A detailed view of Korakuen

Korakuen in Okayama City is one of the three top ranked gardens in Japan.

Before posting some shots of the garden, I thought I would show some of the details that attracted my eye. If you like koi, more posts here.

I also posted some shots of lotus blossoms from Korakuen earlier.

I posted a sequence of red umbrellas at Matsuo shrine earlier.

Bentenjima Shrine

The small shrine on Bentenjima (Benten Island) enshrines the female kami/goddess Benten, sometimes known as Benzaiten. Associated with water, and sometimes equated with Ichikishimahime, Benzaiten is the only female among the seven lucky gods of Japan.

Originally the Hindu Goddess Saraswati, introduced into Japan through Buddhist sutras, so one can find both shinto shrines and buddhist temples dedicated to her.

Benten Island itself is actually just a big rock on Inasa beach, and in the Kuniyuzuri myth the rock was thrown here by Takemikazuchi while engaged in a competition of strength with one of Okuninushi's sons.

Nanafushi: Stick Insect

Displaying one of the best examples of the art of camouflage, the Stick Insect, known as nanafushi in Japanese, are usually difficult to spot.

However, when they are crawling up your door they are much easier to see.

There are 18 species of Stick Insect in Japan, and I have no idea which one this is.

Kawamoto Summer Matsuri

On saturday evening we went upriver for the annual summer festival in Kawamoto. One street is blocked off to traffic and a stage erected. Along the street stalls selling food and drink.

The opening event was a rather poor performance of Yosakoi.

Next up was a performance by the local school brass band. Not exactly my cup of tea, but the performance was technically flawless. As it should be considering the amount of practising the poor kids have to do on weekends and during so-called school vacations.

And then some kagura. I noticed that Iwami kagura music now has the same effect upon me as Celtic music or Reggae..... my feet start tapping involuntarily.

Not sure how to describe the next performance. Yoko called it a play.

Next up the local taiko group. I always enjoy Taiko. This group was formed 40 years ago to cheer up the locals who had just suffered a devastating flood.

Thousands of floating candle lanterns were then set off to drift down the river. I would have liked to get closer to get some better shots but the river was fenced off and patrolled by dozens of security guards..... aahh!... safety Japan.

The finale was the obligatory firework display.

Kawamoto is a small town, but it services a large rural area, and the matsuri was well attended.

Inasa Shrine

Inasa Shrine, also known as Hayatama Shrine, is located in a shady cliffside grove on the path to Kofukuji Temple near Inasa Beach.

It enshrines Takemikazuchi, who, according to the Yamato record of events, was one of 2 kami sent down from the high plain of heaven by Amaterasu to arrange the transfer of Japan to her descendants from Okuninushi, a story known as Kuniyuzuri, and which took place a few hundred meters from this site.

Izumo records however make no mention of Takemikazuchi, rather they say that Futsunushi was the sole emissary. Futsunishi is considered the ancestor of the Mononobe clan, and Takemikazuchi is the ancestor of the Nakatomi, later renamed Fujiwara. As the Fujiwara increased their power at the expense of other clans, notably the Mononobe and the Soga, it seems that Takemikazuchi took on attributes and roles formerly held by Futsunushi.

I will write a more detailed post on the Kuniyuzuri myth as soon as I have posted on one more shrine in the area.

53,000 knotted handkerchiefs

Stopped by the Hamada Childrens Art Museum to check out the latest exhibit, owing much to Christo methinks.

The building is covered with 53,000 handerkerchiefs knotted together. Each handkerchief measures 30cms by 30 cms.

Its part of Tsunaide Aato ( Connection Art) a collaboration between 6 Japanese artists.

On Saturday the hankies come down off the building and then the garden and grounds of the museum will be covered in hankies.

It makes for some interesting light inside the building.

Hamada Childrens Museum of Art is located on the hilltop next to the University of Shimane, overlooking downtown Hamada.

Matsue National Government Building

Opened in 2004, this building houses a variety of National govedrnment offices that previously had been scattered across the town. The Immigration Office is here, so I and other foreigners who live in Shimane visit it often.

It was designed by Shin Takamatsu who also designed the Kunibiki Messe building across the road.

The south facing surface of the building has glass louvers to cut down on the airconditioning bills and the roof features a rainfall catchment system.

Other than that it is a fairly ordinary office block.

Teono Shrine

Teono Shrine is situated atop a small hill, Honozan, between Izumo taisha and Inasa Beach. The 2 kami enshrined here are Taokihooi, a god of measuring, and Hikosashiri, a god of carpentry. They are considered to be the ancestors of 2 branches of the Imbe Clan, and in the Kogoshui version of the Iwato myth the 2 were charged with the construction of a "great palace" outside of the cave that Amaterasu was hiding in. Some consider this to be the first kagura den. Most likely this was the shrine for the builders of Izumo Taisha.

Behind the shrine is a sacred tree home to Shirohebi Daijin, I suspect the site of a visit by a white snake, considered particularly portentious.

Next to the shrine is a small park with an observation tower offering views over the surrounding country. The long beach is Nagahama, and according to the Kunibiki myth it is a rope that tethers this peninsular to Mount Sanbe, just visible in the distance.

Much of the land down below would have been water 100 years ago. Lake Shinji has been reduced by over one third and land reclaimed earlier in the twentieth Century. The Hi River once emptied into the sea here but now empties into what is left of lake Shinj. 10,000 years ago this peninsular was an island separated from the mainland.

Downtown Izumo City in the distance. The plastic greenhouses in the forground are for grapes for the Shimane Winery.

Lotus Blossom Viewing

Just got back from a visit to the Korakuen, one of the three top gardens in Japan. Located below Okayama castle in Okayama City, the lotus blossoms were on display for the hordes of photographers.

The lotus blossom is one of the most recognised Buddhist symbols and can be found in much Buddhist art. The pink blossoms represent the historical Buddha.

Lotus root is edible and can be found in Japanese cooking. Known as Renkon, it is good in soup or as tempura.

There was a second pond with white blossoms. In Buddhist symbolism they represent purity.

I find the leaves at least as interesting as the flowers.

Hanging lunch out to dry

A common sight in fishing villages on the Iwami coast is squid hanging up to dry.

I believe Iwami exports a lot of squid to other parts of Japan.

Dried squid jerky is actually a tasty snack with beer. I often take along some when I am hiking.

The squid boats use very bright lights to fool the squid into thinking its a full moon when they rise to the surface to mate.

The lamps are so bright that they can be seen through cloud cover when flying over Shimane at night.

The strangest looking one I ever saw was on one of the Oki Islands. This one had been preserved and was hanging in front of a seafood restaurant.