Rakusai Bamboo Park
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Rakusai Bamboo Park is a charming little stroll garden, part museum and part shop. There is no entrance fee, and before you even get to the visitor centre you pass by countless varieties of the grass overlooking the picturesque Western Mountains.
I don't remember all the facts I learned, but a couple stick in the mind. There are about 1,200 known varieties of bamboo world-wide, and the record holder for fastest grower goes to a Japanese species that was recorded growing 121cm in one day. In Japan bamboo leaves turn red in Spring, and many haikus refer to the season when talking about Autumn bamboo. Most famously perhaps, Thomas Edison used Japanese bamboo in his experiments with the light-bulb, and this proud fact is well publicised in the museum.
The Rakusai Park may be small and humble, but I highly recommend it as a day trip. The staff were very friendly, and the shop alone was worth the trip.
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29 04 10 - 22:56 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Farming bamboo
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The final stop on our hiking tour around the suburbs of Katsura and Muko was the Rakusai Bamboo Park. I have to admit that the name did not exactly set my imagination on fire, and I was feeling slightly grouchy from the endless walking in the heat, but it proved to be the highlight of the day. The path climbed up from the houses, around an elementary school and alongside a waterworks facility, until we were engulfed on both sides by thick tracts of bamboo clinging to the hillside.
At first the bamboo forest was wild, the thick fronds clacking together in the wind and the leaves whispering continuously. Dozens of dead stalks lay chaotically in the shadow, great poles that had tumbled in landslides or succumbed to stormy weather. One thwack on the head would be sure to knock you out cold or worse. But just like that the forest became more ordered, the forest floor cleared and neat fences surrounded parcels of land. Everywhere new shoots were showing through, and signs indicated that these allotments are privately owned by farmers who harvest the giant shoots to sell at market.
It is very difficult to think of bamboo as grass, but it is even more difficult to think of a plant with more uses. Mostly grown on the hillside as food, the humble fences were one such reminder that bamboo has a million and one uses...as we were about to find out.
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29 04 10 - 22:46 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Shrines in the shadow of the shinkansen
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In the Southern suburbs of Katsura, beneath the shadow of the elevated bullet-train tracks, sit many pretty shrines shrouded in shadow and half-forgotten amidst the small businesses and smoggy roads. Maybe in part because they are obscured, they have an air of abandonment and poverty, looking rather sorry for themselves, their grounds slightly overgrown and their buildings rotting. Sadly I do not know their names*, I don't know who built them or why they were built. But I was glad nonetheless to have visited them, and glad that the local people clearly still pray there.
One temple stands out, as mounted on the wall of the prayer hall were old archery bows, discoloured with time. An old black and white photo had been mounted showing a group of young boys in school uniform. Maybe they were part of a now defunct archery club run in the temple grounds. The slightly haunting thing about the image was the age of the photo. Clearly it was before the outbreak of the second world war, and I wonder what happened to those children. Were they enlisted to fight, did they stay friends, did they all return home safely? I hope that they did, but if not then the temple remains fitting tribute with its victorious bows and ancient camphor trees.
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29 04 10 - 19:50 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Mozume-Kuruma-Zuka Kofun
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The Japanese spirit is fueled by food. In fact a great deal of their culture can be said to have evolved purely because of their never ceasing devotion to food and drink. And so it is that I found myself being dragged through the dull suburbs of Katsura on a sweltering day, all because Etsuyo wanted to try a particular hamburger. Fortunately the queue was short, and the hamburger was excellent despite the rather plain looking restaurant.
After we had eaten, we decided to try one of the area's hiking trails as advertised by Japan Railways. Such trails are designed to promote healthy living and ecological awareness, though I wonder how many people actually want to come to the grey and industrial suburbs for a day out.
Slap bang in the middle of a housing estate we came across a kofun, an ancient burial mound. Before Kyoto existed, and when the land was still split amongst squabbling tribes, leaders and important figures were buried in these key-hole shaped tombs. It is still possible to see many of them dotted about Kansai. There is very little to actually see, the kofun looks more like a hill up close, but the original drainage spout was still working (sadly you cannot see the stone sarcophagus inside the tomb). Ignoring the warnings not to climb it, we used one of the well-worn paths to explore the tiny space. From the top it was possible to look back out towards the city.
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29 04 10 - 19:42 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Vestiges of Empire
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Golden Week, that wonderful mix of four national holidays falling almost one after another, began in earnest today with tropical temperatures burning away the cobwebs of Winter. One of the enjoyable side effects of this year's peculiarly cold and damp Spring is that the cherry blossoms have lasted far longer than usual, and even towards May can still be seen brightening many parts of the city. Today -29th April- is in celebration of the Emperor Showa's birthday, and most of the country is on holiday. Golden Week is one of the busiest calendar periods for people taking vacations, but Kyoto seemed strangely calm. It might have something to do with the fact that today falls on a Thursday, and as tomorrow is not a national holiday many people still have to work for that one irritating day before the weekend.
I had planned to meet Etsuyo, but found myself with time to kill and so took a stroll around the Gosho. The Gosho was once the site of Japan's Imperial Palace (and remains a Summer residence of sorts for the current Emperor), before the Emperor Meiji transferred the capital to Edo and renamed the city Tokyo. When the capital transferred, many of the imperial buildings and noble residences were dismantled, and the barren area left around the Gosho and Sento Palaces became parkland.
The park, sitting at the heart of the city, is quite huge by Japanese standards and filled with stroll paths, playgrounds and a baseball field. As the palaces sit behind imposing walls (a tour of the old palace grounds is by appointment only) there is very little to actually see save a few ornate gates, and the various indications of where once stood grand buildings and noble villas. It is not perhaps the greatest tourist spot, but it is the perfect place to take in the fresh air and watch the seasons reflected in the thousands of trees.
The Munakata Shrine is one of the few holy sites inside the park, venerating the Munakata San'nyoshin (the three goddesses of the sea - responsible for transport, shipping, birth, production, industry and culture no less). Founded in 795, a year after the capital transferred to Kyoto (Heian-kyo), the Emperor Kanmu directed Fujiwara-no-Fuyutsugu to summon the three deities from Chikushi (Fukuoka Prefecture). The shrine's giant camphor tree is the oldest in the park, (said to be about 600 years old), and within the grounds is an ancient cherry tree, the very one that used to guard one side of the imperial throne room (Shishin-den). Before the shrine itself stands a lusterleaf holly tree: its leaves, known as 'pattra' in sanskrit, were once used for writing sutras on, which is said to be the origin of the Japanese word for postcard (hagaki)...literally 'leaf writing'.
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29 04 10 - 19:16 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Breakfast bar baby
Since
Erina's dad salvaged some stools, the kids have been obsessed with the new breakfast bar.
22 04 10 - 02:13 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Heron habitat
22 04 10 - 02:06 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
S-wing
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She may not love this photo, but there is some quality to it that I love.
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19 04 10 - 01:45 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Hozukyo and the clouds
13 04 10 - 02:23 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Drowned in Kodai-ji
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It is six years since Makibayashi-san was in Kyoto, and today was the perfect opportunity to reminisce about the places she visited when she was a student many years ago. When I mentioned Kodai-ji, she was very excited that we look around as she is very interested in Nene, the wife of Hideyoshi Toyotomi (mentioned in previous posts). The rain was extraordinarily heavy, making it almost impossible to wander through the gardens, but also clearing this busy spot of people for us.
Kodai-ji belongs to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, and is a sub-temple of Kennin-ji. It was established in 1606 by Nene (often known by the title Kita-no-Mandokoro), the widow of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, to pray for her late husband. The Main Gate and the Spirit Hall, noted for its use of maki-e (the temple is nicknamed the maki-e temple), are both cultural assets. Kodai-ji also possesses paintings, including one of Hideyoshi, as well as textiles, and a bronze bell with an inscription dating it to 1606. The roof of the Spirit Hall is constructed from remnants of Hideyoshi's luxurious flag-ship.
After Hideyoshi died in 1598 Nene became a nun, taking the name Kodai-in and establishing the temple, to which she moved. It became the burial site for her husband, his mother, and later Toyotomi Hideyori (Hideyoshi's son, mothered by the niece of Nobunaga Oda). During the contest between Toyotomi Hideyori and Tokugawa Ieyasu for supremacy, Nene took the side of Ieyasu. She was considered to be both beautiful and wise (gaining Ieyasu's respect in what should have been contentious circumstances), and there is a rumour that Toshiie Maeda had a crush on Nene before she was married to Hideyoshi. After her death in 1624 she was posthumously given the name of Hikari-no-Tenshi or 'Angel of Light' and entombed at the Hikari Shrine in Kyoto.
Nene's life is still commemorated in a short street which bears her name. The Path of Nene (Nene-no-Michi) remains lined with structures built in traditional Kyoto style.
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13 04 10 - 02:00 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Monkey shamans and Kamo koi
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Animal motifs emerged wherever I trod today, whether it was the silent, bronze monkey protectors of Imahie Jingu (Shin-Hiyoshi)*, or the enormous, modern komainu of Chishaku-in. The monkeys are particularly unusual, sitting in cages before the main altar of the shrine, dressed in Heian courtly dress, both with dour expressions and magic talismans to hand. Monkeys are often used to dispel evil, as the Japanese word for monkey (saru) can also mean to expel. I visited the shrine once before many years ago with Etsuyo, though today the precincts were perfectly empty and the trees filled with blossom.
Flanking the shrine to the South, is Chishaku-in Temple (head temple of Shingon Buddhism Chizan Sect). This temple is less popular among tourists but has excellent Shoheki-ga (Fusuma-e) panel paintings, thought to be the work of Hasegawa Tohaku and his son, Kyuzo. Chishaku-in was founded in the 14th century as a sub-temple of Daidenpo-in** in the year 1130. The mother temple then moved to Negorosan in Wakayama prefecture ten years later.
In the year 1585 Daidenpo-in, including all of its sub-temples, was totally destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (then ruler of Japan). The chief Priest of Chishaku-in, Genyu (1529-1605), who fled from the assault, had to wait in hiding until the Toyotomi family was defeated and the Tokugawa family in power. In the year 1601 the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu (1543-1616), gave a piece of land to Genyu so that he might revive Chishaku-in. Then, in the year 1615, Ieyasu gave them neighboring Shounzen-ji temple that had been founded by Hideyoshi in memory of his son Sutemaru who died in 1591 at the age of three. Chishaku-in suffered from several fires (in 1674 the reconstructed garden was destroyed once more) during its history and about half of the precious paintings that the temple is famed for were lost.
On June 15 Chishaku-in holds the Green Leaf Festival, celebrating the birth of founder Kukai. The festival is a fire ceremony (fire being a symbolic link between heaven and earth) and during this time many special possessions belonging to the temple are put on display.
Walking home beside the Kamo River, it was extraordinary to see how many carp were sunning themselves in the shallows. There were dozens of herons and storks fishing amongst the reeds, and a strange, brown creature that I did not recognise. On days such as these, it is very hard to think about returning home.
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08 04 10 - 01:19 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Mounds of ears and bells that kill
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The sun emerged from its cloudy shroud this morning for the first time in days, so it was time to kick back and enjoy the streets and temples, close to Omar's house on Go-jo, beyond the Kamo. Without the weekend crowds, and because of the uncertain weather, the neighbourhood was mostly quiet and the craze of cherry blossoms over. My route took me past the pretty Mimizuka mound, hiding its grisly secret, to the Toyokuni Shrine where the man responsible for collecting thousands of trophy ears from the vanquished in his Korean campaigns is interred.
Mimizuka is perhaps best forgotten in such times of peace (a reminder that Japan and its neighbours have had a bloody past), but it is impossible to avoid all of the many reminders and connections to Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa, two of the men responsible for uniting Japan into a mostly whole nation. Hideyoshi rebuilt Kyoto after decades of civil strife, and although he failed in creating a Japanese Empire, his influence can still be keenly felt on the layout of the city, and the glorious heritage he left in his wake.
Today there was a small antiques fair in the Toyokuni precinct but few customers were browsing, and around the giant bell hidden in the foliage there was no-one. The bell's inscription caused the downfall of Hideyoshi's heirs when Ieyasu took offence to written characters used within a poem on the side of the bell. With hindsight it is easy to see that the inscription and supposed slight gave him the perfect excuse to destroy his rivals and take control of the country. The Tokugawa family would dominate Japan for the next three hundred years. Before the bell was forged there was once a huge broze Buddha that stood overlooking the city on the same spot, said to rival the Daibutsu of Nara, but it was smashed in an earthquake only a few years after its completion.
Behind Toyokuni is Kyoto's National Museum and the area's most famous temple, Sanjusangendo, which I wisely avoided. By walking Eastward you instantly leave the tourists behind and fine some relatively peaceful temples, shrines and gardens. Adjacent to the large Chishaku-in Temple, stands a grand building that from the outside could easily be mistaken for a temple. It is in fact the remnants of a huge kitchen built by Hideyoshi to provide food for lavish banquets held after the memorial service of his mother. Although in use for a relatively short time, the kitchens show all the intricate detail and awesome architecture Hideyoshi was known for. Unfortunately the building is only open in May.
It was the best of starts to a warm and wonderful day at the end of my Japan stay.
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08 04 10 - 01:11 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Intransient
07 04 10 - 02:17 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Canal trip and the amazing mechanical roof
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All boat trips are pretty much the same when you get down to basics. There is that fresh feeling of ploughing through water, the brisk breeze cooled by splashing up spray, and the vague sense of freedom and escape from 'it all', of sailing until you strike land or tire. As 'here is Japan'* the canal boat was of course more than it first appeared. Nearing the first bridge it became apparent that the roof of the boat was too tall to pass underneath. In other countries I might panic, but not here. A few seconds from impact motors whirred to life and pistons went into action, and the overly-polite announcer informed us that 'the roof is lowering!'.
For the duration of the pass under the bridge our view was somewhat restricted, but once out the other side, the roof was robotically re-adjusted to its original height. In another country, the two bridges which required boats to 'duck' would likely have been adjusted, or the boat would be made fixed in its lowered state (perhaps with no roof?).
In Japan, though, where technology is regularly used in the most unusual of ways, in everyday things, it somehow made perfect sense (and provided an amusing distraction from the music-box renditions of Disney songs playing as we floated past the cherry blossoms).
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04 04 10 - 23:36 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
Momo and the Hanami
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Momo and Kalin invited us to a picnic on Sunday by the Kamo river, underneath the flowering cherry trees. We cycled along the river's bank, North from the Gojo Bridge, skirting hundreds of hanami gatherings. The first truly hot day of the year unfolded as thousands poured along the riverside to enjoy the sun, drink and take in the blossoms, though not necessarily in that order. Blue tarpaulin stretched as far as the eye could see, the sound of music drifting over boisterous chatter. Hanami celebrations in the city generally centre around Demachiyanagi, at the spot where the Takano joins the Kamo River, and here it was impossible to see a bare patch of grass anywhere. A live band had set up on the island point, while children dared the frozen mountain waters.
Wisely, Momo had set the picnic up just shy of the Imadegawa Bridge, where there was a lot more space to run around and far fewer people. As we waited for the others to arrive, she showed me some wonderful fried tofu-pockets she had made with cute faces formed out of seaweed. They were almost too good to eat...almost.
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04 04 10 - 20:42 - kieren - Photostory| - § ¶
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