Snow Poems for Risshun (Lunar calendar spring)

risshun - start of spring

Woodblock of snowman

30 January 2012

There is only an occasional and temporary dusting of snow in Kyoto, but from where we live we can see snow up in the surrounding hills.  Though it definitely feels like winter, February 3 is Risshun or the change from winter to spring according to the lunar calendar, celebrated in Japan by festivities called Setsubun, which I will describe in the next entry. In the meantime, while it is still winter (and I imagine it will be for some weeks to come in spite of the celebrations), I will copy out a couple of Japanese winter poems just for enjoyment:

you make the fire
and I'll show you something wonderful:
a big ball of snow!

          -Basho


Fresh morning snow in front of the shrine.
The trees!  Are they white with peach blossoms
Or white with snow?
The children and I joyfully throw snowballs

           -Zen monk Ryokan (1758-1831)

Snow in the Hills

Protection for young Cherry Trees

Woodblock of a traditional costume from Ohara

Ohara

29 January 2012

About a half hour bus ride into the hills north of Kyoto lies the old farming town of Ohara.  We decided that in spite of our colds and the chilly weather we would set off.  Quite a change from Kyoto.  Our first stop was the beautiful Pure Land temple, Sanzen-ji.  Gardens are lovely and tranquil in winter, sharpened by snow, and made pleasing and colorful by many sorts of red berries, camellias, mosses, rocks, reflections in the ponds.  Walking through the temples in winter can seem like a sort of penance in that one's sock-clad feet become increasingly frozen.  The first four photos give you some idea of the gardens (and the sweet straw shelters for young cherry tree saplings).  We then found a nice warm place for lunch, and had one of Kyoto's specialties - yuba in a soup which I guess is mostly soy milk or gruel, served in a little wooden tub.  Plus ten or so other little bits of things and of course a bowl of rice - always!  Good to warm up.

Thus fortified, we walked across the road and up the hill to the town, which was mostly deserted.  The woodblock shows the traditional costume worn by women from this area.  The photo (not mine) shows the town (and rice paddy) in summer and gives you some idea of how the town looks.


We are hoping the Republicans self-destruct.

Much love, B&W

Snow Monkeys, the Japanese "Alps" and Onsen

A Long Winter's Nap

Jigokudani Park

Eating Soy Beans

Win and a Nihon Zaru

Serow

"Traditional Japanese Inn for Human Being; Monkey Park for Monkey"

Ryokan Korokukan and Vapor from Hot Spring

21-23 January 2011

     Early Saturday morning we set out on our journey to Japan's famous "Monkey Park" called Jigokudani which is located in the Japanese "Alps" near Nagano.  The trip involved taking the Shinkansen to Nagoya, the JR express train to Nagano (about 3 hours),  the "Snow Monkey" train on the Dentetsu Line to Yudanaka (45min), and then a half hour bus ride to Kambayashi.  From there a 40 minute walk up to the Ryokan we were staying at, as the road to the Ryokan and park entrance is closed in winter.  Luckily we were forewarned to only bring backpacks.  We arrived at the Ryokan Korokukan at about 3pm - it is actually just minutes from the Monkey Park entrance.  It is a small, somewhat rundown and rustic place, sitting right next to some hot springs so has a vaguely sulfurous smell.  Monkeys frequent the place, including the outdoor bath.  We decided we would use the "family bath" before bed in order to warm up, but forego the outdoor one...We found our room spacious, very traditional (low table, cushions, futons on the floor for sleeping) and tidy.  Dinner was excellent - grilled fish with a little roasted cricket for a garnish (!), sushimi, a hot pot with excellent vegetable and duck, various traditional pickles and other small dishes.  The hot bath just about made us ready for serving, but it did feel good when you  got used to it, especially given no central heating (as is true of many places). 

    A little about Japanese monkeys:  throughout Japan there are about 4 or 5 troops of Macaque monkeys.  The snow monkeys are a group of about 150 who live the furthest north of any primates in the wild.  They are old world monkeys with red faces, expressive eyes, short tails, very social among themselves, very tolerant of but disinterested in people.  Babies and juveniles are playful and silly, adults are sometimes affectionate and often pick fleas off each other, and are sometimes territorial and threatening.  The Japanese are very fond of these Nihon zaru (Japanese monkeys) and have created special parks for them where they are fed twice a day.  The hot spring shown above with all the tourists was made especially for these monkeys, who discovered about 50 years ago that they could warm up in the water during the cold winters, and passed this behavior on to new generations. 

     So on Sunday we went up to the Park right after breakfast and spent a good long time watching the monkeys.  All the above photos are taken by me except the Serow.  It was great fun - I had a momentary fantasy that I would be Jane Goodall of the macaques in my next life.  The older monkeys have very ruddy faces, large eyes, sometimes a rather pensive and grave expression.  Younger ones seem to smile and be mischievous.  They make snowballs just for fun.

     At lunch time we hiked down to Kambayashi and found a little soba restaurant which advertised itself as serving soba made with "heartfelt joy and spring water".   Can't go wrong with that.  They also served tiny smoked scallops with pickles on the side.  The menu said you could get "fresh squeezed" milk from cow for dessert, but we had a tasty dried persimmon.   Then back up the hill for an afternoon visit with the monkeys.  Another good dinner and hot bath.

     Monday at breakfast a Serow was seen out the window - it is a sort of smallish wild elk-goat that lives in the mountains of Japan.    A light snow was falling as we left to get the bus, train etc etc back to Kyoto.  A trip definitely worth the effort!


Much love.

Toh-shiya (Archery Contest) and the Motherly Buddha

Shishidoshi

Hara stone

Strong enough to protect Buddha

15 January 2012

Yesterday morning we visited Kiyomizu dera Temple.  (See entry of ...)   Much less crowded than in the fall.  We found the Tainai-meguri temple, so went down (figuratively of course) the steps into the dark (pitch black actually) "womb" of the motherly Buddha (Daizuigu-Bosatsu), holding tightly to the beaded railing and walking very slowly, making many 90 degree turns.  The journey takes you to the dimly lit stone with "hara" written on it, which you push clockwise to grant your prayer.  You emerge into the daylight "pure and reborn".  I think it's an especially important place to visit if you are pregnant.  Once again the scale of Kiyomizu was astonishing.  We lit a candle for Ganmaa.  Then had a nice "winter set" lunch with sesame tofu, soup with yuba (soy milk skin - a specialty of Kyoto) and a sort of hot risotto with miso and vegetables and some fu.

Today, on a walk through southern Gion, we started by Sanjusangendo temple and stumbled into the middle of Toh-shiya, the yearly archery contest held in the long courtyard.  This has been going on for more than 500 years apparently, and celebrates the first shooting of arrows in the New Year (there are many "firsts" of the New Year celebrated).  Whereas people used to shoot targets at 120 meters for 24 hrs at a time (the record was set in 1688 with someone hitting the target 62% of the time using 8,132 arrows).  Now there are just 2 tries at 60 meters but thousands of archers, both 20 year olds and more expert archers of all ages.  The young women wear their fancy kimonos with the sleeves tied back and a special overskirt and chest protection.  The massive crowded prevented any hope of seeing the actual shooting, so we went off on our walk, marveling at  the thought of shooting bows and arrows all dressed up in fancy kimonos in wintery weather.  We enjoyed our walk through Gion, and had tea and sweet bean soup (hot) with toasted rice cakes at the tiny shop Kasagi-ya, where we had been with Cecilia and John.  A perfect tea shop.  Now we feel much more at home and can even say a few Japanese words to get our needs across (sometimes). 

A word on the first photograph (not mine).  It is a shishidoshi (or "deer-scared fountain").  I had seen (and heard) one in the garden of Shisendo Temple near Shugakuin.  Aside from the beauty of the garden, the rhythmic thwack of the bamboo on the stone added to the meditative feel of the space.  The bamboo tube slowly fills with water, then tips over, strikes a stone, empties, and tips back.  Another brilliant creation for Win to build in our own garden.

Love to all from us both.

Seijin no Hi (Coming of Age Day Holiday)

9 January 2012

On the second Monday in January there is a National Holiday celebrating all those who became 20 years old during the preceding year.  It is a civic holiday, with ceremonies held at town and city halls at which officials give speeches welcoming the young people to the world of adult responsibilities.  The young people themselves seem to relate more warmly to the fact that 20 is the drinking age in Japan.  Everyone dresses up, as you can see.  The mood of the dressing, especially for the girls,  expresses with elegance the wish both to be "grown-up", and to still be "kawaii" (cute).  The atmosphere is very fun.  We were there in the middle of the day.  As the day wears on into evening, the celebrants go off to private parties.  What happens at those, we can only guess.


Love to everyone..... Cheers!!

Water Koto, Dry Garden, Golden Pavillion

8 January 2012

Kinkaku-ji or the Golden Pavillion

Kaki (persimmon)

Ryoan-ji

Suikinkutsu (water koto)

     Since Win had no classes this past week and the first week of January seems like an extended Japanese holiday, we had ample time for leisurely winter walks around Kyoto.  My wonderful Japanese conversation teacher, Araki-sensei, had left us tickets for a miniature bonsai exhibition, so we went to see it.  It was quite a sight - rows and rows of exquisite bonsai ranging in size from a plants in thimble-sized pots to pines about a foot or two.  Many of the plants are artfully arranged on graceful stands in groups of 3 or 5 pots of different sorts, I'm sure following rules unfamiliar to us.  The old gnarled trees and delicate blossoming shrubs etc are meant to remind one of certain particular landscapes or moods. 

      Saturday we visited Kinkaku-ji, the famous Golden Pavillion.  (Above photo is from the internet as the day, while cold and blustery, was not snowy.)  The temple is nearly completely covered in gold leaf, which on a calm day reflects in a beautiful lake.  There is a beautiful bronze Ho-o bird on the roof.  Gardens are lovely.  In contrast is the stark garden of Ryoan-ji Temple, a Zen masterpiece of 15 stones placed starkly in a sea of sand, surrounded by an ancient earthen wall.  There is a viewing platform for contemplation, from which you can never see all 15 stones at once.  My photo cannot do it justice.  The cold day seemed to keep down the number of visitors, so it was more peaceful than our visit in 2008.  The heron and the persimmons caught my eye as we walked around the beautiful pond surrounded by mossy garden.

     Yesterday we headed for Eikan-do Temple (see post of 19 October 2011) and a winter walk along the philosopher's walk.  It was very quiet and peaceful in the morning, the way I think a visit to a temple should be but rarely is.  We both agreed we will take our visitors there.  It was so quiet that we were able to listen to the water koto (see diagram above).  From the tsubaki (place for hand washing), water drips into a buried upside down ceramic pot and if the structure is just so,  lovely tones resembling those of the koto can be heard.  If you ladle water into the top, then a small melody is audible.  Needless to say it will be Win's next garden project when we get home!

     We enjoyed our wintery walk along the Philosopher's Path.   Many beautiful camellias trees are blooming, and there is a profusion of bushes with bright red berries.  We warmed up with some ramen soup with egg and pork, and then went to the small Honen-in Temple (which was closed), but we found the cemetery where we had visited with J & C to find the grave of the philosopher, Kuki Shuzo.  Not being able to read the stones on our own, we could not refind it, but the spot brought back a wonderful memory.

We send love to all

Dashi

8 January 2012

The cook in me finally decided that I should make my own dashi (Japanese soup stock).  It's so easy and tasty that I pass on the process in case you are tired of chicken stock and want to strike out on your own.  For a start only two ingredients are needed: kombu (dry kelp) and katsuo-bushi (dried bonito).  The bags of bonito flakes look like they are filled with some sort of fluff.  The flakes for soup are the big sort, about like a bag of soft wood shavings.  So wipe off the kelp and simmer an 8 inch piece in a pot of water (maybe 1 or 2 quarts) just until the water boils.  Take out the kelp and add the bonita (about 1 1/2oz) and boil for a while until the bonita sinks.  Then strain through a paper towel and voila!  When you add veggies, tofu, fish cake, whatever else, and a little light soy it is truly a delicious winter meal. 
Some root veggies here seem exotic to us like burdock, lotus root, nagaimo (mountain potato - soft and a bit slimy).  Regular potato and turnip will suffice.

Bon appetit
 

Joya no kane (New Year's Bell Ringing)

3 January 2011

Shinnyo-do temple - Tanuki (racoon dog)

Joya no Kane

Shinnyo-do Temple bonsho

     We arrived in Kyoto not quite 24 hrs ago, about three hours delayed and knees rather worse for wear.  Otherwise everything went well.  The New Year's holiday is three days in Japan, a time for being with family, bidding farewell to the old year at the temples on New Year's eve, and welcoming the New Year at the shrines for the next three days.  On New Year's eve, the large bell of the temple (bonsho) is struck 108 times to free people of the 108 Buddhist defilements (from abuse to wrath, with hard heartedness and high-handedness somewhere in the middle of the list).  Then there is the celebration of new year, with people lighting cords of dried plants at the fires in the shrines to carry home (not on buses or trains) to light the cooking fire for the first soup of the new year.

     Since all the shops were closed today, and in respect for New Years and Win's birthday, we made a trip to the near by Shinnyo-do Temple, a lovely and peaceful spot with much to enjoy including dry landscape gardens (Nehan no niwa - Nehan meaning nirvana or the state of a flame being blown out).  This sort of garden often incorporates the background scenery and is called "shakkei" (literally borrowed scenery - in this case Mt Hiei).  Even though the leaves are all down now, it was very pleasing. The large bell was silent, and the quaint little Tanuki stood watch in the grounds, for reasons unknown to me.  Ususally you see male Tanuki outside of restaurants and other commercial establishments.  (The photo of the monks is borrowed.)

     Out to dinner at a local restaurant where the owner made us feel very welcome.  We were lucky to find it open since we had no chance to buy food today.

   We were so happy to be home for Christmas and miss everyone we saw or thought of.