The refreshing tea from a southern country, Chiran green tea

Kagoshima prefecture is a largest production area of green tea in Japan next to Shizuoka.
Above all, Chiran is a representative place for green tea in Kagoshima.
Chiran, Minamikyushu city is located in a southern part of the Satsuma peninsula.

According to legend, Heike no ochiudo (fugitive of Taira clan, whose clan was ruined by Minamoto clan in war) came to Chiran and started to cultivation of green tea at the Kamakura period.
Full-scale cultivation of green tea was started since the beginning of the Meiji period in Chiran.

Today, you can drink Chiran tea or buy the tea leaves everywhere in Kagoshima.
Local restaurants or tea stores serve the tea for you.
Even you can buy Chiran tea in plastic bottle from vending machine on the street.
Chiran tea is aromatic and smooth to drink, so you will like it.

You can enjoy Chiran tea without to go to Chiran, but Chiran has a beautiful view of large tea field, so if you see the view, maybe you will be able to enjoy the tea more.

For when you are a bit hungry, The small Tokyo Ramen instant noodles

The "Tokyo Ramen" is a brand name of small size instant noodles.
Tokyo Ramen company provides the brand (a funny thing is, the company is located in Tochighi prefecture even though they have Tokyo on their name).
You can find the products in supermarkets or some groceries in all over Japan.

The noodles are small, and have a right size for a mug.
If you are a bit hungry, the products are convenient for a light snack.
Each Tokyo Ramen are sold in a set which consists of 4 noodles.
A set costs about 100 yen.
Currently they have 5 types of the noodles.
They are chicken, salty shrimp tonkotsu, kimchi, curry and garlic seasonings.

I often eat the noodles as a night snack.
When I eat the noodles, most of time I use 2 noodles at one time.
I like to mix the curry noodle and the garlic noodle.
It is a bit insufficient for a lunch, but enough for a midnight snack.

I won't recommend you to eat the cheap foods like the noodles everyday in your stay in Japan.
However if you like to do a budget travel through Japan, using the noodles may save your expense.

Getanha, a local traditional sweet in Kagoshima

There is a traditonal sweet named "getanha" in Kagoshima.
Getanha (Kagoshima dialect for "geta no ha") means a support part of geta (traditional wooden clogs).
The form of the sweet looks like a getanha, so it was named getanha.
The sweet getanha is a sort of cake and it is covered by brown sugar.
It has a bit crunchy texture in the surface of it for brown sugar.
But the inside was soft and easy to chew.
Getanha is very sweet food, however if you stay in very hot summer of Kagoshima, you must feel the sweetness is so desirable.
Hot weather makes us want more sugar.
That's why we can find very sweet foods in hot places like Kagosima.

Brown sugar is a special product in Kagoshima prefecture.
So Kagoshima has some local foods made of the brown sugar.
Getanha is one of them.
You can buy the sweet everywhere in Kagoshima with inexpensive price.
I enjoyed it with a green tea which also made in Kagoshima.
I recommend you to taste both getanha and green tea in Kagoshima.
I am sure you will love both of them.

Sometimes, I really can't write any articles about decent subjects

Yesterday morning, I went back to home from the travel to Kagoshima.
Still I feel a bit tired.

While I was traveling, a lot of nice ideas (at least I thought so) to write were in my mind.
However once I come back to my usual life, it is a bit hard to remember things in my mind while I was traveling.
I have written my diary in the travel days, so I will read it later to search the subjects for this blog.

Tonight I will go to bed soon without any achievements.
But I would start to write many articles about my travel and Kagoshima from tomorrow.
I promise.
Thank you for always reading my blog.
See you tomorrow!

Great Saigo Takamori

I respect Saigo Takamori as well as Shimazu Yoshihiro.
Saigo Takamori was a service man and politician from Kagoshima prefecture.
His character was impressed me so much, too.
I want to tour around the sites of him.

Notes: I will rewrite this article after I came back from my travel

The historical sites of Shimazu Yoshihiro

Shimazu Yoshihiro is one of my favorite daimyo and warlord at the Sengoku period.

His strong and manly way of life impress me so much.

At Kagoshima, I want to tour around the historical sites of him.

Notes: I will rewrite this article after I came back from my travel

Shirokuma ice cream at Tenmonkan

Besides Kagoshima ramen, the Shirokuma ice cream is famous in Kagoshima.
It is a sort of ice cream that used various fruits for ingredients.
I can buy Shirokuma ice cream in local super markets in Osaka.
However, if I try Shirokuma ice cream in its original place Kagoshima, I guess I can enjoy it more than before.
I am looking forward to it, too.

Notes: I will rewrite this article after I came back from my travel

Great Kagoshima ramen

Kyushu region has famous for its various Tonkotsu (soup made of pork born) soup style ramen.
Especially Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Kagoshima are famous for their Tonkotsu ramen.
I have been to Fukuoka several times and I love ramen there.
However I haven't eaten Kagoshima ramen before, so a bit hungry for them.
I will eat great Kagoshima ramen as many as I can.

Notes: I will rewrite this article after I came back from my travel

A travel to Kagoshima: day 1, the night on the ferry boat

I began a travel to Kagoshima prefecture.
I have been there in my childhood, but I can't remember how there was like.
Kagoshima has the beautiful view of Mt. Sakurajima.
I have wanted to go there again for a long time.

In the early evening of the day, I got on a ferry boat named "Sunflower" at the Nanko port, Osaka.
I have got the ferry boat once before.
When I was a little kid, me and my family traveled to Kagoshima with this same ferry boat.
So I was a bit excited to get on the boat in my memory of good childhood days.

The inside of the ferry boat was not so special, but clean and comfortable.
I went on deck, sat on a bench there and enjoyed the view of sea and the port in an evening.
The boat started to leave the port to Kagoshima.

After the departure, I went to the restaurant.
They served a buffet style dinner there.
It costed 1540 yen and it was not cheap for me, but I wanted to try it.
I tried and enjoyed it.
They had various nice foods I could enjoy.
I ate too much foods and felt stuffed.

I went back to my room, took a rest.
The ferry boat had various rooms of various grades, and I had reserved a kind of steerage room.
The passage fare for the room was about 7000 yen and it was suitable for me.
It was a big room with large floor.
You take off your shoes at the entrance of the room and step on the floor that covered by carpet.
There were pillow and other bedding for each passenger.
The ferry boat had a storage for variables so we can keep them safe, but you have to take large baggage with you.
The steerage room didn't have enough space for large baggage, so I put my backpack on my pillow side.

There were other passengers.
They were truck drivers, young parents with little children, elder couples and solo travelers like me.
Me and they spent the night in the same floor.
It was an unusual experience to slept with stranger in same space.
The room was not so crowded, therefore the bedtime there was almost comfortable.
One thing I hated was, tut-tutting sounds from some middle aged guys.
There were little children as I mentioned.
Sometimes they giggled with little voice for fun to spent a night in the unusual atmosphere.
I thought they were lovely, but it seemed the guys didn't like them.
Each time kids giggled, some of the guys did tut-tutting back.
I was rather irritated with the rude sounds the guys made.
In addition, one guy who made many tut-tutting sounds started snore as soon as he went asleep.
Another tut-tutting guy was talking loudly with a cellular phone in the room.
How could they blame the tiny giggling of little children?
I hoped the children and their young parents didn't care much about the rude guys.

Anyways I could sleep well at the floor with strangers, until the boat started shaking at the next morning.

A strong will to survive, Araki Murashige

Araki Murashige (1535-1586) was daimyo and a warlord at the Sengoku period.
At first he had served to daimyo Ikeda Katsumasa of Settsu (area consists of current eastern part of Hyogo and current northern part of Osaka) province.
He gained power under Ikeda family.
Then he left Ikeda family and served to Oda Nobunaga, the powerful daimyo from Owari (western part of current Aichi) province.
Murashige achieved military exploits under Oda family.
Oda Nobunaga gave Settsu province to Murashige in a reward for his achievements.
In other words, Murashige successfully got a larger area than his former lord Ikeda family had.

As a warlord Murashige had got credibility from Oda Nobunaga.
However in 1578, he suddenly raised a rebellion against his lord Nobunaga.
The reason he did it is not confirmed still.
He stayed inside of his Arioka (Itami) castle and fought against Oda family.
Murashige endured the battle in almost one year but finally escaped alone from his castle to Amagasaki castle, where his son managed.
He had left his family and the family of his vassals inside the Arioka castle.
Oda Nobunaga captured them and called on Murashige to surrender.
However Murashige didn't accept.
Oda Nobunaga executed all hostages.

Murashige moved to Hanakuma castle and fought his final battle against Oda family there, but his army was defeated again.
Finally Murashige defected to the Mori family which had fought against Oda family.

Murashige lost his wife, family, domain and good reputation.
Even though that, he and some of his sons survived.
After Oda Nobunaga died, Murashige become a master of tea ceremony and lived in Sakai.
Again, he survived the latter half of his life under the reign of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the successor of Oda Nobunaga.

The Fujishiro shrine, the place relates to the name Suzuki and Minakata Kumagusu

The Fujishiro shrine is located in Kainan city, Wakayama.
It is very old shrine and on the route of the pilgrimage to the holy place Kumano.
It is one of the Kujuku (99) Ouji shrines (which founded on route of the pilgrimage to Kumano by mountain priests), and it is a high ranked one among the Kujuku Ouji.
Many Emperors and noblemen have visited the shrine on the pilgrimage to Kumano.

There is an another place that made the shrine popular today.
The Suzuki Yashiki (the residence of Suzuki) is it.
The place is in the precincts of Fujishiro shrine.
According to legend, the place was the origin of the family name Suzuki, which scattered all over Japan.
You can meet people who have name Suzuki everywhere in Japan.
The residence was for Fujishiro-Suzuki clan, the clan of the priest of Fujishiro shrine.
Since ancient times, priests from Fujishiro-Suzuki clan spread their belief of the holy place Kumano, and as their belief spread to all over Japan, people who influenced by them started using the name Suzuki for themselves.
That's why there are so many Suzuki san in Japan.
Today Suzuki Yashiki is deteriorated and no one is living there.
However still many Suzuki san come to visit the place of their origin from all over Japan.

Also a big old kusunoki (camphor) tree have been enshrined in precincts of Fujishiro shrine.
There was a famous naturalist from Wakayama, Minakata Kumagusu (1867-1941), and his name "Kumagusu" came from the tree.
Kuma means bear, and Gusu means kusunoki.
Kusunoki trees have been worshiped in Japan, and there was a custom to name baby the name which relating kusunoki tree.
Kusunoki trees live long and prosper, so I guess you see why people have named their babies kusunoki.

I am not a particular fan of Suzuki san, but a fan of Minakata Kumagusu.
So when I visited the shrine and saw the big old kusunoki tree, I was deeply affected.

Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, who was called Inu-kubou (the dog shogun)

Tokugawa Tunayoshi (1646-1709) was the 5th shogun of Tokugawa shogunate.
He was born as the fourth son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the 3rd shogun.

Tunayosi is particularly famous for his "Shorui Awaremi no Rei (the laws for pitying all living things)".
This low was to prohibit people to abuse or kill any animals.
He made the law and punished harshly people who violated the law.
Especially Tunayoshi loved dogs, so if people abused dogs, they were severely punished.
Also he made huge shelter of stray dogs in Nakano, Edo.
Therefor he was called "Inu-kubou (the dog shogun)" by people.

His Shorui Awaremi no Rei has bad impression in Japanese context.
In some cases, people punished by the law even only they exterminated vermin.
This was extreme rule, so Tsunayoshi has been regarded as a foolish ruler in long time.

But recently, his achievements are being recognized again.
At the times of Tunayoshi, people had treated animals severely.
He seemed to want to change the attitude of people against animals.
Also he respected Confucianism.
He founded Yushimaseido (the school of Confucianism) in Edo.
He promoted studies to people.

Some theory says Tsunayoshi made the Shorui Awaremi no Rei after a monk told him to protect animals for gaining he a son.
Tsinayoshi had lost his children in their childhood, so he obeyed the advice from the monk.

It is hard to judge his true character today.
However, I guess he have tried to make his nation to better place.

Ashikaga Gakko, the oldest university in Japan

The historical heritage Ashikaga Gakko (Ashikaga school) is located in Ashikaga city, Tochigi.

The school had old traditional buildings, library, traditional Japanese-style garden and even vegetable gardens in the school grounds.

There are various theories about the origin of Ashikaga Gakko.

The theories say it was founded in Heian, Kamakura or Muromachi period. 

So the time the school build is still not confirmed, but it was sure that Uesugi Norizane rebuilt the school at the Muromachi period.

Uesugi Norizane (1410-1466) was on the position of "Kanto Kanrei (a deputy for Kanto region)" at the time.

He contributed texts of the Chinese classics to the school and invited the Zen monk Kaigen from Kamakura as the head of the school.

Like Kaigen most of teachers were monks, but Uesugi Norizane set the rule that the school didn't teach any Buddhism texts to students.

There had been Buddhism schools that was run by temples such as Enryaku-ji or Kongobu-ji in Japan, but as a school which didn't teach any Buddhism, Ashikaga Gakko was the first one.

The people came to study Confucianism, the art of divination, military science or other studies from all over Japan.

Ashikaga Gakko got a great reputation.

Also in 1549, the Catholic missionary Francis Xavier who came to Japan, called the school "The greatest, largest and most famous university of Kanto region".

Some of Graduates from the school hired by daimyo or warlords as strategists.

To become strategists, to enroll to Ashikaga Gakko was the most certain way.

Today Ashikaga Gakko is managed as a historical site and not a public school, but still they have some classes about Chinese classics for applicants.

If you learn the studies at the school, maybe you can have same experience as former strategists at the medieval period.

My lighthearted daily life with Haiku in English

Recently I have learnt to compose Haiku (Japanese traditional short poem) in English.
In Japan, students learn about Haiku in Koten (studies of Japanese traditional literature and language) class at junior high school and high school.
I forget about how the classes like in my school days, but I guess at least I have studied about the famous Haiku poets, Matsuo Basho or Kobayashi Issa.

Including the school days, I had not been interested enough to Haiku and other traditional literature until recently, so I didn't know about them so much.
So, naturally I haven't composed any Haiku in my life before.
But since I saw the Haiku in English which composed by western people, all of a sudden I wanted to compose Haiku myself.
Because the Haiku by foreign language looked new and very attractive to me.

Haiku consists of 17 syllables.
Basically we have to compose it in 5-7-5 syllabic form.
Besides that, Kigo (the seasonal words) is required in Haiku.
However in English Haiku, it seems the rules are less strict than Japanese ones.

Each Kigo are defined by things from the four seasons in Japan, so if you would be strict to original Haiku rules, you have to have Saijiki (a catalog of seasonal words).
However I decided to start my Haiku life with easy way (or lazy way) at first.
I didn't get any Saijiki, and I won't be so strict to rules of Haiku.
I only pay attention to syllables and seasonal wards as I can.
With this way, I can enjoy my Haiku life without much difficulty.

Sometimes I suffer for my lack of the knowledge of seasonal words to compose Haiku, so maybe I will learn more of the words or get Saijiki.
Until that time, I would go on my Haiku life lightheartedly.

Your lightheartedness
Nobody judges you until
the end of our summer

B.M.

Yoshimi Hyakuana, the hundred caves of Yoshimi

Yoshimi Hyakuana (the hundred caves of Yoshimi) is a cluster of tomb caves which is located in Yoshimi, Saitama.
It is a kind of tunnel tombs and was dug on the cliff of tuff.
Many Kofun (tumulus) were made at the Kofun period (between the end of 3 century to 7 century) in Japan, and Yoshimi Hyakuana was made at the later Kofun period, 6 century to 7 century.

At the early Kofun period, people had made big kofun for kings or heads of powerful families.
For the structure of the kofun at the times, the stone coffin inside had covered by stone huts and soil.
So when additional burials was made, people had to break the outside of the kofun once.

In contrast, tunnel tombs like Yoshimi Hyakuana was suitable for an additional burial.
People dug a cave and put a body inside, and set a cover made of stone on the entrance of the cave.
If they took off the cover, they could easily put another body inside again.
The big Kofun was for powerful people, and the tunnel tombs like Yoshimi Hyakuana were rather for ordinary people.

Ancient people made Yoshimi Hyakuana.
Besides that, also people in modern times dug tunnel under the same cliff of tuff.
In 1944 and 1945, a munitions factory was made under the ground of Yoshimi Hyakuana and area around there.
The factory was for making aircraft parts, and the tunnel for the factory was dug extensively under the ground.
Even today, the tunnel remains.

If you come Yoshimi Hyakuana, you can see that there are so many open caves on the cliff from the sidewalk.
Moreover, there is a precious thing to see.
In some of the caves, luminous mosses grow.
It is unusual that luminous mosses naturally grow in Kanto region.
It is worth to watch.

You can visit the caves of ancient tombs, the site of a factory at the war times and luminous moss at the same time.
Yoshimi Hyakuana will stimulate your imagination somehow.

The lady lord on the castle, Tachibana Ginchiyo

Tachibana Ginchiyo was born in Chikugo (part of current Fukuoka) province at the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
She was only child of Tachibana Dosetsu (in other name Bekki Akitsura), the legendary warlord of Otomo family.
Dosetsu had been in charge of Tachibana-yama castle in Chikuzen (part of current Fukuoka) province.
He couldn't get his son, so when he retired, he transferred the headship of the family to Ginchiyo in 1575.
At the times, it was unusual that women became a head of samurai family.
She was only 7 years old at this time.
Also she became the lord of Tachibana-yama castle.
According to legend, Dosetsu doted on her so much and taught her military tactics and military arts.
She was brought up as an independent lady.

When she was 13 years old she married Takahashi Munetora aka Tachibana Muneshige, a son of Takahashi Joun, another legendary warlord of Otomo clan.
Muneshige was adopted to Tachibana family to marry Ginchiyo.

Dousetsu hoped Ginchiyo and Muneshige retained Tachibana family together.
However their relationship was not very good.
As a strong and independent lady, Ginchiyo rarely obeyed to her husband.
Sometimes even she looked down Muneshige.
After Dosetsu died, their relationship grew worse and worse.
Muneshige got the Yanagawa castle in Chikugo province as a reward of war, and he moved to his new castle with Ginchiyo.
However, soon his wife got out of the castle alone.
That is, she chose to live apart from Muneshige finally.
Ginchiyo lived in a residence which was located far outside of the castle, with her waiting maids.

When the Sekigahara war broke out, Muneshige fought in siege of Yanagawa castle.
Yanagawa castle was great for defensive battles.
But Ginchiyo stayed in her residence.
She had fighting skills and tactics that her father told her.
She ordered to local peasants and fishermen to defend coast line.
So, the enemy couldn't invade her domain by seaside.
She survived her war with her armed waiting maids.

Finally the war was over by surrender of Muneshige to the enemy.
Munesige and Ginchiyo lost their domain.
Munesige became a ronin, and Ginchiyo had to live in a house of local peasant.
After 2 years later from the war, in 1602, Ginchiyo died for illness.
She was 34 years old.
Ginchiyo and Muneshige hadn't had any children.

The relationship between the wife and the husband was not good all the time.
But later, Muneshige got a promotion to daimyo in Tokugawa shogunate and came back to Yanagawa castle again.
At the time, he founded a family temple for Ginchiyo in his old domain.

Kaisen Joki, a high priest who had amazingly strong mentality

Kaisen Joki was a Buddhist priest of Rinzai sect at the Azuchi-Momoyama period.
He was born at Mino (the part of current Gifu) province.
Some theory told that he came from the family of the former daimyo of Mino province, Toki family.

He had been inaugurated to the head position of Myoshin-ji temple in Kyoto once.
After the days in Myoshin-ji he moved to the Sofuku-ji temple in Mino and became to the head priest of the temple.

In 1564, he moved to Kai (current Yamanashi) province for the request from daimyo Takeda Shingen.
Joki entered the Erin-ji temple in Kai.
Takeda Shingen respected Joki so much and asked him to teach Zen.
Shingen gave Joki a large area of domain and many gifts.
Joki became a Zen teacher to the daimyo.
Also he worked to connect Takeda Shingen to Saito Tatsuoki, the daimyo of Mino province.
As the result of Joki's act, Takeda clan and Saito clan could strengthen their relationship.

After Takeda Shingen died, his death was kept secret.
Then 3 years later Joki supported Katsuyori, a son of Shingen and held a funeral for Shingen.
Moreover Joki got a title from Emperor Ogimachi in 1581.
It was the peak of his life.
However, his end was coming.

In 1582, Takeda family was ruined by Oda family.
Takeda family had held former enemies of Oda family such as Sasaki Jiro from Rokkaku family in their domain.
In a panic after the downfall of Takeda family, the former enemies of Oda escaped to Erin-ji.
Joki sheltered them inside the temple.
So warlords of Oda family came to Erin-ji, besieged and set fire on the temple.
Joki and other many monks were burned to death by the fire.

According to legend, Joki left the death poem "Shinto mekkyaku sureba hi mo mata suzushi (if you meditate deeply, even the blaze can be cold)." in the fire.
This death poem is very popular today, so even people who don't know Joki know the poem.
There are various opinions about whether if the poem was read by Joki or wasn't.
In either case, the poem tells us the strong mentality or patience of the great priest Joki.

Our father of Japanese medical science, Ogata Koan

Ogata Koan (1810-1863) was born in Bitchu (the part of current Okayama) province as a son of lower-ranked samurai.
He had a weak constitution  for samurai so he aimed at become a medical doctor.

When his father was transferred to Osaka for work, he came to Osaka with his father.
While he stayed in Osaka, he learnt Rangaku (studies of western sciences) and medial science under a Ranpou-i (doctor who practices western medicine), Naka Tenyu.
Later he learnt Rangaku also at Edo and Nagasaki.

He came back Osaka and in 1838, he practiced medicine and founded Teki-juku, the school of Rangaku.
Also he married with Yae, a daughter of the Ranpou-i Okugawa Hyakki in this year.
At Teki-juku he taught students Rangaku gently but strictly same time.
He became popular for his gentle character and his great skill as both medical doctor and Rangaku teacher, therefore young people who hope to enroll to Teki-juku increased day by day.
Students came from all over Japan to Teki-juku.

Ogata Kouan started smallpox vaccination in Osaka, and saved many lives.
Also he strove to popularize the treatment among society.

For his great reputation, Tokugawa shogunate asked Koan to be a private doctor for shogun.
Kouan had to obey this offer, but it was not his wish.
He couldn't have better life in Edo than he had in Osaka.
He was getting weaker and died suddenly in 1863.

The way he died was a tragedy for a great person like him.
But he left great heritage to posterity.
The graduates from his Teki-juku flourished in society.
Moreover there were many great people in Japanese history from that graduates.
Such as Fukuzawa Yukichi (the founder of Keio university), Otori Keisuke (military leader), Sano Tsunetami (politician) and Tezuka Ryosen (the grand-grand father of Tezuka Osamu, the great manga artist).

Teki-juku was closed in 1868, but the building of Teki-juku was rebuilt in 1980 and still remain at same place before.
You can tour inside the traditional style building.
Now it was managed as a museum by Osaka university.
It is said that Teki-juku became the origin of the Osaka university.
Koan made a base of Japanese medical science in Osaka.

Chogen, the monk who governed province to rebuild Daibutsu and Todai-ji

Chogen (1121-1206) was a monk of Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism at the Heian and Kamakura period.
He is famous for his reconstruction of the Todai-ji temple and the Daibutsu-den hall (a hall for the huge statue of Buddha) in the temple.
According to legend, in his first half of life Chogen had experiences as a hijiri (the Buddhist missionary) and had been to China 3 times.
In addition some theory told that he met the monk Eisai (the founder of Rinzai sect) while they stayed in China.

In the former Genpei war between Minamoto clan and Taira clan in 1180, Todai-ji temple was burned by the warlord Taira no Shigehira of Taira clan.
The next year Chogen was appointed to the post to manage the project for the reconstruction of Todai-ji.
At this time Chogen was 61 years old already.
He managed to organize architects and missionaries who collect funds for the reconstruction.
Also he got support from Chinese architect Chin Wakei.
Chogen made 6 carts for touring places to collect funds, and even himself got on one of the carts and toured places.

In temporary he was given Suo (the eastern part of current Yamaguchi) province by Imperial court for his project.
From that he became kokushi (provincial governor) and was called "kokushi-shonin (the provincial governor saint)".
So he could have a right to get building materials and tax from these provinces.
But he had many obstacles on the process.
When he tried to get lumber in Suo province, local powerful families such as Ouchi clan interfered Chogen's business.
Also to get supporters who give fund to Chogen was difficult too.
Sometimes even he used dirty tricks to get powerful supporters.
He did everything to achieve success on the project.

He accomplished the reconstruction of Daibutsu (statue of Buddha) in 1185, then Daibutsu-den and some other buildings in Todai-ji in 1195.
He continued the project of reconstruction, however in 1206, he died.
He was 86 years old at the time.

Not only he dedicated his later life to the project, also he made various temples and maintained infrastructures at many places.
Especially in Yamaguchi prefecture, you can find many historical sites relating Chogen.
Even there is a daibutsu which was made of stone by Chogen in Houfu city.
Maybe it is fun to see and compare both daibutsu of Nara and Yamaguchi.

Yamashita Kiyoshi, the genius artist on wandering

Yamashita Kiyoshi (1922-1971) was a famous collage artist.
He left various great collage works to our society.
Also his travel to all over Japan have been a legend.

Kiyoshi was born at Asakusa, Tokyo.
He had a mild intellectual disability and was bullied in public schools.
Also his family background was not good.
His mother had trouble with his father in law (his biological father had died while he was very young.), and tried suicide with her kids.
Fortunately the suicide was prevented.
Soon he enrolled Yawata gakuen (Yawata institution) in Chiba prefecture which has supported disabled students.
At the school, they had an attempt to teach the art of collage to disabled children.
Kiyoshi resisted to his school life and caused troubles at first, but since he learnt the art of collage from teachers, he changed a bit.
He got a gentle attitude more than before.

However he escaped from his school life when he was 18 years old and started his life of wondering.
He hoped to see various interesting places in Japan.
He traveled to the places with begging foods to local people and working jobs in very short terms.
Most of time he got foods or money by begging.
Sometimes he performed something unusual (as an example, public nudity) to other people's eyes and even have been sent to police stations or mental hospitals.
But he didn't stop his wandering.
Always he tried to stay nights in station buildings and be scolded by local police officers.
Even though that, he continued his hard travels with his own way.

He had various obstacles to travel, but since he got a fame for his collage art once, his travel became going smooth.
Wherever he went, local merchants or rich people offered him a place for nights and asked him to make his art of collage for them.
So Kiyoshi no longer suffered to find places to sleep.
Also people offered him to buy his works, so he could got his own money.
He could enjoy his travel more than before at his later years.
Also he has traveled to Europe with doctors and teachers from Yawata gakuen.

Sadly, he died in 1974 at age of 49.
It was too early to die, but he left huge influence to our society in his short life.
We can see his delicate and gentle works of collage art today.

The unique Chinese style temple and Buddhist cuisine, Manpuku-ji

The Manpuku-ji temple in Uji, Kyoto, is the head temple of Japanese Buddhism Oubaku sect.
The temple built in 1661 at the Edo period.
Oubaku sect is not so old as a Japanese Buddhist Zen sect.
However it has unique temples for it's Chinese style of architecture.
The buildings in the precincts of Manpuku-ji look like ones from Chinese temple.

Oubaku sect was founded by the Chinese monk Ingen.
Ingen came to Nagasaki with his disciples for the invitation by monks in Nagasaki, and later he moved to Settsu province (the part of current Osaka).
At first he had a plan to go back China after 3 years, however his followers in Japan asked him to stay longer.
Besides that, Tokugawa shogunate apportioned him a land in Uji, and also Manpuku-ji was built for Ingen.
Finally Ingen abandoned the first plan and decided to stay in Japan forever.
At Manpuku-ji they had called their sect Rinzai first, however they changed the name Oubaku later.
"Oubaku" came from the mountain in China where Ingen had had his first "Manpuku-ji" temple before.

Ingen was respected by many people, and even former Emperor, Tokugawa shogun, high ranking governors and noblemen became believers of him.
Intellectuals in Japan gathered to meet him.
Ingen gave them Zen teachings and new knowledge which China culture had.

As an example, according to legend Ingen brought a sort of bean with him to Japan.
The bean is called "Ingen-mame (the bean of Ingen)".
Even today you can see Ingen-mame in super markets or vegetable stores in Japan.

In addition, we can have a Fucha-ryori (Chinese Style vegetarian gourmet) in Manpuku-ji and restaurants around the temple.
It is a sort of Shojin-ryori (Buddhist cuisine which served in Japanese Buddhism temples), but it has unique Chinese style.
It's origin was the Buddhist cuisine in China which Ingen introduced to Japan.
Manpuku-ji have served it to entertain people by tasty and novel vegetarian foods.
Still we can have it around the temple today.
However if you want to Fucha-ryori in a complete meal, usually you need a reservation to the temple or other restaurants.
Please keep it in your mind.

The great daimyo in Muromachi period, Ouchi Yoshihiro

Ouchi Yoshihiro (1356-1399) was daimyo in Suo, Nagato (these two provinces make the area as current Yamaguchi) and other many provinces at the Muromachi period.
The origin of Ouchi clan is not confirmed, but their ancestors seemed to came from Baekje kingdom in ancient Korea.

In his times, Muromachi shogunate had a problem.
Since before the shogunate founded, the Imperial Court had been separated to the Northern Court and Southern Court.
Muromachi shogunate had supported the Northern Court.
However the Southern Court hold their own Emperor in Yoshino, Yamato province (the area same as current Nara) and had resisted the Northern Court and Muromachi shogunate.
Also influential Kikuchi family in Kyushu region had resisted under the Southern Court.
Muromachi shogunate send Imagawa Sadayo, daimyo of Totomi (western part of current Shizuoka) to suppression Kikuchi clan and Kyushu region.
Ouchi Yoshihiro supported Imagawa Sadayo to defeat Kikuchi clan and warlords under the Southern Court.
This contribution made him to get new domains in Kyushu and Chugoku region.

In 1391, the war of Meitoku broke out.
In the war, a powerful daimyo Yamana family invaded Kyoto.
The war was caused by the provocation of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.
Yoshimitsu had attempted to undermine powerful daimyo, and made provocation against them.
The war of Meitoku was one of results of that.
Ouchi Yoshihiro fought well to defend Kyoto from the army of Yamana.
After they defeated Yamana, shogun Yoshimitsu took most of Yamana's domains.
From the domains, he gave Izumi (a part of current Osaka) and Kii (a part of current Wakayama) provinces to Yoshihiro as a reward for the fight.

Izumi and Kii adjoined Yamato, where the Southern Court located.
From that, Yoshihiro got a connection to the Southern Court.
Then, Yoshihiro helped the unification of the Northern and Southern Courts in 1392.
This raised his reputation.

Moreover he have traded with Goryeo (a Korean dynasty) and made a large fortune.
Surprisingly, he asked the Goryeo to give him a domain in the area where Baekje existed.
As the reason for that, he claimed he was a descendant of the prince Seimei of Baekje kingdom.
His request wasn't approved, but this episode show us how Yoshihiro had a strong relationship with Goryeo in that times.

However his peak of his power didn't last long.
The relationship between Yoshihiro and shogun Yoshimitsu worsened gradually.
Yoshimitsu worried about the power of Yoshihiro included the relationship with Goryeo dynasty.
Yoshimitsu provoked Yoshihiro, and in 1399, the war of Ouei broke out.
The war located in Sakai, Izumi province and finally Yoshihiro was defeated.

Unfortunately Yoshihiro was killed, but his family survived and later they flourished again.
He got great credit by his lifelong activities.

Sasaki shrine is located in the birthplace of the family name Sasaki

If you come to Japan, perhaps you will meet person who has the name "Sasaki".
Sasaki is one of typical family names in Japan.
The origin of the family name was the manor of Sasaki in Omi province (the same area as current Shiga prefecture).
The Sasaki shrine is located in the area where the manor of Sasaki had existed.

There was a reason why the family name Sasaki spread all over Japan.
At the Heian and Kamakura period, the warlord Sasaki Hideyoshi and his sons who based in the manor of Sasaki fought under the Minamoto clan.
Minamoto clan founded Kamakura shogunate, and for their contribution to battles, Sasaki clan got new domains and their offspring have spread to there.
As a result, Sasaki clan and also their name Sasaki extended.

At the medieval period, there were many family of daimyo or warlords which had came from Sasaki clan.
Rokkaku, Amako and Kyogoku were famous as medieval daimyo.
Especially, Rokkaku family have ruled the south part of Omi province which included the manor of Sasaki.
They were the direct line of descent of the Sasaki clan.
However Rokkaku family was defeated and ruined by daimyo Oda Nobunaga from Owari province (the western part of current Aichi) in battles, therefore they had to leave the birthplace of their clan.

Even though that, Sasaki shrine have been worshiped by the descendants of Sasaki clan as their guardian deity.
Today, people who have the name Sasaki come to visit the shrine from all over Japan.
The shrine is located in Omihachiman city, Shiga.
If you visit the shrine and find many tourists in the precincts there, some of them must be Sasaki san.

To get simple solutions, ask the instructor in your mind

Everybody has their problem.
I have some, and you must have some, too.
Sometimes we can't find any solution to our problem.
If we have somebody to ask, that is good.
However we don't always have friends or people whom we can rely on.

If you want simple solutions to your problem, there is one thing you can do.
To ask yourself and answer yourself.
Sometimes we think our situation is more complicated than actually it is.
From others, we may look like struggling with a simple thing.
We need to see ourselves as other people see us.
If we can do that, we will get what we can do for our problem.

I show you an example for how to ask ourselves.
Maybe I have a problem about the relationship with someone.
The someone got angry with my words and I don't know how to make friends again with him or her.
So, I ask myself.
"How can I make friends again with her?"
"Apologize to her. That's all."
"But I don't think I was wrong."
"I don't care neither you were wrong nor right. If you want to make friends again with her, just apologize to her."
"Well, OK."
That's quick.

Let's try one more.
This time I am suffering for a money trouble.
I need some money as soon as possible but I don't know how I can earn the extra money.
So, I ask myself.
"I need money."
"Good. Start a side business."
"But I am busy already."
"Don't you have any day off?"
"Well, I have Sunday."
"Spend the Sunday for your side business."
"I have to take a rest on Sunday. It is my only day off!"
"Then forget about the money. Take a rest."
"I need money."
"Get extra money or rest. Choose."
"OK...I will work on Sunday too."

Like that.
You ask yourself and answer yourself.
It is like asking a logical and strict instructor who living in your mind.
This asking technique will work to make your problem simple.
If you can't decide what you should do on your problem, try this asking.
But don't forget to do it in your mind.
Please don't ask and answer yourself aloud.
If you do it aloud, maybe it will cause another problem for you.

A beautiful scenic spot the Satta-touge pass had historical events

The Satta-touge pass is a must-see place for Mt. Fuji lovers.

The place is located in Yui town, Shizuoka.

The pass is on the road at the coastal Mt. Satta near Suruga Bay. 

You can enjoy the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji over Suruga Bay from Satta-touge.

Also the pass have been a important traffic point.

Satta-touge was on Toukaido route (the route between Edo to Kyoto).

To travel between Kansai and Kanto region, people often went through the pass.

Even army corps at the medieval times used this route in military action.

Moreover, battles have happened on the pass by them.

The first battle of Satta-touge happened in 1351, by Ashikaga Takauji and Ashikaga Naoyoshi.

Ashikaga Takauji, the first shogun of Muromachi shogunate, was confronted by his own brother Naoyoshi at the time.

Takuji encamped on the pass to fight against army of Naoyoshi.

In opposite, Naoyoshi surrounded the mountain.

At first the strength of Takauji's army was far lower than Naoyoshi's one.

However his allies from Kanto region fought well, then finally Takauji could defeat Naoyoshi.

The second battle of Satta-touge happened in 1568.

At this time, two daimyo Imagawa Ujizane and Takeda Shingen fought with each other.

Takeda Shingen of Kai province (current Yamanashi) started a military action to invade Imagawa Ujizane's Suruga province (current Shizuoka) and led his army to Suruga.

Satta-touge was located on the only route to Suruga from Kai, so Ujizane deployed his army there and stayed Seiken-ji temple, near the pass.

Their armies had the battle at the pass.

Ujizane fought well, however Shingen communicated to warlords of Ujizane secretly.

After Ujizane noticed the fact he felt danger and left to Sunpu (the capital of Suruga) from Seiken-ji.

As soon as his army know Ujizane's evacuation, the army collapsed.

A lot of soldiers must have died the pass with the battles, but today, we can hardly imagine the fact when we walk on the pass.

It is a beautiful place.

Now Satta-pass has observation place and trekking route which easy to walk.

From the observation place, Mt. Fuji looks so big and beautiful.

Kudara-ou shrine was where the royal family of Beakje remained

At the battle of Hakusukinoe (the battle of Baekgang) in Korean peninsula in 663, Japan and Baekje (one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea) fought against Silla (another one of three kingdoms of ancient Korea) and the Tang dynasty of China.
As a result, Japan and Beakje were defeated and Baekje kingdom was ruined.

After the battle of Hakusukinoe, survived member of the royal family of Baekje exiled to Japan.
The prince Zenkou was in them.
He was given the family name "Kudara-ou (the king of Beakje)" by the imperial court as a vassal.
Also he was given a domain in Naniwa (an seaside area in current Osaka), and he lived there with his clan.

At the times of Kudara-ou Kyoufuku, the grandson of Zenkou, they obtained a rank and given another domain at Kawachi province (the eastern part of current Osaka) for paying golds to the imperial court.
They migrated to the domain of Kawachi from Naniwa.
Later, Kudara-ou clan founded Kudara-ji temple and Kudara-ou shirine the place.

Unfortunately Kudara-ji temple have burned down and buildings are not remained today.
We can see only the site of the temple.
However still there is Kudara-ou shirine.
The shrine and the site of Kudara-ji are located in Hirakata city, Osaka.
According to legend, the family of the priest of the shrine is a descendant of Kudara-ou clan.

A ordinary shrine in Japan is relating to an ancient Korean kingdom.
It is interesting, isn't it?

The first official Buddhist temple in Japan, Shitenno-ji

Shitenno-ji temple is located in Tennoji ward, Osaka city.
The temple founded in 593 by the founder of Japanese Buddhism Prince Shotoku, as the first official Buddhist temple in Japan.
"Shitenno" means the Four Heavenly Kings who support Buddhism.

According to legend, while Prince Shotoku had conflicts with Mononobe clan, he wished to win and promised to found a temple of Shitenno for salvation of people in all over Japan if he could win.
After the victory over the conflicts, he founded Shitenno-ji temple as he had promised before.

As first temple of the kind, Shitenno-ji is a very unique one among Japanese temples.

The style of layout of the temple called "Shitenno-ji garan haichi (the Shitenno-ji building layout)" and it is oldest one of styles of Japanese temple layout.
Nowadays you rarely see the style in Japanese temples except Shitenno-ji.
Also the temple ground of Shitenno-ji is huge, so you can see interesting Buddhist buildings there.

In addition, they have a religious ceremony of Bugaku (the traditional dance with music came from Western Asia in ancient times) in April 23 (the death anniversary of Prince Shotoku).
Still we can see the traditional culture of ancient times in it.
The ceremony shows us how Prince Shotoku have been connected strongly to foreign cultures.

There are many sightseeing spots around Shitenno-ji such us the Tennoji park, Namba city or Tsuruhashi town.
You can visit all of them at one day, so I recommend you to tour around Shitenno-ji.

Kouka-ryu Ninjutsu Yashiki, the residence of the lord of ninja

Kouka city, Shiga, is famous for their history of ninja as well as Iga city, Mie.

Ninja in Kouka got their popularity at the battle of "Magari no Jin" in 1487.
At the war, Shougun Ashikaga Yoshihisa took a military expedition against the hostile daimyo Rokkaku Takayori, however Takayori used Kouka ninjas who belonged to him effectively.
As a result, Takayori achieved successful defense, and he and his ninjas got a fame for the battle.
After that, thanks to the fame, Kouka ninjas have been employed by many daimyo as a mercenary.

Even though trails of ninja are hard to find nowadays, there are some clues.
Still today, a residence of the lord of Kouka ninja remains in Kouka.
It is called "Kouka-ryu Ninjutsu Yashiki (Kouka style ninjutsu residence)".

It is located in a residential quarter in paddy fields.
The residence was built at the Edo period for the one of Kouka ninja lord Mochizuki Izumonokami.
It looks ordinary traditional Japanese residence from outside, but you can find many interesting points inside.

It has secret windows, a secret door and hiding places inside attic and under the floor.
You can tour inside the residence with explanation by staffs.
Also you can see exhibitions of tools of ninja there.
Besides that, they serve you a cup of medicinal tea (it have been sold by Mochizuki family in hundreds of years) for free, and if you pay extra money, you can experience to throw shuriken (a throwing-knife) to targets or you can disguise a ninja.
When I have been to there, I tried to throw the shuriken.
In throwing that, I was not so bad as a ninja.

Mochiduki family has made medicine in peaceful times for their living.
They could get ingredients of medicine from a nature-rich surroundings such as Mt. Ibuki.
I hope you can enjoy history and nature of Kouka and Shiga.

The temple for mothers, Jison-in

The Jison-in temple is located in Kudoyama, Wakayama.
The temple is on the pilgrimage route to Mt. Koya, the sacred place for Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism.
The temple was founded in 816 by Kukai (the founder of the Shingon sect).

According to legend, when the mother of Kukai came a long way to Mt. Koya to meet her son, she couldn't enter Mt. Koya.
In that times, women couldn't enter religious sacred places like Mt. Koya for the "Nyonin-kinsei (No women admitted)" rule.
Even a mother of the founder couldn't enter the mountain.

So she stayed Jison-in.
Kukai visited his mother at the temple 9 times in a month from Mt. Koya, so the area around the temple was named "Kudo-yama (the mountain of 9 times)".
They met there.
In addition, while she stayed the temple she worshiped Miroku Bosatsu (a Buddhist saint).
The word "Jison" of the temple's name is another word for the Miroku Bosatsu.
The temple is also called "Nyonin-Koya (Mt. Koya for women)" because of the mother of Kukai have spent her religious life and met his son Kukai at the temple.
While the ages women couldn't visit Mt. Koya, they have visited Jison-in instead.

Even though women can enter Mt. Koya as well as men today, still Jison-in is worshiped by women as a temple of mothers.
As the mother of Kukai came a long way to visit his son with her great motherly affection, many women visit Jison-in to worship Miroku Bosatsu and the mother of Kukai.

Inside the temple there are so many women's breast shaped models.
You may feel it a little funny.
However, the models have been dedicated by mothers to wish their abundant produce of milk.
If you have a chance to visit the temple, please don't forget that you are in a sacred place for women.

Yamanaka "Shikanosuke" Yukimori, the medieval samurai who was dedicated his life for his master

There was a great samurai in Chugoku region in Japanese medieval history.
Yamanaka "Shikanosuke" Yukimori (1545-1578) was a warlord of daimyo Amako family in Izumo province (the east part of current Shimane prefecture).

His origin and the first half of his life was not confirmed, but according to legends, he had joined military action since he was very young, and he have defeated enemies.
Shikanosuke succeeded in battles he joined, however in 1567, Amako family was ruined by daimyo Mouri family of Aki province (the western part of current Hiroshima).
The head of Amako family Amako Yoshihisa was captured and kept under Mouri family as a guest.
Shikanosuke lost his master, and became a ronin (unemployed samurai).

However, Shikanosuke didn't give up his fight against Mouri family.
He went to Kyoto and contacted Amako Katsuhisa, who was one of Amako clan.
Katsuhisa had been left Izumo before the corruption of his family, and was a monk that time in Kyoto.
Shikanosuke made Katsuhisa as his new master, and took Katsuhisa with him to fight against Mouri.

They went back to Chugoku region and started their military action.
Shikanosuke succeeded in a series of battles against Mouri family.
He was not only skillful in hand-to-hand combat but also good at strategy.
He made local samurais to join his side one by one.
Moreover he kept contact with enemies of Mouri such as Otomo (the daimyo of north parts of Kyushu region) and Yamana (the daimyo of Chugoku region) family and tried to attack Mouri with them.
Temporary, even he took most of area of Izumo back to his hand.

It was unfortunate that Yamana left their side and made an agreement with Mouri.
The event broke the military balance in Chugoku and Shikanosuke lost his power.
He left Chugoku temporary, then joined the family of Oda Nobunaga in Kyoto.
Since after that he and his master Katsuhisa have fought as warlords of Oda family.

They stayed in Kozuki castle in Harima province (the western part of current Hyogo).
They battled in siege to Mouri, but finally they had to surrender to their long time enemy.
Shikanosuke and Katsuhisa were captured.
Katsuhisa chose Harakiri (a traditional way of suicide) soon after their lost.
After the death of his master, Shikanosuke was murdered by Mouri.
His long-standing battle was finally over.
He dedicated his whole life for the family of his masters.
The spirit of Shikanosuke has been respected by many people.

Here is one more curious fact.
According to Kounoike family, the famous wealthy merchant in Osaka at the Edo period, their ancestor was Shikanosuke.
Kounoike family have succeeded in business and got a huge prosperity.
Even nowadays, we can see the name of Kounoike in many Japanese companies.