Meiji Shrine and Cherry etc.

I went to Meiji shrine with my friends who are from foreign countries. The shrine is very new, was built in Meiji era. This shrine's most interesting spot is front shrine where people pray. That non-Japanese people looks on Japanese who are praying is most interesting. That I feel line of sight during pray is very funny. I enjoyed the funny feeling.



We consulted an oracle. Unfortunately the oracle was not fortune telling but teaching. Depends on shrines, their ways are different. We found a bride who wore red Kimono. I don't know why she wore red one. It was interesting. As far as I know, Shinto's ways are varied. When I ask about something at shrines, they often say "当社では(Our shrine's way is) ------ することとなっております。". Anyway, I taught my friends my way which I learned from a person of Shinto.



The photo is Shrine gate of the shrine. There is a symbol of chrysanthemum. It has 16 petals. 16 petals are emperor's symbol basically. I explained 15 petal is empress's symbol because I was taught so. However, I couldn't find any explanation about 15 petals for empress on internet today. I hope what I taught is right. Anyway 16 petals symbol is highest symbol in Japan. I guess there are several designs of 16 petal and 15 petal and they each have different meanings.



Normally, woods of high rank shrines and temples are coat with vermillion in Japan. I don't know why Meiji shrine doesn't use the color. Maybe this shrine is not high rank one. If you visit Kyoto, there are some vermillion temples and shrines. They are high rank ones. Ise-Jingu uses plain wood in white.



Basically you would not find any vermillion Zen temples in Japan, I think. The reason would simply comes from they are not high ranked, I guess. If you visit Tendai-sect's and Shingon sect's temples, especially at Tendai temples, you would find vermillion ones.



Nikko-tosho-gu-shrine use vermillion. However, their vermillion is cheat. They used their power to get the color states. Also they used their power to become believer of Tendai. It is also cheat too. Their vermillion is a bit different from real one, maybe Imperial court made them to use the dark vermillion, just I guess.



Then, we went to a park of Meiji shrine. When I was younger, there were so many crows in the park, however there were a few crows. We found a Chinese did Tai Chi there. An American and a Japanese did Tai Chi too. But the Japanese has become fatigued. A Romanian spread herself. The fatigued Japanese also did it too. When I was 22 years old or so, I sometimes visit the park and used to take a nap. I've forgotten about some cherry trees in the park. Fortunately we passed through the beautiful spot I used to enjoy. I believe cherry blossoms in the forest is most beautiful. They were very cherry blossoms.



Unfortunately it was supposed to rain in the afternoon. Then we went to Tokyo National Museum. We saw special exhibition and some permanent exhibit. Special exhibition was not so interesting. As I said before, buddha statues must be in the temple. Again I felt Buddha statues in the special exhibition was separated from something very important. That is, from belief and their temple.



Then we went to Nakano area to drink at a Japanese bar called Enishi. It seems I was drunk a bit too much because I was exhausted since I woke, I found myself I was singing with a loud voice singing "I've gotta ENISHI Blues. Don't say you don't have money!". We enjoyed hot sake.



As far as I heard, hot sake put in microwave get cool soon and is not delicious. When I comes to think of it, I agree with it. I guessed they put sake bottle in microwave but I didn't say about it to enjoy sake called Fukutokucyou, a sake of Osaka area. It was a good sake. Now I can say about way to warm it. Anyway, clerks were very nice.



At a cafe, I saw my friends, an American and a Romanian, talked with a Chinese waitress in Japanese at European style cafe in front of Japanese people. It was intriguing.



Because I wanted to see cherry blossoms, I went to Araiyakushi temple again on the way home. I never get tired of looking at cherry blossoms in the temple ground.



I want to tell them I had a fun time. I look forward to gather with them again.



Well, I took the photo at Meiji shrine.



Hmm, I seem to need to sleep again.



Have a nice weekend.