Gozan-no-okuribi: Bonfire viewing in Kyoto

The Japanese hold ceremonies at the end of Obon, the period in late summer during which the spirits of their ancestors are believed to visit this world, to ensure the safe return of these spirits to the spirit world. Gozan-no-okuribi, annually held on August 16th in Kyoto, is one such ceremony that--as the name indicates--sends off the spirits with large bonfires in traditional shapes on five mountains: those shapes are dai (the kanji for 'large'), myo and ho (kanji meaning 'wondrous dharma'), a boat, a torii shrine gate, and hidari-dai (left 'large'). The origins of this event--commonly known as Daimonji after the dai bonfire--are obscure, but it is widely thought to have begun between the 14th and 16th centuries.

Worshippers writing their gomagi slats

Wooden gomagi slats, which are burned in the bonfires, are sold from the 15th until 2 p.m. on the day of the event at the entrances of Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji and other temples. Once people write their ancestors' names, prayers or wishes on them, the gomagi are carried up the mountains to be laid on the bonfires. I wanted to actively participate in the festival, so I visited Ginkakuji and bought two gomagi slats that were destined for the daimonji bonfire on Mt Nyoigatake behind the temple.

Ginkakuji, which is charming and captivating, is one of my favourite temples. After a stroll through the gardens, I turned to the mission at hand--searching for a prime viewing spot. Many hotels and other establishments guarantee you a view of the bonfires for a price. However, I like enjoying festivals among the crowds, and finding a location from where to view the bonfires is, apparently, a challenge.

A torii on Imadegawa-dori marks the entrance to Yoshidayama, one of the recommended locations to view the bonfires. At the lookout, I found people had already staked their viewing spots with tripods. To my disappointment, daimonji, which appears at an angle, was the only bonfire visible from here, but the view was spectacular. I saw movement around the pyres on which wheat straw, pine needles and the gomogi slats--mine included--would be laid. A gentleman here mentioned that Kamogawa river was the best location to view daimonji face on. The search continues. (If you decide to view daimonji from Yoshidayama, take a torch.)

Camera ready on Yoshidayama facing daimonji in the distance

Kamo-ohashi bridge over the junction of Takanogawa and Kamogawa rivers offers the perfect view of daimonji. I crossed the stepping stones on the river, in which people off all ages were playing, to the spit. Considering the view, I was not surprised to see the choice picnic spots already staked out with blue plastic sheets. The gentleman at Yoshidayama was right.

I continued along the west bank of Kamogawa with my map open hoping to find the spot that the locals would want to keep a secret. Even though daimonji was clearly visible, trees and buildings obstructed the other bonfires, especially, at river level. I was still hopeful, though, that I would find a good location to view as many of the bonfires, as possible.

I noticed less people between Aoibashi and Izumojibashi bridges and felt nervous. I asked an elderly couple preparing for the arrival of their friends and neighbours for advice on the best vantage point. Myo-ho would not be visible due to the buildings obstructing the view from here, and only the stern of the ship would be visible from Izumojibashi. The wife explained how, centuries ago, each household lit their own bonfire, but the authorities decided to burn the bonfires collectively in mountain clearings due to the fire hazard. As I took my leave, I asked about the absence of the ubiquitous food stalls found at all festivals in Japan and was disappointed to hear that a city ordinance enacted in recent years banned the stalls during Gozan-no-okuribi.

I continued along the river further north to Kitaojibashi, but still no luck. As the couple suggested, the bonfires are best viewed from a higher location.

Here, I took a bus to Funaokayama, which is directly west of Kitaojibashi along Kitaoji-dori, resolute that I would stay there no matter what the view. The climb was steeper than Yoshidayama--promising. At the lookout, I was greeted by the sight of many unattended plastic sheets staking claims. With map in hand, I wandered among the plastic sheets, lining up the mountains, and found a small spot from which I had a clear view of daimonji, myo and hidari-daimonji, and a partial view of ho and the boat. Mission accomplished with two hours to spare. I spread a newspaper, anchored it with rocks and visited the local convenience shop.

To pass the time, I talked with the people around me, and I found that most--like myself--were not locals. Some were from cities as far as Tokyo, and others from Taiwan and Sweden. Apparently, the locals choose to stay home to watch the event on TV.

The practice run at hidari-daimonji caused a minor stir. People took photos and adjusted their camera settings ready for the main event. Everyone stood in anticipation minutes before the lighting of daimonji, the first bonfire. The lookout was becoming so crowded that it felt like being on a peak-hour train.

Daimonji

When daimonji was lit at eight o'clock, the lookout roared with excitement, drowning out the cicadas. I turned to find a sea of arms stretching to the stars with cameras in hand taking the shots of the bonfire. Ten minutes later, myo and ho were lit. Everyone shuffled to face them, raising their mobiles and cameras into the air, again. Despite the shapes of the bonfires being distorted from here, they were spectacular, nonetheless. My disappointment at only the top of the boat sail being visible was soon forgotten at the sight of hidari-daimonji burning directly behind us. Taking good shots was difficult considering the distance, but I was still impressed with my photos.

Myo-ho

Caught up in the excitement, I had forgotten that my gomagi were blazing in the distance. I paused from my photo-taking frenzy and turned to watch daimonji burn. I wondered where exactly they were placed. I closed my eyes and hoped that my prayers would be heard as the smoke carried them up into the heavens.

Hidari-daimonji

The article originally appeared on the Official Kyoto Travel Guide web site in August 2011. (The photos on this page were taken by George Bourdaniotis and differ to the official photos that accompanied the original article.)

[September 15, 2014] I have just finished working on an episode of Core Kyoto on this ceremony to air September 18 and 19 on NHK World.

花火 / Fireworks

毎年、予想もしない色んな事があるし、楽しみにしている事もありますよ。一年が終わって振り向く時、最低限、初詣、えべっさん、だんじり、祭り、花火、ルミナリエ、クリスマスを楽しむ余裕がなかったら何か不満を感じます。特に花火が好きです。甚平を着て片手でビール。花火を見ている間、心が軽くなります。関東からの方と各地の花火について話しました。その方は初めて神戸の花火を見ました。隅田川は一つ一つの花火はアートだそうですが、神戸の花火は品があるそうです。何だか聞いて嬉しかったです。

There are many things throughout the year that are unexpected, but there is lots to look forward to, too. When I get to December and I look back on the year, I feel that something is not right if I haven’t at least gone to hatsumode (first trip to the Shinto shrine for the year), Ebissan (a Kansai festival for prosperity in business), a danjiri festival with their lively floats, a fireworks display, and Kobe Luminarie (held in early December in memory of those who died during the 1995 earthquake). Of course, you have to celebrate Christmas, too. Of these, I particularly enjoy the fireworks. I sit with a beer in hand and watch them wearing my jimbei (traditional summer wear). Fireworks are uplifting. This year, we had a guest from Tokyo watching with us, and we talked about the regional differences in the fireworks displays. It was his first time to watch the Kobe fireworks (usually held the first Saturday in August). He said that each of the fireworks let off during the Sumida River display in Tokyo is a work of art in itself, but the Kobe display have class. As a local, hearing that put a smile on my face.

[Note: The Kobe Minato Fireworks Display is usually held the first Saturday in August from around 7.30 p.m. The fireworks are let off from barges anchored in the port, so the best views are at Harborland, Meriken Park, Port Island or any of the piers.]

The Japanese version first appeared in the August 2013 issue of the goodspeed monthly newsletter.
日本語バージョンはグッドスピードレター2013年81月号に掲載されました。

Novelty / 新鮮

Be it overseas or in your own country, when travelling to a new town for the first time, everything looks fresh. I have my camera in easy reach so I can take photos of the cityscape or anything that catches my eye. But when I have friends or relatives visit me, I am always have difficulty deciding where to take them, especially when they have limited time. Everyone has an image of what to expect from their travel destination. Visitors from abroad take delight in everything they see in Japan, because everything is new to them. That exhilarating feeling of discovery infects me, too, as I show them around. When there are kids in the group, their curiosity is particularly infectious. I start to see things or customs that I take for granted with different eyes, and I feel like a tourist in my own town.

海外でも国内でも初めて旅行する街では、何でもかんでも新鮮です。カメラを抱えて色々な物や風景をパチパチ撮ってしまいます。でも自分の街へ友人が来る時、どこを案内したらいいか結構悩みます。特に見せたい場所が多過ぎる時。もちろん個人個人は既に街のイメージができているでしょう。海外からのお客さんなら、全て新しくて何でも喜びます。案内しているうちに自分も新たに新鮮さを感じます。普通でもある物や風習は、お客さんの目を通じて全て新鮮に見え、自分の街で観光客になった気分でしょう。好奇心いっぱい持っている子供も案内していましたら。

The Japanese version first appeared in the July 2013 issue of the goodspeed monthly newsletter.
日本語バージョンはグッドスピードレター2013年7月号に掲載されました。

トレイン・クルーズ / Train Cruise

先日国際放送の新番組に台本監修として列車旅の番組に参画させていただきました。番組レポーター兼ね旅人は熊本市から鹿児島市まで機関車をはじめ電車を3台乗車しました。旅先はついで、列車旅その物を楽しむのは主旨でした。スローフードがありますが、これは私自身が最近求めているスロー・トラベルです。台本の翻訳中、仮編集された映像を何回も見ているだけで、正直に言って辛かったです。旅人は地元の料理味わえる駅弁や地ビール、米焼酎が堪能できたり、他の乗客や駅駅員、地元の方とコミュニケーションを取ったり、本当の旅の楽しみ、土地柄の魅力を肌で感じました。

Recently I had the opportunity to work on the pilot episode of a new NHK World train travel program as script adviser. The program’s traveller, Nick Szasz, rode a steam train and two other trains from Kumamoto to Kagoshima in Kyushu. The aim of the program was enjoying the journey, not just the destinations. You have slow food, and you have slow travel. The latter is something I have been enjoying myself, lately. When translating the script I watched the rough cut DVD numerous times. That sure is a tough job when you consider Szasz is enjoying all the local cuisine, micro-beers, sake and shochu (Japanese vodka). I longed to go on a long train trip myself after watching him talk with other travellers, railway employees and the locals.

The Japanese version first appeared in the June 2013 issue of the goodspeed monthly newsletter.
日本語バージョンはグッドスピードレター2013年6月号に掲載されました。

Footnote: [January 2014] I again had the opportunity to work as script adviser to the fourth episode of Train Cruise "A Fall Trip from Kyoto to the Japan Sea" to air on NHK World, February 1, 2014.

Murakami: City of Salmon and Sake / 恵みの川・伝統の鮭料理を味わう～新潟

Food is a national pastime in Japan and for good reason. No matter where you go, each village, city, or region will have local cuisine made with local produce, so traveling in Japan is fun. As a translator I often get jobs where I must describe food in subtle detail, so you can call me a desktop traveller. I often wonder if my clients would pay me to sample the fare. So I did not hesitate when I was asked by NHK World to go to Murakami for their program, Journeys in Japan, to taste the local salmon cuisine and sake. The variety of salmon cookery was amazing.

(back) Deep-fried gills, stewed brow, smoked soft roe
(centre) Deep-fried skin, stewed flesh, clear broth with roe skin
(front) Stewed backbone, roe marinated in soy sauce

旅をする時、日本人にとって食事が大事です。地元の味や珍味を堪能したいのです。自分でも日本のあっちこっちに旅する程、大事にしていることがよく分かります。どの地方へ行っても美味しい物が待っています。普段仕事している中、料理の説明等を英訳する仕事もあります。細かい味まで英語で表現をしないとだめですが、食べたことがないのにどう上手く表現するか毎回悩まされます。先方に頼みましたら、行かせていただくかなとよく思います。しかし実際は無理です。だからこそ、今回NHK国際放送のディレクターから新潟県の村上市に行かない？との誘いを聞いた時、思わず「行く」と即答しました。村上市と言えば、鮭。村上市は鮭の一人あたり消費量が日本トップクラスだそうです。「塩引き鮭」や「酒浸し」など実に100種類の鮭料理があることは自慢です。尾以外全部料理に使うのがびっくりしました。老舗料亭から地元民の通う総菜店まで、まさに鮭三昧で堪能できました。

The Murakami episode of Journeys in Japan will be broadcast on NHK World on January 28, 2014, UTC. 
本番組「恵みの川・伝統の鮭料理を味わう～新潟」は2014年1月30日午前3時にNHK BS1にて放送されます。

Sakura, Sakura

I often wonder when the Japanese obsession with cherry blossoms (sakura) began. From mid-March, most of Japan is tinged with various shades of pink until mid-April, depending on the variety of cherry blossom and the location. Cherry blossom trees in full bloom are a beautiful sight, and it is one that never ceases to put a smile on my face and make me feel good. I have fond memories of my morning commute to Osaka with the trees in full bloom on either side of the train tracks for a few kilometres—a great start to the day. 

By this time of year, everyone has had enough of the cold weather. The midday temperatures are slowly becoming warmer. Everyone wants to escape the stuffy confines of their home or office. What better way to welcome the beginning of spring than sitting under the cherry blossom trees, having a good time with friends. Not that we need an excuse to party, but any excuse is a good excuse, right?

The word hanami—literally, flower viewing—is on everyone’s lips as soon as reports of the first blossom break. Even though the word hana means flower or flowers, I was soon corrected when I used the term to refer to plum blossom viewing. Hanami is only used to refer to sakura viewing parties. 

Shown in the photo below is a typical hanami picnic. The blue sheet is ubiquitous, though sometimes green. Hanami is not hanami without it, though some people do improvise with a newspaper or a plastic bag when hanami-ing on a whim. When I first came to Japan, the karaoke machine was also a necessary accessory for hanami. Many foreigners would have stories about being dragged into a group and eventually made to sing ‘My Way’. But with the proliferation of karaoke boxes, karaoke machines are not seen at hanami as often, today.

One of the best locations in the Hanshin area to relax and enjoy the flowers over a couple of drinks and good conversation is along the banks of Shukugawa in Nishinomiya. It is one of the most famous hanami locations in the country. And, the crowds prove it. Nishinomiya even features sakura on its manhole covers. Nearby Ashiyagawa is also a good location, but the river offers fewer places to sit and relax.

Traditionally, hanami and sake go hand in hand, but nowadays anything goes. If you arrive on Hankyu, shop at the Daiei supermarket across the street to the south of the station to save you lugging food and beverages. Various stalls are set up along the east bank of Shukugawa selling food and drinks (at inflated prices, as you would expect).

It usually rains, this time of year, and for hanami revellers, the rain is the enemy. Not only for the obvious reason—not that rain has ever stopped my friends and me from finding a covered spot at our selected hanami location to continue as planned—but also because the rain makes the blossoms fall sooner. Thus, shortening the hanami season. (It also takes the fun out of walking through the blossom rain.) Shukugawa has few covered areas, but I have seen some creative people sitting in the rain enjoying a less crowded and less noisy hanami.

If you are planning on going hanami-ing at night when the trees are in full bloom, or on a weekend, you may have to send someone ahead as bashotori (claim staker). I have used this opportunity in the past to enjoy the blossoms alone before everyone turns up and the blossoms are soon forgotten as drinks and conversations flow. 

Access:

Hankyu Shukugawa Stn is located above the river. From JR Sakura-shukugawa Stn, turn right after exiting the station to find the river.

Okamoto for Plum Blossoms

梅は岡本 (Okamoto for plum blossoms)

桜は吉野 (Yoshino for cherry blossoms)

みかんは紀の国 (Kinokuni for mikan)

栗丹波 (Tanba for chestnuts)

[a popular Edo Period song]

By mid-February, everyone is tired of the bleak winter weather and pining for spring and warmer weather. A visit to Okamoto Bairin (岡本梅林) to view the plum blossoms is guaranteed to lift your spirits and give you the energy to see out the winter. They are in bloom from approximately mid-February to early March.

The origin of the plum glove in Okamoto is unknown, but the old names for the Okamoto 6-chome and 7-chome neighbourhoods were Bairin (梅林: plum grove) and Umegaya (梅ヶ谷: plum valley). Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), who unified Japan, is said to have relaxed at Okamoto Bairin. References were made to flower viewing in Okamoto in various books printed in the Edo period, including the plate shown above from the Illustrated Famous Locations in Settsu (摂津名所図会). The head of the Amagasaki Clan, which held control of the Okamoto area at the time, would visit with a large number of samurai every year when the flowers were in bloom. During the Meiji Era, the trains passing two kilometres south of the grove on what is now the JR line would briefly stop below the grove to allow the passengers to enjoy the view of the plums.

梅は岡本 (Okamoto for plum blossoms)

桜は生田  (Ikuta for cherry blossoms)

松のよいのが湊川 (Minatogawa for good pines)

[a popular ditty sung by the people of Hyogo during the Edo Period]

Alas, all three locations mentioned here have disappeared.

Landslides buried most of the Okamoto plum grove during the Great Hanshin Floods of 1938. What remained was destroyed by air bombing during WWII. The original location is now an apartment complex, which is soon to be rebuilt into a luxury apartment complex. The stables of Ikuta Shrine that were famous for cherry blossoms are now Ikuta Road. And, the levee of Minato River is now Shinkaichi Road.

Okamoto Bairin—at its current location in Okamoto 6-chome—was opened as Okamoto Park (岡本公園) through the efforts of locals in 1982 with a total of 130 trees of 26 varieties of plums, a pagoda and a pond. Plans to expand the park to the east in the near future are under consideration.

For those who have still not had their fill of plum blossoms, a walk up and across Tenjo River (天上川), then follow the path up Mt Hokura (保久良山) to enjoy the yamamomo variety of plum blossoms in the shrine grounds, which are said to be over 100 years old.

As you approach Hokura Shrine (保久良神社) from the west, you will find another plum grove which opened in 1975. Just behind the plum grove are a few picnic benches for you to enjoy your bento or just take a break. Beware, though, of the wild boars. They are attracted to the sound of plastic bags thinking they contain food, which in your case they most probably do. Make no sudden moves. Ignore them, and they’ll ignore you.

Even though the entrance to the shrine offers a stunning view of Higashinada Ward across Osaka Bay to Wakayama and Kansai Airport in the winter months, an even more spectacular view of the Hanshin area awaits the energetic all year round about ten minutes up the trail from the picnic area.

You can return via Tenjo River, or take the eastern (main) approach to the shrine and turn right before or after you cross the Hankyu train line to return to the Settsumotoyama/Okamoto area (approximately 30 mins).

Access: 

20 minutes walk from JR Settsumotoyama Stn, 15 minutes from Hankyu Okamoto Stn. From the main Okamoto shopping area, follow the pink banners to the west, cross Tenjo River and follow it north. If you reach Yahata Shrine (八幡神社), you have gone too far. Go back one block and turn right. Or just follow everyone else.

View Higashinada in a larger map