A person enters Asakusa through the Kaminarimon Gate. The street is lined on both sides with shops selling everything from kimonos to ice cream.
At the end of the street is another gate, the Hozomon Gate, that leads to a Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine. The majority of people in Japan practice both Buddhism and Shinto. The two religions have co-existed peacefully for most of, but not all of, Japan’s history.
Next to the gate is a pagoda.
To begin with, I visited the Senso-ji temple.
Before entering the temple, Buddhists make two stops. First, they light incense and wave the smoke onto themselves.
A Japanese woman told me that this is to release any bad spirits or bad thoughts that are inside a person.
Next, the Japanese stop at a fountain, where they pick up a ladle and pour water over their hands. Some of the people even drink the water.
I was told that this is a purification ritual. Now, the Buddhists may enter the temple, itself. The temple dates back two thousand years. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in World War II and had to be rebuilt, but that does not, in any way, take away from the structure’s beauty.
A few yards away is the Asakusa Shrine, which dates back to the 1600s.
A visitor to Asakusa can’t help but be struck by the spirit and beauty of the area.
Later that afternoon, we were treated to another important part of Japan’s artistic heritage – theater. There are many forms of Japanese theater. We saw a performance of kyogen, which are short comedies dealing with everyday situations. Our play revolved around a servant who didn’t want to work, so he faked having a cramp.
The day ended with an official welcoming reception at the hotel. I was humbled enough to be chosen for the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program, but I was really overwhelmed by the number of high-ranking Japanese and American officials who attended the reception to express their support for and admiration for the Fulbright program.
That’s enough for one day. I hope that you enjoy my pictures, and as always, I hope that you will post messages to the blog.
2 comments:
So what impressions have surprised you the most? Has anything disappointed you? Are ways in which you realize you are clueless? Ways in which you know more than you expected you would know? Do tell . . .
That's a great question. I have been very happy with everything we've done, but I think what has surprised me the most, so far, is the communal nature of the Japanese culture.
In the United States, we focus on the individual, but in Japan the emphasis is on the group.
In Japanese, there's a word called "Wa". It's my understanding that "Wa" basically means social harmony. The goal of the culture is to perserve that harmony. The collective good is more important than an individual's needs.
I've seen this manifested in several ways. When we arrived at the hotel, there were about 10 people to greet us in the parking lot, help us in the door and to get us to our rooms. In stores, there are people who bow and greet you throughout the shopping experience. In restaurants, there are people who greet you at the door, who greet you when you walk into the dining room, etc.
It's more than good customer service. I get the feeling that it is also done to maintain peace and cohesiveness. That makes sense when you consider that Japan is one of the most densely populated countries on earth.
It takes some getting used to because I am so used to doing everything on my own in the United States.
I'll give you a good example. A couple of days ago I put in a request for a wake up call, but I got up before the call and went to the hotel lobby.
Several minutes after the time for the wake-up call, I returned to my room. A little while later, I heard a knock on my door. It was an employee who wanted to make sure I was O.K., since I didn't pick up my phone from the wake up call.
Post a Comment