The Belief in Myoken- the Deified Polar Star and Big Dipper- thrives at Tsukuba`s Hokuto-Ji Temple! Its big festival is THIS COMING SUNDAY (Jan.29)!
By Avi Landau
The ancients found significance in just about everything they saw in the world around them. But in the quest for gaining an understanding of the workings of FATE, man has probably most frequently and consistently turned his eyes to the STARS and other HEAVENLY BODIES, whose positions and movements were often believed to be closely linked with what happened down here on terra firma.
As certain civilizations became more developed, they were able to amass extremely detailed data which led to the creation of sophisticated systems of astrology (which I guess could be said to be the foundation of modern astronomy).
India and China were two such civilizations. Their complicated beliefs connected with the stars (some scholars believe these originated back in ancient Babylonia), were introduced to Japan along with Buddhism- especially the Esoteric Type (密教, Mikkyo)- of the Tendai (天台宗) and Shingon (真言宗) Sects.
And since the Shingon Sect of Buddhism has long predominated in many of the hamlets which are now part of Tsukuba City, it is only natural that certain ceremonies related to star worship should still exist around here.
Many DO find it surprising, however, to hear that the Hokuto-Ji Temple (北斗寺), in the rustic (and rusting) hamlet of KURIHARA, is the most important of Japan`s three great temples dedicated to the Pole Star and the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper(三大北斗)- in the form of the Deity MYOKEN-BOSATSU (妙見菩薩). In fact, when this temple, usually referred to by the locals as MYOKEN-SAMA, holds its STAR FESTIVAL (hoshi matsuri,星祭) on the seventh day of the first month according to the lunar calendar each year ( this year Jan. 29th, 2012), devotees come from far and wide.
It is not difficult to imagine why the polar star , and the nearby constellation of the Big Dipper, would have gained such a prominent role in religions in which astrology played a role. These are the MOST CONSTANT of the heavenly bodies, and to the long term observer on Earth, it would seem as if everything else in the sky was moving around them. For this reason they could even be seen as symbols of the Emperor himself (whether Chinese, or Japanese), around whom their respective societies were supposed to revolve. These stars were also crucial for navigation, and the Japanese priests who safely made the journey to and back from China must have felt they owed a debt of honor to them.
Praying to, or making offerings to the Pole Star were believed to be efficacious in keeping peace in the realm and in preventing disasters. During the Heian Period ceremonies related to the Pole Star were held for such puposes at certain major temples (ie. Mii-Dera, 三井寺 and Onjoji, 園城寺).
The Imperial Court also held similar rites focusing on Myoken in the Hokutosai (北斗際) which was carried out by Yin-Yang diviners (Omyoshi).
In the year 1153, the Retired Emperor Toba prayed to Myoken for relief from an eye ailment ( Myoken literally means Divine sight). When a cure was in fact achieved, it became common to pray to this deity when one suffers from eye trouble ( and interestingly since the name Myoken could also be taken to mean -LOOK DIVINE, as in beautiful, many show business people have been devotees over the years).
As you can imagine, sailors would also be great devotees of these stars which helped them find their ways.
During Japan`s middle ages Myoken became a popular Deity among the Samurai, as the Pole Star was believed to be crucial in determining the results of battle.
As time passed farmers took to praying to the Pole Star for good harvests and merchants for success in business.
Of great importance is also the fact that the priest Nichiren, the founder of the Nichiren Sect of Buddhism, believed that he had been helped from trouble after praying to Myoken. Because of this, Myoken devotion was taken up with enthusiasm by members of that sect and to this day, at Nichiren Temples, you will more than likely find a Myoken Hall within their precincts.
The subject of Myoken, however, is extremely complex, and it is not my intention here to give you any more than this brief ( and inadequate) explanation of the deity ( which after the Meiji Period`s forced separation of Buddhism and Shintoism was enshrined in Shinto Shrines as the God Ame no Minakanushi no Mikoto 天御中主尊）.
I would like instead to go onto a brief introduction to Tsukuba`s Hokuto-Ji Temple and its Hoshi Matsuri.
According to extant documents, the Hokuto-Ji Temple was founded in the year 810 by the priest Saisen (最仙) for the purpose of praying for the peace and prosperity of the nation through the pole star and the big dipper. Like with many other older temples, however, the history of Hokuto-Ji is quite complex, having moved location ( within the same general area) several times for various reasons, before returning to the hamlet of Kurihara and its ORIGINAL location in 1659.
Some might be (very) surprised to hear that at that time, during the Edo Period ( 1600-1868), Kurihara, which sits by the Sakura River, and has good soil and water for rice production, was partly TENRYO (天領), that is, under direct control of the Shogun, and was ruled through the trusted Hatamoto Family- The Hori. One of the last of the Horis to rule Kurihara, played an important role in negotations with European powers just before the Meiji Restoration ( this will be the subject of a future post) but committed ritual suicide (seppuku) when he was told that his idea of a bilateral treaty with Prussia was not what the Shigunate wanted.
Kurihara is also notable for the fact that about 1,200 years ago it sent some fabric made of hemp to the capital as a form tax payment. Such linen used to pay taxes was called CHOFU. The original fabric with an india ink inscription indicating its place of origin is kept at the Shosoin Imperial Store-house in Nara ( and conicidentally, through Feb. 19th 2012 there will be an exhibit at the Municipal Museum in Tsuchiura displaying a piece of cloth which was also sent as a tax payment more than a millenium ago- it has come back home after all these years and is worth seeing!)
The temple holds two major annual events a year, each based on the lunar calendar ( they usually occur sometime in February and August ), and as I have mentioned before, besides all the Kurihara locals showing up for these events and other Tsukubans, some devotees of Myoken, make the journey to Tsukuba from much farther afield. Especially for the Hoshi Matsuri.
Let me tell you about the event as I experienced it last year.
To tell the truth, since I live so near ( only about 5 minutes by car), I went to the temple several times to check on the progress of the preparations which were being made, which mostly consisited of cleaning the Myogen Hall and preparing all the ritual instruments to be used for the next days ceremonies.
The next morning, when I got up and looked out the window, I found that there were near blizzard-like conditions. I had to confirm whether or not my work would be cancelled or not, but I KNEW the festival would be on. Before I headed off for the university, I checked in at the temple and found the TEKIYA ( festival stall vendors) struggling to set up there booths.
I also found that already early in the morning, and despite the weather, that dozens of the neighborhood men, who help run the event, as well as several Shingon priests brought in from other temples, were all busy and that some Buddhist ceremonies were already underway. The scene was a bit depressing since there were no visitors at the temple yet- only priests, staff and especially VENDORS!
But first I had to get to work. I was able to get back to Hokuto-Ji at my lunch break- and THANK MY LUCKY STARS- the snow had stopped and it had turned into a beautiful day!
I made my way through the row of ROTEN ( outdoor shops). And let me stress that these were not the kinds of stalls that you find at major festivals like Matsuri Tsukuba- these were like something out of another age- with flamboyant sales talks and performances. Sellers of traditional medicines, citrus fruit, dried persimons, bonsai, handmade farming implements and brooms, pickles and dried fish. A man selling amulets and almanacs, wearing traditional garb was tryng to attract customers using a ventriloquism act.
All the while, among the hawking , eating , and good cheer, the priests had a sacred fire ( GOMA TAKI) going, and devotees were continually plying up into the Myoken Hall to pray- and from what I learned from my own unoffical survey, most of these prayers were for business success, and good harvest.
After offering prayers, most worshipers bought one of the many different Myoken amulets which were being sold by the temple which was staffed by what seemed to be all the adult males in the neighborhood.
The priest would be at it till about 4:30. The vendors, started packing up soon after that ( I came back AGAIN after work!).
With full stomach, arms laden down with my purchases ( including an onioroshi style radish grater!), after having chatted with some old friends and having had the pleasure of making new acquaintance, I headed for home with the drumming , chanting and mystery, with all the HISTORY ringing in my ears. As I approached my front door, I remembered to take take a short look at the stars, twinkling in the crisp , wintery, night-sky
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Dragons in Japanese History and Culture- Strongly Connected to Water, Rainfall and Fire Prevention- among other things
A dragon on the ceiling of the MATSUCHIYAMA SHO-DEN TEMPLE (待乳山聖天) near Asakusa Station in Tokyo represents rainclouds and protects the bulding from fires
By Avi Landau
The occassional burst of fireworks thumping faintly off in the distance last night reminded me that though in Japan we had already celebrated New Years 3 weeks earlier- in accordance with the Gregorian Calendar ( as the Japanese have been doing since 1873), it was only then, on Feb. 23 ( this year), that the New Year had begun according to the Chinese Calendar- which the Japanese had followed for more than a thousand years. It was only at that moment, when I heard the Chinese residents of Tsukuba and the surrounding area out celebrating, that I truly felt that the Year of the Dragon had arrived.
Let me tell you why I felt that way ( before I get into the fascinating ( and surprisingly complex) story of the role of DRAGONS in Japanese civilization).
For at least 3,000 years, the Chinese have organized the world around them using a special system they developed which divided time and space into units of twelve- in the form of an ordered set of symbols which they called the SHI ER CHI (十二支). The earliest extant evidence of the use of this system can be seen in fragments of tortoise shell which were unearthed by archaeologists. These were engraved with characters designating these units, sometime during the Shang Dynasty (1766 BC and 1122 BC) .
Many centuries later, during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE ), each of these 12 units came to be asscociated with a specific animal. Some scholars suggest that this occurred possibly because of the influence of the Greek zodiac, which the Chinese might have come to know via India. But no matter how or why a set of animals came to represent each of the twelve units, this concept has added plenty of symbolic depth (and appeal) to the system, since the unique characteristics of each of these animals could be used for fortune telling ( not unlike the astrology which developed in Europe- except for the fact that in the Chinese system everyone born in the same year has the same sign!). Also, quite importantly, artists and craftmen had these different animal motifs (so rich in possibilities) to work with.
Since in days of old Japan was influenced by nearly all things Chinese, it is only natural that this system used for designating years, months, days, time of day, and directions was adopted by the Japanese. This happened officially during the reign of the Empress Suiko in the early 7th century.
Over the subsequent centuries, this system- called ETO (干支), or JU-NISHI (十二支) in Japanese, gained terrific popularity ( because of the fortune telling AND decorative opportunities I have already mentioned)- especially in the Edo Period (1600-1868).
Even after the Japanese abandoned their old ( Chinese) calendar and started using the Western (Gregorian) system, they have still clung firmly to the Chinese Zodiac.In fact now, it might be more to be more popular than ever.
Starting from December each year, anyone living in ( or visiting Japan) can see an amazingly clever array of designs featuring the next years ETO animal on sale at stores or stalls, as figurines which will be displayed in homes, shops and offices for the entire following year( and then even more variety- because so many people create them themselves)- when New Years cards arrived, mostly emblazoned with home-made renderings of the year`s representative animal.
( For the sake of brevity I have simplified my explanation of this system which besides the use of the 12 zodiac sign also applies an additional ten stems and five elements- but FEW Japanese are familiar with these today- search for: JIKKAN JUNISHI, for more details).
The twelve Junishi animals as recognized in Japan are: the mouse , cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and wild boar ( which is a pig in the original Chinese set).
This year, 2012, as I have already mentioned, is the Year of the Dragon. And now that I have explained the history of the use of the zodiac in Japan, you can probably understand why I didnt feel like the DRAGON HAD ARRIVED until the coming of the traditional Chinese New Year.
Close-up of a dragon embroidered onto a special cloak worn by women of the samurai class as protection in the event of fire- note how dragons of the Edo Era looked a bit like old men
Enter the Dragon- Some thoughts on dragons in Japanese ( and world) culture
L ike me, you might find it especially curious that DRAGONS, imaginary creatures, are included as part of the traditional oriental zodiac, which is otherwise made up of very real, and mostly COMMON animals. Well, over the last few weeks I have been doing alot of thinking ( and studying) about this. Not only have I found a reasonable explanation for WHY dragons evolved in the human imagination and have become important figures in various world cultures, but I have also come to realize that the way dragons have been viewed in Asia ( as oppossed to the way they are viewed in Western societies) is extremely revealing in terms of undertanding the differences between these two cultural spheres.
Another lokk at the dragon-motifed fire-cape ( on display at the Edo-Tokyo Museum)
How did dragons come to capture the human imagination?
Well, it is of importance to note that the belief in dragons developed among the peoples of the early AGRICULTURAL CIVILIZATIONS which arose along great rivers- especially the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesapotamia, and Yangtze and Yellow Rivers in China ( as well as the Indus Valley Civilization in India and Egyptian Civilization along the Nile).
Among all the extant prehistoric depictions of animals left behind by our HUNTER-GATHERER forebearers in Europe, Africa, and elsewhere, there are no creatures to be found which resemble anything like what we would call a dragon. These early (pre-agricultural) artists always depicted REAL animals-which were in fact their prey.
The first dragons drawings and carvings eventually appeared ( as I have already suggested) in the great river valleys where large scale agriculture first arose. In these societies, life and death could be determined by the behaviour of these powerful rivers. Flooding often meant calamity.
It seems that the people of these ancient civilizations came to believe that it was DRAGONS ( or snakes, in the cases of ancient India and Egypt) dwelling in these rivers which controlled the flooding ( or lack of flooding). It is possible that this belief came about as the result of the discovery of DINOSAUR fossils which were revealed after flooding had subsided, ( even here in Tsukuba, fossils- for example that of a primitive relative of the elephant have been discovered on riverbanks). Monstrous remains which could only be satisfactorilly explained at that time by the creation of the dragon.
It also probable that large dinosaur fossils were discovered in the steep walls of gorges created by rivers. This would have given the ancients the impression that these creatures could FLY or that they connected heaven and earth.
And maybe because these mysterious bones ( which were also greatly prized for their medicinal effects- adding still more to their aura) came to be connected in their minds with water and flooding, that people really started to believe in the existance of these creatures and even actually SAW then- in waves, in distant rainfall, in stormclouds, and most importantly in TORNADOs, which in both Japanese and Chinese are called Dragon Rolls ( Tatsumaki, 竜巻ーin Japanese), and also seem to form a connection between the earth and the heavens.
It is not difficult to understand that, in these societies which depended on agriculture for their continued existence and which were at the mercy of the rivers, it came to be accepted that a person was deemed worthy of ruling as king by his ability be to control the waters- and by association- the dragons.
Interestingly, in Mesapotamia, as illustrated by Babylonian mythology, the ruler attained his right to rule by SLAYING the dragon and keeping civilization safe from floods. This seems to have become the prototype for how The West would represent the dragon- as an evil creature which is slain by a national hero.
In China, however, instead of hatred, the water controlling dragon was looked upon with awe and reverence, The Chinese Emperors themselves came to connect themselves with dragons- whose image evolved over the years to become a highly symbolic composite of what was important for human livelihood-1) a horse, cow or camel-like face representing agriculture, a scaly body representing fishing, hawk-like claws representing hunting, and goat-horns representing livestock rearing.
From this difference in attitudes towards dragons, a major difference in attitudes towards the environment can be detected. One, the Western, in which the environment is subdued and conquered, and the other an attitide of trying to live in harmony with nature ( though one could also say that this is an oversimplified and misleading generalization- and probably be right!)
Anyway, over the centuries, China`s great artists worked with concept of the dragon to create sublime images of power, speed, and grace ( while some depictions are merely abstract geometrical patterns which are difficult to see as dragons at all ), as well as countless legends and stories.
The dragon ( specifically, one with five claws) became closely associated with the Chinese Emperor, as well as with rivers, ponds, lakes, seas, and water in general.
Dragons were also believe to be vehicles which carried various deities across the heavens. They also came to be important figures in Buddhist and Taoist thought.
They were also important for the ancient Asians` understanding of various natural phenomena ( besides flooding, raining and tornadoes), as dragons were believed to play an important role in the cosmos- including being responsible for eclipses ( by their trying to swallow the sun or moon)
Later, artists, writers and thinkers in Japan were to make their valuable contributions to the development of this fascinating imaginary creature, as well.
The faucets at the ritual cleansing troughs at Japanese temples and shrines are often shaped as dragons
A dragon-shaped water spout at a Buddhist temple
The Dawn of Dragons in Japan
Just as dragons were not part of the consciousness of the hunter- gatherers of Europe, there is no evidence of dragon motifs having been used in pre-agricultural Japan. With the introduction of rice cultivation, however, and the subsequent dependance on irrigation systems during what has been dubbed the Yayoi Period ( 300 BC- 300 AD) it appears that ( based on patterns found on certain pots and ritual bells created at the time) dragons began to appear in the Japanese Archipelago ( as imports from China).
And just as dragons ( or the slaying of dragons) had become associated with powerful rulers in various civilizations, it is in artifacts from what is called Japan`s Kofun Period (250-538), during which numerous local strongmen arose leaving behind burial mounds filled with funerary items ( KOFUN, after which the period is named), that unmistakeable dragon-motifs can be seen.
Dragons or snakes? A wood carving showing the eight-headed beast YAMATA NO ORICHI drinking for sake vats. This story ( as told in the KOJIKI) is a typical myth linking a family`s right to rule a nation with the slaying of a dragon( though the Japanese dont consider this creature a dragon- Fron the Yasaka Shrine in Konda, Tsukuba
( I cannot proceed without mentioning the Japanese myth which most resembles a typical European DRAGON-SLAYING story- though the creature involved is not considered to be a dragon by the Japanese- but a giant eight headed serprent- the YAMATA OROCHI- which was cleverly slain by SUSANOO NO MIKOTO, the brother of the Sun Goddess AMATERASU with the use of eight vats full of Sake ( to sedate the beast) and a powerful sword.
After this monster was killed, a different sword emerged out of its tail! This weapon was passed onto the hero Yamato Takeru ( according to the story),who used this weapon to subdue Eastern and North-Eastern Japan . This sword is now enshrined at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya as one of the three Imperial Treasures)
A dragon figurine on sale at a department store in Tsukuba just before New Years 2012
It is with the great infusion of Chinese culture and Buddhism, beginning in the sixth century, that the dragon really started to flourish in Japan ( in art ,architecture, stories, AND in the peoples minds). From India, the serpent-like water gods ( Nagas) which were an important part of the Hindu tradition, had been absorbed by Buddhism. And when that religion was introduced to China, they blended with Chinese tradition and transformed into dragon-like deities , which were then introduced to Japan as deities which control the rains ( RYU-OH) , who are also faithful protectors of the Buddha and Buddhism.
For this reason dragons became closely associated with RAIN INVOCATION CEREMONIES (AMAGOI,雨乞い) in Japan, and why water spouts at temples and shrines are often shaped like dragons .
(I have written about the dragons masks which had long been used to invoke rain in the Tsukuba area here:)
http://www.alientimes.org/Main/FaceToFaceWithTheNoguchiFamilysMasks
Because of this association with water, dragons were also an important motif for ships ( like Chinese dragon boats) and much later for fire-fighting equipment. Firefighters even had the habit of tatooing themselves with dragons- a custom which was later taken on by the Yakuza .
(Such tatoo designs were called KURIKARA MONMON （倶利伽羅紋々）, a word which now refers to a large dragon tatoo on the back, any full back tatoo, in fact- and the person who bears it as well. This expression derives from a buddhist story in which the deity FUDO-MYO-O battles an enemy who has tranformed into a sword. In response FUDO changes into a dragon and proceeds to swallow the sword. Sometimes images of FUDO show him with his sword being enwrapped in a dragon ( or snake) which is trying to swallow it).
Dragon-ships near Arashiyama in Kyoto
It also explains why dragon motifs are so commonly seen on temples- above the offering box, on pillars- depicted climbing up and down, and on ceilings. The dragons are there protecting the temples- especially from fire. ( At the Jinryu Ji Temple in Tsuchiura, I saw a hanging scroll depictiong a dragon which is called the HI FUSE RYU- the Fire Preventing Dragon. And when I asked the preist of the thatched roofed Myotoku Ji Temple in Tsukuba if there were any dragon motifs at his temple, he said no at first, but then remembered that in the thatched roof building,under the eaves, a simple Chinese character - the one for dragon, was inscribed- obviously for preventing fire in that most flammable of buildings!)
Dragons are also a common feature on the tops of bells which are such an important element of Buddhism. Often two dragons are joined together to form the ring from which the bell is hung.
Two dragons swallowing a ball- this was the prescientific explanation for eclipses in the Chinese sphere of cultural influence. It is important to note that dragons in Asia are often portrayed holding balls ( DRAGON BALLS!) which they are said to love. This photo was taken at Tsukuba`s Hachiryu Shrine.
In fact, it is my opinion that the Japanese word KONRYU (建立) which is used as a verb meaning to establish a temple, originally must have meant- to set up dragons ( though the characters used now have a different meaning).
A samurai helmet with a dragon motif
Because of the dragons awesome power and speed, and their LOYALTY in protecting Buddhism, it is only natural that warriors would want to have them on their helmets and armour. The Tokugawa Family ( which ruled over a mostly peaceful and unified Japan for more than 200 years) was especially fond of dragons and the temple/shrine complex at Nikko ( a World Heritage Site), in Tochigi Prefecture is replete with fantastic examples of dragon images.
I have already told you that the dragon symbolizing the Chinese Emperor had FIVE CLAWS. Most dragons found in Japan are humble and have only three or four. The great Tokugawa Ieyasu, however, the man who unified Japan after 1600 and founded the Tokugawa ( Edo) Shogunate had the confidence to have his dragons done with all FIVE CLAWS!
A fire-fighters water tank with characters reading WATER SPOUTING DRAGON
A fire-fighters cloak emblazoned with a dragon and tiger battling it out motif
Just as the ancient Chinese believed that certain sages or deities were transported through the heavens on the backs of dragons, modern day residents of Tsukuba ( in certain neighborhoods) make straw dragons each year to carry back the spirits of their ancestors from the cemetery for the O-Bon Festival in August. I have heard from older locals that until about 50 years ago straw dragons were made for funerals, as well, to send off the spirits of the departed
A Chinese illustration depicting a deity riding dragon-back
More evidence for past generations that dragons really existed- SEA HORSES- whose Japanese name, TATSU NO OTOSHI GO means- Dropped Dragon Babies - which were considered a lucky charm for helping guarantee easy childbirth
Sorry.......... this is going to take alot more time to finish! Got to wake up early tomorrow, so let me get back and write more tomorrow or someday in the future!
But there is just one thing that I`d like you to remember ( and something you probably already realize if you`ve read this far)- that in Japan, traditionally, NOTHING is there merely for decoration or just for the fun of it. Every little motif used is pregnant with meaning and has a reason for being where it is.
Now, if you see a dragon painting or sculpture, you will understand why it is there, or if you want to see one, you will have an easier time finding one!
Or even better, you might loosen the constraints of reason which your modern education has bound you up tightly with- and you might even be able to at some moment, somewhere, recognize in the mist or in the shifting clouds- a familiar yet elusive figure - which was such a strong and REAL presence for our forebearere in these islands.
To be continued!
more on Tsukuba`s straw dragons:
http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/08/theyre-coming-home/
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In the Tsukuba Area MISOPI ( roasted peanuts in miso paste) is NOT Just a Snack!
Born and raised in the U.S., I grew up eating lots of peanuts. Sometimes I would crack them out of their shells, but more often I got them out of cans, jars and packets, dry roasted, or roasted in oil and salted. No matter the container or method of preparation, once you started on them it was nearly impossible to stop. They were also an ingredient in a dozen different candybars and other snacks that I used to love.
But the way I MOST OFTEN consumed peanuts was in the form of peanut butter. Coming back from school, I would head right for the kitchen and open a jar of the stuff, preferably the chunky kind. I would spoon it by the heapful onto bagels, bananas, apples, carrots, chocolate bars or just directly into my mouth. I would always make sure to give some to my dog, who seemed to love it , too. It was always amusing to see how she struggled to clear it off her long canine tongue , extending it out far and then pulling it back into her mouth repeatedly, scraping the sticky paste off against her lips.
Besides use as a snack, peanut butter actually becomes the CENTERPIECE of the meal in that classic of American culinary culture- the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. A standard feature of the schoolchilds lunchbox or family`s picnic basket.
Japanese people usually grimace in disgust when I mention these sandwiches, but when I think about it- what a magical combination- with the loose and slippery jam being the perfect foil to the thick and sticky peanut butter,. Imagining it still gets my mouth to water.
Arriving in Japan, I found that the area that I had had come to live, Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture, was the major peanut ( rakase 落花生) producing region in the country ( with neighboring Chiba Prefecture actually being the no. 1 grower). The many delicious snacks which employ peanuts in novel ( for me) and exciting ways, might even be one of the reasons that I enjoyed living ( and eating) here so much, at first, and why my waistline expanded so rapidly.
One thing that really surprised me, though, was to discover that for the families whose parents have lived in Tsukuba fo generations, peanuts could be served as the O-Kazu, that is the main accompaniment to the rice, and thus the centerpiece of the meal,and not just a snack.
This dish is called misopi- (味噌ピー), and it is popular throughout this region. It is only in the Tsukuba area , however, that it often becomes the main course.
Yesterday, I was at a pot-luck lunch party. One of the guests, Harumi Takaya, brought misopi which she had made using her mothers recipe. It was impossibly delicious, and I had to use all my will power to keep myself from eating the whole thing.
Harumi says that her family eats this dish twice a week and that often when she was a school girl, her lunchbox contained just rice and misopi.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
200 grams raw peanuts ( you can get them at JA shops in Tsukuba)
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon mirin ( sweet rice wine)
1 teaspoon granulated brown sugar
How to make:
Roast the peanuts in a frying pan over a low- medium flame for fifteen minutes
Remove from frying pan and spead out on a dish
Mix the miso paste and mirin thoroughly and spred over the peanuts
Let cool
Sprinkle sugar to taste ( this will cling to the peanuts which will have become very sticky)
Serve on rice ( as they do in Tsukuba)
or eat as a snack
You will be very surprised at the deep flavor which this simple process will bring out.
As alternatives in the preparation process, the peanuts could be fried in oil, and honey used instead of, or in addition to the sugar.
Enjoy
Check hear for some commercially available misopi products:
http://www.hinodemiso.co.jp/misop/story.html
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To Help Students Pass Entrance Exams- Prayers, Amulets, and a Clever Array of LUCKY CHARMS (合格祈願)- again
Kit Kats are one of the most popular LUCKY SNACKS for entrance exam takers
By Avi Landau
This year’s JUKENSEI (受験生), the students taking the junior high, high school, or university entrance examinations, and even more so, their mothers, are on edge these days, as we head into the heart of Japan’s gruelling (and make or break) January through March testing period, with more than a few of Tsukuba’s famous KYOIKU MAMA (education minded moms) appearing to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
In Japan, mothers support their test-taking kids in various ways. They drop them off and pick them up at JUKU (private after-school cram schools), make sure the whole family gets the appropriate flu shots and other medical prophylactics so that test takers stay healthy, take care of ALL the housework so that their kids can remain chore-free, cook nutritious, brain power promoting food, and of course, always make sure that their sons or daughters keep on studying. It is also usual for Tsukuba mothers to stay home with their jukensei offspring while their husbands and non-jukensei kids go off somewhere to enjoy the New Year’s Holiday.
More interesting for me than these prosaic forms of supporting the young test takers are the non-rational forms of assistance which are often provided. One very common custom is visiting and praying at a TENMANGU or TENJIN SHRINE, the type of shrine believed to be most effective for helping pass examinations. A votive wish tablet (O-FUDA) is usually purchased at the shrine office and placed in the home with the hope of bringing good test results.
It is also popular to prepare certain LUCKY FOODS or buy LUCKY ITEMS whose powers derive from their names, often in modified form, which are connected with, or sound similar to certain Japanese words, such as KATSU (to win), UKARU (to pass), or even the English word PASS. These lucky items (in general) are called ENGIMONO in Japanese, with the items on sale connected distinctly with examinations being known as GOKAKU KIGAN SHOHIN (合格祈願商品). The way certain objects can come to be considered auspicious because the pronunciation of their name resembles a POSITIVE WORD is called GORO AWASE (語呂合わせ).
Let me give you a few examples of some things which are thought to be lucky because of significant sound-word associations.
Most traditionally, on the day of an examination (or a sporting match), Katsu-Don (a cutlet on rice) or Ton Katsu (a pork cutlet) is eaten. This is because KATSU, which means a cutlet, is a homophone for the word KATSU, which means VICTORY. Thus, dishes containing KATSU (cutlets) are considered ENGIMONO, which help bring about success.
Various companies have taken advantage of Japan’s soft spot for GORO AWASE, and with every test taking season new products are introduced to the ENGIMONO market, some of which really STRETCH IT in their efforts to have their items name resemble a positive word.
In recent years, one of the most popular of these products has been Nestle’s Kit Kat bar, a chocolate covered wafer, which can be bought at any convenience store or supermarket. The reason this item is considered to have luck-giving power is a modified form of the product’s name, which is KITTO KATSU （きっと勝) meaning “surely you will win”! Many also believe that eating chocolate on the morning of an exam stimulates the brain and because of these two factors, Kit Kat bars have been sold briskly during recent exam seasons. Many of Tsukuba’s juku teachers actually hand them out to their students at this time of year.
Some companies have special exam season packages for their usual products, which promote a LUCKY variant of the item’s brand name. Probably the most famous of these is the corn puff snack KA-RU (curl), which when exams come around, are sold in special bags with UKA-RU (PASS) printed on them.
One popular good luck products in recent years has been the OCTOPUS, in various forms. This is because the Japanese pronounce this word as OKU (put it there) TO (and you) Pass (pass!)- DISPLAY IT AND YOU PASS!
Koala figures were very IN last year, as they supposedly never OCHIRU (fall or fail). Some company has actually been marketing lucky koala poop. The reasoning behind this is that the cuddly marsupial’s stool (unko) has no smell, which makes it good UN, or UN GA II which means GOOD LUCK (as well as good poop!).
This year-2011, some companies have been marketing a pentagon ( five-sided) pillow for JUKENSEI to sleep on. GOKAKUDO, the word for pentagon, sounds similar to the word GO-GAKU, which means PASSING EXAMS. These pillows are available in blue for boys and pink for girls and are called GOKAKUMAKURA – pillows for passing!
Talking about OCHIRU (to fall or fail), I remember an interesting story way back, just after the Great Kansai Earthquake. The driver of a bus which had been perilously hanging over the edge of a shattered elevated highway, but which miraculously didn’t fall, was sought out by JUKENSEI from all around Japan who wanted to shake his hand and receive his blessing. This was because he was OCHISO KEDO OCHINAKATTA (he looked like he was gonna fall/fail, but he DIDN’T).
I could go on and on with amusing examples of GORO AWASE good luck charms, but I would like to get back to the topic of the TENJIN/TENMANGU SHRINES which so many students, and even more parents, visit for a little supernatural support in the struggle to pass exams.
Tenmangu shrines are where the deified spirit of the great Heian Period scholar and poet Sugawara No Michizane are enshrined as the God of Scholarship and Learning (as well as natural disasters) TENJIN. Michizane’s story can teach us a lot about traditional Japanese religious thought. A highly respected member of the Heian court, whose poetic skills helped him rise up quickly in the ranks, he became the subject of certain false rumors which led to his banishment from the capital and his being exiled to the far off military outpost of DAZAIFU on the island of Kyushu. Michizane, heartbroken by his separation from the cultural life of the court and his beloved capital, soon died (in 903).
After his death, certain natural disasters took place in Japan, including floods and fires caused by lightning. The court decided that this must be the vengeful spirit of the wronged Michizane, and the once persona-non-grata was enshrined as the God TENSHIN, who if respected and properly pacified would (hopefully) refrain from taking further revenge on the Japanese populace.
Since Michizane had been such a respected poet, scholar, and calligrapher, over time TENJIN evolved into the God of Learning to whom supplications were made by those seeking academic success.
There are at present more than 10,000 TENMANGU SHRINES dedicated to TENJIN throughout Japan. The most famous of these are in Dazaifu, Kyushu, where Michizane was exiled and died, Kyoto (the Kitano Tenjin shrine) where he was born, and Egara Tenjin in Kamakura.
Though some parents of Tsukuban JUKENSEI might actually visit one of these far off shrines to pray for their children’s success, Tokyo’s Yushima Tenjin is the shrine most commonly visited by residents of our city. There is also a Tenmangu Shrine in Mitsukaido (now Joso City). Besides praying before these shrines’ main halls, worshipers usually buy an amulet (OMAMORI), or a more expensive wish tablet (OFUDA).
- Mitsukaido’s Tenmangu
Over the coming weeks you will probably be seeing many JUKENSEI, and over certain weekends Tsukuba will be flooded with them ( and the hotels all booked up by them). If you look closely you might see some of them holding their lucky charms from a Tenmangu Shrine. But since an amulet or wish tablet acquired has to be returned the NEXT YEAR TO THE SAME SHRINE, which is a bit troublesome, the lucky food products (which are just eaten and not returned anywhere) are becoming more and more popular.
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HANABIRAMOCHI ( 花びら餅 )- a Japanese sweet for January ( especially for HATSUGAMA- the First Tea Ceremony of the Year) which has roots in an ancient court ceremony- again
By Avi Landau
Since the Tsukuba Science City lies amidst the centuries old, rustic hamlets of rural Ibaraki Prefecture, it is naturally a great place in which to familiarize oneself with the traditional culture and customs of this area. What makes this small city even more interesting, however, is that besides the presence of the families who have lived here for generations, there is a disproportionally large number of NEW RESIDENTS ( shin jumin, 新住民) who have come from all corners of the Japanese Archipelgo, to live and work here, often in connection with the many research facilities and institutions of higher learning for which our city is now famous.
Over the years, right here in Tsukuba, I have been lucky enough to have gotten to know Japanese from all parts of the country, including its most remote corners and hard to reach islands. Not only have these encounters enriched my knowledge of Japan`s varied folk customs, dialects and regional attitudes, but they have also made it possible for me to share in the edible BOUNTY of these various locales, either by the generous sharing out of the contents CARE PACKAGES sent by parents or grandparents, or by receiving OMIYAGE ( gifts) brought back to Tsukuba after New Year`s or O-Bon ( summertime) hometown visits.
As it is January now, and many people have just returned from their native places, it is a busy time for sampling some of Japan`s more exotic foods, as offered by friends, students and acquaintances eager to give a taste of their home-towns.
So far, the most interesting such treat I‘ve had this year has been something brought by my friend Makiko-San, from her native Kyoto- HANABIRAMOCHI ( literally flower petal rice cakes)- a soft, folded- over patty of pounded rice ( dyed slightly pink) filled with miso bean paste, a layer of pink hishimochi ( another type of rice cake, diamond shaped) and most distinctively, a slim stalk of burdock root ( gobo-) running through and sticking out at both ends.
Taken together with tea, this traditional confection was sublimely tasty, and memorable for the rare combination of the chewy sweet rice and the hard slightly bitter gobo-.
What has made the encounter with hanabiramochi even more interesting for me, though, has been studying about its history and symbolic significance.
The first thing that I should tell you is that these rice cakes are available fresh only in early January, as they are representative of the beginning of the new year.
Why?
Well, the roots of these curious mochi cakes, stuffed with white miso bean paste and a stick of gobo can be traced back to an ancient ritual called the HA KATAME NO GISHIKI ( 歯固め儀式) which during the Heian Period ( 794-1185), was carried out during the first days of the New Year at the old Imperial Palace in Kyoto with the aim of bestowing good health and long life on the Emperor and his family.
Ha Katame (歯固め) literally means hardening of the teeth, and the reasoning behind the ritual was that if hard food were eaten, the teeth, and thus the rest of ones constitution would be strengthened. The teeth are not only a RENEWABLE part of our bodies ( our baby teeth are replaced by our adult teeth), but the Kanji character for tooth is an element of the character for age- 齢, and thus the ancient Chinese and Japanese found a connection between teeth, life, aging and a new year.
Records reveal that in this ceremony the meat of deer and wild boar, as well as dried ayu ( sweet fish), daikon radish and gourd (all considered hard foods) were each placed separately on top of round, round rice cakes which had diamond shaped Hishimochi on top.
The dried ayu was also significant because one way of writing the name of this fish in Japanese is 年魚, which literally means the YEAR FISH ( because its lifespan is about one year in length), and thus connects itself by its name with NEW YEARS.
As the generations passed, these offerings tranformed into part of the array of the usual O-Sechi dishes ( New Year`s dishes) of the Imperial court, eaten with the ZONI ( New Year`s soup) which in Kyoto, was made with white miso paste. The various toppings, it seems, eventually came to be stuffed into the rice cakes instead of being placed on top.
Eventually, probably sometime in the Edo Period ( 1600-1868) the sweet fish ( ayu) came to be replaced by a stick of GOBO ( burdock root) and two layers of mochi ( one round, and one diamond shaped) was also stuffed with white miso bean paste to represent the white miso of the New Year`s zoni ( soup). These little cakes were called HISHIHANABIRA , with the hishi meaning the diamond shaped rice cake, and hanabira ( flower petal), referring to the round type. The juxtaposition of these two shapes had great significance for traditional Japanese divination ( OMYODO), as it represented all things, or the universe.
( I surmise that the meats were dropped out of the ceremony over the years because of Buddhist sanctions against the eating of flesh, especially that of animals with four legs. Even the fish, however, were eventually replaced symbolically by the gobo root.)
The delicate pink glow of these sweets was obtained by a layer of colored , diamond shaped hishimochi wrapped under the layer of white, round mochi, and this creates a resemblance to the plum blossom, which is the first type of blossom of the new year to bloom and an auspicious symbol of the season .
The court had comissioned two traditional Japanese confectioners, Kawabata Doki ( 川端道喜) and Tora-Ya, to make these hishihanabira, which were distributed as gifts by the Imperial Family to the aristocracy. Please note that in those days these rice cakes were NOT sweet, as they are today.
It was not until after the Meiji Restoration ( or should I say revolution) of 1868,that these rice cakes were made available to the townspeople of Kyoto. Not only was the mochi slightly sweetened, but their name was changed to Hanabiramochi.
Important for the history of these New Year cakes is that in the Meiji Period, the head of the Ura Senke school of Tea Ceromony got special permission to use them for the HATSU GAMA ( first tea ceremony of the year).
Because of this, anyone you know who is a practioner of the tea ceremony will be familiar with these sweets. It is interesting, that when a tea groups HATSU GAMA cannot be held until February, they have to freeze the hanabira mochi which they buy in early January.
Id like to thank Makiko-San for the special taste experience , and for showing me once again that in Japan, whatever you take a close look at turns out to be fascinating.
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