Ancient manners and customs

Buddhist images are enshrined in two holes of the left.
There is a small Shinto shrine in the right side.

There is a Torii in the Shinto shrine definitely.
When it is made of wood, they are painted red. In the large-scale Shinto shrine, they are made by a stone.

Until 1868, the Shinto shrine was same place with the temple. This is the remains.
When it changed in the Meiji era from the Edo era, it was divided forcibly. In the those days, a lot of precious temples and Buddhist images were destroyed. And many priests were sent back to common people.

The all temples which we can look at now are them which were left miraculously.



It is a very simple Buddhist image.

I introduced the Buddhist image of Kofuku-ji Temple before.
Besides, Kyoto Sanjusangen-do Temple is fascinating.



Some Jizo image are placed in the right-side end.

If neither the temple nor the human being overcomes various distress, they cannot survive.

On the other hand, the Nature continues living leisurely.

"Hotoke" Japanese calligraphy

"仏" (butsu, or hotoke). It is translated as Buddha, Buddhist image.

There is "France" in a special meaning elsewhere.
This is because it is transcribed "仏蘭西" into France in a kanji.
It is abbreviated it, and even a top letter "仏" means France.

This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

Etymology : Because the words called Buddha were very important words, an exclusive kanji called "佛" was made in China.
In Japan, it is generaly used in omitted form. Of course original is used, too.

"佛" is here, look at please.

"Paris" Japanese calligraphy

"巴里" (pa ri). It is translated as Paris.　Paris is a capital of France.
This character is written by Kanzi, Regular script.

The world main city can be written in Kanji letter.
The kanji is an ideograph, but there is not the meaning in particular on these letters combination themself. However, the individual letter has a good meaning.

Etymology :　巴 (greatly desire, anxiously hope) + 里 (village)
It resembles it in merely pronunciation.　
It is usage of a special kanji "ateji" called.

Perhaps the letter of this city is known most in the Far East.
The reason is because there was the very old movie of this title.
　 " July 14th Quatorze Juillet " (René Clair 1933)　
　　Japanese title is "Paris Festival ( 巴里祭 )"

The elderly people of the Far East love the sound of this letter and these words.
They may remember some young days.

The Trace of Old Dream Ⅱ

The top of the castle is called castle tower "tennshukaku".

It is thrown open now as an observatory.
Good photography is possible.

To look around the inside and outside of the castle.
The symbol of the castle, etc...

The wall is painted with the plaster.

The samurais have to always prepare for many battles.
The entrance consists of it particularly firmly.


I introduce four Japanese national treasures Castle.
Most of these are maintenanced of as construction those days.
Therefore they have attractive characteristics such as structure, interior decoration, treasures...

Himeji Castle / Hyōgo Prefecture
Matsumoto Castle / Nagano Prefecture
Hikone Castle / Shiga Prefecture
Inuyama Castle / Aichi Prefecture

Matsumoto-jo Castle is foundation 1505. I remember that the trace of innumerable swords was left to pillars.

Inuyama-jo Castle is foundation 1469. The descendant of the feudal lord held it personally until late years. However, it was contributed to the country because maintenance cost was enormous.

Most castles are owned by government.

I have been to these two castles.

Signs of the spring Ⅱ

　　　　Edible ume blossoms are cultivated.
　　　Therefore there is ume forest (Bai-rin) in each place.

　　　At Odawara-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Soga bai-rin are very famous. More than 35,000 of them are cultivated. Now Soga is almost in full bloom.

　　　　Here is Karatsu, Saga Prefecture.
　　　These ume blossoms were planted for admiration.

　　　Hands having a camera are still numb by cold.
　　　However, there is a premonition of the spring here.