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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.
A daimyo and his entourage have arrived by boat at Arai to put up at a villa on the shore of Lake Hamana. Down the Emperor's Road with Hiroshige - Reiko Chiba (Ed) (1965). Charles E. Tuttle Co., Rutland, Vermont & Tokyo, Japan. ISBN 0-8048-0143-6
These stones can be seen in the courtyard after passing through Osaka Castle's Otemon Gate.
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 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.
The text says:
(Valid only on the day)
Special Place of Scenic Beauty
Group Adult ¥250
Ishakawa Prefecture
---------------------------------
Kenroku-en Garden
Coordinates: 36°33′43″N 136°39′45″E
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kenroku-en (Japanese: 兼六園, Garden of Six Attributes), located in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, is a strolling style garden constructed during the Edo period by the Maeda clan.[1]
Along with Kairaku-en and Kōraku-en, Kenroku-en is considered one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan and is noted for its beauty across all seasons, particularly in winter.
Spread over nearly 25 acres, features of the landscape include meandering paths, a large pond, several tea houses, and one of Japan's oldest fountains.
First opening to the public in 1871, the garden was later designated a National Site of Scenic Beauty in 1922, and subsequently received status as a National Site of Special Scenic Beauty in 1985.[3] The grounds are open through paid admission year-round during daylight hours.[4]
History
Kenroku-en was developed from the 1620s to the 1840s by the Maeda clan, the daimyōs (feudal lords) who ruled the former Kaga Domain.
While the date of initial development of the garden that would become known as Kenrokuen is rather unclear, one version of the garden's origins can perhaps be marked by the completion of the Tatsumi water channel in 1632 by Maeda Toshitsune, the third daimyō of the powerful Maeda clan and ruler of the Kaga Domain from 1605 to 1639, as this feature would be later incorporated into creating the garden's twisting waterways in 1822.
Conversely, in other versions of the garden's inception, it is said to have originated when the 5th daimyō Tsunanori [r. 1645–1723] built in 1676 the Renchiochin house on the slope facing Kanazawa Castle, and gave its garden the name Renchitei (蓮池庭, lotus pond), also spelled Renchi-tei.
The garden is located outside the gates of Kanazawa Castle where it originally formed the outer garden, and covers 114,436.65 m2 (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 the fire in 1759.
Not much is known about Renchitei in the years after it was named, principally as about eighty years after its creation, 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",[8] and for admiring horses.[8] Furthermore, local legend suggests that the Sacred Well of Kenroku-en – arguably the oldest object in the garden if the legend is true – suggests that:
1,200 years ago a peasant named Togoro stopped to wash his potatoes at the well. Suddenly, flakes of gold began to bubble up from the well, giving Kanazawa – meaning 'Marsh of Gold' – its name. Water from the well runs to the purification basin at the nearby Shinto shrine, and many people come to the Sacred Well for water for the tea ceremony.[9]
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 Kaiseki Pagoda (海石塔, Kaiseki-tō), which is currently situated in Kenroku-en on an island near the center of Hisago Pond (瓢池, Hisago-ike).
Not only is this object of considerable interest due to the theories which suggest its origin, but it also requires extra consideration due to the fact it "was erected by the third lord Toshitsune" who lived from 1594 to 1658, as it provides evidence that perhaps it predates the initial creation of Renchitei.
Of course, this depends upon one's interpretation regarding both when the garden was initially created, along with the two theories regarding its origin.
The first theory suggests it was formerly part of a "13-tiered pagoda that was once in the Gyokusen-in garden in Kanazawa Castle".
The second theory suggests the pagoda was "brought back from Korea by Kato Kiyomasa when he came back from a military incursion there, and that it was presented to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and then passed on by him to the first lord Maeda Toshiie".[attribution needed][11]
Since these military incursions by Kato Kiyomasa probably took place between 1592 and 1598, and as Hideyoshi died in 1598, if the second theory is true, then the pagoda probably entered Japan and into the hands of Maeda Toshiie between 1592 and 1598.
Moreover, both theories regarding its origin could be true, which could propose a third theory behind the pagoda's origin. It is possible that Maeda Toshiie received from Hideyoshi a 13-tiered pagoda, placed it in Gyokusen-in garden in Kanazawa Castle, and a subsequent daimyō placed the pagoda where it stands today in its current form. However, as there isn't any evidence suggesting this third theory, this claim cannot be substantiated.
The garden restoration was begun in 1774 by the 11th daimyō Harunaga, who created the Emerald Waterfall (Midori-taki) and Yugao-tei (夕顔亭), 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 Six Attributes
The garden was named by Matsudaira Sadanobu in 1822 and literally translates as "Combined" (Ken) "Six" (roku) "Garden" (en) to mean the "Garden of Six Attributes." Sadanobu drew inspiration from the classical Chinese text "Chronicles of the Famous Luoyang Gardens" (洛陽名園記), which outlined the six attributes of a perfect landscape: spaciousness, seclusion, artifice, antiquity, waterways, and panoramas.[12] Attaining all six within one landscape was said to be difficult because they form contrasting pairs:
There are six features that make a garden outstanding. If one tries to introduce an impression of vastness, any atmosphere of quietude and intimacy will be lost; if artificial elements are introduced, any impression of antiquity will be weakened; if a lot of flowing water is introduced, distant views are not possible.[12]
The landscape design and layout of Kenroku-en can be interpreted to demonstrate how it overcomes the challenge of these contrasting attributes, and achieves balance of all six to represent an ideal landscape. Certain areas of the garden, like those around Kasumige-ike Pond, lend themselves to a sense of openness, while other areas, such as those around Tokiwaoka Hill, create a sense of seclusion.[13] Artificial elements of bridges, lanterns, and pagodas were designed to fit seamlessly into the surrounding natural elements of rock, plants, and water.[14] Panoramic viewpoints within the garden overlook the Japan Sea and Iozan mountains, while simultaneously allowing views of many of the garden's water features.[15]
Kenroku-en contains roughly 8,750 trees, and 183 species of plants in total. Among the garden's points of special interest are the oldest fountain in Japan, operating by natural water pressure.
\Yūgao-tei, a teahouse, the oldest building in the garden, built 1774
Shigure-tei, a rest House that was originally built by the 5th lord Tsunanori, reconstructed at its present location in 2000.
Karasaki Pine, planted from seed by the 13th lord Nariyasu from Karasaki, near Lake Biwa.
Kotoji-tōrō, a stone lantern with two legs, said to resemble the bridge on a koto. This lantern is emblematic of Kenroku-en and Kanazawa.
Flying Geese Bridge (Gankō-bashi), made of eleven red stones, laid out to resemble geese in a flying formation
Kaiseki Pagoda, said to have been donated to the Maeda by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
In winter, the park is notable for its yukitsuri — ropes attachReferencese
Renchi-tei garden”was often enjoyed by the line of lords.
The development of Kenroku-en started with the terrace across from the castle. The 5th lord Tsunanori relocated the construction office back to the castle grounds to build a villa for himself on the site as well as developing the garden around it. This is said to have been the beginning of the garden development.
The garden was called "Renchi-tei garden" at that time. The place was often used for different banquet occasions such as viewing the moon or enjoying colorful maples. The Renchi-tei garden was deeply loved by the line of lords and old retainers, but it was nearly burnt down except for only a small part by the great fires in 1759.
It is the 11th lord Harunaga, who restored the garden. With Midori-taki waterfall and Yugao-tei tea house built in 1774 and Uchihashi-tei tea house in 1776, the development of the garden was nearly completed.
The upper flat land over the Renchi-tei garden is called "Chitose-dai." Chitose-dai went through busy changes by how the line of lords wanted to use the place.
In 1792, some time after the middle of the domain ruling, Harunaga built domain schools called "Meirindo" and "Keibukan."
After Harunaga's death, his heir the 12th lord Narinaga relocated these schools to develop a retirement villa for himself called "Takezawa Goten" in 1822. In the same year, the name "Kenroku-en" was given to the place by Matsudaira Sadanobu, the lord of the Shirakawa Domain ruling the region in the northeastern Japan.
After Narinaga's death, the villa buildings with the great area of 13,224 square meters and with over 200 rooms were all torn down by his heir, the 13th lord Nariyasu.
Complete clearing of the site was finished in 1851. By extending the pond and planting good-shaped trees and by integrating the Chitose-dai land with Renchi-tei garden, Nariyasu developed the garden to a greater one.
Kenroku-en was fully opened to the public in 1874. With that many tea houses opened as well. "Meiji Monument" was erected in the memory of the war dead sent to the battle, which took place in the southern Japan in 1880.
Kenroku-en was designated a National Site of Scenic Beauty in 1922. It was rated higher to a National Site of Special Scenic Beauty in 1985, thus gaining the most honorable rank equivalent to a National Treasure.
In 1976 the free admission system implemented since Kenroku-en was opened to the public was stopped, and the entrance fee system had to be introduced to better manage the garden.
The "Hase-ike pond development program" was planned in 1994, and the development was completed in 2000.
With this development "Shigure-tei" and "Funano-ochin" tea houses, which were torn down in the early Meiji Period were reconstructed.
Two streams were also newly added to the garden, thus enriching the whole garden.
"Kakegawa Castle is a hirayama-style Japanese castle. It was the seat of various fudai daimyō who ruled over Kakegawa Domain, Tōtōmi Province, in what is now central Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Kakegawa Castle remained in ruins through the Shōwa period, with the exception of the Ni-no-Maru Goten, built by Ota Sukekatsu after the earthquake, and registered with the government in 1980 as an Important Cultural Property. Other surviving portions of the castle included a portion of the moats and stone walls, and the drum house. A gate from the main bailey of the castle built in 1659 was given to the Buddhist temple of Yusan-ji in Fukuroi, where it now serves as the main gate of that temple. It is also a National ICP.
In April 1994, sections of the innermost bailey (honmaru), including some walls, a yagura, and the keep (tenshukaku), were reconstructed using the original methods. The tenshukaku's reconstruction was done based on a few diagrams of the original tenshukaku that survived, and marked the first time in post-war Japan that a tenshukaku had been reconstructed in wood using the original construction methods. The cost of 1 billion yen for the reconstruction was raised largely through public donation.
In 2006, the site of Kakegawa Castle was listed as No.42 of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan by the Japan Castle Foundation, primarily due to its historical significance."
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.
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.
_______
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.
This armor was made in the Bakumatsu Period (1853-1868) and is made of leather, not iron or steel, as the daimyo of Yonezawa, Uesugi Mochinori ( 1844- 1919) wanted something lighter. This piece was on loan to the Takatsuki Castle Ruin Historical Museum in Takatsuki, Osaka from a museum in Yonezawa.
The Uesugi sided with the pro-Tokugawa forces against the new imperial government. After the northern domains, of which includes Yonezawa, Mochinori went to study in England and when he came back to Japan, he was named as Japan's second governor to Okinawa. He tried to implement many reforms there that weren't very popular with the central government in Tokyo. He eventually became a senior advisor to the imperial government and still did much to try to assist Okinawan students.
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.
Samouraï aux grandes oreilles, Exposition "Daimyo" Les seigneurs de la guerre au Japon par Georges Henry Longly.
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.
These are Jizō, among other things, they are the protectors of travelers. They may appear in cemeteries to help stillborns, aborted fetuses, and dead children pass into the afterlife.
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.
Oishi Yoshio Kuranosuke (1659-1703) was the chief retainer/adviser (karo) to Ako daimyo Asano Naganori. He is famous for leading a group of forty-seven Ako ronin in a well-planned campaign to get revenge on Kira Yoshinaka. The result is perhaps the most well-known story in Japanese history. Perhaps the most interesting part of the story regarding Oishi was that he actually divorced his wife and disassociated himself from his family. He hung out in areas of ill repute, became a drunk, and associated with prostitutes. He did all this in order to disguise his plan for revenge and dissuade attention from himself--talk about determination.
A man who had spat on Oishi during his destitute days is said to have felt such remorse after hearing of the loyal deed that he came to Oishi's grave to apologize. It is believed he committed seppuku as well. His grave is located on the premises along with the 46 ronin.
Akashi Park lies on what was once the outer bailey of Akashi-jo. It is now a public park that is more than 100 acres. A lovely garden which is believed to have been designed by famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi is located on the grounds as well, just in front of the two yagura--the only surviving structures of the original castle. The Hitsujisaru Yagura (left) can be seen above the small rest house.
Akashi Castle is located along the coast in Hyogo prefecture, a short distance from Kobe. Originally built by Ogasawara Tadazane (1596-1667) in 1619 at the command of the second Tokugawa shogun, Hidetada. It was an important castle because of its location and proximity to Osaka as it was seen as a first line of defense against the forces of the western daimyo. All that remains today are two yagura and a connecting wall which are important cultural property.
Roppongi, Tokyo. Japan.
Tokyo tower, not the eiffel.
The name "Roppongi", coined around 1660, literally means "six trees". Legend has it that the name comes from the fact that six daimyo lived nearby during the Edo period, each with the kanji character for "tree" or a kind of tree in their names.
Known to be a high Yakuza presence area.
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.
Mamiana Inari-sha is a small Shintō shrine housing a kami named 狸穴稲荷大明神 Mamiana Inari Daimyōjin. The shrine is relatively obscure in the grand scale of the history of Edo-Tōkyō. And as far as Inari Shrines go, this is just a tiny one in the Shiba-Mita-Azabu areas which is literally teeming with Inari Shrines.
The shrine is located in a shaded grove in 狸穴公園 Mamiana Kōen (Mamiana Park). The area is traditionally called 麻布狸穴町 Azabu-Mamiana-chō found at the bottom of Mamiana Hill between Iikura and Azabu-Jūban. The shrine is well known to residents of the immediate area, but it’s so minor and so off the beaten path, that the average Tōkyōite wouldn’t know or wouldn't care about it.
I’ve mentioned before that the worship of Inari was originally tied to daimyō class. Inari was seen as a tutelary kami of the daimyō and his clan and retainers. With the implementation of 参勤交代 sankin-kōtai (alternate attendance), daimyō and their retainers were forced to maintain about 3 residences in the shōgun’s capital of Edo. Shiba, Mita, and Azabu were home to many 藩邸 hantei domain residences – also called 大名屋敷 daimyō yashiki (daimyō mansions). Important samurai families, 武家 buke, lived nearby the daimyō as this real estate was both prestigious and probably helped the shōgunate keep an eye on actions of the daimyō and his retainers.
Because of this the worship of Inari spread from the upper echelons of the samurai class down to the everyday samurai by a kind of proximity effect. So if I see an Inari Shrine in certain parts of Tōkyō, I will immediately check my maps to see what daimyō had which residence in on that land. Generally speaking, anyone with an internet connection can find this information in 2 minutes as the foundation of shrines and temples are pretty well documented.
So looking into the history of Mamiana Inari-sha led me to all sorts of dead ends. For two days I scoured the internet to find out what daimyō lived on this plot of land. I figured that we could assume the first daimyō on the property would have ritually transported and re-enshrined the kami from his ancestral lands to his “embassy” in Edo. And while the area around the park was surrounded by a few lavish daimyō residences, I couldn’t find anything.
Until I looked at a map. This particular side of this particular intersection at the bottom of rhis particular hill, Mamiana-zaka (Mamiana Hill), was not home to any daimyō. There were a few large high ranking samurai families living in this area. This means the shrine was most likely built on a private samurai residence. The land could have been bought out or confiscated by the Meiji Government, but a Shintō shrine would have understandably been left behind – after all, the new government was pushing Shintō over Buddhism in an effort to bolster its claim that the emperor was a Shintō god and therefore the rightful ruler of Japan, not the Tokugawa.
So who built this shrine? I wish I could tell you. Honestly, I can’t find much online about it and nothing in any of my books. And while the paths of the streets are more or less the same today, the current geography doesn’t line up with the Edo Period plots of residential land. Also modern map making techniques don’t always match up exactly with Edo Period maps… at least not the ones I have access to. So, I can’t tell you what family was living there (it’s most likely one of 3 families by my reckoning, but I’m not going to speculate further than that). I’m having a hard time even figuring out who built the many torii there, and who has filled in the cement reinforcements of the stone work, and who maintains the paint job on the torii and komainu. I’m not an expert on Japan’s separation of church and state laws, but while Minato Ward can pay for the upkeep of Mamiana Park, I don’t think they can constitutionally upkeep a shrine. So… this is a mystery in so many ways to me at the moment.
That said, there is a wonky folk tale about this area which involves this small shrine. If you read my blog, you already know some theories on the etymology of Mamiana. One involves a mami (a dialect term for a tanuki or a female tanuki).
The folk tale says there was a handsome commoner who lived here [in a cave here, for some reason] could take the shape of a tanuki and would sneak into Edo Castle and make his way straight to the 大奥 Ōoku (the shōgun’s harem) where he would ravish the shōgun’s women in ways that would make #TeamIenari cringe. Another samurai named Uchida Shōkurō (or possibly Masakurō or Seikurō) could see through this dude’s tanuki disguise and took it upon himself to slay the perverted shape-shifter in defense of the shōgun’s honor. Another story – sometimes tied in with the prior story – is that a soba shop owner named 作兵衛 Sakubei was saddened by the killing of a tanuki that he vowed to only serve “tanuki soba” (ie; soba served with tempura). On top of that, he built a small shrine to honor the soul of the slayed tanuki.
This folk tale is clearly bullshit, but interestingly, from Azabu-Jūban to Hamamatsu-chō there are many Edo Period soba shops.
Outside JR Azuchi station is a statue of one of Japan's greatest daimyo, Oda Nobunaga. Azuchi, located within a short journey from the capital in Kyoto, was a perfect base for Nobunaga's Azuchi castle. The castle no longer exists except for the stone base, but one can still visit the ruins.
Nobunaga (1534-1582) was perhaps the most powerful warlord in Japanese history. By the time of his premature death, he had conquered most of Japan and brought almost all opposition under his control. Nobunaga was responsible for many victorious campaigns, as well as seriously introducing firearms which were earlier acquired from Portugal. His relations with the Portuguese also led to accounts of his life written by Juao Rodriguez and other Jesuit missionaries. Nobunaga's life ended when he was betrayed by one of his top generals, Akechi Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide burned down Honno-ji, a temple in Kyoto, and many believe Nobunaga committed seppuku amid the flames.