Inviting spirit trees in hiroshima peace memorial park

Paired Ogatama-no-ki stand guard at the Memorial Mound lying in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Legend has it that Ogatama-no-ki was originally Ogitama-no-ki, meaning inviting spirit tree. This tree has been believed to be favored by gods, goddesses, spirits and numi who would descend and possess the tree when invited. Its academic name is Michelia compressa, family Magnoliaceae. In early spring, fragrant white flowers come into bloom. This site gives you lots of pictures of this tree.

Under the mound is made the vault where some 70,000 unidentified ashes have been enshrined. Numerous corpses were brought in and cremated around here after the a-bombing. Many were cremated without identification; while some 800 were identified but nobody came to claim for. In many cases, families were sacrificed in their entirety. This site, part of Hiroshima Peace Site, an official web site introducing the peace museum and park, gives you precise information about the mound. Go to this site, choose English, and click Guide to Peace Memorial Park to know about the peace park in general.

Now the trees silently greet the visitors; nearby are the colorful paper cranes, symbol of peace in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, dedicated to the deceased.  

One interesting fact:

The tree is designed on Japanese one-yen coin, though many of us don’t even notice. In the same URL I already mentioned, a clear photo of one-yen coin is viewed.


Today's Tohoku-Kanto Earthquake bulletin:

The number of workers who have been exposed to radiation exceeding 100 millisieverts at the plant came to 19 as of March 28, TEPCO said.

Exposure to 100 millisieverts is the legal limit for nuclear plant workers dealing with an emergency, but the limit has been raised to 250 millisieverts during the ongoing crisis, the worst Japan has seen, at the plant some 220 kilometers northeast of Tokyo.

Among the 19, three received treatment at a radiation research center in Chiba Prefecture after they were exposed to radiation of 173 to 180 millisieverts Thursday. They were discharged Monday, with officials of the center saying the exposure has not affected their health.

From Kyodo

Aioi Bridge was the target



Former newel post of Aioi Bridge 



Today’s Tohoku Kanto Earthquake bulletin: More than 70 aftershocks, level 4 or larger on the Japanese scale, happened so far. Those who were engaged in the critical work at the stricken nuclear power plant after the quake and local residents near the plant were tested on radiation they might have been exposed to. It was announced that they only received the low level of radiation and didn’t need treatment. The breakdown of the subjects were: 166 employees of TEPCO, five Self Defense Forces personnel, 13 riot police officers, and 193 locals.  

Hiroshima is a city of waters. Six tributaries of the Ota-gawa river flows in the shape of a rake through the city to the Seto Inland Sea. Naturally there have to be many bridges: more than 2900. Six of them survived the a-bombing and still in use. Interestingly, there were only five major bridges in castle town Hiroshima during the Edo period (1603-1868). That was one typical way of defense but at the same time that’s how authorities regulated free travel by people with the limited number of bridges.

The Aioi Bridge, the intended target for the a-bombing but 300 meters off from the actual hypocenter, barely survived the blast but was repaired and used for another 35 years or so before being replaced by the present plate girder bridge in 1983.

The T-shaped bridge, so easy to identify from the aircraft high up in the air, was an ideal target and bombardier Thomas W. Ferebee had no trouble finding it on board the B29 Superfortress Enola Gay on August 6, 1945.

Part of the roadway was heaved upward due to the blast bouncing back from the river and the hand railing on the north side fell into the water.

When first built by a wealthy family in 1878, the Aioi bridge was comprised of two dogleg wooden bridges meeting at the north corner of the delta of Nakajima-cho, a bustling urban hub in those days. The bridge was named Aioi meaning meeting and joining. Its alias was the “Toll Bridge” because people had to pay a toll to cross the bridge.

A bridge exclusively for streetcars was built upstream of the original Aioi Bridge in 1912 but was washed away in floods more than once. In 1932, a large sturdy bridge both for streetcars and other traffic was constructed. In addition, an extension was built connecting the center of the upstream bridge to the northern end of the Nakajima delta, temporarily making the whole Aioi bridge H-shaped. Later the old wooden bridges were torn down and the Aioi Bridge became T-shaped.

Former newel posts have been preserved at two locations near the bridge. One was of the original wooden bridge and easy to find: between the bridge and the A-bomb Dome. The other was of the previous one and is at the north end of the delta near Peace Clock Tower.

Part of the wrecked girder of the former Aioi Bridge is displayed in the main wing of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, where artifacts from 65 or so years back are exhibited.

This URL gives you precise information about the bridge with graphics.

Tohoku Kanto Earthquake and Shinkansen



Sakura arriving at Hiroshima

The day after an unbelievably large-scale earthquake hit Japan’s Tohoku region on March 11, 2011, the Kyushu Shinkansen Super Express line started its full-fledged operation. The opening day was supposed to have been joyful and festive and the media should have reported one happy day; instead there was not much celebration and the service started smoothly but too quietly. On the previous day, people, cars, houses, trains, and nuclear power plants were at the mercy of the magnitude 9 earthquake and ensuing tsunami waves that attacked Tohoku.

I was in Nagasaki, away from home and further away from the earthquake-affected area, about to work for a tour on the next day. The tours, however, were all canceled because all the Japanese ports were closed due to tsunami alerts and warnings issued to every port of the country. Though the port of Nagasaki was least affected and the waves were quiet, the port had to be closed by law. The large passenger ship, Queen Elizabeth 2, safely waiting offshore, skipped calling at Nagasaki and probably sailed to Shanghai.

My fellow tour guides and I left Nagasaki using different transportation measures from usual, for some of the JR lines running along the seashore stopped their operations to be safe. We managed to get on an expressway bus from Nagasaki to Hakata, where we took a Shinkansen Super Express to Hiroshima. We came back earlier than we should have if we had done our tour in Nagasaki. Feeling strange, we were home.

  It didn’t take us long to learn that this earthquake, followed by tsunami waves, was truly unprecedented and besides victimizing people and towns, it left a crippled nuclear power plant in its immediate aftermath.

I watched both domestic TV news, NHK and others, and CNN. I read a Japanese paper and articles in English on the net by New York Times and BBC. I was curious how CNN and other overseas media would report. I didn’t value CNN and New York Times highly as I had expected. BBC articles on the net, I thought, were objective and trustworthy.  

The government and TEPCO might not have been able to announce the matters very swiftly at first and truly there are things in detail I’d like to know and have yet to know but I believe they never fabricated or falsified facts.

The grave nuclear issue is ongoing and many people in Japan will be righteously worried about radiation sneaking into food chain, though at this moment, the possible risk is nominal and they should not panic. Fortunately, Japanese people are relatively calm and not panicking. But I do regret that the general public is not sufficiently aware of what radiation is all about. The country that has been through two nuclear destructions, on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively, should have known better. We should have been better educated and should not have had any nuclear power plants at all. We should have studied on nuclear-free countries like New Zealand and should have seriously considered the danger and risk of nuclear power generation. We should have supported the scientists to explore for alternative sustainable energy.



Sakura bound for Shin-Osaka

 Now at the end of this article, let me give you a bit of info about our proud Shinkansen. On March 12, 2011, the Kyushu Shinkansen connecting Hakata and Kagoshima in one hour and 20 minutes started to operate. Some of the Kyushu Shinkansen trains travel as far as to Shin-Osaka, enabling a travel between Kagoshima and Shin-Osaka in less than four hours, the critical travel time for many people to choose either Shinkansen or air travel. If it takes less than four hours, more people choose this very rapid train. The Shinkansen has been in the progress. The magnetic levitated Chuo Shinkansen is in evolution and hopefully its operation will start in 2025.

The doors to the first floor are open now

These photos are part of the five storied pagoda at Ruriko-ji temple, Yamaguchi city. To entice tourists to come over in winter when the number of visitors decline due to cold weather, many establishments hold special events. Now visitors to Ruriko-ji can see the interior of the pagoda.

My objective was one and only: to see the shin-bashira heart pillar.

Behind the statue of Amitabha Buddha stands the shin-bashira.

This pagopa was built for O-UCHI Yoshihiro who died in a battle and his statue modeled after the original statue enshrined at Kan-non Hall of Toshun-ji nearby was added inside in the 20th century.

Note the statues are enshrined on a circular pedestal. It's one of this pagoda's unique features.

Five storied pagodas with a veranda on its first level has a raised floor; thus pillars can be seen under floor. You can see the shin-bashira in the center.

Teshima in revival

The entire articles I wrote and will write about the Setouchi islands are dedicated to my friend Marie, an inspiring artist and human being, who passed away on January 9, 2011.

A black porgy made of garbage by Yodogawa Technique, sending out and greeting ships at Uno Port.
From Uno Port, you can go to Naoshima and Teshima on different boats.

Teshima is a middle-sized island located in the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea with the population of approximately 1100. The population has been decreasing as is often the case for the rest of the Japanese islands.

I love this usually quiet and lovely island especially because I instinctively loved the islanders and they treated me so kindly, making me feel that I live in a world full of caring.

When Japan’s economy was rapidly developing in the 1960s and onward, the Seto Inland Sea area was industrialized in a very large scale, causing environmental pollution. Later the environmental issues were tackled and the sea has been cleaned up. But how the islands should thrive with its diminishing populations has remained a big issue.

Then came the project for Naoshima. Benesse Art Site Naoshima and the Naoshima Fukutake Art Museum Foundation have been the driving forces of the project.

Taking more than 20 years, starting with children’s summer camps on the island, the island has established its unique status as an island of art and nature blending and sometimes competing with each other for their aesthetic significance. The evolution has stimulated the island and islanders, with something new introduced and something old recognized again.

Then Inujima has been experimented with the Seirensho art project which holds six artworks collectively titled “Hero Dry Cell” displayed in the establishment designed by architect SANBUICHI Hiroshi on the premises of an abandoned copper refinery which has been preserved as Industrial Modernization Heritage. See the past Inujima articles if you please.

Last year on October 17, Teshima Art Museum opened to the public when the Setouchi International Art Festival was being held. Not conventional at all, with architecture, art, and surroundings undividable. This museum cannot be in Tokyo or anywhere. It has to be nestled in here, overlooking the Seto Inland Sea and lying side by side with terraced rice paddies.

From July 19 to October 31, 2010 last year, the first Setouchi International Art Festival was held involving seven islands in the Seto Inland Sea, including Naoshima, Inujima, Teshima, and others. It was a huge success, attracting lots of visitors from Japan and abroad as well. The festival is planned to be held every three years. Remember to visit the Setouchi area on the next occasion.

However, I rather visit these special places after the festival is over. I did try twice when the festival was going on. But I was clever enough to avoid the worst crowd and enjoyed the visits fully.

Now that the festival is over and it’s cold in winter, not many visitors are expected. This weekend I took advantage of it and the forecasted good weather – it was indeed sunny and warm enough. I drove my Honda Insight, parked it near the port, went into the supermarket whose parking lot I always park my car in, bought food, ate it in the car, and took a boat to the islands of Teshima and Inujima on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Finally I can write about Teshima more after a long prelude. Thank you for your patience. Let me post a photo of the Inland Sea taken from the mountain top that a local gentleman kindly offered me a ride to when I met him and other islanders at the foot of the mountain after I climbed up the mountain path to see the grove of old Castanopsis trees (a kind of pasania or chinquapin trees) and almost came down to the foot. 

Here's Teshima Art Museum. Looks like a drop of water. Inside, you’ll witness organic flows of small fountains welling up from the floor, and white round or flat marbles. You’ll find small holes on the floor and marble pieces and water constantly twinkles out and moves in many forms and speeds according to the elements. They might join into one. They are alive. Trees and soil seen from the two openings are alive. Wind is alive. Birds chirping are alive. Notice you are surrounded by life. Symbolically, the water grows rice planted in terraced rice paddies nearby.

I should not reveal the secrets too much. That will spoil your fun and you’ll stop feeling and using your all senses once you know too much. Take time. I was there for an hour and a half. There’s only one room in the display building. The other building is a café. If you just take a look, you’ll be there for a very short time. But stay longer. Just feel.

However you can always invite me. I won’t turn down your offer. I’ll be your good spiritual helper.

Here’s the minimum info you might want to remember if you can’t take me with you:

In the center of the floor lies the work of the day. The small water patches stay there without flowing down.

Remember beads and three strings, red, silver, and gold. Look up and beads can be found and you’ll not lose them once you’ve known where they are.

Two ribbons are flattering in the air. Enjoy them. They are always seen.

But the strings you might miss soon after you see them. They are there even though you don’t see them clearly or lose track of them.

A reminder: Don’t accidentally step on the water patches. I unfortunately destroyed one and got my sock wet a little.

The museum has a cafe. Its exterior and interior look like this.

Teshima is blessed with water; that’s why there are rice paddies. Many were abandoned due to depopulation but volunteers came and restored some of the paddies. The terraced rice paddies near the museum will be colored gold in fall when the rice is about to be harvested.

Here's the official web site of Benesse Art Site, describing a bit about the museum. 

The ariticle first posted on my previous blog URL; slightly revised this time.

Lee Ufan Museum in Naoshima

The newest addition to Naoshima, designed by architect ANDO Tadao and completed in July, 2010. The whole museum feels very warm and tranquil with LEE's works. Successful collaboration of architect, artist, and nature. Behind the concrete wall is the approach to the inner display area.

Click here to know more about the museum, artist, and architect, a page from the official site of the Benessse Art Site.

And here's the one greeting you on the wall.

Beyond the grass is a beach and the Seto Inland Sea. The Naoshima island stroll became merrier with this museum in place, making a natural walking route between the Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, and Benesse House area. You can easily go down to the beach where one of the artworks lies on the sand (boats corresponding to the painting displayed in the Benesse House Museum), and another is seen on the hillside done by SUGIMOTO Hiroshi.

Lee's exhibition, Lee Ufan: Marking Infinity, is going to be held at Guggenheim in New York from June 24 to September 28, 2011. It's the first North American museum retrospective devoted to artist, philosopher, and poet Lee Ufan, who has been active in Korea, Japan, and Europe over the last forty years. More about his exhibition at Guggenheim, go to the official site of that museum.

Article updated from my previous one at the former URL.

And a native species of Naoshima

The cat takes a nap at one of the Art House project sites, Kadoya.

It houses Sea of Time '98 by MIYAJIMA Tatsuo.

More about the artworks, jump to the official site of  Benesse Art Site Naoshima.