Tuesday, October 2, 2001 (click to see all posts from this day)
|
Preliminaries
How could two days be more different? Yesterday the weather was miserable: either it was cold and raining, or hot and steamy. Today we had blue skies, mild temperatures, and a strong wind. Yesterday I was wet all day; today I was dry (inside and out--the wind was desiccating). Yesterday my hat protected me from the rain; today I couldn't keep it on! (I actually got a little sunburn on my head.)
Yet it wasn't a perfect day. Although I set out early, I didn't cover much ground (for reasons described below). My website still isn't accepting new material as of tonight. And I'm undergoing equipment failure.
Yesterday I mentioned the omamori (charm) that fell apart. Also yesterday, I wore through the rubber tip on my walking stick, and was fraying the end of the stick by pounding it on the ground. And today, one of the seams on a backpack strap let loose, so I had to tie the two halves of the strap together. Geez, I hope my clothes hold up!
Narumi, Station #40 on the Old Tokaido
I didn't realize that at the time, though. I was impressed enough by the buildings to shoot them, but I guess I thought there would be more in Narumi proper. So I missed a chance to duplicate a Hiroshige print with me in it.
It wasn't until tonight that I read that the dyeing technique is called Narumi Arimatsu Shibori. If I had realized that, I may have put one and one together and done my official shot in Arimatsu!
Hiroshige's Tokaido: Narumi, Station #40 on the Old Tokaido
 Well, here they are: two dye-shops in the style I saw today. The area was--and is--famous for a kind of tie-dyed cloth. Reminds me of the '60s. I actually had a chance to do some tie-dyeing, Japanese style, at a crafts village in Shizuoka with my friends the Maruyamas last year. |
I had a little help with my prayers today. An old, blind dog was tied up next to the porch of the hondo (main hall). He started barking when I approached, and sang along through my prayers. I had even gone over and petted him, but he still kept it up. I guess he's religious.
I'm standing on a bridge leading into Kasadera Kannon, one of the most beautiful temples I've seen on this trip. You know, I take things as they come. But if there were a way to see ahead, I would have said my prayers here, and done the official shot back in Narumi!
This temple felt very familiar to me. Over the past few years, I have completed three pilgrimage circuits which, together, constitute the Nihon Hyaku Kannon--the 100 temples sacred to Kannon in Japan. Thirty-three of these are located in the Kansai area; this temple felt very much like one of those. (Next year, after my Aki Meguri, I will be building information on the Nihon Hyaku Kannon into this site. Stay tuned.)
Kasadera Kannon was so good, in fact, that I've given it a Words and Pictures page.
Miya (Nagoya), Station #41 on the Old Tokaido
I'm standing by the monument for the Shichiriwatashi, the "Seven Ri Ferry." Now, you know what a ri is from all those ichirizukas I've written about. One ri is about four kilometers. Shichi means "seven" so this is a 28 kilometer ferry. It goes from Miya to the next station, Kuwana.
Before I started this trip, I checked with some friends to see if it were still possible to take the boat here. (Thanks, Jun!) It wasn't. So I got my hopes up a bit today when I saw a modern boat dock near the old pier. Alas, it goes from here to here. A round-trip sight-seeing boat only. So I'll have to take a train to Kuwana.
The original light was built in 1625. This replica is the same age as me: we both date back to 1955.
As I walked toward the ferry, I walked past Hoshoin, a nearby temple. A sign said that this temple was responsible for lighting the "night light" at the ferry from 1654 to 1891. An interesting junction of church and state. (But perhaps "lighting a light in the darkness"--and saving lives as a result--is a religious function after all?)
Hiroshige's Tokaido: Miya (Nagoya), Station #41 on the Old Tokaido
 This print shows a horse driving festival at... |
But this isn't any old shrine. This shrine is said to own one of the three Imperial regalia: a sword bestowed by Amaterasu-Omikami, the Sun Goddess--and ancestress of Japan's first emperor. ("Atsuta" is another name for her.)
The sword, called Kusanagi ("Grass-Cutter"), was given by Amaterasu to her grandson Ninigi when he descended to earth to rule Japan. (His great-grandson, Jimmu, was allegedly the first "historical," human emperor--but he is now also believed to be mythical. Yet February 11th, Japan's "Foundation Day," was chosen as such because it was believed to be his birthday.)
This sword was found in the body of an eight-headed dragon slain by Susano-o, the god of storms, and presented by him to Amaterasu. Later, it was used by Prince Yamato Takeru. When attacking Ainu warriors set fire to the grass around the Prince, he used the sword to cut down the grass. Hence the name ""Grass-Cutter."
The other two treasures were a mirror and a jeweled necklace. (The mirror is said to be at the Grand Shrine of Ise--also dedicated to Amaterasu--but I can't find a location for the necklace. UPDATE 2019: It's said to be in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo) The Encyclopedia Britannica [2019: and now, Wikipedia] reports that the sword symbolizes courage; the jewelry, benevolence; and the mirror, purity. These were all given to Ninigi to help him be the ideal ruler.
For all this, the shrine is a pretty typical large shrine, with tree-lined pathways, various smaller buildings, some grand old patriarchal trees encircled by straw ropes, ponds and chickens, etc.
Now, yesterday I ended by saying that I was going to "take the ferry" today. But I got back to the station near Atsuta Jingu after 3:00. Given a nearly 1-hour train ride each way, I would have spent two hours on trains to get in a little over one hour of walking. This seemed silly. So I called off the quest early, hence my dismal progress.
I headed into Nagoya station, got some early dinner, and returned to the hostel. I'll get to bed early tonight, and (hopefully) get a real early start tomorrow. We'll see.
| ← Previous Day | Back to Old Tokaido Guide | Next Day → |
Posted October 4, 2019
No comments:
Post a Comment