LET'S VISIT GIFU CASTLE!

LET'S VISIT GIFU CASTLE!

Europe boasts of its medieval castles and advertises them as great places to visit for tourists. Indeed, if we think about trips to Europe, especially the UK, France, and Germany, we are almost certain to include one or two castles in our plans. Castles are part of European history and culture. What many people don’t know, is that just as in Europe, castles are part of Japan’s history and culture as well, and Gifu Prefecture features one of the grandest!

Gifu Castle (岐阜城,) or Gifu-jō is a mountaintop castle (not at all unlike most European castles) located within the city of Gifu and it is one of the main symbols of the city as well as Gifu Prefecture. It was originally built by the Nikaidō clan[i] between 1201 and 1204 AD during the Kamakura Period[ii]. It was originally called Inabayama Castle (稲葉山城) and has undergone many repairs over the course of countless generations, and through those generations, the castle has accumulated a sizeable history as well.

As formidable as it appears and as famous as Gifu Castle is as a symbol of power and strength, it was once taken over by a group of only sixteen men. There is actually one incident in its history when it was in effect taken or captured by just one man! That man, Takenaka Hanbei went to the castle under the pretext of visiting his sick brother, Saitō Tatsuoki. In fact, he actually went there to kill his brother. When Hanbei attacked him, Tatsuoki was shocked, amazed and confused. He actually believed that an enemy army had come to attack him and fled into the night, leaving Hanbei able to lay claim to Gifu Castle with total ease!

Later on, Hanbei actually returned the castle to his brother, but by then Tatsuoki’s reputation had suffered immense damage. When Oda Nobunaga[iii] later attacked the same castle, many of Tatsuoki’s men remembered the previous incident and abandoned their posts, enabling Nobunaga to easily defeat Tatsuoki and claim Gifu Castle for his own. It was actually Nobunaga who renamed the castle “Gifu-jō” in keeping with the example found in Chinese culture, which was often adopted by Japanese culture. He then proceeded to renovate the castle, making it into something far more impressive than it had been. A Catholic Jesuit missionary from Portugal, Luis Frois, was invited to the castle by Nobunaga and in his writings of his time in Japan, had nothing but praise for the beauty of Gifu Castle.

It was in 1600, that the castle played what is perhaps its most important role. The Battle of Gifu Castle served as a prelude to the Battle of Sekigahara, the end of one era (Sengoku) and the beginning of another, the Tokugawa Period. That same year the castle was destroyed and a part of the structure was actually brought to Kanō Castle[iv] in the south to fortify that structure.

Regrettably, the current version of Gifu Castle is a cement structure that was built in the 1950s, the previous castle having been destroyed by fire bombings of Gifu during World War II. Some tourists complain that the interior is sterile and not in keeping with tradition, which may indeed be true, but consider its fate during the war and what resources (material and economic) were available in Japan at the time of its restoration. It is an imposing structure and within the current castle there are three floors with exhibits that represent the castle’s past, with maps, weapons, pictures and other artifacts for visitors to see and thus, recreate for themselves the story of Gifu-jō. On the top floor is an observation deck, which is open to the public and provides a fantastic view of the surrounding area including the Nagara River and Nagoya. At various times during the year the castle is also open to night viewing from the deck – something that should not be missed.

Near the castle, only a short walk (maybe 70 – 80 m) is a small museum and archive that contains even more artifacts from Gifu Castle and admittance to the museum is included in the admission fee to the castle itself. Also contained in the museum, which also contains pictures of castles throughout Japan, on the second floor, is a museum of musical instruments from Japan (historic and contemporary).

Hours of Operation are:

March 16 - May 11 9:30 am - 5:30 pmMay 12 to October 16 8:30 am - 5:30 pm October 17 - March 15 9:30 am - 4:30 pm[Panorama night view]July 14 to August 31 5:30 pm - 10:00 pmSaturdays and Sundays and public holiday on September 1 to October 14 5:30 pm - 9:30 pmOctober 15 to November 30 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Next time, we will visit Gifu Park and take a look around there!


[i] The Nikaidō clan (二階堂氏, ) were Japanese daimyo who ruled over Iwase in Mutsu Province during the Sengoku Period and were descendents of Fujiwara no Muchimaro, the founder of the southern courts of the Fujiwara clan.
[ii] The Kamakura Period (鎌倉時代), 1185 – 1333 AD, was a period of Japanese history marked by the domination of the country by the Kamakura Shogunate, which was official started in 1192 by the first Kamakura Shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo. The period ended in 1333 with the destruction of the Shogun’s government and re-establishment of imperial rule.
[iii] Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長, Oda Nobunaga), June 23, 1534 – June 21, 1582, was a major political and military leader during the Sengoku Period in Japan. He was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy military governor in Owari Province. Nobunaga lived a life of almost continuous military activity, eventually conquering over one-third of Japan’s daimyo and in effect unifying Japan, before his death in 1582.
[iv] Kanō Castle (加納城) was a castle built during the relative peace of the 15th and 16th centuries, but only its ruins remain today in the city of Gifu.

The View from Gifu Castle




How To Get there!

TAJIMI FALL FESTIVAL

TAJIMI FALL FESTIVAL

Right around the beginning of November (this year November 3) is the Tajimi Festival in Gifu Prefecture. This is a celebration of the town’s cultural and historic heritage as well as a celebration of the end of hot summer days. Quite literally, the entire town turns out for this celebration highlighted by a parade through the “downtown” area with marching bands, groups, samurai, bushi, beautiful Heian period ladies, and cute cute anime characters! It really is a lot of fun and sometimes it seems that there are more people taking part in the parade than are watching it! All ages from babies to seniors! It’s a lot of fun and if you are in or near Tajimi in November, please come by and see us and if you want, you can even take part in the fun!

Culture and history are very important to all of us in Gifu Prefecture and in Tajimi, and there are many cultural events all year. One thing that you might find a bit unusual is the high level of community participation in these events. The entire community comes together to take part in the cultural events of the area. November 14 – 16 is the 66th annual Tajimi Art Exhibition and February 17 –22 is the 42nd Literature Fair! Also in March, (29th and 29th) is the Flea Market Fair and anyone can come and sell their handmade arts and crafts! Everyone, as I said, takes part, from preparation, to exhibitions, to even teaching special classes and leading special events.

You might also want to visit these links!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IFxgh6mMc8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U86EFR_bSTg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxtQxzy5TyI

Lately the local Walking Fair has been in progress. Here are some of the events that we have and when you come to visit us, you can take part in!

October 4: Ikeda Museum and Shimo Kaido Street exploration

October 14: Visiting historic spots in Kasahara City

October 22: Watching autumn flowers and colorful autumn leaves around Mt. Kokei

October 25: A walking exploration of the local world of pottery and ceramics

November 5: A nature and history walk around Kasahara City

November 9: A nature walk to appreciate and celebrate autumn around Mt. Miyama

November 15: Enjoying the “slow life” by taking a relaxing, slow-paced nature walk around Mt. Kokie.

Everyone who participates in this Walking Festival is given a card at the beginning of the event and if you can walk even one kilometer, you get a stamp on your card. If you get a stamp for each event through October and November you win a prize and your name is listed in a booklet published by the City of Tajimi!

Also going on at the same time is the annual Japanese Paper Doll Festival!

Right now Tajimi is looking for pupils and teachers for upcoming events such as:

A class to make a personal seal (honko) from an eraser
A class about star gazing
A class to study about the planet Jupiter
A class on making a bamboo spear
A bird watching class
A class on the enjoyment of Yoga for the entire family
A class on cultivating and harvesting sweet potatoes


So as you can see, there are lots to see and do in Tajimi: Autumn, winter, and spring! Why don’t you come and join us in the fun!

SAKURA OR "FIRE TREES"?

Sakura or "Fire Trees"


Not so long ago I happened to mention the term “fire tree” in referring to some of the bright autumn tree colors that are appearing all over both the United States, Canada, and also Japan. One friend asked me which was more beautiful, sakura or “fire trees”. Such an interesting question! One that made me stop and think.

The short answer is “I have absolutely no idea!” For myself, I think I find autumn colors and “fire trees” the most dramatic; also, autumn is my favorite season of the year. I guess the real answer is subjective; that is, it depends on a person’s individual viewpoint.

In a real way, sakura blossoms (as well as ume or plumb) represent the rebirth of things, at the very beginning of spring, and the colors, a new beginning, and in bushido (the samurai philosophical code) it takes on the meaning of the perfection and imperfection of all things and the transience of all things, life especially, because once the blossoms appear, within a very short time, they whither and blow away.

Autumn leaves, especially maple trees, which come in such a wide variety of colors, from deep crimsons, flaming reds, regal golds, and yellows, come at the end of the year, when nature and things are in a sense, “passing away.” The end of a season, the end of life. So each has its own symbolism, and its own beauty. But each also has its own culture as well.

During the Heian Period (794 – 1191), the Japanese nobility sought to follow many traditional practices from China, including the social trend of flower viewing (hanami), where the imperial households, poets, singers, and other scholars, and aristocrats, would gather and celebrate under the blossoms. In Japan, the cherry trees (sakura) were planted and cultivated for their beauty, particularly as ornamentation for the imperial grounds, temples, and such of Kyoto, as early as 794 A.D. if not early. In China, the ume (plum) was held in very high regard along side of apricots and peaches, but in Japan, by the middle of the 9th century, the sakura had replaced all the other blossoms as the “favored species.”

Sakura blossom viewing is so important in Japan, and so looked forward to, that every year the Japanese Meteorological Agency and the public track the sakura zensen or “cherry blossom front” as it moves northward up the chain of the Japanese islands with the approach of warmer weather. Reports on television and radio of the progress of the sakura zensen are frequent and usually follow regular news broadcasts! The blossoming begins in Okinawa, typically in late January, and usually reaches Kyoto and Tokyo at the end of March or the beginning of April. I then proceeds into the areas of higher altitude and also northward, arriving in the far northern island of Hokkaido a few weeks later.

Japanese people pay close attention to these forecasts and turn out in huge numbers at parks, shrines and temples, in the company of both family and friends, to actually hold flower-viewing parties. Hanami festivals celebrating the beauty of the sakura offer many people a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful view. The actual custom of hanami can be traced back many centuries in Japan. Actually the classic Japanese historic writings known as Nihon Shoki, written in the 8th century, reports hanami festivals being held as early as the 3rd century A.D.


Also of interest is that most Japanese schools and public buildings have sakura trees outside of them. Since both the fiscal (business) year and the school year both begin in April, in many parts of the main island of Honshu, the first day of work or school coincides with the sakura season.

Even in the United States, there are many who are “devout” cherry blossom viewers, especially in and around the nations capitol, Washington, D.C., where ornamental cherry trees are in abundance and the short blossoming time is spectacular.

Momijigari (from the Japanese words momiji for “red leaves” or “maple tree” and kari which means “hunting”) is the Japanese tradition of going out to visit scenic areas and viewing the leaves changing color in autumn. Many Japanese take part in this with the cities of Nikko and Kyoto being perhaps the most popular destinations. The tradition is said to have again originated in the Heian era, as a cultural activity and is one of the reasons that so many deciduous trees (those whose leaves change color) can be found in the region of Kyoto.


In the United States, the custom is known as “leaf peeping” in areas where foliage changes color. “Leaf peepers” as they are often called, are those who participate in photographing and/or viewing the often-dramatic autumn leaves. “Leafing” as the custom is also known, is a bit tricky sometimes because in many areas, the leaves are only visible for a very limited number of weeks, with “prime time” often just lasting one to three weeks.


So which is more beautiful? I guess it depends on whom you talk to, when, and where. Go out in the fall, and back out at the end of winter, look around and see what you think!

LET'S VISIT SEKIGAHARA!

Sekigahara

Sekigahara is a rural town on the southwestern edge of Gifu Prefecture with a small population of about 9000 people. The town and surrounding area was the site of the epic Battle of Sekigahara or Sekigahara gassen (関ヶ原合戦) (see below) between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari, the representative of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s son and designated successor, Toyotomi Hideyori. Ieyasu’s victory on 21 October 1600 signified the end of the Sengoku Era and the beginning of the Edo Period in Japanese history, with the feudal Tokugawa shogunate unifying all of Japan and moving the nation’s capitol from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo). As a consequence, the town is filled with ruins, memorials and shrines to the dead, even down to place names such as Kurochigawa (“Black Blood River”), where the Tokugawa forces washed the cut-off heads of those fallen in battle.

A battle monument at the Sekigahara Museum.

The battle as well as the circumstances and intrigue leading up to the battle are fictionalized in the novel (and television serial movie) Shogun by James Clavell, telling of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s rise to fame (under the character’s name of “Toronaga”), through the Battle of Sekigahara and the gruesome death of Ishida (“Ishido” in the novel), who was captured as he ran away from the battlefield and executed by having his head slowly cut off by a wooden saw.

Sekighara Shrine

You can get to Sekigahara on the JR Tokaido Main Line, which passes through Sekigahara on its way between Osaka and Nagoya. The closes Shinkansen (Bullet Train) station is in Maibara. One of two hourly Hikari services from Tokyo stop here and then you can transfer to the Tokaido Line local for the 3-hour trip to Sekigahara.

Battle Re-enactment.

While Sekigahara is of major importance historically to the Japanese (much like the American Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg), and there is a steady flow of Japanese history buffs and school groups, foreign visitors are not common. Among the things to see there are:

• Folk History Museum: Despite the misleading name, the museum concentrates mostly on the Battle of Sekigahara, charting the course of events with informative maps and interactive exhibits.



• Field Camp Ground: Just across the road from the museum is the spot where Tokugawa Ieyasu held a council meeting after the battle and was presented with the heads of the enemy’s leaders. A small shrine marks the spot.



• Memorial posts: These have been set up at most major battle sites but are only in Japanese.

Some of the people visiting the Sekigahara Festival.

A high school Taiko drum group performs .

Another of Sekigahara’s attractions (although non-martial) is the abundance of fireflies in the area. Lake Mishima is home to a particularly famous firefly view spot housing hundreds if not thousands on a good day. In fact, a firefly festival is held here in the early summer.

You can even have Tokugawa's lunch from the day of the battle!

Each year at this time, the town holds a festival and re-enactment of the Battle of Sekigahara, which draws thousands of people from all over Japan. Hundreds of people as well from as far north as Hokkaido and as far south as Kyushu come in costume to participate in the event. There is music, folk dancing and great food as well. If you are so inclined, you can even have the same lunch that Tokugawa Ieyasu or Ishida Mitsunari had on the day of the battle as well as sample the typical food of a samurai soldier. Samurai in full costume, including armor are everywhere and it is an exciting and fun time for everyone. Lots of things for the kids as well, in fact, many kids participate in the official activities!

The kids have a better solution to the battle, at the end, all the enemies become kitties!

One of the kids groups participating in the Sekigahara Festival.

Men and women alike participate in the festivities and re-enactment.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, Honda Tadakatsu and friends.

Ishida Mitsunari and friends go for ice cream!

The Battle of Sekigahara

The Battle of Sekigahara or “The Realm Divide) was a decisive battle fought on October 21, 1600, and the battle was the culmination of the Sekigahara Campaign and saw the defeat of the “Western Army” (geographically, the Southern Army). The battle was fought around a small village called Sekigahara that sat at a major crossroads, in the shadows of Mt. Sasao, Mt. Matsuo, and Mt. Nangu. In actuality, the choice of battlefields was inadvertent. Ishida Mitsunari had hoped to confront the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu somewhere farther east, because Tokugawa’s primary had been Sawayama Castle. Ieyasu’s quick march west forced Mitsunari to offer him a fight that Tokugawa was thus more willing to accept, although the ground ultimately chosen did favor Mitsunari to some degree.

The Western Army troops occupied the high ground around Mt. Nangu and Mt. Matsuo, with Ishida Mitsunari himself positioned somewhat northwest of Sekigahara with Mt. Saso to his side. Ieyasu’s men were deployed along the Nakasendo (a major highway), with the advance guard facing Mitsunari; thus, exposed to an attack on their flanks, particularly by the western troops on Mt. Matsuo. Fortunately for Ieyasu, those men were under the command of Kobayakawa Hideake, who had already decided to betray his western allies.

The actual fighting on a rainy dawn and the outcome at that time was very much in doubt. The advanced Tokugawa units attacked and became heavily engaged with contingents under the command of Ukita Hideie, Otani Yoshitsugo, and Konishi Yukinaga. No true advantage was gained until the defection of Kobayakawa at about noon. Hideaki commanded one of the strongest of the western army forces present, and turned the tide in Tokugawa Ieyasu’s favor. In the meanwhile, the 25,000-plus western forces arrayed on the slopes of Mt. Nangu under the Mori and Chosokabe clans were largely inactive. Kikkawa Tsunie, commanding the front line forces, had himself decide not to fight Ieyasu and it was his lack of mobility that forced those to his rear to do the same.

Ultimately, the western forces began to break and general collapse and disaray followed. By the end of the day’s killing, Ishida Mitsunari’s forces had scattered and as many as 60,000 heads had been taken. Tokugawa's victory was owed in a large part then to Kobayakawa’s defection and the Mori inactivity. Ishida and Konishi Yukinaga were later captured and executed.

LET'S VISIT TAKAYAMA: PART 1

LET'S VISIT TAKAYAMA!

If you like Kyoto, you will love Hida-Takayama (高山市) ! Hida (飛騨) is the northern section of Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan. The name “Hida” comes from the fact that it was formerly part of Hida Province, before the formation of prefectures following the Meiji Restoration. While there are no official borders to the region, it includes the four towns of Takayama, Hida, Gero, and Shirakawa.

Takayama is often referred to as “Hida-Takayama” to differentiate it from Takayama in Gunma Prefecture, and Takayama in Nagano Prefecture. But for our purposes we just refer to it as “Takayama”. There is no place like it!. Takayama means “tall mountain” and because the city is located in what has come to be known as the “Japanese Alps”, as you stand and turn in a circle, that is exactly what you will see – tall mountains. There is a lot of snow in the winter and skiing is great! In fact, sometimes the snow is so heavy that the rail line and main highway are cut off for a day or two. But not to worry – there are lots of warm places to stay (both modern and traditional), lots of things to do, and lots and lots of great food to eat!

The city, actually more like a “city/county” kind of like Los Angeles, consists of Takayama and nine other towns and villages from the former Ono and Yoshiki districts. The city if famous for it’s background in carpentry; indeed, it is said that carpenters from Takayama worked on the Imperial Palace in Kyoto back in the Heian Period as well as temples both in Kyoto and Nara. The town and its culture took shape late in the 16th century and it was in the beginning of the 17th century that the town came under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate. Due however to the high mountains which separate it from other areas of Japan, Takayama remained rather isolated’ thus, allowing it to develop its own culture. The city, in addition to carpentry is noted for its elegant lacquerware, pottery, and furniture. So when you visit Takayama be prepared to shop, shop, shop!

Takayama is known as well for its local food which includes mountain vegetables, wasakana or river fish, beef, soba, delicious ramen, and some great sake! So even if you are here in Takayama in the dead of winter, and the roads are closed, you can warm your body and spirit with great cuisine!

There is so much to see and do that we cannot describe it all here today. One thing you really want to do is to visit the eastern part of the city where there is a walking tour, called the Higashiyama Walking Course higashiyama-hokodo), which goes past many beautiful shrines and temples in Shiroyama Park. There are major festivals each year as well: Sanno Matsuri in the Spring and Hashiman Matsuri in Autumn. These are two of the most popular festivals in all of Japan!

AUTUMN IN TAKAYAMA

AUTUMN IN TAKAYAMA

One of the most beautiful places on earth in Autumn is Takayama, sometimes called Hida-Takayama, which is located in the northeastern corner of Gifu Prefecture. The fall colors as you can see are breathtaking!

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Copyright 2008 by Hayato Tokugawa and East Meets West Fine Arts. All rights reserved.

KOKOKEI STATION

KOKOKEI STATION

These photos were taken from Kokokei station in Gifu prefecture , showing the surrounding landscape, including Amagahashi Bridge (The bridge of the Heavens). In Japanese Kokokei means “old tiger valley/gulch”; but of course, there are not tigers living there. The valley is so named because it closely resembles the area of Mt. Lu[1] in China.

Even in Japan, people tell an old story about Mt. Lu. It seems that once upon a time (all stories should start that way right?) there was a monk named Hui-Yuan[2] who lived on Mt. Lu and had not left the area for over thirty years. One day, his friends Riku Shushei[3] and To Enmei[4] came to see him. It was a great gathering and such a wonderful day for all of the old friends. When it came time for his friends to leave at the end of the day, Hui-Yuan walked with them to the bridge named Kokei to see them off.

Now, Hui-Yuan had made a commitment long ago, never to leave Mt. Lu, and had had never crossed the Kokei bridge, but he was having such a good time talking to his friends, even as he walked with them as they made their way to leave, he paid no attention to where he was. Suddenly he heard the loud roar of a tiger, which brought him reality. In the excitement of seeing his friends off, he had accidentally crossed Kokei and thus had descended from Mt. Lu, breaking his promise never to leave.

Well, that was long ago and far away, yet if you visit the area and leave the train here at Kokokei Station, you will be transported to a world that is very much like what you might see in an old Chinese brush painting or sumi-e; and, after getting off the train and it has left, all you will hear only the sound of the river.

[1] Mt. Lu or Mount Lushan (廬山) is a mountan located south of the city of Jiujiang in Jiangzi Province, near Lake Poyang and it was on its north slope where Hui-Yuin founded the Pure Land Buddhism in 402 A.D.
[2] Huiyuan (慧遠) or Hui-Yuan (334 AD – 416 AD) was a Chinese Buddhist teacher who began studying Zhuangtzi and Laozi at an early age as well as the teachings of Confucius; however, at the age of 21 he was converted to Buddhism by Dao An. Inspired by what he had learned, he left his family a began to teach on his own, later living at Forest Temple, which he founded on Mount Lu. In 404, he organized a group of monks and lay people into a Mahayana sect known as Pure Land Buddhism, the Pure Land being the western paradise of the Buddha Amaitabha.
[3] Riku Shushei was a Taoist scholar.
[4] To En Mei , also known as Tao Qian (陶潛) or Tao Ch’ien or Tao Yuanming (365 AD – 427 AD) was one of the most influential of the pre-Tang Dynasty poets. He came from a notable family which had unfortunately descended into poverty. As a youth, he was torn between his personal ambitions and a desire to retreat into solitude. He served in a series of minor governmental posts but at a time when his sister had tragically died and corruption and infighting in the Jin Court was at is peak, En Mei decided that for him, life was too short to compromise his principles and he resigned. As he put it, he would not “bow like a servant in return for five bushels of grain (later to become a common saying of proverb, Swallowing one’s pride in exchange for a meager existence. Approximately 130 of his poems have survived to modern times and apart from his poems, he is perhaps best nown for his short, wonderful depiction (in prose) of a land hidden from the outside world called Peach Blossom Spring (桃花源) or Tao Hua Yuan, which has become the standard term in Chinese for utopia.