Although cherry blossoms have fallen at Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum is displaying the breathtaking arts of Esoteric Buddhism from Toji-Temple Kyoto. To-ji Temple has the 1200-year history which is the Japan’s first esoteric temple associated with Kukai or Kobo Daishi. Toji-Temple is designated as a world heritage property and a number of the treasures are gathered together from the Temple. The special exhibition features an extraordinary 15 out of 21 Buddhist statues counting 11 national treasures and 4 important cultural properties housed at the Lecture Hall of To-ji Temple. In addition, outstanding paintings, calligraphy and fancy artworks representing the pinnacle of Esoteric Buddhism are also on display. All of these objects are handed down for nearly 1,200 years at To-ji Temple since its establishment. Shingon Buddhism was founded by Kukai, one of the most influential monks and demonstrates Kukai’s world representing ultimate happiness and enlightenment. Mt. Koya is its birthplace and has been the object of pilgrimage from ancient times. You will be mesmerized by the dignified beauty and taken to the unrealistic world. It is recommendable to see this special performance regardless of whether you will go to Kyoto or not because the major items are now in […]
I want to thank all of you for participating in our tour at Ueno Park on March 21. Nine people kindly joined our tour from Spain, America and UK. It was a bit windy but a nice Spring weather. I hope all of you enjoyed walking with us. As a matter of fact Ueno Park is one of the most famous and popular hanami(cherry blossom viewing) spot in Tokyo. Over 1,200 cherry trees are planted with 50 varieties. Although we have witnessed some other early blossoming of the trees, Somei-yoshino, the most planted and favorite species in Japan have just started to bloom. 550 Someiyoshino trees may reach the blooming peak in a week or so depending upon the temperatures. Since cherry blossoms signal the arrival of Spring, Japanese people traditionally admire them from the ancient times. Somei-yoshino is relatively new in the history. It was developed by the crossbreeding between Ohshima and Edo-higan cherry trees and cultivated by the gardener at Somei Village, currently Toshima, Tokyo in the late Edo period over 250 years ago. It is a clone from a single tree and propagated by grafting to all over Japan and the rest of the world. Therefore, each […]
Thank all of you for joining our tour at Meiji shrine and Harajuku area on March17. The weather was perfect in the beginning of Spring. We had 16 friendly guests from America, Australia and UK. I hope all of you enjoyed walking with us. Meiji Shrine was constructed about 100 years ago and is dedicated to the souls of the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The shrine is the most popular destination during the new year days. The torii gate unique to a shrine and represents the border between the actual world and sacred world. The massive display is the sake barrels which were donated by sake manufacturers across the country. There are approximately 200 barrels. Each barrel can contain 72 liters but all of them are empty. Sake is rice wine. Rice and Shinto shrine have been inseparable from the ancient times. The fundamental function of the shrine is to pray for the good harvest of rice. Rice and sake are offered to shrines at the time of a good harvest. Purification is an essential element at a shrine. Before visiting the main hall, it is a tradition for visitors to follow the ritual practice to cleanse their hands […]
Ueno Park is historically famous for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot in Tokyo. There are over 1,200 cherry trees. Some species have already bloomed but the most symbolic cherry blossoms (Somei-yoshino) have not come out yet and are expected to be in full bloom toward the end of the month or beginning of April depending on the weather(temperatures). Ueno Park site was the part of Kaneiji Temple which used to be the largest and a family temple of the ruling Tokugawa clan during the Edo period. Some species of the wild cherry trees were originally brought from Mount Yoshino in Nara known for one of the Japan’s most famous and oldest cherry tree spots and planted at the current Ueno Park site when the Temple was built about 400 years ago. The best part is the central pathway between the southern main gate and the fountain square at the park. Several historical buildings stand along the main street. All of them were constructed during the Edo period about 370-400 years ago. Ueno Toshogu Shrine is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Shogun who established the Edo Shogunate. There are over 200 stone and 48 bronze lanterns along the approach. The […]
Thank you so much for joining the first tour at Ueno Park on February 11. We welcomed five guests from America, UK, France and Canada. I really appreciate your participation in our tour in spite of the cold weather. It is spring according to the calendar but is still wintry. Some winter cherry blossoms were blooming. I hope all of you enjoyed walking with us on the memorable day at Ueno Park. As you may know Ueno Park is full of tourist attractions such as nature, museums, temples, shrines, statues, pond etc. Among them the most popular destination may be Tokyo National Museum. Tokyo National Museum is the oldest and largest museum in Japan. They have about 120,000 items including 89 national treasures. There’s no other place in Japan where you can admire so many cultural and historical masterpieces. The current main building, Japanese gallery was reconstructed after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and the building structure is the combination of Japanese and European architecture. One of the reasons for the popularity is that their permanent display of the main building is outstanding and definitely worthwhile to visit. Main building shows the variety of the Japanese arts from the ancient […]
In addition to the existing tours at the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Asakusa Sensoji Temple and Meiji Shrine / Harajuku, we will have another walking tour at the heart of Ueno Park starting on February 11. This will be the fourth tour for TFWT. The starting point is the front of Park Exit of JR Ueno Station and the goal is the statue of Saigo Takamori. Ueno Park is one of the first public parks in Japan. In fact, the park was the site of Kaneiji Temple, the Japan’s largest and family temple of the ruling Tokugawa dynasty during the Edo period which continued for nearly 270 years. The temple was politically and religiously influential and the site of the temple was twice as large as the current park at its peak. However, when the Japan’s largest ever civil war broke out in the late 1800s, Kaneiji was ruined and devastated by fires. Afterwards, the grounds became a public park. Fortunately, the 400-year old historical buildings including Ueno Toshogu Shrine, five-storied pagoda and Kiyomizu Kannon-do Temple survive the earthquakes, fires and wars in the original forms and miraculously remain intact and aesthetic. Now the park is expansive, offers […]
Many thanks for joining our tour to Meiji Shrine and Harajuku area on January 20. Weather was perfect. We welcomed seven friendly guests from Australia,Portugal and America.I hope all of you refreshed your body and mind at the Shrine in the beginning of 2019. On our tour route there is Ota Memorial Museum of Art specializing in Ukiyo-e wood block printing between Takeshita Street and Omotesando street. They have 12,000 pieces and change the exhibition almost every month. During the Edo period a variety of figures and trends were depicted in Ukiyo-e. They are beautiful landscapes, everyday life of commoners, actors and courtesans. Current performance displays many works of people, children and animals illustrating their cute(kawaii) and funny (Okashii) behaviors. We may be able to share the same feeling as the Edo people. The exhibition continues until January 27. In February the Museum will show Ohara Koson’s woodblock prints of birds and flowers. Ukiyo-e is a style of woodblock printing created and developed in Japan about 300 years ago during the Edo period. The major artists are Utamaro,Hiroshige and Hokusai. The low price of the new artwork attracted customers. When Ukiyo-e printing was used as wrapping papers for the ceramics […]
