TsukuBlog

An Original Recipe for Sugar-Coated Ginger Chews ( and a bit on GINGER in Japanese Culture

2012-02-08T15:26:02Z

By AVI LANDAU

Sugar-coated ginger chews

Just down the road from where I live in the old town of Hojo, in Tsukuba City, there is an old post office- which has been renovated and turned into a restaurant/cafe appropriately named POSTEN ( which is Swedish for post office). Its a good place to visit any time any time of year, but I find that in winter it is especially inviting ( as a refuge from the bone-chilling cold outside AND in my house). Not only does this establishment offer the physical warmth created by kerosene heaters, but it provides a deep aesthetic warmth with its beautiful wood flooring and ceiling beams. Then, in addition to having a nice selection of coffees and teas to warm your insides, the menu lists a drink made with an ingrediant which has long been known ( and cherished) in East Asia and other parts of the world for its WARMING qualities- freshly made ginger ale, served up either hot or cold.

The other day I was at Posten again with 3 friends. When I pointed out the ginger ale on the bill of fare, they all all joined me in ordering some ( though I went fall cold and they for hot), coomenting that some ginger would be good for warming the body AND preventing colds and the flu.

When we got our drinks we all savored the sweet sting and burnig sensation with each sip that we took. One member of our party, however, Keiko-San, insisted that though she was enjoying her drink- she could do much better.

Knowing Keiko, I believed her. AND I was not surprised that when I met her the next week she brought a bagfull of home-made ginger chews. When I bit into one I was struck but the soft texture and the deeply earthy ginger flavor. Soon, however, the sensation went beyond merely taste and texture as my throat and chest were washed over with a warmth which reminded me of the VAPOR RUB my mom or grandma would rub on my abdomen when I was sick with a cold as a child.

At first I thought that one would be enough, but after a few minutes, when the effects strated to die down, I could not resist going for another- and then another!

By evening I had finished the whole bag ( though I had, in the desire to share the experience shared out a few with friends). Not wanting to impose on Keiko-San by asking her to make me a new batch, I instead asked her ( begged her) for the recipe.

The ginger chews on a glass table in the lobby of Tsukuba`s Okura Hotel

Here it is!

Recipe for Sugar-Coated Ginger chews

First, wash a ginger root

Then you can peel it if you like, or leave it as it is ( as I did)

Slice it- not too thinly and not too thickly ( use your intuition!)

Put these slices in a pot

Cover the ginger with an equal amount of sugar ( you can experiment with different types- I used plain old white suger)

Leave this for about thirty minutes- like magic, a syrup will have seeped out of the ginger)

Heat this mixture on a middle sized flame for thirty minutes (or until soft)- stir occassionally all the while

Separate the syrup and the ginger

Put the syrup in a jar or bottle to be used later for making hot ginger drinks or ginger ale

Leave the ginger slices for a week or two- mix every day so that sugar coating spreads equally

Enjoy the warm sensation!

Though its origins are believed to be somewhere in India, ginger has been cultivated in Japan since at least as early as the Heian Period and it has long been apreciated for its flavor and medicinal powers. If you are fond of Japanese cuisine you have surely had ginger in various forms. It is an important part of the sushi experience as the pinkish pickles ( called GARI)) which are either served on your wooden pallette or or available on your table or counter ( free refills are given if so desired). A dab of grated radish is also put on certain sushi toppings ( especially SABA). The reason that ginger and wasabi ( Japanese horseradish) became so connected with sushi dining is that it was realized ( or believed) that these accompaniments to raw fish reduced the number of food poisoning casrs before the age of refrigeration. Ginger also helps eliminate FISHY ( namakusai) smells.

Grated ginger is also an iconic topping ( along with negi and soy sauce) for hiyayako- a chilled block of tofu.

But over the centuries, pobably the most popular ( or celebrated ) use for ginger has been as an additive (grated) to hot sake- to prevent or help treat colds.

Im not sure if ginger really does CURE s\colds, but anyway- it sure does taste, and FEEL good!

All Doors are Open, as the Old Town of Makabe ( in Sakuragawa City) gets DOLLED UP for its annual HINA DOLL FESTIVAL (真壁の雛祭り) -until March 3rd)

2012-02-08T03:37:04Z

By Avi Landau

Hina Dolls in an old bookshop in Makabe

Most of the year, if you pass through the center of the quaint, though rusting and run-down old town of Makabe, you are unlikely to see a single soul walking about. That is why it is surprising to go there in February, the coldest month of the year, and find the streets filled with throngs of excited visitors wandering from old shop to old shop and old house to old house.

What are all these people doing- sometimes even in the rain and sleet ? Well, eating, drinking (the local sake!), shopping, taking in the dozens of historical buildings, and most prominently, OOHING and AAHING at the dazzling variety of antique Hina Doll sets which are proudly displayed by local residents from February 4 to March 4th. There are about 200 of these family heirlooms, set up for your viewing pleasure, at shops and homes around the city center, and they have proven very successful, as part of the city-promoted Hina Matsuri Doll Festival, in bringing Makabe BACK TO LIFE, even if just for four winter weeks each year, for the past nine years.

Though the town can be a bit depressing in the way that TIME SEEMS TO HAVE PASSED IT BY (a by-pass road has diverted traffic from the city center, the old Tsukuba Railroad, which ran from Tsuchiura to Iwase with a station in Makabe has gone out of service, and the stone workers who have made Makabe Stone-Ware famous throughout Japan now have to compete with much cheaper imports from Korea and China), Makabe is ALWAYS a fascinating place to visit, with an old castle ruin, several noteworthy shrines and temples, an almost unchanged early-20th century townscape, dozens of stone works shops displaying their sometimes bizarre wares, an 800 year old bell foundry (!), and its completely different view (as compared with Tsukuba) of Mt Tsukuba and the mountains behind it, Mt Ashio and Mt Kaba. Despite these formidable attractions, in Japan of the Heisei Era, Makabe is far off the beaten tourist path — except, of course, when the calendar comes round to February (and the first 3 days of March), and the local residents bring out their old dolls — a testament to Makabes’s GOLDEN YEARS from the late Edo Period to mid-Showa, when its merchants could afford to splurge on extravagant Hina Doll sets to celebrate their female offspring and pray for their growth, good health and happy marriage.

Makabe in fact thrived for centuries, first as a castle town established in the late Heian Period under the Makabe-Lords which ruled until just after the battle of Sekigahara (1600) and the assertion of Tokugawa Family hegemony over Japan. The town was then ruled by the Asano Family (mostly doing the ruling from Kasama, however), whose most famous member was Asano Takuminokami (of the 47 Ronin story fame). Hence, the fine temples and shrines in the town and surrounding area.

During the Edo Period (1600-1868), as the merchants prospered, so did the situation of Hina Doll makers and the dolls themselves. Originally, having been tiny paper or straw figurines which were wiped against a girl’s body to remove impurities, and then cast off, like scape-goats into a river or the sea, the dolls used on the Girls’ Day Festival (Momo no Sekku ) evolved over time into sublime works of art, at first affordable only for the nobility and upper-rung samurai.

As the merchant class grew richer, they too were able to buy the dolls, which in their fullest sets portray a prince and princess with their retinue and all the wedding trappings. The custom of putting out Hina dolls for the few weeks before the 3rd day of the 3rd month (now March 3rd), ended up becoming nearly universal. Instead of having these dolls cast-off into water, as the more primitive prototypes were in the old days, they were cast (gently of course) back into their boxes on the day after the festival. Families who did not do this were considered to be endangering their daughters’ chances of a successful marriage.

Hina Dolls from the late Edo Period ( 1600-1864)

In Makabe today, you will be able to see several doll sets from the Edo Period ( 1600-1868). Visiting during the Hina Matsuri will also give you an opportunity to enter and photograph some VERY OLD shops and homes. At some residences, visitors are invited into the family compounds and even into the old KURA (storehouses). The presence of two sake breweries which provide free tasting samples give you the chance to add a little extra ZIP to your doll viewing experience, if you are not driving , of course.

You can get to Makabe by car in about 40 minutes from central Tsukuba. Head north to Route 41. As you leave the Tsukuba City limits you will start to see the stone works on both sides of the road (and one curious HANIWA shop, selling large recreations of ancient earthen-ware figurines). You can park at the Sakuragawa City Office ( Makabe is now part of Sakuragawa City). Another option is to take the special buses operating for the festival (recommended for those who plan on tasting SAKE) which leave from the Tsukuba Center bus terminal. The earliest buses leave at 9:00 and 9:30. Roundtrip fare is 1500 yen. This year some other cities in Ibaraki have been trying to copy Makabe’s idea by holding similar month-long events. In the future, it seems that most of the old towns of Ibaraki will be getting DOLLED-UP for February. I hope, however, that a visit to Makabe during the Hina Matsuri might lead to further appreciation of this all too overlooked neighbor of ours. Have a look at some of Makabe’s places of interest at the Sakuragawa City Homepage ( which has English on it):

http://www.city.sakuragawa.lg.jp/

And for more on Hina Dolls and the evolution of the Hina Festival ( MOMO NO SEKKU), read my articles:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/03/tsukubans-in-no-rush-to-pack-up-hina-dolls/

Some more of Makabe`s spectacular Hina Dolls

In Tsukuba`s Old Neighborhoods SETSUBUN can be just as lively as O-Shogatsu ( New Year`s) – or even MORE SO!

2012-02-05T11:22:20Z

Most of the houses in my neighborhood of Hojo, Tsukuba have put these talismans of thorny leaved holly and sardine heads on their doorposts on the occassion of SETSUBUN (Feb. 3, 2012)

Setsubun is Japan`s traditional celebration of the first day of spring as it is recognized according to the traditional Japanese calendar (which was imported from China). According to that system, the year was divided into 4 perfectly equal seasons ( of 90 days) with the equinox days and solstices used as markers for determining the seasonal change days which were all called SETSUBUN ( though now this term is only used to refer to the eve of the first day of SPRING). The four SETSUBUN, which were also believed to be spiritually unstable days in which the world ( and humanity) was more susceptible than usual to attack by evil forces, were believed to occur at the midway points between the solstices and their nearest equinox.

Thus,the first day of spring (RISHUN)- was ( and still is) considered to be at the halfway point between the winter solstice (TO-JI, 冬至) and the vernal equinox (shunbun no hi, 春分の日). This falls on either Feb. 3 or 4th in the Gregorian calendar, when it is still quite cold in Japan- and in fact in many of its regions the coldest days of the season will come after ( maybe weeks after) the FIRST DAY OF SPRING.

Still Setsubun was always considered the end of the GREATEST PERIOD OF COLD of the year ( Daikan 大寒). According to a reference book at the library SETSUBUN was refered to in various regions of Japan with alternate names indicating what it signified to the people. For example- FUYU BANARE (冬ばなれ- Winter`s Parting-) in a part of Yamagata Prefecture and SETSU GAWARI (節替)- Seasonal Change- in Hida Takayama.

Even more interestingly, in some parts of Japan SETSUBUN was referred to with a name that indicated that it was not only the begining of spring- but the beginning of the new year! I have found the names O-Toshi (大年, GREAT YEAR) in Shimane Prefecture and Toshi no Yoru (歳の夜, the NIGHT OF AGING), Tokushima Prefecture, among others.

Another of the MANY talismans the local people call HIIRAGI, which have been put up on the doorpost for SETSUBUN in Hojo, Tsukuba

In fact, for more than a thousand years, while the Japanese exclusively followed their own version of the Chinese calendar, New Year`s ( O-Shogatsu), the most important festival of the annual cycle of events, was strongly connected in peoples`minds with the COMING OF SPRING- since according that calendar the first day of the year usually falls in (the Gregorian) February, often just around Setsubun time.

( The traditional calendar is a LUNI-SOLAR calendar with setsubun being deterimined based on observation of the sun ( at the half way point between solstice and equinox- and the new year and each new month determined by the phase of the moon).

In fact, it seems that at certain periods of Japanese history, in certain places (especially in Western Japan), among certain people, SETSUBUN was the New Year or an alternative New Year as various names such as KAMI SHOGATSU (神正月, New Year`s of the Gods), TOSHI TORI NO HI (年取の日, the Advancing of the Years Day), and TO- SHOGATSU (唐正月, Tang New Year`S) suggest.

A mother in demon mask wields a hefty club and scares the daylights out of a bunch of kids who defend themselves with soy beans

Over the centuries SETSUBUN and O-Shogatsu became so intertwined in people`s minds that many of the customs for these two different events became interconnected- the most important of these being the TSUINA (追儺) ceremony, in which demons were excorcized at the Imperial Court on New Year`s Eve. This ancient Chinese custom using bow and arrow eventually evolved by the Muromachi Period into the now iconic SETSUBUN custom in Japan- the throwing of beans at someone dressed as a demon, which is done to symbolically drive evil away ( but now mostly for the pure fun of it).

Then, also in connection with the coming of a new year , each person should eat his or her own age worth of beans (traditionally, there were no individual birthdays in Japan and each person was thought to age together with everyone else at the New Year).

It also became customary for those of Unlucky Age (YAKU DOSHI, 厄年)- the most important of these being 42 for men and 33 for for women- to purify themselves on SETSUBUN, once again showing the conncetion between the first day of spring and the idea of a new year/age.

The Toshikoshi Sai at Mt Tsukuba

Well despite the strong conncetion between New Years and the halfway point between The winter solstice and the vernal equinox, the Japanese government decided to suddenly change the calendar- to the one that Europeans use- and thus moved New Years from where it had always been to about a month earlier in the year ( about 30 days closer to the winter solstice).

Maybe this was fine for the city folk and the merchants. But for the farmers it might have been much harder to accept ( though they did). Proof of this can be seen in the old village where I live ( and in many of the other old neighborhoods in Tsukuba and the rest of Japan). While I expected the January first New Years to be full of seasonal decoration on my block ( as is the case in most NEW neighborhoods in Japan or in the cities), I was disappointed to find that NOT A SINGLE HOUSE had put up a kado matsu ( pine decoration at the doorpost). In fact, the neighbors were astonished that I had put some up at my door. They seemed to have found it very AMUSING.

Besides the lack of decoration, I also found O Shogatsu in my neighborhood to be extremely quiet- I would almost say GRIM.

I attributed this to the fact that the area was well past its best days and that the locals had given up hope. A general mood of depression I thought.

But then SETSUBUN- the first day of spring came. All the homes were now decorated for the season (with thorny leaves and sardine heads), there were lively festivals , neighborhood cleanings and most importantly- plenty of good cheer! My neighbor came by early in the morning ( for the first time in a long time) bringing some festive SEKIHAN rice ( which she did not do during O Shogatsu).

It felt like........ well........ like New Years!

Probably the most surprisingly New Years-like features were the facts that 1) at least two shops were doing brisk business selling TOSHIKOSHI SOBA ( the term which the Japanese usualyl use for the buckwheat noodles eaten on New Year`s eve) on the Eve of the first day of spring- Setsubun!

and 2) on the 4th, the day of RISSHUN ( the first day of spring), there was a mochi tsuki (rice pounding) event on the main commercial street in the town- another activity more suggestive of New Year`s than just SETSUBUN.

One of my neighbors in Hojo,Tsukuba hangs some garlic at the front door to keep misfortune away

I talked about this with my friend Harumi Takaya, who grew up in one of Tsukubas`s old neighborhood. She wholly agreed with my observation and she added that when she was young she didnt even know what KADO MATSU ( New Year`s pine decorations) were. There were no outdoor decorations for the January New Year- but like Hojo, for SETSUBUN everyone put up a HIIRAGI (leaf and sardine talisman). She went even further and said that the farmers have always felt more comfortable with celebrating New Year`s in February- though they do not- as that would have been showing disapproval of the policies of the Emperor.

Instead they make SETSUBUN a joyous occassion

Something else that really made an impression on me this year on SETSUBUN was a photo that Asako Seo showed me of a specially designed Bento Lunch Box meal which her daughter had made (for herself!) for the occassion. Using different foods cut to the right shape and proportion this young woman had created a little DEMON lunch for herself.

Though I have always been quite astounded by the beautiful, nutrious, delicious and everyday different lunches that Japanese mothers prepare for their kids and husbands ( as oppossed to the sandwich, potato chips and apple that my school friends used to get back in the US- in Japan the TIME and EFFORT put into the creation of these are believed to be expressions of love and affection in themselves), the fact that a girl in her twenties would spend the time to create such a meal proved to me how important DECORATION and APPRECIATION OF THE SEASON remains in Japan.

A demon-motifed bento lunch box for SETSUBUN

Be sure to check the doorposts of your neighborhood to see if there are any sardine heads taped up. If you live in the city or in a new development there probably arent. You can always come to Hojo!

Ibaraki`s Unique HATSU UMA (初午) Celebrations- this year on the same day as Setsubun ( February 3, 2012)

2012-02-05T03:47:49Z

By Avi Landau

Getting ready for Hatsu Uma ( February 3rd this year), by cleaning the precincts of Inari Shrines ( this one in Inari-Mae, Tsukuba)

SUMITSUKARI- a dish served only on Hatu-Uma which is unique to certain parts of Ibaraki and Tochigi Prefectures. This uncooked type (生) was prepared by Asako Seo of Tsukuba

Sumitsukarei wrapped in straw and left as an offering at a small Inari Shrine in Hojo, Tsukuba. Identical objects are also sometimes thrown on rooftops to prevent fire

This morning as I was get getting ready to leave for work, my front door suddenly slid open. It was my next-door neighbor. She was bringing over some SEKIHAN ( glutinous rice cooked with beans- something eaten on special occassions). It all happened so suddenly that I forgot to ask WHICH special event she had cooked it for. You see, as it turns out, this year two traditional events fall on the same day! There is SETSUBUN, the Bean Throwing Festival which is celebrated nationwide- and HATSU UMA, a special day which is quite obscure on a national scale but which has long been important in this part of Japan ( Ibaraki and Tochigi Prefectures).

Since I have already written in detail about SETSUBUN, let me tell about this area`s unique way of celebrating HATU-UMA- which literally means the FIRST HORSE.

The kitchen-ware section at the Seibu Department Store put up a display explaining how to make the local Hatsu Uma speciality SUMITSU KAREI

If you look at a Japanese calendar, you will notice that every day of the month has been designated as belonging to a different animal of the Japanese zodiac. Today, February 6th on the Gregorian calendar, is the first Day of the Horse of the second month of the year, making it HATSU UMA (初午, the First Horse）, a day which has been celebrated for more than 1000 years by devotees of O-INARI-SAMA. There are tens of thousands of Inari shrines around Japan (more numerous than any other type of shrine), ranging from the grand to the tiny (these are called HOKORA, 祠), which are instantly recognizable by their red or vermilion torii gates (sometimes lined up one behind the other forming a tunnel!) and their many fox statues and figurines which lead to the mistaken notion that the foxes are the Gods of these shrines. Even those who have never been to Japan have probably seen them in books or posters as these exotic features make them a very popular subject for photographers.

Fox figurines at a small Inari Shrine in Hojo, Tsukuba. Foxes are the messengers of the deity, not the deity itself, as some assume

The first Day of the Horse of the second month of the 4th year of WADO (711 AD) was the day on which the God UKANOMITAMA NO KAMI was called down to HIS/HER new home, Mt Inari (in modern day Kyoto), upon which later the Fushimi Inari Shrine would be built, as the Titular God (ujigami) of the great Hata Family, which had come to Japan from China. Ukanomitama No Mikoto was originally a god of food and rice. The alternate name INARI is actually a variation of INE NARI, which means to become rice (INE: 稲, rice; NARU: 成, to become, to grow).

The fox, the messenger or servant of this god, has become so strongly associated with Inari shrines that these animals are often confused with the god him/herself.

Over the years, as Inari shrines sprang up throughout the country, they became associated with other things besides agriculture, all in accordance with various stages of Japanese economic development: industry, business, sales, household safety, the arts, etc. Inari is even considered the patron of mahjong parlors and tobacconists. Truly an all-purpose deity. In fact, the Fushimi Inari Shrine actually enshrined four other Gods besides Ukanomitama No Kami, which have become incorporated into the Inari of that shrine, though not necessarily all of the Inari shrines, especially the small ones, around Japan.

Inari-Mae's Inari Shrine、across from YU-WORLD in Tsukuba

To celebrate the Inari’s original descent to Japan, devotees begin by cleaning the grounds around the Inari Shrines, as well as the shrine structures themselves. Today I chatted with the men who were getting ready for Hatsu Uma ceremonies at the Inari Shrine in Inarimae in Tsukuba, just across from Yu World and Cineplex. They were burning fallen leaves, cleaning the shrine building and preparing new sacred ornaments of straw, rope and paper, all in preparation for the ceremony which will be held at 10am on Tuesday ( February 8th).

At homes, many families throughout Japan will be eating SEKI HAN (celebratory rice with red beans), and offering rice wine (o-miki), mochi, and seki han to the shrines along with plenty of ABURA AGE (fried tofu) which is supposedly a favorite food of foxes. Doing this is said to bring good harvests in the coming year and prevent disasters and sickness as well. Others believe that in this entrance examination period, PASSING THROUGH THE TORII GATE TUNNELS will help students PASS exams.

Morie Nakano Sensei`s Hatsu Uma decorations on display in Tsukuba

An important belief associated with HATSU UMA is that it is a dangerous day on which to make a fire. Because of this superstition a very interesting and extremely localized custom has developed in parts of Ibaraki and Tochigi Prefectures. In order to avoid cooking with fire on this day, a special COLD DISH is made, which utilizes leftover beans from the setsubun bean throwing ceremony, the salted salmon which was eaten during New Year’s and the vegetables of the season- daikon radish and carrots, which is roughly grated with a bamboo grate called ONI OROSHI.

Abura-age ( fried bean curd) is also added as an hommage to the fox messengers. This special dish is known either as SUMITSUKARI, SUMITSUKARE or SHIMOTSUKARE, depending on the area.

Sumitsukari and Celebration rice (sekihan) are also often wrapped in straw (separately) and offered to Inari Shrines and to the Household Gods ( Ujigami- Sama, 氏神様). Since this dish does not spoil easilly, what it is usually eaten by the family for a few days- anyway, until it is all finished.

Offerings to an Inari Shrine in Hojo, Tsukuba for Hatsu Uma 2012- fried tofu,sekihan,soy beans, and sumitsukrei

SUMITSUKARE- the cooked type

Also, in the belief that that it can help prevent fire, the sumitsukari and the rice, wrapped in their straw , are sometimes thrown over the roofs of houses.

SUMITSUKARI appears to be experiencing a revival of sorts. I have met several women who have prepared this dish for this weeks celebrations, and there have even been classes in how to make it at community centers in this area. If you make it to the shrine in Inarimae on the morning of the 8th you might get a chance to taste this very unique dish. If you cant and are still interested, tell a local farmer that you`d lke to try some. Im sure they`d be happy to share with you.

If you`d like to try and make it yourself here is the recipe.

This is the type of grater used to roughly grate the daikon radish and carrots for sumitsukari (called an ONI-OROSHI)

Recipes for Sumitsukari (スミツカリ)- which is sometimes pronounced SUMITSUKAREI (スミツカレ), and in Tochigi Prefecture SHIMOTSUKARE (シモツカレ)

These recipes do not include salted salmon which is often used, especially in Tochigi.

Recipe for the Cooked Type of Sumitsukarei

Ingredients : Half a daikon radish, half a carrot, half a cup of setsubun soy beans, a sheet of ABURA-AGE ( fried tofu), a tablespoon of Sake dregs, dashi (Japanese soup stock) to taste, and 2 tablespoons each of sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.

How to make:

Roughly grate the radish and the carrot. Lightly grill or toast th abura-age, and chop up into thin pieces. Peel the soy beans after roasting a bit. Add to pot with the rest of the ingredients and simmer.
Recipe forUncooked (nama) Type

Ingredients- the same as above WITHOUT the sake dregs, soy sauce or dashi

How to make::

Same as the above, except lightly drain the liquid from the grated radish and carrot before adding the vinegar and sugar.

Some delicious SUMITSUKARI (スミツカレ)- prepared by Asako Seo

The most famous Inari Shrines in Japan are the Fushimi Inari in Kyoto, the Kasama Inari in Ibaraki, and the Toyokawa Inari in Aichi. Even more interesting, however, are the small Inari Hokora you can find in Tsukuba’s bamboo groves and forests, or behind shops or restaurants. You can’t miss them with their red wooden gates and little fox figurines.

Sumitsukare and Sekihan wrapped in straw thrown on top of the roof of one of Ryuichi Someya`s sheds - in the hope that it will prevent fires

A special bento lunch box for todays joint SETSUBUN and HATSU UMA celebrations- a sardine for the former and sumitsukare for the latter- prepared by Asako Seo

Iina Shrine`s Traditional Daruma Market- on the first DAY OF THE SNAKE of the year (according to the old, lunar calendar)

2012-02-05T05:55:59Z

By Avi Landau

Large white banners reading: Money Goes- Money Comes! announce that the traditional DARUMA MARKET is on at the Iina Shrine in Usui Tsukuba

In many parts of the world, including the Japanese Isles, earlier generations looked around and found REAL SIGNIFICANCE is the SHAPES of the things around them. Thus, it seems to me only natural that because of its distinctive twin-peaked shape, the mountain that we now call Mt Tsukuba (Tsukuba-San), has since time immemorial been connected, in the minds of the people, with the MALE and FEMALE forces AND their interaction.

Some scholars believe that Mt, Tsukuba- in its entirety- was once considered so sacred ( for this reason), that it was OFF LIMITS to most people except for the occassions of the two great COUPLING EVENTS ( called KAGAI or UTAGAKI) which were held in the spring and fall in which the first step towards getting to know each other for the men and women who participated was the improvised exchange of poetry.

These same historians assert that when this revered mountain was approached for prayer, worshipers would go to the foot of the mountain, to a place in what is now part of the USUI neighborhood of Tsukuba City, where there stood ( and still stands) a large rock with a slit down its middle. This shape was seen as evidence of the presence of the FEMALE force.

Whether or not these historians are correct about Mt Tsukuba being taboo teritory, we will probably never know- but it is CERTAIN, however,that the spot on which this FEMALE rock sits, the spot upon which the old Iina Jinja Shrine now stands has been considered sacred by the local people since long before written records were kept in these parts.

Because of the slit in this large crag the ancient residents of this area believed this spot to sacred manifestation of the FEMALE FORCE

And though as time passed, in accordance with standard religious practice in Japan, a Shinto Shrine called Iina Jinja was built at this long venerated place, which is officially supposed to be dedicated to an agricultural God called UKEMOCHI NO KAMI (保食神). The local people, however, never refer to it by that name, they call it instead BENTEN SAMA- as BENTEN or BENZAITEN as she is usually called is one of the most popular of female deities in the Buddhist pantheon, a paragon of womanhood, and thus a fine way to refer to a spot which is connected so strongly in the people`s hearts and minds with the FEMALE.

And since BENTEN is associated with snakes in Japanese culture, it is appropriate that as the date for this shrine`s big festival, the first DAY OF THE SNAKE of the year ( according to the old LUNI-SOLAR calendar) would be selected.

I always make sure to check my calendar ( which of course gives me the details of the old calendar as well as the gregorian) and make a note of which day the festival falls on each year.

This year, the festival, called the DARUMA MARKET ( DARUMA ICHI) fell on February 2, 2012- today!

Last year`s DARUMA DOLLS returned to the Iina Shrine for proper disposal

I felt fortunate this year, as by a twist of fate, I had most of today off. Something very rare for me on a Thurday. Not only was I looking forward to enjoying the festival at my leisure, but I was also planning on sleeping late, for a change.

But as they say, there is NO rest for the weary! Instead of enjoying a long and well needed slumber, I was awakened at 6 AM sharp by the succession of fireworks blasts which were fired to announce that the festival was on! The subsequent frenzy of barking by the neighborhood dogs driven wild by the explosions, made it certain that I would not be falling back to sleep again.

Since I was up early, I decided that it would be a good opportunity to WALK to the shrine- something which could be done from my place in about 90 minutes.

Bundled up and masked- the crowds negotiating the narrow path leading to and from the Iina Jinja Shrine

When I stepped outside,however, I realized that trecking to the foot of Mt Tsukuba was not going to be a picnic, as frosty gales contiously pusuch a stupid punished me for making such a stupid decision!

I could , however, occassionally catch sight of some things which almost ( but quite) made me think that the walk was worth it- a kingfisher and a group of more than ten TOMBI (kites, large hawk-like birds) interacting in the now fallow rice lands between my neighborhood and the mountain.

Selling dried shrimp down by the main road

Nearing my destination I was almost in a daze from the freezing winds pounding into my ears. I snapped back to it, though when I hit a road block which had been set up to control the traffic to and from the festival, on the impossibly narrow roads which run through most of Tsukuba`s old neighborhoods. Already, early in the morning, surprisingly large crowgs had gathered, jamming the roads along which on a usual day not a soul would be seen.

There were also plenty of TEKIYA, festival vendors, who had set up for the day ( and they really had to anchor down their stalls because of the ferocious wind.

A man displays his knives and bladed tools

This pickle stand was doing brisk business selling all sorts of unique TSUKEMONO made from garlic, rakkyo, chilli peppers, etc.

Vendors selling a variety of Ibaraki`s citrus fruit

When I reached the shrine itself ( a favorite place for me to get away from it all throughout the year), I was surprised- for two reasons! One, because it as so crowded- maybe in these bad times more people are resorting to prayer and lucky charms for help, and two, they had completely repaired all the damage which had been caused by the earthquake ( and this had to be done recently because I had visited not long ago and the damage was still there!).

A basket and box dealer

The festival at Usui`s Benten Sama ( the Iina Jinja Shrine) is an event which people come to to pray for household safety, health, and especially SUCCESS IN BUSINESS. One unique feature of the shrine is that when you buy a certain type of amulet there, you get some coins- which are in fact a loan! You are supposed to bring take double the amount the next year!

Daruma dolls and Kumade ( both traditional good luck charms) can be bought, and last years items disposed of.

Talking with some of the worshippers, I was surprised to find that many had come from as far away as Tsuchiura, Ushiku, and Ryugasaki.

A talisman salesman/ reiki healer had a booth set up near the shrine

There was a real sense of excitement in the air, which kept building up until noon, when the lucky MOCHI THROWING event was held. The priests ( and respected parishioners) tossed out white and red rice cakes which when caught and eaten are said to bring good luck and keep one healthy ( though you have to be careful not to be smacked in the face by one of these hard and heavy objects as they are hurled into the excited crowd.

Just before noon a large crowd had gathered in front of the Iina Jinja Shrine waiting for the good luck MOCHI (rice cake) throwing event

After the Mochi Throwing, the crowd started to thin out- for the time being: more throwings would be held during the day.

A view from behind the shrine

I walked around the back of the shrine( as I always do) to admire the carvings on the prayer halls exterior, and to take a little stroll in the surrounding woods.

But enough walking, I thought, since that was how I was going to get back home!

For a fee, some worshippers enter the Main Hall to be blessed/purified by the priest

Keeping warm while making a wish ( by drawing in one of the DARUMA DOLL`s eyes)

Neighborhood men staff the office and sell amulets and other GOODS

And since that was going to take a long time, I decided to head back down to the main road at about 12:30, stopping at some of the YATAI (stalls) for some FUEL for the long cold journey back.

A peak at some of the intricate wood carvings on the side of the shrine`s worship hall

I hope that next year, on the first DAY OF THE SNAKE of the year ( according to the old calendar) that I have some free time again, and that the weather is better!

You can see pictures of the damage caused by the earthquake at the Iina Shrine in an article I wrote last year:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2011/08/kitsune-no-kamisori-%E7%8B%90%E3%81%AE%E5%89%83%E5%88%80-bloom-around-o-bon-time-mid-august-near-temples-and-shrines/

2 Comments

At February 3, 2012, Martin wrote:
Thanks for the interesting article. I am a great fan of TsukuBlog and already when to many places following your suggestions.
A difficult question about the Daruma doll that came up is, what to do with a Daruma who has one eye painted black, but the wish can not come true anymore? Poor Daruma has only one eye...
At February 4, 2012, Avi Landau wrote:
Hello Martin and thanks for reading Tsukublog!
Surely most of those who buy a Daruma doll at the beginning of a new year and make a wish or set a goal as they color in one of the eyes, end the year in disappointment- with their Daruma connected dreams unfulfilled.

Still- before returning the dolls at the beginning of the following year to the shrine at which they were purchased ( or to a Dondoyaki ceremony) to be burned- the other eye is PAINTED IN- wish fulfilled or NOT!

Convenience Stores and Suprmarkets Promote an Osaka Custom Pointing Kanto Area Setsubun Celebrations in a NEW DIRECTION! (again)

2012-02-05T06:21:41Z

Poster advertizing EHO-MAKI at a supermarket in Tsukuba

By Avi Landau

Convenience stores and supermarkets have had a huge impact on Japan and they play a major role in the shaping of contemporary Japanese culture and lifestyles. And though in many ways it could be said that these stores are helping to bring about the END of TRADITIONAL JAPAN, it could also be said that they are unlikely repositories of certain aspects of Japanese culture , always displaying traditional sweets of the season and never missing a chance to promote and sell foods and other paraphanalia related to traditional events and festivals. The quest for new products to sell has also led to some innovative ideas which have spiced up certain traditional events. An example of this can be seen if you go to any combini ( convenience store) or supermarket (supa) in the 3 or 4 weeks leading up to February 3 , which is the day on which the SESTUBUN festival is celebrated.

Sestubun (節分) , is sometimes called the BEAN THROWING FESTIVAL in English. This is because the main feature of the event is the throwing of soy beans , as a way of excorsizing evil and bad luck. In homes with small children, the man of the house usually dons a paper DEMON MASK (available at combinis and supas) on the evening of the 3rd, and the children proceed to hurl the beans at him crying out – ONI WA SOTO ( Demon out! ). They then continue throwing beans in various directions, shouting FUKU WA UCHI- good fortune in ! Family members then go on to eat the same number of beans as their age. This ritual is called MAME MAKI (bean throwing), and it is also performed at various temples and shrines around Japan. It is usual for adults who are in their UNLUCKY AGES(especially men of 42 and women of 33) to attend these bean throwing events as a form of YAKU YOKE (purification for those of unlucky age). Famous temples and shrines often invite celebrities (sumo wrestlers, movie stars etc) to hurl the beans, and these scenes are often televised. Just watch the news on the night of the 3rd (the night of this year`s mame maki).

Nearly all convenience stores and supermarkets have for the past few weeks been displaying a wide array of demon masks and soy bean packages .

Another custom, though far less popular these days, is the the posting of a sardine head fit onto thorny leaves called hiiragi on the front door. This is done to keep evil and bad fortune away. It is believed that the foul odor of the fish and the uninviting thorns should be effective in keeping any demons OUT. Supermarkets, including the one in the basement of Tsukuba`s Seibu Department Store have been promoting sardines for the making of these protective wreaths which are called YAIKAGASHI. Instead of sardines, other strong smaelling object have also sometimes been used- garlic, welsh onions (negi) or even singed strands of hair!

Hiiragi, and especially bean throwing have been the generally accepted, standard ways of celebrating setsubun throughout Japan.

However, in recent years combinis and supas have been vigorously promoting an ADDITIONAL WAY of celebrating setsubun. Well… new to all people who have never lived in Osaka(and other parts of KANSAI).

I`m talking of course of the large sushi rolls called EHO-MAKI (恵方巻), which can be seen in promotional posters all over town. These oversized nori-maki (they look like quite a mouthfull) are to be eaten by each family member, in silence, while facing the lucky direction of this year(according to the traditional Japanese almanac). Though most people in Tsukuba had never heard of this ritual until recently, many now reserve their EHO-MAKI weeks before setsubun. More purchase them on the day of the festival.

Eho-maki advertizement at a combini in Tsukuba

Eating Eho maki while facing the lucky direction ( this year- 2012, it is North by North-West), is in fact a custom, though not very old, which originated(along with so many other great business ideas) in Osaka. Osakan friends living in Tsukuba tell me that they had faithfully eaten their setsubun sushi-rolls every year of their lives, and had imagined that ALL Japanese did the same. Some Tsukubans of Osakan birth used to have Eho Maki sent to them each year by their mothers, before they became available nation-wide.

Nobody Ive spoken to could actually explain the significance of the sushi-rolls, but my feeling is that by facing the lucky direction, and slowly and silently taking the EHO -MAKI in, the good energies of this years lucky direction are absorbed by the antennae-like roll. Of course, these sushi- rolls are also chock-full of nutritious fillings (these vary according to price), including egg, seafood etc., to help keep the family healthy through the last weeks (or months!) of cold weather.

Of course, the most important point for families is that the EHO MAKI are fun and DELICIOUS!

A sticker at a convenience store indicates the LUCKY DIRECTION for the year 2012- North by Northwest

Let me tell you a little more about setsubun. This word (節分) in fact means SEASONAL TURNING POINT which then means that traditionally there were four setsubuns in Japan, one for the beginning of each season. Nowadays however, only the day marking the coming of spring is acknowledged by the general public with special rituals. Though it is still quite cold,the first day of spring (rishun) is on February 4th according to the traditional calendar. Before the Japanese converted their calendar to the one used by Europeans, a day began at sunset on the previous evening. That is why setsubun is celebrated on the evening of the 3rd. This was considered to be the start of the next day- RISHUN.

The ancient Chinese believed that these seasonal turning points were times when the world and its inhabitants were susceptible to attacks by evil forces. For protection they would carry out a ceremony which the Japanese call TSUINA( 追儺 ), in which ritual bows and arrows were used to excorsize demons and bad fortune.

This ceremony was introduced to Japan as a way of trying to stop an epidemic during the reign of Emperor Mommu (697-707), and during the Heian Period (794-1192), it was carried out anually in the Court, with bow and arrow, on the Traditional New Years Eve.

During the Muromachi Period(1392-1573), the use of bow and arrow gave way to the throwing of beans (though some temples, especially in Kyoto, use the old excorsizing techniques), and the custom began to filter down to the masses. Bean throwing on the eve of RISHUN became a standard part of Japanese life in the Edo Period (1600-1868), and remains so to this day.

The use of beans is probably related to the DEMON EXTERMINATING CEREMONY (鬼退治の際, oni taiji no sai) held at Kurama Yama , Kyoto. According to a legend, the God Bishamon recommended throwing beans into the eyes, as an effective way of combating demons. Demon Eyes can be written with the characters 魔目(which is read - ma me, a homophone for beans) and this sounds the same as 魔滅、which means DEMISE OF THE DEMON.

Also as anyone with an interest in traditional Indian food might know, beans are believed to have special life force powers.

Another interesting point is that the reason you eat the same number of beans as your age (and one for good luck) is that before the Japanese calendar changed to the Gregorian, February was the Month of New Years (usually) and thus all Japanese considered themselves one year older (did you know that the money given to children on New Years called TOSHI DAMA, is not New Years money(toshi can mean year) , but AGE MONEY (toshi can also mean age). Thus people celebrated their BIRTHDAY by eating their ages in beans.

For seniors who dont want to or CAN`T eat dozens of beans, it is customary to put their age worth into a tea cup, pour tea over it and drink the tea.

Eating these beans is also considered to be protection against illness and bad luck.

If you would like to celebrate setsubun this year, the convenience store or supermarket will provide you with everything you need. Bean throwing should begin after the sun goes down. A parent puts the demon mask on and goes to the front door. The demon should stand outside and be pelted by the kids who cry ONI WA SOTO.Then throw beans inside the house shouting FUKU WA UCHI !. I once brought a mask and beans with me to New York and did mame maki with my nieces and nephew. It went over very well. If youve got kids, Id say- give it a try

Locally Made Fabric Sent to Nara as a Tax Payment 1,260 Years Ago is Back Home For a Short Stay at the Tsuchiura City Museum

2012-02-07T12:50:10Z

A length of hemp cloth made over a thousand years ago and sent to the capital in Nara as a tax is temporarily back home in Tsuchuira at the City Museum

By Avi Landau

In ancient times, the area that is now known as Ibaraki Prefecture ( at one time called Hitachi Province) was famous for the production of fabrics . We know this from references in the earliest extant texts associated with this area- the HITACHI NO KUNI NO FU-DOKI (常陸国風土記) - the records of this province`s history and customs- compiled in the 8th century, and the Manyoshu (万葉集）, the earliest compilation of Japanese poems ( also from the 8th century) which contains numerous works which are known to have been written in Japan`s Eastern Provinces. It is also made clear and emphasized in these texts that it was the role of women to create the textiles.

Archaeologists have made great advances in recent years in weaving a clearer picture of how early fabrics were created in this part of Japan. The remains of various tools used for spinning thread and making cloth dating back to the Yayoi Period (300 BC- 300 AD) have in fact been unearthed at various sites in Ibaraki.

Clay tools used for spinning thread in the Yayoi Period discovered in Ibaraki Prefecture

Still, because of Japan`s extreme summer humidity, frequenty rainfall and wet conditions, in general, archaeologists have found VERY LITTLE in terms of actual samples of ancient cloth. No silk has survived from Japan`s prehistoric period. However, rare traces of hemp cloth, which is thicker than silk, HAVE been found at two 7th century archaeological sites in the prefecture.

Interestingly, despite the almost total lack of actual cloth samples, specialist DO know quite a bit about the style of cloth which was typically produced. This is because IMPRESSIONS of woven fabrics are commonly found on the remains of ancient tiles and other ceramic object. Wrapping clay in cloth at certain points was obviously an important part of the ceramic making process.

The impression of cloth left on ancient roof-tiles

The oldest cloth remnants found in this prefecture ( discovered among fthe funerary items of 7th century tumuli with some tiny fragments found wrapped around a sword and another around decorative pieces for horses), as well as some examples of woven-fabric impressions left on ancient tiles, can be seen as part of an exciting exhibition at the Tsuchiura City Museum which highlights a strip of miraculously preserved hemp cloth created approximately 1,200 years ago in a village that is now part of Tsuchiura City.

Fragments of cloth remain stuck to this 8th century horse ornament

This fabric was used as a CHOFU (調布), a commodity tax which could be paid in cloth or other locally made products. The strip of colth now on display was first taken to the Provincial Capital in what is now Ishioka City ( then called FUCHU), where it was catalogued and marked by the governor. Then it was sent on to the capital in Nara.

Somehow, this piece of cloth ( along with another one created in the same village- at that time called NAKAYAGO) found its way to the HORYUJI Temple where it was preserved ( along with the other piece from NAKAYAGO) to this day.

The other piece of CHOFU fabric, (which is actually much more beautiful, as can recognized in a large photo reproduction at the exhibit) was donated to the Imperial Family just after the Meiji Restoration of 1868, and eventually found its way to the National Museum in Tokyo where it is now stored but not displayed. This smaller piece is remarkable for its grape-bunch motifs!

An enlarged photo of another piece of ancient cloth made in the Tsuchiura area is shown at the current exhibition- note the grape motifs! This piece is at the National Museum in Tokyo

The cloth on display in Tsuchiura, known as the NAKAYAGO CHOFU cloth, though lacking any decorative patterns and stained and worn away in the center is still quite impressive to gaze at, and it is interesting to see how MOVED the local people are when they come and have a look.

A close-up of the central portion of the NAKAYAGO CHOFU cloth now on display in Tsuchiura

The India ink inscription left on the right hand side by the provincial governor more than a thousand years ago is still amazingly legible.

( I have written before of how similar cloth was sent as CHOFU from the village of Kurihara, in what is now Tsukuba City. This cloth is in storage at the SHO-SOIN Imperial Treasure House in Nara)

After more than a millenium, the hemp cloth made in what is now Tsuchiura City and send to Nara as a form of taxpayment returned home

And though I think that just for the chance to see the objects I have described above make a visit to the museum WELL WORTH IT ( especially with the very reasonable 100 Yen entrance fee), the current exhibition offers MUCH MORE.

When you have finished examining ( and contemplating ) the venerable cloth artifacts on display on the ground floor, head upstairs where you can learn about how cotton cloth was ( and still is) made in the Tsuchiura Area. In fact, not only can you see videos and other displays detailing the complete cloth-making process ( starting with the planting and harvesting of the cotton) and some excellent examples of locally made wear- but you can also experience much of the process right there at the museum with all the equipment set up right there and plenty friendly guides to help you out.

You can remove seeds for cotton balls, spin thread, and weave cloth upstairs at the museum while this exhibition is on

Little kiminos made as small scale patterns for larger works mounted on a board as an offering to a local shrine for weaving

I didnt have much time ( only an hour!) to spare when I visited the museum last week, but I will try to get back there again to try to get a better understanding of the process of cloth making- something which occupied a very large portion of a woman`s time in this area until recent decades.

Trying your hand at spinning thread and weaving, and watching the care ( and skill) that goes into the process on the videos which are shown makes you appreciate how much energy ( and love!) went into the making of even the simplest piece of cloth. With the invention and proliferation of machines which can do all these procedures at 100 times the speed, it is true that textiles have become much more abundant and cheaply available. Still, leaving this exhibition I could not help but feeling that somehow we have lost a very important part of our humanity by living in a society in which we pick our shirts and trousers off the rack at Uniqlo.

The exhibition will be on until February 19th, 2012. The Tsuchiura City Museum (Tsuchiura Shiritsu Hakubutsukan-土浦市立博物館) is located near the KIJO PARK in central Tsuchiura

A kimono on display at the exhibition

Demon Masks, Soy Beans,Thick Sushi Rolls and Sardine Heads Posted on Doorways- Celebrating SETSUBUN ( the Eve of the First Day of Spring) in Japan

2012-02-05T06:23:00Z

By Avi Landau

Most of the world cultures that I can think of have (or had) their own special ways of keeping evil spirits at bay, or even better, far away. Japan is probably the industrialized country with its traditional demon-fighting repertoire most intact. One of the most important and popular of the occasions on which exorcisms are appropriate is SETSUBUN (節分) usually celebrated on February 3rd, the day before the first day of spring (risshun, 立春). The main technique used is bean-throwing (豆まき）, highly effective and plenty of fun!

Usually, Dad wears a demon (oni) mask, easily purchased at any convenience store, and the kids proceed to pelt him with dried soy beans (from packets available at the same stores). While they do this, they shout “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (Evil out, Good Fortune in!). This is done at the entrance to the house, and then in the other rooms. When the beans are all used up, they are gathered up and each family member usually eats the same number of beans as his/her age. Beans can also be offered to the Shinto and Buddhist altars.

This ceremony remains one of the most popular of the traditional evil fighting customs and you can enjoy the ceremony in various forms at temples and shrines throughout Japan as well as on TV. (You might catch a scene of sumo wrestlers in masks being pelted by excited kids.)

One of the other techniques for keeping evil away in this season has not fared as well as the bean throwing. I’m referring to YAIKAGASHI, the holly （ hiiragi ヒイラギ） and dried sardine amulets which in not very former times would adorn the entranceways of most houses in this area ( and still do in the old town of Hojo where I live- in fact they can be seen at door posts ALL YEAR ROUND near my house!).

Traditionally the YAIKAGASHI could also contain garlic or welsh onions ( negi) or even some singed strands of human hair!

Since holly has thorned leaves, it was thought to repel demons who were afraid to get poked in the eye, and the sardines would do the same job with their unpleasant, fishy smell. Though the use of these amulets has decreased rapidly over recent years, I have still found a few around town.

I’ve also taken some pictures of SANPO, containers for soy beans made out of origami paper by nursery school kids.

Another way to celebrate SETSUBUN (or desecrate it by joining in on its commercialization) is to buy the EHO-MAKI (恵方巻き） sushi rolls which are being sold at all the convenience stores and being promoted as efficacious for bringing good fortune by pointing the roll in the properly auspicious directions.

So, there you have it. Take YOUR choice of how you want to keep EVIL away!

See more on EHO-MAKI and a much more comprehensive explanation of SETSUBUN (節分) see my article:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2010/01/convenience-stores-and-supermarkets-promote-osaka-custom-and-point-setsubun-celebrations-in-new-direction-revisited/

The Belief in Myoken- the Deified Polar Star and Big Dipper- thrives at Tsukuba`s Hokuto-Ji Temple! Its big festival is THIS COMING SUNDAY (Jan.29)!

2012-01-27T12:44:44Z

By Avi Landau

A close-up of the MYOKEN WORSHIP HALL at the Hokuto-Ji Temple in Kurihara Tsukuba

The pathway leading up to the Hokuto-Ji Temple lined with YATAI vendor stalls (February 9th, 2011)

The ancients found significance in just about everything they saw in the world around them. But in the quest for gaining an understanding of the workings of FATE, man has probably most frequently and consistently turned his eyes to the STARS and other HEAVENLY BODIES, whose positions and movements were often believed to be closely linked with what happened down here on terra firma.

As certain civilizations became more developed, they were able to amass extremely detailed data which led to the creation of sophisticated systems of astrology (which I guess could be said to be the foundation of modern astronomy).

India and China were two such civilizations. Their complicated beliefs connected with the stars　(some scholars believe these originated back in ancient Babylonia), were introduced to Japan along with Buddhism- especially the Esoteric Type (密教, Mikkyo)- of the Tendai (天台宗) and Shingon (真言宗) Sects.

And since the Shingon Sect of Buddhism has long predominated in many of the hamlets which are now part of Tsukuba City, it is only natural that certain ceremonies related to star worship should still exist around here.

Many DO find it surprising, however, to hear that the Hokuto-Ji Temple (北斗寺),　in the rustic (and rusting) hamlet of KURIHARA, is the most important of Japan`s three great temples dedicated to the Pole Star and the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper(三大北斗)- in the form of the Deity MYOKEN-BOSATSU (妙見菩薩). In fact, when this temple, usually referred to by the locals as MYOKEN-SAMA, holds its STAR FESTIVAL (hoshi matsuri,星祭) on the seventh day of the first month according to the lunar calendar each year ( this year Jan. 29th, 2012), devotees come from far and wide.

The Goma Taki sacred fire burning in the Myogen Hall of the Hokuto-Ji Temple (北斗時）

It is not difficult to imagine why the polar star , and the nearby constellation of the Big Dipper, would have gained such a prominent role in religions in which astrology played a role. These are the MOST CONSTANT of the heavenly bodies, and to the long term observer on Earth, it would seem as if everything else in the sky was moving around them. For this reason they could even be seen as symbols of the Emperor himself (whether Chinese, or Japanese), around whom their respective societies were supposed to revolve. These stars were also crucial for navigation, and the Japanese priests who safely made the journey to and back from China must have felt they owed a debt of honor to them.

Praying to, or making offerings to the Pole Star were believed to be efficacious in keeping peace in the realm and in preventing disasters. During the Heian Period ceremonies related to the Pole Star were held for such puposes at certain major temples (ie. Mii-Dera, 三井寺 and　Onjoji, 園城寺).

The Imperial Court also held similar rites focusing on Myoken in the Hokutosai (北斗際) which was carried out by Yin-Yang diviners (Omyoshi).

In the year 1153, the Retired Emperor Toba prayed to Myoken for relief from an eye ailment ( Myoken literally means Divine sight). When a cure was in fact achieved, it became common to pray to this deity when one suffers from eye trouble ( and interestingly since the name Myoken could also be taken to mean -LOOK DIVINE, as in beautiful, many show business people have been devotees over the years).

As you can imagine, sailors would also be great devotees of these stars which helped them find their ways.

Vendors selling their rustic wares at the Hoshi Matsuri at the Hokuto-Ji Temple (北斗寺) in Kurihara, Tsukuba

During Japan`s middle ages Myoken became a popular Deity among the Samurai, as the Pole Star was believed to be crucial in determining the results of battle.

As time passed farmers took to praying to the Pole Star for good harvests and merchants for success in business.

Of great importance is also the fact that the priest Nichiren, the founder of the Nichiren Sect of Buddhism, believed that he had been helped from trouble after praying to Myoken. Because of this, Myoken devotion was taken up with enthusiasm by members of that sect and to this day, at Nichiren Temples, you will more than likely find a Myoken Hall within their precincts.

The subject of Myoken, however, is extremely complex, and it is not my intention here to give you any more than this brief ( and inadequate) explanation of the deity ( which after the Meiji Period`s forced separation of Buddhism and Shintoism was enshrined in Shinto Shrines as the God Ame no Minakanushi no Mikoto 天御中主尊）.

I would like instead to go onto a brief introduction to Tsukuba`s Hokuto-Ji Temple and its Hoshi Matsuri.

On the day of the Hoshi Matsuri Festival vendors sell flowers, trees, and bonsai

According to extant documents, the Hokuto-Ji Temple was founded in the year 810 by the priest Saisen (最仙) for the purpose of praying for the peace and prosperity of the nation through the pole star and the big dipper. Like with many other older temples, however, the history of Hokuto-Ji is quite complex, having moved location ( within the same general area) several times for various reasons, before returning to the hamlet of Kurihara and its ORIGINAL location in 1659.

Some might be (very) surprised to hear that at that time, during the Edo Period ( 1600-1868), Kurihara, which sits by the Sakura River, and has good soil and water for rice production, was partly TENRYO (天領), that is, under direct control of the Shogun, and was ruled through the trusted Hatamoto Family- The Hori. One of the last of the Horis to rule Kurihara, played an important role in negotations with European powers just before the Meiji Restoration ( this will be the subject of a future post) but committed ritual suicide (seppuku) when he was told that his idea of a bilateral treaty with Prussia was not what the Shigunate wanted.

Kurihara is also notable for the fact that about 1,200 years ago it sent some fabric made of hemp to the capital as a form tax payment. Such linen used to pay taxes was called CHOFU. The original fabric with an india ink inscription indicating its place of origin is kept at the Shosoin Imperial Store-house in Nara ( and conicidentally, through Feb. 19th 2012 there will be an exhibit at the Municipal Museum in Tsuchiura displaying a piece of cloth which was also sent as a tax payment more than a millenium ago- it has come back home after all these years and is worth seeing!)

The day before the HOSHI MATSURI banners are put up at the main entrance to the HOKUTO-JI Temple ( note the old fire bell, a rare sight these days)

The temple holds two major annual events a year, each based on the lunar calendar ( they usually occur sometime in February and August ), and as I have mentioned before, besides all the Kurihara locals showing up for these events and other Tsukubans, some devotees of Myoken, make the journey to Tsukuba from much farther afield. Especially for the Hoshi Matsuri.

Let me tell you about the event as I experienced it last year.

The Hokuto-Ji Temple in Kurihara, Tsukuba, the day before the Hoshi Festival

To tell the truth, since I live so near ( only about 5 minutes by car), I went to the temple several times to check on the progress of the preparations which were being made, which mostly consisited of cleaning the Myogen Hall and preparing all the ritual instruments to be used for the next days ceremonies.

Hokuto-Ji Temple in Kurihara, Tsukuba

The next morning, when I got up and looked out the window, I found that there were near blizzard-like conditions. I had to confirm whether or not my work would be cancelled or not, but I KNEW the festival would be on. Before I headed off for the university, I checked in at the temple and found the TEKIYA ( festival stall vendors) struggling to set up there booths.

I also found that already early in the morning, and despite the weather, that dozens of the neighborhood men, who help run the event, as well as several Shingon priests brought in from other temples, were all busy and that some Buddhist ceremonies were already underway. The scene was a bit depressing since there were no visitors at the temple yet- only priests, staff and especially VENDORS!

But first I had to get to work. I was able to get back to Hokuto-Ji at my lunch break- and THANK MY LUCKY STARS- the snow had stopped and it had turned into a beautiful day!

I made my way through the row of ROTEN ( outdoor shops). And let me stress that these were not the kinds of stalls that you find at major festivals like Matsuri Tsukuba- these were like something out of another age- with flamboyant sales talks and performances. Sellers of traditional medicines, citrus fruit, dried persimons, bonsai, handmade farming implements and brooms, pickles and dried fish. A man selling amulets and almanacs, wearing traditional garb was tryng to attract customers using a ventriloquism act.

All the while, among the hawking , eating , and good cheer, the priests had a sacred fire ( GOMA TAKI) going, and devotees were continually plying up into the Myoken Hall to pray- and from what I learned from my own unoffical survey, most of these prayers were for business success, and good harvest.

After offering prayers, most worshipers bought one of the many different Myoken amulets which were being sold by the temple which was staffed by what seemed to be all the adult males in the neighborhood.

The priest would be at it till about 4:30. The vendors, started packing up soon after that ( I came back AGAIN after work!).

With full stomach, arms laden down with my purchases ( including an onioroshi style radish grater!), after having chatted with some old friends and having had the pleasure of making new acquaintance, I headed for home with the drumming , chanting and mystery, with all the HISTORY ringing in my ears. As I approached my front door, I remembered to take take a short look at the stars, twinkling in the crisp , wintery, night-sky

Hokuto-Ji in Kurihara, the day before the Hoshi Matsuri

You can get to Kurihara on the Tsukubus` Oda Shuttle which leaves from Tsukuba Center

Dragons in Japanese History and Culture- Strongly Connected to Water, Rainfall and Fire Prevention- among other things

2012-02-08T12:15:50Z

By Avi Landau

A dragon on the ceiling of the MATSUCHIYAMA SHO-DEN TEMPLE (待乳山聖天) near Asakusa Station in Tokyo represents rainclouds and protects the bulding from fires

The occassional burst of fireworks thumping faintly off in the distance last night reminded me that though in Japan we had already celebrated New Years 3 weeks earlier- in accordance with the Gregorian Calendar ( as the Japanese have been doing since 1873), it was only then, on Feb. 23 ( this year), that the New Year had begun according to the Chinese Calendar- which the Japanese had followed for more than a thousand years. It was not until that moment, when I heard the Chinese residents of Tsukuba and the surrounding area out celebrating, that I truly felt that the Year of the Dragon had arrived.

Let me tell you why I felt that way ( before I get into the fascinating ( and surprisingly complex) story of the role of DRAGONS in Japanese civilization).

For at least 3,000 years, the Chinese have organized the world around them using a special system they developed which divided time and space into units of twelve- in the form of an ordered set of symbols which they called the SHI ER CHI (十二支). The earliest extant evidence of the use of this system can be seen in fragments of tortoise shell which were unearthed by archaeologists. These were engraved with characters designating these units, sometime during the Shang Dynasty (1766 BC and 1122 BC) .

Many centuries later, during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE ), each of these 12 units came to be asscociated with a specific animal. Some scholars suggest that this occurred possibly because of the influence of the Greek zodiac, which the Chinese might have come to know via India. But no matter how or why a set of animals came to represent each of the twelve units, this concept has added plenty of symbolic depth (and appeal) to the system, since the unique characteristics of each of these animals could be used for fortune telling ( not unlike the astrology which developed in Europe- except for the fact that in the Chinese system everyone born in the same year has the same sign!). Also, quite importantly, artists and craftmen had these different animal motifs (so rich in possibilities) to work with.

Since in days of old Japan was influenced by nearly all things Chinese, it is only natural that this system used for designating years, months, days, time of day, and directions was adopted by the Japanese. This happened officially during the reign of the Empress Suiko in the early 7th century.

Over the subsequent centuries, this system- called ETO (干支), or JU-NISHI (十二支) in Japanese, gained terrific popularity ( because of the fortune telling AND decorative opportunities I have already mentioned)- especially in the Edo Period (1600-1868).

Even after the Japanese abandoned their old ( Chinese) calendar and started using the Western (Gregorian) system, they have still clung firmly to the Chinese Zodiac.In fact now, it might be more to be more popular than ever.

Starting from December each year, anyone living in ( or visiting Japan) can see an amazingly clever array of designs featuring the next years ETO animal on sale at stores or stalls, as figurines which will be displayed in homes, shops and offices for the entire following year( and then even more variety- because so many people create them themselves)- when New Years cards arrived, mostly emblazoned with home-made renderings of the year`s representative animal.

( For the sake of brevity I have simplified my explanation of this system which besides the use of the 12 zodiac sign also applies an additional ten stems and five elements- but FEW Japanese are familiar with these today- search for: JIKKAN JUNISHI, for more details).

The twelve Junishi animals as recognized in Japan are: the mouse , cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and wild boar ( which is a pig in the original Chinese set).

This year, 2012, as I have already mentioned, is the Year of the Dragon. And now that I have explained the history of the use of the zodiac in Japan, you can probably understand why I didnt feel like the DRAGON HAD ARRIVED until the coming of the traditional Chinese New Year.

Close-up of a dragon embroidered onto a special cloak worn by women of the samurai class as protection in the event of fire- note how dragons of the Edo Era looked a bit like old men

Enter the Dragon- Some thoughts on dragons in Japanese ( and world) culture

L ike me, you might find it especially curious that DRAGONS, imaginary creatures, are included as part of the traditional oriental zodiac, which is otherwise made up of very real, and mostly COMMON animals. Well, over the last few weeks I have been doing alot of thinking ( and studying) about this. Not only have I found a reasonable explanation for WHY dragons evolved in the human imagination and have become important figures in various world cultures, but I have also come to realize that the way dragons have been viewed in Asia ( as oppossed to the way they are viewed in Western societies) is extremely revealing in terms of undertanding the differences between these two cultural spheres.

Another lokk at the dragon-motifed fire-cape ( on display at the Edo-Tokyo Museum)

How did dragons come to capture the human imagination?

Well, it is of importance to note that the belief in dragons developed among the peoples of the early AGRICULTURAL CIVILIZATIONS which arose along great rivers- especially the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesapotamia, and Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in China ( as well as the Indus Valley Civilization in India and Egyptian Civilization along the Nile).

Among all the extant prehistoric depictions of animals left behind by our HUNTER-GATHERER forebearers in Europe, Africa, and elsewhere, there are no creatures to be found which resemble anything like what we would call a dragon. These early (pre-agricultural) artists always depicted REAL animals-which were in fact their prey.

The first dragons drawings and carvings eventually appeared ( as I have already suggested) in the great river valleys where large scale agriculture first arose. In these societies, life and death could be determined by the behaviour of these powerful rivers. Flooding often meant calamity.

It seems that the people of these ancient civilizations came to believe that it was DRAGONS ( or snakes, in the cases of ancient India and Egypt) dwelling in these rivers which controlled the flooding ( or lack of flooding). It is possible that this belief came about as the result of the discovery of DINOSAUR fossils which were revealed after flooding had subsided, ( even here in Tsukuba, fossils- for example that of a primitive relative of the elephant have been discovered on riverbanks). Monstrous remains which could only be satisfactorilly explained at that time by the creation of the dragon.

It also probable that large dinosaur fossils were discovered in the steep walls of gorges created by rivers. This would have given the ancients the impression that these creatures could FLY or that they connected heaven and earth.

And maybe because these mysterious bones ( which were also greatly prized for their medicinal effects- adding still more to their aura) came to be connected in their minds with water and flooding, that people really started to believe in the existance of these creatures and even actually SAW then- in waves, in distant rainfall, in stormclouds, and most importantly in TORNADOs, which in both Japanese and Chinese are called Dragon Rolls ( Tatsumaki, 竜巻ーin Japanese), and also seem to form a connection between the earth and the heavens.

It is not difficult to understand that, in these societies which depended on agriculture for their continued existence and which were at the mercy of the rivers, it came to be accepted that a person was deemed worthy of ruling as king by his ability be to control the waters- and by association- the dragons.

Interestingly, in Mesapotamia, as illustrated by Babylonian mythology, the ruler attained his right to rule by SLAYING the dragon and keeping civilization safe from floods. This seems to have become the prototype for how The West would represent the dragon- as an evil creature which is slain by a national hero.

In China, however, instead of hatred, the water controlling dragon was looked upon with awe and reverence, The Chinese Emperors themselves came to connect themselves with dragons- whose image evolved over the years to become a highly symbolic composite of what was important for human livelihood-1) a horse, cow or camel-like face representing agriculture, a scaly body representing fishing, hawk-like claws representing hunting, and goat-horns representing livestock rearing.

From this difference in attitudes towards dragons, a major difference in attitudes towards the environment can be detected. One, the Western, in which the environment is subdued and conquered, and the other an attitide of trying to live in harmony with nature ( though one could also say that this is an oversimplified and misleading generalization- and probably be right!)

Anyway, over the centuries, China`s great artists worked with concept of the dragon to create sublime images of power, speed, and grace ( while some depictions are merely abstract geometrical patterns which are difficult to see as dragons at all ), as well as countless legends and stories.

The dragon ( specifically, one with five claws) became closely associated with the Chinese Emperor, as well as with rivers, ponds, lakes, seas, and water in general.

Dragons were also believe to be vehicles which carried various deities across the heavens. They also came to be important figures in Buddhist and Taoist thought.

They were also important for the ancient Asians` understanding of various natural phenomena ( besides flooding, raining and tornadoes), as dragons were believed to play an important role in the cosmos- including being responsible for eclipses ( by their trying to swallow the sun or moon)

Later, artists, writers and thinkers in Japan were to make their valuable contributions to the development of this fascinating imaginary creature, as well.

The faucets at the ritual cleansing troughs at Japanese temples and shrines are often shaped as dragons

The ritual washing basins at Japanese temples or shrines often have dragon shaped spouts

The Dawn of Dragons in Japan

Just as dragons were not part of the consciousness of the hunter- gatherers of Europe, there is no evidence of dragon motifs having been used in pre-agricultural Japan. With the introduction of rice cultivation, however, and the subsequent dependance on irrigation systems during what has been dubbed the Yayoi Period ( 300 BC- 300 AD) it appears that ( based on patterns found on certain pots and ritual bells created at the time) dragons began to appear in the Japanese Archipelago ( as imports from China).

And just as dragons ( or the slaying of dragons) had become associated with powerful rulers in various civilizations, it is in artifacts from what is called Japan`s Kofun Period (250-538), during which numerous local strongmen arose leaving behind burial mounds filled with funerary items ( KOFUN, after which the period is named), that unmistakeable dragon-motifs can be seen.

Dragons or snakes? A wood carving showing the eight-headed beast YAMATA NO ORICHI drinking for sake vats. This story ( as told in the KOJIKI) is a typical myth linking a family`s right to rule a nation with the slaying of a dragon( though the Japanese dont consider this creature a dragon- Fron the Yasaka Shrine in Konda, Tsukuba

( I cannot proceed without mentioning the Japanese myth which most resembles a typical European DRAGON-SLAYING story- though the creature involved is not considered to be a dragon by the Japanese- but a giant eight headed serprent- the YAMATA OROCHI- which was cleverly slain by SUSANOO NO MIKOTO, the brother of the Sun Goddess AMATERASU with the use of eight vats full of Sake ( to sedate the beast) and a powerful sword.

After this monster was killed, a different sword emerged out of its tail! This weapon was passed onto the hero Yamato Takeru ( according to the story),who used this weapon to subdue Eastern and North-Eastern Japan . This sword is now enshrined at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya as one of the three Imperial Treasures)

A dragon figurine on sale at a department store in Tsukuba just before New Years 2012

It is with the great infusion of Chinese culture and Buddhism, beginning in the sixth century, that the dragon really started to flourish in Japan ( in art ,architecture, stories, AND in the peoples minds). From India, the serpent-like water gods ( Nagas) which were an important part of the Hindu tradition, had been absorbed by Buddhism. And when that religion was introduced to China, they blended with Chinese tradition and transformed into dragon-like deities , which were then introduced to Japan as deities which control the rains ( RYU-OH) , who are also faithful protectors of the Buddha and Buddhism.

For this reason dragons became closely associated with RAIN INVOCATION CEREMONIES (AMAGOI,雨乞い) in Japan, and why water spouts at temples and shrines are often shaped like dragons .

(I have written about the dragons masks which had long been used to invoke rain in the Tsukuba area here:)

http://www.alientimes.org/Main/FaceToFaceWithTheNoguchiFamilysMasks

Because of this association with water, dragons were also an important motif for ships ( like Chinese dragon boats) and much later for fire-fighting equipment. Firefighters even had the habit of tatooing themselves with dragons- a custom which was later taken on by the Yakuza .

(Such tatoo designs were called KURIKARA MONMON 　（倶利伽羅紋々）, a word which now refers to a large dragon tatoo on the back, any full back tatoo, in fact- and the person who bears it as well. This expression derives from a buddhist story in which the deity FUDO-MYO-O battles an enemy who has tranformed into a sword. In response FUDO changes into a dragon and proceeds to swallow the sword. Sometimes images of FUDO show him with his sword being enwrapped in a dragon ( or snake) which is trying to swallow it).

Dragon-ships near Arashiyama in Kyoto

Dragon headed boats used each year during a festival at Ibaraki`s Kashima Grand Shrine ( Kashima Jingu)

It also explains why dragon motifs are so commonly seen on temples- above the offering box, on pillars- depicted climbing up and down, and on ceilings. The dragons are there protecting the temples- especially from fire. ( At the Jinryu Ji Temple in Tsuchiura, I saw a hanging scroll depictiong a dragon which is called the HI FUSE RYU- the Fire Preventing Dragon. And when I asked the preist of the thatched roofed Myotoku Ji Temple in Tsukuba if there were any dragon motifs at his temple, he said no at first, but then remembered that in the thatched roof building,under the eaves, a simple Chinese character - the one for dragon, was inscribed- obviously for preventing fire in that most flammable of buildings!)

Dragons are also a common feature on the tops of bells which are such an important element of Buddhism. Often two dragons are joined together to form the ring from which the bell is hung.

In Makabe town there is a famous old bell- note the dragon at the top, from which it is hung

Two dragons swallowing a ball- this was the prescientific explanation for eclipses in the Chinese sphere of cultural influence. It is important to note that dragons in Asia are often portrayed holding balls ( DRAGON BALLS!) which they are said to love. This photo was taken at Tsukuba`s Hachiryu Shrine.

In fact, it is my opinion that the Japanese word KONRYU (建立) which is used as a verb meaning to establish a temple, originally must have meant- to set up dragons ( though the characters used now have a different meaning).

A samurai helmet with a dragon motif

Because of the dragons awesome power and speed, and their LOYALTY in protecting Buddhism, it is only natural that warriors would want to have them on their helmets and armour. The Tokugawa Family ( which ruled over a mostly peaceful and unified Japan for more than 200 years) was especially fond of dragons and the temple/shrine complex at Nikko ( a World Heritage Site), in Tochigi Prefecture is replete with fantastic examples of dragon images.

I have already told you that the dragon symbolizing the Chinese Emperor had FIVE CLAWS. Most dragons found in Japan are humble and have only three or four. The great Tokugawa Ieyasu, however, the man who unified Japan after 1600 and founded the Tokugawa ( Edo) Shogunate had the confidence to have his dragons done with all FIVE CLAWS!

A fire-fighters water tank with characters reading WATER SPOUTING DRAGON

A fire-fighters cloak emblazoned with a dragon and tiger battling it out motif

Just as the ancient Chinese believed that certain sages or deities were transported through the heavens on the backs of dragons, modern day residents of Tsukuba ( in certain neighborhoods) make straw dragons each year to carry back the spirits of their ancestors from the cemetery for the O-Bon Festival in August. I have heard from older locals that until about 50 years ago straw dragons were made for funerals, as well, to send off the spirits of the departed

A Chinese illustration depicting a deity riding dragon-back

More evidence for past generations that dragons really existed- SEA HORSES- whose Japanese name, TATSU NO OTOSHI GO means- Dropped Dragon Babies - which were considered a lucky charm for helping guarantee easy childbirth

Sorry.......... this is going to take alot more time to finish! Got to wake up early tomorrow, so let me get back and write more tomorrow or someday in the future!

But there is just one thing that I`d like you to remember ( and something you probably already realize if you`ve read this far)- that in Japan, traditionally, NOTHING is there merely for decoration or just for the fun of it. Every little motif used is pregnant with meaning and has a reason for being where it is.

Now, if you see a dragon painting or sculpture, you will understand why it is there, or if you want to see one, you will have an easier time finding one!

Or even better, you might loosen the constraints of reason which your modern education has bound you up tightly with- and you might even be able to at some moment, somewhere, recognize in the mist or in the shifting clouds- a familiar yet elusive figure - which was such a strong and REAL presence for our forebearere in these islands.

To be continued!

2 Comments

At January 30, 2012, ♦ East Asia Blog Round-Up : 29/1/2012 « Eye on East Asia wrote:
[...] TsukuBlog - Avi writes about the role of dragons in Japanese culture and history. [...]
At January 30, 2012, East Asia Blog Round-Up : 29/1/2012 | Eye on East Asia wrote:
[...] TsukuBlog - Avi writes about the role of dragons in Japanese culture and history. [...]