Starting with what is in front of me....

Here I am back in Japan.....during this unfortunate Coronavirus situation. I came back 3 weeks ago, I stayed at home for 2 weeks of self quarantine.
First thing I noticed and was hugely surprised was that everything is almost normal in Japan. Coronavirus news are on TV all day long. Yet, restaurants were open and people are still commuting on public transportations. Feeling of urgency is so different here and Los Angels.

I had been so frustrated and irritated to see this peaceful life, I was so worried it would get worse and deadly like other countries. As I am writing, I feel so weird as I should be happy instead of irritated to see people having a normal life, people at ease. Well, all I want is people won't get affected with this coronavirus.

A day before yesterday, I talked with my classmate from high school and we talked for hours. He works at a big city hospital with huge risk of infection. He told me a mask and other protective gears will be supplied only once a week so he has to re-use them. I told him how different I felt being in Japan and US, made me worried people were not taking it seriously. By watching TV and walking around, it looks like people are aware of it but the whole thing is somewhere not so close to them. This made me very nervous.

He had his frustration, his hospital ordered less non-urgent operations after Japanese government declared the state of emergency but now ordering again to increase a little for business reasons.
He wanted Japanese government to make a big move to help Japanese medical system. I totally understand that's what supposed to be done but we can't change our government in one day....I don't have such power nor connection. I remember one of my friends from another class is so active and I know she pushed her city to add a traffic light to where people were always worried about. I told him I will talk with her to get some idea. I also told hime I will post what I felt on my Facebook and it would be great if he can too. I thought hearing from someone we know, connected via FB so mainly our friends & co-workers etc, has more effect to make people think because it sounds very real, and it is real.

I wanted to help if there is anything I can do which seems none about his situation. I talked my other friend and she told me it is very important to raise a voice. She did so many good thing for her community and my home town and she is a regular person....but with great passion to do the right thing on what she believes in. She told me she pushed city officials many times, never gave up and they would eventually listen, understand and make it happen....together. She told me accusation is not good, which I understand, though I feel frustrated to be honest, and I'm willing to look into what we can do now rather than what went wrong. She emphasized if you believe something and keep raising a voice for it, people will come, come to help, and you will find someone to help you, help find a way to make it happen.

If I just thinking about it on my mind, no one knows. As I asked my doctor friend to let people know what he is experiencing, I wanted to share what I felt. Even if it were like me talking myself, it won't  be zero (nothing), it is something no matter how small it is. I also decided to enjoy this situation and time, rather than living in fear. I have more time at home, taking a long walk with my mom, there are many things I want to do with those extra time. If I started thinking about it, I already have not enough time! There is always a positive side if you choose different point of view.

It has been 2 years....as always, time flies like an arrow!!

This year, here I am, back in Japan visiting Amakusa island in Kumamoto prefecture. "Amakusa" is  famous because it was on a history test! There was a big revolt in 1637, led by a 16years old boy called Shiro Amakusa. He studied in Nagasaki and became a Christian. Nagasaki was the international port, and one of only a few ports open to Western world. In 1549, Francisco Xavier brought in Christianity to Japan. As import / export business expanded around the area, more people in the area converted to Christianity. Even some of the local clans were converted as well.

Famous Shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi visited Nagasaki and was surprised that Nagasaki was ruled by a Christian clan, governed as a Christian dominion. In 1587, Shogun Hideyoshi enacted a ban that stated a clan could't force religion upon the people and that no more Christian missionaries were allowed in Japan. But it did not entirely ban Christianity. It is assumed that business and new technique from Western countries were important so they could not ban the religion entirely, it was a bit of an ambiguous ban in general for a long time.

(← Back of our hotel, there is a cave. It is said hidden Christians were secretly praying there, and every time government officials come to check wind kept blowing off their candles so Christians had never been found)

Time passed and the Tokunaga family became Shogun starting a new government in current Tokyo. This started the Edo period. At first, they were easy on Christianity like previous shoguns were. However, Tokunaga feared Christians gaining independent power and not following government orders so they enacted more strict bans including limiting international ports and disapproving clans being a Christian. The crackdown against Christianity was getting harder and harder. I remember it was shocking to learn at school that people were tested by stepping on a pictures of Jesus Christ or the Holy Mother. Unfortunately severe execution of missionaries and Christians happened often as well.

Old clans of Shimabara and Amakusa were Christians but they died over wars and new clans were sent by government. The new clans collected tax more than people could pay. As banning Christianity throughout Japan getting serious, they often tortured people for being a christian and not paying taxes. People were starving, over-collected taxes, banned what they believed...the tension erupted and people rose in revolt in 1637. The revolt, Shimabara-no-Ran, is famous because it was quite big almost same number of people rose in some of the previous samurai wars. And this revolt also involved Christianity...a totally different religion from ones like Buddhism or Shinto. It is told the main reason of the revolt was to liberate the super suppressed people but it is famous for the religious side of it. It lasted almost 5 months and the government was so afraid of something like this might happen again, so after the conflict ended the government decided to close the country to Spain and Portugal. Importing/exporting was limited to China, Korea, and Holland.

That was a long history lesson there but most impressive thing is that there were many hidden Christians in those time despite the ban! They survived and resurfaced after the country opened again. This rare history of hidden Christianity made Nagasaki and Amakusa recognized as world heritage in 2018.

Sakitsu, where we visited, was a significant part of this history in Amakusa. As I mentioned before Christians secretly continued their practice long after the prohibition. They became a part of Shinto community but were secretly also Christians. In 1805, more than 5,000 people were arrested in Sakitsu and neighboring villages. 1,709 people were pardoned only after they were forced to discarded the medallions and she shells which they had been using as objects of worship.

The present day Sakitsu church was built over the place where people were forced to do "Fumie" (stepping on a pictures of Jesus). As I entered the church, I was really surprised. The church inside has tatami (grass) floor. It was beautiful and had a distinctive feeling compared to any churches I have seen. The fact that the church had traditional Japanese flooring represents assimilation and acceptance of different culture. There is a Shrine close to it and I could feel them co-existing.  After being recognized as a part of world heritage site, the shrine started to issue a quite rare "goshuin", which is a stamp usually given at a temple or shrine as a proof of visit, with 3 different religions; Sakitsu Suwa Shrine (Shinto), Fuohken (Buddhism), Sakitsu Catholic Church (Christianity). This is the only place you can get 3 combined religion Goshuin.

I believe Japanese people are generally open to different cultures and religions as Shinto is more like "everything has a soul and anything could be a god" type of belief in everyday life. There are many different types of soul and gods, so why can 't there be gods from different places?? All gods should be best friends if they are good people (god people?). That being said, witnessing different religions co-existing like in Amakusa, and hidden Christians protected by community despite the belief difference is...simply amazing!

Kyoto / Shimogamo Shrine

By writing this blog, I can learn so much about Japan and its culture as I research what it is and the story behind it.  There is certain period called “Doyou no Ushi no Hi” which usually people mean one in summer. Old Chinese / Japanese calendar divide one year with five elements. Spring is wood, Summer is fire, Autumn is metal, Winter is water. Earth element comes in every time between those 4 seasons acting like buffer time. This earth period (I would just call it that way) is “Doyou”. “Ushi” means a cow and it comes from twelve horary signs assigned to each day. So it is a cow day during the Doyou period. Summer one is well known because we have a custom to eat an eel to energize and get over Japan’s hot summer time.

 

Shimogamo Shrine has a festival called Mitarashi-sai. This festival / ceremony happens once a year, 5 days before and after of “Doyou no Ushi no Hi” only. I was lucky enough to be there during this period so I couldn’t skip it! There is a sacred pond called “Mitarashi Ike(pond)” and usually nobody allowed to go in. Only this time people can go in, cleanse your body, soul, and sins, then wish for good health and good luck. I took off my shoes at entrance and paid 300yen for this experience, got a candle. Water was incredibly clear, crisp and cold. It felt so good, really felt like it cleanse my dull soul as I walked. Then you lit a candle, leave it on the rack, then get out of the pond. Finally, they are serving fresh sacred water from its well to with year round health and good luck.

Cleanse yourself with water before seeing gods (before praying) is common custom in Japan. Doing it with special holy water felt like going some another level! This Mitarashi-sai says the water washes out your sickness, bad luck, and even your sin. Almost like re-starting yourself…I should remember this feeling and start a new day in every morning.

Kyoto / Fushimi-Inari

Lucky me! I had a little time off in Kyoto. I don’t come here much and there are so many amazing sites here, lots of shrines and temples. I visited Fushimi-Inari and Shimogamo-shrine this time. 

Fushimi-Inari in Kyoto is one of the most important Inari shrine. White foxes are the icons for those kind of shrine. Those fox are believed as a messenger from gods. Ukanomitama is the god enshrined at Inari shrine, and called "Oinari-sama" casually. There are many Inari shrines all over Japan. Actually, there was a tiny shrine inside of my relative's property. Once a month, an old prayer lady came and spent a half an hour chanting. I was always sent to buy some sweets as a gift for god every time the prayer came. I didn't realize it was unusual, I liked to have her as a kid because we can share the sweets afterwards! When I was about 10 years old, some Do-It-Yourself fortune telling game became a fad. You put your finger on a coin with a sheet of paper written YES or NO, then ask questions and your finger moves depends on the answer. I was told I should NOT do that nearby their house as we were close to this fox shrine, it could be too powerful and fox won’t leave….something like that….there was not much explanation but I sure believed it and it totally scared me off!

Fox grading the gate

Back to Fushimi-Inari in Kyoto. Inari shrines are widely build all over Japan as it started as asking / praying for good harvest. It is said there are around 30,000 Inari shrines in Japan and Fushim-Inari is the head shrine. As I research about Inari and shrine, I found out the color of vermillion red  is considered an amulet against evil forces, and used to preserve wood at the same time since ancient times. The whole Inari mountain is dedicated to Inari belief, with so many red Torii (gates), which I would like to re-visit and walk around.

Japan has very unique belief system (?), and customs. From ancient time Shinto (that's what we call it now) was widely believed as it connects any living and non-living creature and human being coexisting. In Shinto, everything has a soul, everything is a god, like a stone and tree, sky above us. I feel like this is kind of relating to human god mixture idea who acts as god and protect people etc. Then Buddhism was brought in as a new belief. Till the end of Edo period, samurai period, these two different religious beliefs had supported each other and existed within the same properties (except some regional accidents). However, there was a movement to separate them and destroy its co-existing way in Meiji period, and sadly many Buddhism temples and statues were destroyed. The movement calmed down after short while and we still have both religious sites everywhere. We, as Japanese, know there are shrines and temples and visit them both. I never thought about or wondered where they come from...it’s natural to have both. It’s like visiting friend A and friend B, no better or superior at least for me. By checking those facts, I understand more about how they used to and now co-exisist. We even celebrate Christmas for no religious reason (for most of Japanese), but more like an event to get together or exchange gifts.  It is very interesting. In my opinion, gods are great people (folks?) so they should get along as friends…Don’t you think so?

I only went up to the main shrine in the middle 

Okayama

Manhole cover designed with Momotaro!

There is a famous old Japanese tale called “Momotaro”.  Momo means a peach. Taro is one of typical boys’ names in Japan. A giant peach were floating the river and an old lady found it, took it home. When she was just about to cut open the peach so she can share with her husband, a baby was born from the peach!! They were happy to have him, named Momotaro and cherished him as their son. When Momotaro was grown up, he decided to defeat bad demons on an island. He got 3 followers along the way to help him.…a dog, a pheasant, and a monkey. They succeeded and returned home with treasure, lived happily with the old couple.

Everyone in Japan knows this story. Momotaro is such a popular character! It is believed the story was based on an actual person…? A god….? Well it is kind of myth & history mixed together which I love about Japanese history!!

According to Kibitsu Shirine website, Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto was sent by 10^th emperor to fight against a person / demon (again, myth & history mixture!) named Ura who has been an act of violence, and bring peace to the area. At fight, Kibitsuhiko released two allows at the same time and one got Ura’s left eye. Ura turned into a pheasant and flew away but Kibitsuhiko turned into a hawk and chased him. Then Ura turned into a Koi fish making a river with his own blood from his left eye, Kibitsuhiko turned into a cormorant and finally caught Ura. It sounds like a fantasy movie, but there are sites spotted as their fighting scene and remains, designated as some worship sites….so is it a true story?? Well, no one knows…

Anyways, I love old folk stories like this and I visited 2 shrines both enshrined Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto. Actually there are 3 Kibitsu-shirine, the main one was split into 3 Kibitsu-shrine as the area divided into 3 regions, each region needed a holy place. I visited Kibitsuhiko Shrine first. It was surrounded by a pond with lots of turtle and as I talk to them, they swam and gathered. So many small shrines were lined up on the hill, with a board showing who is the enshrined god. It almost looks like houses on the street with name plate. I gave all of them a short prayer.

Then I took a train to next station. Kibitsu Shrine (yes, almost same name), which used to be the main, has a unique structure which has 2 shrine roof connected. This way of architect is called “Hiyoku Irimoya zukuri” and unique to this shrine only so it’s also called “Kibitsu-zukuri”.

 

Also, there is a wooden corridor, almost 1000 feet long. This shrine is on the mountain surrounded by rush green and so quiet.

Funny thing is, wind making sound in my ear as I walked, bow bow bow…..I felt like something, some sprit thing, is somehow contacting. Maybe that’s just something I want to believe, but sure it made me smile!

Beautiful blue dragon fly on the bottom!! 

Miyajima / Itsukushima

This is the place I have wanted to visit one day when I have more time in Hiroshima.

However, I pushed myself this time to go because one day never comes. I needed to make one day reality, even I only have till 11am! I saw someone from my childhood after almost 30 years and he has learned so much and still keeps learning. I was inspired to do things when I have a chance, seize the moment, and enjoy now.

The island itself has been worshiped since ancient time, its original name is Itsukushima and it started to call Miyajima, which is the island with Miya (shirine) so both means the same island.

The site of Itsukushima Shrine is a world heritage, a large palace looking shrine built on shallow water. There is a big Torii (a gate for shrine) a bit off shore, with its red color against blue of water. At high tide, the shrine is above the water. At low tide, you can even walk to the torii gate. In 1146, Taira-no Kiyomori was designated to be the governor. After having a dream that an old priest told him to build a shrine in Itsukushima and his success would be given, he made this beautiful shrine. As he and his clan prospered, the worship of the shrine increased as well. It’s been worshiped and protected even after Heike (Taira clan) lost everything. There are long wooden corridors all around the main shrine where 3 goddesses are enshrined. I also learned there is a slight gap between the boards on the corridors so the water go through to weaken the power of waves. It looks unprotected facing ocean so close and it’s been hit by typhoons but had not reached the main shrine part. There are dance stages in front of the main shrine and together with corridor they almost work as sea walls. There has been wars, fire, natural disasters….but it has been re-built and repaired till today. Everything is neat and beautiful.

Another site I visited was Daishoin. Back in 806, a Buddhist priest Kukai (aka Kobodaishi as well) built a temple on Mt. Misen and trained there for 100 days. Within its property, there are several famous statues like Fudo-Myo-o believed The lord Hideyoshi, who unified Japan for the first time, held as a protector for his ship, or 3 demon gods the first Japanese president Hirofumi Ito worshipped. Also Binzuru sonjya, who is believed to heal you if you rub same part of his body you are having trouble. A big bell which you can hit once per person, it had such a low calming sound almost sounds like ohm. Total dark path underneath the main temple where you quietly focus on yourself and mind while you walk through in the dark. Ahhh, so much to see!! Unfortunately I could not visit but there is a fire burning there, believed Kukai priest started the fire and kept burning since then. Fire at Hiroshima Peace Memorial park was lit by this fire. It’s a hike to go up there and lots of spiritual site, I definitely want to go back.

Miyajima is such a popular site for Japanese and foreigners. There is a shopping arcade selling all kinds of sweets, snack, and gift. I bought a freshly deep fried Momiji-manju (Hiroshima’s sweets) and it was so good! Like a donut but light and crispy with soft dough of manju and red bean paste inside. You will be also greeted by deer once you get off a ferry boat. That was totally unexpected and they immediately melt my heart with their cute looking.  I was sweating like crazy walking around and hurrying back to the dock to make myself on time but felt so great and energized. Whole island was full of sacred energy, I am so happy I made the quick trip, can’t wait to visit again!

Kumamoto

Kumamoto castle 

When we were in Kagoshima a couple days ago, there was an earthquake.  It was quite big, M 5.2….Even for a Japanese like me who is used to have earthquakes, that shaken feeling was a bit scary.  Lately, more unusual natural disaster is happening in Japan. Heavy rain hit Northern part of Kyushu island and 34 people dead, 7 still missing as of today. The footage on TV was unbelievable…it was caused only heavy rain, not even a typhoon or hurricane. It was like seeing the footage of tsunami hit a town back in 2011. So many houses and trees were washed away, mudslide, overflowing and covered their beloved town with muddy water.

X indicates where the damages are 

Back to Kumamoto...I mentioned the earthquake because there was huge earthquake last year twice, M 6.5 on April 14 and next day M 7.3. Usually 2^nd earthquake is after shock, so they didn’t expect the 2^nd earthquake was going to be that big. On the contrary, later it was reported 1^st one was more like pre-earthquake and 2^nd one was the main earthquake. Kumamoto was hugely suffered by big earthquake hitting them two times in a raw.

Kumamoto castle was one of the victims as well. It is Japan’s special historic site, parts of building are some of Japan’s national / cultural heritages and regarded one of the best 3 castles in Japan. Through many wars, it’s been destroyed, repaired and rebuilt, but many of construction are original and has a lot of historical value. With the first earthquake, some of the Tenshukaku (Top part) was damaged, some decorative ornaments on the roof (Shachihoko) was fell. Then when the 2^nd  earthquake hit,  more extensive damages were done, some structural damage, fallen roof tiles, and many parts of the stone wall surrounding the area were collapsed.

Due to massive reconstruction, Kumamoto castle is now closed. There were a map showing where and how are the damages. As I walked around to visit Kato Kiyomasa shrine, I saw many stones lined up along the perimeter. Each stones has some numbers on it. There is a board beside it about repairing the stone wall so I took a look. I was astonished to know those stones need to be back to its original place!! Since the wall is Japan’s cultural heritage, it has to be restored as it was. That’s gonna be a most difficult puzzle in the world! I can’t imagine how long it will take to complete. …

Numbered stones from the wall

From Kato Kiyomasa shrine, I caught a glimpse of Tenshukaku of Kumamoto Castle being repaired. A big crane was brought in, carrying stuff, I saw people working on the supporting structure around it. Later I learned they are using a mesh material wrapping the area rather than regular blue sheets so people in Kumamoto can see the progress of their castle being repaired.

Kato Kiyomasa was a famous lord of Kumamoto, his ruling time was successful as he set up water system and ensuring agricultural performance. By improving people’s everyday life, he gained popularity as a ruler and his legend is cherished still now. The shrine is dedicated to him, as sometimes in Japan a person becomes a god like symbol and a dedicated shrine is built so people can go visit and admire.

Torii : beautiful gates to shrine

A night before, I went for dinner with my co-workers. We went to a super tiny Japanese Izakaya (a restaurant serving alcohol, more like tapas style) run by an old couple. Food was great, very cozy and friendly atmosphere, almost feels like visiting relatives. The master (In Japan, we call a restaurant/bar owner “master” in a friendly manner) told me all the Sake bottles on the upper shelf had fell when the first earthquake happened. Then second. Almost all their belongings on the shelf was damaged or smashed. Still, he decided to keep his place open. Most of them were closed and all the people who work or come to help didn’t have a place to eat. He told us “Luckily, we had a big water tank since we are in a big building with bunch of bars and restaurants. When we run out of water in our building, we used water from the building next. No shops were open. There is a market in front of our building. There was a long long line waiting to buy a bottle of water and a pastry per person, they couldn’t buy more. There was no choice. A casher person just handed the items exchanging with its payment, nobody went in or out of the store. If someone asked for a chocolate, he got whatever chocolate the shopkeeper grubbed.”  

Inari Shrine 

He pointed a wire on the upper shelf where they stored big bottles of sake, he did it by himself put a wire right to left holding the bottle almost like a fence. “Just in case.” he laughed. Then he showed a slight crack on the wall. It’s been tested and ok but it was damaged by earthquake. City is repairing from the ones most damaged or suffered so they are patiently waiting for their turn. There is no complain, serving good food and having a good time with customers. I would love to go back to their place next time I visit Kumamoto.

It is said this tree was planted by Kiyomasa

In the morning I leave for next town, I visited Kumamoto castle and visiting shrines around it. Remembering the conversation we had at dinner, I prayed for people in Kumamoto. I know it would take a long time to heal completely but I really hope for their quick recovery in life and also in heart.