Toko-ji Temple

After visiting Zenko-ji, I walked about ten minutes to arrive at Toko-ji Temple.

This is the information from the temple's website: 

A temple with a beautiful Japanese rock garden

One of the "Kofu Gozan" ("five mountains of Kofu"), a hierarchical system following the one used to organize Buddhist temples in Kyoto and Kamakura, in which Takeda Shingen chose five temples on the slopes of the Kofu basin to be placed under his protection.

Toko-ji was founded around 500 years ago and houses the graves of both Shingen’s eldest son Yoshinobu and Suwa Yorishige (whose daughter gave birth to Shingen’s last son and heir, Katsuyori). After rebelling against his father, Yoshinobu was imprisoned in the temple, where he eventually died by his own blade. Suwa Yorishige was captured and imprisoned there as well following Shingen’s invasion of Suwa, and also committed suicide by seppuku. 

Within the temple’s precincts is a rock garden famously designed by Lanxi Daolong, designated as an prefectural cultural property, that is especially beautiful when the irises are in bloom (May). The temple’s main hall enshrines the "medicine Buddha" Bhaisajyaguru and is considered an important national asset.

These tiny cats and tiny wind chime are so cute!

Friday Finish - Snowman Pillow

I finished the stitching on this last September as part of my Summer One Thread a Week Challenge.  I knew I wanted to finish it into a pillow, but I procrastinated. I'm happy it is now finished and am pleased with it. The pillow form can be removed by the flap in the back.

Zenko-ji Temple

Zenko-ji is about a 15 minute walk from Zenkoji Station, in Kofu. It is open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm and admission to the main hall is 500 yen.

The main hall of Zenkoji is the largest wooden structure in Eastern Japan. The temple gate and statue of Amitabha Tathagata have been designated important cultural properties. 

This is the view from the gate.

I couldn't take photos inside, but it was interesting and very very old.  There were many cultural treasures.

Work In Progress Wednesday

Japanese Pattern 15

Christmas Treasures Afghan progress

Sardinian Filet progress

In the Fall of 2019, I took a Mediteranean cruise with a group of stitchers. When the ship stopped in Sardinia, I was one of twelve, who opted to take a class in Sardinian Filet. After the class, I didn't finish the project, and now, going on five years later, I picked it up again and stitched the upper right corner. We'll see if I can actually finish it!

New Bank Notes

 

About every 20 years, Japan introduces new bank notes as an anti-counterfit measure. The last time new ¥1,000, ¥5,000 and ¥10,000 notes were issued was in 2004. Beginning on July 3rd, the Bank of Japan released a new series of bills. The new bank notes incorporate holigraphic technology, creating a three-dimensional effect to deter counterfeiting. Also, to assist visually impaired people the numbers on the new notes are bigger.

¥1,000 note: Shibasaburo Kitasato

Shibasaburo received his medical degree from University of Toyo in 1883, then went on to be the first person in the world to grow a pure culture of tetanus in 1889. With German physiologist Emil von Behring, he produced a serum therapy for the disease, along with antitoxins for diptheria and anthrax.  Both were nominated for the first Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1901, but the prize went only to von Behring.

¥5,000 note: Umeko Tsuda

In 1871, at age six, Umeko Tsuda's father sent her on a diplomatic expedition from Japan to the United States.  She lived with a host family in Washington DC, and studied there until she moved back to Japan at the age of 18. She worked as a tutor and was dismayed at the Japanese curriculum that emphasized educating girls to be only good wives and wise mothers. She dedicated the rest of her life to improving opportunties for women in Japan. She founded Tsuda University, which is considered to be one of the best educational institutions in Japan today.

¥10,000 note: Eiichi Shibusawa

Eiichi Shibusawa is known as the father of Japanese capitalism.  He was born in 1840 to a family of wealthy indigo farmers. He learned to read and write from his father and studed Japanese history and the Confcian classics with his cousin, who was a scholar.

Shibusawa was a pioneer of modern banking and responsible for introducing the concepts of double-entry bookkeeping and joint-stock corporations to Japan. He established the First National Bank in 1873 and was involved in founding more than 500 companies, including Sapporo Brewery and Tokyo's Imperial Hotel. 

So far, I've only seen the new 1000 yen notes, which I received in change when I purchased something. Older notes are still able to be used, but those issued before 1984 will not be taken in the 7-11 machines. At 7-11, the cashiers do not handle money. They scan what you are buying and tell you the total. You pay either with your phone or by putting your cash into the machine.

I've read that all vending machines had to be re-worked in order to accept the new notes, and this is causing some problems/expense for the businesses. More people are paying with apps on their smart phones as time goes on, but I'm still one who pays with cash.

Monday Morning Star Count

I didn't put any stitches in the bed spread this week, but I have been cutting more fabric for the flip edge hexagons, and even made up some of them. Making up these hexagons are my train travel project. 

In addition to the bed spread I've been working on for quite a while, I have an idea for a new smaller project.  I cut the fabric and clipped them to the paper forms, so I'm ready to go. The Liberty fabric was given to me as a gift years ago by another epp blogger, Blue Moth when I was traveling in the UK and we met up. It is so beautiful, I've been saving it. Thanks to the Samurai Macha channel, I'm putting it to use.

Kofu Castle

Yesterday, I took the train to Kofu.  One of the places I visited was Kofu Castle, also known as Maizuru, which is located across the street from Kofu Train Station. 

According to the JCastle website:

Kofu Castle was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1583 after he defeated Takeda shingen's heir, Katsuyori, in 1582. Next to Edo Castle, Kofu Castle was the strongest castle in the Kanto region. Until Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu became lord of Kofu Castle, it was also considered to be the residence of the lord closest to the shogun. From 1724 to the end of the Edo Period, the lord of Kofu Castle changed on a rotating basis with around 200 lords having held the title by the end of Edo Period. I have seen reference in some English materials/websites mistakenly claiming that this Kofu Castle (Maizuru Castle) was run by the Takeda. While Kofu was a castle town of the Takeda they actually ruled from the Tsutsujigasaki Yakata.

I visited this castle park in December 2017, and I remember it was crisp and quiet. Yesterday the temperature got up to 95F in Kofu!

A small shrine

The park is beautifully kept.

It's always nice to be able to read the explanations in English.

This small building is the public toilet, and made to fit in with the other castle buildings.

(If you are interested in Japanese Castles, check out my Castle Page to see the castles I've visited.)