tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.comments2012-06-01T17:31:28.395-07:00Gabi Grevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16362456518166174106noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-28323268031952267052012-06-01T17:31:28.395-07:002012-06-01T17:31:28.395-07:00Sekiguchi Basho-An<br />At first, it was called “Ryu-in-an”, used as a house, where the most famed “Haiku” poet, Matsuo Basho lived when he involved in a water conservancy project of Kanda River there(1677-1681). Around 1726, it was renamed into Sekiguchi Basho-an and started to enshrine the statue of Matsuo Basho and his disciples. Also some of his hand-written documents were placed there in 1750.<br /><br />Through its long history, having been damaged by World War II, it was destroyed and fixed up again by the Japanese Government. Sekiguchi Basho-an now is both an important historic site with traditional Japanese garden and the cultural association of Matsuo Bashou to reserve and maintain his pieces and heritage.<br /><br />Reading some Haiku poems written by Matsuo Basho and going to Sekiguchi Basho-an, you may fully experience the artistic conception and realize the emotions performed in Basho’s Haiku works, as if returning to the era centuries ago. <br />.<br />http://guidebook.ginza.kokosil.net/guidebook/tokyoguide.cgi?ucode=00001c000000000000010000020069f2<br />.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-79072040750620580342012-04-01T18:31:49.170-07:002012-04-01T18:31:49.170-07:00Matsue museum opens Hearn exhibit<br />Kyodo<br />MATSUE, Shimane Pref. — A museum in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture, kicked off a yearlong exhibition Sunday to follow the footsteps of naturalized Japanese writer Lafcadio Hearn, also known as Yakumo Koizumi, through photographs.<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />Born to an Irish father and Greek mother in 1850, Hearn arrived in Japan in 1890 and married a Japanese woman in Matsue, where he lived for a while. He introduced Japan&#39;s traditional culture to the world before passing away in 1904 at the age of 54.<br /><br />The exhibition at the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum presents modern photos of scenes depicted by Hearn in his 1894 travelogue &quot;Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan,&quot; taken by Toshinobu Takashima, a photographer from Shimane Prefecture.<br /><br />http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120402a4.html<br />.Newshttp://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120402a4.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-83086291220382032622012-03-18T18:17:08.001-07:002012-03-18T18:17:08.001-07:00“Sanja Matsuri”- a dance<br /><br />This dance was dramatized about a hundred and thirty years ago in connection with the festival of Sanja (Three Shrine) at Asakusa in Edo. According to tradition, the two fishermen in this dance, Hamanari and Takenari, who pulled up a statue of Kannon (a goddess of mercy) while they were casting their nets in the Miyato River, now known as the Sumida River.<br /><br />The two fishermen perform<br />the dance “Zendama” (good spirit)<br />and<br />the dance “Akudama” (evil spirit)<br />because in those days there was a popular and widely read novel called the “Good and Bad (evil) spirits”.<br />source : www.immortalgeisha.com <br />.anonymoushttp://worldkigo2005.blogspot.jp/2006/07/soap-bubbles-shabondama.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-64170634074443503012012-03-08T06:10:09.802-08:002012-03-08T06:10:09.802-08:00The flowering plums/apricot(ume) poem and the many such trees found at the Tenman shrines are attributed to the famous waka and the flying ume separately introduced here.<br /><br />I was under the impression that the legend of the plum flying to Michizane as a result of writing that poem (waka are sometimes attributed an effect roughly analogous to that of miracles in Christianity)and are what made the poem famous. Without the legend/miracle, it is possible the ume would have been planted to placate the spirit of this ume-lover, but as the miracle proved the depth of his feeling for the plant,unless the mass-plantings were introduced before the legend, we need to have that flying plum given more attention. I hope a Michizane scholar can comment on this comment.robin d gillhttp://www.paraverse.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-3209744290549755042012-03-01T16:42:26.443-08:002012-03-01T16:42:26.443-08:00Nara torch ceremony heralds arrival of spring<br /><br />An annual torch ceremony has begun at Todaiji Temple in the ancient Japanese capital of Nara, signaling the arrival of spring.<br /><br />Buddhist monks pray for national stability in a ceremony called &quot;Omizutori,&quot; which dates back to the 8th century.<br />In the main ritual, called &quot;Otaimatsu,&quot; on Thursday evening, 10 monks climbed the long stone stairs to the temple&#39;s hall. They were guided by 6-meter-long torches weighing about 40 kilograms each.<br /><br />Their assistants waved the torches and scattered sparks from the hall&#39;s balustrades over the spectators below. People cheered as they believe exposure to the sparks keeps them healthy during the coming year.<br /><br />One visitor said he prayed for everyone&#39;s happiness, especially in light of the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in the country&#39;s northeast last year.<br /><br />The ritual takes place each night for the next 2 weeks.<br />NHK NEWS<br />http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120302_01.html<br />.Newshttp://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120302_01.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-54672163869572880752012-02-28T02:36:13.074-08:002012-02-28T02:36:13.074-08:00Nice article, Gabi-san, and many graces for incorporating the photos taken by me on 23 August 2010. I will send you some more...Keep on so well...Pedro Teixeira da Mota.http://www.blogger.com/profile/01647255666145040630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-64331362018218649282012-02-14T13:40:25.344-08:002012-02-14T13:40:25.344-08:00I am glad you enjoy it!<br />Thanks for visiting, Res.Gabi Grevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16362456518166174106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-9520093302440219402012-02-14T13:19:40.994-08:002012-02-14T13:19:40.994-08:00I do love these glimpses into Japan and Japanese Culture that you give us here, Gabi. Thank you so much for sharing this.<br />Best Regards ~ ResReshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12677238964034148157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-47280899493654137842011-12-28T16:34:10.349-08:002011-12-28T16:34:10.349-08:00<b>Kabuki returns to its Asakusa home for special New Year&#39;s performances</b><br /><br />As kabuki fans will already know, for more than 30 years, the Kokaido (public hall) in Asakusa has celebrated the Tokyo district&#39;s history as a thriving entertainment area by reviving the Edo Period (1603-1867) tradition of New Year&#39;s special kabuki performances. These shows have also become a great opportunity for younger actors to take on lead roles and prove themselves as rising kabuki stars.<br /><br />This year, the program is led by Ichikawa Kamejiro (Takahiko Kinoshi), 36, who is followed by nine other promising young actors. Split into Parts I and II, there are two short plays — &quot;Nanso Satomi Hakkenden (The Eight Dog Warriors)&quot; and &quot;Kuruwa Bunsho (A Letter From the Pleasure Quarters)&quot; — for the morning performance, and one longer play — &quot;Katakiuchi Tengajayamura (The Vendetta at Tengajaya)&quot; — in the afternoon.<br /><br />Part II&#39;s &quot;Katakiuchi Tengajayamura,&quot; a classic tale of two brothers seeking revenge for their father&#39;s death, offers the opportunity to see Kamejiro as the villain Adachi Motoemon, a character often considered the highlight of the play. But if a full day of theater is a bit much for you, it is Part I, with its two plays that are entirely different in nature, that offers the audience more variety of performance.<br /><br />more in the Japan Times<br />http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ft20111229a1.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29<br />.anonymous newshttp://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ft20111229a1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+japantimes+(The+Japan+Times:+All+Stories)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-28822366165851533212011-10-01T23:17:01.855-07:002011-10-01T23:17:01.855-07:00<b><br />white chrysanthemum -<br />the innocence of a wish<br />behind the mask<br /></b><br />Heike Gevi<br />Kigo HotlineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-71768901701703235932011-06-01T15:14:40.434-07:002011-06-01T15:14:40.434-07:00Thanks for posting this interesting scoll photo. <br />I wish I could help you.<br />GabiGabi Grevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16362456518166174106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-11929507383041233992011-06-01T12:57:17.141-07:002011-06-01T12:57:17.141-07:00http://www.flickr.com/groups/36521966208@N01/discuss/28967/Celsohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11115916284599981842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-88984273359593171002011-05-22T18:26:03.275-07:002011-05-22T18:26:03.275-07:00ima tokeru yuki wo nagasu ya chikuma kawa<br /><br />今解る雪を流や千曲川<br /><br />the snow melting<br />now flows away...<br />Chikuma River<br /><br />Kobayashi Issa <br />(Tr. David Lanoue)<br /><br />The Shinano River (信濃川 Shinanogawa) is the longest river in Japan. It flows from Nagano Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture in Japan. It is 367km long (228 mi) and has 11,900 km² watershed (third largest in Japan). It is called the Chikuma River (千曲川 Chikumagawa) in Nagano Prefecture.<br /><br />The river rises from Mount Kobushi on the border of Saitama, Yamanashi and Nagano, and flows to the northwest and meets the Sai River from Matsumoto. Kawanakajima (川中島), the junction of the Chikuma and the Sai, is the historic site where the Battles of Kawanakajima broke out. It turns to the northeast and empties into the Sea of Japan at Niigata City.<br /><br />In 1922, the Ōkōzu Canal (大河津分水路 Ōkōzu Bunsuiro) was built to defend Niigata from floods. It enabled the Niigata Plains to be filled with rich rice fields.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinano_River<br /><br />.　Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-81296869230703784702011-04-19T04:55:53.863-07:002011-04-19T04:55:53.863-07:00as always, my deepest thanks to Gabi sama... whose pulse is go-shichi-go and whose heart is kigo.<br />ChibiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-57796941277160307932011-03-07T04:09:33.216-08:002011-03-07T04:09:33.216-08:00How exciting, dear Mark!<br />Sorry about my misunderstanding about docomo ... <br />Zuisenji was one of my favorite places, living close by in Juniso for 15 years ...<br /><br />Thanks !<br />GabiGabi Grevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16362456518166174106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-77734368195491353432011-03-07T01:20:53.540-08:002011-03-07T01:20:53.540-08:00Gabi-san,<br /><br />Mark here. I like your idea that my poem&#39;s &quot;Dokomo&quot; equates to Japan&#39;s semi-government-owned mobile phone carrier Docomo (aka NTT). But when I wrote the 5-3-5 poem, my meaning of &quot;Dokomo&quot; was different. <br /><br />In Kamakura, there is a statue called Dokomoku Jizō どこもく地蔵. <br />Literally &quot;Hardship-Everywhere Jizō.&quot; It is wood, and dated to the <br />late Kamakura period. It is located at the Rinzai Zen Sect 臨済宗 temple called Zuisenji 瑞泉寺. This statue is attached to a curious legend. Many centuries ago, the image was enshrined at Chiganji Temple 智岸寺 (now defunct) in Kamakura. The temple’s monk was extremely poor and unable to provide suitable offerings to the Jizō image. So one day he decided to move elsewhere to find a better life. Just then he heard the voice of Jizō saying Dokomo Dokomo. This translates simply as Everywhere, Everywhere. The priest was quick to grasp its deeper meaning -- things are the same no matter where you live, life is full of misery. Thus the monk resolved to stay and remained there until his death. <br /><br />So, in my poem, I was trying to say that Buddhist deities now travel &quot;everywhere&quot; via the postal mail system. Your view, that it refers to a mobile carrier, is equally exciting..........Buddhist deities are traveling the globe by mail as well as mobile phone. Good one....<br /><br />For more on Jizo in Kamakura, especially the 7th site of the 24-Jizo Pilgrimage devoted to &quot;Dokomoku Jizo,&quot; see:<br />http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo-pilgrim-kamakura.shtml<br /><br />sincerely<br />markMark Schumacherhttp://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo-pilgrim-kamakura.shtmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-74052458391248585352011-02-25T13:59:18.236-08:002011-02-25T13:59:18.236-08:00.<br />cold cold cold<br />ZEN ZEN ZEN<br />cool cool cool<br /><br />Dietmarfacebookhttp://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=191219430912960&id=718216843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-25263224728748537342011-01-18T14:06:47.199-08:002011-01-18T14:06:47.199-08:00a great article in a great blog . i fly! thank&#39;sAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-654556372227315782010-12-24T17:54:53.824-08:002010-12-24T17:54:53.824-08:00kigo for mid-winter<br /><br />Gojoo Tenman mairi 五条天神参 (ごじょうてんじんまいり)<br />Visiting Gojo Tenmangu at Gojo, KyotoGabi Grevehttp://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/01/winter-ceremonies.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-61483517268967589982010-12-23T20:30:38.313-08:002010-12-23T20:30:38.313-08:00kigo for mid-winter<br /><br /><br />Shooreisai 松例祭 (しょうれいさい)<br />Pine ceremony <br /> <br />toshiya matsuri 歳夜祭（としやまつり）year end festival<br />hyaku taimatsu no shinji 百松明の神事（ひゃくたいまつのしんじ） <br />ceremony of 100 pine torchesGabi Grevehttp://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/01/winter-ceremonies.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-64563851033518691042010-12-23T18:28:39.483-08:002010-12-23T18:28:39.483-08:00kigo for late winter<br /><br />Osame Tenjin 終天神 (しまいてんじん) <br />Last Ceremony for TenjinGabi Grevehttp://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/01/winter-ceremonies.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-68285917340043359242010-12-23T16:53:40.584-08:002010-12-23T16:53:40.584-08:00天王寺道祖神祭 てんのうじどうそじんまつり <br />Wayside God Festival at Temple Tenno-Ji, Osaka<br /><br /><br /> 剥祭（はぎまつり）<br /><br />泥くじり祭（どろくじりまつり）<br />dorojiri matsuri &quot;butt in the mud&quot; festival <br /><br />kigo for mid-winterGabi Grevehttp://wkdfestivalsaijiki.blogspot.com/2007/01/winter-ceremonies.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-53261926380938478542010-11-24T20:10:02.367-08:002010-11-24T20:10:02.367-08:00Kooya hijiri 高野聖（こうやひじり）&quot;mendicant priests from Mr. Koya&quot;<br />&quot;Wanderpriester vom Bergkloster Koyasan&quot;<br /><br />Lethocerus deyrollei<br /><br />name of a giant water beetle, kigo for all summerGabi Greve, Worldkigohttp://wkdkigodatabase03.blogspot.com/2010/11/beetles.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-29443766712015800292010-10-23T22:10:28.162-07:002010-10-23T22:10:28.162-07:00我塚もやがて頼むぞ鉢敲<br />waga tsuka mo yagate tanomu zo hachi tataki<br /><br />my grave too <br />will soon need his prayer... <br />a monk beats his bowl<br /><br />Kobayashi Issa<br />(Tr. David Lanoue)<br />.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9404072.post-31461416716572525252010-10-12T04:53:58.257-07:002010-10-12T04:53:58.257-07:00This is very interesting, thanks a lot.<br />a friend from TaiwanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com