Shrine & Temple

EXPERIENCE

Shinjuku Kabuki cho

Kabuki cho developed after world war Ⅱ as an entertainment area. As its name indicates there was a plan to build Kabuki theater here, but plan stopped because of budget shortage. The movie theater was built here and “Godzilla” series was produced. Entertainment like Robot restaurant, Samurai museum and Ninja trick house attract the tourists. Shinjuku Golden Gai  At Shinjuku Golden Gai there are about 280 restaurants and bars and foreign visitors have increased over the last few years and it is now a major Tokyo evening tourist attraction. Shinjuku is known for skyscrapers, neatly suited businessmen and clean and cozy streets. But this is not always true at Golden […]

Nakano Broadway
AREA

Nakano, Koenji

Nakano Broadway Opened in 1966, multi story mall has anime, manga and cosplay shops now. Even unless you are anime fan walking along Nakano Broadway must be fun. Mandarake, vintage manga & anime shop Originally started in Edo era, Shopping arcade were lined with inns, restaurants and temples and shrines where many people passed thru and gathered. Now arcades are decreasing because of the lifestyle change all in Japan, but Nakano Broadway was revived as a mecca of subculture with opening of vintage shops of manga & anima like Mandarake. Castilla, sponge cake is popular among tourists from overseas. Koenji Koenji is the name of area where Koenji temple, Hikawa […]

Sensoji Temple
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Asakusa, Sensoji temple

Sensoji is located in Asakusa Station in northeastern Tokyo and can be accessed by the Asakusa Line or the Ginza Line.  Kaminarimon, thunder gate Kaminarimon, thunder gate of Sensoji temple, is a landmark of Asakusa. The present thunder gate was rebuilt by a donation from Konosuke Matsushita , founder of Panasonic in 1960.He is said to be suffered from arthritis of knee, but recovered by visiting Sensoji temple. When you path through the gate you can find Dragon hidden on the bottom of lantern. Dragon is believed to be the god of water and protect the temple from fire.Many visitors touch the dragon to get the benefits. Nakamise Shopping Street […]

EXPERIENCE

Shichi Fukujin Seven Gods of good fortune

Seven Gods of good fortune are believed to arrive on a ship full of treasures and bring good fortunes to the people. They are modeled after Indian, Chinese and Japanese gods.  One of them called Daikokuten standing on bags of rice with a lucky hammer and a big sack is the god of agriculture. Benzaiten playing the biwa is the Goddess of Arts and knowledge. Ebisu holding a fishing rod is the god of fishing and commerce. First worshipped in the Muromachi period and became popular in Edo period. Even today during the New Year’s season many people visit shrines and temples housing Shichi Fukujin statues. And it is believed […]

Ceremony & Event

Chinowa-Kuguri, passing through a hoop ceremony

Chinowa, large hoop made of kaya grass,  is placed in front of the shrine sanctuary two times a year, early in summer and around end or beginning of the year (different depending on the shrine). People can be purified and protected from illness and evil by passing through three times in such a way as to draw a number of 8.  This is an old shrine tradition with roots in a very old Japanese legend: “Once upon a time the man called Susanoo-no-Mikoto asked one night’s shelter to the villagers during his trip. While the rich man named Tanshorai wouldn’t give even a night’s shelter, his elder brother named Somin […]

EXPERIENCE

EMA, Wooden votive tablets

Visitors offer up prayers for fortune through use of votive tablets known as “Ema” at temple or shrine. We write wishes on tablet and hang them on the designated rack. Many students write the name of university or high school they want to pass. Ema 絵馬 means picture and horse. In ancient Japan people dedicated horses alive to temples and shrines. Today ema designs are not limited to horses, and often have a picture of the year’s eto or zodiacal animal. The system of associating a different animal with each year is a 12 year cycle came from China. In Japan the animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, […]

EXPERIENCE

Shimenawa & Shimekazari

  Shimenawa, sacred rope made of rice straw at Shinto shrines, Torii gates, trees and landmarks rock with ”Shide”, a kind of paper streamers are thought to be the boundary between the sacred and this world and to ward off diseases and evils. When you see it around a tree or a rock, don’t cut down the tree because the spirit is believed to inhabit it. The highest rank of Sumo wrestlers are allowed to ware Yokozuna, shimenawa because Sumo was originally practiced as Shinto ritual for agricultural fertility in ancient times.   You may see Shime-kazari placed on the porch or the entrance door on the New Year’s days. […]

EXPERIENCE

Four kinds of Buddha statues

Statues of Buddha don’t have same appearances. There are mainly classified into four kinds. Nyorai 如来 Nyorai is enlightened Buddha. The hair is kinky perm, both hands make sign. The cloth is very simple. Famous are Daibutsu 大仏 in Nara and Kamakura.   Bosats,菩薩Bodhisatvaa Bosats, Bodhisatvaa having very merciful face is training Buddha to achieve enlightenment. Bosats, Bodhisatvaa puts on a crown, wears accessories and hold something on hand. Bosats, Bodhisatvaa are said to refrain from being enlightened Nyorai to help humankinds.   Jizo Bosatsu is one of Bosatsu who helps the unborn baby or dead children. The parents put the read bib or hat on Jizo Bosatsu. Also Jizo […]