tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40438169852377415872024-02-19T00:24:23.569-08:00A Wandering GaijinさまよえるガイジンPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-15174302587329686562017-05-28T13:17:00.000-07:002017-05-28T21:43:39.002-07:00Verny Park ( ヴェルニ公園 )Another beautiful park in Yokosuka is Verny Park. While Tsukayama Park ( 塚山公園 ) and Kinugasayama Park ( 衣笠山公園 ) are rightly famous for cherry blossom viewing (and there are plenty of others in this beautiful town) and Taura Ume no Sato ( 田浦梅の里 ) in Yokosuka and Kairakuen ( 偕楽園 ) near Mito in Ibaraki Prefecture are famous for plum blossom viewing, <a href="https://en.japantravel.com/kanagawa/yokosuka-s-verny-park/1186">Verny Park</a> is the place for roses.<br />
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Verny Park is named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A9once_Verny">Léonce Verny</a>. The memorial plaque to Mr. Verny reads;
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<i>Verny, a French naval engineer, came to Japan in 1865 to take charge of the Yokosuka Arsenal construction at the request of the Tokugawa Bakufu government whose aim was to strengthen the country's naval forces. His duties as administrator and constructor extended beyond the Bakufu government into the Meiji Reformation with the construction of the Kannonzaki Lighthouse, the Hashirimizu waterway, and the development of brick production. He also established a technical school inside the arsenal where he worked at training Japanese technicians before returning to his home country in 1876.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkJOHU7O_xckLWDP40zQgseCTrnQryHFa3PTbiY4l8lnKY845SRx2voJDOd14Zhi90RbzIx1D_Q9__vJWg7SAoVCdlmdBS7FkigVpDuaF8K5Wcd0xspx8-Q20YQYRI1qjYB2QqPzxKBo/s1600/Jules+Verny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkJOHU7O_xckLWDP40zQgseCTrnQryHFa3PTbiY4l8lnKY845SRx2voJDOd14Zhi90RbzIx1D_Q9__vJWg7SAoVCdlmdBS7FkigVpDuaF8K5Wcd0xspx8-Q20YQYRI1qjYB2QqPzxKBo/s640/Jules+Verny.jpg" width="472" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Léonce Verny</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr66ypP9lhQHdy8uzu9kZE3Gvu3TJE9rJGe930KCm9mEkO1cQWGcAa-6E7cVa8dyDMPA2wRy3Dfv-AJVAQbkSuQa2Age0Du_2YyxHmMzdXw5MCqRPEO-ptJyH3FifrPRRA3V8A_KTmR68/s1600/Verny+Park+on+Yoko+Bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="640" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr66ypP9lhQHdy8uzu9kZE3Gvu3TJE9rJGe930KCm9mEkO1cQWGcAa-6E7cVa8dyDMPA2wRy3Dfv-AJVAQbkSuQa2Age0Du_2YyxHmMzdXw5MCqRPEO-ptJyH3FifrPRRA3V8A_KTmR68/s640/Verny+Park+on+Yoko+Bay.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A part of Verny Park as seen from Liberty Cove Apartments with the Naval Base on the other side of Yokosuka Bay.</td></tr>
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In good weather during the spring and summer the park is full of people taking pictures of roses. While I was taking the photographs for this post I was surrounded by many Japanese people doing the same.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjyzbcV9uf6j2PowVIg8SbPBIDDhhmIg7iletEP7aBIikODovTunlCybYHNfBbdRHxVp_3PLNtU8y5LTwGEHVKrMRdeoKjN-5CVbpiYtIgl_gpXZKtPyxVZYV57l36C9omGaXPYMg9QQ/s1600/Verny+Climbing+Roses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="640" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjyzbcV9uf6j2PowVIg8SbPBIDDhhmIg7iletEP7aBIikODovTunlCybYHNfBbdRHxVp_3PLNtU8y5LTwGEHVKrMRdeoKjN-5CVbpiYtIgl_gpXZKtPyxVZYV57l36C9omGaXPYMg9QQ/s640/Verny+Climbing+Roses.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A row of standing cages for climbing roses.</td></tr>
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Verny Park has a number of places for people to gather. A popular place to take pictures is near a dome surrounded by deep red roses. While I was there a group of elderly people and their family members came to take pictures in a spot made for that purpose.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipW8MstAnGunu3NAfp7-AomERBl4uS6IntJ29ZWAnWU804Jv0pJMe1fDlFxFXcWs2L5Hx9a0OMFqjqqEh3fJQPu6cEbl8b-tbf-zN3N5L1pzIHI1sbMYHYv9IPLQuBGPLSRIbrvv5bGFU/s1600/Verny+Dome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipW8MstAnGunu3NAfp7-AomERBl4uS6IntJ29ZWAnWU804Jv0pJMe1fDlFxFXcWs2L5Hx9a0OMFqjqqEh3fJQPu6cEbl8b-tbf-zN3N5L1pzIHI1sbMYHYv9IPLQuBGPLSRIbrvv5bGFU/s640/Verny+Dome.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, more roses. Many of them are planted in beds with placards saying what hybrid of rose they are and when they were hybridized. Where I have that information I put it in the captions.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWboDDRE4HwhM9cb1oIgq4EDV887U7b5eYqlpiogq8FULg4kANZzqtSB_jlpjEeFDdjuNBe8NhWRzRtwh_A3_s1xWyYE-BL2ZmslhuLu86kT8q3a_NaMQal9wY4NpqJg77AuIsiqgo38/s1600/Blue+Light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWboDDRE4HwhM9cb1oIgq4EDV887U7b5eYqlpiogq8FULg4kANZzqtSB_jlpjEeFDdjuNBe8NhWRzRtwh_A3_s1xWyYE-BL2ZmslhuLu86kT8q3a_NaMQal9wY4NpqJg77AuIsiqgo38/s640/Blue+Light.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Light 1995</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOpqUKCmKJ8Xlf8NEplheXy9iUapFfMDTyqNHik426acH_sQuoNyNehFEIEUsst1kgF4FCeq8hPCtxltQgIrGCEfa9_1xxaXCPcKUXZnDH1gVKCIlGwv3mpJLXODQP8VZk36TCu_nDOA/s1600/Princess+Michiko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOpqUKCmKJ8Xlf8NEplheXy9iUapFfMDTyqNHik426acH_sQuoNyNehFEIEUsst1kgF4FCeq8hPCtxltQgIrGCEfa9_1xxaXCPcKUXZnDH1gVKCIlGwv3mpJLXODQP8VZk36TCu_nDOA/s640/Princess+Michiko.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princess Michiko 1966 - The year she became Princess by marrying Emperor (then prince) Akihito</td></tr>
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There are very many more. An entire book could be written about all of the rose hybrids that are grown in Verny Park. There are a couple of other things as well. There is a museum commemorating Léonce Verny, a cafe, and a 16 inch gun barrel salvaged from the battleship Mutsu. Perhaps I'll include those in a later post.
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For now, one more commemoration, for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oguri_Kozukenosuke">Tadamasa Oguri (in Japanese surnames come first, so Oguri Tadamasa)</a>.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oguri Tadamasa 1827 - 1868</td></tr>
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<br />The memorial plaque to Mr. Oguri reads;
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<i>Holding successive official posts as Magistrate of Finance and Magistrate of Diplomacy in the closing days of the Tokugawa Bakufu government, Oguri served as part of Japan's first delegation to the United States, and with the support of France promoted construction of the Yokosuka Arsenal. He also contributed greatly to Japan's modernization through the reformation of the military system, while also establishing a French language school. After the restoration of Imperial rule, Oguri was dismissed from his post for advocating armed resistance and was eventually beheaded by the Imperial Army in his territory at Gonda Village, now Kurabuchi Village, Gunma Prefecture.</i>
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Stones from the riverbank where he was beheaded were brought to the Park and are arranged near Mr. Oguri's statue.
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A last photograph that combines roses with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force">Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force</a> (Navy).
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-77404821835711231302017-05-07T06:33:00.001-07:002017-05-28T21:15:25.234-07:00Tsukayama Kōen ( 塚山公園 ) and William Adams' TombMy (almost) home town, Yokosuka is famous for a number of things involving places and events both ancient and modern. It is also has a number of famous and wonderful parks. Tsukayama Park ( 塚山公園 ) is famous for its cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom viewing ( 花見 ) in Japan is a seasonal national pastime and feels a lot like the 4th of July in the Unites States. People go to the parks where they can view the cherry blossoms, layout blankets and have picnics with their families.<br />
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Tsukayama Park is one of the "Top 50 Scenic Beauty" sites in Kanagawa prefecture. It is at the top of a mountain in Yokosuka that was once in the fief of Miura Anjin ( 三浦按針 ) aka William Adams.<br />
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I normally edit images to a width of 640 pixels to best fit on the screen and save bandwidth, but I left the map image full size, so if you click on it you can actually read it and find the park.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #bbefbb; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A view of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Fleet_Activities_Yokosuka" style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;">U.S. Navy Base</a><span style="background-color: #bbefbb; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> from the park.</span></td></tr>
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And now some views of the park. I got there in early summer long after the cherry blossoms were gone, but the park is still peaceful and beautiful. It was a very hot day with plenty of haze in the air, as you can see in these pictures. Even so, it was comfortable in the park at the top of the mountain. (Ok, in the U.S. we would call it a hill.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ubgPpeEZX_Zj8PR-Ge-KPrSDrPjmbsCGAdD6ueGrKURULjFTWNJIW0b8pR1O3M8q3dCMDLkZeuFe1YBeikyGKogt5pOXfD3XNm4E-JqN7nPJyhK_ScskfHE6Nfazc3gneZlngaI3Adg/s1600/Tsukayama+view+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ubgPpeEZX_Zj8PR-Ge-KPrSDrPjmbsCGAdD6ueGrKURULjFTWNJIW0b8pR1O3M8q3dCMDLkZeuFe1YBeikyGKogt5pOXfD3XNm4E-JqN7nPJyhK_ScskfHE6Nfazc3gneZlngaI3Adg/s640/Tsukayama+view+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizy3Mz-tgKheA6KumWFOSZUksFKw5Lc6D0kk4uYQDYqBfD7Skrz7T2MWe1tsEJJ_AcXHcw4sCouzlxuSlZIcsHBHBf9nnCgBCvkvCDcdNbzo37UjcZVvA4ArMRvDZEKxabel0P5Kj-iQ/s1600/Tsukayama+path+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizy3Mz-tgKheA6KumWFOSZUksFKw5Lc6D0kk4uYQDYqBfD7Skrz7T2MWe1tsEJJ_AcXHcw4sCouzlxuSlZIcsHBHBf9nnCgBCvkvCDcdNbzo37UjcZVvA4ArMRvDZEKxabel0P5Kj-iQ/s640/Tsukayama+path+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38y80-7OUIGEQkqncC1hZ1t_WHWvc24Zqqez9baVVbwTgKkg_GN_z6UygaGqb6oQUOJU_RQ7vM8m1cMZF9sbfkWC8GGgmRydKpauh4Z26S853cC3rAeWBZfQ3wPVShcnydu_lhf36hxg/s1600/Tsukayama+steps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38y80-7OUIGEQkqncC1hZ1t_WHWvc24Zqqez9baVVbwTgKkg_GN_z6UygaGqb6oQUOJU_RQ7vM8m1cMZF9sbfkWC8GGgmRydKpauh4Z26S853cC3rAeWBZfQ3wPVShcnydu_lhf36hxg/s640/Tsukayama+steps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some of you may have read the novel <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dgun_(novel)">Shogun</a> by James Clavell. In this novel a major character is Englishman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Blackthorne">John Blackthorne</a>. <u>Shogun</u> is based on real historical events as are most of Clavell's novels. In this novel the character Blackthorne is based on the real life adventures of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adams_(sailor)">William Adams</a>.
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NOTE: The Wikipedia article gives Adams' grave as being in <a href="http://japanvisitor.blogspot.com/2010/11/william-adams-grave-hirado.html">Hirado</a>, but this memorial was only erected in 1954. He was granted a fief in Hemi that is now part of Yokosuka. History records that he wanted to be buried in his fief on a hill facing Edo and said so on his deathbed. Although he did die in Hirado, <a href="http://www.mustlovejapan.com/subject/miura_anjin_grave/">this is, in fact, where he is buried</a>. Being samurai and a hatamoto to Tokugawa Ieyasu it would be expected that his wishes would be respected.
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Here are some pictures of his gravesite. His Japanese wife, Oyuki, is buried there with him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhI6AaE-pt2zk6IaFDow1n8yBcVZy_PKqjNEWZ_asLNCRdIZbI5yYzOX4YfV574PHhZZNQdH2HabGNFPgSadED0riYL-WsXDL_wNHjI2gSb9VWQLYlqM9OHyut1tOv7FESIC7Au7rU4M/s1600/Will+Adams+Grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhI6AaE-pt2zk6IaFDow1n8yBcVZy_PKqjNEWZ_asLNCRdIZbI5yYzOX4YfV574PHhZZNQdH2HabGNFPgSadED0riYL-WsXDL_wNHjI2gSb9VWQLYlqM9OHyut1tOv7FESIC7Au7rU4M/s640/Will+Adams+Grave.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqGHdaFknBXMNE_H963YR9VpKtfAVXeQV7YPsERfvVjb8BgABbs1lZ8UAQ5S1zDGZ28ACCGE74cvGuDK77pV_TuGbMp4ph0jiWv8ZMjUllHVYFIQ7aB8luYY6kHIQllo63C8yA6ID5Xo/s1600/Will+Adams+Grave+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqGHdaFknBXMNE_H963YR9VpKtfAVXeQV7YPsERfvVjb8BgABbs1lZ8UAQ5S1zDGZ28ACCGE74cvGuDK77pV_TuGbMp4ph0jiWv8ZMjUllHVYFIQ7aB8luYY6kHIQllo63C8yA6ID5Xo/s640/Will+Adams+Grave+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwH3y2jhNk_V-Tu-C_eO_J__gYR5glELUdw28oJukuDbxzkJQZNfVMxK2vbVRS-YgXybqpgaHU27K4sY83DUSCk4fivwrccoFWyLgUfjuldHKvqwIq6PpYE9cTePCfUR9RYpxqG1qh-E4/s1600/Will+Adams+Memorial+Stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwH3y2jhNk_V-Tu-C_eO_J__gYR5glELUdw28oJukuDbxzkJQZNfVMxK2vbVRS-YgXybqpgaHU27K4sY83DUSCk4fivwrccoFWyLgUfjuldHKvqwIq6PpYE9cTePCfUR9RYpxqG1qh-E4/s640/Will+Adams+Memorial+Stone.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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So, if you have any time in Yokosuka, especially when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, visit Tsukayama Park and enjoy the thousand cherry trees and hanami. It is a lovely park.<br />
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Links:<br />
<a href="https://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=William_Adams">William Adams from SamuraiWiki</a><br />
<a href="https://www.city.yokosuka.kanagawa.jp/0130/culture_info/documents/miura_anjin_yokosuka_h24_02ver.pdf">Wiliam Adams and Yokosuka</a> published by Yokosuka City.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-32386190906720895472011-08-05T04:24:00.000-07:002011-08-05T04:24:35.771-07:00There are DragonsIf you should be hanging around in Chinatown in Yokohama at the end of January or the beginning of February (depending on the year) you may encounter dragons!<br />
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They approach!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DGs98m_4Hw-t8CHi4ME1vO_hzbZV9PUoJQoAM6EuUIlWacE_utvKrn1UzGJBHaqrqmztz-iZaH-QYyyJn6EX822xXTV8GtlEDo8NYr_uoZVUeWhJvKGd3QbFFnw66Cf6SVdynp-dwkU/s1600/distant_dragons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DGs98m_4Hw-t8CHi4ME1vO_hzbZV9PUoJQoAM6EuUIlWacE_utvKrn1UzGJBHaqrqmztz-iZaH-QYyyJn6EX822xXTV8GtlEDo8NYr_uoZVUeWhJvKGd3QbFFnw66Cf6SVdynp-dwkU/s640/distant_dragons.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
They see you!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOuWUvsS9O49JFj8_o0pp6XmvJ_SOHeGyvFd9rS8k77thRkhuF-BKQKqaDLguKof2060s3J1ENX2VvvVOBGn3nLV1dyB_5iK37Syrw64P4kdC6EyTfJEQ942j2lnW3bivqOHG2L_G5gg/s1600/dragons_approach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwOuWUvsS9O49JFj8_o0pp6XmvJ_SOHeGyvFd9rS8k77thRkhuF-BKQKqaDLguKof2060s3J1ENX2VvvVOBGn3nLV1dyB_5iK37Syrw64P4kdC6EyTfJEQ942j2lnW3bivqOHG2L_G5gg/s640/dragons_approach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
There is no way out!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW33J2XrFHJZFtihggXcxyViwW_SVm3pyxi5fwT0lQzKcJUMN5iVZfkaOl6IQQH9bppB9qsk6TFq473tNHObUMcvJry8VO90whaVIEeOQyRbysIzwVowTg_4PL7NAImbYvYCizHW6DtDc/s1600/dragonhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW33J2XrFHJZFtihggXcxyViwW_SVm3pyxi5fwT0lQzKcJUMN5iVZfkaOl6IQQH9bppB9qsk6TFq473tNHObUMcvJry8VO90whaVIEeOQyRbysIzwVowTg_4PL7NAImbYvYCizHW6DtDc/s640/dragonhead.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
And there are more;<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQROjHxR7UFMly7SZEmzaGMG5GQxgzcF3idPXe-7RRADPj2C4VOwHWNV_vDAfVwNg8G6vA-PO-nN6XiNWNR9RYY4CsMz2KIJPxFDbjTwx3KRB0ySBOSVCks3cQuAxJG1zy-wFTPC6GX0/s1600/dragon_fortune_attack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQROjHxR7UFMly7SZEmzaGMG5GQxgzcF3idPXe-7RRADPj2C4VOwHWNV_vDAfVwNg8G6vA-PO-nN6XiNWNR9RYY4CsMz2KIJPxFDbjTwx3KRB0ySBOSVCks3cQuAxJG1zy-wFTPC6GX0/s640/dragon_fortune_attack.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
But they are only here to wish you the five happinesses!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKTL8tgeLxZaJUa-Cahewt3M9d78NKgyL5uPJ8w_em8_sOYuAKkatysmOIKP-zd6hf9U6pZLmUuVx5B3ReFPkCIEGoEeTBWp6PzAtEppyPnVa_W00hscGKQ3h2PhNWvPStQ27IDQ1WdY/s1600/five_happinesses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKTL8tgeLxZaJUa-Cahewt3M9d78NKgyL5uPJ8w_em8_sOYuAKkatysmOIKP-zd6hf9U6pZLmUuVx5B3ReFPkCIEGoEeTBWp6PzAtEppyPnVa_W00hscGKQ3h2PhNWvPStQ27IDQ1WdY/s640/five_happinesses.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
and there is music and dance.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2XYV3Wst03uFvkpGXgCD06frVoPr-kReEIRPD9Gejx4pazuZdolH33QwNcr4XZT8RyHj2MHoUF0diMvkO1zQlcCAt8iPgXAoz1umvFo0oUjEvuFSHmAW_twSwDnP9OQsMIvL7RFJHec/s1600/dancers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2XYV3Wst03uFvkpGXgCD06frVoPr-kReEIRPD9Gejx4pazuZdolH33QwNcr4XZT8RyHj2MHoUF0diMvkO1zQlcCAt8iPgXAoz1umvFo0oUjEvuFSHmAW_twSwDnP9OQsMIvL7RFJHec/s640/dancers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So don't be afraid of dragons.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-50226555991280926942011-07-31T14:56:00.000-07:002011-07-31T16:26:08.575-07:00My Favorite Izakaya; Sakato-ya 坂戸屋It occurred to me that I did not provide directions to Sakato-ya, so another post would be in order. Plus, I just wanted to post more pictures of my favorite place.<br />
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At the end of every year, Shie-chan closes the izakaya for a week. After the New Year holiday she reopens. To celebrate the reopening she wears fine kimonos for the first three days. Here are some pictures from the first week in January, 2011.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5r32XFdaYpq21oeEmbVzQ-2Ex8MI0GjEoskZX9XpMPjvFa7MgSpToQAequMeprTFCumr12NjnA2tVOUh9FZBQYNq32Y8jNWybE8BuxCWoKFc63QyWxPldfH1V30UdoVNudUJHLR4r8HA/s1600/Shie_in_smock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5r32XFdaYpq21oeEmbVzQ-2Ex8MI0GjEoskZX9XpMPjvFa7MgSpToQAequMeprTFCumr12NjnA2tVOUh9FZBQYNq32Y8jNWybE8BuxCWoKFc63QyWxPldfH1V30UdoVNudUJHLR4r8HA/s640/Shie_in_smock.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
My friend Emoto-san tried to get me in trouble with the next photo, but since Shie-chan is a close friend of both my wife and me, it didn't work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRd6rEWJr0GBdBl24jd1qFWB0Db3-z-ltrzGhaSvR-fVGhmTLCnjihyIsz1a9fWggXhtnLUBBYtoL58xJQOHd_Qy6r_kv60cbQa_9SlxilQWZaNjbSQYtTVtosDpzFpCceecfe6OHHh_8/s1600/Shie_kimono.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRd6rEWJr0GBdBl24jd1qFWB0Db3-z-ltrzGhaSvR-fVGhmTLCnjihyIsz1a9fWggXhtnLUBBYtoL58xJQOHd_Qy6r_kv60cbQa_9SlxilQWZaNjbSQYtTVtosDpzFpCceecfe6OHHh_8/s640/Shie_kimono.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shie-chan and I - Photo taken by Emoto-san trying to get me in trouble.</td></tr>
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As I wrote in <a href="http://ikokujin.blogspot.com/2010/02/favorite-izakaya-part-1.html">my earlier post</a>, she always serves food of the highest quality and the atmosphere is warm and friendly.<br />
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The map:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.278858,139.672574&spn=0.001198,0.002183&z=19&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=35.278858,139.672574&spn=0.001198,0.002183&z=19&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small><br />
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It is in Wakamatsu-cho, the third door down from the 7-11; to the right (southeast) in the image above. Look for the name Sakato-ya in Japanese - 坂戸屋<br />
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The street view:<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&layer=c&ie=UTF8&ll=35.278919,139.672864&spn=0.001198,0.002183&z=19&cbll=35.278983,139.672772&panoid=20cABR0uMjiNpwr061GlkQ&cbp=12,189.56,,1,0.37&source=embed&output=svembed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&layer=c&ie=UTF8&ll=35.278919,139.672864&spn=0.001198,0.002183&z=19&cbll=35.278983,139.672772&panoid=20cABR0uMjiNpwr061GlkQ&cbp=12,189.56,,1,0.37&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small><br />
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More pictures (taken at other times);<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvFhMlLo6QHXh9NNr1joajVCF3GZOfm8BVEPiLqV-Clvz85nJB3jRuAvONPGfWZ_L13HKwzqbNfiMUxGU5zuQWohyyqhuF3V8hFxHDN5EI7_FUOXgs_JTdRYaAinjxvkoq_PHDCYLWy8/s1600/friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvFhMlLo6QHXh9NNr1joajVCF3GZOfm8BVEPiLqV-Clvz85nJB3jRuAvONPGfWZ_L13HKwzqbNfiMUxGU5zuQWohyyqhuF3V8hFxHDN5EI7_FUOXgs_JTdRYaAinjxvkoq_PHDCYLWy8/s640/friends.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with some of my friends.</td></tr>
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One of the many cool things about izakayas is that you can buy a bottle of your favorite drink and drink what you want, leaving the bottle on the bar until you return. When you return, you just grab your bottle and have a drink. Of course the price is 30% to 100% more than you would pay in a store, but that is not the point. You may identify your bottle by writing your name on it with a paint pen, or by hanging some "bling" on it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7KXkgPKgl_eXl6R9OzI6ymMD0JpEUrGfY7z0jZxMC7uS5W_qHcI9ZaO1qxCcmoWYmAFMRynxWBpKPCAv8IaVDTAgYGLYL282UYcm8eTUWDPxIellrEO84drUUY8Uq-SxKxNhtP-NHwg/s1600/mybottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7KXkgPKgl_eXl6R9OzI6ymMD0JpEUrGfY7z0jZxMC7uS5W_qHcI9ZaO1qxCcmoWYmAFMRynxWBpKPCAv8IaVDTAgYGLYL282UYcm8eTUWDPxIellrEO84drUUY8Uq-SxKxNhtP-NHwg/s640/mybottle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bottle is the one with Linus on the top.</td></tr>
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One more thing, she saved two beautiful pomeranians from certain death by adopting them. They were orphaned from their owners as a result of the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power facility and now live with her. The dog's owners were relocated to emergency housing, but were not permitted to take their dogs. The dogs were put up for adoption, and Shie-chan adopted them.<br />
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This is Rachel...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbJ4EKKhivMxKdKm9RMbIDzruj4Veb52udJL93kKEh3CFqrppXpNTIw2-tDTGd6sHk33HbygWAdrPZN-L5DO4-SpxqiZEsLKju3XXuBmhapEpCJHrE7Al_D_eGT8mVeOPoKguv18dyYU/s1600/Inasan_rachel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbJ4EKKhivMxKdKm9RMbIDzruj4Veb52udJL93kKEh3CFqrppXpNTIw2-tDTGd6sHk33HbygWAdrPZN-L5DO4-SpxqiZEsLKju3XXuBmhapEpCJHrE7Al_D_eGT8mVeOPoKguv18dyYU/s640/Inasan_rachel.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Ina-san with Rachel</td></tr>
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and this is Bera (I know, I have trouble telling them apart too);<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOM1uyw0_L5iTf_eo26vaXXgb0DF-IqOIb6SuciTn_jgE8qMKNkTjtmIWjXjs_9on1q5h-wOxd5aWhGzAXJhYPu1familmuCDFRk7iSipG5YVjAN42plGaQDLJkLG7TeN6C6eyFqipPE/s1600/Imorisan_bera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOM1uyw0_L5iTf_eo26vaXXgb0DF-IqOIb6SuciTn_jgE8qMKNkTjtmIWjXjs_9on1q5h-wOxd5aWhGzAXJhYPu1familmuCDFRk7iSipG5YVjAN42plGaQDLJkLG7TeN6C6eyFqipPE/s640/Imorisan_bera.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Imori-san with Bera</td></tr>
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じゃあね<br />
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</div>Photioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-4856030072023095012011-07-04T12:10:00.000-07:002017-05-07T17:14:14.876-07:00ChangesAs you may have noticed, I have made a few changes here.<br />
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One of the reasons that I like Blogger is that, in addition to the programed editing functions (which make it really easy), I can get into the HTML directly and make adjustments there. I have already done this a few times for font and color changes.<br />
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All of the photos that I use are edited down from the original size to a width of 640 pixels. That is still larger than the display size. I decided that I wanted you to be able to see larger pictures without having to reopen them in another window or tab. So, I adjusted a few block widths. After that the blogging team (me) went through all of the previous posts and selected "X-Large" in the editing options. If you open the image in another window or tab you can see the 640 pixel wide version. <strike>In time I will get most of these in their full size, unedited version in my gallery here. That work is ongoing.</strike> I hope that you enjoy the result.<br />
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Here is another picture.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHqFyXITzeUMZpdhlwuEwTqfnt-kVGl-E26TiUQvEjdrT8WJAvEafdzzVQTl40SJeUSsq4SaUpWiWydFswSWdGcRV7KJC-GC_wYvF2hVCW9FE8bVUm32myXaRXf0ZziF8-aVYxya7cek/s1600/hot_dog_condiments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtHqFyXITzeUMZpdhlwuEwTqfnt-kVGl-E26TiUQvEjdrT8WJAvEafdzzVQTl40SJeUSsq4SaUpWiWydFswSWdGcRV7KJC-GC_wYvF2hVCW9FE8bVUm32myXaRXf0ZziF8-aVYxya7cek/s640/hot_dog_condiments.jpg" width="480px"></a></div><br />
This is in the Arrival area in the South Terminal in Terminal 1 at Narita Airport next to a snack stand.<br />
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UPDATE: Apple iCloud no longer supports the Photo Gallery, sadly.<br>
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-7588149900434941462011-07-03T23:07:00.000-07:002011-07-04T11:55:19.976-07:00The Kamakura Daibutsu at the Kōtoku-in ( 高徳院 ) TempleThis is probably the single most famous work of art in Japan, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dtoku-in">Kamakura Daibutsu at the Kōtoku-in (高徳院) Temple</a>. There are a number of famous Daibutsu ( 大仏 ), I have previously written of the <a href="http://ikokujin.blogspot.com/2010/04/nihon-ji-daibutsu-aka-stone-buddha.html">Nihon-ji Daibutsu</a> on Mt. Nokogiri.<br />
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Many websites, including the Wikipedia article linked above, say a lot about the height, weight, etc. of this statue. None of that does it justice. It is important to remember that, first of all, many people in Japan are still believers in Buddhism and this site is sacred to them. There is, in fact, a functioning Buddhist monastery which monks work to maintain the site.<br />
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The Kōtoku-in Monastery is a temple of the <a href="http://www.jodo.org/">Jōdo-shū</a> (Pure Land or Land of Ultimate Bliss) sect of Buddhaism. The idea is that the believer can attain the Pure Land (of Ultimate Bliss) by recitation of the name of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amitabha">Amida Buddha</a>.<br />
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The Daibutsu is not far from the ocean. It was cast of Bronze in 1252 and was housed in the Kōtoku-in temple. The temple, having been destroyed by storms and rebuilt twice, in 1334 and 1369, was washed away in the tsunami of September 20th, 1498. Since then the Daibutsu has been in the open air.<br />
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The Daibutsu and the monastery are in Kamakura just a short walk away from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hase_Station_(Kanagawa)">Hase Station</a> of the <a href="http://www.enoden.co.jp/flangu/e3.htm">Enoden Line</a>.<br />
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As one approaches the gate, the Buddha looms above.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueC-F4HtDE-SDiI4oJ62KLOoR1GlGND-DbHAGdtDQWuATXt2tp3SOjcH0mVP0qA4C5W7biwvzFAvO4DWbe4kqRxJr7WjpVgh5n8DkDjVUBBgPC3wwLmWFXXVIXYZOf7NSNAdQ6I6BKwA/s1600/entrance_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueC-F4HtDE-SDiI4oJ62KLOoR1GlGND-DbHAGdtDQWuATXt2tp3SOjcH0mVP0qA4C5W7biwvzFAvO4DWbe4kqRxJr7WjpVgh5n8DkDjVUBBgPC3wwLmWFXXVIXYZOf7NSNAdQ6I6BKwA/s640/entrance_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The Daibutsu 大仏 dominates the grounds. (Yes, this used to be inside of a temple.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7aA1R5QrUSBCXTzAETyX6RbHCfireboDR-KLOZ49nThBU_x8uJHtl-5BtcTbQDJSebksrZ-fnlnpLalgBjiby_w42dgo_XP4AqoY4u3qvGkIHJV77gvUsfeNnGfXhdJAuLbixwqCDhc/s1600/daibutsu_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7aA1R5QrUSBCXTzAETyX6RbHCfireboDR-KLOZ49nThBU_x8uJHtl-5BtcTbQDJSebksrZ-fnlnpLalgBjiby_w42dgo_XP4AqoY4u3qvGkIHJV77gvUsfeNnGfXhdJAuLbixwqCDhc/s640/daibutsu_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
In addition to being a religious site, it is a cultural site for the Japanese as a visit to Independence Hall is to an American. While I was there I was approached by no fewer that 4 groups of elementary school students who wanted to tell me (reading from a script provided by their school) that they are elementary school students studying English. They asked where I am from and wanted to take a picture with me. I presume that the picture is to provide proof to their teacher (I think that they all had the same teacher) that they completed their assignments. Here is a picture with the second group that approached me. This picture was taken by one of the kids from the group.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq-BgD3eeejdDPy1S2AEZ_nqeWbkU6lnm5ioRvnP7_O_iih_5mExWj8o9F1kCSW2ES0mmysgEVV0-Ken1wJIdUvs_ufs3wL6mGpmGbVydIeUDJuN-AIUgLHhh2eW9TYbZws_0J8qDC48/s1600/with+kids_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFq-BgD3eeejdDPy1S2AEZ_nqeWbkU6lnm5ioRvnP7_O_iih_5mExWj8o9F1kCSW2ES0mmysgEVV0-Ken1wJIdUvs_ufs3wL6mGpmGbVydIeUDJuN-AIUgLHhh2eW9TYbZws_0J8qDC48/s640/with+kids_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
A side view.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8L6-mQfR5ZE3NhdS7pF2xV7lUytu84Tw-ThVRL_oKupujeDIMo74NgLLf5X2yAUQ8rVleiZKrhFiw5dHRVuWrekr_2cu3N9BcjDS98k-WQPhqSt59EgYQveVQarWSqhGj4_hSuEF8Cag/s1600/side-view_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8L6-mQfR5ZE3NhdS7pF2xV7lUytu84Tw-ThVRL_oKupujeDIMo74NgLLf5X2yAUQ8rVleiZKrhFiw5dHRVuWrekr_2cu3N9BcjDS98k-WQPhqSt59EgYQveVQarWSqhGj4_hSuEF8Cag/s640/side-view_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The grounds also have some beautiful, secluded areas. Strange, with all of the crowds surrounding the Daibutsu, that only a few feet away are areas where people don't generally go, yet they are open to the public.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLKlQJSFOb2ZsFgO3OSC-JTu231cyu8COw9EGxIAyuTnOzr13szFTtTe741L8jXErDvg6diV_CPWZoE1Md5IpP7YGvfpgswdfjti1poygHmruYmpL1eo_O0jg7mjjfOB_a9aACqh-kTM/s1600/grounds_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLKlQJSFOb2ZsFgO3OSC-JTu231cyu8COw9EGxIAyuTnOzr13szFTtTe741L8jXErDvg6diV_CPWZoE1Md5IpP7YGvfpgswdfjti1poygHmruYmpL1eo_O0jg7mjjfOB_a9aACqh-kTM/s640/grounds_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
There are also ancient monuments. Here is one.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1-xFk4vrYpjLEz_n3ux-NIxwbc6wrYvNwhOUB-hIsw-qBlow96gBd51e3vyCuuAzjoZihluFxQCF8o0tHTWE2FvwKzBKs7UglhWJj172Fekq63SfmktTwgVANCv6Y3S1nX3ndewuyEc/s1600/monument_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1-xFk4vrYpjLEz_n3ux-NIxwbc6wrYvNwhOUB-hIsw-qBlow96gBd51e3vyCuuAzjoZihluFxQCF8o0tHTWE2FvwKzBKs7UglhWJj172Fekq63SfmktTwgVANCv6Y3S1nX3ndewuyEc/s640/monument_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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For ¥20 you can go inside the statue. My pictures there did not turn out well as I am using only a (slightly better quality) pocket camera. Still, here is a shot from inside the statue looking up to where the head is attached. You can see the reenforcing that was installed during repairs to the statue that occurred in 1960.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixj6QWqJRxf87uk1_Gt0SzAB8Gb4irsNvtq0ft1Q0HuY1osWBsbHKJ518VHsvTA8hFWBPABmzzCpQOvsYo_jj7uVmgy_uzywrIKsz2lko7i2QmAEOkJT5xzdchvKxTwYlUfljXFtQUC54/s1600/reinforced_neck_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixj6QWqJRxf87uk1_Gt0SzAB8Gb4irsNvtq0ft1Q0HuY1osWBsbHKJ518VHsvTA8hFWBPABmzzCpQOvsYo_jj7uVmgy_uzywrIKsz2lko7i2QmAEOkJT5xzdchvKxTwYlUfljXFtQUC54/s640/reinforced_neck_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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The following is a plaque that is inside of the statue. It tells of some of the construction techniques used to build it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsA8QqLEGcTNvJ02XFa550wnUCsg2AZnsQD9pge6nu2hztYL7GZPssCmzaeJkPYLhf_qdAXEkvr5OhyphenhyphenkBUZ2l1QKsK2qU-PiGg25K5eBBGC0oCy72ah2F616d78bSaqQkXJZmMa-hOAs/s1600/Info-Plaque_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsA8QqLEGcTNvJ02XFa550wnUCsg2AZnsQD9pge6nu2hztYL7GZPssCmzaeJkPYLhf_qdAXEkvr5OhyphenhyphenkBUZ2l1QKsK2qU-PiGg25K5eBBGC0oCy72ah2F616d78bSaqQkXJZmMa-hOAs/s640/Info-Plaque_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The English text on the plaque reads (I have retained the original capitalization):<br />
<blockquote>Construction Techniques Observable in the Inner Hollow of the Kamakura Daibutsu<br />
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The Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Kamakura) was built in the middle of the Kamakura Period, seven and a half centuries ago. Upon entering the inner hollow of the statue, one can observe the surprisingly sophisticated techniques that were used to create this statue. Due to its immense size, this statue was cast in 30 separate stages. The lattice pattern of the interior walls indicates that a large number of molds were placed on top of each other in layers. In order to securely connect together the separately cast pieces, a completely unique and ingenious method was employed connecting the pieces from the base to the top of the statue. Known as ikurakuri, this method can be broadly divided into three different types (see figure).<br />
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In 1960 a program was established by Kotoku-in temple to conduct major repairs of major cultural assets. Fortified plastic ERP was applied to the neck in order to reinforce the neck of the statue, and a stainless steel plate was inserted between the statue and the pedestal on which it rests as a means of protecting the statue against earthquakes.</blockquote>For someone who loves History, in Kamakura and in much of the rest of Japan something incredible is just around the corner. I did not get an opportunity to visit the many other sites in this area. I did stop by the Hase-dera (see <a href="http://www.hasedera.jp/words/english/e1.html">here</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hase-dera_(Kamakura)">here</a>) but did not go in due to the lateness of the hour (they had closed). I truly believed that I would be able to return, and I will, but it will a long time before I am able.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-42045048599130375152011-03-13T00:50:00.000-08:002012-07-16T21:42:14.549-07:00The Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster (東日本大震災) of 2011I was onboard USS George Washington, moored in Yokosuka, when the earthquake occurred. Even floating on the water, we felt strong and sustained shaking. Yokosuka was mostly undamaged, but as you can read on many sources, much of Japan has been devastated. The aftershocks continue. The ground has been shaking almost continually since Friday afternoon.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12709598">Japan earthquake: Tsunami hits north-east</a><br />
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I meant for this blog to be a light hearted travel blog, but Japan is a land of earthquakes. Living or traveling in Japan involves living with earthquakes. In the past 5 months I have felt 3 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater. Actually more than <a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/japan/density.php">this graphic</a> shows.<br />
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This one is very terrible. As a result of the earthquake tsunamis have caused entire towns to disappear. Four trains full of passengers have disappeared. A cruise ship with 100 passengers onboard has disappeared. There is terrible tragedy and much suffering.<br />
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Please pray for those who are suffering.<br />
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Magsx2 has <a href="http://magsx2.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/earthquaketsunami-hits-japan-2011-picturesvideo/">pictures and video</a><br />
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A note about the nuclear power facility at Fukushima, it is a boiling water reactor. A chernobyl is not possible in this design. That is not to say that it cannot become a very serious situation. Allahpundit, who is knowledgable about this stuff, has a <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2011/03/12/report-meltdown-at-japan-reactor-may-be-underway/">running blog on it</a>. The short version, nobody really knows anything.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html">Google Crisis Response</a> page has continually updated news and Twitter updates. They also provide a means of donating to the Japanese Red Cross.<br />
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<b>UPDATE:</b> When I wrote this post the earthquake had not been known by any particular name. It is now known by many, particularly in the West as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami">2011 Tōhoku Earthquake</a>, and by most in Japan as the Eastern Japan Great Earthquake Disaster" (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai) (東日本大震災), so I have changed the title of this post accordingly.<br />
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As I post this update on July 6th, almost 4 months after the earthquake, a huge number of people are still homeless and the toll of the dead continues to rise. Please pray for them.<br />
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<b>UPDATE 2:</b> Here is a collection of video. Some of this is heartbreaking.<br />
<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/seo/japan-tsunami-videos-footage-you-have-to-see-to-believe/2567">Japan tsunami videos: Footage you have to see to believe</a>.Photioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-68446350261060998992011-02-04T23:08:00.000-08:002011-02-04T23:09:55.801-08:00EarthquakeEarthquakes in Japan are common, but this one was bigger that usual. And, sitting in my apartment 12 stories above the ground, scary. Earthquakes are among the strangest experiences you can have.<br />
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<a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usb0001939.php#details">Details</a>.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-7926189309129764842011-02-01T05:16:00.000-08:002011-07-03T23:46:28.265-07:00Japanese Statues and Sculpture - Jizō BosatsuOf course this is a topic that would require a book many hundreds of pages long to cover. I can, at least, offer a few pictures.<br />
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Some of the pictures that I took on Mt. Takao were of <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo1.shtml">Jizō Bosatsu</a>. From the linked article;<br />
<blockquote>One of the most beloved of all Japanese divinities, Jizō works to ease the suffering and shorten the sentence of those serving time in hell, to deliver the faithful into <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/amida.shtml">Amida’s</a> western paradise (where inhabitants are no longer trapped in the <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/six-states.shtml">six states</a> of desire and karmic rebirth), and to answer the prayers of the living for health, success, children, and all manner of petitions. In modern Japan, Jizō is a savior par excellence, a friend to all, never frightening even to children, and his/her many manifestations -- often cute and cartoon-like in contemporary times -- incorporate Taoist, Buddhist, and <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shinto.shtml">Shintō</a> elements. <br />
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Jizō is a <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/bodhisattva.shtml">Bodhisattva</a> (Jp. Bosatsu), one who achieves enlightenment but postpones <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/nyorai.shtml">Buddhahood</a> until all can be saved. Jizō is often translated as Womb of the Earth, for JI 地 means earth, while ZŌ 蔵 means womb. But ZŌ can also be translated with equal correctness as “store house” or “repository of treasure” -- thus Jizō is often translated as Earth Store or Earth Treasury. Jizō embodies supreme spiritual optimism, compassion, and universal salvation, all hallmarks of <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/mahayana-buddhism.html">Mahayana Buddhism</a>.</blockquote><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LVqz7VdaUn6szo8ia4J7kKj1wQDkGskT3X8FDmJCmki3uK9Lv0u4urvTF7QrBW5DqJnWDstFqq6Pp-hQgcIxiN1_UJfRhpABCxXEwU3uwBxBsUmaM48IdQ7xdpx4oQWzEUuQUKe7iFw/s1600/jizo1_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LVqz7VdaUn6szo8ia4J7kKj1wQDkGskT3X8FDmJCmki3uK9Lv0u4urvTF7QrBW5DqJnWDstFqq6Pp-hQgcIxiN1_UJfRhpABCxXEwU3uwBxBsUmaM48IdQ7xdpx4oQWzEUuQUKe7iFw/s640/jizo1_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This one is at the bottom of Mt. Takao at the entrance to the Mountain.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nnIvWdJC01cmm2n8V5y9rGZGOHjpaC1QLsvo-l20fqwSSTMqpIxqtgxRDvJ4QOmpdKzVQkWzJbKKykOw32KOyX6Eelf6LruHu-S-pcJtK1f1pE4SUzPCkR8bBIKCXNstIQu7xh9j-wE/s1600/jizo2_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nnIvWdJC01cmm2n8V5y9rGZGOHjpaC1QLsvo-l20fqwSSTMqpIxqtgxRDvJ4QOmpdKzVQkWzJbKKykOw32KOyX6Eelf6LruHu-S-pcJtK1f1pE4SUzPCkR8bBIKCXNstIQu7xh9j-wE/s640/jizo2_sm.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
This one is at the summit of the Mountain.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpN1Vbkt3lf4PBCSbCKEosKAGaJgldUtAnCsr9szgfX9oF1DR4EPlQLcVdo_3IIHDJ3wnF5feD7giKsjWNH3Q_UJ8Mpdz-5a3BVROS6aN348YMlExCrvZTH4DuggBV-gTcHIW5FANAZQ/s1600/jizo3_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpN1Vbkt3lf4PBCSbCKEosKAGaJgldUtAnCsr9szgfX9oF1DR4EPlQLcVdo_3IIHDJ3wnF5feD7giKsjWNH3Q_UJ8Mpdz-5a3BVROS6aN348YMlExCrvZTH4DuggBV-gTcHIW5FANAZQ/s640/jizo3_sm.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
A closer view.<br />
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Be sure to read the links from the list of the various forms of Jizō. It is very interesting. There is a lot of history here.<br />
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Jizō are a great source of comfort for people, especially <a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo1.shtml#RedBibHat">parents who have lost their children</a>, or had sick children healed.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-70408030926734640822011-01-23T01:31:00.000-08:002011-07-03T23:47:27.642-07:00Mt. Takao: Yakuo-in TempleOn Mt. Takao is the <a href="http://www.takaotozan.co.jp/takaotozan_eng1/yakuoin/index.htm">Takaosan Yakuoin Temple</a>. Built in 744 by Gyoki Bosatsu under the direction of Emperor Shōmu, it has an amazing history and is the home to thousands of ancient documents.<br />
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Emperor Shōmu is also behind the construction of the <a href="http://ikokujin.blogspot.com/2010/04/nihon-ji-daibutsu-aka-stone-buddha.html">Nihon-ji Daibutsu</a>. The Temple is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha. The Daibutsu (大仏) at the Nihon-ji Temple and Monastery complex on Mt. Nokogiri is a statue of the Medicine Buddha. Note the medicine bowl in his hands.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNPnFZIS7MvP0QGzyr5vRTbuDq8TDyfd3OMRdohx_B92jtd2Xa3LVVoAzamzxkSNHc63QIwjJ6z30tCphLfTAoakVTazZF5TW6GtfkrF1vqNaNnTmdEkbmRXKpIYFvaibE7JH8cLsznI/s1600/MedicineBowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNPnFZIS7MvP0QGzyr5vRTbuDq8TDyfd3OMRdohx_B92jtd2Xa3LVVoAzamzxkSNHc63QIwjJ6z30tCphLfTAoakVTazZF5TW6GtfkrF1vqNaNnTmdEkbmRXKpIYFvaibE7JH8cLsznI/s640/MedicineBowl.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of the Stone Buddha on Mt. Nokogiri</td></tr>
</tbody></table>On our way down from the summit of Mt. Takao we came to our first encounter with the Temple complex.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUkcv4MDxNU5Pjxdm9igP0jk1A8iIoiVNIis7glBx1E9xI_EbSjvJoyJbdCCTf7ttRKzWGolT0HX-Rbs2SdP5JKMLb9p4d8aOWX8pMv0wIrRyxn-6cJi2g_WbQPedRTsViqVWrtYyCTg/s1600/Okunoin+Fudou-do_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUkcv4MDxNU5Pjxdm9igP0jk1A8iIoiVNIis7glBx1E9xI_EbSjvJoyJbdCCTf7ttRKzWGolT0HX-Rbs2SdP5JKMLb9p4d8aOWX8pMv0wIrRyxn-6cJi2g_WbQPedRTsViqVWrtYyCTg/s640/Okunoin+Fudou-do_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okunoin Fudou-do Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Okunoin Fudou-do was originally called the Goma-do and was located near the Main Hall, but was moved to its present location at the upper-rear edge of the Temple property.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEquTFiSmPHMRFwE7__a01zHwETH9hqArFMy-7kT886xLjowCm3Idnl47YkucQB1pZJFZ-MiQbAfDDPTaSAg0mF5xi8rwW6L_JbSv6wPrkCfoEv2K_ivT02A6ssBHSSGtCeqGFZ-Vheg/s1600/Yakuoin_Temple_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEquTFiSmPHMRFwE7__a01zHwETH9hqArFMy-7kT886xLjowCm3Idnl47YkucQB1pZJFZ-MiQbAfDDPTaSAg0mF5xi8rwW6L_JbSv6wPrkCfoEv2K_ivT02A6ssBHSSGtCeqGFZ-Vheg/s640/Yakuoin_Temple_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Main Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>During the hiking season there are large crowds visiting the Temple and buying souvenirs (omiyage - お土産 ).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTr-Z0LEPtMpFKPbisWJo_v7hNfvMA6UIh29zRgtUHF18qttdO3e3hPpJzdW0c11TF25ZVP8SIhg1rf77u6VdeMCDiqoYXQ0-XUTuDJpJkwi7BtcQPhE5iOJHWwo1gw00cEIPRb-aeYnc/s1600/Yakuoin+Monastery_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTr-Z0LEPtMpFKPbisWJo_v7hNfvMA6UIh29zRgtUHF18qttdO3e3hPpJzdW0c11TF25ZVP8SIhg1rf77u6VdeMCDiqoYXQ0-XUTuDJpJkwi7BtcQPhE5iOJHWwo1gw00cEIPRb-aeYnc/s640/Yakuoin+Monastery_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Monastery. Visitors cannot enter this area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbchwvsd-KQD-6fb59w-U_YzMQ3rFYd2VTFikmdm1Sfs5xPDARwNAs0JDQdjpMty4TwLTFBN8ROKsmuNU0FvU0MxN5yN2ioCBikODvo8vDq68Ed2Rt7uCB3xOL01kEZL44DOgoW1r_k8/s1600/Yakuoin_bldg_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbchwvsd-KQD-6fb59w-U_YzMQ3rFYd2VTFikmdm1Sfs5xPDARwNAs0JDQdjpMty4TwLTFBN8ROKsmuNU0FvU0MxN5yN2ioCBikODvo8vDq68Ed2Rt7uCB3xOL01kEZL44DOgoW1r_k8/s640/Yakuoin_bldg_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Izuna Gongen-do Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Temple has an official web site in Japanese and English. Go there are read about the history of the Temple. You can also read about the various festivals held there and the etiquette to be practiced there.<br />
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</div><div><a href="http://www.takaosan.or.jp/english/index.html">Head Temple Takao-san Yakuo-in</a></div><div><br />
</div><div>じゃあね</div>Photioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-35482757113724790492010-11-26T00:13:00.000-08:002011-07-03T23:48:29.758-07:00Mt. Takao - 高尾山 Trail 6 and the SummitEveryone knows about how the Japanese people love viewing the cherry blossoms in the spring. I have written about the <a href="http://ikokujin.blogspot.com/2010/03/cherry-blossom-festival.html">Cherry Blossom Festival</a> at the Naval Base in Yokosuka. Although it is only slightly less a party atmosphere, the autumn viewing of the changing color of maple leaves (and autumn colors in general) is also very popular. One of the great places to do this is on the very popular hiking trails of <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/tokyo/takaosan.html">Mt. Takao</a>. My wife and I did this twice this year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBINC7JCdrXHNhwt33wW3mZ2cOgtJ7ELQIm8Wbq-qK05zXrEoOkGcXZFZHDU2_kc5ejS6bAEIuJlEp4vOXefRm1KdI9oUFxlcMyyuXQxa3Nqa0-cesz6gtABdy8ImBX5A9u2JcxV2YIdQ/s1600/TakaosanEntrance_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBINC7JCdrXHNhwt33wW3mZ2cOgtJ7ELQIm8Wbq-qK05zXrEoOkGcXZFZHDU2_kc5ejS6bAEIuJlEp4vOXefRm1KdI9oUFxlcMyyuXQxa3Nqa0-cesz6gtABdy8ImBX5A9u2JcxV2YIdQ/s640/TakaosanEntrance_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Takao Entrance - 高尾山口 (Takaosanguchi)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Mountain is in the far western edge of Tōkyō (東京) in the town of Hachiōji (八王子市). The Keio Line has a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takaosanguchi_Station">station</a> at the entrance to the mountain. So, the Mountain is not difficult to get to. It is a very popular place for Tōkyō-ites to hike. As a result, during the leaf viewing season the Mountain sees a very large number of hikers.<br />
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When you arrive at the entrance you may choose a number of trails to use. You can catch the cable car and ride half-way up the Mountain, then catch Trails 1 - 5 to get around. You may also hike Trail 1 up from the bottom. The most difficult trails are Trail 6 and the Inariyama Trail. These are the most difficult but also the most beautiful for hiking. Trail 6 runs along a creek almost all of the way up and is the most beautiful of all. Trail 6 features not only the creek - complete with waterfall, but Shinto and Buddhist (I think) prayer sites.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKkscaEsYgbHOx7fxDhzBKbToZ1IK6t-BGQvvkOd-X8w0qo_cL05coccLSzkXP4NOINRQe65zVA1CW-ig_1JqBwDzaVk7cy3w1z0ucj4TDLCN5nGMoLIgtLUxUrerjoh4Rl687wG4e9E/s1600/Takao+Entrance+Map_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkKkscaEsYgbHOx7fxDhzBKbToZ1IK6t-BGQvvkOd-X8w0qo_cL05coccLSzkXP4NOINRQe65zVA1CW-ig_1JqBwDzaVk7cy3w1z0ucj4TDLCN5nGMoLIgtLUxUrerjoh4Rl687wG4e9E/s640/Takao+Entrance+Map_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site map at Takaosanguchi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have way too many pictures to include in one post, so I will just post a few views of Trail 6 with no comment other than the captions. I will save pictures of Trail 1 and the Yakuo-in Temple and Monastery complex as well as the Inariyama Trail for another post.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Trail 6 </span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m1_sIfNtLPsreh_6QiSYC59hDFBsH3ghOjOh6MKURXtTp9cWTmvrL6cOYi3vHbMcfLmnghh7d2D93DBHUkt3gWrgmvg5OIehUH0ar5d4se4T8AO3rmNzyAngK5QKwMD59NrLRy8rTbU/s1600/Trail+6+Entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m1_sIfNtLPsreh_6QiSYC59hDFBsH3ghOjOh6MKURXtTp9cWTmvrL6cOYi3vHbMcfLmnghh7d2D93DBHUkt3gWrgmvg5OIehUH0ar5d4se4T8AO3rmNzyAngK5QKwMD59NrLRy8rTbU/s640/Trail+6+Entrance.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail 6 Entrance</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjs7wMBwJUHDQGJgi4poxv_XJNCrSdYE-kRPbaAE_GXbWD_lWGKTF7TD6n0WAWQQKvCYNowFWUImA-EWuNM3xvFSRzZMAcuqQ4ufMYj624XCdRTfJhrwpNED8DABRpgBT3Og5XDZpP1c/s1600/Waterfall+and+Shrine_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjs7wMBwJUHDQGJgi4poxv_XJNCrSdYE-kRPbaAE_GXbWD_lWGKTF7TD6n0WAWQQKvCYNowFWUImA-EWuNM3xvFSRzZMAcuqQ4ufMYj624XCdRTfJhrwpNED8DABRpgBT3Og5XDZpP1c/s640/Waterfall+and+Shrine_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfall and Shinto Shrine near Trail 6</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyNEmYQKLbbtBP31HGbyMX5C8Yk9wpyLkGWSIxjfqepWIsO30_Ps87C09OcWmSorhDqPQZLwcIkssUa2f3yTlGSAJS2cG0r2g5fp8RGbxSvfGdAaltFXbwKsONQ-ZChWHrDSOgIOkXss/s1600/Trail+6_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyNEmYQKLbbtBP31HGbyMX5C8Yk9wpyLkGWSIxjfqepWIsO30_Ps87C09OcWmSorhDqPQZLwcIkssUa2f3yTlGSAJS2cG0r2g5fp8RGbxSvfGdAaltFXbwKsONQ-ZChWHrDSOgIOkXss/s640/Trail+6_sm.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail 6</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXQPURdztWC0fevYcHPHWgqumV8Gg_UruItEBB2lZ6thMGT6-qG8tZR-_e_XAUw8_T-AL_a10iMgervlJCPOIfOam5lEHNIQ6fXR8VUDTnkEq-e9gWmQ7arsODU4l-zJHTS-srbulvxg/s1600/Trail+6%2528b%2529_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXQPURdztWC0fevYcHPHWgqumV8Gg_UruItEBB2lZ6thMGT6-qG8tZR-_e_XAUw8_T-AL_a10iMgervlJCPOIfOam5lEHNIQ6fXR8VUDTnkEq-e9gWmQ7arsODU4l-zJHTS-srbulvxg/s640/Trail+6%2528b%2529_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view through the trees on Trail 6</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Summit </span></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieD_5ixGYLybroKq3FA1FQIHhl9ptNO3cKRZ6Q7WPvdcyo1NGRicnMtV6rU9vo4uld5qBePin5G2LRkvy-r5J1WfJbByYRCMy167c_nH5i5wCtM1gXr2-CX58TAXvz_mJXJPo5QipSRqI/s1600/Summit_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieD_5ixGYLybroKq3FA1FQIHhl9ptNO3cKRZ6Q7WPvdcyo1NGRicnMtV6rU9vo4uld5qBePin5G2LRkvy-r5J1WfJbByYRCMy167c_nH5i5wCtM1gXr2-CX58TAXvz_mJXJPo5QipSRqI/s640/Summit_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Visitor's Center at the Summit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicabo5yIinTkKITXKJKiUGVNvGrsOpGyYVxYnfruLwhktQ71xUJaEr4KX0mFXTA_2ROLrVHveExnrVOBGiMxFno8Hij_8453NKxbXwXZsOAcWApcftxrpIrEQni696TvoZMUFbMoK__7c/s1600/Fuji+from+Takao_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicabo5yIinTkKITXKJKiUGVNvGrsOpGyYVxYnfruLwhktQ71xUJaEr4KX0mFXTA_2ROLrVHveExnrVOBGiMxFno8Hij_8453NKxbXwXZsOAcWApcftxrpIrEQni696TvoZMUFbMoK__7c/s640/Fuji+from+Takao_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Fuji seen from Mt. Takao. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeda_Shingen">Shingen</a> came from over there.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwaqTwRNxQA6eKXVkoEOzQeoV1XHYV2O5DzgS4HZkiJ8mrape9gp3qRBv7WwlJMYyj17TZijHzteRdWvKcD-r7J-Pl7GfWp7P5GfWz-AU5DVnr3cvvyve6Z8H_hcSL6KoJ1TIWqc6Z2A/s1600/Summit_2_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwaqTwRNxQA6eKXVkoEOzQeoV1XHYV2O5DzgS4HZkiJ8mrape9gp3qRBv7WwlJMYyj17TZijHzteRdWvKcD-r7J-Pl7GfWp7P5GfWz-AU5DVnr3cvvyve6Z8H_hcSL6KoJ1TIWqc6Z2A/s640/Summit_2_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stroll around the summit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5tAki1x0Sl4XrXTzxvNQT_74_0x-RU_FxvJfuF5GndxyQbdPL5B7z1SKD7gkcEhkauZevgTRGvzPm2ZphoVmjKh4N1j4RVotMgDiKhZSkqGCPMZyW1ckK4AxipUPAPi7RInodqRs3-8/s1600/Tokyo_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5tAki1x0Sl4XrXTzxvNQT_74_0x-RU_FxvJfuF5GndxyQbdPL5B7z1SKD7gkcEhkauZevgTRGvzPm2ZphoVmjKh4N1j4RVotMgDiKhZSkqGCPMZyW1ckK4AxipUPAPi7RInodqRs3-8/s640/Tokyo_sm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tōkyō seen from the summit</td></tr>
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That is enough for now. I'll post pictures from Trail 1 and the Inariyama Trail in a later post.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-44373173089206874272010-10-06T22:09:00.000-07:002011-07-03T23:50:05.786-07:00Beer in Japan - Part 1I am going to be optimistic here and assume that there will be many more beer posts. Beer is a hobby of mine. Not only do I enjoy drinking good beer, I brew my own. I am very critical, and enjoy sharing excellent beer with my friends. Some of my brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Church of America (Holy Trinity in Tacoma, Washington) may remember an amber ale that I brewed for a sausage barbecue held by a church group there some time ago.<br />
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The beer situation in Japan is not nearly as good as it is here in the U.S., but progress is being made. And you can, of course, get anything in the world in Tokyo or Yokohama.<br />
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During my next maintenance project in Japan my boss (several steps above me) and I will be visiting places that serve great beer. If time permits, we will attempt to visit the occasional brewery and maybe a whiskey distillery or two. This boss of mine is an expert in Belgian style ales, a style which I like very much.<br />
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We have already started. On March 16th, 2010 we visited <a href="http://www.diamond-dining.com/patrasche/">Patrasche</a> in Kawasaki City.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvKiA11RvUK7W-WH57v9wAKHTFKkPbYT6JHw7caoWR-mAnv9p9xyskc5wJoWtdMB4Y6z8CLUb2gOGLSY2wT8gO2PKE7t1SRf0-fu3Y-p9GXfRbSE_GvSpO0127atQJa1JjUpQJjlmrxM/s1600/patrasche_sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvKiA11RvUK7W-WH57v9wAKHTFKkPbYT6JHw7caoWR-mAnv9p9xyskc5wJoWtdMB4Y6z8CLUb2gOGLSY2wT8gO2PKE7t1SRf0-fu3Y-p9GXfRbSE_GvSpO0127atQJa1JjUpQJjlmrxM/s640/patrasche_sign.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The place is beautiful. Upon entry we found the magnificent bar.<br />
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Although the staff had no one who spoke English, it was not a problem. In Japan restaurant menus have pictures (even the nice restaurants) and beer is a universal language. Petrasche is serious about beer, as you can see by the lamps on the wall.<br />
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The beer list was very long, taking several pages of an extensive menu.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNJe7HZM_kZAwMhaAIDvbkELE7jvtVBid26jfDtnYT9kV5POGi2zPYPm0GUUxvLv-UFezjnl7qfqrl1kbA5PwD0OCjLOEfoEJPsGVAV9upxDcH9cbB1jhuOBZOWu62FX4cntxYF4q0Rc/s1600/duchesse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNJe7HZM_kZAwMhaAIDvbkELE7jvtVBid26jfDtnYT9kV5POGi2zPYPm0GUUxvLv-UFezjnl7qfqrl1kbA5PwD0OCjLOEfoEJPsGVAV9upxDcH9cbB1jhuOBZOWu62FX4cntxYF4q0Rc/s640/duchesse.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
They even have my favorite beer in the world, an excellent Flemish Red Ale.<br />
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All in all it was a great visit.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-35872488884353612942010-09-18T21:52:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:11:53.849-07:00Sea of Japan - Part 3During the underway we got to see an UNREP (Underway Replenishment).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtf03Le9hVhaAWozJmtfOKvpc8DfewsSHt0WjPLEYTfpo3y4TO-jZkUo12ZVXgumamxkaEDVN_D27YGXPqOHvgcZR-heoR9MJGCCc08kZ9mflahZW09qJHEfdtQuxY3xHFasGbripzZ0/s1600/unrep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtf03Le9hVhaAWozJmtfOKvpc8DfewsSHt0WjPLEYTfpo3y4TO-jZkUo12ZVXgumamxkaEDVN_D27YGXPqOHvgcZR-heoR9MJGCCc08kZ9mflahZW09qJHEfdtQuxY3xHFasGbripzZ0/s640/unrep.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
We took on food, aviation fuel, and other stuff.<br />
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Some goods were brought over by helicopter.<br />
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Finally, we had to COD off of the Ship immediately or we would be too far away from Okinawa and would have to stay onboard until Singapore. So, off we went after have a nice reception group meeting with the Commanding Officer to include ice water and pastries. That ice water was nice!<br />
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So, we caught the next COD flight and off we went.<br />
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Arriving at Kadena Air Force Base on Okinawa.<br />
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I did not get too many photographs on Okinawa. We were there for 3 - 4 days, but stayed mostly on base for various reasons that I will not get into here. Still, here are the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shisa">Shiisa</a>.<br />
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Shiisa are normally presented in pairs. The one on the left has a closed mouth to keep the good spirits in.<br />
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The one on the right has an open mouth to chase away the evil spirits. This is the guardian.<br />
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These Shiisa are on guard at the main gate into Kadena AFB.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-69090811682644385212010-09-08T17:50:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:13:28.694-07:00Sea of Japan - Part 2I had too many photographs for a single post, so here are some more. These are more about the ship than the aircraft. It is hard to choose which photos to include, I have many that are of interest but I just cannot post them all.<br />
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Anyway, my accommodations were good. I was assigned to a two-man stateroom. Ahhhh, the privileges of a little seniority.<br />
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My bunk was the one on the top.<br />
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Cool things on the Ship include the enormous anchor, which we cannot see because of its location, and the anchor windlass that raises and lowers the anchor. Also cool is the enormous chain<br />
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...and the chain covers, decorated with the American and Japanese flags.<br />
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We took our meals in Wardroom 3<br />
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...with the officers. The junior enlisted mess decks are not quite so nice, although we ate exactly the same food.<br />
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While we were in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) we had many visitors from Busan. These included military and political VIPs (including extremely senior people) as well as local citizens. Everyone seemed to have a good time and enjoyed their visits. Hundreds of smiling faces were everywhere.<br />
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During the port call the hangar deck was decorated with the 13 starred flag.<br />
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It normally looks more like this...<br />
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As I have mentioned elsewhere, we were there during the military exercises that took place in the Sea of Japan (that irritated Kim Jong Il so much).<br />
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In this picture, the ship in front (to my left) is of the ROK Navy and the one behind (to my right) is of the U.S. Navy.<br />
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That's all for now. I will do one more Sea of Japan post to include some pictures in Okinawa.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-31944596025509717812010-08-17T19:23:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:14:24.044-07:00Sea of Japan - Part 1The Wandering Gaijin returned home to the USA in the middle of May and was just getting settled into a new, temporary assignment when the order came - Go to the USS George Washington at sea and help fix her. The sea was the Sea of Japan. What we were fixing I will not say.<br />
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This is what makes working for the US Navy an adventure. After arriving in Yokosuka and reporting to the PSNS Detachment I settled into my hotel room at the <a href="http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-7490-mercure-hotel-yokosuka/index.shtml">Mercure</a> and went to visit the fabulous Shie at <a href="http://ikokujin.blogspot.com/2010/02/favorite-izakaya-part-1.html">Sakato-ya</a>. The next day at lunch I got into a van and was taken to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Facility_Atsugi">Atsugi Naval Air Station</a>. After waiting around for a couple of hours I was placed aboard a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_C-2_Greyhound">Grumman C-2 Greyhound</a> and flown out to the Ship. This is called a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_Onboard_Delivery">COD - Carrier Onboard Delivery</a>.<br />
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This is how we landed;<br />
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The idea is that, using a tailhook installed under the aircraft, we catch one of those wires on the deck to stop the plane. If we fail to do that, we will not stop in time. So, we hit the deck at full power so that we can continue off in case we miss a wire. There is no surviving going into the water off of the end of the flight deck in front of the Ship.<br />
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We got off in a similar manner. The aircraft is attached to a catapult and it launched off of the flight deck, reaching flight speed in approx. 2 second. This is an intense experience.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEjg9USJWTjXcW4jeGjSI2BEHj2ThxyvPLOzbyBfJ__RfeJjq17GlpgMsSHZ0-X6XC6Dfp3VSUj-wNL-Gmjf_TuiAL2aNh4I2DyCxoyTiRuZIp3RmRyT4nJNvpeSkKl-lcpnRJl-OlGU/s1600/COD+Being+Capatulted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEjg9USJWTjXcW4jeGjSI2BEHj2ThxyvPLOzbyBfJ__RfeJjq17GlpgMsSHZ0-X6XC6Dfp3VSUj-wNL-Gmjf_TuiAL2aNh4I2DyCxoyTiRuZIp3RmRyT4nJNvpeSkKl-lcpnRJl-OlGU/s640/COD+Being+Capatulted.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
It is very loud on the flight deck. This next picture is of me on Vulture's Row on the 09 level. The flight deck is the 04 level, so I am 5 stories above the flight deck. Double hearing protection is required. That is the Navigation Bridge behind me. That is where they drive the Ship.<br />
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BTW: The water here is the most beautiful blue sea water I have ever seen. I was all that I could do to prevent myself from diving into it to escape the heat and humidity.<br />
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USS George Washington carries four flavors of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_F/A-18_Hornet">F-18</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EA-6_Prowler">EA-6B's</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_E-2_Hawkeye">E-2C's</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_SH-60_Seahawk">helicopters</a>. For details, read about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_Air_Wing_Five">Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5</a>. This command includes VRC-30 - the outfit that owns the previously mentioned C-2A Greyhound that flew us out to the Ship.<br />
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An EA-6B launch;<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwfIL6jfJbFDFdm6x-CNE1BU8eFmoWLlAIjuMGZ5ESl7iLcdqaWOW81il_vUwEAPs6pNMikZgUEhSwlDisPVA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
And two recoveries, an F-18 and an EA-6B, shot from the 010 level.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxTeRX6W9ZHOCoZZ6tM2sz4GSJ0D9XYpmXoERjcijEgP9M94XUIOLVYHreXSESPP9s7NavdHt4NdRmR1xboCQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
No other nation of the planet can do these things. I count it as a huge privilege to have been able to record these.<br />
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That's all for now. Part two is coming.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-86544837134720105212010-07-10T13:57:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:17:48.466-07:00Kannonzaki Park - 観音崎公園Kannonzaki Park in Yokosuka near Uraga is a wonderful place to walk and enjoy the woods, beach, rocky cliffs, old lighthouse, and the preserved footprints of Godzilla left there the first time he came ashore from Tokyo Bay. I don't have much to write about it so enjoy some pictures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWLX_R5DFOE34mPmjeZsDFd2D-IB_8IkvZ7chDhAICK-Emka8TzbiVv2pZBY8LiLBGzjojzdXidDy5b2VA_2lBv2uf8sFqQdfpExrIGb_lNNfaAaxlgHqszXeamPTGUvYik3C8aEOppo/s1600/Bluff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidWLX_R5DFOE34mPmjeZsDFd2D-IB_8IkvZ7chDhAICK-Emka8TzbiVv2pZBY8LiLBGzjojzdXidDy5b2VA_2lBv2uf8sFqQdfpExrIGb_lNNfaAaxlgHqszXeamPTGUvYik3C8aEOppo/s640/Bluff.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This shot was taken from the top of <a href="http://educationinjapan.wordpress.com/fielding-field-trips/visit-to-the-kannonzaki-lighthouse-and-coast/">Kannonzaki Lighthouse</a>.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfzazbC-uqIFW5miUu6sxhT7Jzi0onF3cNDDh4FgvJ5v8kLvXIXeKITBEOL8xq5zXBN82ijDYY6iwSFoimyRDmHwP6NsVCSZpSHXOXm_c0YVhzprkKyOXag-K92VRXb2zsKVPOCC9Udc/s1600/Godzilla_Photi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfzazbC-uqIFW5miUu6sxhT7Jzi0onF3cNDDh4FgvJ5v8kLvXIXeKITBEOL8xq5zXBN82ijDYY6iwSFoimyRDmHwP6NsVCSZpSHXOXm_c0YVhzprkKyOXag-K92VRXb2zsKVPOCC9Udc/s640/Godzilla_Photi.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Godzilla (Gojira or ゴジラ) first came ashore from the depths of Tokyo Bay here at Kannonzaki Park. His footprints have been preserved. (yeah, ok...so they got the scale wrong.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkpqppDbqQ-U3U4At5ODeb8_oEhSFH6yPGrp-yn-VSHqaitW_4DYMmOo1OI6ifB3gVO3dp9JxOYLE7eC4N2srM_1XQppNP1fVfQbPJ7nRd6gB7ySp9F5XhZ2s-10P88po57pUMzhx5uM/s1600/kannonzaki+beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkpqppDbqQ-U3U4At5ODeb8_oEhSFH6yPGrp-yn-VSHqaitW_4DYMmOo1OI6ifB3gVO3dp9JxOYLE7eC4N2srM_1XQppNP1fVfQbPJ7nRd6gB7ySp9F5XhZ2s-10P88po57pUMzhx5uM/s640/kannonzaki+beach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The beach at the Park.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOCPbrqDPh6hSqiJITja3trarcjW5zIlna5B5jHrC60oVm6QBJGfGGIDxJPwZCE-iPdC6CI_Oq8rLpqLlOatzKIC-YQfxX3y5lhXsrZauhCiSTI1MA6X2uRbipkaJsnuJRPuRK2m8s7E/s1600/WarMemorial+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPOCPbrqDPh6hSqiJITja3trarcjW5zIlna5B5jHrC60oVm6QBJGfGGIDxJPwZCE-iPdC6CI_Oq8rLpqLlOatzKIC-YQfxX3y5lhXsrZauhCiSTI1MA6X2uRbipkaJsnuJRPuRK2m8s7E/s640/WarMemorial+(5).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The first appearance of the War Memorial from the path on the hillside below. The white structure is reminiscent of the sail of a ship at sea.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg6tcuo_fIbdrGtxeKd8PX34nNtQYAOdfND4BjVf5vkIA7tmawu2nKBwh1o1jcsWlUnxhPUR3XG6zSZtMbQ5-AgvBWa0PRejjfZuLOTfA-uT9fsYsB_uRsobu5TKeRyrBEDdlBvrXdNY/s1600/WarMemorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg6tcuo_fIbdrGtxeKd8PX34nNtQYAOdfND4BjVf5vkIA7tmawu2nKBwh1o1jcsWlUnxhPUR3XG6zSZtMbQ5-AgvBWa0PRejjfZuLOTfA-uT9fsYsB_uRsobu5TKeRyrBEDdlBvrXdNY/s640/WarMemorial.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Also at the site is a sculpture of sailors adrift at sea. It is emotionally very powerful. Emperor Showa visited this site. There is a stone in the gardens that commemorates that visit.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RG8PC16sCqQ&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RG8PC16sCqQ&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Video not taken by the Wandering Gaijin)</div><br />
じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-59274242568471266842010-05-30T18:07:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:23:18.425-07:00Setsubun - 節分<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the most fun things that I did while living in Yokosuka ( 横須賀 ) was participate in the </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Setsubun ( 節分 ) festival</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> at the local Shinto shrine. Shie-chan (see side bar) invited me to participate during one of my many sessions </span><a href="http://ikokujin.blogspot.com/2010/02/favorite-izakaya-part-1.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">at her business</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. She was running the sake booth at the festival. While this is an observance of the change in season, it is not a national holiday. It is simply a festival that the Japanese hold on the day before spring.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Setsubun ( 節分 ) is the day before the first day of a new season. It is usually observed only for the transition to Spring. During the change in season, red and blue monsters become apparent and have to be chased away. This is done by throwing roasted soy beans at them. People will, in their homes, throw beans and shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi" ( おにはそと! ふくはうち! ), "Monsters out! Luck in!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Local Shinto shrines will also have public bean throwing where members who have donated to the local shrine will stand in front of a crowd on a stage or platform and throw beans at them. People who catch the beans will have good luck. At the shrine that I attended this happened at several scheduled times during the day. There are (at least at the shrine I went to) booths where you can buy snacks, coffee, or sake as well as gifts or souvenirs (omiyage - お土産 ). In between the scheduled times for throwing beans there was apparently performance of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiko"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">taiko music</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> on the stage. I arrived too late to hear that.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-gMweTGUfh7_3pz7cGtHKCGnRTXf45DBUdgAQ6YVLeu2iip_NIqmiyrC1dDSVuK0zCRNNxpKC3F2nrRoMSMfqSbJTcDEjnz_bV0sdKXmBuDPNFZAmpv0i7n5FN5pad0plEooJZgg2Eo/s1600/the+stage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-gMweTGUfh7_3pz7cGtHKCGnRTXf45DBUdgAQ6YVLeu2iip_NIqmiyrC1dDSVuK0zCRNNxpKC3F2nrRoMSMfqSbJTcDEjnz_bV0sdKXmBuDPNFZAmpv0i7n5FN5pad0plEooJZgg2Eo/s640/the+stage.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Japanesepod101.com has a </span><a href="http://www.japanesepod101.com/index.php?p=66&cat=2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">culture lesson from 2006 about 節分</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that you may find informative (the audio is free). This year (2010) the festival was on February 3rd.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The people at the shrine were very welcoming and made me feel at home. My wife escorted me both to help me with the language and for her own amusement.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After removing our shoes and donning slippers we entered a dining/meeting room to await our turn in the shrine where the requisite prayers and etc are performed. Being in the waiting run in a Shinto shrine was very like it would be in any Christian church. Anyone active in a Christian church would have recognized the atmosphere immediately.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmQ4jZ6r7YnLynlSD5qwHc_62LRXCPR0CXTH22G-Eo58heW0adGYC6wSwfFllSKJfUw23H7ra03BdWN-JX0MhuwxWbZ6eOCdXkNiDTvaTGAkd9ZLCpd9rbKXmO9WfWEnut3adDKWtIUk/s1600/waiting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmQ4jZ6r7YnLynlSD5qwHc_62LRXCPR0CXTH22G-Eo58heW0adGYC6wSwfFllSKJfUw23H7ra03BdWN-JX0MhuwxWbZ6eOCdXkNiDTvaTGAkd9ZLCpd9rbKXmO9WfWEnut3adDKWtIUk/s640/waiting.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were offered tea or sake while we waited and donned the ceremonial garb. Then off to the shrine for prayers. I observed the prayers, but did not pray for a couple of reasons, but found it very interesting. Following the prayers we were each given a wooden box with envelopes of dried beans and went off to a stage to throw them.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ji6u0BnjR7GBhqpWD1sL1uZWBcmk8jkCIqccdI1kvxRKWdaf7AzqzgiiphSBBw-BPR3TqnipBu2RIirB_L73pMBxaxxiN7mQlAdC2gFF58BW-A9Ml8Vuc0QAiAPKB0ilZzjb-Syvbdg/s1600/the+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Ji6u0BnjR7GBhqpWD1sL1uZWBcmk8jkCIqccdI1kvxRKWdaf7AzqzgiiphSBBw-BPR3TqnipBu2RIirB_L73pMBxaxxiN7mQlAdC2gFF58BW-A9Ml8Vuc0QAiAPKB0ilZzjb-Syvbdg/s640/the+box.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I tried to step to the back, but the shrine members all stepped aside and insisted that I take a position in front.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was fun. Immediately in front of the stage were a number of kids who were trying desperately to catch some beans, but we were throwing them over their heads to people farther away, so I started throwing beans close in for them.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLKdk5pU2Z0PvnoZbYb_COInfatkgIkmoyer2nVa75elLWD0VJ7ymXS5sNKyI9ZfAs0bynlO8_fxeT3FcKft12Y20BQi6Nx5QECUhMafLjiFLjt0zafPCZZ-z8o9UKplJQmRZmml5YUs/s1600/throwing+beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLKdk5pU2Z0PvnoZbYb_COInfatkgIkmoyer2nVa75elLWD0VJ7ymXS5sNKyI9ZfAs0bynlO8_fxeT3FcKft12Y20BQi6Nx5QECUhMafLjiFLjt0zafPCZZ-z8o9UKplJQmRZmml5YUs/s640/throwing+beans.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was an extraordinary amount of fun and good for the community. After I returned to the meeting/waiting room a member of the Yokosuka City Council came up to me and shook my hand, thanking me profusely for participating in their festival. We (my wife and I) were enthusiastically welcomed into their community.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Setsubun will be a regular event for me from now on.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">じゃあね</span>Photioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-88373194616862771512010-04-22T03:59:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:02:03.340-07:00The Nihon-ji Daibutsu aka The Stone Buddha<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Japan has a number of </span><a href="http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/big-buddha-japan.shtml"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Daibutsu</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> (大仏) in various places. One of the oldest is the </span><a href="http://buddhism.about.com/od/iconsofbuddhism/ig/Big-Buddhas/Nihonji-Daibutsu.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nihon-ji Daibutsu</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> in Chiba Prefecture, across Uraga Channel (at the mouth of Tokyo Bay) from Yokosuka. Those of us who come from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard refer to it as "The Stone Buddha".</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtHU5U8lf3RsSeIBlKctFHP3QGn0fzyGqQzTkxqXyPwBPzZ4uDoHrVyadab_fvrjgXJnX61cRKpUx1HrU7NDLz8TsIG2SylbSJTTIv7bEwjxJZkCtPV8wlaOA-TE8jE2ZMw2bmet66Gg/s1600/Nihon-ji+Daibutsu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtHU5U8lf3RsSeIBlKctFHP3QGn0fzyGqQzTkxqXyPwBPzZ4uDoHrVyadab_fvrjgXJnX61cRKpUx1HrU7NDLz8TsIG2SylbSJTTIv7bEwjxJZkCtPV8wlaOA-TE8jE2ZMw2bmet66Gg/s640/Nihon-ji+Daibutsu.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To get there from Tokyo (or Yokosuka) you can take the train to Kurihama. Either the Keikyu Line or the JR Line will do. From there you can catch the bus to the ferry terminal or walk. If you choose to walk, follow the canal to the sea and then turn right. You will find the ferry terminal, you can't miss it.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7SouS_TI6aqzjUsBc_UZnElg-nVXJsWMEr1m4x96TSY8ZEFpxK4EXDEhzm5uD5PQ3ADUZA2uZTs4NecnTZAi1A3PWmL7LOAo1pHN-O95lp2WpQHr6TM66daTa_JyoXktLGaHVYlsmhU/s1600/Kurihama+canal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7SouS_TI6aqzjUsBc_UZnElg-nVXJsWMEr1m4x96TSY8ZEFpxK4EXDEhzm5uD5PQ3ADUZA2uZTs4NecnTZAi1A3PWmL7LOAo1pHN-O95lp2WpQHr6TM66daTa_JyoXktLGaHVYlsmhU/s640/Kurihama+canal.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the way you will pass by the the Monument in Commemoration of the Landing of Commodore Perry, who landed there at Kurihama Kaigan (Kurihama Beach) on July 8th, 1853.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the ferry I believe that there are two ways to get to the Daibutsu, but I only know one if them. After crossing Uraga Channel on the ferry from Kurihama in Yokosuka, you arrive in Kanaya in Chiba Prefecture. After a short walk, you catch the gondola that will take you up most of the way to the top of Mt. Nokogiri (Sawtooth Mountain) where you begin the hike to the Daibutsu.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDTBVJecuVjgR5RwOYkur2v9GbTrgeLYDqNZa0wqfkzu5RXuUnuVe3w8jFuFEz2Coy4bWDPdpB0cTiDj5cG_JP1AMF9fs5UKLbYQ83iEBv945oRDHajkdb6pzD3e1Gr5CiZ-oUDHPCUY/s1600/Nokogiri+gondola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDTBVJecuVjgR5RwOYkur2v9GbTrgeLYDqNZa0wqfkzu5RXuUnuVe3w8jFuFEz2Coy4bWDPdpB0cTiDj5cG_JP1AMF9fs5UKLbYQ83iEBv945oRDHajkdb6pzD3e1Gr5CiZ-oUDHPCUY/s640/Nokogiri+gondola.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the top of the ride is a booth where people can buy a fortune on a slip of paper and then tie it to a tree on the path there. I believe this to be a fertility thing for couples - note the large black penis in the booth. It seems that the Japanese do not have quite the same hang-ups about sex that we Americans do (that is not to say that they are immodest).</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NBU0jmFzJq1URDIjVzsRWI20yRa98GjqE0xkOpB9W2DFh2jKC991YXinqolApWMr2lV4omT3cOzYKlstLIiz_zvbDpEXyB33GOuEDQxx1q9vrtT9PAUUQIKFnGY03SvyYMlnNNawNUQ/s1600/Fertility+Fortune.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NBU0jmFzJq1URDIjVzsRWI20yRa98GjqE0xkOpB9W2DFh2jKC991YXinqolApWMr2lV4omT3cOzYKlstLIiz_zvbDpEXyB33GOuEDQxx1q9vrtT9PAUUQIKFnGY03SvyYMlnNNawNUQ/s640/Fertility+Fortune.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Walking the paths there are a number of things to see. There are four items of major historical interest. The first is the Kenkon-Zan Nihon-ji, the Nihon Temple on Mt. Nokogiri. It was founded approximately 1300 years ago by Imperial order of </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Sh%C5%8Dmu"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Emperor Shōmu</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_K%C5%8Dmy%C5%8D"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Empress Kōmyō</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> back in the days when the Emperor really had political power and ran the country. A handout that you get when you enter the grounds points out that the Emperor gave the Temple an Imperial tablet inscribed by his own hand and about 18½ tons of gold. the Empress gave a scroll that she embroidered by her own hand with 33 images of the Buddha Kwan-yin and ten bolts of damask and brocade.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are also the 1500 stone figures of Tokai Arhats carved between 1779 and 1798.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzz10Dilc3gVV0XZvSZ9iE6y1ynqK6A39eCvfT1COEQWsX3vlSJjkSvqFEEEFAOWVM3oXGbJ-B5sl5PUq1QUE4OMzaABpw3yFeuI1OMg0SMFHVRRL0Kz-zwPuD77dWkPfrgLjpTbESNH4/s1600/arhats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzz10Dilc3gVV0XZvSZ9iE6y1ynqK6A39eCvfT1COEQWsX3vlSJjkSvqFEEEFAOWVM3oXGbJ-B5sl5PUq1QUE4OMzaABpw3yFeuI1OMg0SMFHVRRL0Kz-zwPuD77dWkPfrgLjpTbESNH4/s640/arhats.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many of these had the heads knocked off during an anti-Buddhist revolt during the Meiji era and are only now being repaired. It is said that no two of them have the same face and that everyone could have found the one that has his own face before they were damaged. Now your face may be on one of the ones that had the head knocked off.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another amazing site is the Kannon Bosatsu aka the Hyaku Shaku Kannon. This was carved during the later 20</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> century. It is in a large chamber that is so acoustically perfect that if you stand at the feet of the Kannon and speak in a normal tone of voice, or even a loud whisper, you can be easily heard through the whole area. How I would love to play a string quartet recital there!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fMGgoNwTud8m8QyxLH-pZik27phO2R5iGwJKwB7HcDHOJomJX7afm-7NHiycAScxXxq_y5_VF-xch7-YKggu110i3pBzF8icmLGhppSWr7mFk5LlzIh8v4QL8RenaHHagqcEhwgQ8vk/s1600/hyaku+shaku+kannon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fMGgoNwTud8m8QyxLH-pZik27phO2R5iGwJKwB7HcDHOJomJX7afm-7NHiycAScxXxq_y5_VF-xch7-YKggu110i3pBzF8icmLGhppSWr7mFk5LlzIh8v4QL8RenaHHagqcEhwgQ8vk/s640/hyaku+shaku+kannon.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 大仏 is in an open park like area and dominates magnificently.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1u1hgsUeq0EsDZjw2kAyAnn0M89CnnsIe1YqIoLsIoakbcNljFKL9M_FL2FHj4hNV1vg7WaVH3xZAaw8XdsMvYXRWFx-Ox0UOTMLaL1F4l6j5gCFjJEyRSfyok5qDzApcWeMX-10Rzs/s1600/nihon-ji+daibutsu2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1u1hgsUeq0EsDZjw2kAyAnn0M89CnnsIe1YqIoLsIoakbcNljFKL9M_FL2FHj4hNV1vg7WaVH3xZAaw8XdsMvYXRWFx-Ox0UOTMLaL1F4l6j5gCFjJEyRSfyok5qDzApcWeMX-10Rzs/s640/nihon-ji+daibutsu2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is one of the largest Buddhas in Japan and the world and I think that it was once the largest Buddha in Japan. It is in any case the largest stone carved Buddha in Japan being 31.05 meters (101.9 feet) high. It is magnificent.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The surrounding park is a lovely place to picnic or just rest and watch the hawks and other birds while enjoying the Buddha and some other notable sights which I will leave you to discover.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPkCOHsrSUHVic6ZqUEKSdCDYStEah9clYGMC8ClRu38KdI1_eVoa2qx1h7Xnwgov84EBRqS3pA_Z-eW3YpHybO2Tb0N_n21ybGxNlz-geKNuvWOA-t2yVvLpijqJ3JDOmAtnayJZSWU/s1600/daibutsu+park.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPkCOHsrSUHVic6ZqUEKSdCDYStEah9clYGMC8ClRu38KdI1_eVoa2qx1h7Xnwgov84EBRqS3pA_Z-eW3YpHybO2Tb0N_n21ybGxNlz-geKNuvWOA-t2yVvLpijqJ3JDOmAtnayJZSWU/s640/daibutsu+park.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">じゃあね</span>Photioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-60540270962672301562010-03-25T04:19:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:25:10.594-07:00Cherry Blossom Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj5uxrUub8G4UEL3xVncBHYv1SFshubrlqTO3eIioGyCTPniJGtZ7iuonIOVwcK2jqww5UC-HUDv7viNcZA7wMZkSuVAHL4BuDTnSnZ7OvGGENhUzXUBBAw1O9z7wnZsMPAeCeH2rBxc/s1600/Cherry+Blossoms+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj5uxrUub8G4UEL3xVncBHYv1SFshubrlqTO3eIioGyCTPniJGtZ7iuonIOVwcK2jqww5UC-HUDv7viNcZA7wMZkSuVAHL4BuDTnSnZ7OvGGENhUzXUBBAw1O9z7wnZsMPAeCeH2rBxc/s640/Cherry+Blossoms+(6).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Being an American, I never quite understood why the cherry blossom festivals in Japan were so popular. Yes, the blossoms are beautiful to look at, but many things are and people don't go crazy about them. It seemed like one of the cultural things that are essentially inaccessible to an American like me. Then I went to the Cherry Blossom Festival on base here in Yokosuka.<br />
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Wow. Now I get it. It is the Japanese version of the 4th of July in America.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94MvQU13MzISTQJp7PlY358QdnhO6PPbQ6i5IcXYl2t8xl-GLvGUkjstIhFPFIxbMJwBJ57LJIU2XMfP5NQV-a8oiXuW6UNIYEv4vFfG8fcIjpE17rVs_6TaWVrSwC200leUMwpci3-s/s1600/Under+Blossoms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94MvQU13MzISTQJp7PlY358QdnhO6PPbQ6i5IcXYl2t8xl-GLvGUkjstIhFPFIxbMJwBJ57LJIU2XMfP5NQV-a8oiXuW6UNIYEv4vFfG8fcIjpE17rVs_6TaWVrSwC200leUMwpci3-s/s640/Under+Blossoms.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This is the time when families go out to the park with a large blanket or some chairs and sit under the cherry blossoms and picnic. There are booths where food is being cooked, drinks are being served, and souvenirs are being sold. There are temporary stages set up where musical groups are performing. And there is the beauty of the cherry trees filled with blossoms.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLBbNfaPqk2WkWc9NmPGKq68O5DoxPjfSJnVvM37ko9h13G8BLswOKzw-N3GWX-qYYBhlQRQ-0SleuQ-1g3iOLHy5JqFDl6DmThhQVZ9WZuLlx6cJjjL0HK3_obJLXAyGSjvg8A3-AfI/s1600/Fusion+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLBbNfaPqk2WkWc9NmPGKq68O5DoxPjfSJnVvM37ko9h13G8BLswOKzw-N3GWX-qYYBhlQRQ-0SleuQ-1g3iOLHy5JqFDl6DmThhQVZ9WZuLlx6cJjjL0HK3_obJLXAyGSjvg8A3-AfI/s640/Fusion+(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I remember that as a child, my mother and father would take the family (I have a brother and two sisters) to a nearly town with a good fireworks display. We would sit on the banks of the river and watch the fireworks show and have a picnic. It is the same with the cherry blossom festivals in Japan. Families will get together, parents and children with their grandparents and neighbors and friends and eat and drink and visit. An American would have no trouble recognizing this.<br />
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Many corporations will have company picnics at the large famous parks or festival sites. They will send their junior management out to the park the afternoon or evening before the festival starts to scout and claim a location under a nice cherry tree and plant some chairs and blankets to claim the site for the next day.<br />
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Many people in Japan take vacations and follow the blossoms as they bloom, beginning in the southern parts of Japan and heading north as the blossoms come out later and later. Each year a <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html">forecast of cherry blossom blooming dates</a> is made and festivals are scheduled to that.<br />
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The photographs in this post was all taken by yours truly at Naval Base Yokosuka on April 6th, 2009 during the festival there. On that day the base is opened to the public and anyone can enter without producing any kind of identification. The people of Yokosuka, and many Japanese from Yokohama, Tokyo and other nearby cities came to see the base, the ships, and the cherry blossom - and eat and drink and get drunk under the cherry blossoms.<br />
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If you are in Japan when the cherry blossoms come out, do yourself a favor and attend the local festival.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-43893555514615931422010-03-20T14:51:00.000-07:002011-07-04T01:34:30.889-07:00Blue in GreenNo, I am not writing about the beautiful tune "Blue in Green" by Bill Evans and most famously performed by Miles Davis' sextet, I am writing about a jazz bar and antique shop in Yokosuka named for that tune.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Y_uDYeeyX2m0Q5etMgiEgTDDlsq5POVu5Mm324dNA_IURMqNd45RxsAZltGx1V_XNJQWsSlndS1l-Fg_viwFdqwZC5tCo4KvkcDu-J79XsI3BAfeBoOnhyphenhyphenT-eaJLnoa8tdVQx-j2X0/s1600-h/Yoshi.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450855542793153330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Y_uDYeeyX2m0Q5etMgiEgTDDlsq5POVu5Mm324dNA_IURMqNd45RxsAZltGx1V_XNJQWsSlndS1l-Fg_viwFdqwZC5tCo4KvkcDu-J79XsI3BAfeBoOnhyphenhyphenT-eaJLnoa8tdVQx-j2X0/s640/Yoshi.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><a href="http://www8.ocn.ne.jp/~blugre/">Blue in Green</a> is a jazz bar and antique shop in Yokosuka that features live jazz performances every Saturday night. This is a very laid back place owned and operated by Yoshiaki Hayashi, himself a jazz guitarist. He doesn't play publicly, but once in a while you can catch him practicing when you walk in.<br />
When you walk in on any given night (except Saturday) you are likely to be the only person there except for Yoshi himself. He will have jazz music playing on a very fine sounding audio system run through iTunes on his Mac laptop. He maintains a full bar including some very high quality beers and whiskeys. This is the only place in town where you can find American microbrews such as Red Hook, Sierra Nevada, Samuel Adams, Alaskan or Stone Brewing Company products and the whole line (it seems) of Anchor Steam products and others as well. Easily the best place to drink beer in Yokosuka. It is the only place that I know where you can get a nice hoppy (my wife would say "stinky") IPA. He also serves food and coffee - starting with the grinding of the beans when you order. The place has a New York jazz club feel and the food is American in a New York style.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxUbHY7ZX2ObscbLajVdHFl5SQ3Z8IYUBxTSG_zoud8HofN0sfMaXtG7ZgLNf-7dpL5JPQFz-Qb9D5zJRVuIDiSpu5R_jIZPD7AgzxFrlwPShCnQ3nPo-y-RpVE7ScYxXT6IL2Dgo-u0/s1600-h/BlueinGreenStage.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450855855675202306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxUbHY7ZX2ObscbLajVdHFl5SQ3Z8IYUBxTSG_zoud8HofN0sfMaXtG7ZgLNf-7dpL5JPQFz-Qb9D5zJRVuIDiSpu5R_jIZPD7AgzxFrlwPShCnQ3nPo-y-RpVE7ScYxXT6IL2Dgo-u0/s640/BlueinGreenStage.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>It is a small place, as most in Japan are, with a warm ambience and not brightly lit. A very comfortable place to eat and drink.<br />
It is also a very comfortable place to shop for antique guitars and other items (see his web site linked above). I think that this must be Yoshi's main business, because as often as I see the place empty, it cannot be the bar business (although it is my favorite bar).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzxdDCvHKkuQfkLVf3hktxnrGVLaAzUPyxKXRWwOzvaDKGicQMhezRn8cPx9LVl1Pli7ACB9VAFWXHXnNCNxF66uzi-tv_LmVUqXSfVe_Jfbf7RtXwV9Ahyse0v_BnDvO77JoWVVvuXI/s1600-h/GuitarsBlog.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450856142872783346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzxdDCvHKkuQfkLVf3hktxnrGVLaAzUPyxKXRWwOzvaDKGicQMhezRn8cPx9LVl1Pli7ACB9VAFWXHXnNCNxF66uzi-tv_LmVUqXSfVe_Jfbf7RtXwV9Ahyse0v_BnDvO77JoWVVvuXI/s640/GuitarsBlog.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>Go hear some jazz, get a bite to eat, and have a great beer. And visit Yoshi - one of the nicest guys in the world.<br />
Oh, and here is the tune - Blue in Green performed by Miles Davis' sextet.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-24788754166799019752010-02-23T05:33:00.000-08:002011-07-04T01:41:29.574-07:00Favorite Izakaya - Part 1One (of many) of the things that I enjoy doing in Japan is visiting an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izakaya">izakaya</a>. These are wonderful places, basically made for drinking, but with food substantial enough to make a meal. The thing that makes them wonderful is their intimacy. These are often small places where everyone knows everyone else including the owner/cook/bartender/server, all often the same person.<br />
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Meet Shie-chan. She is the owner and operator of an izakaya that has been doing business in Yokosuka for 90+ years, and all of that time in the same family.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1-Vrhp89vCEgKmTvz08F377V_M0Bj1ZrdZ-JX-FpVAHLOJ8Lh6Mr4w4EUZvIVWNnac3Ob5UD8VaNCWcDeWexk2_5kQcjlP8b-NCzK4gHdJ6DSJs9bUsLJ7syBR0QjqGcWXZ_kc9z1Uk/s1600-h/Shie-chan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450864330062175554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1-Vrhp89vCEgKmTvz08F377V_M0Bj1ZrdZ-JX-FpVAHLOJ8Lh6Mr4w4EUZvIVWNnac3Ob5UD8VaNCWcDeWexk2_5kQcjlP8b-NCzK4gHdJ6DSJs9bUsLJ7syBR0QjqGcWXZ_kc9z1Uk/s640/Shie-chan.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>The name of her izakaya is 坂戸屋 (Sakato-ya). Shie-chan is herself something of a wonder. She serves, depending on what is available, wonderful meat and fish dishes as well as the best yaki-udon that I have ever eaten. Her broiled seafood, especially her buri, is like butter. Smooth and rich with all of the delicacy that you expect from seafood. She serves a beef steak that is tender and rich in flavor. It is cut thin in the Japanese manner, but is delicious. (A note: expect the Japanese manner. Except for the time that I took a friend with me, I am the only westerner that I have ever seen there.)<br />
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If you spend any time at all in Japan, check out a local izakaya. Don't be part of an American or tourist ghetto. Make friends. I have made several friends at 坂戸屋 and was invited to participate in a community event that I will post about soon.<br />
じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-85069023391337892112010-02-18T03:10:00.000-08:002011-07-04T01:45:39.326-07:00Kinugawa Onsen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YWELtUR5l96YcxDWLkQl5zF9aij6xvpqtfXsb2WGHAwy-faFW6_atUGv9Tq0wrpimRxCEojfKjsvn-EfvST_aXEbebhigxnJNSfyN05PbOJmJbO1-_mEV5pm-kQEbho5QV9Dx6Q4cKM/s1600-h/DSCN0027.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439493039225853602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YWELtUR5l96YcxDWLkQl5zF9aij6xvpqtfXsb2WGHAwy-faFW6_atUGv9Tq0wrpimRxCEojfKjsvn-EfvST_aXEbebhigxnJNSfyN05PbOJmJbO1-_mEV5pm-kQEbho5QV9Dx6Q4cKM/s640/DSCN0027.JPG" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
One of my favorite things to do is soak in hot water. I have vacationed at Harrison Hot Springs in British Columbia several times. I have soaked in hot springs in the Rio Grande River gorge near Taos, New Mexico. It is wonderful.<br />
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In Japan there are the onsens. I plan on visiting several. Recently my wife, my mother-in-law and I went to <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Kinugawa">Kinugawa Onsen</a>. We stayed in the Kinugawa Plaza Hotel and ate<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dinner_at_Kinugawa_Plaza_Hotel.jpg"> this fabulous meal</a>.<br />
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The hotel has separate baths for men and women. In each of these there are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen">rotenburo (outside) onsen</a>. The men's rotenburo was pretty open while the women's was more screened off from view. One of my favorite things is to soak in the hot water and then get out in the cold winter air. While I was soaking in the rotenburo at 4:00AM it was snowing. A pure delight.<br />
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The evening meal and breakfast were included in the price. The evening meal was brought to our room and everything laid out (as seen in the about linked photo) and explained to us. For breakfast there was a choice of Japanese style or a western style buffet. We chose the buffet, which was good, but think that maybe the Japanese breakfast would have been better.<br />
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When you get to your room, <a href="http://www.japanesekimono.com/yukata_kimono.htm">yukata</a> are provided. These are very comfortable, as comfortable as pajamas or more so, and can be worn anywhere in, or outside of, the hotel. We saw people outside in their yukata who had obviously just been in the onsen. They had to get an extra large one for me. Even though I am not particularly overweight, I am an American sized American.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafuSUTU1z9PDs9RgHtNlHz0PFOX2XwC__qA339RDIsv7eUg2AfKSWLsh38eo4Cr9QifPLkczLg-Zv8O8rB92yn5iYpkhlpnWZFwy565PhR0BR15lDMUj5jXIMzzL8Mqcn2zFoH-aZCtc/s1600-h/Photi_yukata_sm.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="574" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451426695837653970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafuSUTU1z9PDs9RgHtNlHz0PFOX2XwC__qA339RDIsv7eUg2AfKSWLsh38eo4Cr9QifPLkczLg-Zv8O8rB92yn5iYpkhlpnWZFwy565PhR0BR15lDMUj5jXIMzzL8Mqcn2zFoH-aZCtc/s640/Photi_yukata_sm.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
A picture of the river near our hotel;<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyJGjO5HN_oNIZaqXTnIPkfqTzpl2UiKu7EDnTLdRZN-550YFfcSTAjk2nQSOhXHQVOFQ9c_9iX0lBRDCCKQneHOSFOgbffc65AZuK48oeckN3t1DPUInszqHqqosKRpi81X_7_l_Tz4/s1600-h/DSC00306.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439499468592606626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyJGjO5HN_oNIZaqXTnIPkfqTzpl2UiKu7EDnTLdRZN-550YFfcSTAjk2nQSOhXHQVOFQ9c_9iX0lBRDCCKQneHOSFOgbffc65AZuK48oeckN3t1DPUInszqHqqosKRpi81X_7_l_Tz4/s640/DSC00306.JPG" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
A few links;<br />
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<a href="http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/kinugawa/">Japanese Guest Houses - Kinugawa Onsen</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.kinugawa-kawaji.com/en/index.shtml">Welcome Site</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3875.html">Kinugawa Onsen Travel Guide</a><br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4043816985237741587.post-89605306800082969082010-02-09T04:45:00.000-08:002010-03-25T04:21:14.827-07:00IntroductionThis is a newly created blog in which I will write about my experiences as an American living in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.<br />
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I am still setting the blog up so if it looks a bit underdeveloped, that is because it is.<br />
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I am a retired U. S. Navy Chief Petty Officer who is currently employed by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. I work on maintenance projects on the USS George Washington in Yokosuka and plan on taking every Yokosuka assignment that the Shipyard will allow me. As I result, I hope to be living here 6 or 7 months of every year.<br />
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Many may know of my other blog - <a href="http://photios.blogspot.com/">Photios</a> - in which I wrote of political and social issues. I do not intend to discuss anything political here (too much). I want to write about my favorite restaurants, bars, karaoke places, people, language (as I struggle hopelessly to learn Japanese), etc.<br />
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That is all for now. This introduction may be modified or extended as I set up this blog.<br />
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じゃあねPhotioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15400519958453577146noreply@blogger.com2