Fire Festival in Hachioji (Tokyo)

I went to see "The Hiwatari festival", a religious ritual using fire performed by mountain priests known as "Yamabushi". Yamabushi were originally ascetics who practiced rigorous exercises in mountains.

The festival was held at the foot of Mt. Takao in Hachioji, Tokyo. When I got there 40 minutes before the opening, there were already a lot of people including many foreigners.

The ceremony by mountain priests who gathered from various places in Japan started at one o'clock. After that , the festival reached the climax.

They fired piled firewood.  

 Smoky!

The flames blazed up high. Meanwhile, the priests were blowing conch-shell horns and chanting loudly.

And when the fire died down, the "Hiwatari" began; they walked barefoot one after another on the ground that seemed to be still hot.

The spectators followed the priests. I wanted to try. But since there were so many people in line, I gave up. Maybe next time?

The Hiwatari Festival is held on the second Sunday in March every year.

For inquiries: Hachioji city official site: http://www.city.hachioji.tokyo.jp/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese gardens compared to Korean gardens

I read a book about gardens written by a Korean authour. He compares Japanese culture with Korean culture through gardens. He says, "Since ancient times, the Japanese have dreamed of bringing the vastness of nature into their own homes."

(Sengen-en with an active volcano, Sakurajima in the background: Kagoshima)

As for the Korean, they tend to go out and see nature rather than try to bring it in closer to themselves. It might be the reason why there remain few old gardens in Korea. They didn't feel the need to build gardens because of such a thought.

The style of the Japanese garden came originally from China via Korea. According to "the Nihon Shoki", the oldest Japanese history book., a Korean artisan built, for the first time in Japan, a garden featuring a replica of the legendary Mount Sumeru, the central axis of the universe in Buddhist cosmology. It was in the beginning of the 7th century.

So the Japanese garden in its infancy imitated the continental style. It was rather artificial. However, the garden inspired by nature was already established as the Japanese style in the latter half of the 7th century. The excavated gardens prove it.

(Pond with gentle curves in Motsuji-temple: Hiraizumi)

The Korean author continues, "Japanese Zen monks sought to bring nature to them, this approach can be seen in the abbot's garden found in most Zen temples."

(Dry landscape garden by Mirei Shigemori in Tofukuji temple: Kyoto)

Those dry landscape gardens became one of the representative styles of Japanese gardens. Unlike Japanese Zen masters, Chinese or Korean Zen masters preferred to meet real nature face-to-face and sought to become one with it.

Where does the difference between the two ways of thinking come from? I've heard that culture has been affected by climate. And maybe land space might also have some influence. What do you think?

 

The Garden of Kiabatakeshi--A Warrior's Garden

This old garden is now located in a village surrounded by mountains in Mie Prefecture.

However, that area used to be an important point along the main route from Osaka to Ise a long time ago and be governed by a powerful warrior in the beginning of the 16th century.

The garden was made at that time in the residence of the warrior. But there were a lot of civil wars in those days. So the warrior's family was destroyed soon after the garden was built.

Since then the garden has remained forgotten in the village among the mountains. I think even now most people don't know about it except for those who are very interested in Japanese gardens though it is designated as a national heritage.

It is next to a small shirine. When I visited it, nobody was there. Facing the old garden in tranquility, I felt as if I went back to the 16th century.

Though it was restored, the original techniques such as the shape of the pond and stone arangements were excellent. I was deeply touched by the garden that covers about 2,500 square meters.

For inquiries: Tourist Information of Tsu-shi ☎059-246-9020 

 

竹林寺庭園（高知）--庭の中の鶴と亀

今年のＮＨＫ大河ドラマの主役は坂本龍馬。地元・高知は龍馬ファンの皆さんで、さぞ賑わうことでしょう。そこで、龍馬ファンの方々にもお薦めしたい高知の名庭をご紹介します。

それは高知市の東南、五台山の頂上近くにある竹林寺庭園です。市街地の中に、こんもりと緑に覆われた姿を見せる五台山は、標高約１４０メートル。山とも呼べないほどの高さですが、山頂の展望台からの眺めは、山々に囲まれた町並みと、港から外海に至る入り組んだ入江の景を一望に収め、絶景です。

展望台から少し下ったところにあるのが竹林寺。八世紀初め、聖武天皇の勅命により、文殊菩薩の霊場として名高い唐の五台山にあやかり、名僧・行基が開創したという由緒ある古刹で、四国霊場第三十一番札所としても知られています。

森の中に仁王門、本堂、五重塔、大師堂、客殿などの伽藍が建ち並び、白衣のお遍路さんの姿に、四国に来たことを実感しました。

 

客殿に付随する庭園は、寺伝によれば、鎌倉後期（１３１８年）に、土佐を訪れた禅の高僧・夢窓国師により作庭されたのが始まりということ。（因みに、夢窓国師は、庭園史上においても、名園を数々残した重要人物です）

その後、江戸時代に改築され、現在は客殿を囲むようにしてある山畔に、北庭と西庭があります。

上の写真は書院に面した北庭。光線の具合で、写真がうまく撮れませんでしたが、刈込みと巨石で蓬莱山郷を表した、大らかな庭景です。

一方の西庭（下の写真）は、廬山（ろざん）とハ陽湖（はようこ）という中国の景勝地を模したとされる、池と刈込みの築山で構成された幽邃境。鶴亀の庭を成し、特に亀島は見応えがあります。

長寿の象徴である鶴と亀は、抽象的あるいは具象的意匠、形も素材もいろいろですが、様々な庭園の中で、造形要素として活躍しています。

ここでは、築山全体が亀の背中を表す大きなスケール。池に張り出した亀頭石や、手足を表す石組にも趣があります。また、建物側の汀線が一直線になっているので、座敷から眺めると、池の縁が見えなくなり、あたかも建物が水の上に建っているかのように見える工夫も秀逸。平成１６年に国の名勝庭園に指定されました。

また、竹林寺のホームページによれば、この度「竹林寺西境内内整備事業」として、緑豊かな西境内の自然を生かし、憩いの場とする計画があり、今年四月末に完成予定ということです。

竹林寺の隣には、牧野植物園があります。「植物学の父」と呼ばれる牧野富太郎博士もまた高知県の出身なのでした。この植物園は、博士の偉業を顕彰するために開園されたものですが、平成１１年にリニューアルオープンし、現代建築と牧野博士ゆかりの植物が融合した大規模な施設になっています。下の写真の中央にある植栽は、牧野博士が発見したタイワンマダケです。

※竹林寺へのアクセス＝高知駅から「ＭＹ遊バス」（土日祝日のみ運行）で２６分。またはタクシーで約２０分

 

 

 

Garden of Joruriji temple--Garden to pray (3)

Joruriji temple is located on the boundary between Kyoto and Nara. This old temple was built in the middle of the Heian period, about 900 years ago. It is famous for its garden style called "Pure Land style" evoking the paradise of Buddhism like the garden of Motsuji.

In those days, Buddhism was more prosperous than now and  a lot of gardens were made imitating the image of the Buddha's world, that is, there is a large lotus pond in the center and a three-story pagoda on its eastern side.

The main temple where Buddhist statues, Amida, are enshrined must be situated on the west side of the pond.

Because Buddhism thoughts say that Amida comes down from the westward paradise to save people.                                                                                                                

The formation like this called "Pure Land style" is a primitive one among various styles of Japanese garden and few gardens keep its perfect form. One of them is this garden.

The garden is in a calm atmosphere suitable for the name of paradise.

 

An ancient road (above) links Joruriji temple to Gansenji temple. The path dotted with lots of stone figures of Buddha will please your eyes.