Koto English-speaking Volunteer Guide Association: 2019

August 13, 2019

Shall we "Bon" dance?

Let's enjoy the summer evening with traditional Japanese dance with us.

We will have a special free tour to join the Bon-odori dance event in the evening of August 25th, Sunday

You might have heard amusing music and sound of drumming around parks or squares in the evening in this season. Yes, it is bon-odori.
Originally, the dance was meant to entertain our ancestors. In Buddhist belief, their spirits come home to their family during this period of time called obon.

Now, the Japanese people of all ages just enjoy bon-odori. Anybody can join freely, and the dancing movement is very sim
ple.
We will give you a quick lesson and let's go dancing! The tour is free of charge.
It's also fun to eat, drink and play games at various stalls.

Tour details:
Date and Time : 6:00 p.m, August 25th
Meeting Place : Outside of No.1 exit of Monzen-Nakacho stationon (T12) of the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.
Duration : About two hours. We might also visit sake stand bar. Or you can just keep dancing!
Booking : Our web site. From 'Contact Us' page, select "S: Special Course."

May 28, 2019

Jizo Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)

Beaming a warm smile, a statue sits peacefully at a Tokyo temple as children
are playing and jumping cheerfully around in a nearby kindergarten ground on a sunny day.

Reiganji Temple's Jizo Statue

The 2.73-meter (9-foot) bronze statue, called Jizo Bosatsu (Bodhisattva), has been there showing a graceful look for over 300 years, enduring a series of disasters.

It is one of the six bronze statues built by Jizo monk Shogen in early 1700s at the gateways to the Shogun's headquarters of Edo, according to the temple brochure. The feudalistic Edo period lasted from 1603 to 1868, when Japan's capital moved to Tokyo from Kyoto.

Wearing a hat like a lampshade and something like a red bib hanging from the
neck, the statue holds a jingling rod in the right hand and a wish-fulfilling gem, called "Hoju," in the left hand.

Reiganji Temple's Jizo Statue

Shogen, who lived in Fukagawa that is part of Koto City now, was 24 years old when an incurable disease struck him. His selfless prayers for cure, joined by his parents, however, miraculously led to his recovery, the temple records said.

The recovery prompted him to erect six Jizo statues in a similar fashion found in Kyoto, a former capital in western Japan before the Edo period.

The monk then started soliciting funds from people and as many as 72,000 common people joined in the drive, the records stated.

It took 14 years to complete all of the six statues, commonly known as the "Edo Roku Jizo" (Six Jizo Statues of Edo), including one at the Reiganji Temple in 1717. All the names of donors and the date of their construction were inscribed on the body and the pedestals of the Jizo statues.

Having been exposed to the weather over time, almost all the original gold-plated surface of the bodies changed and some holes and cracks were found in them.

Over the past month or so, I paid a visit to each of the six temples, I could not help being impressed by a gentle look of the seated Jizo.

At the Reiganji Temple, its main hall was twice destroyed in modern times alone - by the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and the air raid by the U.S. forces on March 10, 1945, chief priest Ito Shinjo said, adding that the present hall was rebuilt in 1981. There is a kindergarten on the right along the approach to the temple's main building.

Reiganji Temple's Mail Hall

In Fukagawa, there was another statue erected by Shogen at a separate temple originally, but that one was pulled down with its structure partly due to an order of a new government in 1868 under the policy of separation between Buddhism and Shintoism, temple officials say.

The remaining five of the Jizo statues were narrowly saved.

In Buddhism, Jizo Bodhisattva is considered to offer salvation to all living things in this world. Worshipping the Jizo Bosatsu gained widespread popularity among the nobles and ordinary people during the Heian period (792-1185) in Japan, according to the legend.

Buddhism came into Japan in the sixth century after passing through China. For some Japanese, without doubt, both Buddhism and Shintoism, an indigenous religion of the country, are very important in their daily lives.

The five temples where you can see the Jizo Bosatsu are as follows:

* Reiganji Temple: 1-3-32 Shirakawa, Koto City
(Get off at Kiyosumi Shirakawa, on either Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line or Toei Oedo Line)

* Honsenji Temple: 3-5-17 Minami Shinagawa, Shinagawa City
(Aomono Yokocho on Keihin Kyuko Line)

Honsenji Temple's Jizo Statue

* Taisoji Temple: 2-9-2 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City
(Shinjuku Gyoen Mae on Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line)

Taisoji Temple's Jizo Statue

* Shinshoji Temple: 3-21-21 Sugamo, Toshima City
(Sugamo on Toei Subway Mita Line)

Shinshoji Temple's Jizo Statue and Mail Hall

* Tozenji Temple: 2-12-13 Higashi Asakuksa, Taito City
(Take the bus 'Higashi 42 Ko' in front of Tobu Asakusa Station, and get off at Higashi Asakusa)

Tozenji Temple's Jizo Statue

By Kozo

May 6, 2019

Broad bean Festival is coming soon!

Broad bean Festival is coming soon! It is held on Sat. May 18 and Sun. May 19 at River station next to NAKAGAWA FUNABANSHO MUSEUM (Please see the previous blog article).

During Edo period (1603 and after), people love to eat slightly salted boiled broad beans harvested near Nakagawa river bank. This Festival is to commemorate and remind the time when people have enjoyed locally grown Broad beans, watching Sumo games. The festival is held at the river bank adjacent to NAKAGAWA FUNABANSHO MUSEUM.

Broad bean ("Soramame")

The event includes, Broad bean refreshment stands, boat cruising, canoeing, souvenir shops, and other events related to Broad Beans.

By Yukiko

Source of photo: photo AC

May 5, 2019

Eye-Opening experiences ‐Local history of River, and beautiful scenery or river bank "NAKAGAWA FUNABANSHO MUSEUM"

The Exterior view of Nakagawa Funabansho Museum

If you live in, or happen to be in Koto-City, and if you are interested in knowing the history of river、fishing, or agriculture, as well as waterway transport, this is exactly the place you should not miss.

There are quite a few exhibitions during Edo period (1602-1876). For example;

Reproduced Nakagawa Funabansho - Shipping Guard House
Local history & Culture introduction since Edo period, specialized in agriculture, and local vegetables, and seaweed industry.
Edo traditional rod and fishing culture, (this is the very unique and valuable exhibition for anglers not to miss.
The Water transport throughout Edo period.
History of Koto City, water front, and modern industry, and reproduction of living room from 1926-1989.

Reproduced Nakagawa Funabansho - Shipping Guard House

This museum is a sister museum of Fukagawa Edo Museum. While Fukagawa Edo Museum was established to reproduce the life-sized row of stores and houses on the streets of Fukagawa-Saga cho in Edo in mid-19th century, Nakagawa Funabansho Museum exhibits the reproduction of Shipping Guard House, an Edo Government Office, built in 1661 to exercise strict control over boats going in and out of Edo through Onagi-Gawa River and canal.

The building is standing alongside of the river bank, and functioning as the stop of an amphibious bus "Sky Duck," and every year, early spring the river bank becomes one of the most gorgeous places for cherry blossom viewing (1000 cherry trees are blooming simultaneously.

Sky Duck's bus stop

The row of cherry blossom trees

Although the lecture/seminar is given by Japanese, this museum offers quite a number of lecture/seminars regarding their exhibitions/highlights/local history regarding river and water. Also they are offering the opportunity to experience boat trip sailing around Onagi Gawa river and connected canals. If you are interested in knowing details, please contact Museum directly.

How to find the museum:

Address: 9-1-15, Ojima, Koto-City, Tokyo 136-0072 Japan

Tel: 03-3636-9091

Website: https://www.kcf.or.jp/nakagawa/ (Japanese Only)

Just 5 minute- walk from Higashi-Ojima Station (S16）, Toei-Shinjuku-Line (Ojima-Guchi Exit)

Opening time 9:30am -5:00pm. (Entry is closed at 4:30pm), Every Monday is closed.

By Yukiko

May 2, 2019

Wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, and seasons

Wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, would make you feel the changing of seasons. From the colors and aroma of the treats, we feel a specific season. Here are three Japanese sweets that you can find and buy at Wagashi shops in spring and early summer. The filling of all the three is red beans paste, called anko.

1. Uguisu Mochi

Uguisu, a Japanese bush warbler, is known as a bird to tell you the coming of spring. Uguisu mochi represents an image of uguisu, the green bird, and makes you feel spring. Made by covering the filling paste with gyuhi, which is made from glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour, and then sprinkling roasted and ground green soybean flour.

The origin of this confectionery is said to be back to a spring of the late 16^th century. This kind of confectionery was served to Toyotomi Hideyoshi in a tea ceremony for him. He loved it so much and named it as Uguisu mochi.

2. Sakura Mochi

Sakura mochi with the delicate aroma of salt-pickled sakura leaf is a staple wagashi of spring for Japanese people. Interestingly, you can find two types of Sakura mochi – Chomeiji (Tokyo type, photo down) and Domyoji (Osaka type, photo up). Tokyo type: made by putting the filling paste inside the dough made from lightly roasted flour, and then wrapping it with the sakura leaf. Osaka type: the filling paste covered by domyojiko (course rice power made from steamed glutinous rice), then wrapped it with the sakura leaf.

3. Kashiwa Mochi

In mid-April, the main wagashi in shops changes to Kashiwa mochi, which is an offering on May 5^th for Tango-no-sekku. Today, it is designated as Children’s day, but originally it was called as Boy’s festival. The filling is covered with soft chewy mochi, and then wrapped with a oak leaf. The aroma of leaf is transferred to the mochi, you can enjoy the fresh aroma when you eat it. FYI, the leaf cannot be eaten. A Kashiwa leaf means for the prosperity of descendants or family fortune in Japan, because the leaves do not fall until the tree grows new ones.

By Junko

April 14, 2019

Renovated Museum Shows Fishing Boat Hit by Hydrogen Bomb

Located in a grove of eucalyptus and other trees, a Tokyo museum remains more or less obscure, but the exhibits remind visitors of the importance of remembering tragedies by the hydrogen bomb tests.

The Outer Appearance of the Daigo Fukuryu Maru Exhibition Hall

The Daigo Fukuryu Maru (No.5 Lucky Dragon) Exhibition Hall in Tokyo’s Koto City reopened to the general public on April 2 after a nine-month long renovation.

The museum was originally built by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 1976, with the aim in mind that the tragedies by the hydrogen bomb test would not be repeated.

During the renovation, lights inside the structure were all replaced with LEDs, and its roof and floor were refitted. A video of a survivor’s interview was newly added to a list of materials being shown. It can be watched on a TV screen. Chinese and Korean languages are also used in part offering the general information on top of the Japanese and English versions.

First and foremost, coming into the view, is the actual 140-ton tuna fishing boat that was exposed to the radioactive fallout from the U.S. hydrogen bomb test at the Bikini Atoll of the Marshall Islands in the western Pacific on March 1, 1954. The boat was then operating outside the exclusive zone set by the United States, but the explosion was far more powerful than had been expected, causing widespread damage to not only hundreds of fishing boats in operation but also those living in the nearby small islands.

The Front View of the Daigo Fukuryu Maru

The End View

Two weeks later, the Daigo Fukuryu Maru returned to its home in Japan and all 23 crew members aboard were quickly hospitalized for treatment and diagnosed as having acute radiation syndrome.

One of them, Aikichi Kuboyama, the chief radio operator, died six months later. A monument was later erected in his memory outside the building, with his last saying inscribed in it. It says: "I hope I will be the last person to die from an A-and H- bomb."

The Stone Monument that Aikichi Kuboyama's Message is Inscribed

At present, four of them are still alive, while the remaining 19 died.

Two years later after its return, the fishing boat was declared free of residual radiation in 1956.

Some of the panels inside represent a timeline that shows pictures of different events from the very first day to the present as well as some explanations about them.

The Inside the Museum

A glass vessel containing "radioactive fallout" collected from the deck of the affected boat is also on display. The fallout was analyzed by a group of scientists from the Shizuoka University.

Radioactive Fallout

"An average of 100,000 people visit the museum annually, and one-third of them are school children as part of their school trips," said Mari Ichida, a museum curator. Brought by them are a pile of "senbazuru," or "one thousand folded paper cranes," which hang on a hook inside. Senbazuru signifies prayer for recovery from illness.

Senbazuru, One Thousand Paper Cranes

Yumenoshima Park. This Museum is located in this park.

Admission is free.

Hours: 9:30-16:00

Closed Mondays and New Year holidays Dec.29-Jan.3 (if Monday is a holiday, the following day is closed.)

Address: 2-1-1 Yumenoshima, Koto City, Tokyo 136-0081

Access: Ten minutes walk from Shinkiba Station on JR Keiyo Line, or Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line

For more information, visit: http://d5f.org/en/index.php

By Kozo

April 6, 2019

MISO -- Japanese traditional food

“MISO” -- Have you ever heard the Japanese word, MISO ? What is MISO?

Can you guess what it is? “FERMENTED” is a food process using fermenting power by the action of microbe (or microorganism). Cheeses and yogurts are worldwide well-known foods represent as fermented ones, and here are a few more examples for your reference. Tequila: Mexican drink based fermented blue agave, Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage, Anchovies: Fermented small fish, Nata de Coco: Fermented coconuts cream.

MISO is one of Japanese traditional fermented foods, same as SAKE, SHOYU, NATTO (fermented soy beans), and NUKAZUKE (Rice bran Pickles).

PHOTO 1: Soybeans and MISO

MISO is one of commonly used ingredients for Japanese cuisine, however origin of MISO was brought in from China around 8 centuries, and introduced to Japanese cuisine. Nowadays, it is one of “Super Foods” and very rich in nutrition. And benefits of MISO are often said the preventive agent for cancer, high blood pressure, dementia, and postmenopausal syndrome.

MISO used to be made at home using each family’s recipe and keeping original taste, because making MISO is very simple, using salts, soy beans or barley fermented with the all-round wonder grain (KOJI) and store it at cool and dark places for some time. Depending the length of fermentation, (minimum 3-6 months, and maximum will be several years) the flavors greatly vary. But it becomes common to go and buy MISO at various distribution channels.

PHOTO 2: Variety of MISO

PHOTO 2 depicts a variety of MISO, difference based on the materials (rice, barley, difference in color, and difference in salty/sweetness and the length. Each plate gives handy hints for cooking.

Now, MISO becomes very popular among western world, in particular, through French chefs MISO is getting known and increase its visibility among the gastronomy.

By any chance, if you are interested in MISO, and trying to taste by yourself, please go to MISO specialty stores. One of them is Sano-Miso and the following URL Only in Japanese language available as follows (https://sanomiso.com/omotenasi/) 70 kinds of MISO are collected from all over Japan, and you can taste at their EAT-In corner. Let's enjoy the new taste of MISO.

PHOTO 3 & 4: EAT-IN (Selection of MISO SOUP, RICE and side dishes)

By Yukiko

March 20, 2019

Let's go to "Furoshiki world" !!

Do you know "Furoshiki"? It's square-shaped fabric to wrap objects.

Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth used to carry all sort of objects such as clothes, gifts and so on.

You can find a Furoshiki shop in Ningyoucho, downtown area, near Nihonbashi Tokyo. In Ningyoucho, there are many unique shops, such as shops for "Taiyaki" and "Ningyoyaki"(Japanese sweets), "Bettara"(sweet pickles), "Korokke"(Japanese style potato croquetto), and so on. Among them, there is the Furoshiki shop called "Karakusaya". Karakusaya is a retail store showcasing a range of Furoshiki.

In days past, Furoshiki was first used to wrap your own clothes to differentiate from others at a public bath, as the word "Furo" means a public bath, and "Shiki" means a spread.

Now Furoshiki is gaining popularity, because that is eco-friendly unlike disposal paper bags and plastic bags. You don't need to discard them and it is reusable.

Modern Furoshiki have a variety of designs and sizes. Let's have fun to visit!!

Access: Ningyocho station Exit A5, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line,Toei Asakusa Line
Address: 3-4-6 Nihonnbashi Ningyoucho Chuo-ku Tokyo
Open : 11:00-18:00, closed on Sunday and Holiday
Tel: 03-3661-3938
HP http://www.karakusaya.co.jp

by Izumi

February 28, 2019

Plum blossoms' scent fills shrine honoring "god of learning"

Passing under the vermilion gate in eastern Tokyo, there is a sacred place with the scent of hundreds of plum blossoms. It is time now to visit the Kameido Tenjin, a shrine dedicated to the memory of Sugawara Michizane (845-903), revered as the "god of learning."

Tenjin, meaning "heavenly god," has come to refer to the spirit of Michizane, a late high-ranking Imperial Court noble who had never harbored any hatred to others and continued studies despite being forced into exile in the early tenth century.

Kameido Tenjin in Tokyo's Koto City is one of the 12,000 shrines throughout the country, commonly called "Tenjin-sama" named for Michizane, but it is the sole Tenjin shrine built with an identical design modeled after the head shrine in Dazaifu on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu.

A pair of racks full of votive wooden tablets with people's wishes or thanks written on them look heavy in front of the Kameido Tenjin's main hall.

The Main Hall of Kameido Tenjin

Michizane, a son of an educator, began showing his talent still in his younger age, composing a slew of Waka, or traditional Japanese poems comprised of Hiragana and Kanji characters, and Chinese version with Kanji characters only.

Historical records show that while working for the Imperial Court in Kyoto, he was at one time sent to Shikoku area, where he put a financially troubled state back on track, winning the local people's applause. He excelled as a scholar and an archer.

But the storm of the political conspiracies and jealousy by the rival Fujiwara family hit and led to his exile to Dazaifu.
Before leaving his residence in Kyoto, Michizane created a famous Waka:

When the east wind blows

Send me its fragrance

Oh plum blossoms

Even if the master is away

Do not forget the coming of spring

A statue inscribed with this poem in Japanese stands along with other numerous stone statues in the shrine compound. Michizane, however, died at the age of fifty-eight in 903, without seeing his beloved plum trees at his Kyoto residence again.

There are some 300 plum trees planted in the precincts of the Kameido Tenjin, which was built in 1662 under the strong support of the fifth Tokugawa shogunate, Ietsuna.

During the Edo Period (1603-1868), the portraits of Michizane were hung on the wall at almost all Terakoyas, private schools for children from common people. The knowledgeable elders and retied samurai were among teachers, teaching them how to read, write and calculate. The number of Terakoyas was said to be about 15,000 nationwide by the end of the Edo era.

The plum blossom festival at Kameido Tenjin is held from Feb. 9 through March 10. The shrine is also popular for wisteria from late April to early May.

Kameido Tenjin: 3-6-1, Kameido, Koto City, Tokyo 136-0071

Access: 15-minute walk from either Kinshicho subway station, or Kameido or Kinshicho stations on the Sobu Line. Or take a bus from Kameido-eki mae and get off at Kamedio Tenjin-mae.

By Kozo

February 8, 2019

"Setsubun", a bean throwing ceremony

On February 3, we cerebrate "setsubun" in

Japan

. It means the changes of the seasons. Although there are four of them in Japan, the word "setsubun" is especially used for the day before the first day of spring. According to the lunar calendar which was used in Japan until late 19th century, "setsubun" was the last day of a year and a new year started next day.

On the evening of "setsubun", we used to open all doors of our house and scatter parched beans inside and outside of our house, shouting "Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi", meaning "Out with the devil! In with the good fortune!" to drive out evil spirits of the old year and welcome good fortune of the new year. We threw parched beans, wishing that the evil spirits would never come back in the new year.

After the ceremony was over we picked up the scattered beans in the rooms. Each of us ate the same number of beans as our age.

To my regret, I heard many families don't hold bean-throwing ceremony nowadays.

But most of the temples and shrines in Japan do it.

On that day I visited three shrines to see the bean-throwing ceremonies in my city, Koto-Ward, Tokyo.

First one is Fukagawa Shinmei-gu Shrine. After the ceremonial ritual, the chief priest threw beans at "Aka Oni", a red ogre and "Ao Oni", a blue ogre, yelling "Fuku wa uchi, Oni wa soto". Then notables of the town, parishioners and politicians went up to a stage and began throwing, not beans, but candies, small bags of candies or mandarin oranges to a crowd of people who were frantically trying to catch them.

Second one is Tomioka Hachiman-gu Shrine which had two long stages. As this is a big shrine, many guests were invited to throw beans from the stages. So guests were divided into 5 groups.

First group was sumo wrestlers from Otake Beya which is located in the neighborhood of the shrine. Audience sent big applause and were excited to get beans thrown by the sumo wrestlers. Then second and third group came onto the stages. One group consisted of about forty guests. When guests began to throw soybeans, they were like hail from the sky. People were more excited than before to get the grains of soybeans. It was hard to get the grains by one's hands, so many people had large paper bags with them and caught the beans with the bag's mouths wide open. After the fourth and fifth group repeated throwing, the ceremony was over.

I was anxious to know what would become of a lot of beans thrown but uncaught and fell on the ground. I saw large vinyl sheets were already spread under our feet. I heard later that the shrine would collect the beans left on the sheets and send them to a farm as feed for livestock.

Third one is Kameido Tenjin Shrine where the bean-throwing ceremony began at 6 PM.

Before bean throwing began, "Aka Oni" and "Ao Oni" entered from the darkness, and acted as if "causing harm" to the audience. Both "Oni"s shout something at the chief priest of the shrine, then the priest seemed to preach "Oni"s to repent their wrongdoings. They gave in and exited.

Bean throwing began as usual. At this shrine the soybeans were thrown in a small package. Some people caught the bean package direct from the thrower. Unfortunately I could catch none of them.

After "setsubun" it will get warmer day by day and "ume", a Japanese apricot, will bloom. And long-waited cherry blossom season will come. I can hardly wait for the beautiful spring!

by Hiroshi

The bean throwing ceremony of "setsubun" is one of the most amusing and interesting ritual events in Japan. Next year, if you want to see these event, please contact KEV! We will happily guide you.