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Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a large park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became a garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. It is now a park under the jurisdiction of the national Ministry of the Environment.
The shogun bequeathed this land to Lord Naitō (daimyo) of Tsuruga in the Edo period who completed a garden here in 1772. After the Meiji Restoration the house and its grounds were converted into an experimental agricultural centre. It then because a botanical garden before becoming an imperial garden in 1879. The current configuration of the garden was completed in 1906. Most of the garden was destroyed by air raids in 1945, during the later stages of World War II. The garden was rebuilt after the war.
The jurisdiction over the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and the Kyoto imperial garden was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now part of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) in 1947.
On May 21, 1949 the garden became open to the public as "National Park Shinjuku Imperial Gardens". It came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment in January 2001 with the official name "Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden".
Koishikawa-Kōrakuen is a seventeenth-century garden in Koishikawa, Bunkyō, Tokyo. The garden was begun by Mito Yorifusa in 1629, and completed by his son Mito Mitsukuni. It was created with advice from the Chinese scholar Zhu Shun Shui, and incorporates elements of both Chinese and Japanese taste.
It is one of three surviving daimyō gardens of the many that were created in Edo after it became the military capital of the country, the others being the Rikugi-en and the Hama Rikyū gardens.
Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shukkei-en:
Shukkei-en (縮景園) is a historic Japanese garden in the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum is located adjacent to the garden.
Construction began in 1620 during the Edo period at the order of Asano Nagaakira, daimyō of the Hiroshima han. Shukkei-en was constructed by Ueda Sōko, who served lord Asano as chief retainer (karō) of the domain and as a tea master.
Since the Meiji period, the garden served as the villa of the Asano family. When under Emperor Meiji the Imperial General Headquarters were relocated to Hiroshima, the emperor briefly lodged at the villa. The gardens were opened to the public, and in 1940 the Asano family donated them to Hiroshima Prefecture. Being a short walk from ground zero of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima, Shukkei-en suffered extensive damage, and then became a refuge for victims of the war. After renovations, it reopened in 1951.
Wakayama (和歌山市 Wakayama-shi, Japanese: [ɰakaꜜjama]) is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.
Wakayama is cleft in two by the Kinokawa River. The city is bordered at the north by mountains and Osaka Prefecture.
In the city center is Wakayama Castle, built on Mt. Torafusu (the name means "a tiger leaning on his side") in a city central park. During the Edo period, the Kishū Tokugawa daimyō ruled from Wakayama Castle. Tokugawa Yoshimune, the fifth Kishū Tokugawa daimyo, became the eighth Tokugawa shōgun. This castle is a concrete replica of the original, which was destroyed in World War II.
Wakayama is home to one of Japan's three Melody Roads, which is made from grooves cut into the pavement, which when driven over causes a tactile vibration and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the car body.
Wakayama Prefecture is famous across Japan for its umeboshi (salty pickled plums) and mikan (mandarins).
Wakayama has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, and is greater in summer than in winter.
In 1610,Tokunaga Leyasu ordered the constrution of Nagoya Castle, he ordered 20 daimyo lords from western Japan , such as Kato Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori ,to build the stone walls.This is called tenka bushin [ public works project ] .Kobori Enshu,Nakai Masakiyo and others built the main castle tower and corner owers.The castle was mostly finished by 1612.
Taken in 2012 at Entoku-in Temple in Kyoto, during a nighttime autumn illumination.
After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598, his wife, Nene, had Kodai-ji temple built in his honor, where she herself resided after taking her vows and becoming a Buddhist nun. In 1605, she had her private residence and part of the garden transferred across the street from the main temple, where she spent her remaining 19 years entertaining guests and being the chief caretaker of Hideyoshi’s memories.
Nine years after her passing, Nene's nephew, Kinoshita Toshifusa, who was the daimyo Ashimori, had the monk Sanko establish her detached residence and garden as the Buddhist temple Entoku-in as the patron temple of the Kinoshita family.
Tenjyu-an Eastern Garden in front of hojo
location : Nanzenji Temple Tenjyuan ,Kyoto city ,Kyoto Prefecture,Japan
南禅寺 天授庵
Tenjyuan :
Tenjyuan is one of the most historically important temple of the Nanzenji. It was built as a dedication of the founder of the Nanzenji , Daiminkokushi Mukanfumon .
In 1267 the Emperpor Kameyama,enchanted with the natural beauty of the spot,elected a villa on the site where where the Nanzenji Temple now stands. Around 1288 the emperor was vexed by the appearance of a ghost and asked for help from Daiminkokushi ,the third Chief Priest of the Tofukuji Temple.
The priest rid Emperor Kameyama of the gost by merely performing Zazen meditations without reciting a single sutra.
The emperor was deeply moved by this demonstration of the priest's virtue and subsequently became became his disciple,giving himself the name Hoo("Great Priest").He later converted his villa into zen temple and dedicated it to Daiminkokushi.These events took place in Hoo's later years ; the priest died before the coversation of the villa was complete.It was left for a priest named Kiansoen,the successor of Daiminkokushi.to finish the work and inaugurate the zen temple. For this reason little credit for the task is given to Daiminkokushi himself.In 1336 Kokakushiren,the 15th chief priest of Nanzen Ji Temple,asked the retired Emperor Kogon for permission to construct a building commemorating the founding of the temple by Daiminkokushi.Construction on the building was completed in the following year(1337),hence the opening of the Tenjyuan.
Tenjyuan,however ,was destroyed in the Nanzenji conflagration of 1447 .Nor was the temple spared destraction by fire during the Onin War ( 1467-1477). More then 130 years passed before the temple was finally reconstructed.
Many of the temples destroyed by wars were reconstructed in the last quarter of the 16th century,when Japan enjoyed a period of political stability. The priests of Nanzenji agreed that the Tenjyuan be reconstructed by one of the most famous Zen priests of Kyoto,Genporeisan.He appointed Ungakureikei chief priest of the Tenjyuan ,and asked the daimyo Hosokawa Yusei to finance the enterprise.Thanks to generous contribution of Hosokawa,the reconstruction of the Main Hall,the Main Gate,and the old study was completed in August ,1602.These are the Tenjyuan buildings that stand today.
The garden consists of the front ,or eastern,garden of the Main Hall, and the southern garden near the Study.
***The eastern garden is a rock garden. A geometrically designed stone footpath embedded in white sand and moss connects the Main Hall with the Maingate. This footpath was made 1338 after the original construction of the Tenjyuan.
The other ,shorter stone footpath leading to Yusai's mausoleum was made after Yusai's death in1610.***
The layout of the southern garden clearly illustrates the characteristics of late 14th century landscaping.The two central islands in particular epitomize this style. A long penninsula extending from the study and a smaller penninsula extending from the other side meet to form a curling clasp,creating an eastern and western pond.The shorelines of the two ponds so divided are thus varied.
The eastern pond is smaller than the other and has a slopping bank.In addition to this landscaping technique,the arrangement of rocks near the waterfall indicates that the garden was made around the time of the construction of the Tenjyuan in 1337.
- Tenjyuan
ƒ/11.0 15.0 mm 1/125sec ISO100
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a large park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became a garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. It is now a park under the jurisdiction of the national Ministry of the Environment.
The shogun bequeathed this land to Lord Naitō (daimyo) of Tsuruga in the Edo period who completed a garden here in 1772. After the Meiji Restoration the house and its grounds were converted into an experimental agricultural centre. It then because a botanical garden before becoming an imperial garden in 1879. The current configuration of the garden was completed in 1906. Most of the garden was destroyed by air raids in 1945, during the later stages of World War II. The garden was rebuilt after the war.
The jurisdiction over the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and the Kyoto imperial garden was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now part of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) in 1947.
On May 21, 1949 the garden became open to the public as "National Park Shinjuku Imperial Gardens". It came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment in January 2001 with the official name "Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden".
Where the neighborhood Maiko and Geiko go to pray for improvement in their performing skills.
Spring is the best season for this scene actually.
Trying to get more out of the RAW file. As someone said, if we can't make RAW look better than SOOC JPEG, we ought to look for a different hobby.
location : Daitokuji Zuiho-in ,Kyoto city ,Kyoto Prefecture Japan
大徳寺 瑞峯院 表千家１２代惺斎好み茶室 安勝軒
Zuiho-in
A Sub temple of Daitokuji Monasterycomplex found in1319．Zuiho-in was dedicated in 1546 by its patron, feudal load Otomo Sorin ,as his family temple shortly thereafter,Japan experienced first arrival of Spanish and Portuguese Catholic missionaries. who attacked a considerable number of converts here in Japan.
In addition to the religious experience ,conversion to Christianity brought with it potential economic and political opportunities for trade with Europeans ,and not a few influential people embraced the new religion.
At the age of 48,Otomo converted to Chiristianity,was christend "Francisco" and was thereafter known as the "Christian Daimyo" Not long after,Christianity was outlawed in Japan,and remained so for over hundred years. Thought Christianity has never been taught at Zuiho-in ,this aspect as a part of the life of its founding patron is both honored and respected as a part of Otomo's legacy. An example of this honoring was the creation within Zuiho-in of the Garden of the Cross. - Zuiho-in
Ansho -ken tearoom
This tearoom named Ansho-ken is only reverse arrangement tearoom within the the grounds of Daitokuji,which suits the 12th generation of the Omotesenke Sesai's taste.
Omotesenke - Japanese tea culture
The castles origins go back to the Sengoku period .At that time Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site in 1504 , which originally was called Fukashi Castle .In 1550 it came under the rule of the Takeda clan and then Tokugawa Leyasu .They also were instrumental in laving out the castle town and its infrastructure .It is belived much of the castle was completed by 1593-94 .During the Edo period ,the Tokugawa shogunate establishead the Matsumoto Domain, of which the Matsudaira ,Mizuno ,and others were daimyos .For the next 280 years until the abolition of the feudal system in the Meiji Restoration , the castle was ruled by the 23 lords of Matsumoto representing six different daimyo families .In this period the stronghold was also known as Crow Castle [ Karasu-jo ] because its black walls and roofs looked like spreading wings.
Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirayama_Hime_Shrine:
Shirayamahime Jinja (白山比咩神社) is a Shinto shrine in the Sannomiyamachi neighborhood of the city of Hakusan in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the ichinomiya of former Kaga Province. The main festival of the shrine is held annually on May 6. It is the head shrine of approximately 2000 "Hakusan Jinja" across Japan. Though read differently, "Shirayama" and "Hakusan" use the same characters (白山) in Japanese.
The kami enshrined at Shirayamahime Jinja are:
Shirayamahime-no-Okami (白山比咩大神), also known as Kukurihime, the deified Hakusan volcano
Izanagi-no-Mikoto (伊邪那岐尊), the creator god
Izanami-no-Mikoto (伊弉冉尊), the creator goddess
The Shirayamahime Jinja is located at the foot of 2702 meter Mount Hakusan, a sacred mountain on the border of Ishikawa and Gifu Prefectures. The shrine consists of the "Hakusan Hongū" or Shimo-Hakusan, located at the foot of the mountain, and the "Oku-no-miya" located at the summit of the Gozengamine peak of the mountain. The origins of Shirayamahime Jinja are unknown. The mountain has been an object of worship from prehistoric times, and one of the Three Holy Mountains of Japan.[9] Although there is no documentary evidence, the shrine claims that it was first established by the legendary Kofun period Emperor Sujin (reigned 97 BC – 30 BC) and was rebuilt in 716 by Empress Genshō. The shugendō monk Taichō is said to have been the first person to reach the summit in 717, and to have built a chapel there. However, the first appearance of the shrine in historical documentation is an entry date 853 in the Nihon Montoku Tennō Jitsuroku, in which it was granted third court rank. At some point in the mid-Heian period, the shrine came to be regarded as the ichinomiya of the province. During the Kamakura and early Muromachi periods the shrine prospered greatly as in collaboration with Zen Buddhism, Hakusan shrines were established at many locations around the country. However, this prosperity came to an end with the Kaga ikki in 1455. During this rebellion, the shrine lost its estates and revenues and in 1480 the shrine, which was located on the banks of the Tedori River at the time, was destroyed by fire. It remained in ruins for over a century.
The shrine was restored by Maeda Toshiie, daimyō of Kaga Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate in the early Edo period, and continued to grow and prosper with the patronage of the Maeda clan until the Meiji Restoration. During the Meiji period era of State Shinto, the shrine was designated as a National shrine, 2nd rank (国幣中社, kokuhei-chūsha) under the Modern system of ranked Shinto shrines.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a large park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became a garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. It is now a park under the jurisdiction of the national Ministry of the Environment.
The shogun bequeathed this land to Lord Naitō (daimyo) of Tsuruga in the Edo period who completed a garden here in 1772. After the Meiji Restoration the house and its grounds were converted into an experimental agricultural centre. It then because a botanical garden before becoming an imperial garden in 1879. The current configuration of the garden was completed in 1906. Most of the garden was destroyed by air raids in 1945, during the later stages of World War II. The garden was rebuilt after the war.
The jurisdiction over the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and the Kyoto imperial garden was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now part of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) in 1947.
On May 21, 1949 the garden became open to the public as "National Park Shinjuku Imperial Gardens". It came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment in January 2001 with the official name "Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden".
The Japanese pygmy woodpecker or pygmy woodpecker(Yungipicus kizuki) is a species of woodpecker. It is found in coniferous and deciduous forests in Russia, China, Korea and Japan. This species has also been placed in the genus Dendrocopos or Picoides. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a least-concern species.
Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan's premier historic castles. The building is also known as the "Crow Castle" due to its black exterior. It was the seat of the Matsumoto domain. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture and is within easy reach of Tokyo by road or rail.
The keep (tenshukaku), which was completed in the late sixteenth century, maintains its original wooden interiors and external stonework. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan.
Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle (hirajiro) because it is not built on a hilltop or amid rivers, but on a plain. Its complete defences would have included an extensive system of inter-connecting walls, moats, and gatehouses.
The castle's origins go back to the Sengoku period. At that time Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site in 1504, which originally was called Fukashi Castle. In 1550 it came under the rule of the Takeda clan and then Tokugawa Ieyasu.
When Toyotomi Hideyoshi transferred Ieyasu to the Kantō region, he placed Ishikawa Norimasa in charge of Matsumoto. Norimasa and his son Yasunaga built the tower and other parts of the castle, including the three towers: the keep and the small tower in the northwest, both begun in 1590, and the Watari Tower; the residence; the drum gate; the black gate, the Tsukimi Yagura, the moat, the innermost bailey, the second bailey, the third bailey, and the sub-floors in the castle, much as they are today. They also were instrumental in laying out the castle town and its infrastructure. It is believed much of the castle was completed by 1593–94.
During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate established the Matsumoto Domain, of which the Matsudaira, Mizuno, and others were the daimyo.
For the next 280 years until the abolition of the feudal system in the Meiji Restoration, the castle was ruled by the 23 lords of Matsumoto representing six different daimyo families. In this period the stronghold was also known as Crow Castle because its black walls and roofs looked like spreading wings.
In the early 17th century european traders and missionaries was banned to enter Japan. The shogunate believed that the europeans were forerunners of a military campaign and therefore they were expelled.
The project is inspired by these events. The scene depicts some desperate Europeans who tried to take refuge in a castle.
This Photo Taken By HONGMEI.This Camera Is Chainese Spring Camera.This Camera Have Not Range finder & Exposure meter.
It's Very Primitive Camera.
But Very Nice Camera.
This card is of a Japanese woman, a courtesan O-Koto-San. Here, O-Hana-San is providing music for her friend O-Koto-San with a Shamisen, a three-stringed traditional Japanese instrument played with a plectrum
This is a post card, part of a series of at least 12 cards, from about 1905-1910 about O-Koto-San and I will post all those that I have as time goes by - I have twelve of them depicting various scenes from the daily life of this courtesan, but what were courtesans?
The wives of the daimyo or feudal lords subbordinate to the Shogun and also the wives of high-ranking samurai, followed Confucian ideals being expected to dress modestly and serve their husbands. These high position men looked to courtesans to find passion and love. The men wanted to believe that their favourite courtesans were in love with them, and they were sold as such.
So basically a courtesan was a high-class and much superior prostitute with refined entertainment skills and often with training in the traditional arts.
location : Gaunzan Sokusyu-in ,Tohukuji Kyoto city, Japan
With the exception of special openings, this temple is not ordinarily open to the public.
（京の冬の旅 特別公開寺院）関白の山荘跡・西郷隆盛ゆかりの寺 東福寺 即宗院
Founded by priest Gochu Genju 剛中玄柔(the 54th abbot in residence of Tofuku-ji東福寺 / 1318-1388),Guanzan Sokushu-in 臥雲山即宗院 was established in 1387 for the salvation of Daimyo (feudal load) of Satsuma domain薩摩藩 ( presant-day Kagoshima Prefecture).With a history of over 800 years,the site was once court noble Fujiwara no Kanezane's villa - Tsukinowaden palace,built his retirement from the service of Kampaku 関白( chief adviser to the Emperor) in 1196.
During the closing days of Tokugawa bakufu,Satsuma domain's Saigo Takamori 西郷隆盛was said to have hidden in Saishintei,the tea house,and schemed to overthrow the Tokugawa regime.Chased by the Tokugawa army,Saigo lead an attack at the top of the back hills and consequently attained the Meiji Restoration. a gravestone Saigo dedicated to the 524 members who died for the battle of the restoration can be found in the back hill. There are also several gravesites of Son'nojo-i 尊王攘夷(Revel the Emperor ,Expel the Barbarians- a movement to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu) heroes. Especially known for the beauty of its fresh mosses and autumn foliages,the historidal garden is a famous site that has been painted repeatedly.During the winter seasons,fruits of coral berries are also in site. - Gaunzan Sokusyu-in
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Tofukuji Temple Sokushu-in
Sokushu-in is a sub-temple of Tofukuji Temple built by Shimazu clan of Satsuma (Kagoshima prefecture at present). Shimazu of Satsuma played an initiative role in the Meiji Restoration and took part in the anti-Shogunate movement in 1860's. It is said that a famous samurai of Satsuma, Takamori Saigo, had confidential talks on anti-Shogunate movement in Sokushu-in. When a war broke out in Kyoto, the Satsuma army fired at the army of Japanese feudal government from the top of the hill at the back of Sokushu-in.
Garden :
Before this temple was built, the current place was a mountain villa called "Tsukinowaden" of Kanezane Fujiwara, an emperor's chief advisor of the 10-11th century. The pond garden of the villa mostly remains as it was at that time with its stone arrangement of waterfall, location and shape being the same.
Cenotaph of Eastern Expedition :
In the woods of the innermost part of the temple, there is a cenotaph of Eastern Expedition by Takamori Saigo. This is a monument for the Satsuma 524 war dead and all the engraved names were written by Saigo.
www.kyoto-magonote.jp/en/kwt_2016/kwt_2016.html#kwt11
(KYOTO WINTER TOUR 2016)
Rinzai Gigen, a Chinese monk, established Rinzai School which is one of the famous Buddhist sects in Japan. This year 2016 is the 1150th anniversary of his death. In commemoration of it, some of private architectures, paintings, and gardens of Rinzai Zen temples will be specially opened during the period of "Kyoto Winter Tour."
庭園は撮影可能。ただし建物内部は全て撮影不可。
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a large park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became a garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. It is now a park under the jurisdiction of the national Ministry of the Environment.
The shogun bequeathed this land to Lord Naitō (daimyo) of Tsuruga in the Edo period who completed a garden here in 1772. After the Meiji Restoration the house and its grounds were converted into an experimental agricultural centre. It then because a botanical garden before becoming an imperial garden in 1879. The current configuration of the garden was completed in 1906. Most of the garden was destroyed by air raids in 1945, during the later stages of World War II. The garden was rebuilt after the war.
The jurisdiction over the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and the Kyoto imperial garden was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now part of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) in 1947.
On May 21, 1949 the garden became open to the public as "National Park Shinjuku Imperial Gardens". It came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment in January 2001 with the official name "Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden".
Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan's premier historic castles. The building is also known as the "Crow Castle" due to its black exterior. It was the seat of the Matsumoto domain. It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture and is within easy reach of Tokyo by road or rail.
The keep (tenshukaku), which was completed in the late sixteenth century, maintains its original wooden interiors and external stonework. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan.
Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle (hirajiro) because it is not built on a hilltop or amid rivers, but on a plain. Its complete defences would have included an extensive system of inter-connecting walls, moats, and gatehouses.
The castle's origins go back to the Sengoku period. At that time Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site in 1504, which originally was called Fukashi Castle. In 1550 it came under the rule of the Takeda clan and then Tokugawa Ieyasu.
When Toyotomi Hideyoshi transferred Ieyasu to the Kantō region, he placed Ishikawa Norimasa in charge of Matsumoto. Norimasa and his son Yasunaga built the tower and other parts of the castle, including the three towers: the keep and the small tower in the northwest, both begun in 1590, and the Watari Tower; the residence; the drum gate; the black gate, the Tsukimi Yagura, the moat, the innermost bailey, the second bailey, the third bailey, and the sub-floors in the castle, much as they are today. They also were instrumental in laying out the castle town and its infrastructure. It is believed much of the castle was completed by 1593–94.
During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate established the Matsumoto Domain, of which the Matsudaira, Mizuno, and others were the daimyo.
For the next 280 years until the abolition of the feudal system in the Meiji Restoration, the castle was ruled by the 23 lords of Matsumoto representing six different daimyo families. In this period the stronghold was also known as Crow Castle because its black walls and roofs looked like spreading wings.
location : Nanzenji Temple Tenjyuan ,Kyoto city ,Kyoto Prefecture,Japan
南禅寺 天授庵 南北朝時代 池泉回遊式庭園 書院南庭
Tenjyuan Garden on southern side of Shoin
Tenjyuan :
Tenjyuan is one of the most historically important temple of the Nanzenji. It was built as a dedication of the founder of the Nanzenji , Daiminkokushi Mukanfumon .
In 1267 the Emperpor Kameyama,enchanted with the natural beauty of the spot,elected a villa on the site where where the Nanzenji Temple now stands. Around 1288 the emperor was vexed by the appearance of a ghost and asked for help from Daiminkokushi ,the third Chief Priest of the Tofukuji Temple.
The priest rid Emperor Kameyama of the gost by merely performing Zazen meditations without reciting a single sutra.
The emperor was deeply moved by this demonstration of the priest's virtue and subsequently became became his disciple,giving himself the name Hoo("Great Priest").He later converted his villa into zen temple and dedicated it to Daiminkokushi.These events took place in Hoo's later years ; the priest died before the coversation of the villa was complete.It was left for a priest named Kiansoen,the successor of Daiminkokushi.to finish the work and inaugurate the zen temple. For this reason little credit for the task is given to Daiminkokushi himself.In 1336 Kokakushiren,the 15th chief priest of Nanzen Ji Temple,asked the retired Emperor Kogon for permission to construct a building commemorating the founding of the temple by Daiminkokushi.Construction on the building was completed in the following year(1337),hence the opening of the Tenjyuan.
Tenjyuan,however ,was destroyed in the Nanzenji conflagration of 1447 .Nor was the temple spared destraction by fire during the Onin War ( 1467-1477). More then 130 years passed before the temple was finally reconstructed.
Many of the temples destroyed by wars were reconstructed in the last quarter of the 16th century,when Japan enjoyed a period of political stability. The priests of Nanzenji agreed that the Tenjyuan be reconstructed by one of the most famous Zen priests of Kyoto,Genporeisan.He appointed Ungakureikei chief priest of the Tenjyuan ,and asked the daimyo Hosokawa Yusei to finance the enterprise.Thanks to generous contribution of Hosokawa,the reconstruction of the Main Hall,the Main Gate,and the old study was completed in August ,1602.These are the Tenjyuan buildings that stand today.
The garden consists of the front ,or eastern,garden of the Main Hall, and the southern garden near the Study.
***The eastern garden is a rock garden. A geometrically designed stone footpath embedded in white sand and moss connects the Main Hall with the Maingate. This footpath was made 1338 after the original construction of the Tenjyuan.
The other ,shorter stone footpath leading to Yusai's mausoleum was made after Yusai's death in1610.***
The layout of the southern garden clearly illustrates the characteristics of late 14th century landscaping.The two central islands in particular epitomize this style. A long penninsula extending from the study and a smaller penninsula extending from the other side meet to form a curling clasp,creating an eastern and western pond.The shorelines of the two ponds so divided are thus varied.
The eastern pond is smaller than the other and has a slopping bank.In addition to this landscaping technique,the arrangement of rocks near the waterfall indicates that the garden was made around the time of the construction of the Tenjyuan in 1337.
- Tenjyuan
This temple has an explicit no-tripod policy, so tripods, including monopods, are usually prohibited here.
This quintessential Japanese garden was created roughly 300 years ago by the area’s daimyo (domain lord). A symbol of the power of the samurai, Okayama Korakuen Garden is considered one of the three great gardens of Japan alongside Kanazawa City’s Kenroku-en and Mito City’s Kairakuen.
Japanese cranes are also bred in the park. Other attractions include the plum grove with 100 trees and seasonal flowers including spring cherry blossoms, azaleas, irises, and lotuses.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a large park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became a garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. It is now a park under the jurisdiction of the national Ministry of the Environment.
The shogun bequeathed this land to Lord Naitō (daimyo) of Tsuruga in the Edo period who completed a garden here in 1772. After the Meiji Restoration the house and its grounds were converted into an experimental agricultural centre. It then because a botanical garden before becoming an imperial garden in 1879. The current configuration of the garden was completed in 1906. Most of the garden was destroyed by air raids in 1945, during the later stages of World War II. The garden was rebuilt after the war.
The jurisdiction over the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and the Kyoto imperial garden was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now part of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) in 1947.
On May 21, 1949 the garden became open to the public as "National Park Shinjuku Imperial Gardens". It came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment in January 2001 with the official name "Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden".
This card is of a Japanese woman, a courtesan O-Koto-San taking tea with her friend O-Hana-San.
This is a post card, part of a series of at least 12 cards, from about 1905-1910 about O-Koto-San and I will post all those that I have as time goes by - I have twelve of them depicting various scenes from the daily life of this courtesan, but what were courtesans?
The wives of the daimyo or feudal lords subbordinate to the Shogun and also the wives of high-ranking samurai, followed Confucian ideals being expected to dress modestly and serve their husbands. These high position men looked to courtesans to find passion and love. The men wanted to believe that their favourite courtesans were in love with them, and they were sold as such.
So basically a courtesan was a high-class and much superior prostitute with refined entertainment skills and often with training in the traditional arts
Sometimes it is easier to find old Edo at night, when the spirits from days long ago gather to enjoy sake and laughter together....
Perhaps ghosts do walk the gardens and the rooms of Happō-en. Who knows? Located in the Shirokane area of Minato-ku, Tokyo, Happō-en is a beautiful place known more for hosting an endless stream of weddings and formal banquets.
Happō-en has a history dating to the early 1600s, when it was the villa for Okubo Hikozaemon, a trusted confidant and retainer of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu as well as his two successors. Afterwards, the villa served as a residence for the Shimazu clan from the domain of Satsuma in Kyushu and then served as a villa for Saigō Takamori for a period of time. Happō-en means “eight gardens” in Japanese and its main garden is truly a delight, especially in late March to early April, when the cherry trees are in bloom or in late November-early December, when its maples turn a fiery red.
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)
Aperçu du château de Matsue
Structure complexe comportant une tour panoramique et de nombreux éléments défensifs, l’imposant bâtiment offre une gracieuse et majestueuse silhouette typique du style de la période Momoyama (fin xvie siècle). D’une hauteur de 30 mètres, le donjon, s’il n’a l’air de ne présenter que cinq niveaux vu de l’extérieur, comporte en réalité six étages.
La tour panoramique
Le dernier étage du donjon du château possède la particularité d’offrir une vue à 360° sur les environs, sans angle mort. Le donjon est l’un des derniers à offrir – avec ceux de Himeji et de Matsumoto – l’élégant et majestueux style architectural de la période Momoyama (fin xvie siècle).
Les shachihoko (鯱)
Situées sur le toit du donjon et représentant un animal marin imaginaire possédant la tête d'un tigre, ces pièces, placées à chaque extrémité du faîtage, avaient pour fonction de protéger la bâtisse des incendies et des mauvais esprits. Elles sont les plus grandes pièces en bois du Japon (2,08 m) et recouvertes de cuivre. L’animal de droite est une femelle, tandis que celui de gauche, aux écailles plus épaisses, est un mâle.
Gâble de style irimoya (入母屋破風)
Couronnement de forme triangulaire coiffant l’édifice à mi-hauteur, cet ornement est, avec la tour de garde panoramique, caractéristique du style des châteaux de la période Momoyama.
Les fondations
Savamment assemblées selon la méthode « Nozura-zumi » (野面積み), également appelée « gobō-zumi » (牛蒡積み), les pierres utilisées pour les fondations n’ont presque pas été façonnées. Malgré un aspect rudimentaire, cet assemblage de pierre, sans mortier, offre une solidité à toute épreuve.
Les panneaux de protection
Contrairement à ceux de Himeji ou d’Hikone, l’extérieur du donjon de Matsue est à dominante noire, indicateur d’un style ancien. Ainsi recouverts d’enduit, les panneaux extérieurs sont protégés contre le feu et les intempéries.
Les gargouilles
Appelées Oni-gawara (鬼瓦) en japonais et posées à l’angle des toits, ces sculptures chimériques sont censées repousser les forces maléfiques. Leurs figures, toutes différentes, ont ceci de particulier qu’elles n’ont pour la plupart pas de cornes, contrairement à celles des périodes postérieures.
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Château_de_Matsue
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Of the 12 castles remaining in Japan, this is the only one remaining in the Sanin region. This castle is the second largest, the third tallest (30m) and the sixth oldest amongst castles. It was built over a period of 5 years by the daimyo of the Izumo region, Horio Yoshiharu, and was completed in 1611.
After the reigns of Horio Tadaharu and Kyōgoku Tadataka, Matsudaira Naomasa, a grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu, became Lord of the castle, after being transferred from Matsumoto in Shinshu province, and thus began a reign that lasted 10 generations of the Matsudaira clan over a period of 234 years.
In 1875, all of the buildings within the castle were dismantled, with the exception of the castle tower itself, which was allowed to remain due to pressure from interest groups. The castle underwent a complete reconstruction between 1950 and 1955.
The castle is a complex structure, built in a watchtower-style, that appears to be five stories from the outside, but has, in fact, six levels inside. Most of the walls of the castle are painted black. It is a strong structure, built to withstand warfare, yet at the same time, it is majestic and solemn, reminiscent of the Momoyama style.
The castle has been registered as a national treasure of Japan on July 9th, 2015.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsue_Castle
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The castle was built in 1611 by Horio Yoshiharu, who took five years(1607-1611) to complete it. It was the stronghold of the feudal lords: Three generations of the Horio Clan, one of the Kyogoku Clan, and ten of the Matsudaira Clan. The castle is an example of a practical fortress, or a watchtower rather than a castle residence. "From under the black scowl of the loftiest eaves, looking east and south, the whole city can be seen at a single glance, as in the vision of a soaring hawk."(Lafcadio Hearn)
Kurotake (黒竹) Dark Bamboo Series by Daniel Arrhakis (2025)
Kurotake (黒竹) Dark Bamboo - A Dark Japanese Legend (*)
Legend has it that a samurai warrior named Yoshio once fell in love with Kasumi, the daughter of a feudal lord, a powerful Daimyo. Sensing the warrior's weakness, Kasumi used him to kill her betrothed, but with a blow to the face, she then betrayed him to her father, betraying the young samurai.
He fled but was ambushed while walking through the bamboo forest.
With his death, the bamboo forest became black from that moment on, but the daughter of the great Daimyo also had her skin black, forcing her to wear thick white makeup until the end of her days.
The forest remained haunted for many years, and it is said that the spirits of Yoshio, the young samurai, and Kasumi, the daimyo's daughter, roam the paths and temples... seeking revenge on those who pass by...
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Reza a lenda que um guerreiro samurai chamado Yoshio se apaixonou por Kasumi, filha de um senhor feudal, um poderoso Daimyo. Sentindo a fraqueza do guerreiro, Kasumi usou-o para matar o seu noivo, mas com um golpe na cara, entregou-o ao pai, traindo o jovem samurai.
Fugiu, mas foi emboscado enquanto caminhava pela floresta de bambu.
Com a sua morte, a floresta de bambu tornou-se negra a partir desse momento, mas a filha do grande daimyo ficou também com a pele negra, obrigando-a a usar uma maquilhagem branca e espessa até ao fim dos seus dias.
A floresta permaneceu assombrada durante muitos anos, e diz-se que ali residem os espíritos de Yoshio, o jovem samurai, e de Kasumi, a filha do Daimyo percorrendo os caminhos e os templos ... procurando vingarem-se em quem passa ...
(*) Story and images create by Daniel Arrhakis
Happō-en, located in the Shirokane area of Minato-ku, Tokyo, is a beautiful place known more for hosting an endless stream of weddings and formal banquets. Happō-en has a history dating to the early 1600s, when it was the villa for Okubo Hikozaemon, a trusted confidant and retainer of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who unified Japan, as well as his two successors. Afterwards, the villa served as a residence for the Shimazu clan from the domain of Satsuma in Kyushu and then served as a villa for Saigō Takamori for a period of time. Happō-en means “eight gardens” in Japanese and its main garden is truly a delight, especially in late March to early April, when the cherry trees are in bloom.