I think the Stormtrooper has better rhythm than Darth.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Questions for PASD Junior Ambassadors
What do you want to see while we're in KYOTO?
Please leave a comment with the top two sites you REALLY want to see in Kyoto. To refresh your memory on each site, refer to the archives. In your comment, be sure to say if your SMS or PAHS; your name isn't necessary (especially your last name).
1. Gion
2. Sanjusangen-do
3. Pontocho Alley
4. Yasaka Shrine
5. Nanzen-ji
6. Ginkaku-ji
7. Kinkaku-ji
8. Ryoan-ji
9. Rushimi
10. Kiyomizu dera
Please leave a comment with the top two sites you REALLY want to see in Kyoto. To refresh your memory on each site, refer to the archives. In your comment, be sure to say if your SMS or PAHS; your name isn't necessary (especially your last name).
1. Gion
2. Sanjusangen-do
3. Pontocho Alley
4. Yasaka Shrine
5. Nanzen-ji
6. Ginkaku-ji
7. Kinkaku-ji
8. Ryoan-ji
9. Rushimi
10. Kiyomizu dera
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Itsukushima
Itsukushima (厳島) is an island in the Inland Sea of Japan. It is popularly known as Miyajima (宮島), the Shrine Island. Itsukushima is part of the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture. The island was the town of Miyajima prior to the 2005 merger with Hatsukaichi.
Itsukushima is famous for the Itsukushima Shrine. According to records, the shrine was established in the time of Empress Suiko. The warrior-courtier Taira no Kiyomori gave the shrine its present form. In 1555, Mori Motonari defeated Sue Harukata at the Battle of Miyajima. Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a large building, the Senjō-kaku, on a hill above the shrine.
The island of Itsukushima, including the waters around it (part of Seto Inland Sea), and are within Setonaikai National Park.
Itsukushima Shrine (厳島神社) is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima. The Japanese government has designated several buildings and possessions as national treasures.
The shrine dates back to the 6th century, and has been in its present form since 1168 when funds were provided by the warlord Taira no Kiyomori. The shrine's construction, consisting of pier-like structures built over the bay, is due to the holy status that the island once commanded. Commoners were historically not allowed to set foot on the island, and had to approach by boat, entering through the gate that appears to float. Beside the shrine is a noh stage.
Retaining the purity of the shrine is so important that since 1878, no deaths or births were permitted at the shrine. To this day, burials on the island are still forbidden.On September 5, 2004, the shrine was severely damaged by Typhoon Songda. The boardwalks and roof were partially destroyed, leading to its temporary closure.
The dramatic gate (torii) of Itsukushima Shrine is one of Japan's most popular tourist attraction, and the view of the gate in front of the island's Mount Misen is classified as one of the Three Views of Japan (along with the sand bar Amanohashidate, and Matsushima Bay). The gate has existed since 1168, though the current gate dates back to 1875. The gate, built of camphor wood, is about 16 metres high and was built in a four-legged style to provide additional stability.
The Three Views of Japan (日本三景, Nihon sankei) is the canonical list of Japan's most famous sights, somewhat akin to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The list is usually attributed to scholar Hayashi Razan, who first listed them in 1643. The Three Views are: #1 Matsushima Bay, Miyagi Prefecture; #2 Amanohashidate, Kyoto Prefecture; and #3 Itsukushima, Hiroshima Prefecture.
The gate only appears to be floating at high tide; when the tide is low, the gate is surrounded by mud and can be accessed on foot from the island. It is common practice for visitors to place coins in the cracks of the legs of the gate and make a wish. Gathering shellfish near the gate is also popular at low tide. At night, powerful lights on the shore illuminate the gate.
Itsukushima is mountainous and sparsely settled. It does have an elementary school and a middle school. There are no traffic signals.
Frequent ferry services, operated by JR West (JR Miyajima ferry) and by Miyajima Matsudai Tourist Ship, carry traffic between the island and the mainland. The trip takes about ten minutes. There is an hourly express passenger ferry to Hiroshima harbour.
Miyajima's maple trees are renowned throughout Japan, and blanket the island in crimson in the autumn. Momiji manju, pastries filled with azuki jam or custard, are popular souvenirs, and carry maple-leaf emblems. Many other varieties such as chocolate and cheese are also available. Because the island is sacred, trees may not be cut for lumber. Deer and monkeys roam freely. Deer are considered sacred in the native Shinto religion because they are considered messengers of the gods.
A style of wooden spoon used to serve cooked rice, without impairing the taste, is said to have been invented by a monk who lived on the island. This style of spoon is a popular souvenir and there are some outsized examples around the shopping district.
The peak of Mount Misen, at 535 m, is the highest point on the island. Miyajima Ropeway carries visitors to within a 30-minute hike to the top. There are several sites related to the historical Buddhist priest Kobo Daishi near the top. The island also contains the Miyajima Natural Botanical Garden.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (広島平和記念公園) is a large park in the center of Hiroshima. It is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack (August 6, 1945), which led to the death of as many as 140,000 people by the end of 1945.
There are a variety of monuments and buildings in the park, each dedicated to a different aspect of the bombing.
The location of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was once the city’s busiest downtown commercial and residential district. The park was built on open field that was created by the explosion. Today there are a number of memorials and monuments, museums, and lecture halls which draw over a million visitors annually. The annual 6 August Peace Memorial Ceremony, which is sponsored by the city of Hiroshima, is, also, held in the park. The purpose of the Peach Memorial Park and the city Hiroshima not only memorialized atomic victims, but also established the meaning of a memory of nuclear horrors and a world peace.
The A-Bomb Dome is the skeletal ruins of the former Industrial Promotion Hall. It is the building closest to the hypocenter of the nuclear bomb that remained at least partially standing. It was left how it was after the bombing in memory of the casualties. The A-Bomb Dome, which a sense of sacredness and transcendence has been attributed, is situated in a distant ceremonial view that is visible from the Peace Memorial Park’s central cenotaph. It is an officially designated site of memory for the nation’s and humanity’s collectively shared heritage of catastrophe.
Children's Peace Monument is a monyment for peace to commemorate Sadako Sasaki and the thousands of child victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and is located in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The monument was built using monies derived from a fund-raising campaign by Jaanese school children including Sadako's classmates, with the main statue entitled A-bomb Children; the statue was unveiled on the 5th of May, Children's Day in Japan. Sadako is immortalized at the top of the statue, where she holds a crane. Thousands or origami cranes from all over the world are offered around the monument on a daily basis, with ancient Japanse tradition holding that one who folds a thousand cranes can have one wish granted. They serve as a sign that the children who make them and those who visit the statue desire a world without nuclear war, having been tied to the statue by the fact that Sadako died from radion-induced leukemia after folding over a thousand cranes, wishing for world peace. Beneath the main structure lies a bronze crane that works as a wind chime when pushed against a traditional peace bell from which it is suspended, the two pieces having been donated by Nobel Laureate in Physics Hideki Yukawa.
The Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound is a large, grass-covered knoll that contains the ashes of 70,000 unidentified victims of the bomb.
Cenotaph for Korean Victims. Tens of thousands of Koreans are said to have been present in Hiroshima when the attack happened. The monument reads: "Souls of the dead ride to heaven on the backs of turtles." Although Japanese government provided the Korean memorial, its location had been a problem because the memorial stands outside the administrative boundaries of the Peace Park. According to the records, among the 350,000 to 400,000 people who were attacked by the atom bomb or exposed to lethal post-explosion radiation, at least 45,000 were Korean. Approximately 300,000 survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki returned to Korea after liberation with other former colonial subjects. However, only half of survivors are known to live in the Republic of Korea. Many records have vagueness of the Korean dead in their estimates from 5,000 to 50,000 because the racially and ethnically minoritized population has been neglected. The memorial plays an important role as a space of discursive intervention for Japan’s former colonial subjects. The memorial, beautified as it is with Korean national symbols, signifies the victories of Koreans who survived Japanese colonialism, the war, and even the atomic bomb. The Korean memorial concurrently serves as a nationalist icon, embodying the pride and glory of the Republic of Korea.
Memorial Cenotaph. Near the center of the park is a concrete, saddle-shaped monument that covers a Cenotaph holding the names of all of the people killed by the bomb. The Cenotaph carries the epitaph, "Repose ye in Peace, for the error shall not be repeated." Through the monument you can see the Peace Flame and the A-Bomb Dome. Memorial Cenotaph was one of the first memorial monuments built on open field on August 6, 1952. It is built in Shinto style. The arch shape represents a shelter for the souls of the victims.
The Peace Flame is another monument to the victims of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, but it has an additional symbolic purpose. The flame has burned continously since it was lit in 1964, and will remain lit until all nuclear bombs on the planet are destroyed and the planet is free from the threat of nuclear annihilation.
The Peace Bell stands near the memorial to the A-Bomb Children and consists of a large Japanese bell hanging inside a small open-sided structure. Visitors are encouraged to ring the bell for world peace and the loud and melodious tolling of this bell rings out regularly throughout the Peace Park. The inscriptions on the bell are in Greek, Japanese and Sanskrit. It is translated as "Know yourself." The Greek embassy donated the bell to the Peace Park, and pick out the most appropriate ancient Greek philosophical quote of Socrates.
There are a variety of monuments and buildings in the park, each dedicated to a different aspect of the bombing.
The location of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was once the city’s busiest downtown commercial and residential district. The park was built on open field that was created by the explosion. Today there are a number of memorials and monuments, museums, and lecture halls which draw over a million visitors annually. The annual 6 August Peace Memorial Ceremony, which is sponsored by the city of Hiroshima, is, also, held in the park. The purpose of the Peach Memorial Park and the city Hiroshima not only memorialized atomic victims, but also established the meaning of a memory of nuclear horrors and a world peace.
The A-Bomb Dome is the skeletal ruins of the former Industrial Promotion Hall. It is the building closest to the hypocenter of the nuclear bomb that remained at least partially standing. It was left how it was after the bombing in memory of the casualties. The A-Bomb Dome, which a sense of sacredness and transcendence has been attributed, is situated in a distant ceremonial view that is visible from the Peace Memorial Park’s central cenotaph. It is an officially designated site of memory for the nation’s and humanity’s collectively shared heritage of catastrophe.
Children's Peace Monument is a monyment for peace to commemorate Sadako Sasaki and the thousands of child victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and is located in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The monument was built using monies derived from a fund-raising campaign by Jaanese school children including Sadako's classmates, with the main statue entitled A-bomb Children; the statue was unveiled on the 5th of May, Children's Day in Japan. Sadako is immortalized at the top of the statue, where she holds a crane. Thousands or origami cranes from all over the world are offered around the monument on a daily basis, with ancient Japanse tradition holding that one who folds a thousand cranes can have one wish granted. They serve as a sign that the children who make them and those who visit the statue desire a world without nuclear war, having been tied to the statue by the fact that Sadako died from radion-induced leukemia after folding over a thousand cranes, wishing for world peace. Beneath the main structure lies a bronze crane that works as a wind chime when pushed against a traditional peace bell from which it is suspended, the two pieces having been donated by Nobel Laureate in Physics Hideki Yukawa.
The Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound is a large, grass-covered knoll that contains the ashes of 70,000 unidentified victims of the bomb.
Cenotaph for Korean Victims. Tens of thousands of Koreans are said to have been present in Hiroshima when the attack happened. The monument reads: "Souls of the dead ride to heaven on the backs of turtles." Although Japanese government provided the Korean memorial, its location had been a problem because the memorial stands outside the administrative boundaries of the Peace Park. According to the records, among the 350,000 to 400,000 people who were attacked by the atom bomb or exposed to lethal post-explosion radiation, at least 45,000 were Korean. Approximately 300,000 survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki returned to Korea after liberation with other former colonial subjects. However, only half of survivors are known to live in the Republic of Korea. Many records have vagueness of the Korean dead in their estimates from 5,000 to 50,000 because the racially and ethnically minoritized population has been neglected. The memorial plays an important role as a space of discursive intervention for Japan’s former colonial subjects. The memorial, beautified as it is with Korean national symbols, signifies the victories of Koreans who survived Japanese colonialism, the war, and even the atomic bomb. The Korean memorial concurrently serves as a nationalist icon, embodying the pride and glory of the Republic of Korea.
Memorial Cenotaph. Near the center of the park is a concrete, saddle-shaped monument that covers a Cenotaph holding the names of all of the people killed by the bomb. The Cenotaph carries the epitaph, "Repose ye in Peace, for the error shall not be repeated." Through the monument you can see the Peace Flame and the A-Bomb Dome. Memorial Cenotaph was one of the first memorial monuments built on open field on August 6, 1952. It is built in Shinto style. The arch shape represents a shelter for the souls of the victims.
The Peace Flame is another monument to the victims of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, but it has an additional symbolic purpose. The flame has burned continously since it was lit in 1964, and will remain lit until all nuclear bombs on the planet are destroyed and the planet is free from the threat of nuclear annihilation.
The Peace Bell stands near the memorial to the A-Bomb Children and consists of a large Japanese bell hanging inside a small open-sided structure. Visitors are encouraged to ring the bell for world peace and the loud and melodious tolling of this bell rings out regularly throughout the Peace Park. The inscriptions on the bell are in Greek, Japanese and Sanskrit. It is translated as "Know yourself." The Greek embassy donated the bell to the Peace Park, and pick out the most appropriate ancient Greek philosophical quote of Socrates.
The Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall is an effort by the Japanese national government to remember and mourn the sacred sacrifice of the atomic bomb victims. It is also an expression of Japan's desire for genuine and lasting peace. The Hall contains a number of displays. On the roof, near the entrance (the museum is underground) is a clock frozen at 8:15, the time the bomb went off. The museum contains a seminar room, library, temporary exhibition area, and victims' information area. Additionally, one of the more stunning areas is The Hall of Remembrance which contains a a 360 degree panorama of the destroyed Hiroshima recreated using 140,000 tiles - the number of people estimated to have died from the bomb by the end of 1945.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is the primary museum in the park dedicated to educating visitors about the bomb. The Museum has exhibits and information covering the build up to war, the role of Hiroshima in the war up to the bombing, and extensive information on the bombing and its effects, along with substantial memorabilia and pictures from the bombing. The building also offers some marvelous views of the Memorial Cenotaph, Peace Flame, and A-Bomb Dome.
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is the primary museum in the park dedicated to educating visitors about the bomb. The Museum has exhibits and information covering the build up to war, the role of Hiroshima in the war up to the bombing, and extensive information on the bombing and its effects, along with substantial memorabilia and pictures from the bombing. The building also offers some marvelous views of the Memorial Cenotaph, Peace Flame, and A-Bomb Dome.
Sadako Sasaki
Sadako Sasaki (January 7, 1943 -- October 25, 1955) was a Japanese girl who lived near Misasa Bridge in Hiroshima, Japan. She was only two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. At the moment of explosion she was at her home, about 1 mile from ground zero. As she grew up, Sadako was a strong, courageous and athletic girl. In 1954, at age eleven, while training for a big race, she became dizzy and fell to the ground. Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia, the "atom bomb disease".Sadako's best friend told her of an old Japanese legend which said that anyone who folds a thousand origami paper cranes would be granted a wish. Sadako hoped that the gods would grant her a wish to get well so that she could run again. However, it was not just for herself that she wished healing. It is said that what made the girl truly special in her effort was her additional wish to end all such suffering, to bring peace and healing to the victims of the world. She spent fourteen months in the hospital, and she folded over 1,300 paper cranes before dying at the age of twelve. She folded the cranes out of her medicine bottle wrappers and any other paper she could find in hopes of getting better. (A popular version of the story, given in Eleanor Coerr's "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes", is that she fell short of her goal of folding 1,000 cranes, having folded only 644 before her death, and that her friends completed the remaining 356 cranes and buried all 1,000 cranes with her.)After her death, her friends and schoolmates published a collection of letters to raise funds to build a memorial to her and all of the children who died from the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. It was also a popular cause for children and others in Japan. In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was unveiled in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. At the foot of the statue is a plaque which reads, "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world."There is also a statue of her in the Seattle Peace Park. Sadako has become a leading symbol of the impact of a nuclear war. Sadako is a heroine for many young girls.Sadako's story became familiar to many schoolchildren around the world through the novel "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr, first published in 1977. Sadako is also briefly mentioned in "Children of the Ashes", Robert Jungk's historical account of the lives of Hiroshima victims and survivors. Her story continues to inspire millions to hope for lasting peace in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadako_S...
Monday, January 21, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Kiyomizu-dera
Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山 清水寺) in Eastern Kyoto is one of the best known sights of the city. The temple dates back to 798, but the present buildings were constructed in 1633.
The temple takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills. Kiyomizu (清水) literally means pure water, clear water or limpid water is notable for its vast veranda, supported by hundreds of pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city.
Kiyomizu commands an exalted spot on a steep hill in eastern Kyoto. The quaint street leading up to the temple is lined with souvenir shops, restaurants and ryokan (Japanese-style inns).
The main hall of Kiyomizudera is notable for its vast veranda, supported by hundreds of wooden pillars, which juts out over the hillside and offers beautiful views of the city.
Beneath the main hall is the waterfall Otowa-no-taki, where three channels of water drop into a pond. Visitors to the temple collect the water, which is believed to have therapeutic properties, from the waterfall in metal cups or commemorative plastic cups. It is said that drinking the water of the three streams confers health, longevity, and success in studies.
The temple complex contains several other shrines, notably Jishu-jinja, dedicated to Okuninushino-Mikoto, a god of love and "good matches". Jishu-jinja possesses a pair of "love stones" placed 18 metres apart, which lonely visitors attempt to walk between with their eyes closed. Success in reaching the other stone, eyes closed, is taken as a presage that the pilgrim will find love. One can be assisted in the crossing, but this is taken to mean that an intermediary will be needed. The person's romantic interest can assist them as well.
The complex also includes all the fixtures of a popular temple, being one of the most-visited attractions of the city: hawkers offering various talismans, incense, and o-mikuji (paper fortunes ranging from "great fortune" to "great ill") abound. The site is particularly popular during festivals (especially New Year's and o-bon in the summer) when additional booths fill the grounds selling traditional holiday foodstuffs, among other things, and the crowds are immense.
The temple is also a particular haven for students wishing the aid of deities in graduation, and is well known for having trees (and backdrops, etc.) covered with paper wishes tied there by the hopeful.
The popular expression "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" (「清水の舞台から飛び降りる」) is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression "to take the plunge". This refers to an Edo period tradition that held that, if one were to survive jumping from the stage, one's wish would be granted.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社) is the head shrine of Inari, located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto. It is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the god of rice, sake, and prosperity. "Fushimi" is simply the location, added to the name to distinguish it from other Inari shrines. The shrine sits at the base of a mountain also named Inari, and includes trails up the mountain to many smaller shrines.
One of Kyoto's oldest (founded in 711 AD) and most revered Shinto shrines, Fushimi Inari serves as the headquarters for all the 40,000 shrines dedicated to Inari across Japan.
Originally the god of rice, Inari now governs the modern equivalent: success and prosperity in business. Fushimi Inari Shrine draws thousands of businessmen and tradespeople seeking blessings for their enterprises, especially at the first prayers of the New Year. 
One of Kyoto's oldest (founded in 711 AD) and most revered Shinto shrines, Fushimi Inari serves as the headquarters for all the 40,000 shrines dedicated to Inari across Japan.
Originally the god of rice, Inari now governs the modern equivalent: success and prosperity in business. Fushimi Inari Shrine draws thousands of businessmen and tradespeople seeking blessings for their enterprises, especially at the first prayers of the New Year.
Fushimi Inari is noted for its remarkable sight of some 10,000 small torii (shrine gates) that arch over a long path up the hill behind the shrine. It takes about two hours to walk along the whole trail, and there are nice views of Kyoto from the top. Donated and inscribed by businesses and individuals thankful for their prosperity, the long tunnel of torii is one of the most iconic visions of Kyoto.
Along the hiking trail, small restaurants serve Kitsune Udon ("Fox Udon"), a noodle soup topped with pieces of aburaage (fried tofu), a treat favored by foxes. You can also try Inari sushi, which is fried tofu wrapped around sweetened rice (One of my favorite things to eat!).
At the bottom of the hill are the rōmon (楼門, "main gate") and the Go-Honden (御本殿, "main shrine"). Behind them in the middle of the mountain, the Oku miya (奥宮, "inner shrine") is reachable by a path lined with thousands of torii. To the top of the mountain are tens of thousands of tsuka (塚, "mound") for private worship.
Kitsune holding a key in its mouth, at the main gate of the Fushimi Inari shrine.
If possible, visit Furshimi Inari near dusk — you'll be much more likely to wander alone through the tunnels of torii in the quiet woods, which is a magical experience as daylight fades. Foxes are said to be the messengers of Inari, and stern bronze foxes (kitsune) can be seen throughout the shrine. Inari's foxes are generally considered helpful, but they have also been said to bewitch people.
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