March 15, 2016

A joyful spring has come !

Hina dolls
It has already been in March. For Japanese, March is the joyful month in which we are relieved from dark & chilly winter and enjoy sunny, warm and flower blooming days.
The representative ceremony of spring is girls' festival or Momo no Sekku on 3rd March. Momo means a peach, Sekku is a ceremony. At Momo no Sekku, each household having daughter prays the girls’ happiness and joyful life. Momo no Sekku is also famous for dolls festival. As its name suggests, the highlight of this ceremony is the decoration of hina dolls in each household. 

The appearance of hina dolls is deeply influenced by fashion and lifestyle of imperial court around 1000 years ago. Hina dolls are consisted with a male doll and a female doll.A Male doll is called obina, a female one is called mebina. Obina and mebina are the married couple in aristocrat family. By displaying such gorgeous married couple, people wish eternal happiness and family prosperity of their daughters.


Japanese apricot
March is also the flower blooming season. From march to May, various flowers will bloom to decorate town in pastel color. The most famous flower in March is Japanese apricot. It starts blooming early in February till end of March. Its faint pink color tells us that spring has come. After blooming Japanese apricot, the cherry blossom season starts around end of March.




Rice cakes rolled with cherry leaf
Not only flowers, but also some confectioneries remind us the spring. 
The pink colored rice cake looks like cherry. The sweet bean paste is stuffed in it. The cake is rolled with the cherry leaf in salt. We can enjoy the combination of sweet and salty taste by eating the rice cake and the cherry leaf together.
In March, we will enjoy coming spring by eye and palate.   by A.C


Would you like to visit flower blooming town in Japan ?
If so, please join our free walking tours !


February 24, 2016

Sad History of Fish Cemetery


Memorial of the tuna fish at Yumenoshima Park,
Koto-ku, Tokyo

Everybody seems to be excited about the famous Tokyo fish market coming to Koto city this year from Tsukiji. Only a few people know that there is also a fish cemetery in Tsukiji: Cemetery of contaminated tuna fish, which had to be disposed of after being exposed to radiation from a hydrogen bomb test in the 1950s.


The fishing boat called Fukuryu-maru was on the Pacific Ocean near the Bikini Atoll of the Marshall Islands, when the United States carried out the H-bomb test on May 1st, 1954.

All the 23 crew members aboard were exposed to deadly ash from the nuclear test and suffered severe burn. One of them died of acute radiation disease after six months. Many of the others have died because of cancers.

The ship was left disposed of at a landfill in Koto city. In 1976, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government built a museum of the ship, in order not to forget, or repeat, the tragedy of the Fukuryu-maru.

Daigo Fukuryu-maru at the
 memorial museum
The deadly H-bomb ash fell not only on the Fukuryu-maru, but also on many other fishing boats, their crew members and catches. The fish could not be sold. Some 485 tons of such fish were buried deep under the Tsukiji fish market.

A memorial to commemorate the fish was placed, but not in Tsukiji for some reasons, but in Koto city along with the Fukuryu-maru museum. People are still calling for the fish memorial to be placed at Tsukiji.

The museum have displays of the Fukuryu-maru's body, samples of the deadly ash, crew members' diaries and letters, documents about the suffering of the people of the Marshall Islands, and more.

Now it has renewed attention following recent world events.


The "deadly ash" collected
fromFukuryu-maru. 27
radioactiveelements were
detected.




 
One of the crew members, Misaki Yoshio, predicted in his note while he was in hospital: "As long as the Earth exists, and as long as humankind is there, greediness of humankind will last. And tears will be shed.”

Was he right?


High school students donated
thousands of paper cranes,
wishing for nuclear-free world.










 

No.5 Fukuryu-maru Exhibition Hall:
Yumenoshima 3-2, Koto-ku, Tokyo. 10 minutes walk from Shinkiba station of JR Keiyo Line or Yurakucho Line of Tokyo Metro(Y-24)
Open 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Closed every Monday, or Tuesday when Monday falls on a holiday
Admission free
English leaflet and some English explanation available.
 by Seiko







February 21, 2016

Japanese Fable In and Out - deeply rooted in the Shintoism(*)?-

A)    Spare-some-for-me Canal
About 300 years ago, there was a canal in the desolate village (now Kameido 1-chome, Koto-ku).  The canal was surrounded by the dormant vegetation of shrubberies and reed, but a good place for fishing. 

The villagers often went to the canal to fish the crucians or grays for their evening meals.  When the villagers start pack-up with a big bag of fishes and big smile on their faces, a domineering voice came from the bottom of the canal; “Spare some fishes for me.”

Some greedy fishers who have ignored the plea ended up losing all the fishes or encountering a three-eyed hobgoblin or a huge tonsured monster on their way home and never got home. 

The villagers named the canal “spare-some-for-me canal”. – A legend handed down from the old times. 

A little piece of wood standing on the busy road side now tells us that there was a canal once there.

End (translated by K.K.)

B)    A Crane’s Gratitude
Once upon a time, there was a young man living deep in the snowy mountains.  He was poor and made his living by cutting firewood and selling it in a nearby village. 

One winter’s day, the young man heard an odd sound on his way home through the forest carrying his firewood.  He crept through the bushes toward the sound until he saw a crane with its leg was caught in a hunter’s trap.  “Don’t be scared,” said the young man softly and reached down and freed the crane from the trap.  The crane flew off into the air. 

That night, as the snow was falling thick and fast, the young man heard a knocking at his door.  On the doorstep stood a beautiful woman, dressed in white, with snowflakes in her long, black hair. 

“I’m lost.  Could I stay here for a night?” The woman said. 
“You can sleep in there,” the young man said gruffly, pointing to the other room.

The following morning, the woman said “I’ve made you something in thanks.” and showed him the most beautiful length of cloth he had ever seen in his life.  “You made that?” he asked in disbelief.  “I have my ways.  They are secret though.  Anyway, you should try selling it.” She said. 

The young man scrambled out of bed and bursting into the house of one of the merchants, “How much is this worth?” he said,

“Never seen anything like this before.”  “I’ll give you this much for it.” said the merchant.  The young man went weak at the knees.

After a month later, the young man said to the woman, “You know, we seem to have used up all the money.  Weave us another, would you, my dear?”
“If you want, but promise me one thing, you will never watch me weave.  You have to promise me that.” She said.  “Yes, yes I promise,” said the young man. 

The following morning, the woman gave him the cloth.  A few days later, he approached her again.  “I think we should sell as much of this stuff as we can now.  Weave us another one, would you?”

Over the next month, the woman wove many length of this magnificent cloth.  After a month spent weaving, she looked haggard, pale and sad, like a ghost, 
“I don’t think I can weave anymore,” she said.  Then the young man thought to himself, “Perhaps if I had a little look at what she’s doing in there, I could get some other people to weave the cloth.  Yes, I’ll have a look.”

The young man crept to the door, opened it slightly, and there he saw a crane sitting at the loom, plucking feathers from its body and weaving them into the beautiful cloth.  The crane had few feathers left and there was blood on its bare skin. 

“You promised…..” she said sadly.  “I am the crane that you saved.  I came here to thank you for what you did.  But now you have seen me in my real form, I must leave you.”  She disappeared into the snow, never to be seen again. 

End (texts extracted from the “Japanese Folk Tales” by The Japan Time)

(*)Shintoism is native religion of Japan, which is characterized by the worship of numerous gods, ancestors and natural phenomena.  According to Shinto principles, the gods exist in all natural objects. These gods are worshipped at Shinto shrines.  by K.K.

If you are interested in Shintoism, please join our free walking tour !

February 4, 2016

Enjoy Contemporary Art at Sunny, Spacious Museum

The exterior of the museum
On a cold day, it’s a good idea to spend pleasant hours at a comfortable museum. 
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo in Koto City is one of recommendable museums to visit. The modern and geometric design of the museum building beautifully matches the next-door Kiba Park.
The 140 meters long entrance hall is bright and filled with a relaxing atmosphere. 




The most comfortable chair in the world
Especially the colorful chairs put along the big glass windows seem to tempt you to sit on. Once sitting on, it’s too comfortable to get up from the chair. 
You may spend an entire day at the museum enjoying the fantastic facilities and exhibitions there. 








140 meters long entrance hall

The museum was opened in 1995 by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The museum building was designed by Takahiko Yanagisawa, who has a reputation for designing public buildings. One of his major works is Tokyo Opera City, whose acoustics were highly praised by a world-famous cellist, Yo-Yo ma. 



Public Plaza

The wide genres of contemporary art exhibitions are held at the museum including paintings, sculptures, architectures, fashion and design. 







Sign on current exhibition

Current exhibitions are Tokyo Art Meeting ”TOKYO”  Sensing the Cultural Magma of the Metropolis and YOKO ONO: FROM MY WINDOW at the Exhibition Galleries, and MOT Collectionat the Collection Gallery (through February 14th). The Museum possesses 4800 items of artworks created both in Japan and overseas, and about 100 pieces from the collection are exhibited at the Collection Gallery.


Atrium Project without records mot ver.2015
The exhibition rooms are spacious with a high ceiling, which allow large-scale works to display. You can enjoy works under the natural sunlight from the ceiling at some rooms equipped with the light control system to preserve the art pieces.




Atrium Project taking from 3rd floor
Anyone can access freely 100,000 art-related books at the Art Library. “Museum Shop NADiff contemporary” sells various kinds of its original items with stylish design. Having lunch or a coffee break at “Content restaurant” or “Café Hai” are also enjoyable.


The museum is #7 of 101 things to do in Koto City by TripAdvisor, and has two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japon. For more information about the museum, please check http://www.mot-art-museum.jp/eng/    by N.T


January 25, 2016

Along the Sumida River

A lovely spring on the Sumida River, Going upstream and downstream, As the boatmen oar, the drops from the paddles scatter like cherry blossoms’.  This is the lyrics of the famous song ‘Flowers’ composed by Taki Rentaro. 
In Edo era, there was Ofunagura, a boathouse, along the Sumida River. The place was for the battleships owned by Tokugawa shognate. 
‘Atake-maru’ was moored there. As it was the largest but impractical, Tokugawa shogunate was obliged to demolish the ship in 1682. People in Edo called the area ‘Atake’.
  
 Atake is also seen on the woodblock print. The title is ‘Sudden Shower over Shin-Ohashi Bridge and Atake’. Since the famous impressionist Van Gogh reproduced it, it is known to the art lovers in the world. 


Atake area in Koto city is now called Shin-ohashi itchome. Though, the monument in the square says the area was Fukagawa Atake cho in Meiji era.  by K.K


Would you like to stroll alongside of Sumida river ? 
If so, please join our free walking tours!

December 23, 2015

Meet Yasujiro Ozu in Fukagawa

Are you old enough to remember the term ''silver screen''?  Yes, or no?  I say YES.
The silver screen originated a kind of silver-coated projection screen that was popular in the early years of the film industry.
Setsuko Hara (1920-2015), one of the female stars of the silver screen, passed away in September at the age of 95.  A Japanese film director and screenwriter Yasujiro Ozu highly appreciated Hara's talent and often casted her in the leading role in his films.

Searching for Yasujiro Ozu

Yasujiro Ozu (1903-1963) is often called the most "Japanese" of Japanese film directors. He created films about typical middle-class Japanese lives and family relationships. He made 54 films in his life.
I am a film lover and I saw several Ozu's films, but to be honest. they didn't leave me much impression.  What is more, as far as Setsuko Hara, Akira Kurosawa's "The Idiot" in which she played a wicked woman being completely different character from that in Ozu's films was much more impressive for me.
However, things could be different this time, because I tried to follow Ozu's footsteps here in his hometown Fukagawa, and search for reasons why he was referred to as the most Japanese of Japanese film directors and also as one of the world's greatest directors. Anyway, when I finish writing this blog, I'll be definitely picking out Ozu's works in my DVD library.


Memorial tablet for his birthplace (1-chome, Fukagawa)


Born and raised in Fukagawa

Yasujiro Ozu was born in the old Fukagawa district (present Koto City) of Tokyo, in 1903, as the second son of Toranosuke, a manager at the top fertilizer wholesaler Yuasa-ya.  Yasujiro attended Meiji elementary school.  When he was at the age of ten, Ozu family moved to his father's hometown Matsusaka in Mie Prefecture.  In August 1923 young
Yasujiro came back to Tokyo and joined the Kamata Studio of Shochiku Film Company.  Shortly thereafter, in September 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake occurred and the Fukagawa area suffered catastrophic damage.  On that day he walked back to Fukagawa from the Kamata Studio and the following morning he was reunited with his all family members survived the disaster. 


A guardian dog donated by Fukagawa fertilizer wholesalers including Yuasa-ya
(Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine)

Pursuing a career in filmmaking

In 1927, Ozu became a director at Shochiku, making his first silent film Zange no yaiba or "Sword of Penitence." He was very interested in Hollywood movies and their influences could be glimpsed in his early films
One of Ozu's first masterpieces and also the last greatest Japanese silent films is the comedy & drama Umarete wa mita keredo or "I Was Born But" in 1932.  It gained critical and financial success and was voted the best Japanese film of the year in the "Kinema Jumpo"* poll.  In this film Ozu adopted the technique, which would become his style and trademark such as low angle, minimal or static camera work and simple cuts, etc. 
*Japan's oldest and premiere cinema magazine.


Posters of Ozu's films (Koto City Furuishiba Culture Center: KCFCC)

Stories set in Koto City
Ozu made five films being set in Koto City:
- Dekigokoro "Passing Fancy" (1933),
- Tokyo no yado "An Inn in Tokyo" (1935)
- Hitori musuko "The Only Son" (1936)
- Kaze no naka no mendori "A Hen in the Wind" (1948)
- Tokyo monogatari "Tokyo Story" (1953)
- Akibiyori "Late Autumn" (1960)

Emerging as a world film director
Ozu made 54 films (37 of them extant).  Sanma no aji or "An Autumn Afternoon" (1962) was his last film.  Ozu never married or had his own children, living with his mother until her death in 1962.  As though he was following his mother, he died of cervical malignancy in 1963, almost on his 60th birthday.  Shortly before his death, Ozu's films appeared in foreign movie theaters and International film festivals.
In 2012, "Tokyo Story" topped in the British Film Institute poll of Greatest Films of Directors and Critics published in "Sight & Sound"*, receiving 48 votes out of the 358 directors polled.
*British monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI), since 1932

Once in an interview he said, "As my principle of life, I follow the general fashion in ordinary matters and moral laws in serious matters, but in matters of art I follow myself."


His favorite items in showcases (KCFCC)



His favorite items in a showcase (KCFCC)



Haiku poem handwritten by Ozu with his autograph on his folding fan (KCFCC)


Reference:
Ozu Yasujiro to Fukagawa "Yasujiro and Fukagawa" published by Koto City Furuishiba Culture Center http://www.kcf.or.jp/furuishiba/ozu.html

Hideo Tsukiyama - Ozu Collection "Setsuko Hara and Yasujiro Ozu"
December 26, 2015 — February 14, 2016
at Koto City Furuishiba Culture Center



November 28, 2015

Chill Out at the Seaside Park?


Enjoy autumn at Toyosu Park
It’s getting a little chilly lately in Tokyo, but it’s too early to keep indoors!!!
Now, time to make a trip to the urban seaside park where locals spend relaxing leisure on weekends.







hanging out on dockyard monuments



Here is the Toyosu Park, located 10 minutes by subway from Ginza and few minutes walk from Toyosu station on Yurakucho subway line and Yurikamome line. Toyosu is reclaimed land in the southwestern part of Koto City. The town was prospered as dockyard business in 1980s, and nowadays it’s known as a gate town to seaside area.






The park is located by Tokyo Bay and next to the urban shopping mall, LaLaport Toyosu. The park extends to the west along the sea, and Gas Museum, campsite, Football Park, and concert hall are following. Moreover, Japan’s biggest fish market will open in 2016 near these facilities.
“Mom, I wanna play here!!” – November 15, a festival day for children of 3, 5, 7 years of age
early Santa Claus is ready in courtyard
The mall offers a cinema, wide variety of shops and restaurants (180 in total) including Uniqlo (Japanese fast fashion), MUJI (minimal designed goods store), Tokyu Hands (household goods store), Daiso (100 yen shop). These novelty goods never let you down.
You may be fascinated by Japanese niche products.






today’s lunch
Of course, it’s great to have a meal at a fancy restaurant with a view of the ocean, but you may spend cozy lunch time with a quick & easy meal in the park. To-Go meals and Bento are available at the food court or supermarket (Aoki) in the mall. It’s even fun experience to try Japanese To-Go fast food. Bento shop, curry shop, rice bowl shop (beef & chicken) are around the intersection of Toyosu station.
Toyosu is also known as a town where the first Japanese convenience store was launched. A rice ball, sushi-roll, or sandwich would be great picnic lunch too. Then, do not forget to try 100 yen coffee. A self-service coffee machine makes fresh coffee with a taste similar to café.








On weekends, mini-train runs around the mall for kids, and food event, music event or sport event are often held in the park.  Thus, I guarantee you to have relaxing time in Toyosu Park, greenery open space by seaside. In case you get bored, you can rent an e-bicycle (pre-registration needed) at the park or Toyosu station and enjoy cycling through seaside area, or you can even cruise to Odaiba or Asakusa area.
“All Aboard!!!”

community cycle port under Yurikamome line

heads for Asakusa, traditional feel of Edo
Aren’t you getting tired of Tokyo sightseeing just following a guidebook?

If so, we introduce a free walking tour
Experience the daily life of locals with us.  
by E.M.