Just before the world turned upside down, I returned from an incredible adventure that took me to wildlife sanctuaries at different sites around the world. The first stop was Japan where I was able to visit the surprisingly famous Snow Monkeys and enjoy an early viewing of cherry blossoms. The extremes of winter and spring seem fitting for the month of March, and so my first blog in this series begins in Japan.

SNOW MONKEYS are actually the Japanese Macaque, once common throughout the island of Honshu. They received the name ‘snow monkey,’ because this monkey troop lives in areas where snow covers the ground for several months, and they became famous because they are the only monkeys known for bathing in onsens [i.e., natural hot springs].

Snow monkeys populating the Jigokudani Yaen Koan [Snow Monkey Park] are wild and living in their natural habitat, both within and outside the park. Employees entice the monkeys to spend time at the park by feeding them a mixture of raw barley and soybeans three times a day. It’s not enough food for a full diet, but keeps the monkeys at the park.

The other incentive is a hot spring with the water temperature about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. On a cold winter day, steam rises from the water as female monkeys and their young take a dip.

Sogo Hara, an avid hiker, encountered the monkeys at Jigokudani in 1957. Over time he realized that as developers constructed ski resorts, the monkeys were being forced to lower elevations. The monkeys began raiding crops, and the farmers began hunting the monkeys.

The monkeys also discovered the natural onsen outside the Korakukan Jigokudani guesthouse. One story says the monkeys saw people enjoying the hot water, and copied their behavior. The monkeys enjoyed the experience, but business at the guesthouse went down.

Soga Hara realized the only way for a successful human-snow monkey experience was for the monkeys to have their own park and baths. In 1964 Jigokudani Yaen Koan opened. In 1970, Life Magazine featured a snow monkey on its cover, and the snow monkeys became famous.

From Tokyo, reaching Jigokudani Yaen Koan was an expedition. We took a bullet train from Tokyo to Nagano, an hour and a half trip at speeds up to 130 miles per hour. The route was built for the 1998 Winter Olympics. The weather in Tokyo was mild when we left. As we traveled north, the temperature dropped and snow began falling. The train station at Nagano is at the 3000 foot elevation. But we weren’t near the park yet. That required a bus ride to the Kanbayashi Hotel where the trail began. It was cold and snowing.

The almost one mile hike was uphill, muddy, and strenuous. I began to wonder how much I really wanted to see these monkeys, but plodded on. Finally I reached the entrance to the park, and . . . high steps. Having come so far, I grabbed the rail and climbed some more. There was a small visitor center at the top, and a gentle walk on the other side. And there were snow monkeys running, playing, eating, and soaking in the onsen.

Although it was a struggle for me to get to the top of the trail, the experience was worth it. Near the hot spring, I encountered these youngsters enjoying the snow.

Cherry Blossoms

The snow monkeys are famous, but they don’t symbolize Japan. That honor goes to Mt. Fuji, and the cherry blossoms that bloom for two weeks every spring. The flowering begins in the south and moves north to Hokkaido. During the season, the Japanese Meteorological Agency gives a nightly report on the cherry blossom front so friends and family can plan cherry blossom viewing excursions.

The hanami [flower viewing] is an opportunity to enjoy the transient beauty of flowers, particularly sakura [cherry] blossoms and ume [plum] blossoms. Traditionally, viewers drink sake and eat sweets called wagashi, but tea is also an acceptable beverage.

Our group visited Nishihirabataki Park in Matsuda Town, about an hour south of Tokyo by car. Nishihirabataki Park was a local oasis blanketed by cherry blossoms and featuring views of Mt. Fuji. A pathway wound through the cherry trees. Below the trees bright yellow flowers from grape seed rape provided a contrast to the pink blossoms.

Cherry blossom season is an important economic event. In 2019 about 8.5 million tourists visited Japan between March and May, contributing about $6 billion to the Japanese economy.

This year, major cherry blossom festivals in Tokyo are canceled. Ropes mark off the trees, and signs forbid hanami.

It is my fervent hope and prayer that when the cherry trees bloom in 2020, we will once again be able to view the blossoms and marvel at spring’s new beginnings.

“Snowbound” photographed by Co Rentmeester. Life Magazine. Jan. 30, 1970.

Peter Hoskins. “Japan Cherry Blossom Season Wilted by the Coronavirus Pandemic.” BBC News. Mar. 20, 2020.

Snow Monkey Resorts

Juliet Lemon Photography

Travel arrangements by Abercrombie & Kent.

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Matsue Castle is one of 12 original castles in Japan. I, of course, had to visit it. The castle is, more accurately, the castle keep, a structure built for fighting rather than luxurious living. That took place in a palace, now long gone.

Like castles everywhere, Matsue Castle is built at a high elevation. The 28 meter high plateau called Jozan provided sight-lines of the region. From the watchtower, visitors have a 360 degree view which would have been handy in case of attack.

After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Horio Yoshiharu found himself on the winning side with an annual income of 240,000 koku of rice. One koku weighs abvout 330 pounds supported one warrior for a year.

In 1638, the castle passed to the Matsudaira clan led by Matsudaira Narmada, a grandson of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. The family kept the castle for ten generations until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

On the roof, replicas of two shachihokos, mythical creatures with the head of a tiger and body of a fish, protect the castle from fire. The originals are inside the castle.

Visitors have to remove their shoes when they enter the castle, and carry them in plastic bags until they depart. Inside, the castle is empty of furniture. The five floors connect with steep stairs that are slippery in socks.

The Matsue Shinto Shrine is on the castle grounds. Within are the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu and other prominent people.

Somewhat incongruously, there is a house called Kounkaku built by Matsue City in 1903. In 1907 His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Yoshihito stayed at the house during his official visit.

Matsue Castle was designed for efficient, defensive fighting. Yet even here, there are signs that the sense of serenity wasn’t entirely ignored.

Shirakawa-go Village

Shirakawa-go Village is a UNESCO World Heritage site with the designation Ogi-machi Gassho Style Village due to its distinctive grassho architecture. For most of its history, Shirakawa-go was almost completely isolated. Prior to World War II, it was a three day walk to Kanazawa. In winter, the village was generally inaccessible. Times change, however slowly. Electricity went in sometime after 1960, and today there is a highway. But in many ways, life is what it was before. People still grow and preserve food for the winter. For a short time, there was a grocery store, but it went out of business for lack of trade.

From the Edo Period until the early 20^th century, Shirakawa-go based its economy on sericulture for the production of silk, and production of potassium nitrate used to make gunpowder. Today, much of its outside income is from tourism.

Gassho style houses are built from wooden beams that support steeply sloped thatched roofs that meet at a high peak. Sometimes these are called ‘prayer roofs.’ Villagers work together in replacing the thatched roof every 50 years. The structure is built to withstand the weight of snow which can reach 2-3 meters. All the houses face north-south to limit wind resistance and control the amount of sun exposure.

The houses are 2-3 stories with a door on each floor so occupants can leave the house no matter how high the snow.

The large attic spaces on the second and third levels were divided into 2-4 layers to cultivate the silk worms. The roof line has space to provide light and air, and warmth is drawn up from the fire on the first floor. The heat was for the silk worms, not people.

Wada House was built in 1800. When municipalities were formed in 1888, Yaemon Wada became the first mayor. The family fortune came from potassium nitre and silk production.

The family lived on the first level. There was a large hall with a sunken hearth, a living room, a separate room for the Buddhist altar, a guest room, and sleeping rooms. Upstairs, silk worms spun their cocoons in warm comfort.

This is my last blog from my recent trip to Japan. Mahalo for joining me.

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Photos by Author.

Shirakawa Village Official Website

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Although it’s possible to visit Japan without visiting a temple, I think its improbable since shrines can be found everywhere you look.

The Torii Gate, one of the most famous symbols of Japan, is part of the Itsukushima-jinja Shinto shrine on the Island of Miyajima. Approaching by sea at high tide, the gate is an ethereal vista that floats above the sea. In fact, the gate is 16.6 meters tall, weighs 60 tons. 

Behind the Torii Gate, visitors can see Mt. Misen which is 535 meters above sea level. Together, the Torii Gate and Mt. Misen join with the Itsukushima-jinja Shrine as one unit.

Three Munakata sea goddesses preside over the shrine: Ichikishima-hime, Tagitsu-hime, and Tagore-hime. Within the large complex, there is a Noh drama stage, music rooms, halls, and smaller shrines. The shrine and the Torii Gate are painted a vermillian color to keep evil spirits at bay.

The Daiganji Buddhist Temple is located nearby. The temple is an upslope climb, but there are bronze prayer wheels you can turn which kept my mind off the incline. Along the way I saw many small Buddhas, each with a knit cap crocheted by worshippers. I don’t know what the caps represent, but they give the statues a jaunty appearance.

In addition to shrines, temples, shops and wandering deer, visitors, both Japanese and foreign, like to climbing Mt. Misen. I thought the path was strenuous, but people of all ages and fitness levels made their way up. At one time, people believed the only “legitimate” way to climb Mt. Wisen was by foot, but in 1959, the Ropeway Cable Car was built at about the half way point. It takes hikers over the Misen primeval forest, and deposits them at a lookout area from which they can continue the hike to the summit, 535 meters above sea level. Since the day was hazy, I opted to stay at the observation point.

NARA

I joined hundreds (perhaps thousands?) of tourists and school children visiting two ancient temples in Nara, the former capital of Ancient Japan. Horyukji Temple is oldest wooden temple in the world, dating from the 8^th century. Emperor Yomei started building as a prayer for recovery from an illness. He died before its completion, but Empress Suiko and Crown Prince Shotoku completed the work. A bronze image of the Shaka Buddha presides in the Kondo, or Main Hall.

The Goju-no-To [Five Story Pagoda] is the oldest five-story pagoda in Japan and is said to contain a relic from the Buddha.

Nara is also the location of Todaiji Temple which features the largest bronze statue of Buddha in the world. Attached to the temple is a famous deer park. Vendors sell food that the deer will take out of your hand or from your lips.  

Not every temple is a large complex. The Shinowa Tsushima Shinto Shrine in the Tokyo Outer Market at Tsukiji is a shrine for fishermen with a simple ritual for good fortune. Stand in front of the circle. Bow twice. Walk through the circle and clockwise around the circle. Bow once. Walk through the circle and counterclockwise around the circle. I thought I was pretty lucky before I did the ritual, now I may have luck for life.

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Photos by Author

The post Japanese Culture: Buddhist Temples & Shinto Shrines first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

I’ve been traveling again, and today’s blog is the first of a series about my visit to Japan. Japan brings many images to mind, from theserenity of a Zen garden to the frenetic pace of traffic in Tokyo.

I traveled mostly by ship, beginning my journey in Kyoto and continuing up the western coast of Japan as far as Hokkaido. I tend to approach my travels in date order, but this series is by topic. And what better place to start than the cultural experiences that gave me the greatest “wow” factor. All are rooted in traditional arts, and performed in contemporary context.

Taiko Drumming

Japan is well-known for its Taiko Drums and drummers. The phrase Taiko Drum is technically repetitious since taiko means a drum of any kind, though we often think about the term as synchronized drumming performances.

Dockside at Karatsu, I saw my first drummers — students from middle school and high school. Their discipline and enthusiasm resulted in a stellar performance.

The Odaiko no Yakata (Big Drum Museum) in Akita Prefecture houses an entire collection of drums from around the world, but the best exhibit is the Tsuzureko Odaiko (Giant Drum) which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest drum. It is 10.6 feet in diameter, 12.34 feet long, and weighs about 4 tons. Some drummers strike the drum from the floor; others climb a ladder to the top of the drum and lean over to strike the surface. Technically, there is a drum larger than the record holder, with a diameter of 10.8 feet. The drum surface is made from the skin of a single ox, which may limit the final diameter.

These large drums are the result of a 700 year competition between two neighborhoods in Takanosu: Uemachi and Shitamachi. When the competition began, farmers depended completely on rainfall to water their crops. There was an annual festival in which people prayed for rain, and since drums can sound like rolling thunder, the instrument became an important part of the festival. 

Kodo drummers based on Sado Island are among the most famous taiko drummers. The term kodo has two meanings. The first is heartbeat; the second, children of the drum. The 30 minute performance we attended was mesmerizing. Unfortunately no pictures were allowed, but I found this 13 minute clip that gives a small sample.

Miyabiya Super Kabuki

At Kanazawa we were treated to Super Kabuki by Miyabiya. Kabuki is a traditional art form of dance and drama. The actors in Miyabiya give tradition a modern twist with lighting and extravagant drama.

I wasn’t in a good position for photos, but found a clip showing the same story performed for us. The story is about a father lion and his cub. The father disciplines his son by throwing him over the edge of a ravine and waiting for the cub to climb back up. Our performance concluded with a light show, including lights. embedded in the actors’ wigs. If you watch the clip, keep your eye on what happens in front of the stage. Also, at the beginning, the screen goes black. Wait a couple minutes for it to come back.

Bunraku Puppets

Today’s last cultural gem is Bunraku puppetry, traditional Japanese puppet theater, sometimes called ningyo joruri. Its origins are about ten years before kabuki. We attended a performance by Yoyo Kaku. Each puppet has three puppeteers dressed in black. There is one narrator for all the characters, and music is provided by shamisen musicians.

The story we saw is a scene from a popular tragedy: A Young Pilgrim Otsuru. The story is about a samurai’s quest to recover a sword stolen from his master. Jurobi and his wife Oyumi leave their small daughter Otsuru with her grandmother and travel from Awa to Osaka where they join a band of thieves.

Many years later, as Oyumi is packing to move, there is a knock at the door. When Oyumi opens the door, she sees a young girl dressed as a pilgrim. As they talk, the girl reveals she is searching for her parents, and Oyumi realizes the pilgrim is her daughter. She gives Otsuru a silver coin and sends her away.

Spoiler Alert: The end of the story is not a happy one. Jurobi sees the pilgrim girl on the road, and in a struggle to steal her coin, Jurobi kills her.

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Photos by Author

Kodo

Miyabiya

The post Japanese Culture: Taiko, Kabuki, & Bunraku first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.