A rich blend
of Buddhism, Shinto and Confucianism seems to infuse all of the Japanese
traditional arts and Japanese everyday life. Reflecting a rich, simple
harmony in each setting for sacred places, this serenity and beauty
superbly infuses all life in Japan. And, in fact, it makes places where
the Japanese live, work and practice life very special ---filled with
the following elements:
Wabi is a beauty found in austerity or simplicity
Sabi is a beauty found in naturally aged quality
Muga is letting natural elements show through with no alteration
Mujo is beauty in incompleteness
Hibui is astringent or bitterness as in tea
WA means harmony and Hesaui means harmony and tranquility.
After about a week in China we sailed from Shanghai across the South China Sea to Kobe, Japan. From Kobe, I made way to Nara and with three friends spent another day in beautiful Kyoto. After several days docked in Kobe harbor, we then sailed on to Yokohama and from there I took a train and subways into fabulous Tokyo and spent the day with Professor Huffman and a group of students exploring a neighborhood where his son lives.
 |
| They played Pomp and Circumstance as we arrived in Kobe. |
 |
| Rock Garden, Ryoanji Temple, Kyoto |
The Zen garden of Ryōan-ji is famous for its simplicity—made of nothing but clay walls, raked sand, and fifteen rocks.
The Japanese rock garden or "dry landscape" garden, often called a zen
garden, creates a miniature stylized landscape through carefully
composed arrangements of rocks, water features, moss, pruned trees and
bushes, and uses gravel or sand that is raked to represent ripples in water.
A zen garden is usually relatively small, surrounded by a wall, and is
usually meant to be seen while seated from a single viewpoint outside
the garden.
The gardens were intended to imitate the intimate
essence of nature, not its actual appearance, and to serve as an aid to
meditation about the true meaning of life.
 |
| Kyoto |
 |
| Golden Palace, Kyoto |
The name Kinkaku-ji means the "Temple of the
Golden Pavilion". Constructed in Kyoto's northern hills in 1398 by
Yoshimitsu, the third Ashikaga shogun, it was once part of a much larger
villa complex.
When he died it became a Zen temple in
accordance with his will. Sadly, the original temple burned in 1950 when
a deranged Buddhist monk set it ablaze.
Each floor of the Kinkaku-ji is a different
style. The first floor is merely a large room surrounded by a veranda, and was inspired by mansions of the 11th century.
The second story, called The Tower of Sound Waves, is the Samurai house style.
The third story is built in the Zen style, with cusped windows and ornamentation.
Kinkaku-ji served as an important model for later works.
Housed in the same complex in the Silver Pavillion, another zen temple.
During the Ōnin War, construction was halted. Despite Yoshimasa's
intention to cover the structure with a distinctive silver-foil overlay,
this work was delayed for so long that the plans were never realized
before Yoshimasa's death.
The present appearance of the structure is understood to be the same as when Yoshimasa himself last saw it.
This "unfinished" appearance illustrates one of the aspects of "wabi-sabi" quality.
Like Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji was originally built to serve as a place of rest and solitude for the Shogun.
Having retired to the villa, it is said Yoshimasa sat in the pavilion,
contemplating the calm and beauty of the gardens as the Ōnin War
worsened and Kyoto was burned to the ground
 |
Golden Palace grounds -- I tossed my coin into the bowl, so my wish will come true.
I didn't wish for anything big, I had lost my friend and just wished to find her. |
 |
| Sidestreet in Kyoto |
Tōdai-ji (東大寺 Tōdai-ji Eastern Great Temple), is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan.
Its Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿 Daibutsuden), the largest wooden building in
the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha
Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu (大仏).
The
temple is listed UNESCO as a World Heritage Site as “Historic Monuments
of Ancient Nara", together with seven other sites including temples,
shrines and places in the city of Nara.
Sika Deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely and bow to tourists when fed.
 |
Todaiji Temple, Nara |
 |
| The Great Buddha in the Todaiji Temple |
 |
| Koumoku-ten, guardian of the gate, Nara. |
The main entrance to the Todaiji temple is through the 13th-century Nandaimon (Great Southern Gate).
It features two impressive guardian statues of the Nio (Benevolent Kings), carved in 1203 and each more than 8 meters tall.
 |
| Bell in the Todaiji Temple |
 |
| Sacred Deer in Nara -- they bow to you when you give them food. |
 |
| She's attending her 3, 7, 9 year old Shinto Celebration/Blessing Day. |
Manga
(漫画) are comics created in Japan, or by Japanese creators in the
Japanese language, conforming to a style developed in Japan in the late
19th century. They have a long, complex pre-history in earlier Japanese
art.
Modern manga originated in the Occupation (1945–1952) and
post-Occupation years (1952–early 1960s), while a previously
militaristic and ultra-nationalist Japan rebuilt its political and
economic infrastructure.
 |
| Subway station in Tokyo. |
 |
| Iconic Tokyo intersection |
We took a train from
Yokohama to beautiful Kamakura and visited Engaku-ji, one of the five main
Rinzai Zen Temples in Kamakura, built in 1282 surrounded by exquisite green plantings. As we were leaving the Temple grounds to walk to the
monastery, three of the monks were doing a meditation session with archery.
 |
| Engaku-ji, one of the five main Rinzai temples. |
The city of Kamakura is located in the Kanagawa prefecture along the coast.
Number two of the five Kamakura temples, Engakuji temple was founded in
1282 by Mugaku Sogen under the sponsorship of Hojo Tokimune to
commemorate the deaths of both Japanese and Mongolian soldiers killed
during the Mongols' attempted invasion of Japan.
This is the main temple of the Engakuji faction of the Rinzai Buddhist sect.
This meditation was breathtaking in its beauty and seemed very similar to the discipline/precision of the Japanese tea
ceremony. We were told the Japanese tea ceremony evolved as part of the
Buddhist mediation process " as a way to keep the monks away through the long
hours of zazen."
 |
| Tea ceremony |
I found everything about Japan exquisite and Kamakura is a place were I would love to reincarnate.
As a final gift, with the beautiful skyline of
Yokohama in the background, a group of traditional Japanese drummers
gathered on the pier and drummed us good
bye. At midnight we puled out of Yokohama and steamed east beginning our
18-day trip across the Pacific. ---Big Island of Hawaii will be the next place to make landfall.
 |
| Yokohama skyline |
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
