THE SPLENDOURS OF JAPAN
K. K. Sharma
Let me present a few glimpses. Japan’s fauna and flora are of a high order. We witnessed a splendid and colorful International Exhibition of Gardening and Land scaping. It was arranged on an exclusive area of over 500 acres, with Osaka Bay for a back ground. One enters first an indoor pavilion (with a canopy admitting lots of sun light) in which various countries (including India) exhibited their flowers, decorative plants, some fruits and vegetables. We also found some of their wild animals (stuffed). Outside this pavilion, hundreds of flower-beds of various sizes and varieties of flowers were arranged. Fountains, statues, model rural houses of different countries etc. had been exhibited in the midst of land escaping with flower beds, ponds, etc. In the months of April and May, Japan has a super abundance of flower. Added to these was a collection of flowers from various countries. There was an Amusement Park for children and a giant-wheel for families to go up high in the air and have a wonderful view of scenic splendour.
As we moved around for over three hours in it, we were beside ourselves with joy as we saw a myriad coloured sea of flowers of different sizes, shapes and scents. That they were all produced by the same earth and water is God’s miracle.
NARA:
We visited NARA, ancient capital of Japan and a centre of a cluster of Buddhist Temples. It is located in a beautiful valley with thickly wooded mountains which are visible at a distance. There are several temples, shrines, pagodas (like the tall Gopurams of Indian temples), old palaces, museum, etc. It has the world’s largest (over 30 meters high and of proportionate width) statue of Buddha in ‘padmasana’ with half-raised forearm and open palm in the pose of delivering a discourse of peace and love. It is reported to be the world’s largest wooden structure constructed with beams, pillars, etc., of cypress wood which is as strong as stone. Standing in front of that great Buddha statue blessing for peace to a strife-ridden world, one experiences a kind of divine peace. Nearby there is a big lake and a deer park of 1250 acres with more than 1000 deer roaming about and browsing on leaves and savouring biscuits from visitors hands. A museum containing several archaeological finds of Buddhist sculpture and art and a famous shinto shrine containing thousands of stone and bronze lanterns are found meticulously maintained.
The entire area near the temples is kept very clean and is full of greenery, with several conveniences and facilities. As we visited the place on a holiday (the month of May is called a Golden week, because it consists mostly of holidays in Japan and the spring time is resplendent with flowers every where), thousands of Japanese families were also visiting these temples with religious fervour. The scene with hundreds of shops selling souvenirs. Pictures, mini statues, toys, etc., and any number of tented entrances was like a colourful carnival.
Then comes Hemezi Castle (A world cultural heritage building). It is a grand six-storeyed castle, built by a chieftain in the 16th century. It stands on a hillock and on a raised platform built of huge granite boulders. Most of the walls are in white plaster and one brown wall is said to have been built of clay and sand mixed with boiled rice water. It has stood for 400 years, The pillars, roofs and other interiors were made of sturdy wood. It has a shinto shrine on the top floor. There are outer and inner moats, and a model of the castle in wooden frame work is kept in one of the floors for tourists to view. Based upon traditional wooden architecture, it is a well preserved castle and is said to be a good representative of most other castles in Japan.
In its vast outer surroundings, there are historical art and literary museums and a park and a zoo, with various facilities for tourists who come in large numbers through out the year.
NIJO CASTLE (Kyoto):
The earlier Imperial palace is located in Kyoto, when Shogun dynasty wielded power for a little over two centuries until 1768 (when political power came under the emperor). The Chieftain of Kugawa Shogun and his successors used to have their head - quarters at Tokyo and they visited Kyoto for short periods. For their temporary stays at Kyoto they had the Nijo Castle built. It was constructed with hard wood on a grand scale but endowed with simplicity. It consists mainly of five chambers with beautiful paintings on curtains, corridors, roofs and sliding doors. What little furniture was there originally has been removed (probably for safe custody and preservation). The flooring is covered with a kind of thin and soft mats. It is said that even to this day the Japanese use minimum furniture probably because of their need to make maximum use of the available space.
As one walks through the corridor to the first three chambers, a soft creaking sound like the singing of a nightingale is produced to serve as a warning system for the chieftain and his deputies staying in the fourth and fifth chambers.
HIGASHI HONGAZI TEMPLE:
It is a popular Buddhist Temple having two broad and imposing structures and a statue of Buddha, representing a repeated prayer “I trust in Buddha to help me to secure salvation”
THE THOUSAND IMAGES OF KANNAN:
It is a Rengeo Temple of 12th century. In this Temple in Kyoto, the principal images are the thousand and one statues of a Buddhist deity ‘Kannan’, with a gigantic one in the middle seated on a lotus, with a benevolent look conferring mercy and grace all round. It is an imposing Hall, 120 metres long with the 100 beautiful images in standing posture carved in Japanese Cypress wood, coated with lacquer and finished in gold colouring.
In front of these images arranged in ascending order of rows, there are 33 columns. In the spaces among these columns and below the 1001 statues, there are standing statues of Guardian Deities in postures of readiness to protect ‘kannan’. These guardian deities carry names of Hindu pantheon viz., (1) Vayu (wind) (2) Agni (fire) (3) Indra (Thunder), etc., This temple is well maintained and daily worship takes place in it.
It has extensive open ground. A beautiful garden is attached to it, wherein every year (according to a long standing tradition) archery competitions are held for young ladies on their completing 20 years of age. There is a widely held belief that participants will be free of headaches in their future life.
GOLDEN PAVILION:
Kinkaji or Rokuon - ji (Temple of the golden pavilion) was originally a villa surrounded by an extensive garden and ponds of one Kintrune Sainoji (1220). Subsequently it was developed into a Zen Buddhist temple in accordance with the ‘will’ of the owner. Surrounded on three sides by what is called ‘A Mirror Pond’ it has three floors. The first one was built in a palace style, the second one constructed like a ‘samurai house’ and the third one on top like a Zen Buddhist Temple. The second and third floors are covered with thick gold leaf on Japanese lacquer. It is reported that in 1980 it got mostly burnt down due to an accident and was not only completely rebuilt by 1987 but developed in a more beautiful way. That was why (perhaps) on the roof it has an image of the legendary bird ‘phoenix’ which had the miraculous power of rising from its own ashes.
By a visit to this Golden pavilion and strolling in the surrounding garden and amidst ponds with crystal clear water, one experiences some thing of pure meditative peace.
These are only a few monuments and temples visited by me. There are many more.