Today we head home. And what a LONG journey it was. We left Hakone at 9:50 am by train bound for Tokyo’s Skinjuki station. Short break – time enough for a Starbucks run! – then on to Narita Airport on another 90 minute train ride. We had 2 ½ hours to eat lunch, buy last minute items, and check in before our flight.
The flight back was thankfully only 9 hours since it was turbulent most of the way. By the time we got into LAX, I was exhausted and motion sick because I forgot to take my Bonine pill. 2 ½ hours later, we were on the last leg of the journey flying from LAX to San Jose Airport. Kit picked us up and took us home.
The thing that kept me going the whole day (and night) was seeing Cody. It was so wonderful to see him and his tailing wagging as we walked in the door to hug him. “Cody, I’m home!”
And thus endth my journey to Nippon (Japan). It was a great trip – lots of good sites and adventures, interesting exposure to another culture and country, good times with Dennis, and happiness at coming home!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Adventures in Eating No. 2
The first Kaiseki dinner was fun. The second dinner was more of an adventure because we really couldn’t identify what food was in front of us. I think the chef decided to try some really esoteric foods that Saturday night. One fish dish had the spines still on it. The meat dish we think was pheasant. There was clear caviar but I just was comfortable with the idea of biting into a poor little egg. And the worst one was a bright orange fish head complete with eye that came as a speciality! Needless to say, I didn’t eat a whole lot of the dinner dishes that night.
(Update 11/24)
The next morning, I went to the spa and then to breakfast, downstairs. A small fish was served, which reminded me of the previous night's fish head-- and staring eyeball. I'm not much of a breakfast gal to begin with and, so, I decided to skip breakfast.
Hakone Day #2 (11/10)
Today’s my last full day in Japan. Too bad it’s raining and foggy. It took the group a long time to figure out what to do, given the weather. Would it rain more or clear up? Dennis and I wanted to go for a hike in the mountains, but we weren’t sure if it would be really muddy or not. So we opted for a trip up the Hakone Mountain, hoping it would clear up.
To get up to the top of the mountain, we took a little train that putted along doing switchbacks up part of the mountain. Then a cable car that seems like a train but goes up a hillside. On the train and cable car, I was able to see the countryside and it was beautiful. Mountains upon mountains filled with trees, some of which were just beginning to change colors to yellows and reds. I was able to see more “akai” (red) leaves from the cable car. Wow – Japanese maples in red are beautiful! A whole hillside must be incredible.
A Japanese woman on the car cable car ride talked to me and said she thought it would be about another 2 weeks before it was prime leaf-pepping time. This was the only Japanese woman who spoke to me the whole trip. A lovely older woman there to see the fall colors with her husband and daughter. She spoke great English and asked me lots of questions. When I mentioned that I was from San Francisco, she said she had been there. And then she tried to find the English words to say that she’d seen gay men on her trip to SF. I could understand what she was trying to get at and said, “You mean 2 men together”? Yes, that’s what she meant. Funny how that stood out for her on her visit to California. Interesting to find out what we’re known for in other parts of the world.
Anyway, I digress. The last leg of the journey up the mountain is something called a ropeway which is a single car moving along a cable line attached to the roof of the car. Right as we reached the summit of the mountain, it was all foggy. All the other ropeway cars disappeared as well as the hills and ground below. We joked that we were in heaven.
So the view wasn’t great, but we had a nice lunch at the summit and trouped back down the mountain (ropeway, cable car, and train) to Hakone.
Chie and Donald went to see the Toy Museum, and we went for our last temple walk, which turned out to be a hike after all. The hike to the temple took us on a small paved road straight up the hillside through the forest. It was beautiful but a killer hike. I finally gave up at a nice scenic viewpoint and let the brothers continue on up the hill. I sat on a bench, looked at the hills, saw clouds from the hot springs in the area on the hillside, and just listened to the animals as it grew dark. I have become much better at just sitting and noticing everything on this trip. I need to remember to continue to “be in the moment” more. It’s very relaxing.
We walked back to the hotel in the dark, just as it started to rain again. Time for another hot spring soak or “teacup time”, as we started to call it!
To get up to the top of the mountain, we took a little train that putted along doing switchbacks up part of the mountain. Then a cable car that seems like a train but goes up a hillside. On the train and cable car, I was able to see the countryside and it was beautiful. Mountains upon mountains filled with trees, some of which were just beginning to change colors to yellows and reds. I was able to see more “akai” (red) leaves from the cable car. Wow – Japanese maples in red are beautiful! A whole hillside must be incredible.
A Japanese woman on the car cable car ride talked to me and said she thought it would be about another 2 weeks before it was prime leaf-pepping time. This was the only Japanese woman who spoke to me the whole trip. A lovely older woman there to see the fall colors with her husband and daughter. She spoke great English and asked me lots of questions. When I mentioned that I was from San Francisco, she said she had been there. And then she tried to find the English words to say that she’d seen gay men on her trip to SF. I could understand what she was trying to get at and said, “You mean 2 men together”? Yes, that’s what she meant. Funny how that stood out for her on her visit to California. Interesting to find out what we’re known for in other parts of the world.
Anyway, I digress. The last leg of the journey up the mountain is something called a ropeway which is a single car moving along a cable line attached to the roof of the car. Right as we reached the summit of the mountain, it was all foggy. All the other ropeway cars disappeared as well as the hills and ground below. We joked that we were in heaven.
So the view wasn’t great, but we had a nice lunch at the summit and trouped back down the mountain (ropeway, cable car, and train) to Hakone.
Chie and Donald went to see the Toy Museum, and we went for our last temple walk, which turned out to be a hike after all. The hike to the temple took us on a small paved road straight up the hillside through the forest. It was beautiful but a killer hike. I finally gave up at a nice scenic viewpoint and let the brothers continue on up the hill. I sat on a bench, looked at the hills, saw clouds from the hot springs in the area on the hillside, and just listened to the animals as it grew dark. I have become much better at just sitting and noticing everything on this trip. I need to remember to continue to “be in the moment” more. It’s very relaxing.
We walked back to the hotel in the dark, just as it started to rain again. Time for another hot spring soak or “teacup time”, as we started to call it!
Hakone Day 1 (11/9)
We had a slow start towards Hakone on Friday, about an hour south of Tokyo, and arrived there in the early afternoon. We had our typical on-the-go lunch on the train ride down to Hakone of bento and other snacks from a convenience store. That’s one thing I didn’t like about this trip – it felt rushed to move to the next place and we had very little time to sit and eat or relax.
Hakone is a resort area for Japan with lots of little towns nestled in the hills in the around Hakone. When we got there, Donald, Dennis and I went on a tour of the temples and shrines in the local area. Unfortunately, Hakone has very small streets, no sidewalks, and lots of traffic. So our walking tour wasn’t relaxing because I was always worried about on-coming traffic and getting hit by a truck or car!
We saw Shirayama Shrine – a little, dilapidated, old shrine. Then Soun-ji Temple. This temple had an interesting tree that was supported by 3 stands because it was growing horizontally. There were also headstones with red bibs on them. I still need to find out what the significance of the red bibs is. Anyone else know?
We continued our walk to Shogen-Ji Temple which looked like it was in use since we couldn’t go in. We walked on an old stone road, Old Tokaido Road, used originally by people traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo a few eons ago.
The only way we found the next temple was by following the monk who was dropped off by a taxi and going home! It was down some steep stairs on the hillside. It is Hakone Karron – sort of a cross between a temple and a shrine. And it was probably the most interesting thing we visited on our walking tour. The main room was open and you could look in at the altar from the doorway. There were these floor-to-ceiling objects in the shape of a Christmas tree but they were filled with candles and their holders all lit up. They gave off a gold effect for the altar. There was incense burning and a happy-looking Buddha at the door! We all agreed that it would be very cool to spend a day in a temple practicing Buddhism with the monks. Maybe next trip (??) we can arrange for that.
I was very aware today how hard it is to navigate around Japan without speaking or reading the language. To read the map for the walking tour, we literally were matching Japanese characters on the map to those on signs to make sure we were at the correct spots. And in the hotel, when guys came to make up the bedding, they were asking questions that we couldn’t understand or pantomime a response to, so we had to go find Chie. We really relied on her to be our translator.
Last stop on the walking tour was the Tamadare Waterfall. Actually it was two waterfalls with a shrine between them. …Very Hawaii-looking with streams of water falling and trickling down a rock hillside into a pond. And the shrine was about 75 steps up the hillside so I was huffing and puffing by the time I got to the top to see it. Buddhists and Shintoists must be (or were in ancient times) in really good physical shape with all these stairs!
We walked back to the hotel for a much deserved hot springs soak!
Hakone is a resort area for Japan with lots of little towns nestled in the hills in the around Hakone. When we got there, Donald, Dennis and I went on a tour of the temples and shrines in the local area. Unfortunately, Hakone has very small streets, no sidewalks, and lots of traffic. So our walking tour wasn’t relaxing because I was always worried about on-coming traffic and getting hit by a truck or car!
We saw Shirayama Shrine – a little, dilapidated, old shrine. Then Soun-ji Temple. This temple had an interesting tree that was supported by 3 stands because it was growing horizontally. There were also headstones with red bibs on them. I still need to find out what the significance of the red bibs is. Anyone else know?
We continued our walk to Shogen-Ji Temple which looked like it was in use since we couldn’t go in. We walked on an old stone road, Old Tokaido Road, used originally by people traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo a few eons ago.
The only way we found the next temple was by following the monk who was dropped off by a taxi and going home! It was down some steep stairs on the hillside. It is Hakone Karron – sort of a cross between a temple and a shrine. And it was probably the most interesting thing we visited on our walking tour. The main room was open and you could look in at the altar from the doorway. There were these floor-to-ceiling objects in the shape of a Christmas tree but they were filled with candles and their holders all lit up. They gave off a gold effect for the altar. There was incense burning and a happy-looking Buddha at the door! We all agreed that it would be very cool to spend a day in a temple practicing Buddhism with the monks. Maybe next trip (??) we can arrange for that.
I was very aware today how hard it is to navigate around Japan without speaking or reading the language. To read the map for the walking tour, we literally were matching Japanese characters on the map to those on signs to make sure we were at the correct spots. And in the hotel, when guys came to make up the bedding, they were asking questions that we couldn’t understand or pantomime a response to, so we had to go find Chie. We really relied on her to be our translator.
Last stop on the walking tour was the Tamadare Waterfall. Actually it was two waterfalls with a shrine between them. …Very Hawaii-looking with streams of water falling and trickling down a rock hillside into a pond. And the shrine was about 75 steps up the hillside so I was huffing and puffing by the time I got to the top to see it. Buddhists and Shintoists must be (or were in ancient times) in really good physical shape with all these stairs!
We walked back to the hotel for a much deserved hot springs soak!
Monday, November 12, 2007
The ultimate Japanese spa experience (11/9)
We took at train to Hakone today. Its south from Tokyo and is known as a resort/spa area. So we were in for two day and nights of rest and relaxation before heading back to California.
The Hotel Kaiun has Japanese style rooms with tatami mats on the floors so you take off your shoes at the door and walk around the mats in socks or bare feet. The hotel room has an entry way, sink and toilet (Western style thankfully) in a separate area, and 2 tatami mat rooms with a view out to the river and mountains (which are across the road). In the main room this is a low table and 2 chairs without legs so that they just sit on top of the mats. In the other smaller room, there are two regular chairs. In the evening, hotel attendants come in and fold up the table to make room for the futon beds. They set up the futons and the bedding for bedtime and while we go to breakfast they will put the bedding away in the closets. The closets are sliding doors that also serve as the room’s walls. Simple and efficient.
The tatami mats have a scent similar to hay. It’s not bad, just noticeable. I asked for two futons to be placed on top of each other just to make it a little softer bed for myself.
When we came back to the hotel after a temple walk, it was time to experience the hot springs that are famous in this area. Lots of hotels have hot spring spas and there are day spas too. Chie went with me to explain the process. I was grateful since I wouldn’t have figured some of it out myself.
First you put on certain clothing to go up to the hot springs, called an Ofuro-Onsen. You wear undies and a yukata (cotton bathroom of sorts) and slippers. This hotel’s ofuro-onsen is on the 5th floor. There are separate men’s and women’s. You disrobe, leave your clothing in a basket, and go to the shower area. There are about 8 individual shower stalls but they are not like the type you’d find at a gym. You pick up a little bench and take it to a stall. You sit and use a hand-held shower to wash yourself. Then you go into the hot spring area which is a large steaming hot tub with a tiled bottom to soak. There’s a cold plunge area and a sauna too. I found the water temperature to be hot but not so hot that I couldn’t just walk into the water. But the best part is a separate, open air room that is on a covered deck with two individual hot tubs. I call them “teacups” because it’s like you’re sitting in a huge teacup soaking in hot water with a little fountain trickling in more water. I felt a little like I was in Alice and Wonderland with the huge teacup! I liked to soak in my “teacup”, look out towards the mountains and breath the fresh air.
I just had to get over being naked in front of my mother-in-law, as well as a lot of other more petite Japanese women! Turns out there wasn’t any one else in the spa when we were there so that was better. But my body type, particularly my bust size, doesn’t work well for Japanese yukata’s. I found that it just didn’t give me enough coverage – shows a little more cleavage than I’m comfortable with showing my in-laws! Luckily, Dennis brought a kimono with him so I am using that. It has more fabric to wrap around me!
After the hot springs and brief snooze, it was time for Kaiseki style dinner served in our rooms. The hotel staff sets it up and brings in items during your meal. Kaiseki is a specific style of meal with multiple dishes served in small portions. It was a feast! None of us could figure out what all the items that we were eating, but we would say what was tasty, what we would trade for something else, or guess at what we thought something was. It was all very healthy food – primarily vegetables (some broiled at the table, some pickled) and fish. Dennis and I gave our sashimi to Donald, who was in heaven eating all it along with Asahi beer.
There were 3 different types of soups, tempera, pickled veggies, soft tofu with different dipping sauces, pumpkin, chestnut, radish, mushrooms, potato and more. It was all beautifully and delicately presented. That’s part of Kaiseki – if it’s beautifully presented, then it’s a good meal. So we sat at the table (cross legged or straight out in front of you) for over an hour and a half eating, talking and digesting.
Then on to a shiatsu massage, also done in the room on the futon. An older gentleman employed by the hotel came to room for the massage. Chie stayed with me so she could translate his directions (i.e. turn over) and questions (i.e. pressure too hard?). It was not a relaxing massage because it was somewhat vigorous and the lights were on and Chie was talking to the guy. But he did work out some of the tight spots in my upper back.
So now that I’m soaked, stuffed, and shiatsu’d, I think it’s time to hit the futon and go to sleep!
The Hotel Kaiun has Japanese style rooms with tatami mats on the floors so you take off your shoes at the door and walk around the mats in socks or bare feet. The hotel room has an entry way, sink and toilet (Western style thankfully) in a separate area, and 2 tatami mat rooms with a view out to the river and mountains (which are across the road). In the main room this is a low table and 2 chairs without legs so that they just sit on top of the mats. In the other smaller room, there are two regular chairs. In the evening, hotel attendants come in and fold up the table to make room for the futon beds. They set up the futons and the bedding for bedtime and while we go to breakfast they will put the bedding away in the closets. The closets are sliding doors that also serve as the room’s walls. Simple and efficient.
The tatami mats have a scent similar to hay. It’s not bad, just noticeable. I asked for two futons to be placed on top of each other just to make it a little softer bed for myself.
When we came back to the hotel after a temple walk, it was time to experience the hot springs that are famous in this area. Lots of hotels have hot spring spas and there are day spas too. Chie went with me to explain the process. I was grateful since I wouldn’t have figured some of it out myself.
First you put on certain clothing to go up to the hot springs, called an Ofuro-Onsen. You wear undies and a yukata (cotton bathroom of sorts) and slippers. This hotel’s ofuro-onsen is on the 5th floor. There are separate men’s and women’s. You disrobe, leave your clothing in a basket, and go to the shower area. There are about 8 individual shower stalls but they are not like the type you’d find at a gym. You pick up a little bench and take it to a stall. You sit and use a hand-held shower to wash yourself. Then you go into the hot spring area which is a large steaming hot tub with a tiled bottom to soak. There’s a cold plunge area and a sauna too. I found the water temperature to be hot but not so hot that I couldn’t just walk into the water. But the best part is a separate, open air room that is on a covered deck with two individual hot tubs. I call them “teacups” because it’s like you’re sitting in a huge teacup soaking in hot water with a little fountain trickling in more water. I felt a little like I was in Alice and Wonderland with the huge teacup! I liked to soak in my “teacup”, look out towards the mountains and breath the fresh air.
I just had to get over being naked in front of my mother-in-law, as well as a lot of other more petite Japanese women! Turns out there wasn’t any one else in the spa when we were there so that was better. But my body type, particularly my bust size, doesn’t work well for Japanese yukata’s. I found that it just didn’t give me enough coverage – shows a little more cleavage than I’m comfortable with showing my in-laws! Luckily, Dennis brought a kimono with him so I am using that. It has more fabric to wrap around me!
After the hot springs and brief snooze, it was time for Kaiseki style dinner served in our rooms. The hotel staff sets it up and brings in items during your meal. Kaiseki is a specific style of meal with multiple dishes served in small portions. It was a feast! None of us could figure out what all the items that we were eating, but we would say what was tasty, what we would trade for something else, or guess at what we thought something was. It was all very healthy food – primarily vegetables (some broiled at the table, some pickled) and fish. Dennis and I gave our sashimi to Donald, who was in heaven eating all it along with Asahi beer.
There were 3 different types of soups, tempera, pickled veggies, soft tofu with different dipping sauces, pumpkin, chestnut, radish, mushrooms, potato and more. It was all beautifully and delicately presented. That’s part of Kaiseki – if it’s beautifully presented, then it’s a good meal. So we sat at the table (cross legged or straight out in front of you) for over an hour and a half eating, talking and digesting.
Then on to a shiatsu massage, also done in the room on the futon. An older gentleman employed by the hotel came to room for the massage. Chie stayed with me so she could translate his directions (i.e. turn over) and questions (i.e. pressure too hard?). It was not a relaxing massage because it was somewhat vigorous and the lights were on and Chie was talking to the guy. But he did work out some of the tight spots in my upper back.
So now that I’m soaked, stuffed, and shiatsu’d, I think it’s time to hit the futon and go to sleep!
Kimonos (11/9)
I asked Chie to take me to a Tokyo department store so I could see the Kimono Department. So today we went to Odakyu Department Store. And I’m so glad I did. It was so educational. Not only did I see some beautiful kimonos on display, but Chie explained how they are used in Japanese society.
They are beautiful silk pieces of clothing. But it’s not just the kimono that you buy. There’s the obi and the obi-age, the tie and brooch, the petticoat, the shoes and special socks, matching purse, hair pieces, and a coat and fur if it’s cold. All of these items could cost upwards of $10,000. Of course the kimono I liked best, in beautiful maroons, was $5000! Update 11/26: A pair of footwear (shown below) cost about $750!
Chie said that nowadays lots of young women want to wear more modern formal wear but might wear a kimono for the traditional New Year’s Day trip to a local shrine or a wedding or their 20th birthday (which is a big celebration in Japan).
Chie said that, in the past, the mother would buy kimonos for her daughter’s wedding dowry. This would include at least 5 kimonos – a summer one, winter one, in-between-seasons one, one for mourning occasions, and one for formal occasions. So that would be a sizeable investment.
The women we saw wearing kimonos in Kyoto who were attending tea parties at temples were probably members of exclusive, and expensive, tea clubs. And they would need several more kimonos just so they weren’t wearing the same one at every event. Kimonos are only for the upper classes.
They are beautiful silk pieces of clothing. But it’s not just the kimono that you buy. There’s the obi and the obi-age, the tie and brooch, the petticoat, the shoes and special socks, matching purse, hair pieces, and a coat and fur if it’s cold. All of these items could cost upwards of $10,000. Of course the kimono I liked best, in beautiful maroons, was $5000! Update 11/26: A pair of footwear (shown below) cost about $750!
Chie said that nowadays lots of young women want to wear more modern formal wear but might wear a kimono for the traditional New Year’s Day trip to a local shrine or a wedding or their 20th birthday (which is a big celebration in Japan).
Chie said that, in the past, the mother would buy kimonos for her daughter’s wedding dowry. This would include at least 5 kimonos – a summer one, winter one, in-between-seasons one, one for mourning occasions, and one for formal occasions. So that would be a sizeable investment.
The women we saw wearing kimonos in Kyoto who were attending tea parties at temples were probably members of exclusive, and expensive, tea clubs. And they would need several more kimonos just so they weren’t wearing the same one at every event. Kimonos are only for the upper classes.
The Road to Kamakura (11/8)
We didn’t see Bing Crosby or Bob Hope on the Road to Kamakura today**, but I did have a really good time! Kamakura is a 1 hour train ride south towards the ocean from Tokyo and it’s a nice small city – sidewalks so it’s walkable, pretty, and uncrowded. The temples we saw were nestled into the wooded hillsides. This is the first place I’ve been to where I think I could feel comfortable living here.
We got off the train and walked right into Enguku-Ji Temple next door. It was a long series of temple buildings going along towards the back of a canyon. It’s famous for its Buddha tooth! But we couldn’t see it/them – not for public viewing. The best part of this temple for me was the alcove at the back of the canyon with a little altar and flowers and I could hear all sorts of bug noises – buzzing, chirping, etc.
Dennis and I separated from the rest of our party for a couple hours of exploring Kamakura by ourselves. It was very nice to have some time to ourselves and to be on our own time schedule. First stop was a soba noodle lunch at a small roadside restaurant. We had cold soba noodles and little root veggies on top. Dennis observed that the woman serving us (maybe, the owner?) was 70+ years of age. Many people in Japan appear to work into their 70’s (do taxi drivers ever retire?).
Dennis and I separated from the rest of our party for a couple hours of exploring Kamakura by ourselves. It was very nice to have some time to ourselves and to be on our own time schedule. First stop was a soba noodle lunch at a small roadside restaurant. We had cold soba noodles and little root veggies on top. Dennis observed that the woman serving us (maybe, the owner?) was 70+ years of age. Many people in Japan appear to work into their 70’s (do taxi drivers ever retire?).
We then walked to Kencho-Ji Temple. It had 700 year old juniper trees planted from seeds brought over from China. The old, knurled tree trunks made for interesting picture taking. And there were big crows cawing all over the place. We walked to the back of the temple complex and on to a small path that took us into the forest and up the hill. This small trail intersected the Ten-en Trail, a trail system on the ridgeline roughly northeast of Kamakura.
The forest looked and felt more like a jungle than a forest: the foliage was dense and green, trees towered overhead, and many varieties of birds were chirping away. From the ridgeline we could see the surrounding countryside, mostly wooded hills near and far. The late afternoon sun backlit some of the maples and their yellow leaves. We, also, came across some small caves. This was a scenic, interesting, and in some ways unusual hike!
It was great to get lost so quickly, but I got a little nervous about where we were exactly (“where are we?”). Then the trail kept going up and up and became more narrow. But then we came to a wider trail and some white posts indicating trails, and I knew we were on course. We passed some people hiking and all said “konnichiwa” (good day) to us. After about an hour we headed out of the forest/jungle and down the hill to another temple. Along the way we passed a neighborhood of houses nestled in the canyon. It looked like such a nice, peaceful neighborhood to live in. Dennis said something about how this was the “old” Japan he remembered.
We briefly saw Kamakuragu Shrine before catching a taxi to Kotokuin Temple to see Diabutsu, the Great Buddha (I simply instructed the cabbie, in English, to take us to the “Big Buddha”… he understood… no problem).
Diabutsu is such a huge statue (about 65 feet high). Dennis says Daibutsu is a large sculpture, a work of art. The daylight was fading by this time. But, there was enough light left in the sky to illuminate clouds overhead. This made a nice contrast to the green, bronze Buddha. As the sunlight turned to dusk and the lights aimed at the Big Buddha were switched on, we could marvel at the different perspectives this gave to the statue, his face in particular. Chie said that looking at the Buddha made her feel peaceful. Dennis said that the Buddha’s expression appeared to change when viewing it in different light and from different angles.
Before finding a local restaurant for dinner, we visited Tsurogaka Hachimangu Shrine, and it surrounding park, in the middle of downtown Kamakura. It was hard to see most of it since it was dark by then. At dinner, I tried plum wine. It’s pretty sweet stuff. I don’t think I’ll be buying a bottle of plum wine or sake to bring home. …Just not my type of alcoholic drink.
** Reference to old “Road to” movies with Crosby and Hope
Ako Incident & Sengakuki Temple (11/8)
We went to the Sengakuji Temple on Thursday before heading off to the town of Kamakura. I wasn’t expecting much but was pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was. It’s a practicing Zen Buddhist (“Soto” school) temple, but the temple’s history is why we visited.
The temple is closely related to the Ako Gishi incident. This is a famous story of avenge in Japanese history which took place between 1701 and 1703. Several films and an opera have been written about it.
Ironically, some(?) Japanese who live in the area don’t know the temple or the story of the 47 ronin. Dennis tried to visit the temple the previous night. A Japanese, who spoke very good English, tried to help with directions but didn’t know about the temple (a few short blocks from the local train station). An explanation of the “47 ronin” was met with a blank expression. Another local asked Chie the next morning why so many foreigners visited the nearby temple. The local said she was embarrassed, as a Japanese, to know nothing about the 47 ronin (Ako Incident). Irony… famous but forgotten. Would Japanese find a similar reaction if they visited Boston and asked locals about Paul Revere, the Boston Tea Party, etc.?
I’ll try to describe the story of the 47 ronin (Ako Incident), briefly …
The temple is closely related to the Ako Gishi incident. This is a famous story of avenge in Japanese history which took place between 1701 and 1703. Several films and an opera have been written about it.
Ironically, some(?) Japanese who live in the area don’t know the temple or the story of the 47 ronin. Dennis tried to visit the temple the previous night. A Japanese, who spoke very good English, tried to help with directions but didn’t know about the temple (a few short blocks from the local train station). An explanation of the “47 ronin” was met with a blank expression. Another local asked Chie the next morning why so many foreigners visited the nearby temple. The local said she was embarrassed, as a Japanese, to know nothing about the 47 ronin (Ako Incident). Irony… famous but forgotten. Would Japanese find a similar reaction if they visited Boston and asked locals about Paul Revere, the Boston Tea Party, etc.?
I’ll try to describe the story of the 47 ronin (Ako Incident), briefly …
Asano Takuminokami, Feudal Lord of Ako, was disliked, mistreated, and disgraced as a samurai by Kira Kozukenosuke, an official advisor of the Shogunate. Asano drew his sword on Kira within the Edo Castle, which was strictly forbidden. According to an “equal punishment for quarrels” law, each of them should have been punished. But Kira received no punishment and Asano was sentenced to death by seppuku (hara-kiri).
The loyal retainers (47 samurai) of the Lord of Ako, better known as Ako Gishi, avenged this injustice 2 years later by killing Kira and marching to Sengakuji to present Kira’s head to Asano’s grave. Then they turned themselves into the Shogunate and were sentenced to seppuku. The temple is the burial place for 46 of the ronin (masterless samurai) who killed Kira as well as the burial site for Ako Gishi. The chivalry of the loyal retainers and the themes of justice and loyalty are said to resonate with Japanese to this day.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Random Observations #2
Since I mentioned that I went to one of the 3 most scenic spots in Japan (Miyajima Island) in an earlier blog but didn't know the other 2 spots ... Japan's three most scenic places, selected several centuries ago, are of Matsushima, Miyajima and Amanohashidate. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2250.html
My daily snack has been sekihan, which is red beans and rice. I’d find it at 7/11 stores or Daily Yamazaki stores. Healthy and travels well.
Japan is incredibly clean and free of trash, yet garbage cans aren’t easily found. I had to carry garbage around searching for a place to dispose of it. Sometimes I'd sneak into a fast food place to use their garbage. They did have recycling bins, but they were a bit confusing figuring out which bin was combustible v. can v. bottle, etc. from icons on the bins.
I don’t think Japanese believe in paper products. They don’t have paper towels in restrooms, and they don’t seem to use napkins at meals.
Dennis and I have decided that the "Tokyo Look" for 20something women is VERY short shorts or dresses with black knee highs worn above the knee with boots, a short top, and a jacket and scraf because it's cold! I wonder what they wear in January?
Trains in Japan are amazingly accurate, like in Europe. And the computer systems that run all these trains much be incredibly complex -- there are so many trains running in and out of stations at different speeds, stopping or not stopping in which station, etc. Even though we were riding bullet trains for a week, I didn't really understand their speed until one whizzed through a station while we were standing on the track platform. Within 4 seconds it had sped through!
Diet coke tastes different in Japan than in the US. It's sweeter.
My daily snack has been sekihan, which is red beans and rice. I’d find it at 7/11 stores or Daily Yamazaki stores. Healthy and travels well.
Japan is incredibly clean and free of trash, yet garbage cans aren’t easily found. I had to carry garbage around searching for a place to dispose of it. Sometimes I'd sneak into a fast food place to use their garbage. They did have recycling bins, but they were a bit confusing figuring out which bin was combustible v. can v. bottle, etc. from icons on the bins.
I don’t think Japanese believe in paper products. They don’t have paper towels in restrooms, and they don’t seem to use napkins at meals.
Dennis and I have decided that the "Tokyo Look" for 20something women is VERY short shorts or dresses with black knee highs worn above the knee with boots, a short top, and a jacket and scraf because it's cold! I wonder what they wear in January?
Trains in Japan are amazingly accurate, like in Europe. And the computer systems that run all these trains much be incredibly complex -- there are so many trains running in and out of stations at different speeds, stopping or not stopping in which station, etc. Even though we were riding bullet trains for a week, I didn't really understand their speed until one whizzed through a station while we were standing on the track platform. Within 4 seconds it had sped through!
Diet coke tastes different in Japan than in the US. It's sweeter.
Day Tripper to Nikko (11/7)
We went to Nikko as a day trip on Wednesday. Nikko is about 2 hours by train north from Toyko. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be a good day when I had to wake up at 6:30 am and the first two toilets I had to use on the road were Japanese style. It was too early in the morning to have to squat! I think that in hindsight everyone would have selected different activities for the day.
First stop was a place called Edomura. It's an amusement-type of park sort of like Knotts Berry Farm except that it was set in the Edo times in Japan. The Edo period was from 1603 to 1868 and was ruled by the Tokugawa Shogunate. So Edomura was a re-creation of a village during that time with people dressed up in period costumes. But it was really geared towards kids (of which there were quite a few there on field trips I guess) so the shows were hokey with kid humor, the food was kid-friendly, and the exhibits were very fake looking after I've seen the real thing in Kyoto. I was thinking it would be like a Renaissance Fair experience but it wasn't. It was just expensive and a waste of time. Chie agreed. The guys liked it a little more -- they thought the ninja show was pretty entertaining. The best thing about it for me were the mochi balls on a stick!
We had to hire an expensive taxi driver to drive us around for half a day because the free shuttle bus wasn't running to Edomura on Wednesdays. He took us to a scenic bridge called Shinkyo built in 1636. It was originally used only for the Emperor or the Shogun. We had to pay to walk across it (rip-off #2).
Then we went to the Toshogu Shrine for Ieyasu Tokugawa. I believe one guide book calls this either the most guady or most beautiful shrine, depending our your point of view... According to Dennis (my Japanese history tour guide), Ieyasu is one of the most prominent Japanese figures in Japanese history (Dennis calls him the "Big Cheese"). And this is the national shrine to honor him. Built in ?? (by his grandson, Iemitsu).
Unfortunately, there were hoards of people there. Tour groups, people wandering around, people standing in the middle of everything to take a photo. It ruined it for me. I couldn't look at anything because I had to move out of the way for someone.
And I was frustrated that we spent a good deal of money (1300 yen) to enter -- which was one of the most expensive entrance fees we encountered -- only to get a little map in English of the Shrine's main buildings. Lots of other shrines and temples have had wonderfully informative brochures in English so I could understand the site I was visiting. Or at least some of the signage was translated. I would have thought that a national shrine with lots of international visitors would have wanted people to know what they were looking at. Do the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials have some bilingual signage?
Dennis tried to cheer me up by taking me on a walk to the river. That was pretty but we were right at the edge of the Nikko National Park so it was so tempting to want to go into it and explore but we didn't have the time or the transportation.
Best thing of the day was a little garden that we got to see in the back of a Nikko museum. It had beautifully coiffed grounds -- a pond, water features, benches, and gorgeous red maples!
On the way home, Donald and Chie wanted to take the train for our last leg of the journey instead of just paying for a taxi. And we ended up being on a train that had an accident (Dennis says the train going in the opposite direction actually hit somebody on the tracks), so we all had to de-board the train, maneuver through the crowds, and catch a taxi after all!
I think we were all pretty disappointed and exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel at 9 pm (Dennis says that the day "didn't live up to expectations"). Whew. Good thing there's only been one bad day in the trip.
First stop was a place called Edomura. It's an amusement-type of park sort of like Knotts Berry Farm except that it was set in the Edo times in Japan. The Edo period was from 1603 to 1868 and was ruled by the Tokugawa Shogunate. So Edomura was a re-creation of a village during that time with people dressed up in period costumes. But it was really geared towards kids (of which there were quite a few there on field trips I guess) so the shows were hokey with kid humor, the food was kid-friendly, and the exhibits were very fake looking after I've seen the real thing in Kyoto. I was thinking it would be like a Renaissance Fair experience but it wasn't. It was just expensive and a waste of time. Chie agreed. The guys liked it a little more -- they thought the ninja show was pretty entertaining. The best thing about it for me were the mochi balls on a stick!
We had to hire an expensive taxi driver to drive us around for half a day because the free shuttle bus wasn't running to Edomura on Wednesdays. He took us to a scenic bridge called Shinkyo built in 1636. It was originally used only for the Emperor or the Shogun. We had to pay to walk across it (rip-off #2).
On the ride to Shinkyo Bridge, we drove along a country road, through farm country. These were small-ish fields, growing mostly rice but also what looked like radish. There were wooded hills all around. Dennis saw a red-faced monkey standing by the side of the road. I wanted the taxi driver to stop at the next monkey sighting. The driver said, through translation, that the monkeys are wild and relatively common(?) for the area. We missed the monkeys on Mt. Misen (Miyajima), now Nikko... sigh.
Then we went to the Toshogu Shrine for Ieyasu Tokugawa. I believe one guide book calls this either the most guady or most beautiful shrine, depending our your point of view... According to Dennis (my Japanese history tour guide), Ieyasu is one of the most prominent Japanese figures in Japanese history (Dennis calls him the "Big Cheese"). And this is the national shrine to honor him. Built in ?? (by his grandson, Iemitsu).
Unfortunately, there were hoards of people there. Tour groups, people wandering around, people standing in the middle of everything to take a photo. It ruined it for me. I couldn't look at anything because I had to move out of the way for someone.
And I was frustrated that we spent a good deal of money (1300 yen) to enter -- which was one of the most expensive entrance fees we encountered -- only to get a little map in English of the Shrine's main buildings. Lots of other shrines and temples have had wonderfully informative brochures in English so I could understand the site I was visiting. Or at least some of the signage was translated. I would have thought that a national shrine with lots of international visitors would have wanted people to know what they were looking at. Do the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials have some bilingual signage?
Dennis tried to cheer me up by taking me on a walk to the river. That was pretty but we were right at the edge of the Nikko National Park so it was so tempting to want to go into it and explore but we didn't have the time or the transportation.
Best thing of the day was a little garden that we got to see in the back of a Nikko museum. It had beautifully coiffed grounds -- a pond, water features, benches, and gorgeous red maples!
On the way home, Donald and Chie wanted to take the train for our last leg of the journey instead of just paying for a taxi. And we ended up being on a train that had an accident (Dennis says the train going in the opposite direction actually hit somebody on the tracks), so we all had to de-board the train, maneuver through the crowds, and catch a taxi after all!
I think we were all pretty disappointed and exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel at 9 pm (Dennis says that the day "didn't live up to expectations"). Whew. Good thing there's only been one bad day in the trip.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
A Day Off (11/6)
Today was my day off the tour path. So, as I write this blog entry, I'm feeling much more rested and less homesick. But tomorrow morning is another early start (7 am) so I will make this a short entry.
Today I mostly hung out at the hotel. Slept in and got about 11 hours sleep which I sorely needed. Dennis said I slept right through the alarm going off for half an hour so he turned it off figuring I needed the sleep.
Dennis, Donald and Donald went touring; Chie did laundry and errands. I repacked our bags, wandered through the local area streets, talked on the phone with Kit & Cody, and my folks, and blogged. It was a nice relaxing day off.
Today I mostly hung out at the hotel. Slept in and got about 11 hours sleep which I sorely needed. Dennis said I slept right through the alarm going off for half an hour so he turned it off figuring I needed the sleep.
Dennis, Donald and Donald went touring; Chie did laundry and errands. I repacked our bags, wandered through the local area streets, talked on the phone with Kit & Cody, and my folks, and blogged. It was a nice relaxing day off.
Himeji Castle (11/5)
We left Hiroshima on the bullet train at 8:45 am. Another early morning. I'm get tired and homesick. I want to sleep in and I miss Cody. Dennis is sweet and gives me a hug telling me I've been a trooper on this power vacation. He's so happy being in Japan and being with me seeing it all, that he's almost always in a good mode and Mr. Cuddles. That I really. Humm, how can I have this more often when we're at home?
Anyway, I digress. We arrive at Himeji Castle in the city of Himeji. It's a high overcast, gloomy day. Dennis refers to this as the "mother of all Japanese castles." It is ver y tall with white walls so it is sometimes referred to as the White Heron Castle.
Hideyoshi Toyotomi built a small castle on the site in 1580. An ally of Ieyayo Tokogawa built the castle roughly in its present form from about 1601 to 1618. The town was bombed twice by the US in WWII but the castle escaped damage. It has been been restored several times in the past several decades. [Dennis helped me with the facts.]
You may have seen this castle in one of the following films: James Bond's You Only Live Twice, Kagemusha, Ran, The Last Samurai, and the Shogun tv series.
I toured the castle grounds and buildings with Donald Jr. and Dennis. Donald Sr. and Chie did their own exploring. Hanging with the Brothers has it's pros and cons. They're fun to be with, but they take TONS of photos. So I spent a good deal of time hangin' around looking at the castle walls, rocks, trees while they took photos.
We were hoping for an English tour but the castle said none were available that day. I did see some guides giving private tours in English to individuals though; when I found one of these guides I would lurk around to listen and pick up some history. The brochure guidebook was horrible. Very little information and terrible grammar. We couldn't figure out why this famous castle didn't sport for a good translator to review the text and make edits.
The castle has some common elements to those I've seen in Europe -- moats (2 of them), a bailey, wells, and a keep but the construction is a bit different. The roofs are distinctly Japanese with tiles and a curve to the roofs. Each of the end tiles had the seal of the family who was in charge when that part was constructed. The entry gates look distinctly Japanese. The main tower is built of wood. There isn't any furniture or art.
The princess's quarters had tatami mats (the only place on the castle grounds that has them). And, we came across a few trees with pink blossoms (wrong season for cherry blossoms, right?).
We tour the buildings and then climb the 6 story tower. It sits high on top of layers of rocks/boulders that are perfectly placed to create a solid base for the tower. That is pretty amazing. The climb up the stairs isn't for the weak kneed either. Japanese steps are very steep.
The views from the top are quite impressive (surrounding countryside and city of Himeji). It makes me think that it would have been darn near impossible to not be seen from the tower if you were trying to stage an attack. And if you were trying to sneak in, you'd have to cross 2 moats, and 3 stone walls just to get to the bottom of the 6 story, well fortified tower. A pretty secure fortress in my opinion!
Dennis is just thrilled to be here. I'm thinking, "I bet he has had a past life here" right when he walks up to me and says "I feel like I'm walking in the shadows of old samuris." Yep, he's been here before -- maybe as a samuri himself. He would think I'm crazy for thinking that, but it makes sense.
We rushed back to the train station, inhaled a quick lunch and got the 4 pm train bound for Tokyo. I got Dennis to play several rounds of Zigity (card game) with me on the 3 1/2 hour trip so the time goes faster. I think we were all very happy to come back to the New Sanno Hotel again -- it felt like home. We could have a meal that wasn't Japanese food and relax in our luxuriously large hotel rooms!
Anyway, I digress. We arrive at Himeji Castle in the city of Himeji. It's a high overcast, gloomy day. Dennis refers to this as the "mother of all Japanese castles." It is ver y tall with white walls so it is sometimes referred to as the White Heron Castle.
Hideyoshi Toyotomi built a small castle on the site in 1580. An ally of Ieyayo Tokogawa built the castle roughly in its present form from about 1601 to 1618. The town was bombed twice by the US in WWII but the castle escaped damage. It has been been restored several times in the past several decades. [Dennis helped me with the facts.]
You may have seen this castle in one of the following films: James Bond's You Only Live Twice, Kagemusha, Ran, The Last Samurai, and the Shogun tv series.
I toured the castle grounds and buildings with Donald Jr. and Dennis. Donald Sr. and Chie did their own exploring. Hanging with the Brothers has it's pros and cons. They're fun to be with, but they take TONS of photos. So I spent a good deal of time hangin' around looking at the castle walls, rocks, trees while they took photos.
We were hoping for an English tour but the castle said none were available that day. I did see some guides giving private tours in English to individuals though; when I found one of these guides I would lurk around to listen and pick up some history. The brochure guidebook was horrible. Very little information and terrible grammar. We couldn't figure out why this famous castle didn't sport for a good translator to review the text and make edits.
The castle has some common elements to those I've seen in Europe -- moats (2 of them), a bailey, wells, and a keep but the construction is a bit different. The roofs are distinctly Japanese with tiles and a curve to the roofs. Each of the end tiles had the seal of the family who was in charge when that part was constructed. The entry gates look distinctly Japanese. The main tower is built of wood. There isn't any furniture or art.
The princess's quarters had tatami mats (the only place on the castle grounds that has them). And, we came across a few trees with pink blossoms (wrong season for cherry blossoms, right?).
We tour the buildings and then climb the 6 story tower. It sits high on top of layers of rocks/boulders that are perfectly placed to create a solid base for the tower. That is pretty amazing. The climb up the stairs isn't for the weak kneed either. Japanese steps are very steep.
The views from the top are quite impressive (surrounding countryside and city of Himeji). It makes me think that it would have been darn near impossible to not be seen from the tower if you were trying to stage an attack. And if you were trying to sneak in, you'd have to cross 2 moats, and 3 stone walls just to get to the bottom of the 6 story, well fortified tower. A pretty secure fortress in my opinion!
Dennis is just thrilled to be here. I'm thinking, "I bet he has had a past life here" right when he walks up to me and says "I feel like I'm walking in the shadows of old samuris." Yep, he's been here before -- maybe as a samuri himself. He would think I'm crazy for thinking that, but it makes sense.
We rushed back to the train station, inhaled a quick lunch and got the 4 pm train bound for Tokyo. I got Dennis to play several rounds of Zigity (card game) with me on the 3 1/2 hour trip so the time goes faster. I think we were all very happy to come back to the New Sanno Hotel again -- it felt like home. We could have a meal that wasn't Japanese food and relax in our luxuriously large hotel rooms!
Bathrooms in Japan
Going to the toilet in Japan is quite an experience. There’s the camping experience or the spa experience depending on where you go.
The camping experience is using a “Japanese style” toilet. And they are the majority of what is available everywhere you go. They are basically a porcelain oval hole in the ground that flushes. In public parks they are the worst – urine smelling and no toilet paper. In a hotel or train station they have toilet paper. This is true of men’s and women’s toilets. Japanese folks must have really strong thighs since they use this type of toilet frequently!
The spa experience is using a “Western style” toilet (what we think of as a regular toilet). Some toilets have a seat warmer. Some have a button you can push to make a sound of a toilet flushing; I’m guessing this feature is to mask any noises that you might make while on the toilet. There are 2 settings for water to spray your bottom at different angles. And some have a dryer feature. I haven’t experienced on of these yet!
And the Japanese don’t use paper towels. Each person carries around a little hand towel to dry their hands with. I end up wiping my wet hands on jeans unless I’m in an upscale bathroom where they have an air dryer.
Footnote: the signage for indicating mens' and womens' bathrooms are often interesting and inventive.
The camping experience is using a “Japanese style” toilet. And they are the majority of what is available everywhere you go. They are basically a porcelain oval hole in the ground that flushes. In public parks they are the worst – urine smelling and no toilet paper. In a hotel or train station they have toilet paper. This is true of men’s and women’s toilets. Japanese folks must have really strong thighs since they use this type of toilet frequently!
The spa experience is using a “Western style” toilet (what we think of as a regular toilet). Some toilets have a seat warmer. Some have a button you can push to make a sound of a toilet flushing; I’m guessing this feature is to mask any noises that you might make while on the toilet. There are 2 settings for water to spray your bottom at different angles. And some have a dryer feature. I haven’t experienced on of these yet!
And the Japanese don’t use paper towels. Each person carries around a little hand towel to dry their hands with. I end up wiping my wet hands on jeans unless I’m in an upscale bathroom where they have an air dryer.Footnote: the signage for indicating mens' and womens' bathrooms are often interesting and inventive.
Part 2 of 11/4 -- Miyajima Island
We took the ferry to Miyajima Island in afternoon. It's a lot like Catalina Island. There is a famous torri gate in the water that you see as you come up to the island.
Shops (and crowds) are all around the ferry area. Deer all around begging for food and of course temples.
We went to Itsukushima Shrine that is built on stilts right on the shore . At low tide the ocean goes right under the temple.
Then we walked towards the ropeway to take a cable car up to the top of Mt. Misen -- known as one of the three most scenic spots in Japan. Do you know what the other two spots are? Read later blogs to find out!
It was sort of funny -- we waited for the bus to take us to the cable car only to find out that it took us back down the hill we had walked up. So we took the bus up to the spot we were originally at and walked the rest of the way to the cable car. Two different car rides got us to the top of the mountain. And some incredible views of the island and it's juggle like hillsides. I could also see all the surrounding little islands and the coast near Hiroshima.
We rushed on a hiking trail to see if we could make it to the first mountain temple but we just didn't have enough time. We would have missed the last cable car ride down the hill and none of us wanted to walk down the mountain. I was beginning to feel pretty darn tired hiking up and down the trail, sweating because it was humid even though it was cool. (How is that possible? I don't get Japan's weather.)
What we all wanted was one extra hour up there to just experience the mountain and the view. It's too bad it felt so rushed that I couldn't enjoy it. But I will remember the view of the islands and the stillness of the ocean waters around them as the sky started to turn pink and purple. That was an exquisite view.
Moving on to Hiroshima (11/4)
We're leaving Kyoto today (Sunday) and moving south to Hiroshima. So we're up early ... get taxi, go to Starbucks, go to Kyoto train station, board train to Hiroshima.
Hiroshima is a big city but not as big at Kyoto and certainly not as big at the 12 million people who live in Tokyo. It's known as the City of Peace. And it's modern since it was rebuilt in the late 1940's/early 1950's. It's nestled in between hills and the ocean but the buildings are not very attractive -- boxy looking, high rises.
Today is our day to experience all types of transportation -- bullet train to get to the city, trolley to get from the station to the Peace Park, taxi to go to the port, ferry to go to Miyajima to Island, cable car up to Mt Misen, and JR train back to the hotel. Happy say that I was okay on all modes of transportation -- no motion sickness problems :)
Our first stop is the Peace Park. We visit the Genbaku Dome (A Bomb dome). It is one of the few surviving buildings after the A bomb was dropped on 8/6/45 because it was at ground zero. It's now the remnants of a brick and cement building. Originally built in 1915 by a Czech architect, it was a building for commercial trade.
Also in the park -- Children's Peace Memorial, eternal peace flame, and cenograph (containing the names of the A-bomb victims), and the Museum for Peace.
The Museum was very interesting - history of Hiroshima before the Sino-Japanese war started in 1931 as well as information on the city during the war, the A bomb, why this city was selected, the experiences of survivors, rebuilding of the city, and a plea for peace in the world - end to nuclear weapons. It was a somber experience. But I found the experience different for me than it when I visited holocaust sites/museums. I was surprised to find that there was a part of me that was mad at the Japanese for starting the war -- for their imperialist mindset in the 1930's that made them want to conquer the world. But I was mad at Hitler and the Nazi's for starting the European portion of WWII when I was a Dachau too.
The informational pieces in the museum did mention Japan's part in the Chinese (Naking?) massacre which surprised us since Japan hasn't been the most forthcoming in apologizing for their atrocities in the war.
Hiroshima was selected as the first site for the bomb because it was a military base, didn't have air raid warnings like some other cities, and had clear skies on 8/6.
Donald and I commented on how tasteful the museum was, not having grisly photos, etc. of A bomb victims but we spoke too soon. The next floor had photographs of surivors, some body parts showing radiation affects that were extracted during autoposies, and then stories of victims. It was heartwretching to read about how kids would survive and suffer for a brief period of time before dying from the radiation poisoning. Certainly shows the horrors of war and how we should be advocating for peace everywhere. Too many innocent victims.
At the end of the day, I asked Chie if it was difficult for her to go through the museum and relive the war experience since she grew up in Japan. She said no, it was like seeing her youth. I think it probably validated what a difficult time it was for her and all the citizens of Japan who had to support the war effort.
She grew up on the western side of Japan in a small town. She said that when she was about 8 years old the government started making the school kids work instead of going to school. They would meet their teacher at the train station and be taken to their work site. For several years, she worked on local farms planting crops. She said this was okay because the farmers made sure that the kids got food. But most of the citizens didn't get enough food throughout the 14 years of the war.
As the war continued, all the middle school girls (10 to 12 year old) were recruited to be nurse assistants. So she was making bandages from used (and bloody) cloth/towels in the hospital. Boys were sent to learn how to fly planes and be komkaze pilots.
From 13 to 15 years old she had to work in a torpedo factory until the war was over. Chie suffered from bronchitis and was sickly because she was exposed to her father's tb so she wasn't able to stand up on her feet and work on the weapon assembly line. They had her work in the factory's office. She did this 7 days a week, every week.
The only celebrations during those years happened when there was a war victory. Chie said they were brainwashed into thinking that Americans were the devil. She said that everyone cried in sadness when the Emperor gave the radio announcement that they were surrending. She said she felt like she gave her youth to the war effort, and then to lose the war felt like it was all for nothing. She wanted her youth and education back and still does.
(update 11/26)
On the bullet train to Hiroshima:
On the bullet train to Hiroshima (passing countryside/ towns):
Hiroshima is a big city but not as big at Kyoto and certainly not as big at the 12 million people who live in Tokyo. It's known as the City of Peace. And it's modern since it was rebuilt in the late 1940's/early 1950's. It's nestled in between hills and the ocean but the buildings are not very attractive -- boxy looking, high rises.
Today is our day to experience all types of transportation -- bullet train to get to the city, trolley to get from the station to the Peace Park, taxi to go to the port, ferry to go to Miyajima to Island, cable car up to Mt Misen, and JR train back to the hotel. Happy say that I was okay on all modes of transportation -- no motion sickness problems :)
Our first stop is the Peace Park. We visit the Genbaku Dome (A Bomb dome). It is one of the few surviving buildings after the A bomb was dropped on 8/6/45 because it was at ground zero. It's now the remnants of a brick and cement building. Originally built in 1915 by a Czech architect, it was a building for commercial trade.
Also in the park -- Children's Peace Memorial, eternal peace flame, and cenograph (containing the names of the A-bomb victims), and the Museum for Peace.
The Museum was very interesting - history of Hiroshima before the Sino-Japanese war started in 1931 as well as information on the city during the war, the A bomb, why this city was selected, the experiences of survivors, rebuilding of the city, and a plea for peace in the world - end to nuclear weapons. It was a somber experience. But I found the experience different for me than it when I visited holocaust sites/museums. I was surprised to find that there was a part of me that was mad at the Japanese for starting the war -- for their imperialist mindset in the 1930's that made them want to conquer the world. But I was mad at Hitler and the Nazi's for starting the European portion of WWII when I was a Dachau too.
The informational pieces in the museum did mention Japan's part in the Chinese (Naking?) massacre which surprised us since Japan hasn't been the most forthcoming in apologizing for their atrocities in the war.
Hiroshima was selected as the first site for the bomb because it was a military base, didn't have air raid warnings like some other cities, and had clear skies on 8/6.
Donald and I commented on how tasteful the museum was, not having grisly photos, etc. of A bomb victims but we spoke too soon. The next floor had photographs of surivors, some body parts showing radiation affects that were extracted during autoposies, and then stories of victims. It was heartwretching to read about how kids would survive and suffer for a brief period of time before dying from the radiation poisoning. Certainly shows the horrors of war and how we should be advocating for peace everywhere. Too many innocent victims.
At the end of the day, I asked Chie if it was difficult for her to go through the museum and relive the war experience since she grew up in Japan. She said no, it was like seeing her youth. I think it probably validated what a difficult time it was for her and all the citizens of Japan who had to support the war effort.
She grew up on the western side of Japan in a small town. She said that when she was about 8 years old the government started making the school kids work instead of going to school. They would meet their teacher at the train station and be taken to their work site. For several years, she worked on local farms planting crops. She said this was okay because the farmers made sure that the kids got food. But most of the citizens didn't get enough food throughout the 14 years of the war.
As the war continued, all the middle school girls (10 to 12 year old) were recruited to be nurse assistants. So she was making bandages from used (and bloody) cloth/towels in the hospital. Boys were sent to learn how to fly planes and be komkaze pilots.
From 13 to 15 years old she had to work in a torpedo factory until the war was over. Chie suffered from bronchitis and was sickly because she was exposed to her father's tb so she wasn't able to stand up on her feet and work on the weapon assembly line. They had her work in the factory's office. She did this 7 days a week, every week.
The only celebrations during those years happened when there was a war victory. Chie said they were brainwashed into thinking that Americans were the devil. She said that everyone cried in sadness when the Emperor gave the radio announcement that they were surrending. She said she felt like she gave her youth to the war effort, and then to lose the war felt like it was all for nothing. She wanted her youth and education back and still does.
(update 11/26)
On the bullet train to Hiroshima:
On the bullet train to Hiroshima (passing countryside/ towns):
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