Too much sake man

On Thursday we met at Temmangu Shrine, commemorating Lord Michizane Sugahara, an ancient patriot.  Shinto shrines can commemorate events, honor (enshrine) individuals, or pay respect to natural forces.  It is not uncommon for the Japanese to practice both Shinto and Buddhism.  As Ohno-san, one of our GSE advisors explained to me today, "Usually we have Shinto rites for birth, sometimes a Christian wedding, and Buddhist ceremonies at death."

Temmangu was built 1070 years ago, and is famous for the Tenjin Festival, one of the three largest annual festivals in Japan.  The symbol of the shrine is the plum, seen in an icon on the glass in the adjacent photo.  Plum carvings also decorate the rafters, and we received a gift of plum sake from Terai-san, the head priest (#3 priest in all of Japan).

We participated in an offering ceremony, then got to listen to the temple priests play gagaku.  Gagaku (literally "elegant music") is  Japanese classical music which was introduced from China around the 6th century, and consists of wind, string and percussion instruments.  Makoto later told me that we know more about Japanese culture than he does now-- most Japanese never get to enter the temple interior where we were, or hear gagaku.

In the afternoon we visited the Sakai power plant of Kansai Electric Power Company.  

Our hosts were very excited to see us, and gave us the best tour they could give.  I left my camera on the bus though, so just got a few phone pics...

That night I joined Ohmichi-san and a few of his friends at an izakaya where we had "salt rock" beef and fish-- a flat salt rock was heated at the table, and we cooked the food on the spot.  It was delicious, but I ate way too much and made the mistake of telling them "Nandemo ii desu" ("Anything is good") when they asked me what I could drink. 

After way too much beer, cold sake, warm sake and whiskey, we went next door to a karaoke bar.  I acquitted myself on the mike, but this is what the world looked like as I sang "Fly Me to the Moon"...

Needless to say, I was not feeling too well the next day.  We had a nice visit to a Noh theater in the morning though.  The theater is owned by Akihiro Yamamoto, and has been in the family for 80 years.  Noh is a classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed for over 600 years.  It is highly stylized, with costumes and masks playing a large part in telling the story.  Male actors play both male and female roles.  

Most of the masks are very subtly different-- the two in this photo depict a young girl on the right, and a woman in her 20s on the left.  Michelle got to play dress-up and put on the whole ensemble, which took about ten minutes. Yamamoto-san invited us to a play on Saturday night, but we were scheduled to have a "free" weekend outside of town so we had to decline.  

After a lunch meeting, the group split up-- Bryan, Kasey and Chris went on the scheduled boat cruise while Michelle, Kathleen and I opted for some rare free time.  We were left at Osaka Station, which is literally the first time we have been left alone in public.  After some brief confusion, we found our way to a coffee shop to relax...  

The next day was my last day with the Ohmichi family.  Ohmichi-san and I walked around the neighborhood for a while, and I suddenly realized we were less than a block from the Hamatani residence.  

We walked down the street and saw Emiko-san out front-- she was surprised to see me, but it was great to chat briefly.  We took the chin-chin densha to Sumiyoshi Shrine, then headed home to pick up Sachi-san and Makoto for lunch.  

After a delicious bowl of tempura udon, the Ohmichis dropped me off at the hotel.  From there it was onward to Okuda-san's house in Nishinomiya, Texas bar night with the Stampede band, and a bit of relaxation...

Haiku # 13

 

lotus flower floats

in a bowl of steaming broth

colored red with shrimp

Sharp swords and Mt. Koya-san

Last week the group met with the Osaka Prefectural Governor's office, and also with Kunio Hiramatsu, Mayor of Osaka, who graciously spent about an hour with us in his office.  One of his staff, Asuka Shinagawa, will be traveling to Austin in a few days on the opposite side of the Group Study Exchange-- hopefully we'll have a chance to meet up with her back home.

After a lunch meeting, we went to a dojo adjacent to Osaka Castle, where we were treated to an iai-do demonstration.  Iai-do is the art of the "quick draw," though here it's a katana (sword) rather than a six-shooter.  Iai is considered to be a defensive art, and is only employed when under attack.  The samurai trained to parry a blow and counterattack while seated, standing or walking.  

The counterattack involves an upward- or downward-sweeping motion (or a thrust of the sword if in close quarters) designed to cut through the shoulder and spine of the attacker.  Upon completion of the lethal blow, the samurai would quickly draw the blade free in a sweeping motion to shake the blood off, before wiping the sword and returning it to the sheath.

We were able to examine and handle two katana and a tantou (short sword).  The tantou was typically worn by the samurai for two reasons only: for pride (decoration), and to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) upon failure.  

Seppuku involved self-disembowelment, with a fellow samurai completing the act by beheading the disgraced samurai.  The swords were amazing-- one katana was 400 years old and had been used numerous times in battle, as evidenced by some minor marks and the thinness of the blade from reworking it.

The next day was a vocational day.  Kasey, Bryan and I were taken to see the Umeda Sky Building,  a "super high-rise" that is formed by two connected skyscrapers with a "floating garden observatory" at the intersection 173 meters above the ground.  During construction, the sky garden was lifted up in between the two skyscrapers at a rate of 35cm per minute, reaching the top in around 7 hours.  

I took a photo of Bryan and Kasey on their prom date...

In the afternoon, we took a long bus ride to Mt. Koyasan, the site of the Okunoin temple, where Kobo Daishi (the founder of the Shingon Buddhist sect) is enshrined.  Okunoin is surrounded by Japan's largest graveyards, and is considered one of the most sacred sites in Japan.  Unfortunately, the bus ride was so long that we didn't have much time to visit the temple.  

The walk to the temple is lined with the grave markers of feudal lords, politicians, and corporate commemorative headstones (?!).

That evening I went to an izakaya with Ohmichi-san and Makoto to drink and dine with Ohmichi-san's office staff.  Izakaya are small Japanese bars, usually with room for no more than a dozen or so customers.  Cooking is generally done right behind the bar; the food is typically relatively inexpensive.  Izakaya are great neighborhood spots, and a lot of fun.  Makoto taught me some good Osaka-ben (Osaka dialect) and my exclamation of "Umai wa kore, yamerarehen!" got some good laughs. 

We mostly ate yakitori (grilled chicken on skewers) but most of it was parts that Americans wouldn't recognize: skin, gizzards, and other "expensive parts" (as Makoto put it).  A lot of fun...

Haiku #12

geta on white stone

clip-clop sound of walking monk

swish of saffron robes

Hiroshima and Miyajima

On an appropriately gloomy and rainy day, we traveled to Hiroshima to visit the A-bomb memorial museum.  The first part of the museum is heavy on facts and information about Hiroshima prior to the dropping of the bomb.  

The second part of the museum has photos, clothing remnants, and other graphic displays that really convey the horror of what happened.  The tricycle in the photo belonged to a three-year old boy, who was riding it in his backyard less than 500 meters from ground zero.  He died the next day, and his father buried him with the tricycle in the back yard so that he would be able to ride it in heaven.  One of the saddest things I've seen in a long time.   

The Hiroshima Dome building in the city center remains as a symbol of the pain and suffering that the people of Hiroshima endured.

From Hiroshima we traveled by train and ferry to the island of Miyajima.  Known as the "Island of God," Miyajima is home to a beautiful Shinto shrine on the water, Itsukushima, which was built in 593 (like most Japanese shrines, it has been rebuilt several times).  It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

We had a relaxing evening in a seaside hotel with kaiseki, beer, sake and our first karaoke.  Hopefully those videos don't get posted to YouTube... 

We returned to Osaka on Monday, and I was picked up by Ohmichi-san, my host for the week.  After a brief visit to his office (he has a 6-person architecture firm) to pick up his son Makoto, we went to his fitness club.  

Wow, do I wish I had photos of that.  Since I don't, I'll just drop some random photos in and describe the experience.  The fitness club is in a fancy hotel (I don't remember which one) and we parked in the basement.  I asked Ohmichi-san if I should get my running shoes out of my bag, and he said "No, rental." 

So we got to the front desk, checked in, and were each issued a matching two-tone lavender-on-periwinkle outfit of acrylic shirt and shorts, along with a pair of light yellow socks.  Oh, and a speedo to put on underneath.  Placed shoes in a shoe locker, then proceeded to the locker room to gear up.  Walked down into the fitness area, where I was handed a pair of running shoes.  

There were three treadmills, three stair climbers, a handful of weight machines and two vibrating belt machines.  A small rack of chrome-plated dumbbells that topped out at 10 kilos.  A raft of pink exercise mats in the center of the room, where a uniform-clad trainer led group stretches.  After a 25-minute treadmill run, I followed Ohmichi-san to our next station, the sauna.  

I could only take about ten minutes of it, then entered the main bath area.  Short plastic stools in front of low mirrors with hand showers to rinse off, then one can enter the hot bath.  After the bath, on to the "hair combing room"-- two long counters with chairs and sterilized combs, razors, and various hair tonics.  

Then into the lounge area, for a choice of coffee, beer, milk, water, or soda.  Smoking section or non-smoking section, or one can recline in a lounger equipped with a television.  Then completed the circuit to the locker room to get dressed, retrieved shoes from shoe locker, and the experience was complete.

Haiku #11

sake sushi beer
karaoke bar next door
fly me to the moon

Himeji Castle and Engyoji Temple

On Saturday morning we left Osaka for Himeji,  Himeji Castle is located in Hyogo Prefecture.  It is a hilltop castle, perhaps the most famous in all of Japan, and is also known as Hakurojou or "White Heron Castle" due to its white stuccoed exterior.

The day we visited was Himeji Castle's last day to be open before extensive repairs; it coincided with the last weekend of sakura, so it was very crowded.  Chris and Bryan opted to wait in line to see the castle proper; Kathleen, Michelle, Kasey and I decided we would have a hanami on the castle grounds.

We purchased some beer and some kasutera (little cakes) and relaxed in the sun for a while.

We left late afternoon for Engyoji Temple, a Buddhist complex located on a mountaintop.  Engyoji was founded around 1000 years ago on Hakusan, a part of Mount Shosha.  Word soon spread that anyone who climbed the mountain would be purified in both body and spirit.

Even today, people from all over Japan make pilgrimages to the mountain and Engyoji, and its buildings and seven of its Buddha statues have been designated "Important Cultural Properties."

We were fortunate to be able to spend the night at the temple dormitory.  Bryan, Chris and I shared a room with Sato-san, a dentist who will be travelling to Austin at the end of the month as part of the Rotary District exchange.

We were given yukata (Japanese cotton robes) to wear after the ofuro (bath), and relaxed on the tatami mats in our room with some shochu (grain alcohol) which I had received as a gift at another Buddhist temple.

We awoke early and walked through the forest to the kongodo, one of the temples on the grounds.  There we observed a Buddhist monk reciting sutra and mantra prior to meditation practice.

Afterward we walked up a hill to the jogyodo, the training hall.  It sits directly across from the daikodo, or great auditorium, and adjacent to the jikido, which serves as dining hall and living quarters for the monks.  This part of the complex was featured in scenes from "The Last Samurai."

At the jogyodo, we were instructed in meditational practice.  The monk who led us kept with him a wooden stick, which he used as requested during the meditation-- if anyone felt their concentration wavering, they could hold their hands together in front of them, at which point the monk would come over and whack them three times on each side of their back.  I took advantage of this when I started to fall asleep, and was immediately awake again!  The twenty minutes we spent in meditation felt like a long time, but was probably just right for novices...

Tadao Ando and Firefly Squid

I returned to the Minagawa home on Thursday night to find a Rotary party starting.  Since our group didn't make a formal presentation to Jun-san's club, I was the guest of honor and made my presentation in Japanese.  Though I was tired, it was a nice party and I enjoyed meeting everyone-- Jun-san explained to me that "house parties" are quite rare in Japan, and this was the first at his house in around ten years.

The next day was another "vocational day," and Kasey and I started out with a tour of a building under construction in downtown Osaka.  We donned white hardhats and white gloves, and took the job elevator to the rooftop.  Great views of Osaka from the roof and elevator, but we had to watch our step!  The exterior of the building is clad in autoclaved lightweight concrete panels, which are attached to the concrete building frame using metal clips.

The owner of the construction company, Kenro Kakeya, is a really interesting guy.  He attended Tokyo University, and lived in Washington D.C. for 6 years as editor of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.  He returned to Japan and gave up his journalism career to take over his father's company.  I've found this to be a frequently occurring phenomenon in Japan, with multi-generational family businesses.  My first host father, Hamatani-san, is the fourth generation to run his family company.  My current host, Ohmichi-san is an architect, and his son Makoto just started working at the architecture firm.

On our way to lunch, we stopped at another building under construction, this one designed by Tadao Ando.  Kakeya-san's company did the concrete work (which is a lot of work on an Ando building!).  He told me that it was a demanding job, and Ando specified that all formwork be new.  Kakeya-san was justifiably proud of his company's work, but explained that it was not a very profitable job for them, nor for the general contractor, but that it was a "desirable" job due to the association with Ando.

After a nice lunch we drove to the hills of Oyamazaki outside of Osaka, to visit the Oyamazaki Villa Museum (owned by Asahi Beer!).  The museum is the former home of an Anglophile named Kaga Shotaro, a Kansai businessman.  The house was built in the early 1930s in what might be described as a "Japanese Tudor" style.  It was later purchased by Asahi, and now functions as a showplace for folk crafts.

In 1995 a new hall was designed by Tadao Ando.  The hall serves as a modern foil to the original building, acting as a link to the exterior-- from the museum approach, it appears as a concrete frame with large sheets of glass that allow views through it to the garden beyond.  A cylindrical room known as the "Sunken Jewel Box" sits below grade, and in it are displayed Impressionist paintings by Monet.

Next we visited Bentenshu Meioji Temple, operated by Jisho Omori, another of our hosts that day.  It is a beautiful temple of folded concrete, with luminous blue-green tiles covering its exterior surface.

The temple is surrounded by a pond, on the surface of which sakura petals had collected.

Our final stop was in Ibaraki, another pretty hill town outside of Osaka.  Here we saw one of Ando's most famous buildings, and the first Ando project that I learned of in architecture school.

The Church of the Light is a concrete box with a cross incised on the wall behind the altar-- this cross of transparent glass illuminates the chapel.  We weren't able to get inside, but I pressed my camera up against a narrow window to get a photo of the interior.

It was a busy but great day, and I ended it with a final dinner with Jun-san and Masako-san.  We had a lot of good food, some beer, wine and plum sake.  There were three little raw squid on a plate that I was a bit afraid to eat.  When Masako-san told me what they were called, I knew I had to try them.  Hotaru-ika, or "firefly squid" are caught only in springtime, and only in Toyama prefecture.

Their name derives from the method used to catch them-- fishermen set out lanterns at night, and the small squid are drawn to the light and caught in nets.  No more than 2-3 inches long, they are considered a springtime delicacy.  I learned the hard way you are meant to remove the eyes (hard as bb's) before eating them.  Masako-san explained that in Japan, there are very specific foods to eat for each season.  For instance, many of the foods I have eaten on this trip reference the sakura, an indication of springtime.  She also mentioned the New Year's tradition of eating kuromame, or black beans.  When I stayed with the Hamatani family, I saw an old recording of Doi Masaru (Emiko-san's chef father) preparing this dish.  The color of the beans references a worker in the fields, whose skin turns dark under the sun-- thus they are a portent of hard work and prosperity.  Doi Masaru's recipe called for dropping a couple of rusty nails into the bean pot, which was to be heated at a simmer for 8 hours.  The rusty nails turn the beans to a deep, inky black.

The dinner was an enjoyable end to my stay with the Minagawa family, shown here in front of their house with their friend Mrs. Shoji and her grandson.  Shoji-san (who treated me to the baseball game earlier in the week) took the picture, then he and his wife and grandson drove me to the train station and waited with me for 45 minutes.  Hard to describe the hospitality I have been shown here in Osaka...

Haiku #10

think i'll close my eyes
just for a minute or two
and dream of my home