by-play description of how this dish was made.  Make thin pancakes/crepes on hot griddle; add lots of shredded cabbage; add some bean sprouts and dried squid; add two half-slices of bacon and a shot of olive oil.  Flip it over and let it cook awhile.  Dump some pre-cooked soba noodles on the grill and sauté them in a bit of lard.  Season to taste and place the pancake/cabbage pile on top of the noodles.  Cook double-yolk eggs (one per person) and spread into a thin circle; place the cabbage/pancake pile on top of the egg and flip the whole thing one last time.  Paint with secret sauce and sprinkle with dried seaweed.   It was quite a show and it was absolutely delicious!

 

ISLANDS OF THE INLAND SEA

The Inland Sea is the body of water separating the main Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu and connecting the Sea of Japan to the Pacific Ocean.  It was historically an important trade route and continues to be a vital shipping lane.  The Inland Sea is covered by an extensive ferry network, as many of the islands are connected by small local ferries. The sea is also crossed by three major series of bridges that connect large and small islands.  The smaller islands in this sea are cherished by the Japanese for their beauty and because of the old traditions they have maintained.   

From Hiroshima, we took the train to Tadanoumi Port, on outskirts of Hiroshima, and walked from the station to the ferry port.  There we took a ferry to Sakari, on Omi-shima Island.  Omi-shima is a pleasant and hilly island that was a favorite hideout for pirates in medieval times.  We stopped here only briefly for a look at the Tatara Bridge, which connects the islands of Honshu and Shikoku across the Seto Inland Sea.

Next stop was Ikuchi-jima Island for lunch – one of the most fun lunches on the trip.  Each place was set with multiple dishes of food, including a couple on top of a wooden box.  Surprise – it was a bento box with more food inside – we just had to figure out how to open it to double the amount of food we had to eat.  It was another yummy meal in an out-of-the-way spot.

The focus of activity on Ikuchi-jima is the little town of Setoda, where most of the island’s sights are located.  It's easy to see that octopus is a favorite food around these parts - fresh, dried and plastic. 

After a quick look at some Japanese yard art, we went to visit some more upscale art.

The Ikuo Hirayama Museum of Art houses the work of Hirayama Ikuo, one of Japan’s most famous painters.  He was born in Setoda and was a student in Hiroshima in 1945, where he witnessed the destruction of the bomb and suffered from the effects of radiation.   Many of his works focus on the theme of peace, but he is best known for his paintings of the Silk Road and his home turf of the Inland Sea.

Kosanji Temple was erected on Setoda’s main street in 1936; it belongs to the True Pure Land Sect of Japanese Buddhism, but has no parishioners.   It was the brainchild of a wealthy arms dealer turned monk.  Kanemoto Koza built the temple to honor his mother and to ensure her rebirth into Buddhist paradise.  It took more than 30 years to complete.

   

There is nowhere quite like this anywhere else in Japan, yet many of the buildings look familiar because Kosa built replicas, at a slightly reduced scale, of many of the most famous religious buildings from over 1,000 years of Japanese history.  He even went so far as to “improve” the architecture with embellishments – it really is a one-of-a-kind place.   

The Cave of 1,000 Buddhas is a man-made cave beneath the temple grounds.  We descended through many twists and turns, passing numerous tableaux and reliefs depicting the horrors awaiting those who go to Buddhist hell.  The scenes are not too dissimilar to those depicting Christian hell.  At the bottom, the cave opens up to reveal in dim light a thousand Buddhist statues rising up in nooks and crannies in the cavern walls.  Finally, we came out into the light under the giant statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy.

Miraishin no Oka caps the top of the hill within the temple grounds; it is a dazzling white sculpture garden, the name of which means Heights of Eternal Hope for the Future.  The hilltop is covered with dazzling white Italian marble and crowned with a series of giant sculptures.  The sculpture garden has no religious functions as part of Kosanji; it is simply one of the temple's artistic properties.

Walking on through town to the port, we passed some beautiful homes and small neighborhood shrines.  From Sedota, we traveled by speedboat (hydrofoil) to Mihara, a suburb of Hiroshima.  There we caught the bullet train back to the city. 

Dinner was on our own that night, so we asked our trip leader for directions to the nearest yakitori restaurant.  Yakitori is small pieces of chicken meat skewered on a bamboo stick and grilled over hot coals. The chicken is seasoned with a sweet soy sauce-based sauce and served with a side of cold beer.    We had trouble with Jimmy’s directions, so we asked some local guys for help and they walked us to the restaurant.  Another example of the hospitality and kindness of the Japanese people; also another example of a fine meal!

MIJIYAMA ISLAND

Miyajima Island is one of Japan’s traditionally great scenic spots.  Literally “Shrine Island,” Miyajima has been home to the sacred Itsukushima-jinja for 1,500 years.  Seeming to float above the water, the shrine’s huge red tori gateway is a much a symbol of Japan as Mount Fuji. 

Itsukushima Shrine was founded in 593 A.D. and dedicated to three sea goddesses who were daughters of a Shinto god.  The shrine is flanked by elegant covered corridors and is noted for its sweeping thatched roofs and the intense orange color of its delicate woodwork.  It is built on pillars right over the sea and appears to float on the water at high tide.  It is considered one of the finest examples in Japan of the unique Shinden architecture and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The famous torii is 175 yards out from the shrine landing and stands 53 feet high.   This gateway to the shrine rises from the ocean, its bright red pillars extend high above the seabed.  The elegant shrine along the shoreline consists of 19 structures, all blending with the natural beauty of the site.

Miyajima is also home to more than a thousand very friendly Sika deer.  According to local folklore, they were considered sacred messengers from the gods. Until 1637, killing one was punishable by death.  After World War II, the Japanese government stripped deer (and the Emperor) of their divine status.  They are still protected by Japanese law and are designated as a national treasure.  They walk freely through the streets of Miyajima.

Daisho-in Temple is one of the most prestigious temples in the western part of Japan. In the 12th century, Emperor Toba founded his prayer hall in the temple. The temple had close links with Imperial Family until the 19th century. It is the oldest Buddhist temple on island.

The Niomon Gate serves as the official gateway into the temple. A pair of guardian king statues stand by the gate.  Nio kings are believed to ward off evil and to preserve Buddhist philosophy on earth.

The prayer wheels in the center rail of the temple stairs contain six hundred volumes of Dai-hannyakyo Scripture introduced from India by a Chinese monk.  Touching these sutras is believed to bring you enormous fortune. Spinning the wheel is believed to invite blessings equivalent to reading one volume of the Heart Sutra.  Lining the steps and scattered throughout the grounds are statues of Buddhist disciples and other figures.  

The image of Kannon Bosatsu, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, was enshrined at Itsukushima Shinto Shrine many years ago, showing the close connection between Shinto and Buddhism in Japan.  Maniden Hall is the main prayer hall where the Three Awesome Deities of Mt. Misen are enshrined, along with countless other deities and figures important to the Buddhist faith.  Worshipers come here to pray, asking for contentment in their daily lives, good health and longevity.

Henjokutsu Cave is a dimly-lit passageway corresponding to a prestigious pilgrimage route.  Worshipers believe that they are given the same blessings as people who make the pilgrimage to all the temples on the route.

Lunch today was on our own.  In spite of several interesting possibilities for street food, we all voted to have Okonomyaki – again.  Jimmy found a restaurant with enough space for the group and served as our translator to be sure our order made sense.  We weren’t able to watch the cook this time, but still tasted mighty fine.

After lunch, we had some time to wander around town - it's almost overrun with tourist shops, but still some interesting side streets, neighborhood shrines, traditional shops and other surprise to explore.

The wooden Miyajima Rice Scoop (or Shakushi) was invented here in the early 1800s by a Buddhist priest who taught the islanders how to make the scoop.  The scoops were first purchased as souvenirs by religious pilgrims visiting the island; they became very popular and the design soon spread all across Japan.  Nowadays, most rice scoops are mass produced and made of plastic. However, the old style still remains in Miyajima, where each scoop is manually crafted one by one. The materials are selected carefully, and polishing is repeated for a silky smooth texture.  

Soldiers called up for service around Japan wrote their names on rice scoops and left them at the Itsukushima Shrine. When they came back from battle, they picked up their own rice scoop as a souvenir to take home in commemoration of their victory.  Some souvenir shops have rice scoops that are over 6 feet in length.  These are used as talismans for good luck, victory, business prosperity, and a safe household.

Toyokuni Shrine is dedicated to the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three unifiers of Japan in the 16th century.  The construction of the hall was discontinued after 11 years when Hideyoshi passed away, and it still remains unfinished today. Amida Buddha and two subordinate Buddhist saints were enshrined in the altar until the early Meiji era; since that time, however, the altar has been used in Shinto rituals. The building is called Senjokaku (Hall of One Thousand Tatami Mats), reflecting its standing as the largest structure on Miyajima Island.

The Five-storied Pagoda (Gojunoto) was originally constructed in 1407, and it was restored in 1533. The main deity enshrined here was the Buddha of Medicine; the Buddhist images symbolizing the deity and the saints were removed in the early Meiji era. This structure is said to be one of only five examples of five-story pagodas in Japan.

We took the ferry and the train back to Hiroshima for our final, farewell dinner.  Then it was time to pack up and head home.  Before packing up this blog, here are a few more notes about Japan – not necessarily specific to any one place, but interesting enough for a few photos.

BATHROOMS in Japan are never boring, especially if you are unlucky enough to choose an eastern style squat toilet.  Some places have electronic information boards to tell you what type of toilet is available and where to find it.  In Japan, there’s a reason to call a toilet a throne: it’s been elevated to the king of household appliances. More people own high-tech toilets (81%) than computers. 

 Robotoilets are equipped not just to refresh you with a bidet-style rinse, but to sense what you need. Some raise the lid for you if the bathroom door opens; some detect motion and instantly warm the seat. Many rinse and flush for you, so that you need not touch anything.  In public restrooms, there is the added feature of the playing the sound of a toilet flushing to block the sounds you may be making.  All of our hotels were equipped with these ‘washlets.’  All came with control panels or remotes to adjust the settings to individual needs. 

As the old-style toilets are replaced by these new-fangled gadgets, some of the older, more traditional folks apparently need a little instruction.  Here are some of the signs explaining how to use a western-style toilet.

CONVENIENCE STORES stores are on every block and were usually found near our hotels.  One of the most common types was the 7-11; who knew this store had migrated to Japan?  These stores have many more choices than comparable shops in the U.S. – they are THE place to find junk food and a good spot to pick up a surgical mask if you are trying to blend in with the locals.

FOOD (and drink) can be found just about everywhere in Japan; English signs not so frequent, so we often had no idea what we were being offered.  Meals were varied, always interesting, rarely anything familiar.  Whatever it was, it was always presented beautifully - sometimes it looked too pretty to eat.

Hotel breakfast buffets were particularly challenging – the Japanese like rice and soup and salad for breakfast, along with fifty little dishes of who knows what.  Hotel chefs made valiant attempts to prepare scrambled eggs and bacon, but the results were pretty scary.

Most restaurants have a display window with food models showing what they serve; sometimes it’s necessary to bring the server outside to point to what you want. 

GIFT-GIVING is a big deal in Japan; it is related to the concept of obligation or social duty.  The key is that a gift must be no more nor less valuable than the relationship between the two people.  Gifts are typically wrapped in a piece of cloth that resembles a handkerchief.  Here our trip leader tried to show us the proper way to wrap a gift.

HOTELS have small rooms, though our trip leader preferred to call them compact.  They were very simple, sparsely furnished, but with some nice extras – like slippers and a kimono to wear. 

LITTER doesn’t exist.  Japan has a national obsession with cleanliness. There is no litter. Ever. And yet there are no trash cans anywhere. They were abolished twenty years ago and now everyone is expected to take their trash with them.  On some days, on back streets, you may see plastic sacks of garbage lined up (neatly, of course) waiting for the garbage man to whisk them away. Most shop keepers vacuum the sidewalk in front of their stores every morning and then mop it down. You could literally eat off the sidewalks.

RICE is a staple of the Japanese diet; Japanese rice is short-grained and somewhat translucent.  When cooked it has a sticky texture such that it can easily be picked up with chopsticks.  Most rice consumed in Japan is produced domestically.  Rice farming in Japan is characterized by high mechanization, intense cultivation, and a shortage of farmland.  Terraced rice fields cover many rural hillsides, but these are relatively small due to the mountainous terrain.

TRAINS are by far the most important means of passenger transportation in Japan.  Railways are especially key to high-speed travel between major cities and for commuter transport in metropolitan areas.  Rail transport services are provided by more than 100 companies. 

It seemed that every day started out at the train station, with Jimmy buying tickets to somewhere else.  Tokyo was by far the craziest place – too many types of trains, stations too large, and too many signs written in Japanese (imagine that).  Jimmy gave us a railpass and a map of Tokyo's train system and another map of Tokyo's subway system.  We  did try a variety of means of transportation:  bullet trains, limited express trains, commuter trains, subways, trams, buses, and taxis.  Sometimes we might have tried them all in the same day.  It’s a different world.

 

VENDING MACHINES are everywhere (inside subway cars, atop Mt. Fuji) and sell everything.  Hot and cold items are dispensed at the proper temperature - from the same machine; red background means hot, green background means cold.  Japan has the highest per capita rate of vending machines in the world and the contents are sometimes surprising - fishing bait, fresh flowers, sake by the glass, used cell phone, sushi, even umbrellas.  It helps to be able to read Japanese ... while trying to purchase a Kirin beer from a vending machine, Fran ended up with a can of grapefruit juice.