A Journey Through the First Shogun’s Path of Worship

I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a three day tour offering an immersive experience into Japan’s history and culture. 

Here is the trip itinerary:

This unforgettable 3-day, 2-night tour takes you to three sacred sites deeply connected to Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of samurai governance. Guided by experts, you will retrace the faith, martial arts, and lifestyle of the era, gaining profound insights into the essence of Japanese spiritual culture while creating lasting memories.

Schedule:

• Dates: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 – Thursday, January 16, 2025

• Locations: Hakone Shrine, Izusan Shrine, and Mishima Taisha

Tour Highlights:

Embark on a journey to three sacred sites linked to Minamoto no Yoritomo, delving into history and culture with expert guidance. Relive the faith, martial traditions, and way of life of the Kamakura period while exploring the depths of Japan’s spiritual culture.

Visiting Sites:

• Hakone Shrine: A site where Yoritomo prayed for victory.

• Izusan Shrine: A place of prayer during his exile and a significant faith center.

• Mishima Taisha: A vital sanctuary that supported the revival of the Minamoto clan.

Activities:

• Worship: Special prayers and commemorative stamps at each shrine.

• Martial Arts: Swordsmith demonstrations and martial arts experiences.

• Gastronomy: Reimagined cuisine inspired by the Kamakura period.

• Crafts: Hands-on carving of a miniature Buddha statue.

• Trails: Walk along ancient paths to relive history.

There were six participants, in addition to the organizer, the guide, the travel agent, the photographer, and other support staff. We ate fabulous food, stayed in comfort, bathed in onsens, and had great weather for our travels.

I’m still going through my many photos, but soon I will be posting the day by day details. (You may want to take this tour in the future!)

Record Number of Overseas Visitors to Japan 2024

 

In 2024, a record 36.9 million international visitors came to Japan, up 47.1% from the year before. The Japan National Tourism Organization reports this is 5 million more than previous record of 31.9 million set in 2019, before the covid-19 pandemic. 

A major reason for many tourists coming to Japan is the weak yen. In 2019, the exchange rate was about 110 yen to the US dollar. The yen has continued to weaken going from 140 yen to 160 yen to the US dollar, making Japan seem like a bargain. The largest number of international travelers came from South Korea, at 8.8 million. This is followed by China at 7.0 million, Taiwan at 6.0 million, and the United States at 2.7 million.

I totally understand why travelers want to come to Japan! The culture, the beautiful places, the friendly people, the delicious food, I could go on and on. Stay tuned, and I will have posts in the days ahead about a fantastic three day trip I took in my own prefecture!

Not So Loud!

 

Work in Progress Wednesday

 Japanese Pattern 29

Mill Hill Frosty - new start

Baby Ohtani on the Way

Superstar baseball player Shohei Ohtani and wife Mamiko Tanaka announced they are expecting their first child. On Instagram, Ohtani posted “Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!”, along with a picture of baby shoes, a baby sleep suit, and the family dog, Decoy. In February, Ohtani surprised his fans when he announced he had married Japanese basketball player Tanaka. 

At a local Aeon store, I noticed poster size photo calendars of Ohtani sold out quickly. It seems all of Japan is proud of his baseball success and happy about his growing family.

I wish them all the best!

Coming of Age Day - Seijin no Hi 成人の日

Coming of Age Day is a national holiday in Japan, falling on the second Monday in January under the Happy Monday system. The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate all those who become adults between April 2nd of the previous year and April 1st of the current year. Local municipalities hold ceremonies, which are followed by parties to celebrate. Many of the new adults dress in formal kimonos or suits and travel back to their hometowns for ceremonies and celebrations.

 

Prince Hisahito to Attend University of Tsukuba

 

Prince Hisahito, nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne will attend University of Tsukuba starting in April, according to the Household Agency. He passed the university’s admission requirements and intends to study biology.

He has been interested in nature and insect research since he was very young. He began studying dragonflies as an elementary school student and published a paper with researchers in 2023 titled, “Odonata Fauna of Asaka Imperial Gardens, Tokyo: Diversity Sustained by Continuous Maintenance.”  

I remember reading about his first day of school, and now he is about to start college!

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Hatsumode at Kinomiya Shrine

After visiting the Museum of Art in Atami, I visited Kinomiya Shrine. It’s a Japanese custom to visit a shrine in the new year and is called Hatsumode. This shrine is famous for the 2100 year old tree. The legend says if you walk around the tree, you will get another year of life.  I visited this shrine last year during the new year season also.

This tree is second place, as it is only 1300 years old.

The shrine grounds are not that large, but there is a lot in the wooded area.

This is the large 2100 year old tree. Of course I walked around it.

After walking around the tree, I visited the little outdoor cafe and had a wonderful ice cream under the trees.

From the cafe area, I could look down on the big tree area.

I love the Japanese customs and traditions. What a good day!

Friday Finish - Rapunzel

I don’t have plans to frame or do anything else with it for now, so I’m considering it finished. The size is about 18.5 inches by 8 inches.

Atami Museum of Art - Yoshida Hiroshi, Memories of Landscapes

Last Sunday, I took the train to Atami and visited the Museum of Art. The museum is high on a hill and built into the side of the hill. There is a bus that goes from the train station to the MOA, but I chose to walk.  It took about 30 minutes. 

The museum is tourist friendly and there is English information available.

To get from the entrance to the galleries, you have to go up many long escalators.

After the third escalator is the circular hall with moving projections on the ceiling.

After the fourth escalator, you can go outside to an area called Moore Square.

After reading this introduction, I thought it sounded familiar, and it was!  I had attended another exhibit on this artist, during the pandemic. (I included some biographical information when I posted about it  here). The following information is from the MOA website:

In addition to the inside art, there is also a Japanese garden and other things to see outside.

There are also several restaurants and shops. Before I walked down the hill, I enjoyed a cup of coffee.  I would like to visit this museum again.