Thank You For Reading My Blogs In 2016

It is December 31st, so this is the last post for this year. Thank you for reading my blogs during 2016! The photo on the right hand side was taken today. Mt. Fuji is also seeing off this year's last day with the clear sky and the crescent moon.

As I wrote in my another blog on December 30th, in Japan there is a tradition at the end of the year to eat one kind of noodle. The noodle is "Soba Noodle" which is made from buckwheat and the dish which is for December 31st is called "Toshikoshi-soba". The direct translation of it is "Noodle for passing over the year", but it is a "Noodle for New Year's Eve". Since ancient times Japanese people eat something long to wish longevity, so people eat Soba noodle at the end of a year. 

Hope you will keep reading my blogs for a long time!

A Big Sacred Circle Can Get Rid Of Bad Lucks From Your Body And Soul?

It's already December 29th, so 2016 is going to end soon! In Japanese traditional custom, we have cleansing rituals at the end of a half year and a whole year as I introduced in my previous post inJune. We can see special events/items for this custom at some of the Japanese Shinto shrines.

The photos are taken at Koyasu Shrine in Hachioji city, Tokyo (4-10-3, Myojin-cho, Hachioji City). It is one of the oldest local shrines in the area and apparently the shrine was originally build in the 8 century. Many local people love this shrine because it’s believed as a shrine that gives blessings for matchmaking, having babies, and safe births.

Now you can try annual "Cleanse Ceremony for The Year" at the shrine. A big circle made by a thick straw rope was placed in front of the shrine building and this circle is a special item to cleanse people's body and soul. When you walk through the circle three times making an "8" shape tilted 90 degree as you can see in the lower center photo, your body and soul would get cleaned.

It is said that the origin of the ritual came from a legendary episode. Long ago, when one of Japanese gods was traveling he asked one night stay at a poor man’s house. The man gave the god warm hospitality, then the god told him that he can escape from the disaster of diseases when he carries a ring made of one kind of grass. Later, he could survive from an epidemic by following the teaching. In ancient time people carried a small ring of the grass to get rid of diseases, but later it changed to the aforesaid ritual going through a big circle.

How about trying this ritual and cleansing your body and soul to prepare for coming New Year?

Now Free Wi-Fi Services Are Increasing In Japan

Until a couple years ago, for most foreign tourists visiting Japan finding free Wi-Fi outside had been a trouble, but finally the services started increasing. 

There is a free app named "TRAVEL JAPAN Wi-Fi, which provides free Wi-Fi service for only foreign tourists visiting Japan as you can see in the photos above. Also there is another service named "Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi" which is provided at shopping malls, airports, stations and inside of trains. In addition, some cities such as Hachioji City in Tokyo, started free Wi-Fi services in the downtown as you can see in the upper right hand side photo.

Why it took so long to have free Wi-Fi services in Japan after smartphones came out? Actually Japanese old types cellphones have had internet connection from the long time before smartphones and tablets came out. The internet services have been provided by cellphone companies and when people bought a cellphone with a phone number and contracted with a phone company, an email address for the cellphone and internet connection were included in the service. 

Of course these old types cellphones didn't have improved functions as good as smartphones and tablets nowadays, but all of them had a camera and a color display, then they were enough to exchange emails/photos and see simple websites of shops and companies in early days. Since the internet accesses were given through the cellphone connection Japanese people didn't have inconveniences outside.  

Even after smartphones and tablet came out, people still used the same system so that they had internet connection included in their phone-number contracts and didn't need Free WiFi services separately. However, it had been really inconvenient for visitors from foreign countries and there was a deregulation for the Japanese cellphone business. At last Free WiFi services for outside started spreading in Japan. 

I think it is interesting to see that even the circumstances of high-tech gadgets which seems like global items today are different in each country. It can be a part of cultural gap experience for your travel!

Here is information for outside Free WiFi service especially in Tokyo area!
Travel Japan WiFi
Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi
WiFi HOTSPOT GUIDE / Official Tokyo Travel Guide Go Tokyo

A Fall View Of Shingen-in Temple Where Refugee Samurai Princess Matsu Finally Found Herself At

This temple is located in Hachioji City, Tokyo. There are many Japanese maple trees (Momiji) around the temple building and they turn into beautiful red color in fall season. The ground were covered by lots of red maple leaves, golden ginkgo leaves and Japanese camellia (Sazanka) petals, so it looked like a natural potpourri spread by trees.

According to the temple's record, this Buddhism temple is the place where the refugee Samurai princess, Matsu, whom I introduced several times on last April 10th and April 28th. (Please click the date to read the previous posts). 

She was a daughter of a powerful Samurai lord who ruled Kai State (current Yamanashi prefecture) during Japanese Warring States Period (14th-15th Century). Although her father's troopers, Takeda Troopers, were famous as "The strongest troopers" at that time, after the father collapsed by a sickness the Takeda clan weakened and were defeated by other powerful Samurai lord. 

Princess Matsu managed herself to escape from the downfall of the clan, and reached Hachioji at the end of a long runaway trip over mountains. Later she established her own temple as I introduced in my previous posts, but apparently this "Shingen-in Temple" was the first place she arrived at and became a nun with a help of monks at the temple.

Actually "Shingen" is her father's name. Even though the written Chinese characters (Kabji) are different, it is a completely same pronunciation. After fearful runaway trip, she found a temple with her father's name. Maybe, that was one of the reasons she became a nun here? Anyway, it was hundreds years ago, and now the temple stands quietly surrounded by beautiful trees.

Were Historical Shoguns During Samurai Era Powerful Enough To Be Able To Do Anything As They Wish?

I wrote about a Samurai princess whose family was ruined during the Japanese Warring States period in my previous post on November 24th. Her name is "Kenshoin", and in her later years she was entrusted a illegitimate child of the second Shogun of Tokugawa Shogunate period. 

"Kenshoin" wasn't a relative of Tokugawa Shogun family at all. Tokugawa family was even one of the enemies who ruined her family at the end of the Japanese Warring States period. Then why she was offered such an important task?

After the Japanese Warring States period ended, a couple of powerful Samurai lord became the top of military power and ruled Japan, yet they could't hand down their position to their sons, so their domination periods ended with one generation. Finally, in 1603, Ieyasu Tokugawa (1542-1616) became the first Shogun and established a stable Shogunate government which continued until 1867. Thus "Shogun" position was technically the most powerful position of the country and the ruler of Japan during Tokugawa Shogunate period. 

However, it seems like even "Shogun" had something they couldn't control. You might think "Shogun" was like an autocrat who had all power to rule the country and many wives as he lived in a huge castle. Partially it was true, "Shogun" was the top of Samurai and lived in magnificent Edo Castle which is now lost and became Emperor's Palace, also they could have many concubines beside their formal wife. However, they weren't absolute rulers since they also had to follow many rules and needed to get permissions to do what they want.

Apparently, the second Shogun loved a lower positioned woman and he wanted to make her his concubine, but it wasn't approved by his formal wife who came from a very powerful family. So he hid the girlfriend even after she had a baby. Although the baby was truly Shogun's son, the second shogun thought it wasn't safe enough to raise him in Edo Castle. Therefore the shogun picked up a lady who didn't have any connection to Shogun's family nor vassals, to entrust his secret baby and the mother. That was the "Kenshoin" whose family had been ruined many years ago. 

Later the shogun secretly gave the son to one of the minor Samurai lord as his hair. The domain of the lord was small area called "Takato-han" in current Nagano prefecture. Surprisingly the son never acted as Shogun's son even though it was a tacit understanding among the upper class. He even refused to use the family name of "Tokugawa" which was Shogun's name and kept his adoptive father's family name. With his modest behavior, he was loved by his half brother who was the third Shogun.

Actually, a popular landmarks in Tokyo, "Shijuku Gyoen National Garden" is a former property of the "Takato-han". It is now one of the biggest green area in the center of Tokyo same as Emperor's Palace which is the former property of his brother, the third Shogun. You can visit both gardens within a day!

Please Enjoy A Virtual-Reality Tour Of An Autumn Hunting!

Now it is the season of colored leaves. As I mentioned several times previously, Japanese always love seasonal things. The same way people go out for "Hanami (Seasonal Flowers Viewing)", people rush to see beautiful colored leaves in this season. However, we don't use the word "Viewing" for the colored leaves in fall. Somehow we use "Hunting" for the colored leaves, such as "Let's go to colored-leaves hunting this weekend!"

The pure red color of Japanese maple leaves is one of the most popular colors of autumnal foliage same as ginkgo's golden color. Then, this temple in the photo-slideshow above, Heirin-ji Temple in Niiza City, Saitama prefecture, would be a great spot to enjoy it in fall. 

The temple has a long history and is said that it was originally established in 1375. Unfortunately during the Japanese Warring States Period most of the buildings were burned down, but it was restored under the protection of the very first Shogun, Ieyasu Tokugawa, of Tokugawa-shogunate era (Samurai era). 

Actually this temple has a historical relation with Hachioji City. There is a grave of a Samurai princess born during the Japanese Warring States Period. She is an older sister of Princess Matsu, whom I introduced as "Refugee Samurai Princess" in my previous post in last April 10th and April 28th. (Please click the date to read the previous posts).

This older sister is known as "Kenshoin", and she also played an important role in Japanese history, although it was very different from her sister, Princess Matsu's contribution. Kenshoin was entrusted a hidden illegitimate child of the second Tokugawa-Shogun to raise. It was a request from the first Shogun, Ieyasu Tokugawa. Thus she was buried a major temple under the protection of Tokugawa-Shogunate government. 

It is interesting to hear that the sister, whose family was defeated and went to ruin, survived by themselves and played important roles in history. Anyway, please enjoy the beautiful autumn view!

A Nice Local Festival, Hachioji Ginkgo Festa Will Take Place This Weekend!

I introduced about "ginkgo nuts picking" on my another blog "Yuko's Japan Guide" previously on November 15th. Actually ginkgo is the City Tree of Hachioji because ginkgo trees line a 4 km (2.5 miles) long stretch on the roadside of Rd.20 (Koshu Kaudo) which is one of the oldest national road passing through Hachioji City, and the autumn view of it is one of the notable scenery in Hachioji. 

Thus, a local festival under the ginkgo trees on Rd.20 (Koshu-kaido) started 37 yeas ago and named "Hachioji Ichou Festa". Ichou is the Japanese word for Ginkgo. This year, it will take place this weekend, between November 19th and 20th. There will be various parades and performances, such as a classic car parade, a Samurai parade, traditional drum performances, and dance performances under the ginkgo trees during the festival. Also several shop areas for food stalls and local items will be set up between Takao station and Oiwake intersection. 

Besides the parades and performances, the festival has an interesting activity similar to stamp-collecting activity every year. Wooden passes called "Tsuko Tegata", which is the word for a kind of permission for travelers during Samurai era, are sold at the festival area and visitors can enjoy collecting branding of neighborhood areas' names along the Rd.20 (Koshu-kaido) as you can see in the lower center and left end photo. There are 12 checkpoints to provide the branding in the festival area. Perhaps it is like an old-days travel that people had to go through checkpoints to show their permission (Tsuko Tegata) on their way.

It would be fun to experience how people travel in old days, and the wooden pass would be a nice souvenir of Japan. In addition to it, when you completed to get all branding of the 12 neighborhood areas' names, you can also get some remembrance of the activity. 

Hope the weather will be nice and you can enjoy gorgeous golden color of ginkgo leaves at the festival!

A New Stamp Collecting Activity To Learn Samurai Era History! "Go! The Hojos!"

I introduced a local festival in Hachioji City commemorating a Samurai lord Ujiteru Hojo in my previous post on October 25th, and in the connection I'd like to introduce a new activity event relating to the historical Samurai lord family started recently. It is a collecting-stamps-activity called "Stamp Rally" which I have also introduced on this website on October 19th.

The lower photos are showing the leaflet of the activity. "Stamp Rally" activity is usually common for train lines, but for this one stamps are placed at the historical sites relating "The Hojos", a Samurai lord family in the middle ages. The stamp sites are spreading in 5 prefectures such as Tokyo, Kanagawa prefecture, Saitama prefecture, Shizuoka prefecture, and Okayama prefecture. When people completed to collect 5 different stamps on the leaflet, they can get a pin badge that has an original design of the Hojo family.

Well, you might not be a pin badge collector, but in addition to it you may get a local specialty from one of the 5 prefectures by lottery. The local specialties are mostly traditional craft-works, for example, wooden chopsticks with decorative carving, a pair of pottery tea cups, and a tote bag made of Japanese denim. 

It would be fun to travel around to visit historical sites of Samurai era and learn Japanese history, then you may get a nice traditional item! The lower right end photo shows the stamp of Hachioji Castle which was a castle of Ujiteru Hojo. 

Ujiteru Hojo was the third son of Hojo head-family in the late 15th century, and Ujiteru was entrusted with the defence of the east side of their territory, which is now Hachioji City. The stamp in the photo is placed at the Guidance Center of Hachioji Castle Ruins (location: 3-2664-2, Moto-hachioji-machi, Hachioji City, Tokyo), and it is available while the Center is open. The activity term is between October 1st 2016 and February 28th 2017. 

Hope you can complete it during the period!


Other locations for this Stamp Rally "Go! The Hojos"
Odawara Castle: 6-1, Jonai, Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tsukuiko Lake Shiroyama Koen Park Center:162, Negoya, Midori-ku, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Tamanawa Furusato House:128, Ueki, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Hakone Town Local Museum:266, Yumoto, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
Hachigata Castle History Center: 2496-2, Oaza Hachigata, Yorii-machi, Osato-gun, Saitama prefecture
Former Yamazaki Family's Villa:2-7-8, Matsue-machi, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture
Izu-no-kuni City Nirayama Local Museum: 2-4, Nirayama, Izu-no-kuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Yamanaka Castle Guide Center and Shop:410-4, Yamanaka-shinden, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Shuzenji Temple:964, Shuzenji Temple, Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
OH!MOS:14-10, Uchiura-omosu, Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Ihara City Cultural Asset Center, Kodai Mahoroba House:333-1, Ihara-machi, Ihara City, Okayama Prefecture

Annual Local Festival In Hachioji City, Hojo Ujiteru Festival Took Place Last Weekend

As I introduced on October 15th, Annual Hojo Ujiteru Festival took place on October 23rd. I have written about this festival in my previous post last year on October 24th, and Hachioji local people started this festival to commemorate a Samurai lord "Ujiteru Hojo" who ruled the area in the Middle Ages. So this festival is a kind of new local event and it was the fifth festival this year.

Many local people wore Samurai armor which they made by themselves and walked in a parade in Moto-hachioji area and gathered at a local elementary school ground. Some Samurai related performances are showed and those who joined the festival parade enjoyed them in their armor. In the lower photos above, it seems like the school ground was completely covered by an uncommon atmosphere back to the Middle Ages, but on the edge of the ground there are many tents selling food and drinks for just a couple of dollars. The food and drinks were provided by the neighborhood people and they cooked behind these tents, so it also looked like a typical old-fashioned neighborhood event in a local community. 

It may look less elaborate and dynamic than famous major historic festivals. However visitors can enjoy the festival with more relaxed and friendly air and everybody can go really close to the parade and performers. It would be a big strong point of this festival.

In addition, same as the last year, a couple of groups from Kanagawa prefecture and Saitama prefecture joined this festival, because these areas had been ruled by the brothers of Ujiteru Hojo. Hojo Family was a powerful Samurai lord family in the Middle Ages until they were destroyed by another strong Samurai lord Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Apparently the family bond was very strong in Hojo Family, then in these areas related to Hojo family local people started to be united again through their local events recently. Now Hachioji people also join some events in Ujiteru's brothers' area.

What's more, this year Hachioji City Tokyo, Odawara City in Kanagawa prefecture, and Yorii Town in Saitama prefecture officially became sister cities because of the historical relation of Hojo Family. Seems like a mingling between the local people in the areas related Hojo Family is now becoming a bigger stream!

East Japan Railway Conpany (JR East) Got A New Sign For Stations And Lines

Let's keep talking about Japanese trains a little more. In Tokyo area, there are so many train lines then the train network is really complicated. They are roughly distinguished by companies, such as JR East, Keio Line, Odakyu Line and so on. However, even one company sometimes includes many different lines, for example JR East has more than 10 lines going through Tokyo area. So it is difficult to use them efficiently by memory.

Actually there has been a common way for people to remember each line easily since old days. Actually Japanese trains' colors or designs are associated with lines, so people usually remember each line with the name of the line, the direction and the train color/design. However it wasn't convenient enough for tourists especially from oversea since many of them can't read Japanese characters.

Then Japanese subway lines started to number each station with initials of the line's name sometime ago and many travelers said it was much easier. Then, recently the biggest train company in Tokyo area, JR East, took the same system into their signs as you can see in the photos.

The trains' colors of JR East are also different each other depending on the lines basically. For example, Yamanote Line trains are painted in yellow green and Keihintohoku Line trains are painted in blue. Then those who live in Tokyo area for a long time can tell them apart immediately even the two lines run parallel in some area but it wasn't so easy for tourists. 

So the company made a new sign based on initials of the line name and the station number at each station and put a square around it with each train's color. Thus, on the platform of JR East Yamanote Line in Ueno station, the mark "JY 05"is put in a yellow green square and showed with the station name "Ueno". On the other hand, the next platform, which is for JR East Keihintohoku Line, shows "JK 30" in a blue square with the station name.

I hope this change makes foreign people's travel easier!

Takao Station Is Showing Train Stations' History In Japan!

I'm continuously talking about Japanese trains and railroads in my recent posts on October 14th and 21st in my another blog "Yuko's Japan Guide and in this website on October 18th and 19th. In the connection, I'd like to introduce a fact that some stations are good places to see Japanese early modern times.

For example, Takao Station on JR East's Chuo Line located in Hachioji City, Tokyo, keeps one of the oldest structures inside of Tokyo. Takao Station is on the major rout to visit Maiji-no-mori National Park including Mt. Takao which is a very popular tourist spot, thus you may have a chance to go through there. It was opened in 1927 and was originally called Asakawa Station. Although Hachioji Station, which is two stations away, was opened earlier, current Hachioji station building was renovated 5 times, so the building is completely different from Takao Station.

Please look at the upper photos, the right hand side photo is the north exit of Takao Station, and the left hand side photo is the view from the platform. It has traditional Japanese structure like some shrines or temples. Also you can still see the original bricks structure on the lower basement of the platform although they installed the high-tech machines for the ticket gates. 

What's more, some old rails were recycled as pillars to hold the platform roof at Takao station, and one of them has marks of "1902" and Japan's first government iron mill "Yawata Ironworks" as you can see in the lower right end photo. Apparently it is the oldest maid-in-Japan rail remaining today. The "Yawata Ironworks" started to produce rails in 1901, but nobody found a rail made in the first year so far. The oldest rail is located on the platform 3, with the fifth pillar from the Sagamiko side.

As I introduced on the October 14th, the first railroad business of Japan began services in 1872, but most of the stations in early days were already renovated or reconstructed. Then, in Tokyo the oldest station building remaining today is actually Harajuku Station, which is located in the center of Tokyo and also very popular spot among tourists. It was build in 1924, a couple years earlier than Takao Station. However Harajuku Station has a nice Western style and looks completely different from Takao Station, so it would be interesting to visit both old stations and compare them!

Another Way To Enjoy Train Travels In Japan, Stamp Collecting

I have been writing about Japanese trains lately, and there is another way to enjoy train trips. Yes, precisely, it wouldn't be a way to enjoy trips you can go by trains, it is an activity you would go out for train trips. 

Actually many of Japanese train stations have a stamp with their original design, just same as commemorative stamps at famous sightseeing spots. For example, JR-east train company, which is one of the major train companies in Eastern Japan, has their original stamps at 77 stations in the Greater Tokyo area and they are encouraging people to collect all stamps as an activity for leisure-time. 

The stamps have different designs at each station and the design shows some famous landmark spots near the station or famous historical things in the neighborhood. So, people can see what is famous in the area as they collect these stamps. The photos above shows the stamp at Ochanomizu Station on JR Chuo Line. The design has Yushima-seido (Yushima Shrine of Confucius) and Nikorai-do (Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo)  which are both famous tourist spots around the station.

Collecting these kind of special stamps along train lines is in fact a popular activity in Japan. Then you can find notes for these stamp collection, moreover there is a special notes made for the 77 stamps at JR stations. Apparently the notes include train maps and sightseeing guide about the neighborhood of each stamp station. Since people have to get off at each stamp station and go out from the ticket gate to gain the stamp, it would be nice to look around the neighborhood in addition. Thus it is a kind of excursion to enjoy train travels.

What's more, some of these collecting-stamps-activities are especially called "Stamp Rally", and they are more popular. With the "Stamp Rally" activities people can get some special novelties when they completed the stamp collection. Then they are often associated with popular TV programs or game characters. For example, "Pokemon Stamp Rally" is one of the popular Stamp Rally activities which take place during vacation season every year. People (mainly kids) can gain various kinds of Pokemon characters' stamp at each station. To collect all kinds of Pokemon stamps and get the novelty, many kids are absorbed in it every year.

By the way, you might worry if the activities will be very expensive since you need to get out of the ticket gate every time you get stamps. Please don't worry, there is a special train pass for these kind of trips. In Tokyo area, JR-east train company provide "Tokunai pass" which you can get off each station inside of Tokyo 23 wards and "Kyujitu-odekake pass" which you can use as same in larger area on weekends, national holidays and summer and winter vacation season.

Some say these are a gimmick to make people stick with train trips, but still it is fun and many kids enjoy it whole day without getting bored, then it can be a good way to learn how to use the complicated train network in Tokyo area!

Have You Tried Japanese Bullet Train 'Shinkansen'?

In the connection I wrote about Japanese Railroad Day and train lovers in the previous post on my another blog on the October 14th, I'd like to introduce Japanese bullet trains "Shinkansen" today. It is one of the most popular trains in Japan.

The first Shinkansen started the services in 1964 between Tokyo and Osaka. Since then it increased the routes, and now there are apparently 7 lines plus 2 short lines for Shinkansen. To be approved as Shinkansen, trains need to be faster than 124MPH(200km/h), and the maximum speed of the newest Shinkansens are 199MPH(320km/h). Usually they are called with the names of the route or the nicknames. They are actually classified by each destination and the characteristic how many stations it will stop, and depend on it the trains are called by different nicknames, which are decided by the train companies, such as “Nozomi”, “Hayabusa”, “Tanigawa” and etc.  Moreover, even the designs of those are mostly different each other as shown in the photos.

The biggest reason why Shinkansen has been so popular among people would be the fact it is convenient, comfortable and easier for long-distance travel. In addition, people also enjoy the various designs and perhaps find a friendly feeling with the nicknames. In Japan illustrated guide book of trains are in fact very popular among boys same as illustrated guide book of animals or dinosaurs. Then most boys memorize many of the nicknames.

Let's take a look at them in detail. the green one in the photos is “Hayabusa” of Tohoku-Shinkansen which goes to the northeast area, and the one with blue and yellow lines is “Tanigawa” of Jouetsu-Shinkansen which goes across the center area of the Japanese main island. On the other hand, the white one with blue lines is Nozomi of Tokaido-Shinkansen which goes to Osaka and Kyoto area.

 "Tanigawa" (with blue and yellow lines on the design) is known as a double-decker Shinkansen.  People can enjoy the different views on the first floor and the second floor, but of course the second floor is more popular. For most Shinkansen, The seats have more space than that of airplane. So people can travel more comfortably.

What's more, with many Shinkansen the seats can turn the direction and it is convenient if people get on it with a big group. So, families and friends can eat and drink together in facing comfortable seats with scenery of Japan on their travel. When you have a chance to travel a long distance in Japan, please try Shinkansen!

Which One Would You Like To See Next Weekend, Geisha Or Samurai? Interesting Fall Events In Hachioji City, Tokyo!

Now temperature went down to comfortable level in Tokyo area. October is a good season to go out for events and festivals. Then, I'd like to introduce nice local events held in Hachioji City, Tokyo next weekend. It would be fun for those who are interested in Japanese culture and history.

On October 22nd, Hachioji Geisha will show their dance performance and also people can enjoy Macha tea, which is a type of tea for Tea Ceremony, served by Geisha ladies.  The location of the annual event is near Hachioji Station.

Hachioji City is an old town which had been prosperous with textile business since Tokugawa Shogunate era (Samurai era). The current downtown was developed along one of the oldest national roads, Rd.20 (Koshu-kaido), and it was flourishing area as an post town during the Samurai era. Therefore, there has been Geisha culture in Hachioji since old times and still it is remaining today. Now it became a rare town you can see actual Geisha Ladies.

Actually the history of Hachioji area is much older. During the Middle Ages, the area was already developed under a Samurai lord, Ujiteru Hojo. He was a member of Hojo family which was one of the powerful Samurai lord families between the 15th and 16th century. There are two castle remains built by Ujiteru Hojo located in Hachioji City, which are Takiyama Castle and Hachioji Castle. To tell the truth, the Hachioji Castle was the origin of the name of the area and today it is used for the city name. 
  
On October 23rd, Annual Hojo Ujiteru Festival will be held. It features a Samurai parade as you can see in the photos above and also in the short video below. In addition, you can also enjoy demonstrations of Japanese Samurai sword and Samurai conch horns, which were used as a cue for Samurai war in the Middle Ages.

There Are Varied Amulets For Specific Purposes, Which One Would Fit Your Wish?

As I wrote in my previous post on the October 7th, many people enjoy buying votive wooden tablet to write down their wishes and lucky charms at Shinto shrines and temples. Most shrines/temples sell these items on the ground and lucky charms tend to have a large variety of purpose and design. 

I'm showing some typical kinds of lucky charms and votive tablet in the photos above. They are displayed beside the entrance of Koyasu Shrine in Hachioji City, Tokyo as shown in upper right hand side photo.  As you can see, there are many kinds of amulets with different purposes.

In fact Japanese people tend to buy lucky charms for a specific purpose. For example, when students are in a senior grade and want to get in a school/university, they would buy an amulet for "passing entrance exams of schools" or an amulet for "victory". Also many people buy an amulet for traffic safety for their car. 

Of course you can just buy lucky charms because of the cute designs, but it would be also fun to choose an amulet which fit your wish most! 

How Much Would People Throw Into Offertory Boxes At Shinto Shrines And Temples In Japan?

I introduced about how people make wishes at Japanese Shinto shrines and temples in my previous post on October 5th. Basically you can make a wish at each building worshiping gods or Buddhism statues with a offertory box. Then you might wonder how much people spent for a Shinto shrine/Buddhism temple during one visit when people make a wish many times there.

Of course people throw money every time when they make a wish even inside of one shrine/temple. Does it accumulate to be a certain amount of money at the end? Do people usually think paying more at offertory boxes would be better? 

Actually there is an amount of money Japanese people prefer to throw into offertory boxes when they make a wish. It is a five yen coin, which is about 5 cents in current exchange rate. So, even if they make a wish 10 times at a shrine/temple during a visit, it's just 50 yen (50 cents) for total. Thus most people don't worry about the offertory money and enjoy visiting shrines/temples to make a wish many times. 

The reason why people prefer 5 yen coins when they make a wish, is the Japanese word "Go-en (5 Yen)" has a homonym which means "a good destiny". The pronunciations are completely same, and people just use different characters when they write down.  With this coincidence, 5 yen coins are considered as a good luck item since old times. 

I'm showing the coin in the photos above. It is a golden color coin with a hole. As you can see the head and the tail of the design, it is actually only coin which is written by all Kanji characters (Chinese characters). The characters "五円" under the design of a ear of rice shown on the lower left end photo means "5 Yen".

In addition, when people visit shrines/temples, people also enjoy buying votive wooden tablet to write down their wishes and lucky charms as  you can see in the photos. Since most people throw just five yen to each offertory box, they don't mind to spend several hundreds yen (several dollars) more for these items. Moreover many of lucky charms have cute designs then people even buy them as accessories.

However, you can also use a five yen coin as a lucky charm/souvenir from Japan since it is also a good luck item and looks very Japanese since there is no alphabets nor Arabic numbers in the design. In fact some Japanese people use it as a lucky charm as you can see the photo below!

At One Shinto Shrine, How Many Times Can We Make A Wish During A Visit?

There are many Japanese Shinto shrines worshiping various kinds of gods all over Japan. Also temples are often including some Shinto shrines since ancient Japanese had mixed it until modern government separated them by law in Meiji era as I mentioned in my previous post on the October 2nd. Most people enjoy visiting shrines/temples and making a wish whenever they get the chance. It would be more like customs than religion and some major shrines/temples have become very popular as tourist spots.

Then, how many times do people usually make a wish at one shrine? One wish for one shrine? Actually it depends on each shrine. Some shrine worship just one god or one set of gods and have one shrine building for prayers. For Example, Meiji Shrine in Tokyo is one of the most famous shrines, and it worships Meiji emperor and empress. In the case, most people make just one wish at the main shrine building. 

However, many shrines/temples actually worship more than one god separately, and generally they have one main shrine building and some small subordinate shrine buildings on the ground. The photos in the slideshow above are showing a typical example. It is Koyasu Shrine located in Hachioji City, Tokyo. 

Koyasu Shrine is a small scale local shrine although the history is quite long. Apparently this shrine was established about 1200 years ago and it is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in West Tokyo area. The shrine has seasonal events and festivals throughout the year, and is visited by many locals. The main god of the shrine is a god of safe births, marriage, and parenting and it is worshiped in the main building. 

On the right hand side of the main building, there is a pond and a small shrine named Itsukushima Shrine. It is worshiping Benzaiten god which is one of the "Shichifukujin (the seven good luck gods)". As I introduced in my previous post about Shichifukujin, it was originally a Hinduism goddess, but after imported it became a Shinto god of performances and music. 

Moreover, after going through a path beside the main building, another shrine is on the far end of the path. It is a Konpira shrine which is worshiping "Ookuninusi-no-mikoto", a god for good business, traffic safety and good luck. 

In front of the Konpira Shrine, there is a long wooden structure along the approach as you can see in the photo slide show.  To tell the truth, it is a joint shrine building and containing five micro shrines called "Massya (subordinate shrines)". They are for a god of legs and loins, a god of eyes, a god of business and fortune, an god of teeth, and a god of throat.

What's more, according to the leaflet of the Koyasu Shrine, there are 4 more subordinate shrines on the ground. Since they are all separated shrine buildings with own offertory boxes, people can make a wish at each one although they don't have to. Did you get the sum? It's 12 times at most!

Over A 'Red Gate', You Can See Happy Hachikou Dog!

I have been writing about red color recently in my posts (on the September 21st and 27th). In the connection, actually there is a famous landmark called "Red Gate" in Tokyo. The gate was originally built for a premises of a Samurai lord, Maeda family, during Tokugawa shogunate era. However, after modern times it became a property of Tokyo University. Then it became so famous as a gate of Tokyo University, now the word itself is used as a common name of the University.

Last year, a new "sight to see" was added on the main campus (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo). It is a new statue of the "Hachikou dog", which is a historical royal dog that has became a model of the Hollywood movie "Hachi". 

There is already a statue of Hachikou in front of Shibuya Station that has been the most famous landmark of Shibuya for a long time(I have introduced it in my post previously on the October 11th in 2015). 

Although the Hachikou statue in front of Shibuya Station has been a very popular landmark and tourist spot, some people were saying that "Poor Hachikou, he is still waiting for his owner alone" because the statue dog is sitting alone there as actual Hachikou was waiting for his dead owner. Thus Tokyo University decided to build a new statue of Hachikou with his owne on campus and the statue was just finished last year.

Why Tokyo University built it? Actually his owner was a professor of Tokyo University's department of agriculture, and the professor Ueno died during his tenure of office. Then, now we can see happy figures of Hachikou and professor Ueno together on the Hongo campus of Tokyo University as you can see in the lower photos above. The statue was designed to represent the scene that Hachikou used to be welcoming his owner at Shibuya Station every evening.

Look at the Hachikou's smile! Finally he could meet his owner after 90 years. 

Sumo Wrestling Has Some Aspects Of Japanese Shinto Rituals?

In my previous post about babies' Sumo on the September 24th, I mentioned that Sumo Wrestling was originally started as a Japanese Shinto ritual for gods. The history of Sumo is really long and apparently some ancient earthenware having drawing of Sumo have found as excavations from the Kofun period (3rd-7th century) and it is said that the basic rules which we can see today were formed in the 8th century.

Since it was started as a ritual, wrestlers' manner and courtesy have been really important in Sumo, thus when a wrestler's attitude lost respects to gods and the opponent he will be accused of very severely. This kind of dignity is also required for all Sumo wrestlers to get higher ranks. In a sense Sumo wrestlers are not just athletes. 

Let's see outward appearances of Sumo which keep aspects of Japanese Shinto. As you can see in the upper left hand side photo above, the Sumo ring has a roof structure that looks alike Japanese Shinto shrines. Moreover, Yokozuna (the highest rank) wrestlers wear Shinto's sacred rope when they show their ring-entering performance(the thick white rope with papers hanging down in the lower right end photo), and they clap their hands with a big gesture just like worshiping at Shinto shrines. Also all wrestlers scatter salt before they have a match because salt is an item for purification in Japanese Shinto.

In addition, each Sumo wrestler stomp their legs up and down straddling the legs after they entered the ring for their match, in fact it is not only for a warming up because in ancient time it was believed that these big stomping can push over evil spirits. It has been one of the important functions for ritual Sumo. 

So, clearly it still keeps elements of offering performances for gods. When you have an opportunity to check Sumo competitions, you would be able to recognize these ritual actions and items there!

Babies Had Sumo Matches On The Autumnal Equinox Day In Hachioji City, Tokyo

In these days, Sumo wrestling is usually featured as "The National Sports of Japan", but originally it was started as a ritual for gods in ancient times. The matches were offering performances for gods in the early days. Thus, professional Sumo wrestling still has many aspects as a ritual in the manners and rules. 

Also, as the original style of Sumo, Sumo-related rituals has been kept at many local shrines all over Japan. Today, I'd like to introduce an annual local event called "Cry Sumo" which is held in Koyasu Shrine located near Hachioji Station. This event has been well-known locally, so, on last Wednesday, autumnal equinox day, many families visited this shrine and applied to the Sumo even in rain.

A you can see in the photos, the contestants of this "Cry Sumo" are babies. Actually it is a Shinto ritual to pray babies' healthy growth, therefore many parents who have babies come to join this Sumo to get a blessing to their child. 

What is the rules of "Cry Sumo"? At each match, about 5-6 adult Sumo wrestlers line up side by side and each wrestler holds a baby on the wooden stage on the shrine ground. Then two  Gyoji (Sumo wrestling referee) try to make the babies cry, by yelling at the babies like "You cry!" as shown in the photo (1). However, please don't think "Oh, poor babies!".

For these Cry Sumo matches, babies who cry quicker and louder would be the winner. It is said that gods would hear babies' crying voices and give them a blessing. So cry louder would be better. After winners were decided, a Shinto priest pray for each baby's health with a traditional golden hummer and a shrine stuff put a red stamp for good luck on each baby's forehead as you can see in the photos (2)-(4). 

Apparently more than 700 babies joined this Cry Sumo event this year. Wish the cute Sumo wrestlers healthy growth and happy life! 

Let's Enjoy Amazing Traditional Japanese Craftworks And Share The Photos!

While traveling Japan, one of the disappointing things might be most museums are prohibiting taking photos of their exhibits. 

So I'd like to introduce an interesting special exhibition of traditional Japanese craft-works. "Amazing Japanese Traditional Art During Meiji Period" is being held at the Art Museum of Tokyo University Of Art. Taking photos of the exhibits is allowed in this exhibition although there are few exceptions. The museum is even encouraging people to share the photos through social networking systems.

This exhibition shows various traditional Japanese crafts during Meiji period (1868-1912). Meiji period is considered as the earliest modern times of Japan. It started right after Tokugawa shogunate government collapsed and Samurai time ended. In the exhibition, We can see many kinds of unique and original craft-works in those days.

One of the interesting crafts are "Jizai-okimono" which means "decorative objects with freely movable joints". I'm showing an example of it on the middle row in the photos above. The snake was made of metal but many of small metal rings like shard are assembled to make the shape, then the snake can wriggle as if it is a real snake. Craftsmen of this art pursued realism and they made various animal objects such as crows, eagles, dragons, and even shrimps with movable joints just like real creatures.

There is a Youtube movie introducing how smooth it can move (It is a frame by frame recording movie).


Actually there is a reason why this kind of art were made a lot at that time. The skill were originally for making Samurai armor. During Samurai era, the skill to make metal joint that can move smoothly like a living creature was very important to make good armor. After Shogunate government was ended and Japan got the first modern government, metal craftsmen still had kept the great skill, then they started to create these objects as decorations. Nowadays I'm not sure if there is any craftsmen who are still making this craft.

You can see more different types of crafts in the exhibition as shown in the photos on the bottom row. It seems like these craftsmen were trying to see how much their work can be elaborate. Each pieces were made by amazing skills. It would be worth to see and very interesting. 

The exhibition continues until October 31st. The museum is located in right outside of Ueno Park, Tokyo.