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A photo of Hama-rikyu taken by Felice Beato in about 1870.
Hamarikyu Gardens is a public park alongside Tokyo Bay next to the futuristic Shiodome district. The park is at the mouth of the Sumida River and is a landscaped stroll garden surrounding Shioiri Pond, whose level changes with the tides. The park is surrounded by a moat filled by Tokyo Bay and was once the site of a villa of a feudal lord. It later became the Imperial guesthouse. In 1946 it became a public park. Traditional falcon and goshawk hunting techniques are demonstrated daily. I can't believe I missed that!
The Four Accomplishments
Muromachi period (13921573), mid-16th century
Kano Motonobu (Japanese, 14761559)
Pair of six-panel screens; ink and color on pape
The descriptive quality of line is characteristic of Kano painting from all periods. Early works with figures in a landscape, like this pair of screens long in a daimyo family collection, are replete with the idiosyncratic life of the brush. Many of the ink conventions (for example, the "ax cut" strokes used in the rocks) are drawn from Chinese painting. Chinese themes, too, had great meaning in Muromachi culture. Four Accomplishments paintings, which allude to the gentlemanly pursuits of music, games of strategy, calligraphy, and painting, were a popular subject for abbots' quarters and audience rooms of the ruling classes from the Muromachi period into the nineteenth century.
Situated within pockets of space created by overhanging trees, rocks, and architecture, the human subjects in this painting are stately reminders of the spiritual appreciation of nature. Care has been taken to draw each scholar and each of the attendant youths naturalistically. At the same time, the brushwork has an energy independent of the subjects it represents.
Dr. and Mrs. Roger G. Gerry Collection, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Roger G. Gerry, 1991 (1991.480.1,.2)
**
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection contains more than two million works of art from around the world. It opened its doors on February 20, 1872, housed in a building located at 681 Fifth Avenue in New York City. Under their guidance of John Taylor Johnston and George Palmer Putnam, the Met's holdings, initially consisting of a Roman stone sarcophagus and 174 mostly European paintings, quickly outgrew the available space. In 1873, occasioned by the Met's purchase of the Cesnola Collection of Cypriot antiquities, the museum decamped from Fifth Avenue and took up residence at the Douglas Mansion on West 14th Street. However, these new accommodations were temporary; after negotiations with the city of New York, the Met acquired land on the east side of Central Park, where it built its permanent home, a red-brick Gothic Revival stone "mausoleum" designed by American architects Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mold. As of 2006, the Met measures almost a quarter mile long and occupies more than two million square feet, more than 20 times the size of the original 1880 building.
In 2007, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was ranked #17 on the AIA 150 America's Favorite Architecture list.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1967. The interior was designated in 1977.
National Historic Register #86003556
Nōhime (濃姫, Nōhime?) also Kichō (帰蝶) or Lady/Princess Noh, was the wife of Oda Nobunaga, a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Her proper name was Kichō, but since she came from Mino Province, she is most commonly referred to as Nōhime (Princess of Mino). She was renowned for her beauty and cleverness.
Nōhime's father was the daimyo Saitō Dōsan and her mother was known as Omi no Kata. Nōhime herself appears very little in any historical record, and there is not a lot of information on the dates of her birth or death; however, proposed dates for her birth fall between 1533–1535.
Marriage to Nobunaga:
Nōhime was said to be extremely intelligent and stunningly beautiful. At their wedding, Nobunaga described her as having "the mind of a genius and the appearance of a goddess." She was married to him in 1549, during a truce between his father, Nobuhide, and Saitō Dōsan.
The marriage was a political gesture and many believe there was little love between Nōhime and Nobunaga. Though she was the official wife of Oda Nobunaga, it is often believed that he focused his love on his concubine, Kitsuno, who bore him his first son, Nobutada. Nōhime was never able to conceive a child with Nobunaga and it was believed that she was barren.
Through lack of historical record there is not much information of what became of Nōhime or even the date of her death. Overall, it can be said that Nōhime's life as it is known now is more of a mixture of legends, folktales, and tentative half-truths.
Legends and speculation:
It was alleged that Nōhime was acting as a spy, or even assassin, for her father; at that time it was not an uncommon practice for a wife to relay information to her maiden family. Given Nobunaga's reputation at the time as the unruly "Fool of Owari" (Owari no Utsuke 尾張の虚け), it was also not impossible for Dōsan to want Nōhime to assassinate him as she was skilled in both the sword and a selection of martial arts.
As for her alleged role as a spy, there is a popular story where Nobunaga purposely gave Nōhime false information regarding a conspiracy between two of her father's head servants and their plans to betray the Saitō. Her father had both the men executed and thus weakened himself by eliminating those loyal to him.
In 1556, Dōsan, Nōhime's father, was killed in a coup in Mino Province. This detracted much from Nōhime's worth as a wife. Her inability to conceive and her supposed spying were held against her.
After the Incident at Honnō-ji which claimed the lives of Nobunaga and Nobutada, it was uncertain where Nōhime went. Some speculate that she died at Honnō-ji, but the woman alleged to be Nōhime was more often believed to be a dormant prostitute who Nobunaga Oda had taken a liking to . Nevertheless, after the incident, Nobunaga's wives and female servants were all sent to Azuchi Castle, which was Nobunaga's castle of residence. Among the women was a Lady Azuchi (安土殿 Azuchi dono), who was taken in by Oda Nobukatsu. This Lady Azuchi is widely believed to have been Nōhime in disguise as she soon after disappeared from Azuchi Castle in the night.
Afterwards, it was often rumoured that she had attempted to raise her father's clan in Mino under her name. But this rumour also says that Nōhime had been killed by an assassin sent by the Akechi who had been tracking her down since her escape from Honnō-ji.
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga (支倉六右衛門常長?) (1571 - 7 de agosto de 1622), bautizado en España como Felipe Francisco de Faxicura, fue un samurái japonés que prestó servicios al daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune. Dirigió una misión diplomática a México y luego a Europa entre 1613 y 1620, regresando después a Japón. Fue el primer oficial japonés enviado a América, y su escala accidental en Francia supuso el primer caso registrado de contacto directo en las relaciones franco-japonesas.
Poco se sabe de su juventud, exceptuando el hecho de que fue un samurái veterano de las invasiones japonesas a Corea bajo el taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi entre 1592 y 1597.
Los españoles comenzaron los viajes a través del Océano Pacífico entre Nueva España (actual México) y China, a través de su base territorial en Filipinas, siguiendo los viajes de Andrés de Urdaneta en el siglo XVI. Manila se convertiría en la base principal de la región asiática en 1571.
España estableció contactos con Japón, por un interés comercial con esa nación tan poblada y también en razón a que las naves españolas naufragaban periódicamente en las costas japonesas a causa del mal tiempo local. Los españoles además deseaban expandir la fe cristiana en Japón, pero los portugueses y los holandeses querían hacerse con el comercio japonés dejando fuera a los españoles, sin embargo se encontraron con una gran resistencia por parte de los jesuitas, que empezaron la evangelización del país en 1549.
En 1609, el galeón español San Francisco, debido a una tormenta, naufragó en la costa japonesa de Chiba, cerca de Tokio, mientras navegaba de Manila a Acapulco. Los marinos fueron rescatados y atendidos, y el capitán de la nave, Rodrigo de Vivero, se reunió con Tokugawa Ieyasu. El 29 de noviembre del mismo año se firmó un tratado, en el que se autorizaba a los españoles a establecer una fábrica al estilo europeo en el Este de Japón, podrían trasladar a especialistas en minería desde Nueva España, se permitiría a las naves españoles visitar Japón en caso de necesidad, y se enviaría una misión diplomática japonesa a la Corte Española.
Un monje franciscano llamado Luis Sotelo, que realizaba conversiones religiosas en el área de Tokio, convenció al shōgun para que fuera enviado como embajador a Nueva España. Sotelo viajó con los marinos españoles del San Francisco y 22 japoneses a bordo del San Buena Ventura, un barco hecho por el aventurero inglés William Adams para el shōgun. En Nueva España, Sotelo conversó con el Virrey Luis de Velasco, quien aceptó enviar un embajador a Japón en la persona del famoso explorador Sebastián Vizcaíno, con la misión anexa de reconocer las Islas del Oro y de la Plata que, según se creía, estaban al este de las islas japonesas.
Vizcaíno llegó a Japón en 1611, y tuvo varios encuentros con el Shōgun y con los señores feudales. Estos contactos fueron empañados por el desconocimiento y poco respeto que mostró Vizcaíno hacia las estrictas costumbres japonesas, además de la fuerte resistencia de este pueblo contra las conversiones católicas y de las intrigas de los holandeses en torno a las ambiciones españolas. Vizcaíno finalmente partió en busca de la Isla de la Plata. Sin embargo, debió interrumpir su tarea por causa del mal tiempo, que lo forzó a regresar a Japón con severos daños.
El Shōgun decidió construir un galeón en Japón para permitir el regreso de Vizcaíno a Nueva España junto con una misión japonesa. El daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune, se encargó del proyecto. Llamó a uno de sus servidores, Hasekura Tsunenaga, a liderar la misión. El galeón, llamado Date Maru por los japoneses y, posteriormente, San Juan Bautista por los españoles, tomó 45 días en ser construido, y contó con la participación de expertos técnicos del Bakufu, 800 constructores navales, 700 herreros y 3.000 carpinteros.
[editar] Viaje por el Pacífico
Después de terminado, el galeón partió el 28 de octubre de 1613, hacia Acapulco, México con 180 personas a bordo, incluyendo diez samurái del shōgun (enviados por el Ministro de la Marina, Mukai Shōgen), doce samurái de Sendai, 120 comerciantes, marinos y sirvientes japoneses y alrededor de cuarenta españoles y portugueses.
El galeón llegó a Acapulco el 25 de enero de 1614 después de tres meses en el océano, y fue recibida con una gran ceremonia. La misión diplomática permaneció un tiempo en México, y luego fueron a Veracruz a abordar la flota de Don Antonio de Oquendo en la nave San José el 10 de junio del mismo año. Hasekura dejó gran parte de la misión japonesa en Acapulco para aguardar el regreso de la misión.
Kōchi Castle (高知城, Kōchi-jō) is an Edo Period Japanese castle in the city of Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture, Japan. It is located at Otakayama hill, at the center of Kōchi city, which in turn is located at the center of the Kōchi Plain, the most prosperous area of former Tosa Province on the island of Shikoku.
From 1601 to 1871, it was the center of Tosa Domain, ruled by the tozama Yamauchi clan under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The castle site has been protected as a National Historic Site since 1959, with the area under protection expanded in 2014.[1]
History
During the Sengoku period, Tosa Province was dominated by Chōsokabe Motochika, who conquered most of Shikoku from stronghold at Okō Castle.
However, Okō Castle was a mountain stronghold with little room for the development of a castle town. After his defeat by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1585, Motochika decided to construct a new castle at Otakayama hill and the ruins of an ancient fortification which had been constructed by Otakasa Matsuomaru sometime during the late Heian or Kamakura period.
Although the new castle had the advantages of space and a central location, the area around the hill at this time was extremely swampy, due to the influx of alluvial sediments from the Kagami River, and was prone to flooding.[2]
Motochika shortly afterwards moved once again to a new location at Urado Castle on the coast, which also had the advantage of being closer to his fleet.
However, Motochika's successor Chōsokabe Morichika joined the pro-Toyotomi Western Army at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and was subsequently deprived of his title, and later his life.
The victorious Tokugawa shogunate ordered Yamauchi Kazutoyo, lord of Kakegawa Castle in Tōtōmi Province to take control of the province as daimyō of the newly-created Tosa Domain, with a nominal kokudaka of 202,600 koku. [3]
Kazutoyo first entered Urado Castle, but its defenses were weak, so he rebuilt Otakayama Castle from 1601 to 1611 on a larger scale. He renamed the castle "Kawanakayama Castle", and later changed the name to Kōchi Castle.[4]
Much of the original fortress burned down in 1727; it was reconstructed between 1729 and 1753 in the original style. During the Boshin War, Kōchi escaped any damage, and the castle was also exempted from the post-Meiji restoration orders to destroy all remaining feudal fortifications.
The castle also survived World War II unscathed, and underwent major restoration from 1948 to 1959. Though no battles were fought at the castle, it is noteworthy because the castle buildings are all historical structures, and not post-war replicas. It is also the only castle in Japan to retain both its historical tenshu, or keep, and its palace, the residence of the local daimyō.[5]
In fact, it is the only castle to have all the original buildings (from the 18th-century reconstruction) in the honmaru, or innermost ring of defense, still standing.
Kōchi Castle was listed as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006.[6] The castle is a 20-minute walk from the JR Shikoku Kōchi Station. [7]
Cultural Property Status
As one of only twelve castles with intact original main keeps in Japan, Kōchi Castle was formerly designated a National Treasure (国宝) before the 1950 National Treasure Protection Law (文化財保護法施) was enacted. After the law was passed, a number of surviving structures within the castle grounds were individually given National Important Cultural Property designations:
Tenshu (天守)[8]
Kaitokukan palace (懐徳館)[9]
Nandokura (納戸蔵)[10]
Kuroganemon (黒鉄門)[11]
Nishi-tamon (西多聞)[12]
Higashi-tamon (東多聞)[13]
Tsume-mon (詰門)[14]
Rōkamon (廊下門)[15]
Ōtemon (追手門)[16]
Tenshu Southwest Arrow Wall (天守東南矢狭間塀)[17]
Tenshu Northwest Arrow Wall (天守西北矢狭間塀)[18]
Kurogamemon Northwest Arrow Wall (黒鉄門西北矢狭間塀)[19]
Kuroganemon Southeast Arrow Wall (黒鉄門東南矢狭間塀)[20]
Ōtemon Southwest Arrow Wall (追手門西南矢狭間塀)[21]
Ōtemon Northeast Arrow Wall (追手門東北矢狭間塀)[22]
Structure
Two rivers, the Kagami River [ja] and the Enokuchi River, form the outer moat of the castle.
The castle is relatively small, as it was constructed primarily as a defense against possible rebellion by former Chōsokabe retainers, who were very unhappy with the death of their lord and the imposition of rule by the Yamauchi clan and Tokugawa Shogunate.
The central bailey at the peak of the hill is an isolated area connected to secondary bailey only by bridge, and wholly surrounded by stone walls and yagura watchtowers.
In case of emergency the bridge could be destroyed and the isolated defenders in the tenshu could wait for the reinforcements from branch castles. The tenshu is five stories high and sits atop Otakasa Hill, commanding an extensive view of the city.
Each roads from hillside area to central area are steep and folded, and climbing enemies are exposed to continuous attack from upper area, including main tower. Inside central area, other than the tenshu, the Kaitokukan palace was located.
This was constructed in the Shoin style. The castle retains this structure today and has been fitted with period-appropriate items in the lower rooms. In addition to a tearoom, genkan (entrance area), and latrine, the Kaitokukan contains eight traditional rooms, ranging in size from three to twelve tatami. It is surrounded by a veranda on the east and south sides. The Kaitokukan also burned during the fire of 1727, but it was not repaired until 1747, with work completed in 1749.[5]
Below the central area secondary area and other terraces covered with tall stone walls were built. The main gate of the castle located at southeast direction of the hill, and outer moat surrounded south half. The castle grounds are now a public park, and a popular location in spring for hanami. They contain the Prefectural Library and the Kōchi Literary Museum, in addition to statues of notable scions of the Yamauchi clan.
Osaka Castle has a long and storied history. It all began in 1496 when the priest Rennyo built a small temple called the Ishiyama Gobo on the grounds of the present-day castle. In 1533, the Hongan-ji temple moved from Yamashina in Kyoto to Osaka and made the Osaka location its head temple. As Japan plunged deeper into the chaos of civil war, the Ishiyama Hongan-ji grew in spiritual, political, economic and military power, challenging the rule of daimyo and led many popular military revolts. This Buddhist temple had become a center of military might that stood in Oda Nobuanga’s path of unifying Japan and in 1570, full-scale war broke out between him and the warrior monks. After 10 long years of siege and fighting, the temple finally surrendered to the Oda, and Nobunaga ordered that the temple and its remaining fortifications be burnt to the ground in 1580. Three years later, with Nobunaga dead and Hideyoshi starting to consolidate his power, he chose Osaka as his base and began building a castle on the ruins of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji compound. The main keep was completed in 1585 and was considered the largest, most splendid and impregnable fortress of its day. In 1599, a year after the death of Hideyoshi, his son and heir, Hideyori, along with his mother Yodo, permanently moved into Osaka Castle from Fushimi Castle in Kyoto.
By 1614, it was clear that the Tokugawa were spoiling for a fight with the Toyotomi as they wanted to eliminate any threat that Hideyori could mount from this massive castle. Therefore, in the winter of that year, Ieyasu and his son, Hidetada (now Shogun) launched the winter siege of Osaka. It was a fairly inconclusive affair, but as one of the terms of peace and as a goodwill gesture towards the Tokugawa, Hideyori agreed to fill in the outer moat. However, the Tokugawa forces started filling in the inner moat, severely weakening the castle’s defenses. It was only a matter of time before fighting broke out again under these conditions, and in the summer of 1615, the Tokugawa coalition once again laid siege to the castle. After some heavy and dramatic fighting in which western artillery was used against the castle, Hideyori and Yodo committed suicide when it became clear that all was lost and the castle’s main keep erupted in flames and was completely destroyed. After two major sieges and the final fire, the castle grounds were a heap of ruins.
However, Osaka was an important economic and political center and in 1620, the Tokugawa Shogunate decided to rebuild the castle. In 1626, a new white-colored main keep was built, symbolizing a new age for the castle. In the Toyotomi period, the color of the keep had been black. By 1629 the remaining structures were completed. Bad luck continued to dog the castle and in 1665 lightning struck the main keep and it was destroyed. Through the years, lightning would damage other turrets and structures. I868 also proved to be a disastrous year for Osaka Castle as this was the year of the Meiji Restoration. Following the defeat of the Shogunal forces at nearby Toba-Fushimi, the Tokugawa commanders based at the mighty fortress of Osaka decided to make a stand against the forces of Satsuma and Chōshū. During the fighting, much of the castle fell to the torch and the charred scars of this fiery tragedy are still visible on many of the Castle’s stone walls.
In 1931, with civilian donations, Osaka Castle’s main tower was rebuilt for a third time and the castle became home to a regional HQ for Japan’s Imperial Army. This was a bad move, as this made the castle a legitimate military target for US bombers and attack aircraft in the closing months of World War II. Many surviving turrets from the Edo period and other historical structures were bombed or burned to bits. In the 1950s, Osaka Castle and many of its structures were designated Important Cultural Properties and the entire site was designated an Important Historical Property by the central government.
Osaka Skyline from the Castle's Observation Deck / Osaka Castle is a reconstructed Azuchi-Momoyama Period castle originally built is 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) a preeminent daimyō, warrior, general, samurai, and politician of the Sengoku period . The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. The main tower of Osaka Castle is situated on a plot of land roughly one square kilometer. It is built on two raised platforms of landfill supported by sheer walls of cut rock, using a technique called Burdock piling, each overlooking a moat. The central castle building is five stories on the outside and eight stories on the inside, and built atop a tall stone foundation to protect its occupants from attackers. The castle grounds, which cover approximately 15 acres, contain thirteen structures that have been designated as important cultural assets by the Japanese government, including, inter alia, the Ote-mon Gate, Sakura-mon Gate and three sections of castle wall all located around Otemon Gate. In 1660, lightning ignited the gunpowder warehouse and the resulting explosion set the castle on fire. In 1868, Osaka Castle fell and was surrendered to anti-bakufu imperial loyalists. Much of the castle was burned in the civil conflicts surrounding the Meiji Restoration. Under the Meiji government, Osaka Castle became part of the Osaka Army Arsenal (Osaka Hohei Kosho) manufacturing guns, ammunition, and explosives for Japan's rapidly expanding Western-style military. In 1995, Osaka's government approved a restoration project, with the intent of restoring the main tower to its Edo-era splendor. In 1997, restoration was completed. The castle is a concrete reproduction (including elevators) of the original and the interior is intended as a modern, functioning museum. See also, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osaka_Castle
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga (支倉六右衛門常長?) (1571 - 7 de agosto de 1622), bautizado en España como Felipe Francisco de Faxicura, fue un samurái japonés que prestó servicios al daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune. Dirigió una misión diplomática a México y luego a Europa entre 1613 y 1620, regresando después a Japón. Fue el primer oficial japonés enviado a América, y su escala accidental en Francia supuso el primer caso registrado de contacto directo en las relaciones franco-japonesas.
Poco se sabe de su juventud, exceptuando el hecho de que fue un samurái veterano de las invasiones japonesas a Corea bajo el taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi entre 1592 y 1597.
Los españoles comenzaron los viajes a través del Océano Pacífico entre Nueva España (actual México) y China, a través de su base territorial en Filipinas, siguiendo los viajes de Andrés de Urdaneta en el siglo XVI. Manila se convertiría en la base principal de la región asiática en 1571.
España estableció contactos con Japón, por un interés comercial con esa nación tan poblada y también en razón a que las naves españolas naufragaban periódicamente en las costas japonesas a causa del mal tiempo local. Los españoles además deseaban expandir la fe cristiana en Japón, pero los portugueses y los holandeses querían hacerse con el comercio japonés dejando fuera a los españoles, sin embargo se encontraron con una gran resistencia por parte de los jesuitas, que empezaron la evangelización del país en 1549.
En 1609, el galeón español San Francisco, debido a una tormenta, naufragó en la costa japonesa de Chiba, cerca de Tokio, mientras navegaba de Manila a Acapulco. Los marinos fueron rescatados y atendidos, y el capitán de la nave, Rodrigo de Vivero, se reunió con Tokugawa Ieyasu. El 29 de noviembre del mismo año se firmó un tratado, en el que se autorizaba a los españoles a establecer una fábrica al estilo europeo en el Este de Japón, podrían trasladar a especialistas en minería desde Nueva España, se permitiría a las naves españoles visitar Japón en caso de necesidad, y se enviaría una misión diplomática japonesa a la Corte Española.
Un monje franciscano llamado Luis Sotelo, que realizaba conversiones religiosas en el área de Tokio, convenció al shōgun para que fuera enviado como embajador a Nueva España. Sotelo viajó con los marinos españoles del San Francisco y 22 japoneses a bordo del San Buena Ventura, un barco hecho por el aventurero inglés William Adams para el shōgun. En Nueva España, Sotelo conversó con el Virrey Luis de Velasco, quien aceptó enviar un embajador a Japón en la persona del famoso explorador Sebastián Vizcaíno, con la misión anexa de reconocer las Islas del Oro y de la Plata que, según se creía, estaban al este de las islas japonesas.
Vizcaíno llegó a Japón en 1611, y tuvo varios encuentros con el Shōgun y con los señores feudales. Estos contactos fueron empañados por el desconocimiento y poco respeto que mostró Vizcaíno hacia las estrictas costumbres japonesas, además de la fuerte resistencia de este pueblo contra las conversiones católicas y de las intrigas de los holandeses en torno a las ambiciones españolas. Vizcaíno finalmente partió en busca de la Isla de la Plata. Sin embargo, debió interrumpir su tarea por causa del mal tiempo, que lo forzó a regresar a Japón con severos daños.
El Shōgun decidió construir un galeón en Japón para permitir el regreso de Vizcaíno a Nueva España junto con una misión japonesa. El daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune, se encargó del proyecto. Llamó a uno de sus servidores, Hasekura Tsunenaga, a liderar la misión. El galeón, llamado Date Maru por los japoneses y, posteriormente, San Juan Bautista por los españoles, tomó 45 días en ser construido, y contó con la participación de expertos técnicos del Bakufu, 800 constructores navales, 700 herreros y 3.000 carpinteros.
[editar] Viaje por el Pacífico
Después de terminado, el galeón partió el 28 de octubre de 1613, hacia Acapulco, México con 180 personas a bordo, incluyendo diez samurái del shōgun (enviados por el Ministro de la Marina, Mukai Shōgen), doce samurái de Sendai, 120 comerciantes, marinos y sirvientes japoneses y alrededor de cuarenta españoles y portugueses.
El galeón llegó a Acapulco el 25 de enero de 1614 después de tres meses en el océano, y fue recibida con una gran ceremonia. La misión diplomática permaneció un tiempo en México, y luego fueron a Veracruz a abordar la flota de Don Antonio de Oquendo en la nave San José el 10 de junio del mismo año. Hasekura dejó gran parte de la misión japonesa en Acapulco para aguardar el regreso de la misión.
Yodo-Dono (淀殿, Lady Yodo), also known as Yodo-Gimi (淀君) and sometimes Lady Chacha, was one of the most favoured concubines along with Nene of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the niece of the great Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga. She was born in 1567 (or 1569) during the Sengoku period to Nobunaga's sister O-ichi and his rival daimyo Azai Nagamasa.
During the Edo period, she was often referred to as "Yodo-Gimi", which is believed to be a derogatory name.
____
Early years
During her childhood, Lady Yodo was known as Chacha (茶々). In 1570, her father, Nagamasa, broke his alliance with Oda Nobunaga and there was a three year period of fighting until 1573 when Nobunaga's army surrounded Nagamasa at Odani Castle. Nobunaga, however, requested his sister, Lady O-ichi's safe return, and Lady Yodo along with her mother, and her two sisters (O-go and O-Hatsu) left the castle with her. Odani Castle fell, and amongst those who died were Lady Yodo's father and her brother.
Nobunaga's death in 1582 caused open hostilities between Katsuie and Toyotomi Hideyoshi over the issue of succession. Katsuie's forces were defeated at the Battle of Shizugatake
However, before O-ichi perished, she passed Lady Yodo and her other daughters to the care and protection of Hideyoshi.
_________
Concubine of Hideyoshi
Lady Yodo became Hideyoshi's concubine and soon moved to Yodo Castle (from which she inherited her title). Hideyoshi's wife, Kita-no-Mandokoro (or Koudaiin), was unable to conceive, and thus Lady Yodo inherited many of her privileges. She had two sons with Hideyoshi, Tsurumatsu, who died young, and Hideyori born in 1593 who became the designated successor of Hideyoshi.
In 1594, the family moved to Fushimi Castle, but tragedy befell when Hideyoshi died in 1598 and the Toyotomi clan lost much of its influence and importance. Lady Yodo moved to Osaka Castle and with her son Hideyori, plotted the restoration of the Toyotomi clan.
Tokugawa Ieyasu, who seized control from Hideyori after the death of his father, now viewed Hideyori as an obstacle to his unification of Japan. He lay siege to Osaka Castle in 1614, but the attack fell through, and subsequently he signed a truce with Hideyori.
However, in 1615, Ieyasu broke the truce and once again attacked Osaka Castle, and this time he succeeded. Lady Yodo and her son Hideyori committed suicide, thus ending the Toyotomi legacy
_______
Allegations
Lady Yodo was said to have committed adultery with a number of Toyotomi vassals, the two most often mentioned names being Ishida Mitsunari and Oono Harunaga, who were both highly loyal to Hideyori. The speculation and allegations were widely spread as Hideyoshi had never been able to have a child with his wife and other concubines and was possibly sterile. She was also sometimes considered an obnoxious woman who bewitched Toyotomi Hideyoshi, took over the rightful place of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife, and tried to manipulate the Toyotomi clan for her gains, indirectly leading to its demise.
However, many[citation needed] also believe that accusations against her were in fact partially propaganda spread and encouraged by the rising Tokugawa shogunate. As Lady Yodo—being the guardian of the young Toyotomi Hideyori—was the virtual ruler of the Osaka Castle and the Toyotomi clan, she having a bad image would have helped justify Tokugawa's military actions against Osaka.
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In fiction
Yodo Gimi appears in James Clavell's Shogun as Lady Ochiba, who dislikes Toranaga (Tokugawa Ieyasu) because he presumably knew her son wasn't fathered by the Taikō (Toyotomi Hideyoshi). However, she admires and trusts the Taikō's widow, Yodoko (Nene), who urges both her and Toranaga that they marry so that Japan remains united, and when the heir, Yaemon (Toyotomi Hideyori) comes of age, he can safely take control. In James Clavell's later novels it is revealed that, just as in real history, Toronaga eventually besieged Ochiba and Yaemon in their castle, prompting them to commit suicide.
She also appears in Capcom's recent addition of the Onimusha series, Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, as Toyotomi Hideyoshi's concubine and sister to playable character O-Hatsu, who affectionately calls Yodo by her childhood name, "Cha-Cha". She was transformed into the Genma Mother Tree, and was replaced by Ophelia, who took on her form. Ophelia, the Genma High Priestess, is a member of the Genma Triumvirate, whose ultimate goal is to resurrect the Genma/Demon God of Light Fortinbras by using Hideyoshi as his vessel. Yodo was rescued by Soki and his friends, and she fled Fushimi Castle. At the end of the game, it is seen that Yodo now lives with her sister O-Hatsu.
Un ninja (忍者, ninja celui qui pratique le ninjutsu) ou shinobi (忍び, shinobi) était un guerrier-espion dans le Japon médiéval. Le terme utilisé pour désigner une femme ninja est kunoichi (くノ一, kunoichi).
Dans l'imaginaire des Occidentaux et même des Japonais, image d'ailleurs largement colportée par les films ou bandes dessinées, on représente les ninjas comme des guerriers vêtus de noir, une cagoule masquant leur visage, accomplissant des exploits physiques en combat, des acrobaties, et experts dans les techniques de dissimulation, d'empoisonnement, et surtout de diversion. Leurs atouts principaux était leur furtivité et leur discrétion.
Origine :
Cette image romantique, et le terme même de ninja, sont relativement récents (vers 1780). Les termes utilisés pour désigner ces guerriers-espions étaient plutôt shinobi ou shinobu, parfois rappa (乱破, rappa), suppa (素破, 水破 ou 出抜, suppa) ou kagimono-hiki, ou encore kusa (草, kusa les herbes, une des techniques consistant à attendre tapis dans l'herbe et à attaquer les troupes de dos après leur passage). En raison de leur origine géographique probable, les ninjas sont aussi parfois nommés hommes d'Iga (Iga no mono) ou de Kōga, ou encore troupe d'Iga (Iga shu) ou de Kōga.
Les ninjas étaient en effet probablement issus de ces deux provinces voisines situées à côté de Kyōto. Ces provinces étant indépendantes, ils n'étaient redevables d'aucune taxe et jouissaient d'une liberté de mouvement que n'avaient pas les bushi (ou samouraïs), qui étaient eux inféodés aux daimyō (seigneurs féodaux) ; ils n'étaient pas non plus soumis au bushidō (武士道, bushidō code de l'honneur du bushi), et pouvaient donc pratiquer des techniques de guerre non-orthodoxe (espionnage, guérilla, embuscades, assassinats). N'étant pas subordonnés aux grandes familles, celles-ci les utilisaient pour leurs besognes (pillages, assassinats). Une de leurs grandes spécialités était de s'introduire de nuit dans les châteaux et camps militaires et d'allumer un incendie, afin de faciliter l'assaut par des troupes classiques ; ils se déguisaient en général pour porter la même tenue que leurs victimes (ils n'étaient donc pas forcément vêtus de noir) afin de semer la confusion.
Par ailleurs, les familles nobles commencèrent à faire appels à des mercenaires dès le règne du premier empereur du Japon : Jinmu Tennō (sans doute des ninjas). Mais c'est lors de la période Kamakura (1192-1333), période marquée par de nombreux conflits entre familles et assassinats, que ces pratiques, même si elles ne correspondaient pas au code du bushido, ont été le plus utilisées par le pouvoir et les seigneurs féodaux. Ceux qui donnèrent par la suite les ninjas avaient établi leurs demeures souvent dans les montagnes où ils côtoyèrent les pratiquants de shugendō : les yamabushi qui souvent furent leurs maîtres d'armes. On voit souvent des documents anciens montrant des guerriers aux prises avec des tengu, dieux de la montagne, en réalité des yamabushi.
La séparation entre samouraï et ninja est difficile à établir comme le montre la vie de du célèbre guerrier Jūbei Mitsuyoshi Yagyū qui fut un samouraï et un ninja hors pair. Il rédigea des traités de stratégie militaire, nommés les Carnets de la Lune (月の諸, Tsuki-no-shō).
Aux yeux de la population, les ninjas, par leur activité criminelle et leurs méthodes peu orthodoxes, faisaient partie des classes sociales eta (穢多, eta paria) ou hinin (非人, hinin non-humain). Ces castes comprenaient les criminels, mendiants, vagabonds et tanneurs, métiers indésirables de la société japonaise, aujourd'hui regroupés sous le terme burakumin.
Une explication possible de l'étymologie de kunoichi, le terme désignant une femme ninja, est que chacun des caractères qui composent ce mot — le hiragana ku (く, ku), le katakana no (ノ, no) et le kanji ichi (一, ichi) — constituent les traits du kanji onna (女, onna) qui signifie femme.
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Exposition
DAIMYO - Seigneurs de la guerre au Japon
Par George Henry Longly
Du 16/02/2018 au 13/05/2018
Palais de Tokyo
Le Musée national des arts asiatiques - Guimet et le Palais de Tokyo, réunissent dans le cadre d'un partenariat inédit, un ensemble exceptionnel d’armures et d’attributs de daimyo, ces puissants gouverneurs qui régnaient au Japon entre le XIIe et le XIXe siècle.
Tokyo Jidai-matsuri (Tokyo Historical Parade) [November 3, Culture Day]
Tokyo Jidai-matsuri is an historical parade that recreates Tokyo's history and culture. It was first held on November 3, 1999 as part of the event called Tokyo Renaissance, in an attempt to publicize Asakusa's unique presence as the historical and cultural center of the international city of Tokyo as it moves into the 21st century.
Tokyo Jidai-matsuri Parade Program
Theme: "Dawning of Tokyo as the Capital of Peace"
Procession led by floats featuring children performers of Edo festival music --> Tokyo Jidai-matsuri banner Tegomai dance company --> Magistrate --> "Emergence of the Asakusa Kannon, the Dawning of Tokyo" --> Kinryu-no-mai dance "Joy of Asakusa" --> "Ariwara Narihira Going East" --> "Minamoto Yoritomo Camping at Sumida River" --> "Hojo Masako"
Worshipping at Sensoji Temple
Theme: Chic: Outshining the 300-year-old Aoi-matsuri Festival
Sanja Daigongen Festive Procession of floats --> Second banner --> Magistrate --> "Dokan Ota, founder of Edo" --> "Ieyasu Tokugawa's Arrival in Edo" --> "Construction of Edo Castle and Hauling Stones" --> Court Ladies --> "Iemitsu Tokugawa Donated Reconstruction of Sanja-gongen Shrine" --> Procession of Daimyo transferring to Edo
Theme: The Blooming Edo Culture as a Stage of Dreams
Cherry Blossoming Dance from the Genroku Period --> "Raid by Loyal Retainers" --> "Ooka Echizen no Kami and Edo Firemen" --> Yoshiwara Courtesans --> Shichi-fukujin-no-mai by Asakusa Ichimura-za --> aruwaka-sanza Edo Kabuki --> Popular Figures in Edo --> Edo Geisha --> Second Banner --> Magistrate -->
Fifteenth Shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa
Theme: Splendor: Dynamic Trends From Edo to Tokyo
From Edo to Tokyo --> "Cultural Flowering at Rokumeikan" --> "Scenes from Asakusa Okuyama" --> Nostalgic Asakusa Revue
The parade leaves the square behind Sensoji Temple at 1:30 p.m. and proceeds along Umamichi-dori from Nitenmon Gate, in front of Asakusa Matsuya Department Store, along Kaminarimon-dori, to Kaminarimon Gate and ends in Asakusa Tawaramachi at 3:30 p.m.
The Nabeshima cemetery is peaceful and quiet, despite being a short walking distance from a busy shopping area. It's protected by tall trees that keep it shaded and bathed in green. Many of the trees are palm trees since this area used to be much closer to the bay than it is today.
Kensō-ji is a Buddhist temple of the Sōtō Sect which was established in the hilly Azabu District in the suburbs of Edo in honor of Nabeshima Tadatsugu, son of Nabeshima Katsushige, after his death from smallpox in 1635. Katsushige was the first lord of Saga Domain in Hizen Province (modern day Kyūshū) and was a loyal general to the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. His son built the temple to serve as the Nabeshima bodaiji, or funerary temple. There is a large graveyard located behind Kensō-ji were the daimyō and direct relatives of the Nabeshima clan are interred. When Katsushige died in 1657, 7 of his most loyal retainers committed suicide in an act called 殉死 (junshi) in order to follow their master in death. Behind Katsushige's large grave, there are 7 stone monuments "attending" him in Buddhism's endless cycle of death and rebirth.
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga (支倉六右衛門常長?) (1571 - 7 de agosto de 1622), bautizado en España como Felipe Francisco de Faxicura, fue un samurái japonés que prestó servicios al daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune. Dirigió una misión diplomática a México y luego a Europa entre 1613 y 1620, regresando después a Japón. Fue el primer oficial japonés enviado a América, y su escala accidental en Francia supuso el primer caso registrado de contacto directo en las relaciones franco-japonesas.
Poco se sabe de su juventud, exceptuando el hecho de que fue un samurái veterano de las invasiones japonesas a Corea bajo el taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi entre 1592 y 1597.
Los españoles comenzaron los viajes a través del Océano Pacífico entre Nueva España (actual México) y China, a través de su base territorial en Filipinas, siguiendo los viajes de Andrés de Urdaneta en el siglo XVI. Manila se convertiría en la base principal de la región asiática en 1571.
España estableció contactos con Japón, por un interés comercial con esa nación tan poblada y también en razón a que las naves españolas naufragaban periódicamente en las costas japonesas a causa del mal tiempo local. Los españoles además deseaban expandir la fe cristiana en Japón, pero los portugueses y los holandeses querían hacerse con el comercio japonés dejando fuera a los españoles, sin embargo se encontraron con una gran resistencia por parte de los jesuitas, que empezaron la evangelización del país en 1549.
En 1609, el galeón español San Francisco, debido a una tormenta, naufragó en la costa japonesa de Chiba, cerca de Tokio, mientras navegaba de Manila a Acapulco. Los marinos fueron rescatados y atendidos, y el capitán de la nave, Rodrigo de Vivero, se reunió con Tokugawa Ieyasu. El 29 de noviembre del mismo año se firmó un tratado, en el que se autorizaba a los españoles a establecer una fábrica al estilo europeo en el Este de Japón, podrían trasladar a especialistas en minería desde Nueva España, se permitiría a las naves españoles visitar Japón en caso de necesidad, y se enviaría una misión diplomática japonesa a la Corte Española.
Un monje franciscano llamado Luis Sotelo, que realizaba conversiones religiosas en el área de Tokio, convenció al shōgun para que fuera enviado como embajador a Nueva España. Sotelo viajó con los marinos españoles del San Francisco y 22 japoneses a bordo del San Buena Ventura, un barco hecho por el aventurero inglés William Adams para el shōgun. En Nueva España, Sotelo conversó con el Virrey Luis de Velasco, quien aceptó enviar un embajador a Japón en la persona del famoso explorador Sebastián Vizcaíno, con la misión anexa de reconocer las Islas del Oro y de la Plata que, según se creía, estaban al este de las islas japonesas.
Vizcaíno llegó a Japón en 1611, y tuvo varios encuentros con el Shōgun y con los señores feudales. Estos contactos fueron empañados por el desconocimiento y poco respeto que mostró Vizcaíno hacia las estrictas costumbres japonesas, además de la fuerte resistencia de este pueblo contra las conversiones católicas y de las intrigas de los holandeses en torno a las ambiciones españolas. Vizcaíno finalmente partió en busca de la Isla de la Plata. Sin embargo, debió interrumpir su tarea por causa del mal tiempo, que lo forzó a regresar a Japón con severos daños.
El Shōgun decidió construir un galeón en Japón para permitir el regreso de Vizcaíno a Nueva España junto con una misión japonesa. El daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune, se encargó del proyecto. Llamó a uno de sus servidores, Hasekura Tsunenaga, a liderar la misión. El galeón, llamado Date Maru por los japoneses y, posteriormente, San Juan Bautista por los españoles, tomó 45 días en ser construido, y contó con la participación de expertos técnicos del Bakufu, 800 constructores navales, 700 herreros y 3.000 carpinteros.
[editar] Viaje por el Pacífico
Después de terminado, el galeón partió el 28 de octubre de 1613, hacia Acapulco, México con 180 personas a bordo, incluyendo diez samurái del shōgun (enviados por el Ministro de la Marina, Mukai Shōgen), doce samurái de Sendai, 120 comerciantes, marinos y sirvientes japoneses y alrededor de cuarenta españoles y portugueses.
El galeón llegó a Acapulco el 25 de enero de 1614 después de tres meses en el océano, y fue recibida con una gran ceremonia. La misión diplomática permaneció un tiempo en México, y luego fueron a Veracruz a abordar la flota de Don Antonio de Oquendo en la nave San José el 10 de junio del mismo año. Hasekura dejó gran parte de la misión japonesa en Acapulco para aguardar el regreso de la misión.
Tateyama Castle (館山城? Tateyama-jō) is a Japanese castle located in Tateyama, southern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Tateyama Castle was home to the Inaba clan, daimyō of Tateyama Domain, but the castle is better known for its association with the former rulers of Awa Province, the Satomi clan. The castle was also known as "Nekoya-jō" (根古屋城?).
Satomi Yoshiyori, virtually independent lord of all of the Bōsō Peninsula during the Sengoku Period, erected Tateyama Castle in 1580 to guard the entry to Edo Bay and the southern portions of his domains. After the Satomi clan was destroyed by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1614 and Tateyama Domain suppressed, the castle was allowed to fall into ruin.
In 1781, the domain was reinstated, with Inaba Masaaki as the first daimyō of Tateyama Domain under the Inaba clan. He rebuilt the fortifications of the old castle, but apparently did not erect a donjon, as his successor, Inaba Masatake was only allowed to build a jinya fortified residence. The Inaba clan remained in residence at Tateyama until the Meiji Restoration.
The current donjon was reconstructed in 1982 to boost local tourism and to function as an annex to the local Tateyama City Museum. As there are no surviving records indicating the appearance of the original donjon, the current structure was modeled after Inuyama Castle.
Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga (支倉六右衛門常長?) (1571 - 7 de agosto de 1622), bautizado en España como Felipe Francisco de Faxicura, fue un samurái japonés que prestó servicios al daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune. Dirigió una misión diplomática a México y luego a Europa entre 1613 y 1620, regresando después a Japón. Fue el primer oficial japonés enviado a América, y su escala accidental en Francia supuso el primer caso registrado de contacto directo en las relaciones franco-japonesas.
Poco se sabe de su juventud, exceptuando el hecho de que fue un samurái veterano de las invasiones japonesas a Corea bajo el taiko Toyotomi Hideyoshi entre 1592 y 1597.
Los españoles comenzaron los viajes a través del Océano Pacífico entre Nueva España (actual México) y China, a través de su base territorial en Filipinas, siguiendo los viajes de Andrés de Urdaneta en el siglo XVI. Manila se convertiría en la base principal de la región asiática en 1571.
España estableció contactos con Japón, por un interés comercial con esa nación tan poblada y también en razón a que las naves españolas naufragaban periódicamente en las costas japonesas a causa del mal tiempo local. Los españoles además deseaban expandir la fe cristiana en Japón, pero los portugueses y los holandeses querían hacerse con el comercio japonés dejando fuera a los españoles, sin embargo se encontraron con una gran resistencia por parte de los jesuitas, que empezaron la evangelización del país en 1549.
En 1609, el galeón español San Francisco, debido a una tormenta, naufragó en la costa japonesa de Chiba, cerca de Tokio, mientras navegaba de Manila a Acapulco. Los marinos fueron rescatados y atendidos, y el capitán de la nave, Rodrigo de Vivero, se reunió con Tokugawa Ieyasu. El 29 de noviembre del mismo año se firmó un tratado, en el que se autorizaba a los españoles a establecer una fábrica al estilo europeo en el Este de Japón, podrían trasladar a especialistas en minería desde Nueva España, se permitiría a las naves españoles visitar Japón en caso de necesidad, y se enviaría una misión diplomática japonesa a la Corte Española.
Un monje franciscano llamado Luis Sotelo, que realizaba conversiones religiosas en el área de Tokio, convenció al shōgun para que fuera enviado como embajador a Nueva España. Sotelo viajó con los marinos españoles del San Francisco y 22 japoneses a bordo del San Buena Ventura, un barco hecho por el aventurero inglés William Adams para el shōgun. En Nueva España, Sotelo conversó con el Virrey Luis de Velasco, quien aceptó enviar un embajador a Japón en la persona del famoso explorador Sebastián Vizcaíno, con la misión anexa de reconocer las Islas del Oro y de la Plata que, según se creía, estaban al este de las islas japonesas.
Vizcaíno llegó a Japón en 1611, y tuvo varios encuentros con el Shōgun y con los señores feudales. Estos contactos fueron empañados por el desconocimiento y poco respeto que mostró Vizcaíno hacia las estrictas costumbres japonesas, además de la fuerte resistencia de este pueblo contra las conversiones católicas y de las intrigas de los holandeses en torno a las ambiciones españolas. Vizcaíno finalmente partió en busca de la Isla de la Plata. Sin embargo, debió interrumpir su tarea por causa del mal tiempo, que lo forzó a regresar a Japón con severos daños.
El Shōgun decidió construir un galeón en Japón para permitir el regreso de Vizcaíno a Nueva España junto con una misión japonesa. El daimyō de Sendai, Date Masamune, se encargó del proyecto. Llamó a uno de sus servidores, Hasekura Tsunenaga, a liderar la misión. El galeón, llamado Date Maru por los japoneses y, posteriormente, San Juan Bautista por los españoles, tomó 45 días en ser construido, y contó con la participación de expertos técnicos del Bakufu, 800 constructores navales, 700 herreros y 3.000 carpinteros.
[editar] Viaje por el Pacífico
Después de terminado, el galeón partió el 28 de octubre de 1613, hacia Acapulco, México con 180 personas a bordo, incluyendo diez samurái del shōgun (enviados por el Ministro de la Marina, Mukai Shōgen), doce samurái de Sendai, 120 comerciantes, marinos y sirvientes japoneses y alrededor de cuarenta españoles y portugueses.
El galeón llegó a Acapulco el 25 de enero de 1614 después de tres meses en el océano, y fue recibida con una gran ceremonia. La misión diplomática permaneció un tiempo en México, y luego fueron a Veracruz a abordar la flota de Don Antonio de Oquendo en la nave San José el 10 de junio del mismo año. Hasekura dejó gran parte de la misión japonesa en Acapulco para aguardar el regreso de la misión.
Décor de l'Omizu-ya, le pavillon des ablutions du temple Taiyuin à Nikko
Cet édifice, situé derrière la porte des gardiens, a été donné par un Daimyo de Kyushu. Le plafond intérieur est décoré d'un dragon. Les visiteurs peuvent se purifier dès leur entrée dans le temple, en se rinçant les mains et la bouche.
Le Taiyuin est un temple bouddhique, intégrant des éléments shintoïstes, construit à flanc de montagne à Nikko pour servir de mausolée au shogun Iemitsu Tokugawa, petit-fils du premier shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa et 3ème shogun de la période d'Edo.
Le temple est situé à proximité du Toshogu, le mausolée de Ieyasu Tokugawa, et a été réalisé par les mêmes architectes et artistes comme le célèbre sculpteur Hidari Jingôro. La couleur du temple est le rouge vermillon.
rinnoji.or.jp/keidai/taiyuin/oku.html
Le temple Taiyuin à Nikko dans les guides du Japon.
www.vivrelejapon.com/ville-nikko/taiyuin-temple-nikko
Shunkō-in (春光院, Temple of the Ray of Spring Light) is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan and belongs to the Myōshin-ji (Temple of Excellent Mind) school, which is the largest among 14 Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhist schools. The temple was established in 1590 by Horio Yoshiharu, who was a feudal lord, or daimyō, of Matsue in present-day Shimane Prefecture. This temple houses important historical objects that reflect the multifaceted religious and artistic atmosphere in Japan from the sixteenth century onward.
The Bell of Nanban-ji is a Jesuit bell made in Portugal in 1577. The bell was used at Nanbanji Church, which was established by Jesuit Father Gnecchi-Soldo Organtino with the support of Oda Nobunaga in 1576. However, the church was destroyed in 1587 because Regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi made the first law against Christians in Japan. The Bell came to Shunkō-in during the Edo period. During World War II, the grandfather of the present vice-abbot buried the bell in the temple gardens to prevent destruction by the state authorities.
The Edo period (between 1603 and 1867) was the dark age of Japanese Christians. Christianity was banned, and Christians were systematically eliminated by the Tokugawa shogunate, or Edo bakufu. However, some Christians kept their faith and hid their religious identity. Those hidden Christians made their crosses and graves to resemble the Buddhist statues, pagodas, and stone lanterns. Shunkō-in’s hidden Christian lantern is one of those religious objects.
Several sliding door panels at Shunkōin were painted by Kanō Eigaku. Some of the paintings have Confucian teachings as their theme. Confucianism was very important to samurai, or warriors, during the Edo period because Confucianism taught samurai about honor, loyalty, and honesty.
Shoden Eigen-in, in Kyoto's Higashiyama area, is a sub-temple of Kennin-ji, which is the head temple in the Rinzai Kennin-ji Sect of Zen Buddhism. Shoden Eigen-in was formed upon the merger of Shoden-in and Eigen-an temples after Eigan was deconsecrated in 1873 and Shoden-in relocated here.
Shoden-in was established in 1264 in Kyoto's Gion district by the Zen priest, Gio Shonin. The temple was virtually destroyed during the Onin War (1467–1477), which succeeded in laying waste to much of Kyoto. Yet, Oda Nagamasu, the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, the warlord who nearly unified Japan, restored the temple in 1618. Oda Nagamasu, himself a warrior, was also a devoted follower of his brother's famed tea master, Sen no Rikyū, and after Nobunaga's death in 1582, eventually retired from worldly affairs, changed his name to Urakusai and devoted himself to the way of tea. When he restored the temple, Urakusai had an exquisite yet very rustic detached teahouse built called Jo-an. Jo-an was moved to Tokyo in the early 1900s and then to Inuyama in Aichi prefecture in the 1940s and is a registered important cultural property. An elegant replica has been rebuilt on Shoden Eigen-in's property, next to the main hall.
Eigen-an Temple was established in 1346 by the Zen priest, Mugai Ninko and became the family temple of Hosokawa Yoriari, from one of Japan's storied warrior families. Eigen-an also served as Kyoto residence for another sengoku period daimyo, Fukushima Masanori, when he stayed in Kyoto.
Kensō-ji is a Buddhist temple of the Sōtō Sect which was established in the hilly Azabu District in the suburbs of Edo in honor of Nabeshima Tadatsugu, son of Nabeshima Katsushige, after his death from smallpox in 1635. Katsushige was the first lord of Saga Domain in Hizen Province (modern day Kyūshū) and was a loyal general to the shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu. His son built the temple to serve as the Nabeshima bodaiji, or funerary temple. There is a large graveyard located behind Kensō-ji were the daimyō and direct relatives of the Nabeshima clan are interred. When Katsushige died in 1657, 7 of his most loyal retainers committed suicide in an act called 殉死 (junshi) in order to follow their master in death. Behind Katsushige's large grave, there are 7 stone monuments "attending" him in Buddhism's endless cycle of death and rebirth.
Woodblock print by Hiroshi Yoshida (1876-1950). Eight Scenes of Cherry Blossom.
From Wikipedia -
Hirosaki is famous for its Cherry Blossom Festival held in the park surrounding Hirosaki Castle. About 2,600 Sakura (Japanese cherry) blossom during the Japanese Golden Week vacation period. The Hirosaki Nebuta Festival is held during the first week of August. The town is also noted for a large number of western-style buildings dating to the Meiji period.
Hirosaki Castle is a hirayama-style Japanese castle constructed in 1611. It was the seat of the Tsugaru clan, a 47,000 koku tozama daimyō clan who ruled over Hirosaki Domain, Mutsu Province, in what is now central Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It was also referred to as Takaoka Castle.
Background
Hirosaki Castle measures 612 meters east-west and 947 meters north-south. Its grounds are divided into six concentric baileys, which were formerly walled and separated by moats. It is unusual in that its Edo period donjon and most of its outline remains intact. Noted historian and author Shiba Ryōtarō praised it as one of the "Seven Famous Castles of Japan" in his travel essay series Kaidō wo Yuku.
History
During the late Sengoku period, former Nambu retainer Ōura Tamenobu was awarded revenues of 45,000 koku by Toyotomi Hideyoshi for his role in the Battle of Odawara in 1590. He take the family name of Tsugaru at that time. At the Battle of Sekigahara, he sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu and was subsequently confirmed as lord of Hirosaki Domain with revenues increased to 47,000 koku.
In 1603, he began work on a castle in Hirosaki, however, work was suspended with his death in Kyoto in 1604. Work was resumed by his successor, Tsugaru Nobuhira in 1609, who stripped Horikoshi Castle and Ōura Castle of buildings and materials in order to speed its completion. The new castle was completed in 1611. However, in 1627, the main keep, which was originally a 6-story, 5-roof structure was struck by lightning and exploded when the fire reached its gunpowder magazine. It was not rebuilt until 1810, when the present 3-story structure was erected by the 9th daimyō, Tsugaru Yasuchika.
With the Meiji Restoration and subsequent abolition of the han system, the Tsugaru clan surrendered the castle to the new Meiji government. In 1871, the castle was garrisoned by a detachment of the Imperial Japanese Army, and in 1873 the palace structures, martial arts school and most of the castle walls were pulled down. In 1894, the castle properties were donated by the Tsugaru clan to the government for use as a park, which opened to the general public the following year. In 1898, an armory was established in the former Third Bailey by the IJA 8th Division. In 1906, two of the remaining yagura burned down. In 1909, a four-meter tall bronze statue of Tsugaru Tamenobu was erected on the site of the donjon. In 1937, eight structures of the castle received protection from the government as “national treasures”. However, in 1944, during the height of World War II, all of the bronze in the castle, including roof tiles and decorations, were stripped away for use in the war effort.
In 1950, under the new cultural properties protection system, all surviving structures in the castle (with the exception of the East Gate of the 3rd Bailey) were named National Important Cultural Properties. In 1952, the grounds received further protection with their nomination as a National Historic Site. In 1953, after reconstruction, the East Gate of the 3rd Bailey also gained ICP status, giving a total of nine structures within the castle with such protection.
Extensive archaeological excavations from 1999-2000 revealed the foundations of the former palace structures and a Shinto shrine. The castle was included in the listing of “100 Famous Castles of Japan” in 2006.
Structures and gardens
The current donjon of the castle was completed in 1811. It is a three-story building with three roofs, and a height of 14.4 meters. The design is smaller than early Edo-period varieties of donjons, and it was built on a corner of the inner bailey on the site of a yagura, rather than the stone base of the original donjon. The small size was partly due to the restricted finances of the domain towards the end of the Edo period, but its location and design were also intended to alleviate concerns which might be raised by the Tokugawa shogunate should a larger structure be built. At present, it is a separate standing structure; however, prior to 1896 it had an attached gatehouse.
The donjon is surrounded by three surviving yagura from the Edo period (the Ninomaru Tatsumi Yagura, Ninomaru Hitsujisaru Yagura, Ninomaru Ushitora Yagura), on its second bailey, and five surviving gates (Sannomaru Ōtemon Gate, Sannomaru East Gate, Ninomaru South Gate, Ninomaru East Gate, Kitanokuruwa North Gate) in the walls of its second and third baileys. All of these structures, including the donjon itself, are National Important Cultural Properties.
The surrounding Hirosaki Park around the castle grounds is one of Japan's most famous cherry blossom spots. Over a million people enjoy the park's 2600 trees (which were originally planted around in grounds in 1903) during the sakura matsuri (cherry blossom festival) when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, usually during the Japanese Golden Week holidays in the end of April and beginning of May.
In the Edo period (1603-1686), the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden was part of a daimyo lord’s lower Edo residence and, later, became the property of Japan's imperial household. That is why this national park now managed by the government is still known as Shinjuku Gyoen, or the Shinjuku royal gardens. The expansive grounds (some fifty-eight hectares) offer visitors something to enjoy in each of the four seasons, be it cherries in the spring, summer greenery, chrysanthemums and foliage in the fall, or the park's winter greenhouse. The garden's spacious lawns always give welcome to people looking to read a book, enjoy a nap, or take a jog. It is fair to call the Shinjuku Gyoen a precious oasis in Shinjuku’s otherwise urban landscape.
Opening hours: 9:00-16:00
Closed: Mondays (following day when it falls on a national holiday), 29 December- 3 January
Access: 5-min.walk from Shinjuku-gyoenmae Subway Sta.(M10) on Marunouchi Line, 5-min.walk from JR Sendagaya Sta., 5-min.walk from Shinjuku 3-chome Subway Sta.(S02) on Shinjuku Line, 5-min. walk from Kokuritsukyogijo Subway Sta.(E25) on Oedo Line, 10-min. walk from JR Shinjuku Sta. South Exit
Fee: Adult ¥200, Elementary/Junior high school student ¥50
Address: 11 Naitocho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0014
Telephone: 03-3350-0151
The term "Japanese iris" encompasses three species of Irises cultivated in gardens or growing wild in Japan: hanashōbu (Iris ensata), kakitsubata (Iris laevigata) and ayame (Iris sanguinea). Of these three species, I. ensata is the one most commonly referred to as "Japanese iris" outside Japan. Hanashōbu grows in the wet land and is the most extensively cultivated variety in Japanese gardens and in gardens throughout the temperate zones / Kenroku-en (兼六園, Six Attributes Garden), located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, is an old private garden. Along with Kairaku-en and Kōraku-en, Kenroku-en is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan. The grounds are open year-round except for December 29th through January 3rd during daylight hours and famous for its beauty in all seasons; an admission fee is charged. Kenroku-en was developed from the 1620s to the 1840s by the Maeda clan, the daimyōs who ruled the former Kaga Domain. Nearly the entire garden was destroyed by a massive fire in 1759. However, it is known from documents of the period that before the fire, the garden was often used and enjoyed by successive lords and retainers for "different banquet occasions such as viewing the moon ... enjoying colorful maples", and for admiring horses. The Shigure-tei teahouse – constructed in 1725 – miraculously survived the fire of 1759, and it offers evidence that not only was the tea ceremony present before the fire, but more importantly so was the culture associated with this elaborate ritual as it had a significant effect on garden design. Following the fire, the teahouse continued to be used and was completely restored during the Meiji period. It can still be seen today in the Renchitei section of the garden. Another object that existed in or around the garden before the fire of 1759 was the Kaisekito Pagoda, which is currently situated in Kenrokuen Garden on an island near the center of Hisago-ike Pond. The garden is located outside the gates of Kanazawa Castle where it originally formed the outer garden and covers over 25 acres. It began in 1676 when the 5th daimyō Maeda Tsunanori moved his administration to the castle and began to landscape a garden in this vicinity. This garden was, however, destroyed by fire in 1759. The garden restoration was begun in 1774 by the 11th daimyō Harunaga, who created the Emerald Waterfall (Midori-taki) and Yugao-tei, a teahouse. Improvements continued in 1822 when the 12th daimyō Narinaga created the garden's winding streams with water drawn from the Tatsumi Waterway. The 13th daimyō Nariyasu subsequently added more streams and expanded the Kasumi Pond. With this, the garden's current form was complete. The garden was opened to the public on May 7, 1874. The garden was named by Matsudaira Sadanobu at the request of Narinaga. Its name was derived from the "Chronicles of the Famous Luoyang Gardens" (洛陽名園記), a book by the Chinese poet Li Gefei (李格非), and stands for the six attributes of a perfect landscape: spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, waterways, and panoramas.
Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden (小石川後楽園) is in Koishikawa, Bunkyō, Tokyo, adjacent to Tokyo Dome City. It is one of two surviving Edo period clan gardens in modern Tokyo, the other being Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden, and one of the oldest and best preserved parks in Tokyo.
The construction was started in 1629 by Tokugawa Yorifusa, the daimyo (feudal lord) of Mito han, and was completed by his successor, Tokugawa Mitsukuni.
Mitsukuni named this garden "Kōraku-en" (Kōraku means "enjoying afterwards") after a Chinese teaching of "a governor should worry before people and enjoy after people". The garden shows strong Chinese character in its design, as it was influenced by the West Lake of Hangzhou. (Wikipedia)
Festival honouring an ancient procession of Date han samurai during the Edo period. The festival copies the exact makeup of the original procession from the 1600's.
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This is one of the most exiting places I’ve stumbled across in a while.
The area called 新橋 Shinbashi today refers to the area around present day 新橋駅 Shinbashi Station. In the Edo Period, this area was referred to as 烏森 Karasumori, literally “Crow Forest.” The name change to Shinbashi, literally “New Bridge,” was the result of the re-location of the services of the former 新橋停車場 Shinbashi Depot (originally located in present day Shiodome) to the current site in 1909. The new station took the name 烏森駅 Karasumori Station in 1909. In 1914, the old depot was shut down and Karasumori Station was renamed Shinbashi Station. However, one of the main exits is still called Karasumori.
But where did this name, Crow Forest, come from? There’s a lot of legend behind this, but in 935, a high ranking Kantō samurai of imperial descent named 平将門Taira no Masakado began agitating against the court nobility in Kyōto. His actions culminated in all out rebellion in 939 and he was eventually killed in battle in 940. His most famous legend is that his head was brought to Kyōto to be displayed along with a list of his treasonous crimes. But being a Kantō warrior, his head become enraged and flew back to Kantō and (according to the most popular story) still rests in the haunted 首塚 head mound in 大手町 Ōtemachi, literally the front door of 江戸城 Edo Castle. (Many say his spirit still haunts the area to this day.)
Anyhoo, the forces that put down Masakado’s rebellion were led by平貞盛 Taira no Sadamori and 藤原秀郷 Fujiwara no Hidesato. Legend says that before the final attack against Masakado, Hidesato prayed for victory at an unnamed 稲荷神社 Inari shrine (tutelary kami of provincial governors and eventually of 大名 daimyo, feudal lords) in 武蔵国 Musashi Province. Inari is usually depicted as a fox.
After praying for victory, a white fox came to Hidesato’s camp and gave him some magical arrows with white feathers – as foxes are known to do from time to time. Hidesato took the magical arrows and reigned hell down upon the Masakado’s rebel forces – as people with magic arrows are known to do from time to time. In the end, he routed the rebels, took Masakado’s head, and sent it to Kyōto for the imperial court to see as evidence of his victory.
Wanting to pay homage to the white fox, clearly an incarnation of an Inari kami, he set out to establish a shrine but he wasn’t sure what place would please Inari. One night, while he slept, the white fox came to him in a dream and explained the place where many birds gather is always sacred (this may be a folk tale referencing Shintō terminology, as every shrine is marked by a gate called a 鳥居 torii “birds are here”). The shrine was called 烏森稲荷神社 Karasumori Inari Shrine.
There is actually some confusion as to where the shrine Hidesato established was, but the shrine in Shinbashi contends that the original location was in 桜田村 Sakurada Village near where the infamous 桜田門 Sakuradamon gate is has been located since the Edo Period. According to that theory, at some point, most likely when castle building efforts really got going, the shrine was relocated to the present day location. Some say that the shrine has always been at its present location and that Sakurada Village comprised a much bigger area in the pre-Tokugawa years. I believe there may be a little truth in both stories.
Japanese religion has always been syncretic (blended) and a shrine with close ties to a victorious samurai would have inevitably taken a Buddhist stance during the Edo Period when Buddhism was seen – particularly in Eastern Japan – as being more “samurai” and less “imperial court.” In the Edo Period, the shrine buildings took on a typical 権現造り Gongen-zukuri style typical of syncretic Shintō-Buddhism of the day. However, in 1873, in one of its first moves to establish State Shintō, the Meiji Government concocted the 神仏分離 Separation of Shintō & Buddhism Edict. By this law, syncretic religious institutions were required by law to pick a side – you’re either Buddhist or you’re Shintō. No fence-sitting allowed, bitches.
I don’t know why. since 稲荷 Inari is a Shintō kami, but it’s at this time that the shrine changed its name from 烏森稲荷神社 Karasumi Inari Shrine to 烏森神社 Karasumi Shrine. When I visited, I didn’t see any imagery typical of an Inari shrine within the precinct. So it’s clearly not an Inari shrine anymore. That said, the shrine also doesn’t exhibit any traits of a Gongen-zukuri site (presumably, these didn’t survive the Great Kantō Earthquake or the Firebombing of WWII). The modern structure is concrete and uniquely illuminated. Most shrines are covered by trees and afforded some natural space, but this one is surrounded by office buildings and family-owned restaurants. The sacred space is marked by the shadows of high rise buildings, a rare wooden torii, and a maze of alleys that make the shrine an urban oasis, well off the beaten path and yet hiding in plain sight.
The shrine is not obvious. And even though it’s hidden in a maze of alleys, its precincts are still fairly large and apparently well-funded. They illuminate the area year round and supposedly have a special Christmas illumination (there’s some syncretism for ya!). They also have a somewhat famous 夏祭り Summer Festival. The side streets and alleys that surround the shrine are populated by traditional Shōwa Era restaurants that seat anywhere from 8-20 customers max. The prices seem to be reasonable and the owners have been passing the shop down through the family. It’s decidedly 下町 “low city” despite its 山手 “high city” history in the Edo Period. In short, this is Salaryman Central. The immediate area surrounding the shrine is frequented by locals and old people and foodies and is in direct contrast with the drinking and whoring that typifies the main thoroughfares in Shinbashi.
This shrine and this area are highly recommended.
This is one of the most exiting places I’ve stumbled across in a while.
The area called 新橋 Shinbashi today refers to the area around present day 新橋駅 Shinbashi Station. In the Edo Period, this area was referred to as 烏森 Karasumori, literally “Crow Forest.” The name change to Shinbashi, literally “New Bridge,” was the result of the re-location of the services of the former 新橋停車場 Shinbashi Depot (originally located in present day Shiodome) to the current site in 1909. The new station took the name 烏森駅 Karasumori Station in 1909. In 1914, the old depot was shut down and Karasumori Station was renamed Shinbashi Station. However, one of the main exits is still called Karasumori.
But where did this name, Crow Forest, come from? There’s a lot of legend behind this, but in 935, a high ranking Kantō samurai of imperial descent named 平将門Taira no Masakado began agitating against the court nobility in Kyōto. His actions culminated in all out rebellion in 939 and he was eventually killed in battle in 940. His most famous legend is that his head was brought to Kyōto to be displayed along with a list of his treasonous crimes. But being a Kantō warrior, his head become enraged and flew back to Kantō and (according to the most popular story) still rests in the haunted 首塚 head mound in 大手町 Ōtemachi, literally the front door of 江戸城 Edo Castle. (Many say his spirit still haunts the area to this day.)
Anyhoo, the forces that put down Masakado’s rebellion were led by平貞盛 Taira no Sadamori and 藤原秀郷 Fujiwara no Hidesato. Legend says that before the final attack against Masakado, Hidesato prayed for victory at an unnamed 稲荷神社 Inari shrine (tutelary kami of provincial governors and eventually of 大名 daimyo, feudal lords) in 武蔵国 Musashi Province. Inari is usually depicted as a fox.
After praying for victory, a white fox came to Hidesato’s camp and gave him some magical arrows with white feathers – as foxes are known to do from time to time. Hidesato took the magical arrows and reigned hell down upon the Masakado’s rebel forces – as people with magic arrows are known to do from time to time. In the end, he routed the rebels, took Masakado’s head, and sent it to Kyōto for the imperial court to see as evidence of his victory.
Wanting to pay homage to the white fox, clearly an incarnation of an Inari kami, he set out to establish a shrine but he wasn’t sure what place would please Inari. One night, while he slept, the white fox came to him in a dream and explained the place where many birds gather is always sacred (this may be a folk tale referencing Shintō terminology, as every shrine is marked by a gate called a 鳥居 torii “birds are here”). The shrine was called 烏森稲荷神社 Karasumori Inari Shrine.
There is actually some confusion as to where the shrine Hidesato established was, but the shrine in Shinbashi contends that the original location was in 桜田村 Sakurada Village near where the infamous 桜田門 Sakuradamon gate is has been located since the Edo Period. According to that theory, at some point, most likely when castle building efforts really got going, the shrine was relocated to the present day location. Some say that the shrine has always been at its present location and that Sakurada Village comprised a much bigger area in the pre-Tokugawa years. I believe there may be a little truth in both stories.
Japanese religion has always been syncretic (blended) and a shrine with close ties to a victorious samurai would have inevitably taken a Buddhist stance during the Edo Period when Buddhism was seen – particularly in Eastern Japan – as being more “samurai” and less “imperial court.” In the Edo Period, the shrine buildings took on a typical 権現造り Gongen-zukuri style typical of syncretic Shintō-Buddhism of the day. However, in 1873, in one of its first moves to establish State Shintō, the Meiji Government concocted the 神仏分離 Separation of Shintō & Buddhism Edict. By this law, syncretic religious institutions were required by law to pick a side – you’re either Buddhist or you’re Shintō. No fence-sitting allowed, bitches.
I don’t know why. since 稲荷 Inari is a Shintō kami, but it’s at this time that the shrine changed its name from 烏森稲荷神社 Karasumi Inari Shrine to 烏森神社 Karasumi Shrine. When I visited, I didn’t see any imagery typical of an Inari shrine within the precinct. So it’s clearly not an Inari shrine anymore. That said, the shrine also doesn’t exhibit any traits of a Gongen-zukuri site (presumably, these didn’t survive the Great Kantō Earthquake or the Firebombing of WWII). The modern structure is concrete and uniquely illuminated. Most shrines are covered by trees and afforded some natural space, but this one is surrounded by office buildings and family-owned restaurants. The sacred space is marked by the shadows of high rise buildings, a rare wooden torii, and a maze of alleys that make the shrine an urban oasis, well off the beaten path and yet hiding in plain sight.
The shrine is not obvious. And even though it’s hidden in a maze of alleys, its precincts are still fairly large and apparently well-funded. They illuminate the area year round and supposedly have a special Christmas illumination (there’s some syncretism for ya!). They also have a somewhat famous 夏祭り Summer Festival. The side streets and alleys that surround the shrine are populated by traditional Shōwa Era restaurants that seat anywhere from 8-20 customers max. The prices seem to be reasonable and the owners have been passing the shop down through the family. It’s decidedly 下町 “low city” despite its 山手 “high city” history in the Edo Period. In short, this is Salaryman Central. The immediate area surrounding the shrine is frequented by locals and old people and foodies and is in direct contrast with the drinking and whoring that typifies the main thoroughfares in Shinbashi.
This shrine and this area are highly recommended.
The Oyamada served as the chief retainers of the Yagyū clan.
Many of us know of the Yagyū clan from what we see in samurai TV shows, movies and fictional books. More often than not, the Yagyū are portrayed as devious puppet masters, controlling the Shogunate’s spy and information gathering network and manipulating it for their own profit—with the exception of the one-eyed Jūbei, who like Musashi, fought a lot of duals, both imaginary, real and reel. Hehe. Also, when not chasing after Ittō Ogami and his son Daigorō, the Yagyū were a fairly normal daimyo clan, administering their small fief near Nara and teaching swordsmanship to the first three Tokugawa Shoguns.
Like most daimyo clans, the Yagyū ran into financial trouble during the Edo period. The burdens of funding the alternative attendance journeys to and from Edo every other year along with maintaining residences in the Shogun’s capital were a heavy drain on the small clan’s finances. The Oyamada family served as the hereditary o-karō (chief senior retainers) of the Yagyū clan and played a big role in helping turn around the clan’s finances in the Edo period. The Oyamada house has survived the test of time and has been turned into a very interesting and fun museum that sheds some light on what it was to live in the Yagyū han. I loved this house, as those who know me, know that I have an affinity for the lights, shadows and beautiful contrasts that old Japanese houses create.
日本国滋賀県彦根市 彦根城
Japan, Shiga Prefecture, Hikone City
Hikone Castle
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I did not know that local residents were having a small festival at the castle. This was to commemorate the life of Ii Naosuke (井伊 直弼, 1815-1860), daimyō (大名; feudal lord) of Hikone, who is known for signing the "Harris Treaty" with the US. I asked these two men, dressed in samurai (侍) uniforms, to pose for this photograph . . .
1984 January 3.
This is for Yahoo! its part of this Yahoo! PurpleScape project with other artists. this will be shown in exhibitions in southeast asian countries. They said I could do anything i wanted so i thought now is my chance to do all the Japanese themed stuff i have been wanting to do. Japanese design is crazy and detailed so this of course meant major work for me. this beast took me a whole 7 days working on it at least 8 hrs a day. Like cultural African stuff Japanese stuff is kind of like cheating because everything looks so crazy already that you don't really need to do that much work in designing anything or making it look interesting. I prepped for this by watching Princess Mononoke and Totoro and Spirited Away, my fav Miyazaki movies. he is definitely influential and has an amazing imagination and makes the rest of us look like garbage. Here we have some mini sumos, samurais, tanukis, ninjas, giant rabbits, deer, koi no buri, those things they tie around huge trees, a pagoda like thing, paper umbrellas, bamboo poles, camphor trees, and bubbles instead of poison darts. I had to go and make it complicated did'nt i? Here is my rational:
This piece is Japanese inspired. The concept makes a spin on the processions that Daimyo warlords had to make every year to the capital of Edo. I tried to make this a little more fun and less serious that the shows of power and wealth that they really were. Instead of flying the Daimyo's flag they are flying Koi fish windsocks, which are used for Children's day in Japan. Instead of Ninjas blowing poison darts for assasinations they are blowing bubbles. Fun bubbles! Instead of a Daimyo Warlord being carried they are carrying a Tanuki, which is a mischevious mythical Racoon-like creature. I thought it would be fun to reverse the scale of things like the mini sumo wrestlers and the giant rabbits and giant trees.
Edo Period armor belonging to one of the Naruse daimyo. The Naruse family ruled Inuyama during the Edo Period (1603-1868).
The Kuro Kasane, or Kasane Black, a limited time special ramen at Ippudo NY, is an authentic "Kasane" tonkotsu & chicken soup with noodles, topped with pork loin chashu, cabbage, sesame kikurage musrooms, red pickled ginger, naruto, scallions, and fragrant "Black" garlic oil.
Ramen (ラーメン) is a Japanese noodle dish consisting of wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, with toppings such as sliced pork (チャーシュー chāshū), dried seaweed (海苔 nori), kamaboko, and green onions. Of Chinese origin, it is unclear when and how it was introduced to Japan. By 1900, Cantonese and Shanghai restaurants and portable food stalls began serving simple ramen dishes, called shina soba (支那そば), literally "Chinese buckwheat noodle". After World War II, cheap flour from the U.S. poured into Japan, and in 1958 Momfuku Ando, chairman of Nissin foods, invented instant ramen.
Ippudo NY, the first overseas branch of the famous Japanese ramen chain, officially opened at 65 Fourth Avenue on March 19, 2008. The East Village outpost features two dining rooms, a sake bar, an open kitchen for non-ramen dishes, and an open ramen bar. Noodles are made in-house in the basement.
Ippudo was founded by Shigemi Kawahara in 1985 in the Daimyo District of Chuo Ward, in Fukuoka City. By the time Ippudo NY was launched, there were 34 branches throughout Japan. By 2012, Kawahara had expanded his ramen empire to 43 shops.