Return to Kobe, Day One

Since our winter vacation is incredibly long, a week after our trip to Nagano it was time for another mini-vacation, this time to Kobe. We loved Kobe when we visited over the summer, and so were eager to get to know the city a bit better. The day we arrived was a true winter day, cold but clear. We met up with Matt's Japanese teacher (whom we met on our last trip to the city), and after a lunch of negitoro donburi (raw tuna and scallions over rice with miso), we went for a long stroll around the canals of Kobe. It took us a long time to find the canal promenade as we wandered around the industrial ports, but eventually we came upon a scenic park and walkway that followed the canals. There were even canal cats wandering around, chasing seagulls.

On the way to the canal district we passed many shrines and temples. The area seemed particularly dedicated to Inari, the fox god whose main shrine is in Kyoto. Matt's teacher pointed out a shrine on top of a building, which you can see in the photo to the right.

We also ran into a small monument to Taira no Kiyomori, who is featured prominently in The Tale of the Heike. The story tells how Kiyomori, the head of the most powerful clan, was brought down by the Genji clan. The book apparently describes him as ruthless and evil, so much so that even in death his body does not cool. He didn't lack ambition: he created the first samurai government and even orchestrated the abdication of the throne, installing his grandson as head. However, he did commission Itsukushima shrine.

When we returned to downtown Kobe, we walked around the Harborland. We ran into a Lion Dance, traditionally done for New Year's celebrations. After the dance, people lined up for the lion to clap his teeth by their heads, for luck.

Comments

To Live in the Moment Without Fear

To Live in the Moment Without Fear is a work by Yuko Shinoda from Gifu, Japan. Danced by six women, the dance investigates what it means to be a part of a community threatened by a disaster that takes a life. Premiered June 5th 2011 in Nagoya, Japan, the dance features a strong movement aesthetic that draws from traditional Japanese dance as well as contemporary styles and contact improvisation. Shinoda's use of space and timing, as her dancers flow in-and-out of solos, duets, trios, and unison, creates a sense that the dancers are unified and alone at the same time. In the end, Shinoda's view of life is clear: we must tend to the fallen, but we must never surrender ourselves to fear while we are still alive.

Yokohama, Day Four: Roppongi Hills and Shibuya

We met Nik's girlfriend, Megumi, for an amazing lunch on the way to Roppongi Hills, where we met up with her friend Misa. Roppongi Hills is an incredibly upscale shopping district in Tokyo, even more upscale than the Ginza. I couldn't afford to look at the stores. We passed by a German-influenced illumination display, honoring 150 years of German-Japanese friendship. It was really beautiful and seemed traditional (I'm going to run it by my German friend to test its authenticity). In the first two pictures you can see Japanese people chowing down on dark lager and brats, as well as a lovely carved statue with figurines and candles that constantly turned on a podium. Misa was hungry so we got her a lunch snack, and when Matt saw a bagel place he succumbed to his Jewishness. Pictured is his bagel with cream cheese and lox, which he ate in the face of Christmas with Nik. Roppongi Hills also has many beautiful sculptures, including a giant spider of which I didn'...

Gamagori Fireworks Festival

Takeshima, at low tide. Every year, on the last day of July, a big fireworks festival is held in Gamagori, Japan. Fireworks are very big in Japan, with each major city priding itself on its particular display, and swearing up and down to anyone who will listen that their fireworks are the best in the nation. Gifu's displays were canceled this year because of the earthquake, so we took the opportunity to travel a little more than an hour by express train to Gamagori. It's a cute little town, not far from Okazaki, with a famous island that is entirely shrine space (seen in the picture to the right). It was a wonderful, if long, day. Four of us set out from Gifu and picked two more friends up on the way to the island. We arrived early, perhaps too early, but we did miss the worst of the afternoon sun as we wandered around the island. Even though I was very diligent about my SPF 50 sunblock, I still managed to get burned on both shoulders before the...

Voyage Junkie

Search This Blog