JAPAN 2010
Shrines
Kami is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith which originated in ancient peoples' worship of supernatural powers. It has no written doctrine, but it is Japan's main religion and is practiced widely through ceremonies and festivals.
Trees and stones have long been objects of deep devotion in Japan. Originally there were no shrine buildings; instead a tree, forest, or a large boulder or a mountain, decorated with ropes, would be the focus of worship.
Certain trees were considered sacred. When cut and used in the construction of a shrine, this sacred quality was believed to follow it into the building. The sacred tree itself was symbolically present in the formof a post around which the shrine was constructed.
Ancient shrines were built like the dwellings with gabled roofs covered with reed or bark, raised floors, plank walls. They did not include a space for worship. In the 6th century, as Buddhism was brought to Japan, the concept of temples as a place of assembly was applied to shrines. Spaces for worship were added in the form of extended roofs or worship halls (haiden) in addition to the main hall (honden).
Torii are gateways at the entrance of Shinto shrines. Theyare typically made of wood, often painted in red.
Purification fountains are situated close to entrances and used for purification. They are used to clean both hands and mouth before approaching the main hall. These days many will skip the mouth rinsing part or the purification ritual.
Stone / bronze lanterns were used first as votive lights, later as ground lights on the pathway to a shrine. They have been introduced to Japan from Korea along with Buddhism in the 6-th century. Their use was later extended to various Japanese gardens.
Hanging metal lanterns usually hung from the corner eaves of
temples and shrines.
Paper lanterns come in various forms and names. They consist
of paper stretched over metal, wood, bamboo or iron frames.
Shrine visitors write their wishes for good health, success in business, passing entrance exams, love or wealth on wooden plaques. Omikuji are fortune telling paper slips, randomly drawn.They contain predictions ranging from daikichi ("great good luck") to daikyo ("great bad luck"). By tying the piece of paper around a tree's branch, good fortune will come true or bad fortune can be averted. Shimenawa is a straw rope with white zigzag paper strips (gohei). It marks the boundary to something sacred and can be found on torii gates, around sacred trees and stones.
Guardian lions / dogs can be seen at the entrance shrines. These statues usually appear in pairs, one with an open mouth, spitting out good luck, the other one with a closed mouth, catching evil. Rice shrines are guarded by foxes, clever animals, symbols of fertility.
Temples are places of worship and contain images of Buddha. They are generally clusters of buildings with several halls, where people can pray, and living quarters for monks. Some have cemeteries.
The architecture of Buddhist temples is influenced by the Korean and Chinese Buddhist architecture. They include stone column bases, brackets, curved roofs, painted surfaces, metal ornaments, corridors and pagodas. Torii and fences were commonly replaced with two-storied gates and grand colonnades copied from temple architecture.
Hondo or Kondog is the main hall in the center of the temple grounds. It contains images of the Buddha and altars with various objects and space for monks and worshipers.
Kodo are lecture halls where monks gather to study and chant.
Kyozo are depositories for Buddhist scriptures.
Goju-no-to are pagodas with holy relics of Buddha
Sanmon is a gate to the fenced courtyards
Early Japanese Buddhist temples had wood pagodas, 3 or 5 storey high, modeled after Chinese-style pagodas, which in turn were modeled after Indian stupas. They store remains of the Buddha, usually in form of a representation. Gorinto are stone pagodas used as funeral stones. The Japanese word meaning is “five-ring or five-wheel pagoda” The pieces of stone to represent Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Spirit.
Kairou are roofed, semi-enclosed corridors surrounding the main building area. Gates mark the entrance to the temple grounds. Bonsho' are the Budhist Temple bells. They are struck directly by a tree trunk that is swung on a couple of chains.
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple in Arashiyama has more than 1200 strange little stone statues representing the disciples of Buddha. The sculptures were mostly carved by amateurs and donated between1981 and 1991.
Woodcraft
Wood has been traditionally used in Japan for the creation of a large range of sculptures, decorations, ustensils and vessels. Spectacular transom carving was integrated into traditional construction. Most temples include Jizo statues or fine Buddhas sculpted in wood.
Fish Markets
Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. The most famous fish for sale is the tuna. The daily 5:30 am wholesalers' auction is a well known tourist attraction. Anything that swims and is edible can be found here under the huge covered hangars.
Japanese Cuisine
For centuries the average Japanese diet consisted in rice, miso soup and pickles. Today there are more than a dozen different types of Japanese cuisine. Often we had the feeling that food was prepared just to be photographed. Arrangements are colour combinations and sometimes related to the particular season or event: white for winter; pink and green for spring; redand green or purple for summer; orange and yellow for fall. Red and gold can be used for special occasions and silver and black relate to mourning.
Restaurants can be identified by canvas curtains, called "noren" or by the plastic food displayed near their entrances.
