Festival Procession

I was at my neighborhood park on a recent afternoon when festival music announced the approach of a procession, as seen in this video.

Vintage Cars

The last car, however, appears older, probably 50s.

Good weather brings out the aficionados of classic cars, these American makes from the 60s and 70s, I'd guess.

Shrine Offering: 供え物

Clearly a feast day or festival is to be celebrated for the deity enshrined here. Offerings include sake, apples, bananas, daikon, and konbu. Such votive offerings are called sonaemono。

Fantastic Lunch: Nagoya

Some time ago I happened to be in Nagoya and stumbled upon the Nagono Community Center. The facility, located in a repurposed elementary school, comprises apartments, a public space and playground, and a cafe. As it was after 1 pm and I hadn't eaten since

breakfast, I decided to check out the latter, housed in the old school kitchen. Fresh, seasonal ingredients, great service and atmosphere, really outstanding. Nagono Community Center 052-565-0714 https://g.co/kgs/S4zRCnF

Vacancy, A Showa Throwback

Korakuji, combination hotel/ game center: 3,300 yen/night for ensuite facilities, 1,540 for unlimited use of the bath. Does anyone stay here? Evidently they do..

Scenery from a Recent Cycle Trip

Carp Streamers and a Foot Spa

Tsukioka Spa,the foot bath Carp streamers, or koi nobori, representing the wishes of parents for healthy, strong, and persevering children (for the koi swims upstream to spawn), Children's Day being celebrated on May 5

Jizo Statues

Some nice statues of Buddhist deity Jizo-sama. My particular favorite is the lone Jizo with the sedge hat, or 笠地蔵. For more on the Buddhist deity, see here.

Shogun Cedar and Byodo temple

The 将軍杉 is the largest cryptomeria in Japan. Circumference, 19 meters and some change; height, 40 meters; age, estimated to be 1400 years old. Nearby is a lovely old temple, Byodoji Yakushido (平等寺薬師堂). Location: Iwayasan, Aga Town, Niigata.

Monkeys

I encountered a troop of monkeys during a recent cycling trip into the mountains of northern Niigata.

Miscellaneous Sado Photos

Zoom in on the photo third from the bottom, paying attention to the window frame.

Kobodaishi

A 9-meter-tall statue of Kobo Daishi (or Kukai, as he is also known) stands atop a temple in Furumachi, Niigata City. The photos of the interior were taken in November, on the 28th, the only day of the month the temple is open. Here is Lafcadio Hearn on Kobo Daishi: KOBODAISHI, most holy of Buddhist priests, and founder of the Shingonsho...first taught the men of Japan to write the writing called Hiragana and the syllabary I-ro-ha; and Kobodaishi was himself the most wonderful of all writers, and the most skilful wizard among scribes. And in the book, Kobodaishi-ichi-dai-ki, it is related that when he was in China, the name of a certain room in the palace of the Emperor having become effaced by time, the Emperor sent for him and bade him write the name anew. Thereupon Kobodaishi took a brush in his right hand, and a brush in his left, and one brush between the toes of his left foot, and another between the toes of his right, and one in his mouth also; and with those five brushes, so holding them, he limned the characters upon the wall. And the characters were beautiful beyond any that had ever been seen in China—smooth-flowing as the ripples in the current of a river. And Kobodaishi then took a brush, and with it from a distance spattered drops of ink upon the wall; and the drops as they fell became transformed and turned into beautiful characters. And the Emperor gave to Kobodaishi the name Gohitsu Osho, signifying The Priest who writes with Five Brushes. At another time, while the saint was dwelling in Takawasan, near to Kyoto, the Emperor, being desirous that Kobodaishi should write the tablet for the great temple called Kongo-jo-ji, gave the tablet to a messenger and bade him carry it to Kobodaishi, that Kobodaishi might letter it. But when the Emperor's messenger, bearing the tablet, came near to the place where Kobodaishi dwelt, he found a river before him so much swollen by rain that no man might cross it. In a little while, however, Kobodaishi appeared on the farther bank, and, hearing from the messenger what the Emperor desired, called to him to hold up the tablet. And the messenger did so; and Kobodaishi, from his place upon the farther bank, made the movements of the letters with his brush; and as fast as he made them they appeared upon the tablet which the messenger was holding up. From Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan Among his many other gifts, Kukai was an accomplished architect, designing numerous temples throughout Japan.

Sado Trip: Ancient Rice Planting Ceremony

The text on the signboard explains the tradition, which is over 1000 years old. This video was produced by a local TV station.

Sado Trip: State of Abandon

I camped (video here) 20 years ago when my eldest was six, the two of us riding the 30-odd kilometers from the ferry port, Ryotsu. Sigh. It's been closed for some time now, clearly. Such sights (often referred to as 廃墟- haikyo, ruins) are common throughout Japan. Alas.

Sado Trip: Buoy Art Gallery

"Buoy Art" read the sign by the road. Was intrigued, so checked it out. Unfortunately, if unsurprisingly, the Sado coastline is in places littered with bouys and other flotsam. I would have liked to meet the beachcomber and inspiration behind this strange installation.

Bamboo

As the ideogram for bamboo (竹) serves as the radical or base for 1181 characters in Japanese, the importance of take to both language and culture can be easily appreciated. Some examples: 箸：hashi- chopsticks 筆：fude, hitsu- brush (writing or painting), pen, writing implement. When take is used in this way, it is placed above the other character(s) and is known as 竹冠- take-kanmuri, or bamboo crown. Incidentally, kusa, or grass (艸, 草) heads this list with 2173 characters, the crown above 早 serving as the radical.