Lovely Weather for Walking; Tour report of the East Garden of the Imperial Palace on October 7, 2023

Thank you for choosing our tour at the East Garden of the Imperial Palace on October 7, 2023. We welcomed 25 guests from USA, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Peru, Iran, Taiwan, and Australia. I hope all of you enjoyed and shared interesting conversations with us during the tour. As promised, group photos and snapshots are attached to remember the fun times we had.

The weather was cool and very pleasant. We finally felt that autumn had arrived. The autumn leaves will gradually start now. How about enjoying autumn with us? In Japan, it’s known as the ‘Autumn appetite,’ and it’s a delicious season with great food. October 9th is Sports Day, a national holiday. Autumn is a fitting season for enjoying sports as well.

One of our guests told us that he watched the American movie ‘RONIN,’ released in 1988. Do you know about RONIN? In modern Japan, ‘RONIN’ refers to individuals who didn’t pass university or high school entrance exams, or those who are unemployed and preparing for future opportunities. Historically, it referred to people without a permanent residence, particularly samurai who lost their homes and wandered in search of new lords during the feudal period. Some individuals became ‘RONIN’ due to committing crimes or failing in their duties, resulting in a loss of their samurai status and land. During the Edo period, the number of ‘RONIN’ increased, reaching as many as 500,000. Despite losing their samurai status, they retained their family names and the right to carry swords. One notable event involving ‘RONIN’ was the Ako incident in 1702, where the famous attack by the Forty-seven Ronin occurred.

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(Posted by Yutaka)