Tokyo - Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

Imitation of tsutenkyo bridge

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens was built by Tokugawa Yorifusa who was the loｒd of Mito (former Ibaraki prefecture) in 1629 and completed as a garden during the time of 2nd lord Mitsukuni. It is a Kaiyu-style (landscape gardens in the go-round style). You walk the garden clockwise around the lake and see the recreation of well known scenery one after another. For instance you can see the imitation of tsutenkyo bridge, the bank of Lake Xi Hu and landscape of Biwa Lake.
You can experience many beautiful elements of those nature by just walking this garden.
Also since Mitukuni invited Confucian scholar "Zhu Zhiyu" from China for designing of the garden, you feel Chinese flavor from place to place.

Engetsu-kyo (Full Moon Bridge) 

Engetsu-kyo (Full Moon Bridge) is considered which was designed by Zhu Zhiyu.
The name came from the reflected shape of the bridge on water surface that looks like full moon.
The structure of the bridge is historically important to know about those days.

In the garden, different blooming flowers are seen all the year around.
Spring - Cherry blossom, Japanese wisteria
Summer - Japanese iris, Hydrangea, Lotus
Autumn - Lespedeza, Maple
Winter - Plum-blossom, Camellia

The garden is designated as the Special Places of Scenic Beauty and Special Historic Sites of the country. And double designation is quite rare.

Nara

March 22 - 24th, We went to Nara. This time we visited the temples located far from central Nara.
Day 1: Toshodaiji ->　Yakushiji  ->　Horyuji　 ->　Chu-gu-ji
Day 2: Murouji　 ->　Hase-dera　 ->　Hokkeji　 ->Futaiji
Day 3: Gansenji　 ->　Jyoruriji

Of course  famous temple such as Horyuji's archtecture and Buddha statues are splendid, but here I would like to write about mountain temples which stood out in my mind.

Kondo Hall of  Murouji-temple

Murouji: The temple of esoteric buddhism. It is reffered as "Women's Koyasan", because the temple permitted entrance to women while Koyasan permitted only to men. Inside of the shingle-roofed Kondo Hall, there was a number of wooden Buddhist statues which have a style of early Heian Period (794-1185). Among them"Chuson Shaka Nyorai"had strong aura. Vibrant painting on its halo was still clear beyond 1000 years of the time. And Standing statue of the Eleven-faced Kannon Bosatsu was looking at me through slightly opened eyes as if she could see all the things about me.








Cloister of Hase-temple

Hase-temple: The very long cloister connecting to the main temple locate the top of a mountain, the stage built on a cliff etc...the scale of the architecture was overwhelming. It was a huge temple using geographical features beautifully. You see nice traditional-looking Japanese village from the stage built on the main temple. Standing on the stage makes you feel like you are playing a role in the magnificent scenery. In side of the main temple there was a gigantic Eleven-faced Kannon Bosatsu, which 1,018cm height. It is the biggest wooden Buddha in Japan.





Carved stone Buddhist images

Gansenji: It took about 30 min by buss from central Nara. It is a small temple but the principal image of Buddha's face was something I can't forget. More you look its face, more your minds calm down. The chief priest said the image shows infinite capacity towards people.
From Gansenji to Joururiji, you can walk mountain pass. On the pass you meet carved stone Buddhist images here and there.

Nozawa Nagano

I accompanied my husband for ski, and visited Nozawa in Nagano prefecture. Ski slopes at there were located quite high altitude and a very long lift took us there. In silent snow mountain, only clop of the lift made the sound. Sitting on the lift looking down river and valley was quite frightening at first, but more I rode I got used to it and I had room to breathe. I imagined myself being a bird, started enjoying the view.

Many hot spring district has rustic retro-flavored atmosphere. But Nozawa is not. 13 open air baths, stylish restaurants and bars, tasty back noodle shops, cute Japanese folk art gift shops were gathering in small cozy area. It was fun to walk around.
Nozawa was selected "52 Places to Go in 2014" by NY Times's article in Jan.
So there were many foreigners, too.

By the way according to my husband, Nozawa is great place to ski. The snow is powder snow and there are many varied slopes.

Of course famous Nozawa pickles were crispy and tasty!

Yamagata: Dewa Sanzan



Dinner at Shukubou

We drove a car to Yamagata prefecture to visit Dewa Sanzan. Dewa sanzan is the mountains for Japan's ancient mountain worship and it consists of 3 sacred mountains (Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono). Many pilgrim and practitioners of Shugen-do visit the mountains.  We stayed at shukubo (temple Lodging). According to Shinto priest of shukubo, Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan Mt. Yudono signify this world, the world after death, rebirth respectively. So the order of visiting shrine is also decided  same as above order.
The dinner there was made from fresh seasonal vegetable of Yamagata and it was served with a glass of sacred Japanese wine.



Pagoda at Mt.Haguro

Visiting Mt. Haguro - about 10 min. walk from the entrance, a five storied pagoda stands on the way to shrine. It is registered as National treasure and considered built around 931 - 938 by Masakado Taira. The pagoda stood firmly, calmly surrounded by cedars. Looking the pagoda  I felt like time was stopping in here. And it made me realize I was one of small element same as a leaf or a insect in the nature. Eternal, uncontrollable atmosphere was there.

Visiting Mt. Gassan - as it expresses heaven, the shrine located very high. We drove a car up and up. I could understand the view from near top actually dividing up the lower world and heaven. The top of the mountain was open marshland like enlightened world.

Torii of Mt.Yurdono

Visiting Mt. Yudono - There is saying; "Not to tell what you saw and heard at Mt. Yudono to others". Mmm...I can't tell... but it was very interesting experience. Just say, I felt mother nature.

Kirishima, Kagoshima

View of Onami Pond from the top of Karakunidake

My brother invited us to Japanese inn with hot-spring in Kagoshima prefecture to celebrate our parents' silver wedding. Kagoshima is the place I grow up. Since weather was nice in this season, we had planned climbing   mountain the day before the celebration.
We got up 3 am, took 6 am airplane from Haneda airport. The mountain we climbed was Mt.Karakunidake which is the highest peak of Kirishima mountain rage.
Even though I climbed the peak twice in my past, the view was still astonishing. Below the peak I saw Onami Pond – the beautiful crater-lake, Mt. Sakurajima – active volcano floating on Kinko Bay...I could even see the Mt. Kaimondake located far south of Kagoshima.

The top of Karakunidake

Next day we visited ryokan (Japanese inn with hot-spring) where my brother made the party reservation. We didn't tell our parents that I and my husband are coming to the party from Tokyo. So it was a surprise for them. We waited them at lobby. They came. But they didn't notice us at all. I sat on the sofa across from the sofa my farther was sitting, our eyes met, his strange face approached me saying "Are～(Uh-oh...)" . We enjoyed Japanese style course meal and hot-spring in nature.

As we get old and live far a way, it became difficult for family  to gather like this. So it was precious moment to me.

family photo at the inn.