-- From Takayama to Tokyo
The road tracklog
from Takayama to Tokyo, Nikko & Kamakura
from 2011/01/10 to 2011/01/16
Matsumoto
I left Takayama on January 10 under a thick snow layer delaying 15 minutes the departure of the train for Nagoya where I changed for Matsumoto located in the Japanese Alps surrounded by mountains between 2,000 and 3,000 meters high. There was no snow but a very cold wind going down from the surrounding mountains. After the usual schem I visited the castle of Matsumoto one of the four registered as Japanese treasures with Himeji, Hikone and Inuyama. Built circa 1595 alternation of white and black was worth the nickname of Crow Castle -Karasu-jo- The pond which surrounds it is the field of enormous carp nourished by tourists.
The Castle
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
The Castle
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
The Castle, First floor
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
Matsumoto Museum & Japan Folklore Museum exhibit items of the area and a sumptuous phallus put at the honourduring the festival Dosojin Matsuri in September.
Palanquin -Kago-
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
Palanquin
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
Lifestyle
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
Votive stele
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
Deity Ommara
Matsumoto
10/01/2011
I should say from the start that Matsumoto, Japanese modern city, out of its castle does not have anything to offer to tourists and the height of evil chance the hazards of the calendar had closed museums. I strolled in the streets without another target to spend time. I discovered despite everything some strange sights. The morning was gloomy but around noon the sun made its appearance heating the atmosphere.
Karakuri Clock
Matsumoto
11/01/2011
?
Matsumoto
12/01/2011
Genchi Well
Matsumoto
11/01/2011
Alps
Matsumoto
12/01/2011
Vertical signpost
Matsumoto
11/01/2011
Horizontal signpost
Matsumoto
12/01/2011
Performing Art Center
Matsumoto
11/01/2011
City Museum of Art
Matsumoto
12/01/2011
Nagano
On the move to Tokyo I stopped during two hours at Nagano to visit the renowned Zenko-ji which houses since the 7th century the image, statue, Amithaba Buddha -Ikko Sanzon- brought from Korea in the 6th century. Nobody would have seen it since 1000 years. The temple was destroyed eleven times by fire and constantly rebuilt. At the time of my visit passing in front of the altar a priest placed on my head a sacred object at once I felt as an illumination! Therfore I spent ¥500 to traverse the obscure underground tunnel -okaidan- symbolizing death and rebirth. By progressing in darkness I touched a metal key to obtain the awakening. Since the entry of the first Gate my visit did not last more than a half an hour.
Niomon Gate
Nagano, Zenko-ji
12/01/2011
Arhats
Nagano, Zenko-ji
12/01/2011
Sanmon Gate
Nagano, Zenko-ji
12/01/2011
Incense Burner
Nagano, Zenko-ji
12/01/2011
Zenkoji Hondo
Nagano, Zenko-ji
12/01/2011
Binzuru
Nagano, Zenko-ji
12/01/2011
Emma, Judge of the Dead
Nagano, Zenko-ji
12/01/2011
I took again a train to continue my way towards Tokyo where I arrived around 2pm and at A Guesthouse in Asakusa around 4pm.
Asahi Beer HQ BLDG
Tokyo, Asakusa
12/01/2011
Nikko
The site of Nikko at the foot of the snow-covered mountains was splendid, cold and sunny. The way outward journey took two hours by train with a change then by bus. My visit lasted approximately four hours of walk from site to site sometimes in sock into temples on an icy parquet floor. There were few tourists and no religious activity, monks were there to do business and to supervise that I did not take pictures. Actually it is a museum in open-air. As seven years ago I was disappointed. The site is dehumanized as disincarnate without life. Japan maintains with exemplarity its cultural Heritage. I was back in Tokyo around 5pm.
Nikko
13/01/2011
Homotsu-den Gardens
Nikko
13/01/2011
Rinno-ji
Nikko
13/01/2011
Senju-Kannon, Avalokitesvara,
Nikko
13/01/2011
Five-storey Pagoda, Tosho-gu
Nikko
13/01/2011
Omote-mon, Tosho-gu
Nikko
13/01/2011
Ieyashu's tomb
Nikko
13/01/2011
Sleeping cat
Nikko
13/01/2011
Main Hall, Futarasan-jinja
Nikko
13/01/2011
Taiyuin-byo
Nikko
13/01/2011
Kamakura
The local weather announced a beautiful day, I left early for Kamakura. At the end of Ginza Line in Asakusa station the subway filled with office workers, in dark suit…
It is 7am, Asakusa
Kamakura
14/01/2011
I traversed the site starting from the station of Kita-Kamakura by following the walking trip given by LP with a walk in forest around one hour and half. I visited the eight main temples in six hours, there are others well. They belong either to Zen Buddhism or Shinto, syncretism obliges. Engaku-ji was founded by the Zen sect in 1282 at the time of the attempt at invasion by Kublai Khan. It is especially remarkable by its monumental gate, San-mon rebuilt in 1780. At the top of the hill I saw for the first time the Mt Fuji.
Engaku-ji
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Mt Fuji
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Tokei-ji was the refuge of women who could divorce after a three year noviciate. Its museum exposes some beautiful parts of which I stole a photograph.
Tokei-ji, Museum
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Jochi-ji is one of the Zen temples founded in 1282 whose statues of the three Buddha, Amitabha, Sakyamuni and Maitreya are listed with the heritage of Japan, No photo.
Jochi-ji
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Kencho-ji, monastery in activity is famous especially for its paintings of which the ceiling of Butsuden and its Zen garden.
Kencho-ji, ceiling painting
Kamakura
14/01/2011
In the hills Kuzuharagaoka-jinja is of Shinto obedience and of recent construction.
on a trail
Kamakura
14/01/2011
the track
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Kuzuharagaoka-jinja
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Zeniarai-benten is accessible at the end of an underground tunnel, the local visitors come to purify their currency and credit card in the hope of a good fortune, of course this monastery is Shinto. The process consists in washing banknotes and bank card with sacred water then by drying them with purifying fire. I dream, religious beliefs do have any limit.
Zeniarai-benten
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Kotoku-in houses Daibutsu -Great Buddha- of bronze weighing 850 tons. It is about Amida Bouddha -Amitabha-
Kotoku-in,
Daibutsu -Great Buddha-
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Hase-dera shelters a sumptuous wooden statue of Kannon -Avalokiteshvara- dating b ack to 8th century, No photo. A cave is carved with statues of Buddha, nothing to see with Ellora in India
Hase-dera
Kamakura
14/01/2011
Tokyo I
On Saturdays January 15 I began the visit of Tokyo by going to Shinjuku at the bus office serving the Mt Fuji to book a seat on Monday January 17 outward journey and return by hoping that weather is sunny and clear to observe the mythical mountain of Japan. Then I strolled all the day from Shinjuku to Shibuya visiting significant sights around. To avoid cigarette ends on ground the municipality installed corners for smokers in the streets. Everywhere else it is strictly forbidden to smoke. Of course I went up to the observatory at the 45th floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices for a panoramic sight over Skyscrapers of the city at the west of Shinjuku, to see Gallery. The east part is famous as the hot district of Tokyo. I lunched in one of these restaurants which post the menu in photograph and a "vending machine" on the pavement to pay before entering, according to the formula -to pay before going up-
Smokers
Tokyo
15/01/2011
By walking on on Meiji-dori I noticed a sign of an old French commercial house. The district at several houses of products of luxury of which curiously side by side LVMH and Hermès, premonitory!
Commercial sign
Tokyo
15/01/2011
Exclusion is omnipresent in the economic Empire of the Rising Sun.
Social reject?
Tokyo
15/01/2011
As seven years ago I traversed Meiji-jingu the Shinto temple built in the memory of the eponym emperor which was rebuilt in 1958 after the destruction of Tokyo during WWII. Saturdays are particularly spectacular by marriages in costume according to the Shinto tradition. Crowd was huge but I made a queue for prostrating me before Shinto icons by throwing a ¥10 coin and by clapping twice my hands, participation in the Japanese spiritual enthusiasm.
Rare species, Meiji-jingu-gyoen
Tokyo
15/01/2011
Wedding
Tokyo
15/01/2011
Wedding
Tokyo
15/01/2011
At the entrance of the Southern Gate some wine barrels of Bourgogne are exposed to the sight of the local visitors.
French wine
Tokyo
15/01/2011
French wine
Tokyo
15/01/2011
I finished this walking day in Shibuya renowned for the four-way intersection, the Hachiko statue and the youth oriented shopping. I rested in Starbucks Coffee overhanging Shibuya Crossing.
Hachiko statue
Tokyo
15/01/2011
Shibuya crossing
Tokyo
15/01/2011
Tokyo II
Before leaving Asakusa I did my devotions in early morning at the monastery of Senso-ji whose first building would have been built into 645 dedicated to Bodhisattva Kannon -in Sanskrit Avalokiteshvara- rebuilt in 1958.
Senso-ji
Tokyo
16/01/2011
Then I spent the remainder of the day at Ueno-Köen where the greatest museums of Tokyo are built. Tokyo National Museum exhibits rich collections divide in four buildings of which one is under restoration. In front of the National Museum of Western Art four sculptures of impossible to circumvent Rodin and Bourdelle; I wondered how many statues of the Thinker had been cast. I went back to the hotel my knees in ruin, Voltarène evening.
Saigo Takamori Statue
Tokyo
16/01/2011
Kannon, Avalokiteshvara
Tokyo
16/01/2011
Buddha Sakyamuni, Kushan
Tokyo
16/01/2011
