Koya San

The Obon Holidays in Japan are for remembering the deceased.  During these few days every August, people return to their childhood homes.  The spend time with their family and honor their deceased loved ones.  Candles are lit.  Incense is burned.  Flowers are placed on graves. 

Fortunately for us, we were in Wakayama during Obon and relatively close to a famous mountain.  This mountains name is Koya San.  Koya San boasts having the largest-and one of the most beautiful-cemeteries in Japan.  There are also countless temples, many at which you can stay the night.  Unfortunately this time, we were unable to stay over.  Though we were able to see the special Obon event. 

The pathway through the Okunoin cemetery was lit on both sides with stone lanterns.  Every entering the cemetery was given a handful of small candles to stick along the ground to light the pathway.  It was beautiful.

  

The monk who first settled on Koya San in the year 819 was named Kukai.  The monks hold the belief that he never actually died, but rather entered into a continuously in a state of meditation.  His body is at the Okunoin Temple, which can be reached after walking through the cemetery.  

Sadly, we only had a few hours visiting Koya San.  I am hoping to make it back again before our time in Japan ends.  

Amanohashidate

I am one of those people who really likes lists.  Grocery lists, to-do lists, books to read lists, etc. Currently, the one list I think about a lot right now is my “Things To Do Before Leaving Japan” list. 

We will be in Japan for a while longer yet, but I am also a planner.  I constantly find myself thinking about the future and planning. 

During our time studying at Yamasa in Okazaki we were able to cross off some big things from the list: climbing Mount Fuji, exploring Kyoto more thoroughly (more on that later), and seeing Amanohashidate.

There are three places in Japan considered to be the most picturesque in the entire country.  The torii of Itsukushima Shrine, Matsushima, and Amanohashidate.  Two down, one to go!

Amanohashidate is a natural sand bar along the sea of Japan on the north side of Kyoto. Its natural shape is absolutely fascinating. 

We rode up a lift to reach the best viewing point.  It was stunning.  Supposedly, if you turn upside down and look at it through your legs, the sandbar will look like "A bridge to the heavens."  

Chion-Ji Temple entrance.  This temple is very close to one of the ends of the sand bar.

Bad fortunes are left at the temple.  If you get a good fortune, you take it with you.

After coming back down the lift, we rented some bicycles and explored the area.  It was lovely.  I wish we had had time to take a swim.  The water looked amazing. 

Motoise Kono Shrine on the opposite end of the sandbar as the Chion-Ji Temple.

Biking across Amanohashidate

Though difficult to access by public transportation, I highly recommend seeing Amanohashidate.  With its natural shape and beauty, it’s no wonder that it on the most beautiful places in Japan list!

Do you have any suggestions for my "do before leaving Japan" list?  Leave me a note if you do! 

Weekend Trips: Mikatagoko, Obama (the town)

One of the great things about studying at Yamasa for us was the proximity to new places.  We live very close to Tokyo-which is wonderful-but we love traveling and exploring other parts of Japan. 

Yamasa offers fantastic weekend trip opportunities.  We took advantage of one over night trip and two day trips during our time there.  Unfortunately for us, the first trip-the overnight one-included lots of traffic which resulted in cutting about half the original itinerary.  (One of the later days trips made up for what we missed.)

The first place we visited on our overnight trip was a National Park in Fukui Ken called Wakasa Bay Quasi.  According to the sign, these are “Wetlands of International Importance” and serve as breeding grounds for several types of invaluable fish. 

Map of the Mikatagoko area.

One of the attractions is at the top of one of the mountains.  We rode a lift to the top where we had an fantastic view and saw some interesting attractions:

The lift.

You could buy a lock, etch a message on it (usually a romantic one), and then lock it on the railing. 

There were virtually thousands of locks on the railings!

Little clay discs you could buy, write a messgae on and hurl over the railing into the forest.

Karl throwing his wish.

Kabuto Mushi-all of my elementary students are obsessed with these beetles.

Kabuto mushi eating a sugar jelly.

Map and view from the top.

Our second stop for the day was a brief drive through the little coastal town of Obama in Fukui Ken.  When President Obama was elected in the United States four years ago, this little town suddenly experienced world-wide fame. 

Our day ended back in Kyoto.  We had a full kaiseki meal at a restaurant in the Gion district.  During the summer the restaurants along the Shirakawa River set up special decks that float above the river.  This provides a cool relief from the oppressive humidity of the Kyoto summer. 

The dinner was delicious.

Castles

I admit to knowing next to nothing about Asian history.  It’s sad, I know. 

I have learned a bit since moving to Japan.  I love visiting museums and historical sites…but unfortunately for me most of the information is only provided in Japanese.  Zannen!  (Too bad!)

Over the summer Karl and I had the opportunities to visit some historical sites of Japan. 

Japanese castles are, as one might suspect, completely different from the stereotypical European castle.  They are grand in their own distinct way.  

Karl was able to visit one of the most famous castles in Japan this past July-Matsumoto Castle.  I couldn’t go because of a koto lesson and English classes.  But seeing his pictures, I wish I had gone! 

MatsumotoCastle is one of the only castles in Japan that exists in its original structure.  Pretty amazing.

During our stay in Okazaki while studying at Yamasa, we spent one of the days of Obon exploring the Okazaki castle. 

It is in a lovely park surrounded by a moat.  Okazaki castle is one of the many castles that had been completely destroyed and rebuilt.  Though not quite as impressive as Matsumoto castle, it is still a lovely building.  

There is a small museum on the grounds of the castle we also took time to explore.  At the end of the tour, you could dress up as a samurai and get your picture taken.  Fun!

Karl was very excited.

Summer Eats

The blazing heat of the Japanese summer is drawing to a close.

Thank God.

Surviving the insane heat and humidity requires certain things, including the following:

1)    Air conditioning.

2)    Water.

3)    Ice cream.

4)    Salad.

5)    Any other food that doesn’t require heat to prepare.

That last category includes one of my favorite things to eat during the Japanese summer…

…cold soba.   

With some eggplant tempura. De-licious.

 And house-made-incredibly delicious-udon. 

Holy yummy-ness!

花火 (Hanabi-Fireworks)

I know I have heard that word somewhere…let me think…

Aha!  I remember.  There is a Japanese restaurant downtown Duluth that I ate at with my dad right before moving to Japan last summer.  The restaurant’s name is Hanabi.  There are pictures of fireworks on the menu.  

Japanese can be very frustrating and difficult to learn, but at the same time it can be very rewarding and fun.  Take the word “花火”(hanabi): the first kanji character means flower, the second means fire.  So literally, it translates to “ fire flower.”  There are lots of cool words like this in Japanese.

Hanabi are a big deal in Japan.  As I mentioned before, they accompany virtually every 祭り, or festival.  While we were studying Japanese in Okazaki over part of the summer, we happened to be there during the summer festival (夏祭り).   

Now, a little bit about fireworks displays in Japan.  The shows typically last much longer than the ones back in the states.  Usually over an hour.  Companies sponsor fireworks shows and announcements are made during the show informing the audience which company paid for which displays.  An interesting way of marketing. 

The fireworks show I saw in Okazaki was only the second one I had seen in Japan. I was told by many people it is the best show in Japan.  It is an extra long (2-2 ½ hours) fireworks display that is the pitch to the companies watching and looking to buy for next year’s festivals.

Beautiful!

 

七夕祭り (Tanabata Festival)

“Tanabata” means the seventh evening of the seventh month.  Every year on this night, Orihime is allowed to meet her lover.  Read the whole story here. 

   

There are many Tanabata festivals held throughout Japan during the summer.  We attended the one in our town, 小川町 (Ogawa Machi) at the end of July. 

 Vendors lined the streets, selling all the regular festival foods: やきとり(yakitori)、お好み焼き(okonomiyaki)、たこやき(octopus balls)、やきいか (barbequed squid)、きゅうり (cucumber)、steamed potatoes loaded with butter, Turkish kebabs, pineapple on sticks, chocolate covered bananas on sticks, shaved ice, やきそば (Japanese fried noodles), etc.

We wandered about, eating and drinking along the way.  Taking photos.  Listening to taiko performances.  Running into friends.  One of Karl’s coworkers ran into us and invited us to sit down with her at the booth her husband was working at.  They insisted on giving us shaved ice, yakitori, and l-o-t-s of beer. 

  

One of the older Japanese fellows who kept pouring beer for us insisted that Karl take one of their group t-shirts.  He was also insisted I should have a baby by now.  He was also very drunk.  

We watched people dancing.  We saw a handmade paper demonstration.  And, of course, watched the fireworks.  

Before the fireworks finished, we walked back to our apartment where we found our neighbors all sitting outside eating and drinking.  They invited us to join them, so we sat down and ate more fair food and drank more beer.  

  

Even though I miss my favorite festivals from back home, Japanese festivals are proving to be an excellent substitute for the time being.