4/30/24: Ueno Park's Toshogu Shrine, Pretty Peonies & Raucous Senso-ji Temple!

  

After somewhat of a letdown visiting the Tokyo National Museum's various galleries (in reality, separate buildings the size of museums in their own right), Steven and I continued walking through Ueno Park to the Toshogu Shinto Shrine. The gods must have let their love shine on the shrine as it survived all the major disasters that befell most of Tokyo's major historical structures: the fires, the revolt of 1868, the 1923 earthquake, and the bombings at the end of WW 2. As a result, it was one of the only buildings in the city from the early Edo Period that lasted from 1603-1868.

The torii gate separated the human world and sacred ground, 

Two hundred ishidoro or stone lanterns lined the walkways from the stone entry arch to the shrine which was built in 1627 and dedicated to Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun. A shogun was a powerful Japanese military leader and landowner who became strong enough to essentially rule Japan. 

So many flags on the path to the shrine promoted the 45th Anniversary of the Ueno Tosyougu Peony Garden that we were happily waylaid for a bit! The many varieties of peonies were delightful just by themselves but seeing them shaded by the exquisite parasols was an added bonus.

The scent of the peonies was intoxicating!

Janina: Thought you'd be amused by this bathroom sign. All women's bathroom signs are in red here in Japan for some reason.

Just beyond the garden and hanging on a special holder by the shrine were emas, votive offerings made of wood as part of people's New Year's resolutions. After writing their prayers for success in tests or good health, the emas are hung in the belief that God will make their wishes come true.

Guarding the temple were a pair of Komainu, a mythical dog-like beast to repel evil.

We were saddened that our first visit to a temple or shrine in Japan had to wait as Toshogu was closed. However, watching as the faithful arrived at the entrance and then each following a specific shrine etiquette was enough to dispel any disappointment. A visit entailed the following by each person of faith: bowing slightly, tossing a coin into the box in front, ringing the bell to signal to the gods they had arrived, deeply bowing twice until reaching a 90-degree angle, then clapping their hands twice in rapid succession, paying their respects including thanking the gods, and finally bowing deeply once. Watching their expression of faith in front of the elaborate gold-carved door and the slanted roof was an honor.

Since the copper lanterns by the shrine were dedicated in 1651, they have become important cultural properties. 

The Five-Storied Pagoda was dedicated by one of the top-ranking officers in the Tokugawa Shogunate to the Toshugu Shrine in 1631. After it burned down eight years later, it was rebuilt that same year. Since ancient times, the Japanese have held religious beliefs in both the traditional Japanese religion of Shinto as well as Buddhism which came from China. How sad is it that the comingling of religions in most parts of the world is so rare?

Though Toshogu Shrine is dedicated to Shinto followers, it is located on the premises of a Buddhist temple. That was why the pagoda, originally a Buddhist building, was built so near the shrine. The pagoda also survived the great earthquake of 1932 and the bombings in 1945. It was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1911 because it was a distinguished structure from the early Edo Period.  

Not only do Tokyo residents and visitors have the fabulous Ueno Park as their playground but also a large wetlands area a few steps away.

After the long flight from San Francisco the night before, Steven and I had walked the few minutes from our hotel over to the colorful Kaminarimon Gate, the entrance to Senso-ji Temple, the city's oldest and most decorated temple. Now it was time to explore the entire temple complex! An enormous chochin or lantern weighing 670kg hung from the center of Thunder Gate with ferocious protective deities on either side. Though the temple dates to 628, the gate has burned down innumerable times - this latest version only dates to 1970.

The underside of the lantern:

Whereas Toshugu had been so restrained and serene, the same could not be said for Senso-ji as there were always masses of people milling around! Once through the gate, the faithful and visitors were faced with the onslaught of navigating along lively Nakamise-dori, a pedestrian lane lined with 80 stalls selling souvenirs and snacks. It was a fun people-watching time but certainly the antithesis of a religious experience in my mind!

According to lore, two brothers fishing in the nearby Sumida River netted the biggest catch of their lives: a small golden statue of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy and happiness who can relieve suffering from all people. Senso-ji Temple was constructed in her honor and people come to pay respect to Kannon although it is never shown to the public.

At the end of Nakamise-dori was another gate, Hozomon, with two more fierce guardians. With the crowds and lighting, I wasn't able to take decent photos.

On the back of the gate were a pair of 2,500kg, 4.5m-tall straw sandals that had been created by 800 villagers to symbolize the Buddha's power and the belief that the giant footwear would carry off evil spirits.

Far ahead was the main hall called Hondo with its dramatic sloping roof. It was only constructed in 1958 after bombing raids destroyed the earlier one. In front was a large cauldron with smoking incense considered as food for the Buddha. Because the smoke is believed to confer health, people were wafting it over their bodies. I read that lighting your own incense stick off the burning sticks of others is not done since it means taking on their sins.

Again unlike at Toshugu Shrine where there were no crowds, a long line of people - worshippers and visitors - patiently waited to approach the temple's entrance. 

The same rules apply to temple visitors as those visiting a shrine - bow slightly before entering, burn incense, again bow slightly, and toss a coin into the box in front of you. If there is a bell, it is rung two or three times. There was no bell at Senso-ji, just the constant din of people throwing coins in what looked like a huge trough with slats in it so the coins rolled and clanged until they reached the bottom. Please excuse my irreverence but I just couldn't get the sound of someone playing the slots at a Las Vegas casino out of my head.

The ceiling panels:

Sadly, I didn't 'feel' the religiosity or reverence at Senso-ji as was apparent at Toshogo. It seemed that people were there for a good time, to be chatting with friends, on their phones, to be seen above all else. I don't begrudge people that but there's a time and a place and the august temple was not it in my mind.

On the right side of the complex was Asakusa Jinja, a Shinto shrine honoring the brothers who found the Kannon statue.

I don't know why but only a few people were worshipping at the shrine even though it was merely a few feet away. Painted a deep shade of red, it dates to 1649 and is regarded as a rare example of early Edo architecture and an important cultural asset.

This was our first look at rickshaws in Tokyo but we saw more later in our visit. Again, I was struck by the blatant tourism aspect of its appearance in the temple complex. 

Nitenmon Gate was built circa 1649 as the temple's east gate.

Kume Heinaido was a samurai in the Edo Period who killed many people with his sword. When he later regretted his actions, he built this shrine. Steven and I agreed he couldn't have rued his deeds so much as the shrine was mighty small!

We were almost running on fumes by then but still wanted a quick look at the other side of Senso ji's Main Hall at the Five-Story Pagoda. Founded in 942 and rebuilt in 1648 by Tokugawa Iemitsu, it was reconstructed in 1973 after it burned down during the war. Sri Lanka presented a bone relic of the Buddha to be placed in the pagoda's top story. 

Walking back to the hotel, we saw several kimono rental shops and wondered if some of the kimono-clad women at Sensoji had been wearing rented kimonos. 

Even though it was still only our first day in Tokyo, we'd already come across a lot of shops selling products made from matcha tea, a Japanese green tea made from finely powdered dried tea leaves. A Christmas green ice cream cone will have to wait a bit longer before it begins to look attractive!

It seemed that cartoon and cartoon-like characters were very popular in Japan.

When you click on this to make it bigger, you'll see another character on the right!

Somehow, we found the energy to go out for a stroll along the waterfront that night even though we'd walked miles and miles already on our first day in town. The Tokyo Skytree in the background:

A nighttime cruise on the Sumida River - I wonder if fishermen still hope for another lucky catch there!

We thought so much of Tokyo's architecture to be positively boring that these buildings were refreshing.

More on the very unusual sculpture in another post as we kept seeing it!

Wow, would it be hard to be a smoker in Tokyo as smoking is only allowed in enclosed glass cubicles with people looking at them like oddities at an old-time circus! I wonder how the Japanese government was able to have all smokers obey the no smoking on the street rules as trying to enforce that would lead to open rebellion in the US.

Steven suggested we walk back through Senso Ji again. Though the shops were all closed for the night, they still had vibrant images on their metal gates.

The Hondo looked beautiful all lit up ...

as did the Five-Story Pagoda!

At night, I was able to finally get a decent picture of one of the guardians at the gate.

The gates to the inner sanctum were closed so there was no scent of incense and, fortunately, no Ka-ching, Ka-ching sounds of coins being dropped into the coffers!

What a day it had been - starting at Ueno Park, then the Tokyo National Museum, followed by the Toshogu Shrine and the Peony exhibit, the circus atmosphere of Senso Ji in the late afternoon, an evening walk along the waterfront with a peaceful interlude back at Senso Ji to round out the day.

Posted early in the morning on May 5th, 2024, from the mountain town of Hakone southwest of Tokyo. As always, I hope you and your loved ones stay safe and well wherever you are.

Next post: A very rainy day exploring the Imperial Palace's East Garden and other sights in downtown Tokyo.

4/30/24: First day in Tokyo: Takeaways from Tokyo's National Museum

4/29: After an 11-hour flight from San Francisco on seats that didn't recline and a 15-hour time change from Denver where we'd started our new adventure a few days earlier, Steven and I were just a tad tired when we landed in Tokyo! Fortunately, it was a snap getting into the city on the express train to a nearby metro station and a cab to our hotel in the Asakusa area. 

We hit a small grocery store near the hotel that first night to pick up some rolls and fruit for breakfast. Our room has a kettle, glory be, but no microwave, hot plate, etc. Perhaps my eyes weren't seeing straight as these carrots looked enormous!

The entrance to a famous shrine was just a 5-minute walk from our hotel - more on it later!

4/30: Steven and I always joke we don't "do" time changes and this was no different. Somehow, our bodies don't need hours to recover from the hours lost or gained in long-distance travel so we were ready to "hit the road running" and start exploring Tokyo right away. First up was a trip to the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park, one of the city's largest public areas and home to the zoo, multiple museums, and religious buildings. 

I thought for a minute we'd gotten the wrong flight and were in Vancouver after seeing this large totem pole. Nope, it was put up by the Ueno chapter of Lions Club. I had heard of the international service organization for years but hadn't known that LIONS stands for Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nation's Safety and that it has over 1.4 million members in 200 countries and geographic areas around the world.

The statue honored Imperial Prince Akihito, the first president of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

The Japanese are famous for their spring cherry blossoms but we'd arrived about two weeks late for their intoxicating scent. Instead, they were replaced by rhododendrons which were blooming profusely all over Tokyo.

At long last, we arrived at the much-ballyhooed Museum that had been described as not only the city's best museum but possibly the best in the country! That's a pretty lofty expectation to live up to so we went in all agog at what we might see as we're generally big museum buffs. The Tokyo National Museum is comprised of five 'galleries', but that's a misnomer as each one has its own building. The main one is the Honkan which opened in 1938 and specializes in Japanese artwork from ancient times to the 19th century. 

The following are some of the museum's highlights based on our preferences or biases in Asian art.

We've been fortunate to see Japanese art in museums all over the world but not many ancient kimonos so they caught our attention.  This silk crepe 18th-century kimono was festooned with wisterias from the waist up, and fences and clematis from the waist down which was common of kimonos from the middle of the Edo Period which spanned from 1603-1868.

Steven and I can never get enough of admiring Japanese screens so we were drawn to this one. In this work, the artist Morikage painted cranes, swans, and the sport of falconry which was regarded as a traditional symbol by the shoguns and feudal lords of the Edo Period to increase their authority. 

We spent what seemed like ages examining a young woman's kimono after reading that it contained a hidden message of cultural refinement. We found the paintbrush and the board game but gave up looking for a musical instrument and a stack of books, the other items that also represented four cultural pursuits once considered popular in East Asia. I guess we weren't sufficiently culturally refined!

Gotta love these samurai warriors' clothing! The samurai believed they gathered strength from their armor's animal imagery. This armor was decorated with bear fur and bear ears which may have meant it belonged to an esteemed samurai clan.

Monkeys in tomb sculptures are extremely rare. This 6th-century one depicted a mother monkey slightly turning its head as if to check on its baby, now lost.

There was an extensive section of woodblock prints called Ukiyo-e in the museum's main gallery. They were paintings, originally hand-painted by the artist, that depicted people and daily life during the Edo Period. However, the development of ukiyo-e prints enabled the same painting to be printed countless times by using different woodblocks. 

Here's a great explanation of how the prints were made and how museum patrons, including myself, could try their hand at making an ukiyo-e print!

The steps involved in making our own ukiyo-e print:

It was great fun making my own print of this famous work!

Onto the Toyokan Gallery next door for its eclectic collection of non-Japanese Eastern art. Many works were from China and Korea because of their long ties with Japan. This 6th-century Head of a Bodhisattva from the Northern Wei Dynasty was found in a cave in Henan Province, China.

This marble Chinese statue was originally part of a triad - its central figure is at the British Museum in London. Museum staff knew from the inscription on its pedestal both the year and location of the statue's provenance.

The Toyokan collection of Bronze Drums intrigued us as we hadn't seen them before, or at least to the best of my recollection! The playing of bronze drums at important occasions by some ethnic groups in southern China and Southeast Asia dates back as far as 500 BC. Playing the drum varied by region and era but it generally involved hanging the drum around its constricted part so it was played by being hit with drumsticks on the flat face. Though the basic shapes remained constant, their form, motif, and decorations varied over time and area.

A Khmer (Cambodian) triad-style sculpture from the Angkor period:

India was represented in this early 17th-century chintz Drape for Tents with Flowers with the flowers rendered using multiple woodblocks. That was familiar to us after learning about the Japanese version of print-making!

Almost stick figures from Indonesia:

Take a moment to click on the picture to make it bigger so you can see the artistry in this bronze 2nd-century Vietnamese or Chinese Bucket-Shaped Vessel. 

Who doesn't like ancient gold crowns?! Evidently, gold crowns with swinging pendant fittings were intended exclusively for kings in ancient Korea. This came from their 5th-century Three Kingdoms Period.

You have to wonder what made this 5th-century Head of a Buddha smile! It was found in a cave in China's Shanxi Province, a place on our itinerary later this trip.

Standing guard outside the gallery were these sandstone 18th- or 19th-century Officials from Korea.

The Museum's Architecture Gallery was closed when we visited.

En route to the next gallery, we paused at the Black Gate or Kuromon, originally the main gate of the elite Ikeda samurai residence who ruled over an area of western Japan.  Based on the gate's design and construction methods, it was likely built during the last decades of the Edo Period. Beginning in 1892, the gate was moved among royal residences until it was brought to the museum in 1954.

Looking back at the gate from the entrance to the Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures: 

Its collection comprised of 7th-century masks, metalwork, and sculptures from the damaged Horyu-ji temple in Nara, a Japanese city we'll be visiting soon. Understandably, the gilt and copper Banner for the Kanjo Ceremony was one of the most outstanding Horyu-ji Treasures and was listed among the temple's properties in 747. Atop the square umbrella-shaped canopy hangs one large, central banner, six smaller panels, and four smaller banners made up of three panels - got all that?!  Each panel is decorated with elaborately engraved Buddhist triads and celestial beings.

The gallery's biggest collection was of 48 gilt Buddha statues, each only 30-40cm tall.

The statues were indeed fabulous but it was too overwhelming to really appreciate each one when there was a sea of them in one room.

Our takeaway from having viewed each of the galleries at Tokyo's National Museum wasn't as positive and glowing as we'd expected, especially since we'd chosen it as our initial experience in Tokyo. Was it because we have become jaded by previously seeing so much Asian art, the uninspiring (to us) buildings housing the works of art, the dreary weather, or were we in fact too tired to do the museum justice? Perhaps a combination of all the factors is the answer.

Posted on May 2nd, 2024, from our second-to-last day in Japan's capital city. We've come to admire so much in our few days here - the kindness of the Japanese people, the absence of any dirt, trash, or graffiti anywhere even though garbage cans are as rare as a two-dollar bill in the US, the absolute efficiency of, and ease of using, the mass transit system, the almost total absence of visible security and guards in the museums and public places we've toured, the lack of any begging or petty crime, the absence of visible homelessness, and the feeling of safety even in one of the world's largest cities. To tourists like us spending almost a month in the country, those are heartwarming factors that make us happy to be here and look forward to learning whether our initial impressions will be borne out as we move on to see far more of Japan.

Next post: Toshugu Shrine and its Peony Garden at Ueno Park.