Saturday, November 17, 2007
Kokoen gardens
This collection of nine gardens, albeit recent, is already the second biggest attraction of Himeji. Even if you can't understand the sometimes subtle differences between all the gardens - we were lucky to have a guide pointing them out for us -, you can always appreciate their beauty. Here are some shots.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Himeji Castle
At the entrance to the castle
The castle seen from the grounds in front of the West Bailey
Inside the West Bailey, a long building shaped like a corridor with many rooms, where Princess Sen and her maids lived.
A sunken door in the West Bailey. In case of emergency, the door could be easily blocked form the inside, using the lateral stones.
Princess Sen's quarters, the Cosmetic Tower
Even in the castle grounds, the walls are thick and have holes for shooting.
One of the about fourteen gates or so you have to go through to get into the castle. A lot of them are tucked away in corners where you wouldn't think of looking.
Inside the castle proper, which was built as a fortress, many walls are lined with fire arms and bags of gunpowder.
The view from the top floor of the castle. That thing on the left is one of many amulets against fire.
When they took down the castle, they built this model of all the support beams, so they'd know how to reassemble it.If you want to see more, you can take the this photo interactive tour.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
The Egret Castle and the Nine Gardens of Himeji
On our last day in Japan we took the Hikari to the the city of Himeji, not too far from Osaka. Waiting for us at the station was Ms. Misako, a retired engineer that now works as a volunteer guide in her spare time. Ms. Misako carried a small binder with a ton of information about Himeji Castle. Unlike Nijô Castle in Kyoto, Himeji Castle is a real castle, which served as a defensive station during the war times before the shogunate was established. It also served as temporary residence for princess Sen, the granddaughter of the first shogun.
The castle was built in the 14th century and, unlike almost any other castle in Japan, it has never been burned down or otherwise destroyed. However, in the 20th century it was fully disassembled and rebuilt for restoration purposes. Some of the wood and stones were replaced, but it is mostly the original that you'll see standing. The whole restoration work seems even more amazing when you actually take in the castle's full size. To completely take it down and re-assemble it exactly as it was was truly an awesome feat.
The castle is commonly called the "Egret Castle" or "White Heron Castle" due to its elegant shape. However, when you start exploring it, you realize how its function had nothing to do with elegance. The castle grounds are a maze of walls and gates devised to confuse and trap any intruders. It was most definitely not meant as a luxury noble residence. Even on the inside, you can see how the doors have been built lower than the floors, so they can be easily blocked from the inside, and there are hole and slits everywhere from which can throw stones and shoot arrows to the outside. From the top floor you can enjoy a commanding view of the city.
We actually spent about three hours exploring very nook and cranny of the castle, with the help of our knowledgeable guide so, by the time we left, we were starving. We went to the nearby Koko-en gardens and had a local meal of noodles and barbecued conger-eel sushi. Even though I usually stay away from eel, I must admit everything was pretty much delicious.
After lunch our guide took us on a short tour of the gardens. They were built in the 1990's, on the site of some former noble houses. The old walls have been restored and serve as divisions to the nine different gardens. I'm sure the Japanese visitors will be able to find a lot more contrasts in each garden than we, who are anything but Japanese garden experts, did.
Still, it's clear even to us that each garden has its own theme and features. One is a bamboo-only garden, another is a Zen-style garden, yet another one is a tea appreciation garden and has its own teahouse, a fourth one is a pine tree garden and so on. You really need two full hours to be able to fully appreciate the gardens, and we only had one before we had to rush back to catch our train, so we sort of breezed through it, and had no time for tea.
When we arrived back at Kyoto, we made our way to Kitano Tenman-gû Shrine. Yes, we had had our share of shrines and temples, but this one had a monthly market going on on that day and we wanted to take a look. The market was mostly a flea market and not a reliable place to pick up antiques or anything of that sort. Still, it was a lot of fun browsing all sorts of wares, sampling some festival-type food and watching the children play a popular fishing game, in which one must try and catch as many goldfish as you can with a thin paper membrane. It looks hard, but those kids were doing a great job. Maybe they've been practicing for years.
From the Kitano Tenman-gû shrine we took the bus to the city center, and walked around the main shopping area, where I had the chance to eat a really good Portuguese egg tart. I had no idea those were popular in Japan! Then we walked back to Ponto-Chô for a final sushi dinner and later we had a few drinks at Garbo, a local little bar whose owner (who spoke no English) and assistant were kind enough to welcome two foreigners and even have us sample a few local snacks. We ended up staying later than anticipated, and when we finally got to the hotel, we packed our suitcases quickly and went to sleep.
The castle was built in the 14th century and, unlike almost any other castle in Japan, it has never been burned down or otherwise destroyed. However, in the 20th century it was fully disassembled and rebuilt for restoration purposes. Some of the wood and stones were replaced, but it is mostly the original that you'll see standing. The whole restoration work seems even more amazing when you actually take in the castle's full size. To completely take it down and re-assemble it exactly as it was was truly an awesome feat.
The castle is commonly called the "Egret Castle" or "White Heron Castle" due to its elegant shape. However, when you start exploring it, you realize how its function had nothing to do with elegance. The castle grounds are a maze of walls and gates devised to confuse and trap any intruders. It was most definitely not meant as a luxury noble residence. Even on the inside, you can see how the doors have been built lower than the floors, so they can be easily blocked from the inside, and there are hole and slits everywhere from which can throw stones and shoot arrows to the outside. From the top floor you can enjoy a commanding view of the city.
We actually spent about three hours exploring very nook and cranny of the castle, with the help of our knowledgeable guide so, by the time we left, we were starving. We went to the nearby Koko-en gardens and had a local meal of noodles and barbecued conger-eel sushi. Even though I usually stay away from eel, I must admit everything was pretty much delicious.
After lunch our guide took us on a short tour of the gardens. They were built in the 1990's, on the site of some former noble houses. The old walls have been restored and serve as divisions to the nine different gardens. I'm sure the Japanese visitors will be able to find a lot more contrasts in each garden than we, who are anything but Japanese garden experts, did.
Still, it's clear even to us that each garden has its own theme and features. One is a bamboo-only garden, another is a Zen-style garden, yet another one is a tea appreciation garden and has its own teahouse, a fourth one is a pine tree garden and so on. You really need two full hours to be able to fully appreciate the gardens, and we only had one before we had to rush back to catch our train, so we sort of breezed through it, and had no time for tea.
When we arrived back at Kyoto, we made our way to Kitano Tenman-gû Shrine. Yes, we had had our share of shrines and temples, but this one had a monthly market going on on that day and we wanted to take a look. The market was mostly a flea market and not a reliable place to pick up antiques or anything of that sort. Still, it was a lot of fun browsing all sorts of wares, sampling some festival-type food and watching the children play a popular fishing game, in which one must try and catch as many goldfish as you can with a thin paper membrane. It looks hard, but those kids were doing a great job. Maybe they've been practicing for years.
From the Kitano Tenman-gû shrine we took the bus to the city center, and walked around the main shopping area, where I had the chance to eat a really good Portuguese egg tart. I had no idea those were popular in Japan! Then we walked back to Ponto-Chô for a final sushi dinner and later we had a few drinks at Garbo, a local little bar whose owner (who spoke no English) and assistant were kind enough to welcome two foreigners and even have us sample a few local snacks. We ended up staying later than anticipated, and when we finally got to the hotel, we packed our suitcases quickly and went to sleep.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Hiroshima
The Atomic Bomb Dome, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is the only building that has remained as it was after the bombing, and the main symbol of the destruction caused by it.
A closer look at the damage provoked by the bombing
The lower part of the Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students
The Ota river and the A-Bomb dome, surrounded by modern buildings
The Children's Peace Monument, with the statue of Sadako and the containers for thousands of paper cranes
The Peace Memorial Park and the Flame of Peace. In the background you can see the Cenotaph and the Peace Museum.
The Peace Pond and the Cenotaph, with the museum in the background
Front view of the Cenotaph, with the A-Bomb Dome in the background
Diorama: the city before...
...and the city after.
The city today: view from one of the main streetsTuesday, November 6, 2007
A City's Plea for Peace
After lunch, our tour guide brought us back to Hiroshima, known worldwide for being the unfortunate target of the first atomic bomb. Even though the city has long since been rebuilt and is today a thriving metropolis, the scars of the bombing haven't been forgotten.
Our first stop was at the A-Bomb Dome, which used to be known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, before it became of of the few buildings that still stood, albeit in ruins, after the bomb was dropped. You can still tell it was a large, strong building, made of sturdy materials, which only accentuates the bomb's destructive power. The city has decided to leave it as it is, since it's the closest remaining building to the epicenter of the catastrophe. It is now a part of the Peace Memorial Park.
Right next to the A-Bomb Dome is the Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students, a monument in remembrance of all the students that were all the time fulfilling the jobs that the men had left empty when they were called to arms. Some worked on weapon factories, while others worked more regular jobs, like driving the city's trams, and many perished on that fatal morning.
Crossing the river we arrive at the Children's Peace Monument, which features a statue of Sadako Sakaki. This girl was only two when the bomb was dropped a mile away, and, about ten years later, she became sick with leukemia and was told she had only one more year to live. She then decided to start folding paper cranes. It is a Japanese belief that whoever folds one thousand cranes is granted a wish. She passed away before she completed her goal, but her friends folded the remaining cranes and buried them with her. Since then she has become a symbol of the impact of the nuclear bombing in children. The monument shows her holding a folded crane and is surrounded by several structures that keep thousands of paper cranes sent from all over the world.
South of this monument is the Pond of Peace, a man-made lake that anchors two other peace monuments: the Flame of Peace, on one end, and the Memorial Cenotaph on the other. The Cenotaph holds the names of everyone who was killed directly or indirectly by the bomb. Looking through its arch you can see both the Flame of Peace and the A-Bomb Dome. The Flame of Peace is to remain lit until all nuclear weapons on Earth are destroyed.
Finally we come to the Peace Memorial Museum. Aside from being very interesting from an architectural point of view, it's its contents that really matter. from an historical retelling of the events that lead to the dropping of the bomb, to a comprehensive exhibit about the nature and effects of nuclear weapons, the museum also presents a detailed diorama of Hiroshima right before and right after the bombing. The contrast is crushing. To harden the blow, several objects belonging to victims are displayed, and it's devastating to see the effects of the nuclear blast on a little boy's lunch box.
Hiroshima has declared itself a city of peace, hosting numerous peace conferences and remaining vocally opposed to any kind of nuclear warfare. After spending some time at the Peace Park and Museum, it's painfully clear why.
We returned to Kyoto that evening, feeling a little less light-hearted and with a lot on our minds. We ate dinner from a bento box on the train and as soon as we arrived to the hotel, we went right to sleep.
Our first stop was at the A-Bomb Dome, which used to be known as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, before it became of of the few buildings that still stood, albeit in ruins, after the bomb was dropped. You can still tell it was a large, strong building, made of sturdy materials, which only accentuates the bomb's destructive power. The city has decided to leave it as it is, since it's the closest remaining building to the epicenter of the catastrophe. It is now a part of the Peace Memorial Park.
Right next to the A-Bomb Dome is the Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students, a monument in remembrance of all the students that were all the time fulfilling the jobs that the men had left empty when they were called to arms. Some worked on weapon factories, while others worked more regular jobs, like driving the city's trams, and many perished on that fatal morning.
Crossing the river we arrive at the Children's Peace Monument, which features a statue of Sadako Sakaki. This girl was only two when the bomb was dropped a mile away, and, about ten years later, she became sick with leukemia and was told she had only one more year to live. She then decided to start folding paper cranes. It is a Japanese belief that whoever folds one thousand cranes is granted a wish. She passed away before she completed her goal, but her friends folded the remaining cranes and buried them with her. Since then she has become a symbol of the impact of the nuclear bombing in children. The monument shows her holding a folded crane and is surrounded by several structures that keep thousands of paper cranes sent from all over the world.
South of this monument is the Pond of Peace, a man-made lake that anchors two other peace monuments: the Flame of Peace, on one end, and the Memorial Cenotaph on the other. The Cenotaph holds the names of everyone who was killed directly or indirectly by the bomb. Looking through its arch you can see both the Flame of Peace and the A-Bomb Dome. The Flame of Peace is to remain lit until all nuclear weapons on Earth are destroyed.
Finally we come to the Peace Memorial Museum. Aside from being very interesting from an architectural point of view, it's its contents that really matter. from an historical retelling of the events that lead to the dropping of the bomb, to a comprehensive exhibit about the nature and effects of nuclear weapons, the museum also presents a detailed diorama of Hiroshima right before and right after the bombing. The contrast is crushing. To harden the blow, several objects belonging to victims are displayed, and it's devastating to see the effects of the nuclear blast on a little boy's lunch box.
Hiroshima has declared itself a city of peace, hosting numerous peace conferences and remaining vocally opposed to any kind of nuclear warfare. After spending some time at the Peace Park and Museum, it's painfully clear why.
We returned to Kyoto that evening, feeling a little less light-hearted and with a lot on our minds. We ate dinner from a bento box on the train and as soon as we arrived to the hotel, we went right to sleep.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Miyajima Island
The maple leaf cakes
A view of the beach, with its stone lanterns and deer
The inevitable picture with the giant torii in the background
The shrine is built on stilts, because when the tide is high, all this land is submerged, including the bottom part of the torii.
A view of the shrine, with the pagoda in the background
The giant torii and the tourists on the beach, seen from the shrine
The main altar at Itsukushima shrine
Steve down at the beach by the giant torii
This is an okonomiyaki. It certainly doesn't look very appetizing, but it's actually tasty.
This is what happened as soon as Steve bought the deer crackers. That one on the bench with him bit his shirt a few times.
They were really persistent and kept following him all around this area. People arriving from the ferry would stop to watch the show.Thursday, November 1, 2007
The Torii in the Water
That Friday we took the super-fast Nozomi to Hiroshima, which only took about one and a half hours, even though it's a very long distance from Kyoto. On arrival, we were picked up by our bus and tour guide, who took us to the ferry to Miyajima island. During the bus ride, our guide introduced us to a Miyajima specialty: a small cake shaped like a maple leaf. She had bought one for everyone and they were pretty good.
The ferry ride itself took no longer than 15 minutes. It was a hot, sunny day, and all the island was perfectly visible, so we could clearly see the famous "floating" torii. Of course, the torii doesn't float at all; it's stuck on the ground, but you usually can't tell because it's hidden by the water. On that day, however, the tide was low, which dispelled the illusion.
Miyajima is considered one of the three top scenic spots in Japan. It could be from being a nice little island with great weather, lots of vegetation, and deer, but of course it has been the Itsukushima shrine that has brought it fame. The shrine is pretty big and includes a stage for theatrical and dance performances, as well as a pagoda and a few other Buddhist buildings. Evidently, the most famous part of it is the huge torii on the beach. Despite it being an extremely hot day, the sea breeze made it bearable to walk down on the wet sand to take a better look at it.
Finally, we sat down at one of many restaurants in a long row of shops and eateries, and tried okonomiyaki , something like a crépe containing noodles, veggies, and whatever else you want to put in it. Before leaving, we still had time to buy some maple-leaf cakes and Steve couldn't pass up the opportunity to be chased around and bitten by deer again... so he bought some deer crackers and I got some more interesting footage.
The ferry ride itself took no longer than 15 minutes. It was a hot, sunny day, and all the island was perfectly visible, so we could clearly see the famous "floating" torii. Of course, the torii doesn't float at all; it's stuck on the ground, but you usually can't tell because it's hidden by the water. On that day, however, the tide was low, which dispelled the illusion.
Miyajima is considered one of the three top scenic spots in Japan. It could be from being a nice little island with great weather, lots of vegetation, and deer, but of course it has been the Itsukushima shrine that has brought it fame. The shrine is pretty big and includes a stage for theatrical and dance performances, as well as a pagoda and a few other Buddhist buildings. Evidently, the most famous part of it is the huge torii on the beach. Despite it being an extremely hot day, the sea breeze made it bearable to walk down on the wet sand to take a better look at it.
Finally, we sat down at one of many restaurants in a long row of shops and eateries, and tried okonomiyaki , something like a crépe containing noodles, veggies, and whatever else you want to put in it. Before leaving, we still had time to buy some maple-leaf cakes and Steve couldn't pass up the opportunity to be chased around and bitten by deer again... so he bought some deer crackers and I got some more interesting footage.
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