Edo - the EDOPEDIA -

4/06/2019

Tabata Oji Kita

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. Famous Places and Power spots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Tabata 田端 Tabata district
Kita, Tabata 一丁目 - 六丁目 first to sixth sub-district
東田端 Higashi, 一丁目、二丁目 first and second sub-district
田端新町 Shinmachi, 一丁目 - 三丁目 first to third sub-district

The name means 「田の端」にあった町 a town at the end of the fields.
Another spelling is 田畑, meaning many rice and vegetable fields.

In the Edo period, the area was called 豊島郡田端村 Toshima district, Tahata village.

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Tabata (on the edge of the field)
... In the Edo Period, 田端村 Tabata Mura Tabata Village was located on a section of the elevated area that is geographically referred to as the 上野台地 Ueno Daichi the Ueno Plateau, but was to known at the time as 上野山 Uenoyama Ueno Mountain. The area was well known because one side was bordered by a cliff. Although, most people don’t notice it now, the west side of Tabata Station clearly shows the cliff – it’s just been woven into the fabric of the modern metropolis.
It’s said that meaning of the name is 田ﾉ端 ta no hata on the edge of a rice paddy. Historical records and maps from the early Edo Period are vague at best, but the area would have been quite rural at the time. The presence of 田畑 tahata rice paddies and fields is more or less a given. Speaking of tahata, a second etymology says that via rendaku, tahata became tabata.

Tabata sits on a ridge – a cliff, if you will – on the edge of the Ueno Plateau. The agricultural lands here were eventually surrendered to the Tokugawa Shōgunate in the name of 参勤交代 sankin-kōtai alternate attendance[ii], for the purpose of building daimyō residences and samurai residences. Without clear historical records, the “edge” could have referred to rice paddies on the plateau itself, or could refer to the cliff – a proverbial “edge” clearly delineating the yamanote and shitamachi, thus indicating the farming was being done in the valley.
A second, more intriguing theory maintains that the place name is most likely far more ancient than the kanji reveal. ... This theory maintains that the oldest place names are all based on the terrain. This theory maintains that the oldest place names are all based on the terrain....
... This alternate theory uses some archaeological findings to back it up. The area has been inhabited since the Jōmon Period but the real activity picked up around the Yayoi Period. During the early to mid Jōmon Period (7,000-4,000 years ago), this area was coastline, and the high areas were inhabited by villagers, communities highly reliant on the sea and not farming. The sea began receding during the Yayoi Period and we find evidence of all kinds of coastal fishing activity, but no farming. Because the only people who farm next to the ocean are idiots.
Again,
if this is an ancient name – not a medieval name – the kanji does not matter. Kanji have sounds (readings) but no kanji is divorced from meaning. It always has a meaning. Going by this theory, the archaeological evidence has led a small group of people to maintain that the name comes from a very ancient place name that originally meant “the top of the plateau.” One of the more interesting speculations was that the name is evidenced by 束旗 tabahata → tabata a bundle of flags, because the high ground is where you can build your fort (and of course put up your flags, which can be seen from everywhere).
- source : Marky Star -

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Atrevie Tabata アトレヴィ田端
Finished in 2008.
Tabata station, 1 Chome-17-2 Higashitabata, Kita

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田端文士村記念館 TABATA Memorial Museum of Writers and Artists
6 Chome-1-2 Tabata, Kita
Admission - Free
- source : kitabunka.or.jp/tabata -

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. 宝珠山 / 寶珠山 Hojuzan　地蔵院 Jizo-In　与楽寺 Yoraku-Ji .
北区田端1-25-1 / 1 Chome-25-1 Tabata, Kita

Dairyuuji 大龍寺 Dairyu-Ji
東京都北区田端4-18-4 / 4-chōme-18-4 Tabata, Kita

With the grave of the haiku poet
. 正岡子規 Masaoka Shiki .

. Toogakuji 東覚寺 Togaku-Ji .
北区田端2-7-3 / 2 Chome-7-3 Tabata, Kita

Nearby is
田端八幡神社 Tabata Hachiman Jinja
東京都北区田端2-7-2 / 2 Chome-7-2 Tabata, Kita

- quote -
The shrine is located right next to Tokakuji Temple.
It's told that this shrine started when Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder of the Kamakura government, stopped by on his way back to Kamakura after the conquest in North Japan, at the end of 12th century.
- source and photos : richiefukuda.blogspot.com... -

上田端八幡神社 Kami-Tabata Hachiman Jinja
東京都北区田端4-18-1 / 4 Chome-18-1 Tabata, Kita
- reference source : tesshow.jp/kita/shrine_tabata... -

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Ooji, Ōji 王子 Oji district
Kita, Oji 一丁目～六丁目 first to sixth sub-district
王子本町 Oji Honcho (Motomachi) 一丁目 - 三丁目 from first to third sub-district
下十条町 Shimo-Jujo machi was located in the 東京都王子区 Oji district.
. Juujoo, Jūjō 十条　Jujo district　. - Kita

The place where the deity 若一王子 Nyakuichi Oji / 若王子 Nyakuoji from Kumano are venerated.
熊野本宮大社の若一王子

The area was first called 岸村 Kishimura, "village on the shore". After the sharing of a deity from the 熊野本宮大社 Kumano Hongo Taisha in Wakayama a new Shrine was built for the deity
若一王子 Nyakuichi Oji The Srine was named Oji Jinja and the district named
王子村 Oji mura village.
This deity is not a prince, but the special deity
熊野権現 Kumano Gongen.

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Ooji Jinja, Ōji Jinja 王子神社 Oji Shrine
王子本町１丁目 / 1 Chome Ojihoncho, Kita

source : wikipedia

In this shrine Kumano Gongen 熊野権現 is venerated.

The Shrine is famous for its huge 王子神社のイチョウ gingko tree.

The local deities in residence are

Semimaru ko 蝉丸公(神霊) (a poet of the Heian period)
Sakagami hime 逆髪姫(神霊)
Furuya bijo 古屋美女(神霊)
Deity of hairstyle 髪の祖神

The Oji Shrine was founded in the 14th century. It is situated on a hill and from there you have a great view.
The shrine buildings of today were reconstructed after WW II.

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. Ooji Inari Jinja 王子稲荷神社 Oji Inari Fox Shrine .
1-12-26,Kishi-Machi,Kita-Ku,Tokyo / 東京都北区岸町1-12-26
This shrine was also called Kishi Inari 岸稲荷.
Once a year on January 1, the foxes from the Kanto region would pay a visit to the great fox shrine . . .

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王子製紙 Oji Paper Company
A paper-making company from the area.
Founded by Shibusawa Eiichi.

- CLICK for more photos !
Kami no Hakubutsukan 紙の博物館 Paper Museum
- reference source : ojipaper.co.jp -

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- quote -
Ōji Ōgi-ya 王子扇屋 Oji, Ogiya

During the Edo period,
Ōji bustled as a tourist destination for worshipping Ōji Inari Shrine and waterfall bathing.
It is said that restaurants stood in line near the Otonashi River. Ebi-ya and Ōgi-ya, in particular, were listed in the restaurant ranking of the Edo period.
Ebi-ya was run by the brothers of Ōgi-ya, but only Ōgi-ya remains until now.
- source : Tokyo Metropolitan Library -

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. Kita ku 北区 Kita ward, "Northern Ward" .

. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .

. Edo bakufu 江戸幕府 The Edo Government .

. Doing Business in Edo - 商売　- Introduction .

. Japanese Architecture - The Japanese Home .

. Interior Design - The Japanese Home .

. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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- - - - - #tabata #oji #ooji #ogiya - - - -
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4/04/2019

Akabane Jujo Kita

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. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Akabane 赤羽 Akabane district
Kita, Akabane 一丁目 - 三丁目 first to third sub-district
赤羽台 Dai, 一丁目 - 四丁目 first to fourth sub-district
赤羽北 Kita, 一丁目 - 三丁目 first to third sub-district
赤羽南 Minami, 一丁目 - 二丁目 first to second sub-district
赤羽西 Nishi, 一丁目 - 六丁目 first to sixth sub-district

The area was known for its red clay, 赤埴 aka hani, later pronounced Akabane.
赤羽 literally means "red feathers".

On the other side of the River Arakawa is 埼玉県川口市 Saitama, Yamaguchi city.

- quote
... Historically speaking, 赤羽村 Akabane Mura Akabane Village wasn’t a particularly important place, but in the Kamakura Period a highway called 岩槻街道 Iwatsuki Kaidō was built. The road is better known by its Edo Era name, 日光御成街道 Nikkō O-nari Kaidō.
あか aka means red.
はね hane is the old local dialect word for 埴 hani, clay.
The 荒川 Arakawa River apparently deposited a lot of red colored volcanic ash from Mt. Fuji here. The buildup of this material produced a red slimy, clay-like soil that was particular to the area. If an area eroded, the red clay would become exposed. Thus the area was called 赤埴 Akabani Red Clay. But in the local accent the name was pronounced Akabane. Later, as literacy rates improved in the area, the second kanji was changed to actually match the pronunciation. So 羽 hane wings was added, thus obscuring the origins of the place name as 赤羽 Akabane Red Wings. ...
Apparently, 赤羽橋 Akabanebashi (Red Wing Bridge) in Shiba (Minato Ward) has the same derivation. Archaeological findings in the postwar years confirmed the existence of medieval kilns and earthenware factories.
- source : Marky Star

武蔵言葉で「ハキ」、「ハケ」といい、赤土の露出した崖を「赤バッケ」とも呼ばれていたため、
この名前と関連するとの説もある。
- wikipedia

- quote -
Akabane - A fun and down-to-earth Tokyo neighborhood

Convenient, cheap and cheerful. That describes Akabane, a residential area on Tokyo's northern border with Saitama that has true retro charm. Popular with Tokyo's workers, the area comes alive at night when the narrow alleys around the station glow with red paper lanterns and revelers spill out of inexpensive bars and restaurants.
Close by, the town of Oji is famous for cherry blossoms in spring and hydrangeas in summer at Asukayama Park, and its spectacular New Year's Eve fox parade. Kyu-Furukawa Gardens is a popular green space nearby, with a mix of classical Japanese and European gardens surrounding a grand European mansion.
- - - Paper, foxes on parade, and massive gardens
... The area is dominated by Asukayama Park high on the hill,
- source : gotokyo.org/en... -

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. Akabanegawa 赤羽川 River Akabanegawa .
where a strong Tengu lived

Akabanebashi, Akabane-bashi bridge 赤羽橋 / Hiroshige
- CLICK for other images ! -

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Pagoda of the Zojoji Monastery and Akabane
Utagawa Hiroshige

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Akabane Hachiman Jinja 赤羽八幡神社 Shrine
4 Chome-1-6 Akabanedai, Kita / 東京都北区赤羽台4-1-6

The shrine was founded in 784 by 坂上田村麻呂 Sakanoue Tamuramaro on his way from Kyoto to subdue the rebels in Northern Japan.
. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro 坂上田村麻呂 (758 - 811) .

The main festival is in Mid-September in years with an even number, like 2018.

1225年の歴史と伝統
- HP of the shrine
- source : ak8mans.com... -

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Uhyo! Tokyo-to Kita-ku Akabane Manga ウヒョッ!東京都北区赤羽
清野とおる Seino Toru

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A non-fiction manga based on information gathered by the author Seino Toru, who lives in Akabane, in Tokyo.
He depicts the bizarre episodes through his experiences with Akabane residents who have their own criteria for happiness (such as a charismatic middle-aged homeless woman) and strange shops in the area (such as a bar which never serves customers). As a sequel to Tokyo-to Kita-ku Akabane (Akabane, Kita Ward, Tokyo), it includes episodes which were not published.
- source : archive.j-mediaarts.jp/en... -

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Juujoo, Jūjō 十条　Jujo district　
The name does now exist only in these five districts :
上十条 Kami, 一丁目 - 五丁目 first to fifth sub-district
中十条 Naka, 一丁目 - 四丁目 first to fourth sub-district
東十条 Higashi, 一丁目 - 六丁目 first to sixth sub-district
十条台 Dai, 一丁目 - 二丁目 first to second sub-district
十条仲原 Nakahara, 一丁目 - 四丁目 first to fourth sub-district

literally, "ten roads", "ten paths"

- quote -
十条 - Jūjō (10 paths)
... The village first got mentioned in 1448 in a document called 熊野寮豊嶋年貢目録 Kumano-ryō Toshima Nengu Mokuroku. This was basically the annual tax reports of the 豊嶋氏 Toshima-shi Toshima Clan. The area was rural until quite recently and for most of its life was part of 豊嶋郡 Toshima-gun Toshima District.
In the Edo Period, 豊嶋郡岩淵領十条村 Toshima-gun Iwabuchi-ryō Jūjō Mura Jūjō Village, Iwabuchi Fief, Toshima District was one of many villages on the 日光御成道 Nikkō O-nari Kaidō and the 鎌倉街道 Kamakura Kaidō. The former being the private road of the shōgun’s entourage to the funerary temples at Nikkō, the latter being the route to the ancient capital of the first shōgunate at Kamakura.
The first stab at an etymology came at the end of the Edo Period. 1804-1829 – 新編武蔵風土記稿 Shinpen Musashi Fudoki-kō New Description of the People and Lands of Musashi Province features the first extant recorded etymology. According to that book, 豊嶋清元 Toshima Kiyomoto oversaw the 勧請 kanjō ceremonial transfer of 熊野権現 Kumano Gongen from 熊野本宮大社 Kumano Hongū Taisha Kumano Grand Shrine to 王子 Ōji. In transit, the kami came to be associated with Kishū no Jūjōtōge 紀州の十条峠 a mountain pass in Kishū called Jūjō.
... In modern times, a more realistic etymology has emerged.
This one points at the 条理制 Jōri-sei Jōri System as the root of this place name. Jōri was a system of land management (or for our purposes, a measurement convention) that was common in the Heian Period.
Which brings us to the kanji.
条 jō meant “stripe, road” and 里 ri was a kind of measurement. So the jōri system described farmlands in terms of the size of certain swathes of land.
If you’ve ever seen a rice paddy, it’s essentially a shallow swamp dug into an enclosure that keeps the water from escaping. In the jōri system, 10 parallel 畦道 azemichi footpaths divided the paddies into discrete units. These footpaths used the counter for long roads, 条 jō.
Therefore, 十条 jūjō means a “field that consisted of 10 parallel footpaths.” In short, this was a huge rice growing area divided into 10 sections.
... 条 jō generally ran east to west.
- source : Marky Star -

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Jōri-sei 条理制 Jōri System, Jori system

条と里
上述の単位に区画された土地において、里の横列を「条（じょう）」、里の縦列を「里（り）」とし、任意に設定された基点から、縦方向には一条、二条、三条と、横方向には一里、二里、三里というように、明快な位置表示が可能となっていた。
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Jūjō (十条) is a working class district in Kita, Tokyo, Japan.
It is about 10 minutes north of Ikebukuro by train. It is serviced by the Saikyo Line which stops at Jūjō Station. It is particularly well known for the long serpentine shopping arcade known as Jūjō Ginza, very close to the main entrance/exit of Jūjō Station.
At first glance Jūjō seems a run-down place but a real sense of community thrives here, evidenced by the large number of traditional shops, small scale public baths (sentō) and enthusiastic festivals.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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Jujo Ginza 十条銀座　A fun shopping street!

The Jujo Ginza shopping street is a long arcade shopping street that is fun to walk down.
From delicious eateries that will entice gourmet-lovers to shops with cute clothing items and convenient daily goods and even relaxing massage parlors.
You might find everything you need for your life here!
This is an introduction of this highly charming Jujo Ginza shopping street.
Lots of delicious food!
The first thing that will shock you is the number of eateries.
Not only Japanese food but also Chinese food, Western food, side dishes and sweets. There is sure to be a delicious shop that will please anyone who visits!
It's okay even if it rains!
A shopping street with kindness
- source : jujo-ginza.com/en... -
2 Chome-24 Kamijujo, Kita City

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下十条町 Shimo-Jujo machi was located in the 東京都王子区 Oji district.

. Ooji, Ōji 王子 Oji district . - Kita

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4/02/2019

Koenji Ogikubo Suginami

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. Famous Places and Power spots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Kooenji, Kōenji 高円寺 Koen-Ji district
Suginami 杉並区,
高円寺北 Koenji Kita, North, 一丁目 - 四丁目 first to fourth sub-district
高円寺南 Koenji Minami South, 一丁目 - 五丁目 first to fifth sub-district

The village was fommerly called 小沢村 Kosawa mura.
Shogun 徳川家光 Tokugawa Iemitsu came here often during his hawk hunting to rest at the temple Koen-Ji.
The temple 宿鳳山 Shukuhozan Koen-Ji belongs to the 曹洞宗 Soto sect.

東京都杉並区高円寺南4-18-11 / 4-chōme-18-11 Kōenjiminami Suginami City

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Kōenji (高円寺) is a district of Tokyo in Suginami ward, west of Shinjuku. The district is named after an old temple in the area.
Kōenji is primarily a community with easy access to Shinjuku and Tokyo Stations. It was largely unaffected by the 1980s building boom and therefore many of the houses and shops in the area are small and reflect the character of pre-boom Japan. Due to its aging retail district and location on a major commuter route, the station area has become a center for small restaurants and "Live Houses" which offer live music.
- History
The current division of Kōenji into north and south around Kōenji Station is a post-war arrangement. The whole area surrounding Shukuhōzan Kōenji temple used to be called "Kōenji".
There also used to be a town called Mabashi between Kōenji and nearby Asagaya, which has since been absorbed into Kōenji, although the name "Mabashi" is retained in some schools and shrines.
- Awa Odori in Kōenji

Each year in late August the Kōenji Awa Odori festival is held over two days. This is increasingly becoming a major tourist attraction for the area. It is the second largest Awa Dance Festival in Japan, with an average of 188 groups composed of 12,000 dancers, attracting 1.2 million visitors over the course of the weekend.
The festival has its origins in Tokushima
and was adopted by Kōenji post-war. It involves a procession of groups performing traditional music and dance, and is enjoyed by a wide variety of people. The procession weaves its way through the streets on both sides of Kōenji Station, often with a dramatic conclusion at the "finish line".
- source : wikipedia

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Koenji is in Tokyo's Suginami ward in the area around Koenji Station on the JR Chuo Line.

Koenji is famous firstly as a center of alternative youth culture in Tokyo, in particular for its second-hand clothing stores: the most of anywhere in the metropolis, followed by Shimokitazawa about 5 km south.
There are 18 shopping promenades in Koenji within its approximately 2 square kilometer area as well as large numbers of small bars, live houses, and ethnic restaurants, music stores, book stores, head shops, and tattoo parlors. There is a red-light area, too, very near the station
Koenji is also well known for its numerous historical Buddhist temples and one or two Shinto shrines.
Koenji is the venue of the massive summer Koenji Awaodori Dance Festival, one of Tokyo's Big Three Festivals.
- - - Koenji History
Present-day Koenji's roots are in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. In the two decades before then it was remarkable only for its numerous temples relocated from central Tokyo. Otherwise it was a sleepy farming settlement on the Ome-kaido Highway.
The immediate aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 saw an influx into Koenji of small merchants and laborers displaced from downtown Tokyo by the destruction. Koenji Station had just opened in July 1922, making it convenient to Tokyo, as well as an Ogikubo-to-Shinjuku tram that stopped at several places in Koenji.
The local farmers subdivided their land and put up cheap housing for the new entrants. Businesses catering to them sprung up along the transportation routes: open air markets, stores for household wares, and cheap eateries-cum-bars.
In the 1950s, Koenji was well known for its tea and coffee houses (kissaten) and for the start of the Awa Odori Festival - a smaller-scale copy of the famous Awa Odori Festival in Takamatsu, Shikoku, started by Takamatsu natives who had moved to Tokyo, and in the 1970s - along with Nakano a couple of stations east on the Chuo-Sobu Line - for its youth music scene, most notably, Japanese punk.
These roots are still alive in today's Koenji. It is a young, energetic, free neighborhood with a 24-hour vibe, where fun and adventure can be had without breaking the wallet. And, if you're wondering about safety: of course, care must be taken wherever you are, but we have never seen any trouble to speak of in Koenji.
- source : japanvisitor.com/tokyo... -

. the Amanuma district 天沼 .

. Asagaya 阿佐ヶ谷 / 阿佐谷 Asagaya district .

. Awaodori Dance 阿波踊り .

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Mabashi Kōen 馬橋公園 Mabashi Park
4 Chome-35-5 Koenjikita, Suginami

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Ogikubo 荻窪 Ogikubo district
Suginami, Ogikubo 一丁目 - 五丁目 first to fifth sub-district
南荻窪 Minami, 一丁目 - 四丁目
上荻 Kami, 一丁目 - 四丁目
西荻北 Nishi-Kita, 一丁目 - 五丁目
西荻南 Nishi-Minami, 一丁目 - 四丁目

Literally it means "reed grass basin".

- quote -
..... In 708, a 修行僧 shūgyōsō ascetic monk was carrying a statue of 観音 Kannon the goddess of mercy on his back and happened to pass through the area. Mysteriously, the statue grew heavier and heavier until the monk couldn’t carry it anymore. He thought this image of Kan’non was linked to this area by fate and so he built a humble shelter in the area. To make a thatched roof, he harvested 荻 ogi silvergrass and used it to top off his tiny abode in which he enshrined the goddess. Ogi, as you may or may not have guessed, is a grass indigenous to parts of Asia – including Japan.
The small hut was called 荻堂 Ogidō.
This is a play on words. A grass hut is 草堂 sōdō, but 堂 dō also is used in Buddhist words to refer to sacred buildings. So Ogidō means something like “Silvergrass Temple” – or at the very least, “a place of contemplation that is made of silvergrass.”
Another theory says that the area was
a small 窪地 kubochi basin covered in ogi (silvergrass).
This derivation says the word is simply 荻 ogi (silvergrass) + 窪 kubo (basin). Silvergrass tends to grow in wetlands or near rivers; a basin would do the trick.
- - But let’s go back to the story of the monk carrying the statue of Kannon. That story has been preserved by a small temple that still exists in the area, 光明院 Kōmyōin. The temple claims to be the oldest Buddhist temple in Ogikubo and that they are directly descended from the original thatched hut. Coincidentally, Kōmyōin happens to be located on the high ground above the Zenpukuji River basin. The primary object of worship is a 千手観音 Senju Kannon thousand armed goddess of mercy. The temple claims that the area was named after the thatched hut.
- source : Marky Star -

. ogi 荻 common reed, silvergrass, Miscanthus sacchariflorus .

source : tenki.jp/suppl/yamamoto_komo...

- 慈雲山荻寺光明院 Temple Jiunzan Ogidera Komyo-In
2 Chome-1-3 Kamiogi, Suginami City
- reference source : komyoin.com... -

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- quote -
- - - - - HISTORICAL WALK (Ogikubo)

AMANUMA HACHIMAN SHRINE
Suginami Historical Museum
KYOKAI DORI SHOPPING STREET
THE MEIJI EMPEROR'S GATE

- - - - - OTAGURO PARK 大田黒公園

Otaguro Park is stunning any time of the year, but it’s particularly lovely in autumn. We can’t wait to go back to see the gingko trees lining the entrance to the park, and the dramatic red foliage of the maple trees hanging over the pond. The park is built on the site of the old estate of music critic Otaguro Moto-O 大田黒元雄　Moto Otaguro. His office is open as a museum and there is also a traditional tearoom onsite.
- source : experience-suginami.tokyo... -

. Amanuma district 天沼 "heavenly swamp" .

. Iogi 井荻 Iogi district . - Suginami
The name I-OGI was constructed of the first letters from Igusa and Ogikubo.

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- - - - - H A I K U and S E N R Y U - - - - -

荻窪にゆふべ富士見ゆ飾売
Ogikubo ni yuube Fuji miyu kazari-uri

角川春樹 Kadokawa Haruki

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4/01/2019

REIWA reiwa period

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. nengoo, nengō 年号 Nengo, era name, period name .
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reiwa 令和 Reiwa

于時初春令月氣淑風和梅披鏡前之粉
時は初春の良き月、空気は美しく風も和やかで、
梅は鏡前で装うように白く咲き
蘭薫珮後之香（蘭は身に帯びた香りのように香っている）

令月 a "majestic month"
和 harmony

shoshun no reigetsu ni shite ki yoku kaze yawaragi
ume wa kyoosen no ko o hiraki
ran wa haigo no ko o kaorasu

- quote -
"On a moon-lit night in early spring, the air is fresh and the wind is calm,
the plum flowers are blooming like a beautiful woman
applying white powder in front of the mirror,
and the fragrance of the flowers are like that of robes scented with incense."

It is during the month of good fortune ("rei"), when the air is auspicious, the winds are gentle/harmonious ("wa"),
and the plum flowers blossoming like makeup applied to a beauty resplendent before a mirror, and the orchids adorning themselves in their scent.

The above is not a poem in the Manyo-Shu, but the title of a collection of 16 poems about plum blossoms.

Government announces new era name: 'Reiwa'
'Reiwa' -- tentative spelling -- is a name that will be on the lips of most Japanese today and it will be for years to come.
It's the name the Japanese government selected for the new era, which is set to start when Crown Prince Naruhito becomes the new Emperor on May 1.
The announcement was highly anticipated here because it will define the years ahead, as well as play a daily role in people's lives.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga revealed the name saying, " The new era name is 'Reiwa'," and how it's written in Kanji characters.
Those letters come from Manyoshu, the oldest existing anthology of Japanese poetry.
The Cabinet chose the name from a list of proposals made by experts. The government is refraining from disclosing their identities of the experts.
Emperor Akihito is set to abdicate on April 30, which will end the current Heisei era.
The government is announcing the new name in advance, so companies and the general public can prepare for the change.
The era name is used on numerous occasions and official papers, including drivers' licenses, health insurance cards, and calendars.
- reference source : NHK world news -

- quote -
... TV commentators struggled to offer a direct translation, but the two characters, taken from Man’yoshu, the oldest existing anthology of Japanese poetry, mean “decree” and “peace.” It is unusual for a gengo to be taken from a Japanese, rather than Chinese, work of classical literature.
Earlier,
the prime minister, Shinzo Abe, told reporters he believed the process would produce a new era name that
“would lead to a new era brimming with hope”.
- source : theguardian.com... -

- quote -
The Reiwa period (Japanese: 令和時代 Reiwa jidai)
will be the next era of Japan. The period is expected to start on 1 May 2019, the day when Emperor Akihito's son, Naruhito, will ascend to the throne as the 126th Emperor.
Emperor Akihito is expected to abdicate the Chrysanthemum Throne on 30 April 2019, marking the end of Heisei period.
Thus, 2019 corresponds to Heisei 31 until 30 April, and Reiwa 1 (令和元年 Reiwa gannen, "first year of Reiwa") from 1 May.
It is the first Japanese era name of which the characters were taken from Japanese classical literature instead of Chinese literature
..... the name marks the 248th era name designated in Japanese history. While the "wa" character 和 has been used in 19 previous era names, the "rei" character 令 has never appeared before.
- source : wikipedia -

- quote -
令和（れいわ）は日本の元号の一つ。平成の次の元号で日本最初の元号とされる大化以降248番目の元号。
平成は今上天皇の退位により2019年（平成31年）4月30日をもって終了し、皇太子徳仁親王が即位する2019年5月1日から令和元年となる予定。
日本の憲政史上では初の退位に伴う皇位継承による改元となる。
- reference source : wikipedia -

- April 02

- quote -
Five other era name candidates identified
NHK has learned the five proposed names that were not selected to represent Japan's next Imperial era.
The government announced on Monday that the next era, set to begin on May 1 when Crown Prince Naruhito ascends to the throne, will be known as "Reiwa."

Sources say "英弘　Eiko," "久化　Kyuka," "広至　Koshi," "万和　Banna," and "万保　Banpo" were also considered.

The government selected the six candidates from expert submissions. After discussing them with a special panel and the heads of both houses of the Diet on Monday, the government decided on "Reiwa" at a Cabinet meeting.
The six candidates were selected because the characters were easy to read and write, a criteria considered in Imperial era names.
"Eiko" was sourced from classical Japanese literature, while "Koshi" was derived from both Japanese and Chinese classics. They are "The Chronicles of Japan" and "The Classic of Poetry" from "The Four Books and Five Classics," a collection that contains the basic teachings of Confucius.
Chinese classics are included in the sources for "Kyuka," "Banna" and "Banpo."

The government says it will not disclose the name of the person who proposed "Reiwa," but it is believed to be Japanese literary scholar Susumu Nakanishi.
He specializes in "Manyoshu," the oldest existing anthology of Japanese poetry and source of the selected name.
Nakanishi is a Professor Emeritus at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies.
- reference source : NHK news-

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- quote -
新元号「令和」を読み解く　二文字が持つ意味は？
平成に代わる5月からの新元号が1日、「令和」に決まった。出典は日本最古の歌集「万葉集」から。「
令」は元号に使われるのは初めて、「和」は20回目となる。新時代を象徴することになる2文字。どのような意味があり、願いが込められているのか、専門家に話を聞きながら読み解いた。
..... 川本名誉教授は「これまでの元号の出典はいずれも「四書五経」などの難しい散文ばかりだった。日本人の親しみやすさを考えれば、漢語で書かれた詩書にも出典の範囲を広げるべきだ」と話している。
- reference source : nikkei.com/article... -

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Changing the Calendar
Ross Bender
... the Nara Japan is conspicuous for its peculiar chelonian nengō :
Reiki 霊亀 (715– 717), Jinki 神亀 (724–729), and Hōki 宝亀 (770–781) — all inspired by the appearance of sacred tortoises.
The Tenpyō 天平 era name was inspired by characters engraved on the carapace of an unusual tortoise.
Both the Keiun 慶雲 (704–708) and Jingo Keiun 神護景雲 (767–770) eras acquired their names from the awesome manifestation of unusually colored clouds.
In the case of the change from Tenpyō Shōhō 天平勝宝 (749–756) to Tenpyō Hōji 天平宝字 (757–765) during the reign of Kōken Tennō, the auspicious event was a fantastic oracle woven on the cocoon of a silkworm—sixteen “jeweled characters” interpreted by court officials as prophesying long life for the empress and peace in the realm after the tumultuous events of the Naramaro conspiracy.
But Shoku Nihongi describes not only this pivotal miraculous omen, it also records a number of imperial edicts highlighting the political theology of the court. The content of these edicts evidences the various theological strands— native, Buddhist, and Confucian—woven into the intellectual tapestry of the emerging ideology of the Nara state as the court weighed the significance of the intervention of the gods into human affairs and continued to articulate theories of divine legitimation for imperial power.
- source : Japanese Journal of Religious Studies -

The Three Palace Sanctuaries (宮中三殿 Kyūchū sanden) are a group of structures in the precincts of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan. They are used in imperial religious ceremonies, including weddings and enthronements.

• Kashiko-dokoro (賢所) – the central shrine, enshrining a replica of the mirror Yata no Kagami, representing the mythological ancestress of the Imperial Family, Amaterasu. (For the enthronements in Kyoto of Emperor Taishō in 1915 and of Emperor Shōwa in 1928, the mirror was transported by special rolling stock known as the Kashiko-dokoro Jōgyosha (賢所乗御車) from the name of this sanctuary.) The Yasakani no magatama or Sacred Jewel, one of the Imperial Regalia of Japan, is also said to be housed in the Kashiko-dokoro.
• Kōrei-den (皇霊殿) – the Ancestral Spirits Sanctuary, enshrining the departed spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death.
• Shin-den (神殿) – the Sanctuary of the Kami, enshrining the Amatsukami (天津神) from Takamagahara and the Kunitsukami (国津神) from Japanese mythology.

the "Ama-tsu-kami" and "Kuni-tsu-kami" that in combination make up the "Yaoyorozu no kami" or countless/myrade deities) in a broad and general way, but it also and more specifically houses the so-called "Hasshin 八神" or eight guardian deities of the emperor, which are:
Kami-musubi no kami 神産日神, Taka-mimusubi no kami 高御産日神, Tamatsume-musubi no kami 玉積産日神, Iku-musubi no kami 生産日神, Taru-musubi no kami 足産日神, Ômiya-no-me no kami 大宮売神, Miketsu no kami 御食津神, and Kotoshiro-nushi no kami 事代主神.
Traditionally, the deities of heaven and earth had been placed under the care of the Yoshida family while the emperor’s eight guardian deities were under the custody of the Shirakawa family (worshiped at Jingikan's Hasshin-den 八神殿).
From 1872 onward, they were worshiped together at this new shrine within the imperial court.

- source : PMJS: Listserve -

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April 07, 2019

More articles about the translation of REIWA appear here and there.
The most precise seems to be

"Rule Japan".

- quote Michael Kanke
Not too late to choose a new era name
Like many others, I awaited with excitement the unveiling of Japan’s new era name on April 1. Sadly, upon learning the new name (Reiwa), I was shocked and deeply disappointed. While kanji can have diverse meanings, to me the first character is strongly associated with the meaning “rule; command,” which seems too intimidating to belong in an era name. In fact, that character hasn’t been used once in any of the 247 preceding era names.
Looking into the cited source,
I was surprised yet again. The characters were reported to come from “Manyoshu,” Japan’s oldest surviving poetry collection. While I was happy to see that Japan was, apparently for the first time, using one of its own ancient documents to compose an era name, upon researching the specific passage cited as the source, I discovered that, curiously, it is not a poem. Rather, it is the prefatory text that precedes a collection of 32 poems composed during a plum-blossom viewing banquet. This text describes the site of the banquet, and the conditions under which the banquet guests composed their poems.
A poetry collection was used as the source, but not any of the thousands of poems within it?
Furthermore,
the two characters chosen from that passage do not have the same degree of balance and relationship with each other as did, say, those chosen to form the previous era name: Heisei.
These factors make this name choice highly suspect. Taken together, they give the impression that the desired era name was chosen first, and then a passage was found to provide a justification for the choice. Furthermore, as the second character is sometimes used to represent “Japan,” this name allows for an alternate, menacing interpretation: “Rule Japan.”
For recent eras,
the new name was not announced until the time of enthronement of a new emperor. As that event is still a few weeks away, it is certainly not too late to change the name. I strongly urge the Japanese people to understand how this choice was made, and to question its validity. There is still time to replace this flawed era name before it takes effect.
MICHAEL KANKE
- source : Japan Times April 05 -

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3/24/2019

Ohanajaya Katsushika

. chaya, -jaya 茶屋 tea shop, tea stall, tea house .

In former times there was a tea stall called "O-Hana Chaya" Flower Tea Stall in this area.
Once 徳川八代将軍吉宗 Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune was takagari 鷹狩り hunting with falcons in the area. Suddenly he became a stomach pain and the daughter of the local tea stall named O-Hana cared for him in a very kind way. To show his gratitude he granted the tea shop the name.
お花茶屋 Ohanajaya can also be translated as "Tea stall of the girl O-Hana".

よ】吉宗の病治したお花さん Yoshimune no yamai naoshita O-Hana san
Hanafuda flower trump card for the letter よ YO - Yoshimune.

. takagari 鷹狩 hunting with hawks and falcons .

- quote -
The area was located on the Hikifunegawa 曳舟川 Hikifune River which was also known as the Kasai Yōsui 葛西用水 the Kasai Waterway or Kasai Kanal which flowed from present day Katsushika Ward to present day Sumida Ward. In fact, its terminus in Sumida is where present day Hikufune is located. In the early years of the Edo Period, it was a 上水 jōsui a drinking water supply; however it soon was demoted to a common waterway for small boats. Apparently it was a quite scenic spot, as it is depicted in many surviving works of art.
The river was filled in during the preparations for the Tōkyō Olympics in 1964 and subsequent development has completely obscured the river’s original path.
- source : Marky Star japanthis -

四ツ木通用水引きふね Towboats on Yotsugidori Canal
歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige

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- - - - - Parks in the Katsushika district

- CLICK for more photos !
お花茶屋公園 Ohanajaya Park
1 Chome-22-１ Ohanajaya, Katsushika

上千葉南公園 / かみちばみなみ Uechibaminami Park / Kamichibaminami
3 Chome-1-３ Ohanajaya, Katsushika

- more famous is the 上千葉砂原公園 Kamichiba Sunahara Park
1 Chome-27-1 Nishi-Kameari, Katsushika

お花茶屋児童遊園 Ohanajaya Jido Children's Park
It was closed in May 2011.

曳舟川親水公園 Hikifunegawa Water Park
2 Chome-1-1 Shiratori, Katsushika

. Yotsugi 四つ木 Yotsugi district (Four Trees) .

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Ohanajaya furusato matsuri お花茶屋ふるさと祭り Hometown festival

This festival has a history of about 50 years. It was supposed to interest people who do not live in the countryside any more.
People remember the good old times when boats were towed along the river Hikifunegawa.

- source and more photos : yorimichi.club...-

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3/22/2019

Hayamiya Hikarigaoka Nerima

Along the river 石神井川 Shakujiigawa at its border,
there are now many cherry trees planted in honor of the birth of the present Emperor of Japan.

source : tokyozappa.exblog.jp...

The name is a connection of two words
早 from 早淵 Hayabuchi (a very old name of this area)
宮 from 宮ヶ谷戸 Miyagayato

The district used to be a part of 仲町 Nakamachi (Nakacho).

In 1965 the name was introduced after a vote of the inhabitants.

source : proud-web.jp/house/nerimahayamiya... 野村不動産 ...

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Hikarigaoka 光が丘 / 光ヶ丘 Hikarigaoka district - "shining hill"
Nerima, Hikarigaoka, 一丁目 - 七丁目 first to seventh sub-district

This is also part of the former Japanese army grounds, with a factory for making war planes.
In 1969 the American army left the area and it was called a district of 緑と太陽 "greenery and sunshine", later changed to Hikarigaoka.
Now it is basically a residential area.

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Hikarigaoka Kōen 光が丘公園 Hikarigaoka Park
It is the largest park in Nerima ward.
Hikarigaoka Municipal Park

3 chome Akatsuka-Shin-machi, Itabashi-ku/2 and 4 chome Hikarigaoka, Nerima-ku/2 chome Asahi-cho, Nerima-ku, Tokyo
- quote -
This former military housing complex and airfield in northern Tokyo is now a sprawling park full of wide-open spaces and tree-lined paths. Spend time among the 17,000 trees and thousands of blooming plants. If you drop by during spring, its 1,000 cherry trees and spacious fields make it a great place for cherry blossom picnic parties and its paths are perfect for admiring the brilliant fall colors.
There is also a library.
Other facilities include fields for various sports, a daytime camping field, a barbecue area, a bird sanctuary, an archery range, a pond, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and play areas for kids.
- source : gotokyo.org/en... -

- CLICK for more photos !

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3/20/2019

Takenotsuka Toneri Adachi

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Famous Places and Power spots of Edo　江戸の名所 .
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Takenotsuka, Takenozuka 竹の塚 / 竹ノ塚 Takenotsuka district
Adachi, タケノツカ / 竹の塚一丁目 - 七丁目 first to seventh sub-district
- - - 西竹の塚 Nishi-Takenotsuka, 一丁目, 二丁目 first and second sub-district

The name refers to a kofun 古墳 burial mound.
There have been quite a lot of Kofun (塚 tsuka) found in this elevated area, originally spelled
takai tsuka 高い塚 high mound.
take 竹 means bamboo.

In 1062 源頼義 Miyamoto no Yoriyoshi and his son 義家 Yoshiie on their way to fight 奥州反乱 the rebellion in Northern Japan came here and put their shirahata 白旗 white flag in the ground, praying for victory.

Near Takenotsuka eki 竹ノ塚駅 station is
Shirahatazuka shiseki kooen 白旗塚史跡公園 Shirahatatsuka Shiseki Park
3 Chome-10-１４ Higashiiko, Adachi / 足立区東伊興3-10-14

Shirahatazukashiseki / Shirahatazuka Historical Site / White Flag Mound

This mound is the only one left from the group of Kofun in Higashi-Iko 東伊興古墳群.

- quote -
This park is known for its ancient burial mound, 12meters long and 2.5meters high, which was built in the fifth to sixth century, and the Shirohata shrine surrounded by a moat.
- source : ... shirahatazuka-historical-sites-park -

. kofun 古墳 burial mounds in Tokyo .

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Toneri 舎人（とねり）Toneri district
Adachi, 舎人一丁目 - 六丁目 from first to sixth sub-district

Toneri was the name of a group of 古代宮廷に仕え...下級役人 low-level government officials of the court.
The most famous "Toneri" who might be implied here are
土豪舎人氏由来説 Togo Toneri
舎人親王由来説 Toneri Shinno (Prince Shinno) - 舎人親王 Toneri shinnō (676 – 735)
- Toneri Shinno - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

アイヌ語由来説 the name refering to the Ainu language:
In the Ainu language, トネ・イリ tone iri means a flat land where stones are lying around.

When Ota Dokan built Edo castle he had a smaller castle built in the area, 舎人城郭 Toneri Jokaku. This is now 足立区舎人公園 the Toneri Park in Adachi.

The former 舎人町 Tonericho town was founded in 1875 and included
入谷 Iriya, 古千谷Kojiya and 鳩ヶ谷 Hatogaya.

The area became famous when the train line 日暮里・舎人ライナー , Nippori-Toneri Liner passed here in 2008.
It is an automated guideway transit system between Nippori Station in Arakawa and Minumadai-Shinsuikōen Station in Adachi,

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Toneri Kooen 舎人公園 Toneri Koen park
It is the third biggest park in the 23 special wards of Tokyo.
It was opened in 1981 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Hirohito's rise to power.
Toneri Park has tennis courts, water areas, and a bird sanctuary.
- wikipedia -

source : tokyo-park.or.jp...

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Minumadai Shinsui Kooen 見沼代親水公園 Minumadai Water Park