NEWS OF TRAVEL JAPAN

November 23rd is Labour Thanksgivings Day, a national holiday. However, from ancient times, the day has been the most important day when successive emperors have served much harvest, especially new rice, to the God Amaterasu-Ohmikami and prayed for peace in this country and the prosperity of Japanese people. In addition, each emperor has stayed with the god through the night. This ritual on November 23rd is called as Niinamesai. Especially upon the changing of each emperor’s throne a new emperor has the Daijosai Ritual, which happens only one time during his reign. Scenes of which the present emperor did his rites in the Daijosai Ritual were broadcasted on TV news. A wooden shrine of Daijosai was built in the Imperial Palace for the one time ritual. Nonetheless, the shrine is magnificent, so then honestly speaking, it is kind of “mottainai”. However, it is said that building and demolishing the shrine has been a custom since the Muromachi period. On a rainy day November...

The Tenjinbashi shopping street in Osaka is the longest shopping street in Japan. Its length is 2.6km and the street is filled with shops and restaurants on both-sides. Moreover, it is arcaded, so then you can enjoy strolling, eating and shopping in any weather conditions. Liveliness is a keyword of Osaka, it is seen in any area in Osaka, for example, Shinsaibashi or Dotombori, and yet the liveliness on the Tenjinbashi shopping street is historically the starting point in Osaka. Because the street includes praying, laughing, pathos and satire, in fact, the Tenjinbashi Street is the starting point of Osaka citizens’ humanity. The forming of the Tenjinbashi Street The Tenjinbashi Street was built in the Edo Period in the seventeenth century. A dealing center-market of vegetables was founded near the street and many vegetable shops were built on the street. The more shoppers came here, the more other kinds of shops and restaurants were made. As a result, the street grew like th...

There is a historical temple in Osaka, which is Shitenno-ji Temple. The beginning of Shitenno-ji Temple, 592, is older than the one of Horyu-ji Temple , which is the oldest existing wooden-built temple in the world. The founder of Shitenno-ji Temple is Shotoku-Taishi , who built Horyu-ji Temple as well.  Unfortunately, Shitenno-ji Temple was devastated in an air-raid of the American army during World War II, and the current temple was rebuilt after the war. So then the value of the buildings of the temple is less than Horyu-ji Temple, nonetheless, the value of the legacy of the temple compares favorably with Horyu-ji Temple, which is one of the world cultural heritage sites. The super characteristic positioning of Shitenno-ji Temple One of the characteristics of Japanese beauty is asymmetry. However, the positioning of this temple is synonymous. Many cathedrals of Buddhism in Japan are constructed with four important buildings, “chumon”:a central gate, “goju-no-to”: a fi...