SUMMER FESTIVALS
Summer in Japan is known for its festivals, many of which are held during or near the O-bon holiday (a holiday to honor the dead) in either July or August. Some festivals are known nationwide, and some are known only locally. Additionally, festival dates can either be set or vary from year to year. Most festivals generally include religious rituals, carnival games, entertainment, fireworks, karaoke contests and sometimes even sumo competitions. Festivals are also good chances for Japanese people to wear yukata and traditional clothes they would not otherwise use. They are often, but not always, held around temple or shrine areas.
The most popular summer festivals in Japan are the Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo, the Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka and the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, all of which are usually shown on television for people who are not able to attend. The Kanda Matsuri is held in May, and it celebrates the victory of the Tokugawa Shogunate and their ascent to power (in 1600) that brought over 250 years of peace to Japan. It includes a parade of “mikoshi,” portable Shinto shrines carried by large groups of people. The Tenjin Matsuri, held in July (July 24-25 in 2008), has mikoshi as well, but they are floated down the river on boats at night amongst huge bonfires, dancing and singing, with fireworks going off overhead, making for a magnificent spectacle. There is also a land procession during this festival, when thousands of people wearing period clothing parade mikoshi down the streets. This festival is centered around the Tenmangu Shrine and is held in honor of Tenman Tenjin, the god of learning and art. The Gion Matsuri, which lasts through all of July, is held in downtown Kyoto. Even though it lasts all month, the precession of mikoshi in the middle of the month is the highlight of the festival. This festival, over 1000 years old, was originally held to appease the gods and protect the people from natural distasters.
Japanese castles, like their European counterparts, were used to guard important locations and were the central points around which many important economic centers grew. Today, most major cities in Japan, including Tokyo, are former castle towns. Although the castle structures themselves were commonly made of wood, the surrounding walls were often made of large stones. A large number of castles were built during the violent and war-torn Sengoku Period (15th to 17th centuries), but their numbers were reduced and their architecture was modified during the more peaceful Edo Period (17th to mid-19th centuries).
The most famous and spectacular castle remaining in Japan is Himeji Castle, which was originally constructed in the 14th century and expanded from a fortress into a great castle over the centuries. The current castle dates back to the early 17th century, and it is one of the few castles to avoid destruction by earthquake, fire or the aerial bombings of World War II. In 1993, Himeji Castle was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Matsue Castle (located near the Sea of Japan in the Chugoku Region) and Kochi Castle (in Southern Shikoku) are two more of the few largely original, wooden castles still in existence (rather than concrete reconstructions, which is most common today). Matsue Castle was built in the 17th century, and it is painted black which adds to its strong, majestic appearance. Kochi castle was also built in the 17th century and underwent renovation in the mid-20th century. It never saw battle, and its original keep is still intact.
Osaka Castle (completed in 1598), at the time one of the most spectacular in Japan, was built when the warlord and famous unifier of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, was in power. Even though it was burnt down during the fire bombings of World War II, its impressive stone walls (which don’t use mortar but are held together only by the weight of the stones themselves) and a few other structures still remain for the most part intact. The current incarnation of this fortress was built in the 1928 and refurbished in the 1990s, and it is still an important symbol of Osaka City and a popular tourist attraction.
Japanese Guest Houses offers traditional Japanese lodging places in many castle towns in Japan. Here are a few suggested destinations:
Himeji: http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/himeji/index.htm
Matsue (Shimane Prefecture): http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/shimane/index.htm
Kochi (Shikoku): http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/shikoku/index.htm
Osaka: http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/osaka/index.htm
Tokyo: http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/tokyo/index.htm
Kumamoto: http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/kumamoto/index.htm
Hiroshima: http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/hiroshima/index.htm
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS: HIMEJI
The city of Himeji is located to the west of Osaka and Kobe, in Hyogo Prefecture, near the Seto Inland Sea. The most famous site in Himeji is Himeji Castle, also known as Shirasagi-jo (White Heron Castle) because of its resemblance to a heron in flight and its brilliant white color. This castle is one of the few old castles to remain today, and its awe-inspiring appearance and ingenious architecture make it a joy to explore.
The castle grounds are one of the best places to view cherry blossoms in Japan, and when the trees are in full bloom a festival takes place during which women wearing beautiful kimono and koto (traditional Japanese stringed instruments) and taiko drums are played. Visitors like to have picnics and sip sake while enjoying the spring flowers and traditional music.
Another famous site to visit in Himeji is Mount Shosha, home of Engyoji Buddhist Temple which has been made famous as one of the breathtaking settings for the Hollywood film, “The Last Samurai”.
Amanohashidate, the “floating” Torii gate at Miyajima, and Matsushima Bay are considered to be the three most beautiful views in Japan, a country blessed with natural wonders as well as artists skilled in creating architecture that blends seamlessly with the beauty of nature.
Stairway to Heaven
Amanohashidate is located in northern Kyoto Prefecture, near Lake Biwa. It is known as the “Bridge to Heaven” because, when you turn around and look at it between your legs (upside-down), it looks like a bridge extending from earth to the heavens. It is actually a natural sandbar, approximately 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in length covered in pine trees, that stretches across the water, and it can be viewed from the nearby hills.
O-Torii Gate
Miyajima is famous for its “floating” Torii gate (at Itsukushima Shinto shrine), which was constructed in the middle of the water and makes for a magnificent sight when viewed against the backdrop of the bay and Mount Misen. The town itself has preserved its Edo Period architecture, and extreme efforts are made to prevent it from being developed otherwise. Mount Misen offers some pleasant hikes, as well as chances to see wildlife, including wild monkeys and deer. Itsukushima Shrine is an important religious center, and it is protected by the United Nations as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Furthermore, Miyajima is also located conveniently close to Hiroshima City.
Island Paradise
Matsushima is a tiny town in Miyagi Prefecture, and its bay is filled with 260 tiny islands covered in pine trees – in Japanese, “matsu” means pine tree, and “shima” means island(s), hence the name. The poet Matsuo Basho, possibly the most revered Haiku poet in history, made Matsuhima famous in his legendary work, “Oku no Hoshomichi” (translated commonly as “Narrow Road to the Deep North” in English). This collection of poems chronicles his journey through Japan’s beautiful and natural Tohoku Region. Today, many people still visit Matsushima to feel the same inspiration and wonder that Basho felt approximately 320 years ago.
