Autumnal Great Festival Celebrated

Two Beautiful Portable Shrines Made Processions Through Streets

Hachiman Shrine in Mitaka celebrated the autumnal great festival on Saturday, September 8, and Sunday, 9 with lots of people carrying the portable shrines over their shoulders and some beating the gigantic "taiko."  They went around Shimorenjaku towns between the shrine and Mitaka station.

The line led by the two lion masks with a huge taiko and fetival music followed.

 

 

The main part is two portable shrines carried by a couple dozens of men and women. The shrines are so beautiful and it is said that one of them has a phoenix with a diamond eye on top of the roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were many people looking at the line from the deck in front of the station. Some of them are from overseas Along the street I found a young couple from Italy looking at the taiko and the portable shrines with much curiosity. We spent some time talking with them about cultural events in Italy and Japan before the shrine stood up to move after the rest. 

Posted by Shige

International Exchange Festival in Mitaka Coming Soon

The 23rd Mitaka International Exchange Festival is going to be held at Inokashira West Park on Sunday, September 23, 2012. Those  who see this blog and may stay in Tokyo area on that day can't miss it. It starts from 10 AM and lasts until 3:30 PM.  If you haven't had a chance to visit Ghibli Museum, you can cover two purposes at a time.

 

At the Exchange Festival you can enjoy many unique cultural and art events from all over the world including international food which is most popular among visitors. The following phots are from the 21st Festival in 2010. 

 

 

Transportations To Ghibli Museum

Visitors to Ghibli have two options when choosing transportation to Ghibli Museum. One is a shuttle bus between Mitaka station and the museum.

 

 

 

The yellow bus leaves every ten minutes from the south exit of Mitaka station.  

 

  

The other way is walking to the museum along a promenade of wind called "Kaze no Sampomichi." It takes about 15 to 20 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

Please make sure that you have purchased a reserved ticket.

                                                                               

 

 

                                             Posted by Shige

Peace of Mind

Najio ganpishi
Part 1

Japanese traditional paper Washi has a long history for being from 610 till today.

Washi has always been part of Japanese people’s daily life by being used for fusuma  (Japanese sliding paper door)*1, Shoji *2, wallpaper, calligraphy paper, Japanese painting paper and yen notes.



Ninnaji's fusuma (Kyoto)

Genkuji'a shouji (kyoto)

 



Usually Washi is made by using the bark of gampi, kozo and mitumata, though Najio Gampishi *adds mud made from Najio colored rock which makes the paper more stronger , untearable and avoids biting by bugs.

*Najio in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture
                   

Rocks from Nashio area

Bark of the gampi tre

Therefore, it used as the foundation of the fusuma of
historical  temples  for Nijyoujyo, Katurarikyu 

and other famous temples.

 .

                                                                                                                          Posted by Emba

Peace of Mind

Najio ganpishi
part 2



Mr. Takenobu Tanino is a Living National Treasure paper maker who has inherited traditional way to produce Najio Gannpishi. 



He sit down at the fune(tank)
filled with mixture of paper material

        

Filtering out the paper material and
spread it equally on the suketa(screen)
moving back and forth and round



Mr.Masanobu Tanino is working
on thesmall size of Maniaish
                                                                                                                                                                   





Stretching sheets over long wooden
frames of ginko tree. Lay sheets to
dry off in the sun

Carefully tear off the sheet

Najio Gampishi was used to write peace message of Hiroshima
which was handed to Pope and foundation of gold and silver Byobu.

                                              

The atmosphere surrounded by Najio paper give us calm and tranquil feeling.

                                                                                                     Posted by Emba



AWAODORI

Awaodori Festival (45th)

Will Soon Be Back in Mitaka

  Awaodori was originally started in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, and now is loved and danced by many people all over Japan. You would feel cheerful when you heard the sound.

           http://youtu.be/8N9jOCQvU6Y

                                                                                                       Posted by Shige

World Heritage "Itsukushima"

Symbolic Status "Otorii"

Itsukushima shrine

is one of the three most beautiful scenic sites

in Japan.

The other two are Amanohashidate and Matsushima.

Otorii gate is the symbolic structure at the shrine. 

It stands, on the ground, at 16 meters in height 

with its weight of 60 tons.

The gate built with natural camphor trees are 500 to 600 years old.

http://www.nippon.com/en/images/k00005/

Posted by Shige

Party! Party! Paradise Under Cherry Blossoms

Spring is one of the best seasons in Japan. Life of cherry blossoms is usually short. Wind and rains usually shortens the viewing period.


Citizens will spread sheets under the cherry trees and enjoy parties on and on.

Posted by Shige

Cherry Blossom and Ghibli Museum

Overview from  Mitaka -south-pedestrian deck .

We see cherry blossoms ,along side Tamagawa johsui.

The yellow bus runs for Ghibli Museum. Information is located just in front of the bus.

posted by Kayama

Spring Has Come!

It's April! Spring has arrived!

Cherry petals have started to fall after the full bloom, already. They are dancing in the wind and fell on the ground..

The photos are from Koishikawa Kourakuen near Iidabashi Station.   
  
Betty  (^_^)/ 　(^_^)/