Gardens

Gardens in Japan:

Gardening is an Art:

Kenrokuen Garden

     Gardening in Japan is an important aspect of Japanese society, as it has been held in such a high esteem that it was placed on the same level as painting or writing. In the book, the Sakuteiki, or "notes on how to make a garden," includes lessons and steps on what exactly to include, how to position objects, and how to care for the garden in order to keep it as natural of an arrangement as possible. These gardens were sometimes used by rulers and noblemen to express the extent of the power they held. One temple called The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, is one of the many luxurious gardens built by warrior class shoguns eager to adopt the lifestyle of the old aristocracy. Other gardens, such as zen gardens, became great sources of art since rulers became occupied with civil wars and other things. Devised by zen monks, or "ishitate-so", these gardens began to incorporate shelters for tea ceremonies, and the drawings of waves in the sand of the floor. It is important for the gardener to set up a garden in a specific way. There should be no large array of bold colors, though seasonal flowers should be incorporated sparingly. There can be man made objects, sources of water, rocks, and trees. Most importantly, the garden should include a focal point such as a large tree, or center stone. The garden itself must be laid out in an asymmetrical way, creating a sort of spaciousness throughout the garden. It must also not reveal everything at once, having part of it covered by a tree, or rocks to make it seem like it is infinite.

The Importance of Natural Beauty:

Butchart Gardens in Autumn

     The most common plant is an evergreen, however, there are also plants such as black pines, and red pines that are often included. Trees provide the framework for gardens, and are often used as the focal point. The use of flowers such as: forsythia, kerria, viburnum, spirea, hawthorn, winter hazel, and witch hazel; naturally placed can give a graceful beauty to the garden. Often included in Japanese gardens are bamboo or different mosses which add an addition of contour to the stones and trees. There should be water either dripping from a stone basin, in a pond, or stream. The addition of rocks give the garden a sense of stability and an essential display of visual weight. The grounds of the garden are normally made up of sand, gravel, or smaller stones.

Famous Gardens:
     In Nijo Castle:

Garden at Nijo Castle

In Nijo Castle, there are two gardens. One is called Ninomaru Garden, which is a place of special scenic beauty. It is called a "shoin- zukuri" for the grand scale. In the center of the pond, there is a  rock representing one large island: Horai- jima. There are another two islands called Tsuru- jima, and Kame- jima. The original garden was said to have been made by the master garden designer: Kobori Enshu. The other, called Seiryu- en Garden, constructed in 1965. The two areas of the garden are a pond, and a lawn area. The two teahouses are Koun-tei, and Waraku-an, used for receptions for honored guests.

     The Temple of the Golden Pavilion:

 The garden at this temple has a center of a large pond with islets large and small. Rocks were donated by different lords over many periods. The pond is designed for strolling as the entire garden is listed as a National Special Historic Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

     Works Cited:

Golden Pavilion or Kinkaku-ji Temple, 1397, Kyoto (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1994), Japan, Muromachi period, 14th century. Photograph. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/126_147506/1/126_147506/cite. Accessed 4 Jan 2017.

Japanese Garden in autumn at the Butchart Gardens. Photo. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/167_3987593/1/167_3987593/cite. Accessed 4 Jan 2017.

Stone lantern, cherry blossom, Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa city, Ishigawa prefecture, Honshu island, Japan, Asia. Photography. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.
quest.eb.com/search/151_2589458/1/151_2589458/cite. Accessed 4 Jan 2017.

Buddhism in Japan

The Great Buddha statue of Kamakura, over 11 meters tall.
It was built in the 13th century and because it is hollow, visitors may go inside. (image)

          Buddhism was started in the 4th or 5th century BCE in southern Asia. Although Siddhartha, the historical Buddha (which translates from Sanskrit to 'teacher') lived in India, Buddhism spread rapidly in the centuries following its founder's death. Throughout the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, Buddhism spread across China and Korea brought Buddhism to the island of Japan in the 6th century CE. Although the Japanese still practiced their Shinto religion, they were able to include Buddhism in their lives as well. Even today, up to 80% of Japanese people identify to some degree with Buddhism.

         The teachings of Buddha are intended to help the worshiper reach Nirvana, the state of peace and spiritual enlightenment through the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path is an eight-step process to become enlightened through practicing a strict ethical code to combat human desire, which is believed to be the root of human suffering. Human suffering is explained through the Four Noble Truths, which are one of the fundamental doctrines Buddha revealed in his first sermon following his enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths are the following: 1) Suffering consists of disease, old age, envy, hatred, and death, 2) Suffering is caused by desire and attempting to satisfy desire, 3) Suffering can be ended through ending desire, and 4) Desire can be ended through the Eightfold Path. Buddhists believe that by following the Eightfold Path, they will be released from Samsara (the cycle of reincarnation) and reach Nirvana.

The Buddhist Taiji Temple in Nara, Japan. This temple is the largest wooden structure in the world.
Picture was taken in the 1960s. (image)

          Many Japanese homes have a small Buddhist shrine in their living rooms, or they will visit temples on special occasions. A Zen school was built in the 12th century CE, and the practices of Zen became popular with warriors. Zen focuses on self-discipline and meditation, both of which are still important to Japanese Buddhists today.

     On January 10th, we saw the Bamboo Temple in Kamakura, which is a Buddhist temple built by one of the three shoguns during the beginning of the Samurai era, about the 14th or 15th century. This temple belongs to the sect Zen, which focuses on maintaining inner peace and calm through a variety of methods. One of these methods is making and drinking green tea, which we enjoyed while admiring the bamboo garden. There is a bell at the front of the temple which is rung 108 times at the end of the year to release the 108 worldly sins for the new year. I found the dozens of tombstones throughout the garden very different from western burial areas. Although the temple had a small plot for family tombs, the samurai and shogun family were buried along the bamboo path. The tombstones in the commoners plot are filled with generations of families, where their relics or ashes were laid to rest with their ancestors. The most important samurai of this time and area were buried in small caves by the bamboo garden.

 

Caverns where Samurais' remains are kept
Picture by FUchs

    Each temple has a different Buddha statue, and this determines how that temple practiced Buddhism. For example, the second temple we went to held Kannon Buddha, who is a future Buddha. Our tour guide Iku-san told us that she is essentially a Buddha-in-training, and is one of the many forms that Buddha takes. Iku-san also explained that the floor level of this temple, which was a stone-paved path with a plethora of small ponds and flora, symbolizes the Buddhist heaven, which is filled with calming natural beauty, especially the sacred lotus flowers.

Kannon Buddha
Picture by Fuchs

     We also saw the Great Buddha, which is the only Japanese national treasure that can be entered. Great Buddha was commissioned by the first shogun and is made of the copper from melted coins. Great Buddha's appearance holds many symbols. His ears are long to listen to people's wishes. His hands are together in meditation with his hands dipped, to save people drowning in water. The dot on his forehead symbolizes charity. His hair is permed and holds the window of wisdom. He is leaned forward to save people. He has a small mustache and is smiling. Great Buddha has the form of Amida Buddha, who is a present form of Buddha.There are donation boxes in front of Buddha statues where one can toss in some coins and pray to Buddha. Buddhism is for the afterlife, rather than the present like Shinto is, so the prayers are not for concrete items but instead ideas and emotions, like happiness and good fortune after death--although many sects believe in the reincarnation cycle that can be ended through reaching enlightenment, some only believe that people live one life before going to heaven or hell, and some believe that reincarnation never stops.
   
     From school I knew the basis of Buddhism, but here in Japan I've learned about how in-depth and complex it actually is. I found it difficult to comprehend the idea that there is Buddha who is god, but also that Buddha is always in different states of being, and each temple worships a different one. Western religions are often very set in how to worship and what to believe depending on the sect, but Buddhism is such an interpretive religion that people can use as much or as little that they spiritually need. It's no surprise that Buddhism has continued to exist alongside the Japanese people for almost two millennium.




Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Four-Noble-Truths
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Buddhism
Art Echard's World Religions class
Wangu, Buddhism, Chelsea House, 2009

Hiroshima and World War Two

Today, our group was fortunate enough to meet with a Hiroshima bombing survivor and visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. Although the subject at hand was one that cost thousands of lives and obliterated an entire city, the message of the day was not of bitterness or anger but of peace and friendship. I felt this especially during our meeting with the survivor. The survivor shared a little bit about how she survived the attack and the aftermath of the bombing in her life. However, in most of her presentation, she discussed the fact that many countries still have a large amount of nuclear bombs despite the millions of dollars they cost and the damage they ensue. She emphasized that to promote peace throughout the globe nuclear weapons must be dismantled. Their power to completely destroy the world in wake of another world war should be enough to drastically decrease or completely get rid of the significant amount of nuclear bombs in the world.

After meeting with the survivor, we all walked over to the Hiroshima Peace memorial to visit the Peace Museum, Peace Memorial, and the A-bomb dome that the bomb directly landed on. At the museum, we learned about some Japanese World War Two history and the Hiroshima bombing.

 

Before the events of World War Two, Japanese aggression started in the 1930s when Japan invaded Manchuria and parts of China. The nation, which always lacked its own raw materials, desired to acquire new territories that provided these resources and spread its culture, which Japan thought superior to all other, across Asia. Due to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and incidents, such as the horrific Rape of Nanking, the United States placed a trade embargo on Japan. The embargo put immense pressure on Japan’s military and natural resource supply. Therefore, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 hoping to force the U.S. to resume normal trade relations with them. Instead, the United States declared war on Japan leading to a four-year long grueling fight in the Pacific front.

The Japanese had some initial victories mostly attributed to their extreme loyalty to their nation, discipline, self-sacrifice, and the gripping hegemony of their military state. However, the American victory in Midway in 1942 signaled a turn in the tide of Japanese victory. After years of horrific bombing and the American military’s “island hopping” strategy, the Japanese emperor surrendered September 2, 1945 after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The decisions to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were made by President Harry Truman to force Japan into quick surrender and were largely supported by the American public at the time. A home invasion of Japan would have cost many American, Japanese, and Soviet lives especially in a country where legendary kamikaze fighters felt honored to pay the ultimate price for their country and people strapped with bombs would roll under military tanks to hinder the Allies’ war efforts. Such loyalty and sacrifice could have prolonged the war in the Pacific for years. 

Nevertheless, the dropping of “Little Boy” on the militarily strategic city of Hiroshima and “Fat Man” on Nagasaki cost thousands of innocent lives and almost obliterated the two cities. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed 70,000 people instantly and many more died of radiation poisoning which infected the water supply of the city.

                           

           Hiroshima after the bombing featuring the A-bomb dome

                   http://www.wsj.com/articles/hiroshima-70-years-after-the-atomic-bomb-1438725242

Enola Gay, the plane that dropped "Little Boy" on Hiroshima 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enola_Gay

 The destruction and loss of life in Nagasaki, though more contained, still led to 40,000 deaths and ultimately, Japanese surrender. A few Japanese military leaders did not want to surrender after the atomic attacks. However, the emperor Hirohito, the revered spiritual and political puppet figurehead of Japan, made an unprecedented move by stepping in and demanding the Japanese to “endure the unendurable” – laying down their weapons and admitting defeat.

Emperor Hirohito

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirohito

        Along with the history, the museum also had displayed many artifacts that survived the blast and had stories of some victims and survivors of the bombing. I found the tattered uniforms and lunchboxes of a few school children that had died in the blast extremely heart breaking. However, the story of a victim I found the most saddening was that of a young girl named Sadako. Sadako survived the blast and for ten years was perfectly healthy. Sadly, Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia after those ten years but remained hopeful of her survival. In fact, she made thousands of little paper cranes, which, according to Japanese myth, should make one of your wishes come true. Sadako’s wish was to survive leukemia, and despite her fulfillment of the Japanese myth, her wish did not come true. To commemorate Sadako, paper cranes have become a symbol of peace and are adorned around some of the memorials in the Peace Park. In fact, when President Obama visited the Hiroshima memorial in August 2016, he made two paper cranes to not only honor Sadako and all the victims of the Hiroshima bombing but also to signify peace and friendship between the United States and Japan. 

 President Barack Obama's paper crane and and note

         This message of peace and unity seemed to imbue the entire day. Even the ruined A-bomb dome, which serves as a constant remainder of the wreckage of the bomb, was surrounded by small memorials that honored the victims of the Hiroshima bombing. Although Hiroshima will be forever stained by the horrors of the atomic bombing, the city has blossomed and now provides a beautiful memorial for reflection on the past and hope for peaceful progress in the future.

A-bomb dome now

One memorial in the Peace Park surrounded by

 paper cranes made by Japanese school children

       

                                                                 Work Cited and Links

http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/japan_1900_power.htm

Engdahl, Sylvia. The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Detroit, MI: Greenhaven/Gale Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.

Shinto and Shrines

Shinto is the "native religion" of Japan, although most Japanese people would not tell you they practiced a religion if you asked! Shinto revolves around "kami", or spirits that are tied to the land and other natural events. They are seen as intrinsic to  the island of Japan itself, inextricable from the natural world. Because of this, being Shinto is simply a part of being Japanese for many. In fact, 50-80% of Japanese people pray at shrines and attend rituals, although they would not identify themselves as Shintoists in the sense that they do not see themselves as practitioners of an organized religion. 30% of this same group also practices Buddhism, a religion adopted from neighboring China that is highly compatible with Shinto (neither religion is exclusive). There are three main types of Shinto: State Shinto, a nationalistic type of Shinto used to unite the people of Japan during World War II and has since been outlawed; Folk Shinto, which follows local customs and revolves around location-specific kami; and Shrine Shinto, which oversees festivals and rituals that take place in shrines across Japan. Most people today are either practitioners of Folk or Shrine Shinto, although the people themselves would not create a distinction between the two. Currently, Shinto serves as a way for the Japanese people to find harmony in their lives if they so desire and create a sense of comfort through ritual, prayer and community.

Amaterasu, the sun goddess, is seen as the supreme kami. 

The shrines themselves are at the heart of Shinto--they are seen as dwelling places for local kami and are often located in areas of great natural beauty in order to accentuate the "sacred-ness" of the surrounding land. Each specific place has "local" kami that are often tied to its environmental and sometimes economic characteristics. For example, a shrine in a seaside city may honor a kami that brings fishermen a bountiful catch and another that controls storms and flooding. Each shrine houses a shintai, or a material object (like a statue, stone or piece of paper) that the kami temporarily inhabits during rituals. These are kept in an inner sanctum of the temple that only priests and other holy people are allowed to enter (most visitors to shrines, like us, stay outside). During festivals, the shintai are placed in boxes and paraded around. The events at a shrine revolve around these festivals, which happen at important parts of the year and serve to please and honor the kami, bringing prosperity to the surrounding land. Another important happening at shrines are rituals, which focus on prayer and purification. The religion of Shinto as a whole values  purity immensely, both physical and spiritual. Before praying or participating in a ritual, one must cleanse their hands and mouth and use items like wooden hoops and purification wands to cleanse of any impure thoughts or actions.

Basins like these are used to wash your hands or mouth before praying 

The New Year, especially, is seen as a time of renewal and cleansing. On December 31st, through the ritual of Great Purification, shrines are thoroughly cleaned and cleared of any impure thoughts or actions that have built up over the course of the year. People attend "forgettingthe year" parties, where much feasting and drinking occurs, serving as a way to "get all your  demons out" before beginning a new year. Comparable to the busy holiday season in the US, the last week of December is spent buying gifts and preparing for any family members that may come to visit. Likewise, December 31 to January 3, called Oshogatsu, is a relaxed holiday for all, and should be spent visiting ancestors' graves and wiping your emotional slate clean of any arguments or feuding. For a majority of people, the first visit to the local shrine (called hatsumode) is the hallmark event of the holiday. It is believed that the new year is a sacred gift from the kami and should be spent casting off any evil and impurities that have built up over the previous year. Almost 70% of Japanese people visit a shrine to celebrate the new year, making a very crowded atmosphere during early January! Protocol is to cast a coin into a sheet at the front of the hall of worship, say a prayer, then purchase whatever protective talismans you would like for the upcoming year.

Senso-ji shrine in Tokyo. There was a long line of people waiting to pray!

Me in front of the tori gate at the entrance to the Benten Kutsu cave.

We have come across many shrines during our first week in Japan, both great and small! One tiny shrine near our hotel was located right in the middle of the bustling city, creating a sharp contrast between the nature-centric religion and the modern industrialized society. However, I think it is a testament to the rich cultural history of Japan that many continue to practice and return to such a religion. The first shrine we visited, Senso-ji shrine in Tokyo, was packed with people for the new year and Coming of Age day, when 20 year old men and women formally become adults. There was a line of people waiting to pray at the altar--it almost mesmerizing to watch them all, young and old alike, come forward to bow and clap twice before saying a short prayer. This public form of worship is completely different from anything we have in the United States, but is beautiful and fascinating to observe!

Lots of small Benzaiten figurines inside the Benten-Kutsu cave!

My other favorite shrines we have visited so far are the Benten-kutsu cave at the Hasedera temple and the Itsukushima Shrine (or "floating shrine") on Miyajima island. The Benten-kutsu cave, marked by the characteristic tori gate signaling an entrance for the gods to come into our world, is dedicated to the goddess of fine arts and music. After walking/crawling through small tunnels, we came to a room covered in tiny statues of the goddess that you can purchase and place yourself. Seeing the hundreds of tiny figurines and thinking of the prayers of those who placed them there made me feel like a small part of something much larger!

Me and my friends in front of the massive tori gate on Miyajima island.

The Itsukushima shrine, located right on the shoreline of the island, appears to be floating during high tide (hence the nickname). The most iconic feature of the shrine is its massive tori gate located in the water, one of the most distinguishing features of the island itself. The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of the god of water and storms. For many years, foreigners weren't allowed in the shrine because the island was seen as especially sacred. Even today, pregnant women close to delivery and the very sick or elderly return to the mainland to give birth or die (the two most unclean activities) in order to keep the island as pure as possible. I certainly felt the same sense of wonder and holiness after witnessing the incredible natural beauty of the island and the shrine! Even though I practice a  very different religion, I have truly enjoyed observing the right history of Shinto in Japan and often feel the same sense of reverence towards its natural beauty that the Japanese people have felt for thousands of years.

The beautiful Itsukushima shrine viewed from the tori gate.

Sources:
John Nelson, A Year in the Life of a Shinto Shrine, University of Washington Press, 1996

Images (in order):
http://www.ancient.eu/Amaterasu/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto/
http://www.greenshinto.com/wp/page/49/

Anime

Anime

What is anime? In Japanese, anime is short for animation. Abroad, it refers to the specific animation style used by Japanese animators, but in Japan the word refers to animation in general.

Anime traces its roots back to the twelfth century, when the famous Tale of Genji was produced. This ancient novel about the adventures of Prince Genji was made into emakimono, illustrated scrolls that laid horizontally. At the same time artists were also producing giga, sketches whose name means "funny pictures".

http://quest.eb.com/images/140/140_1639/140_1639101-W.jpg

Japanese scroll painting of a scene from the Sawarabi chapter of Lady Murasaki's 'The Tale of Genji.' Heian Period, 12th century, Tokyo.

This unique art form took foreign influence as western comic strips and cartoons gained popularity in Japan. Artists began experimenting with chalk drawings and film painting, but Japanese animation was not produced for entertainment until after World War II. At the time, companies did not have the budget required to produce works in color at the quality that foreign contemporaries  such as Flintstones had, so the resulting animation was of much less quality in black and white. However, when anime such as Astro Boy were introduced to America in the sixties, they still won a great number of loyal fans and eventually led to an "anime boom" in the nineties when many more titles became available for American fans.

https://myanimelist.cdn-dena.com/images/anime/10/79582.webp

Art for Astro Boy, an early anime series adapted from the manga by Tezuka Osamu.

Anime is known for its distinctive storytelling methods employing vibrant colors, beautiful scenery, and detailed artwork. Characters often have large, expressive eyes, colorful hair, and intricate outfits. Despite the common American stereotype of animation being exclusively for children, anime caters to all demographics, with a variety of genres from romance to action to mystery. Children can enjoy series such as Pokémon, and teens can enjoy series such as Sailor Moon, Bleach, or Naruto. Adults can find entertainment watching anime like Psycho-Pass. 

http://img1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire2/52edb7a843abacb4ff0f642c8eda14401325114125_full.jpg

A piece of official art for the popular anime and manga series Bleach

As it gained popularity, anime gave rise to numerous phenomenons. For example, anime fans have formed their own communities, engaging in activities such as cosplay and organizing anime conventions. Fans cosplay, dressing up as their favorite characters and walking around anime conventions to talk to other fellow fans and potentially meet people in the industry. Communities of fan artists create fan works and post them on line, and some of them choose to pursue a professional career in animation. Anime has went beyond the boundaries of simple entertainment to become a source of community and creativity.

http://quest.eb.com/images/115/115_3867/115_3867363-W.jpg

A fan cosplays as Sailor Moon for NemaCon 2011.

After visiting the Studio Ghibli museum today, I saw for myself why this amazing studio truly deserves the crown of anime. As one of the most respected animation studios of Japan, Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli set examples for the industry. For example, expression methods using body parts and scenery employed by Ghibli are now staples in the anime industry. With boundless creativity and a whimsical mood, Studio Ghibli productions are the essence of anime. Not only children, but adults as well, can enjoy each film and continue to gain new understanding with each viewing. There is no fancy CGI like American productions--only a heartwarming story for ages zero to 99+.

Works Cited:

http://movies.about.com/od/animatedmovies/a/Hayao-Miyazaki-bio.htm

http://anime.about.com/od/animeprimer/a/Brief-History-Of-Anime.htm

http://jpninfo.com/31964

Hal Marcovitz, Anime, Lucent Books, 2008