Japan

An evening at Kobe Harbour

Mani & I dropped in at Kobe in Hyōgo Prefecture today, to spend the evening at the stunning Harbor but we were pleasantly surprised by the Bon Odori festival happening on the same day!

We used the “Kansai Thru Pass” to travel to Kobe. The Kansai Pass, also called Surutto Pass, allows unlimited travel on most train lines in the Kansai area, barring the JR trains. You can also avail the JR Kansai Area Pass for the same. However, if you are touring mostly the Kansai area, the Surrutto Pass offers better value as it covers a denser network in the region’s most visited areas.

For visiting Kobe from Nara, it is preferable to travel via the Kintetsu line, since a direct train is available. On the JR line, one has to change a couple of trains in-between. The red and beige train with its big square windows was a great experience as we chugged along the beautiful Osaka countryside. We reached Kobe Sannomiya at about 3.30 pm.

The nearest train station to reach Kobe harbor is Kobe Sannomiya. 

It was still too early so we wandered around the shopping area for a bit before heading out towards the Kobe Waterfront.

The Kobe Waterfront is about a 20-minute walk from the station. On the way, we passed the well-known Kobe Chinatown.

Nankinmachi

Nankinmachi is Kobe’s Chinatown and the center of the Kansai region’s Chinese community. It was originally developed in the 19th Century by Chinese merchants who settled near Kobe Port. Nankinmachi is now a popular shopping and dining district. There are shops, restaurants, and food stands selling popular Chinese foods like steamed buns and ramen. However, they are not genuinely Chinese dishes as they have been adapted to the taste of the Japanese to a big extent.

The port area is just a block away from Nankinmachi. As we neared the port area, we passed under the huge Hamate Bypass on the Kobe waterfront which was extensively damaged during the quake of 1995. It is another marvel of Japanese technology.

As we entered Merikane park, we were surprised by the presence of large crowds of Japanese in their lovely kimonos. It was only then that we realized that we had landed there right on the day of the Bon Odori festival in Kobe. The Bon Odori Festival in Kobe is one of the largest in the Kansai area. It features live performances of Japanese traditional folk songs with Kobe’s famous night view in the background.

Up ahead a high wooden scaffold had been constructed with red paper lanterns hanging from all sides. On the scaffold called Yagura, a group of girls were performing to the “Kawachi Ondo“. Many vendors had set up food stalls where you can enjoy delicious Kobe food.

Bon Odori ( 盆踊り) or simply known as the Bon dance, is a style of dancing performed during Obon, a festival lasting over a period of five days, welcoming the spirits of the dead. The style of the Bon dance varies from region to region.

In the Kansai region, the song goes like “Kawachi Ondo“. Around the platform, young couples in their colorful kimonos were dancing along with the performers in a circular ring around the yagura. The dance is also performed in a different way at times with people facing the yagura and moving towards and away from it in concentric circles.

I was fortunate to experience the dance in another variation while I was in Tokushima in Shikoku, very famous for its “Awa Odori” which simply proceeds in a straight line through the streets of the town.

The Bon dance tradition is said to have started in the later years of the Muromachi period (1333 – 1573) as public entertainment. Over the course of time, the original religious meaning has faded, and the dance has become associated more with summer festivities.

We enjoyed a couple of dances before moving towards the Kobe Tower. On the way, I caught a view of the Kobe Ohashi, Japan’s first double-deck arched steel bridge.

As we walked towards the Kobe Tower, the sun was starting to set behind the tall buildings. The lights on the tower were slowly being turned on. Far away on the other side of the pier, we could see Kawasaki Shipyard.

Kobe Marine Harbour Park

Across the peaceful waters of the bay, Kobe Harborland looked amazing with the big Ferris wheel. Kobe Harborland is a shopping and entertainment area along with the Kobe port that offers a selection of shops, restaurants, cafes, and other amusements, which, together with the romantic evening atmosphere, have made it a popular spot for couples and tourists alike.

As we went around the bay towards Harborland, we were stopped midway at the base of the Kobe Tower where a group of girls was ready to perform the Samba. Now, this was right out of the blue. Samba is not really what Japan is known for, and that’s what made this even more surprising for me. Performers, of all ages, in their colorful feathery attires, adorned with glittering beads were ready to daze the eager crowd.

They swayed to the sensual beat of Samba, heating up the evening at Meriken Park, and coloring it with many brilliant hues. Some from the gazing crowd joined in, stumbling awkwardly among the seasoned dancers.

The dancers were amazing. They put a lot of energy into it, and the costumes were truly astonishing. It was really something I never would have expected.

Once the dance got over, we moved on towards the pier across a pedestrian bridge and onto Kobe Harborland. The crowd was huge filling every inch of the array of department stores. This shopping area was built on the site of the former freight yard, Minatogawa Kamotsu Station of the Japanese National Railways. The yard was removed in 1982 and the shopping district opened in October 1992 as a cultural hub.

The cafe area was even more crowded. The evening was set up for the many events planned for the evening. People had taken up seats along a promenade for further events in the evening. A cruise ship was parked nearby. Across the bay, I could see the Kobe Tower and Maritime Museum along with the tall buildings. This cityscape from this side of the harbor is very popular among photographers and the reason why I was here too.

We hurriedly crossed by the shopping area and reached the giant Ferris wheel. Honestly, I was glad to come out of the heavy crowd into some kind of peaceful sanity. Some guys were fishing along the pier. The Kobe harbor looked amazing from here. I set up my tripod and took some shots of the Kobe skyline. Kobe also has one of the most beautiful skylines at night

Kobe skyline at Evening

Kobe was one of the world’s busiest ports prior to the earthquake, In the 1970s the port boasted of handling the most containers in the world. It is said that it was one of the world’s busiest container ports from 1973 to 1978. The 1995 Hanshin earthquake diminished much of the port city’s prominence when it destroyed most of the facilities here, causing immense damage. Over 6,000 people died in the quake, which also left a $100 million trial of damage. Despite the repair and rebuilding, it has never regained its former status as Japan’s principal shipping port.

As dusk set in the cruise ship stationed nearby started on its run. This luxury pleasure boat offers a 40-minute cruise where one can savor the scenic attractions of the Kobe seaside along with the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge.

Kobe Meriken Park Oriental Hotel at night

The Oriental is an upscale hotel resembling a luxury liner and one of the iconic structures in the Kobe skyline. It was opened in June 1995. From the looks of it, one can make out it’s a plush hotel.


We stayed around till the sunset and the sky turned pitch black. Far away on the hills behind the city, numerous lights were illuminated. The dancing and feasting went on late into the evening.

By 8 pm I had got the shots I came for. I packed my gear and we started our walk back towards the Sannomiya station.

On the way back, we went past the dazzling Kobe Tower. The sightseeing tower was completed in 1963. The first floor is leased out to souvenir shops and restaurants. The ticket office to the sightseeing level is locating on the second floor. The third floor is a 360 rotate cafe with 20 minutes for a single round. I don’t think we even tried getting inside looking at the surrounding crowds.

Near the Maritime museum, the Bon Odori festival was still going on. We stayed around for a dance. The crowd was dancing in concentric circles around the Yagura.

At around 9 pm we bid adieu to the beautiful harbor and walked back to Sannomiya station. The streets were much quieter as we made our way out of the Harbor. The route took us along Gaslight street, a beautiful sight when on an evening outing. It’s called gaslight street because the street is decorated with old-fashioned gas street lights and electric lamps.

The trees and lights enhance the avenue and surrounding buildings, which makes Gaslight Street a little-known but memorable spot for taking pictures.

Kobe harbor is a happening place to spend quality time. It is surprising how people here are able to get over the tragedies brought on by earthquakes. Maybe it’s just inbuilt. After the devastating quake of 1995, it is commendable to see them getting back to living their lives and having fun. I came to Kobe just to catch the stunning Kobe harbor but I am going back with some special memories of the Bon Odori festivities.

Thanks for reading. Please leave me a comment if you liked the post or follow my story as I visit the thrilling cliffs of Tojinbo.

Photowalk to Suizen-ji Park

Today I traveled to Kumamoto almost 750 km away, to visit the lovely Suizen-ji Garden.

Suizenji Garden (水前寺成趣園) is a Japanese style landscape garden in Kumamoto. The garden is named after a Buddhist temple Suizen-ji that no longer exists on the grounds. The origins of the garden go way back to 1632, when Tadatoshi Hosokawa, the administrator of Kumamoto, built the Buddhist temple Suizenji. It was completed by 1670 and named Suizenji Jojuen which means “Garden of Elegance”.

Nara to Kumamoto

From Nara I took the local train up to Osaka. From Osaka I had to take another change-up to Shin Osaka, since bullet trains don’t have a stop at Osaka Station. From Osaka, I took the Hikari Shinkansen to Kumamoto. it’s a 5 hour ride even on the bullet train. A long ride like this can cost a fortune, but I was carrying my JR Pass. With the JR Pass I can travel unlimited number of times, anywhere in Japan on the JR line trains. It has been a great asset on my travels throughout the land of the rising sun.

The weather kept changing from a bright sunny to rainy and then misty as I passed prefecture after prefecture.

Inside the Shinkansen area of the Kumamoto Station, a huge face of Kumamon, the official mascot of Kumamoto welcomes you to the city. The Kumamon was unveiled in 2010 with the opening of Kyushu Shinkansen in order to promote tourism within the region. The mascot’s character is inspired by Kumamoto – the prefecture’s name literally translates into “bear origin”.

From the bustling station of Kumamoto, I changed to the local Hohi line, that dropped me off at the Shin-Suizenji Station. The train bound for Suizenji, leaves at regular intervals of 20 minutes and costs ¥‎210. Those with JR Pass can avail this ride for free. From the station however, it is still a 15 minute walk to the park.

Suizen-ji Garden

Google maps was playing up and it led me on a round-about way to the park. After a bit of searching I was finally able to find the entrance. A sweet lady dressed in Kimono provided me the admission tickets that cost ¥400.

Just beside the entrance one can find an Inari Shrine. A series of red Torii gates lead up to the shrine. Some of the Hosokawa family members are enshrined here.

In Japanese mythology, Inari is a god primarily known as the protector of rice cultivation. The fox, symbolizing both benevolence and malevolence, is sometimes identified with the messenger of Inari, and statues of foxes are found in great numbers both inside and outside shrines dedicated to the rice god.

After paying my respects at the shrine, I walked up the beautiful garden path lined with an array of miniature man-made hills. Just opposite to the shrine there is a miniature hill, made to look like Mt. Fuji.

Along the path, I crossed a small arched bridge to reach a pond filled with Koi fish. Three tiny islands float in the middle of the pond. The pond is fed by spring water from Mt. Aso, an active volcano in central Kyushu. As I went near the edge of the pond to feel the crystal clear cold water, a school of colorful Koi swam towards me searching for an afternoon snack. Unfortunately for them, I didn’t have any.

A few paces ahead I came across the thatched Kokin-Denju-no-Ma tea-house which was moved from Kyoto’s Imperial Palace to Kumamoto in 1912. A couple of Japanese were sitting inside. The tea house opens towards the pond. For people sitting inside the tea-house, the lovely pond looks like a picture frame. Pigeons were walking around just outside the tea house. A crane stood on rocks in the middle of the pond, making the scene even more exquisite. It’s a perfect place to relax and let the mind wander.

With the relentless Japanese summer sun beating down against my skin, I moved on, beyond the tea house, towards the beautifully trimmed pine trees on the other side of the pond.

It is said, the garden was landscaped to give the impression of views seen when traveling along the Tokaido, the 12th century highway between Kyoto and Edo (present-day Tokyo) .

The path up ahead, lined with an array of small green mounds are sure to please any nature lover. At Adachi Garden, I had made up my mind that it was the most beautiful garden. However Adachi Gardens can only be viewed from behind glass windows, so the feel of walking in such a beautiful garden just tilts my judgement towards Suizen-ji. The historical aligned, beautiful landscapes of this garden have led to it being acknowledged by the Japanese government as a site of historic and natural beauty.

Walking through, I came back a full circle back to the Shinto Shrine. On the right there are two statues of Fujitaka Hosokawa with Tadatoshi Hosokawa.

The garden covers an area of about 15 acres, reproducing the 53 post stations of the Tokaido, including the miniature Mt. Fuji, I saw earlier. Before I end the article, I want to share this most beautiful section of the entire park.

The garden is also home to a Noh theater, where Noh is performed in spring and fall ceremonies. It also contains the Izumi Shrine, built in 1878 and dedicated to the Hosakawa family.

It was evening, and I had about 6 hours ride in front of me to reach home. So, I went back to the Kumamoto station and caught the Shinkansen from there back to Shin Osaka.

As I made my may back to Nara, the lovely garden with its picture-postcard beauty kept lingering in my mind. The beautiful dusk only made my experience of the day richer.

The Garden is a slice of history and beauty put together in a tasteful combination. The Suizen-ji Garden is a must visit for anyone who loves nature and appreciates the cultural and historical aspects of Japan.

Don’t Miss

Ikinaridango: a mochi (rice) and bean paste cake which is popular in the Suizenji area

Admission Fees

¥ 400

Timings

8 am – 5 pm

Built by

Hosokawa family

Built in

1636 CE

The stunning Osaka Castle

I dropped in at Osaka today to capture the stunning Osaka Castle in the evening light.

Osaka, Chūō-ku is the second largest metropolis of Japan. It’s a bustling city with over 19 million inhabitants. The city is well-connected by the subway. During my first few days in Osaka, I used to feel very lost making my way through the confusing subway. But I have made progress in the last few months and now am able to understand the routes better.

We started from Nara after lunch.

Nara to Osaka Castle

We reached the Tembabashi Station at about 4 pm. In my opinion its the easiest route to the Castle while coming from Nara. From the station its just a 10 minute walk to the castle.

A wide moat surrounds the grounds encircling the castle. In the center of the park, surrounded by the moat, the castle is built atop a tall stone foundation to protect its occupants from attackers.

Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle was built by the hegemon Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who ruled Japan in the latter half of the 16th century, on the site of a temple called Ishiyama Hongan-ji. The construction work began in 1583 and most buildings including the castle tower were completed by 1585. Tens of thousands of people were contracted for the construction which lasted nearly two years.

The stone foundation itself is said to consist of  about 40,000 stones. There is an interesting story that powerful daimyo from all parts of Japan competed in sending the large rocks for the castle, to display their loyalty to the Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The castle was destroyed in the forthcoming years and then rebuilt in 1931. The current structure is a concrete reproduction of the original and the interior functions as a museum. The central castle building is five stories on the outside, sitting on a high stone foundation. The castle’s interior consists of eight floors devoted mainly to exhibits. The castle tower has large golden dragon fish ornamental shining on the rooftop. Just below the rooftop viewpoint, the exterior walls are decorated with golden tigers.

Small packets of clouds went floating by the castle as we walked around the garden. After a bit of wandering about the castle grounds we came across some weeping Sakura trees on the north side of the garden.

The evening at Osaka Castle

A small bridge on the north side connects the castle with the grounds, over the moat. Evening was gradually setting in and the sky had begun to change into a multicolored canvas.

Beside the bridge, over the moat, a couple of pleasure boats were tied up. Business hours had closed by then and the boats floated nonchalantly over the moat as the sun was just about to hide behind the tall trees.

After a few minutes the sun went to sleep and we started our walk towards the viewpoint I had decided upon to take the evening shot of Osaka Castle.

Osaka Castle at Night

Finally, the moment for which I came here. The light was perfect. I set up my gear on the high stone wall and took this stunning view of the Osaka Castle. For the next 10 minutes the Osaka Castle looked like a fantasy structure from the mythical age of dragons.

Once the lights came on, the castle was illuminated in a burst of bright white light. I packed up my gear and we head back towards the Tembabashi Station.

It was a lovely evening at the castle. The exteriors of the Castle are stunning. There is always a good breeze blowing on the grounds. Many locals use the grounds for jogging in the evenings. Overall its a good place to spend an evening.

Thanks for sticking around to read my journal. If you have any questions, please use the comments section below. If you are in Osaka, you must visit the Kaiyukan Aquarium, the best aquarium I have seen in Japan or if you are looking for a quite evening, just wander around the Osaka Bay.

Built

1583 CE

Built by

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Castle Tower Timings

9:00 to 17:00 (entrance until 16:30)
Closed: December 28 to January 1

Admission Fees

Adults: ¥600

Official Website

http://www.osakacastle.net/english/

The lovely Matsumoto Castle

After a whirlwind tour of Kanto region, we were finally headed home. Along the way we decided to stop at the beautiful Matsumoto Castle (松本城 Matsumoto-jō) in Nagano Prefecture.

Constructed in 1592, it is one of four castles designated as ‘National Treasures of Japan’ and the oldest castle donjon (castle keep) remaining in Japan.

Takasaki to Matsumoto

After an early morning tour of Shorinzan Darumaji Temple, we were back in Takasaki. From Takasaki we took the Shinkansen to Nagano. The journey takes about an hour and passing through some breathtaking mountains.

At Nagano Station, after grabbing a quick bite at a Starbucks on the station premises, we hopped back on the train to Matsumoto along the JR Shinonoi Line.

The train chugged along through some high altitude mountains and from the big windows, one can see afar into the valley below. When I was here in March, travelling to Jigokudani, I could barely make out anything in the thick snow.

After an hour of passing through some lovely scenery, we reached Matsumoto Station. From the Matsumoto station, it’s a 20 minute walk to the Castle. One can also take a bus, but we love to walk. The city streets were decorated with paper lanterns for the upcoming festivities in summer. Summer is the time for festivities in japan. All across the Tohoku and the Kanto region, everywhere we went, we found people engaged in their local festivities.

It was early evening by the time we reached the castle grounds. Near the entrance, a platform had been constructed for performances during the Taiko Drum Festival . Every summer the 2000 year old Taiko Drum Festival is held at the site in which various groups from across the country gather in Matsumoto to entertain the audience with their performances under night lights with Matsumoto Castle in the background.

The surrounding park is not very widespread and It didn’t take us long to reach the castle. Along a path by the moat, many weeping Sakura trees were swaying in the light breeze.

In April the castle grounds comes alive with cherry blossoms. During these times it is common to see many newly married couples having their wedding photos taken in the grounds of the castle.

It was evening but it was still very bright. Sunsets during summer in Japan happen very late at around 7 pm. I was mighty surprised in Okinawa, when the sun refused go down even after 8 pm.

We walked along the moat watching the koi fish swimming in the clear waters surrounding the castle. The black castle casting its reflection in the water of the moat, looked like a beautiful painting. In old days, because of its black walls, Matsumoto Castle also used to be called ‘Crow Castle.’

Near the red bridge there are some seats overlooking the Castle. We sat there for some time under the growing shadows of the castle.

History of Matsumoto Castle

As we sat by the castle, Mani explained to me how Matsumoto Castle is one of oldest castle in Japan. Its origins go back to the Sengoku period. At that time Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site in 1504 AD. This castle used to be called Fukashi Castle. In 1550 AD it came under the rule of the Takeda clan and then Tokugawa Ieyasu..

The most interesting aspect of the castle is the main donjon/keep (tenshukaku) completed in the late 16th century, and which remains in its original wooden interiors and external stonework. This donjon was constructed between 1593 and 1594 by Lord Yasunaga, the second daimyo (vassals of the shogun) of the Ishikawa family.

It was in the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate established the Matsumoto domain. For the next 300 years until the abolition of the feudal system in the Meiji Restoration, the castle was ruled by the 23 generations of the Matsumoto daimyos.

Dusk was finally upon us. The flat-land castle (hirajiro), though enchanting in beauty, looked somewhat defenseless in the fading light. The inter-connected rock walls and the surrounding moat are the only defense against any attacks. The narrow wooden windows on the top floors, once used by archers and gunmen as the last defense.

The Castle consists of three stories and a concealed fourth. The second floor of the main keep features a gun museum, Teppo Gura, with a collection of guns, armor and other weapons. A hidden keep on the fourth floor is structurally independent of the main tower and is connected via a roofed passage.

We still had some 4 hours of travel left to reach Nara, so we started on our walk back towards the Station.

The weather had cooled down drastically as we walked towards the Matsumoto station. The limited express arrived in a few minutes and we were off towards home along the JR Shinonoi Line.

With over 400 years of history, Matsumoto Castle is a national treasure that one must see. I have been to many castles and in my opinion this is the most beautiful castle in Japan.

Thanks for reading. Please leave your comments below.

Daruma Dolls of Syorinzan Darumaji Temple

On the last leg of our trip to Kanto, I and my wife, Mani, were lodged at the Toyoko Inn at Takasaki. Over the last couple of days, Takasaki proved to be a great base for visiting places we had on our bucket list, around Tokyo in the Kanto region.

The town is itself famous for the tradition of the Daruma dolls used as a talisman for good luck. The Daruma doll is a hollow, rounded traditional Japanese doll with large eyes, modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. These dolls are typically red in color but can also come in different colors.

We were leaving for Nagano today and Mani couldn’t stand to leave without a Daruma of her own, so we set off for Syorinzan Daruma Temple (少林山達磨寺), the birthplace of these Daruma dolls in the Takasaki countryside.

Train to Syorinzan Daruma Temple

One can either take the bus or the train to Syorinzan Daruma Temple. We had our rail passes with us, so we used the train. If one is planning to use the bus, they should note that the buses are at long intervals.

From the Takasaki Station, we took the local to Gumma-Yawata Station along the Shin-Etsu Line. It’s just a couple of stops away and hardly takes about 10 minutes. From the station, though it’s a 1.5 km walk to the temple. It was a lovely sunny day, so we didn’t mind.

There are directional arrows along the way so it’s not hard to find, though personally I always prefer using Google Maps.

On the way we crossed Toyooka Bypass national highway, beside which there is a large Daruma for guiding first-time visitors like us towards the temple.

A few minutes across a small river brought us at a crossroad from where the path started to go uphill.

Up the hill, we went past many thatched houses before reaching up to a clearing. From here, a long series of stairs lead up to the main temple. It was 9 am but the temple grounds were mostly empty.

Syorinzan Daruma Temple

After climbing the steep stone stairs, we reached the main temple precinct.

It is said that a long time ago on the banks of the Usui river, there existed a small thatched hut holding a statue of Kannon, the Bodhisattva of compassion. After a great flood, the villagers found a log of fragrant wood as the water receded near the hut. The local villagers took the wooden log and placed it inside the hut with the image of the Kannon. One day sometime in the year 1680, an old ascetic passed by the village. He took the fragrant log and carved a wooden image of Daruma Daishi out of it.

Subsequently, both the statues were enshrined here at the hut. Later in the Genroku period in 1697, Shinetsu, a priest from China, founded this temple. He brought with him a holy statue of Hokushin-Chintaku, that realizes the wishes of peace and happiness. It was his successor, a Japanese priest named Tenshu, who built a shrine to house the statue. In 1731, many years later, the crest of the Tokugawa family and a seal representing water were bestowed on to the temple. Since then the temple with all its religious artifacts became a place of prayer and devotion.

A gentleman was sweeping the front of the temple grounds as we walked towards the Reifu-do hall (hondo or main hall). The ground is covered with small pebble stones. A large number of Daruma dolls lay gathered at the front of the main temple building. It is said that Daruma Daishi stayed here for nine years, meditating facing a blank wall in a cave behind the temple.

Syorinzan Daruma-ji is a temple belonging to the Zen Buddhist Obaku School. The Ōbaku’s approach to Buddhism is tinged with a hint of Chinese influence. The sect is about disciplining the mind and experiencing truth and does not believe in idol worship.

Every year on the 6th and 7th of January during the Nanakusa Festival, a “Daruma Market (Daruma Ichi)” is held on the temple grounds. Many gather here every year seeking the divine protection of the temple’s deity through its lucky charm, the Daruma.

To the left, a bunch of Ema (wooden plaques for writing prayers ) in the shape of Daruma are hung, where visitors can leave their prayers.

Beside the temple, a tiny shop sells Daruma dolls as well as charms of all kinds featuring the dolls. Mani bought one for herself.

Kaigen

The dolls come with no eyes. This is because the Daruma doll is sold with no eyes and you draw the first (usually it’s left one) as you ask for a wish. At the end of the year, if the wish has been achieved, you draw the second eye.

Kaigen or the opening Daruma’s eyes is one of the popular folk rituals in Japan. The eyes on the Daruma doll you can buy here are purposefully left blank. Once a believer finds a doll to their liking, they can entrust their wishes to it by painting a black pupil in the left eye of the Daruma. After the wish has been fulfilled, they are supposed to show their appreciation by painting the right eye.

Daruma Kuyô

At the start of the year, one is supposed to bring the doll back to the temple. During a ceremony called daruma kuyô, these dolls are burned together after giving thanks to the Daruma.

Syorinzan Daruma Museum

To the left of the shop there is a small one-room museum. At the gate a huge life-sized Daruma greets visitors inside the museum.

The small but well curated museum and presents an astonishing variety of Daruma dolls, and also a collection of exquisitely carved wooden statues representing the legendary founder of Zen Buddhism, Bodhidharma. Photography is not allowed inside the museum.

After some time we went back down the stairs to the garden.

The temple’s gardens are a quiet place to relax. There is also a small summer-house (Senshintei) designed by the German architect Bruno Taut in the early Showa period (1926-1989). The stairs to it were blocked maybe because of repairs. A Jizo stands in a corner beside the stairs.

In those days the Daruma was created as a prayer to help the suffering farmers during times of famine. After wandering around the garden we walked back to the Gumma-Yawata Station.

We were back at Takasaki in no time. At Takasaki, we had some time on our hands before the next scheduled train to Nagano, so we treated ourselves to some souvenir shopping.

It was an interesting trip to the Syorinzan Daruma-ji. I love how most cities in Japan have an identity of its own. Not only is it a beautiful and clean country, the rich historical heritage and the way they have protected it is worth mentioning.

The annual Daruma-Ichi fair is held on January 6 and 7 each year. During this time, thousands of people converge on the temple each year to find their Fuku-Daruma dolls for the new year.

Thanks for reading. I hope you found it interesting and informative. As always, please leave your comment below or follow my journey to the most lovely Matsumoto Castle.

When was Syorinzan Daruma-ji founded?

1697 CE

The shrines of Nikko

It was a sudden rush of the moment when I decided to visit the shrines of Nikko. The day before I was shuffling through some souvenirs at the Tougyoku Doll museum, when I chanced upon a set of hand painted cards of popular UNESCO sites in Japan. The box contained a set of six UNESCO sites, of which I had visited all, barring Nikko. So it was decided right then that we were going to Nikko the next day.

The “Shrines and Temples of Nikko” refer to the Toshogu and Futarasan-jinja shrines, the Rinnoji temple and the surrounding sacred forest located in Tochigi Prefecture, in the northern part of Japan’s Kanto region. These architectural and decorative masterpieces of Nikko, together with their natural surroundings, have been a sacred site for centuries.

Train ride from Takasaki to Nikko

We started out in the early morning from Takasaki. It was a dull cloudy day. We had been staying at the Tokoyo Inn in Takasaki. It’s just a 5 minute walk from the station and has good facilities.

I had been to Nikko once earlier when I visited Lake Chuzenji, so I knew it takes some time specially on the local train from Utsunomiya Station on the JR Nikko Line. I hope they would schedule some express trains in the future for tourists who generally go directly to Nikko, rather than stopping at all stations. That would save a lot of travel time.

We reached Nikko by noon. At the station the first thing we did was check with the information booth.

The lady at the counter alerted us that a huge traffic jam was underway and we would be better off on foot rather on the sightseeing bus. So we walked down the quiet streets. Along the way, we picked up a couple of ice cream cones for the road.

The city of Nikko is a cozy place with small shops and restaurants. We saw many foreign tourists also making their way towards the shrines. The city does not have many hotels and generally visitors come here on day trips and head out before dusk.

Shin-kyo Bridge

After walking for about 20 minutes we were at a beautiful arch-shaped bridge covered in vermilion lacquer and supported by stone piers. The Shinkyo Bridge acts as a gateway to the shrines and temples of Nikko.

Legend has it that once Shonin was unable to cross the strong rapids of the Daiyagawa river. So Shonin prayed to the gods and gods answered by sending two snakes which formed a bridge for him to walk across. We stayed at the bridge for some time enjoying the cool breeze across the river.

History of Nikko

From the bridge, we entered the forested area of Nikko. A series of moss-covered steps led us up the mountain towards the Tosho-gu Shrine. It had started to drizzle as we made our way uphill towards the shrine. Even though Nikko is 3 hours away, the cloud cover had followed us all the way from Takasaki

The sacred forest of Nikko dates all the way back to the 8th century. It was then that Shonin founded the Shihon-ryu-ji Temple (formerly Rinno-ji Temple). Later he also founded the Chuzenji Temple in 782 at the foothills of Mount Nantai. Shodo Shonin passed away in the year 817 and was buried in Kaizan-do Temple. Thereafter for centuries, the area with its forest and mountains became a training ground for Buddhist monks.

However it was only when the forest was chosen to house the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the ruling warlord of Japan, that Nikko became popular. People came from all over Japan to witness the  beautifully ornate shrine.

The path to the Tosho-gu shrine is lined with giant ancient trees that reminded me of the Kumano trail in Nachi.

At certain points pilgrims had tied Ema on the bushes.

After the initial climb, the trail is easy and we were quickly at the shrine.

I was surprised by the huge crowd that had gathered at the Tosho-gu Shrine. Nikko, it seems  is very popular among foreign tourists and even though it was a Monday afternoon, there was no letting up. Many of them are like me who may not be Buddhist but still appreciate the ornate temples created by craftsmen in the late 17th Century. From that moment on, I couldn’t enjoy the place. Too much noise disturbs me. A spiritual place like Nikko can only be enjoyed in silence. But since we were here we decided to at-least witness the decorative Tosho-gu Shrine.

Tosho-gu Shrine

Tosho-gu is the main Shinto shrine in Nikko, and the entrance is through the magnificent Omote-mon gate. It was built as a shrine and mausoleum to deify Ieyasu Tokugawa (1543-1617), founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that lasted over 2 centuries. As many as 450 thousand workmen and artisans labored over a period of two years to complete Toshogu.

There was a long queue for the admission tickets to the shrine. Beside the ticket booth there is a heavily decorated 5 storyed pagoda. The original pagoda dated from 1650 but burned down in 1815. The present tower is a reconstruction from 1818. The twelve Chinese zodiac signs are carved around the Pagoda’s first level.

While Mani stood in the queue to obtain the tickets, I took some shots of the Omote-mon gate.

The gate is protected by huge red Nio guardian kings on either side.

Through the Omote-mon front gate we found ourselves in front of the three San-Jinko Sacred Storehouses. The beautifully decorated storehouses with colorfully painted carvings are used to keep costumes for spring and autumn festivities. One can see a carving of elephants on the top-tier of the buildings, even though they are not indigenous animals of Japan.

To the left of the entrance is the famous Shinkyusha (meaning “Sacred Stable”), decorated with wood carvings of monkeys. The stable is Toshogu’s only unpainted structure. The only decorated carving is of the three, “Hear no evil, See no evil and Speak no evil” monkeys demonstrating the three principles of Tendai Buddhism. The stable houses a horse named Kotuku, donated by the government of New Zealand.

The “Three Monkeys”, carving below is famous throughout the world for the “see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil” poses. The carved monkeys covering their eyes, ears and mouth, respectively, were inspired by the Buddhist teaching that if we do not hear, see or speak evil, we ourselves shall be spared from evil.

To the left of the stable on can find some sacred lanterns made of stone and bronze.

Further on after a right-hand bend in the path is the Omizuya lavabo, a holy washing trough, dating from 1618. Water is siphoned from the nearby river for worshipers at the shrine to purify themselves.

A staircase leads up to the Yomei-mon gate. In front of the gate, there are two bells on either side, the roofs of which have a carved Baku on each of the four corners. The elephant-like Baku (獏) is an imaginary creature from Chinese mythology thought to prevent or devour nightmares. It has the trunk and tusks of an elephant, the eyes of a rhinoceros, the tail of a cow, and the paws of a tiger.

The Yomei-mon (meaning “Sunset Gate”) is another amazingly decorated structure with gold leaves, intricate, colorful carvings and paintings of flowers, dancers and mythical beasts and Chinese sages. Historians say about 2.5 million sheets of gold leaf were used, each gold leaf being about 4 square inches. The extensive decorations of the gate displays the artistic taste of this ruling family of Japan that lasted for two and a half centuries. The Youmeimon tower gateway is famous for its lavish decorations that include over 300 dazzling carvings of mythical beasts, such as dragons and Chinese sages. Unfortunately, the gate itself was partly covered due to the restoration underway.

We were finally inside the main area of the shrine. It was so crowded in there, we had to forego all hopes of getting inside the shrine.

During the years, the area has been subjected to many natural disasters, mainly due to earthquakes. Each time, the damaged buildings were restored faithfully, following rigorously the original plans and techniques, using the original materials whenever possible. This has enabled the site to maintain its authenticity and continue to function as a place of religious rituals drawing pilgrims from all over Japan.

Nikko is a vast area of shrines and temples that it is almost overwhelming! Outside the Toshogu shrine, we walked past many other small temples, some closed, some in ruins. The drizzle had stopped by 2 pm and we slowly started on our way back to the train station.

The Nikko shrines and temples is a perfect illustration of the architectural style of the Edo period as applied to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The shrine and temple buildings, together with their natural surroundings, have for centuries constituted a sacred site and the home of architectural and decorative masterpieces. It was a satisfied feeling to have visited the shrine, although I would have loved to be in a less crowded place.

Thanks for reading. Please leave your comments below or follow my story as we visit the Shorinzan Daruma Temple in Gunma.

The cute dolls of Tougyoku Doll Museum

Today we travel to the quaint town of Iwatsuki in Saitama Prefecture. Iwatsuki is today Japan’s largest producer of traditional dolls employing over over 300 doll-makers creating miniature masterpieces using only natural materials since the 17th century, a tradition that continues to this day. Just like manga or anime that appeals to the young and old alike, these Japanese dolls from Saitama are loved by people of all generations.

My fascination with dolls started in my childhood years when I visited the Children’s Museum in Kolkata. I was deeply touched by the depiction of the story of Ramayana in a series of figurines behind glass panes. Even as I transitioned to adulthood, my love for collecting and cherishing figurines depicting local culture never waned. To this day, I take immense delight in my figurine collection procured from different parts of the world.

The name of “Saitama” originates from the Sakitama (埼玉郡) district. Sakitama has a long history and even finds a place in the famous Man’yōshū (万葉集), the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry, compiled sometime after 759 CE. The colloquial pronunciation gradually changed from Sakitama to Saitama over the years.

Train from Takasaki to Iwatsuki

We were staying at the Toyoko Inn at Takasaki. From Takasaki, we took the Joetsu Shinkansen to Omiya, the biggest city near Iwatsuki. The Shinkansen does not go all the way to Iwatsuki so we had to change to the local Tobu-Noda Line at Omiya Station. From Omiya, it’s just a 15-minute train ride to Iwatsuki. If you are in the Kanto region, it is a good idea to obtain the Tokyo Wide Pass, or in my case the JR Pass.

After a short ride on the local train, we arrived at Iwatsuki Station at 11 a.m. The Tougyoku Doll Museum is just a minute away from the station in a tranquil neighborhood.

History of Saitama Dolls

In Japan, dolls have been a part of everyday life since ancient times. Japanese dolls reflect the customs of Japan and over the centuries have developed in many diverse forms. The Japanese term for “doll” (人形) is constructed by combining two kanji characters, where the first character signifies “human” (人), and the second character denotes “form” (形).

The first Ningyō (dolls) in Japan were the Dogu and Haniwa. The Dogu, appeared in the Jomon period (10,000 B.C.E. to 300 B.C.E) as a prominent fertility symbol. It held immense significance for the Japanese populace, representing the fertility of the land, animals, and people, and therefore played a crucial role in society.

The Haniwa, unglazed terra-cotta cylinders and hollow sculptures were most likely influenced by the Chinese terra-cotta. The Haniwa dolls added a new dimension to the Japanese Ningyō, introducing the concept of protection. These two elements, fertility and protection became the two most important factors of the Japanese Ningyō over the centuries to come.

Later around the 7th century, simple dolls made from wooden planks were created to entrust them with protection against misfortune in the coming year, after which the dolls were floated away on rivers. Katashiro paper dolls are still used today in purification rites for the same purpose at Shinto shrines throughout Japan.

With the introduction of Buddhism following the end of the Kofun period, the use of the Haniwa and Dogu faded and a new form of Ningyō was introduced that later evolved into the Amagatsu and Hoko. Amagatsu and Hōko (Nos.2,3) are dolls designed to protect babies from any misfortune that may befall them. As time passed and the Ningyō styles succumbed to the effect of commercialisation. Due to this the Ningyō slowly lost its connection to fertility and protection and their importance shifted to the aesthetics side.

The doll town of Iwatsuki

Around 3 centuries ago, Eshin, a Buddhist image sculptor from Kyoto, devised a method of making dolls out of Paulownia wood powder using a technique called Tosokashira. The process involved mixing the paste of Paulownia powder and Shobunori (paste made from wheat starch). In addition to Paulownia wood, the abundance of high-quality water found on Iwatsuki also became essential in creating the Tosokashira mix. The technique was passed down the generations and is still employed today for making these detailed handmade dolls.

Iwatsuki has a very interesting connection with the Toshogu shrine of Nikko. About 366 years ago, Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu invited skillful carpenters from all over the country in order to build the Toshogu Shrine, a mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In those days Iwatsuki used to be a small castle town on the Nikko-onari-kaido road between Nikko and Edo (Old Tokyo).

The workmen and artisans labored for the next couple of years to build the heavily ornate Toshogu Shrine. Iwatsuki and its outskirts were abundant with the finest Paulownia trees. Once the Nikko Toshogu Shrine was completed, some of the disbanded carpenters chose to settle down in and around Iwatsuki and began earning their living by creating household furniture.

Tougyoku Doll Museum

The history of Tougyoku museum runs parallel with that of the town of Iwatsuki. Founded in 1852 CE, the museum was started with the idea of protecting and furthering the indigenous art of doll-making in Iwatsuki. Today, the museum exhibits hundreds of dolls including some really historical ones like the Iwatsuki ganso kamishimo hina doll.

From the outside, the Tougyoku Doll Museum building looks like any other building and is easy to miss. An elevator took us up to the museum on the fourth floor floor. Out of the lift, we found ourselves in front of a dimly lit room.

No one was around at the entrance so we just put the admission money in a box and entered the premises. The admission cost is ¥300 per person.

The museum was empty barring one family. Many of the dolls here, date back hundreds of years and are truly works of art. It is also interesting to see how they have evolved over time.

Dolls in Tougyoku Museum

Near the entrance there are various nifty little dolls made of fabric hanging on strings, creating a sort of curtain. Some were in the shape of Owls, one of the very popular creatures in Japan. Some time ago I did research on the Owl superstitions among the Japanese.

Clay Dolls

The first section my eyes went to was these miniature clay dolls. Beside it were the words – “Hatsu uma“, the first day of the horse. In the old Japanese calendar, the first day of the horse falls at the beginning of February, which coincides with the first planting of rice for the year. A festival is held at the “Fox Shrine” to pray for a good and prosperous harvest. This little figure is dancing at that festival.

This is a miniature clay art cute little boy, with a happy facial expression, who is taking part in the same Hatsu uma festival. He is shown wearing a beautifully painted kimono, decorated with colorful flowers and is playing a Japanese taiko or drum.

Shichou dolls from Taisho period

On the left wall, the Shichou dolls are on exhibit from the Taisho era (1868-1926). These impressive samurai warrior dolls were crafted for display on Boys’ Day, celebrated annually in Japan.

The exquisite detailing of these works of art is beyond words. Extreme effort has been put into making the expressions so human.

Another doll from the same era.

Ichimatsu Dolls

Ichimatsu Ningyō dolls were widely loved by people as a typical cuddly toy-doll during the Edo Period (1603-1867) and remain popular today as a gift for girls and as an art object. It is said also that a newly married couple will be blessed with a healthy baby when they display this doll.

The widely held explanations regarding the origin of the name of Ichimatsu Ningyō the name came from Ichimatsu SANOGAWA, a kabuki actor in the mid-Edo period.

Ichimatsu Ningyō, which consists of a head and limbs made from the mixture of sawdust of paulownia wood and wheat starch, or from wood, painted with a white pigment made from oyster shells (or that made from clam shells), connected to a body made from a sawdust-stuffed cloth, is sold naked and the purchaser makes its costume. It ranges in size from as small as 20 centimeters to larger than 80 centimeters, but it is generally around 40 centimeters high. There are girl and boy dolls, and the girl doll has a bobbed hair transplanted and the hair of the boy doll is drawn with a brush.

Kokin-bina Dolls

Hara Shugetsu, a doll-maker in Edo (Tokyo), developed the Kokin-bina style during the Meiwa Era (1764-1772 CE). The style’s name comes from the Kokinshu, a Heian Period poetry anthology. Kokin-bina draws from several earlier doll styles. The Emperor doll usually wears a simple black ho, emulating the courtly style of the Yusoku-bina. The Empress doll is more like the Kyoho-bina style, as she typically wears an elaborate junihitoe, the twelve-layered court costume of the Heian Period, as well as a crown styled into a mythical phoenix. These inspirations show how doll-makers balanced competing tastes by pairing the austere formality of the Yusoku-bina with the elaborate textiles of the Kyoho-bina.

This is a rare Edo Period Kokin-bina Empress. It is part of a Dairi-bina Imperial Couple for the Hina-matsuri Girl’s Day celebration. The me-bina lady is wearing a spectacular crown. The dress is a formal court attire.

An important difference between the Kokin-bina and earlier doll styles was how they were manufactured. As the popularity of the Hinamatsuri festival increased, doll-making was divided into different specialties. Carefully sculpted heads were fashioned at a workshop in Edo and the simpler bodies, hidden under clothes, were mass-produced in Kyoto. The extra care given to the heads allowed for other innovations, such as the extensive use of inset glass for the dolls’ eyes. Once complete, the heads were shipped to Kyoto where they were painted, matched with a body, and dressed.

By the time the “Kokin bina,” shown below, became popular, it had become the tradition to display other dolls below the imperial pair. Among these were the Three Court Ladies (Sannin Kanjo) dolls and Five Musicians (Gonin Bayashi).

Hina Ningyō

From the Shichou dolls, we moved on to the most favorite of all dolls – Hina Ningyō. The Hina Ningyō dolls have a history of over 1000 years. There are quite a few types of the Hina Ningyō, the Amagatsu, Houko, Tachi Bina, Kan’ei Bina, Kyouho Bina, Jirozaemon Bina, Yuzoku Bina, Kokin Bina and the Muromachi Bina. However, the latter six dolls are all different types of the Dairi Bina, who respectively are evolutions of the Amagatsu and Hoko.

These dolls are made with extremely ornamental details and calm expressions. They usually represent the Emperor, Empress, and other court attendants of the Heian period (794-1185) During the Hina Matsuri festival, celebrated on March 3rd each year, families with the girl child display their Hina Ningyō dolls and pray for their child’s growth and happiness. Most Hina dolls are heavily ornate.

The carpenters did not just make dolls. They also created some exquisite furniture to go with the cute dolls. The miniature vessels and furniture are perfect for a doll house. Hina Dolls are traditionally displayed on March 3rd, the Girls’ Day held to wish for healthy growth and happiness of girls. In the Heian period (794-1192 C.E.), people made dolls with paper or grass, imbued them with misfortunes and bad luck they might suffer from, and then released them to rivers or the sea as their bodily substitutes. Separate from that, there were also paper dolls called Hina Dolls which aristocratic girls played with. With time, the customs of Hina dolls that were floated on water and those that girls played with were integrated to give birth to paper dolls and standing earthen dolls that led to the Hina Dolls of today.

These Hina always appeared in pairs, and these pairs would always be placed on the highest part of the Hina display. These Hina as pairs were called the Dairi Bina. Two of the most important dolls would most likely be the Houko and Amagatsu, which have been thought to be the predecessors of the Dairi Bina. The Houko and the Amagatsu are thought of as a pair, where the Amagatsu is the male equivalent while the Houko is the female one.

Gogatsu Ningyō

On Boys’ Day which is observed on May 5th, families pray for their sons’ good health and success. On this day, also known as Tango no Sekku, families display figures of costumed warriors with miniature armor and warrior helmets. These dolls especially made for boys are called Gogatsu Ningyō and appear with fierce expressions, wearing armor, and showing the courage, bravery, and honor expected of the Samurais. Models of armor and dolls of heroes are put on display for the festival, and rice-cake sweets wrapped in blades of bamboo grass or oak leaves are eaten in celebration.

Hero dolls that are particularly popular include Momotarō and Kintarō, both known for possessing super-human strength and for having saved the people by overcoming monsters.

Origin of Gogatsu dolls

The origins of Gogatsu dolls come from an age-old samurai tradition. In the old days, when a boy was born in the family of a samurai, his parents used to put ornamental helmets and trinkets and hang them at the entrance gate to celebrate his birth. They also had a custom of gifting a new samurai body armor to the child. These items were put together to form the Gogatsu doll, though in a smaller size. To this day people display Gogatsu dolls to protect their sons from evil and Koinobori (carp streamers) along with wishes for good health and social success.

Oyama Doll

Oyama Ningyō is the name given to traditional Japanese female dolls which are, for the most part, inspired by ukiyo-e images from the Edo period. These types of Japanese doll express a woman’s beauty through a gorgeous costume and elegant figure.

This kind of doll has been very popular since the Edo period, and it is also used for the Girl’s Festival held on March 3rd. When girls of the Samurai class got married, their parents gave them the Dressed Dolls as a ‘substitute’ that would consume possible misfortunes on behalf of the girls. For this reason, the dolls were crafted as women of high ranks.

As the crafting techniques evolved with time, the dolls today have come to be enjoyed by all people. Particular among them is the doll modeling a Japanese traditional dancer called Oyama Doll named after Jirosaburo Oyama, a renowned doll maker in the Edo period.

Most of the Oyama dolls are derived from Kabuki each representing a particular dance.

I totally loved the intricate details on the kimono of this doll.

Eto Dolls

Introduced from China in the period of Yin, an ancient dynasty that reigned around the 17th century B.C., to Japan, Eto is a cycle of sixty years that consists of twelve signs relating to animals and ten elements. Originating in China and spreading to Japan, Vietnam, Russia, and Eastern Europe, it was used in the calendar, as well as to indicate angles, time, and directions. When applied to the calendar, each year has one of the twelve signs of animals.

Thus the calendar has a twelve-year cycle. The order of years is; rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar. Each year, Japanese people place an Eto Doll of the animal of the year. They believe that the Eto Dolls absorb their misfortunes during that year.

After about an hour of going through some amazing history, we left the museum. Just across the street, opposite to the museum, one can find a souvenir shop that also has a huge collection of Hina and Gogatsu dolls for sale.

The biggest festival in Japan surrounding dolls is the Hina Matsuri, or the Doll Festival, even though the Hina Matsuri is still celebrated today the original meaning of the festival is lost to most Japanese people. In ancient times the Hina matsuri was about the cleansing of body and soul, but as it moved closer to modern times, it was the festivities and beauty of the festival that mesmerized the Japanese people

One of the cheaper ones can set you back by ¥200000.

The Hina dolls are kept on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Although the Hina display does not have a longer history than from the Edo period (1600-1868), the celebrations around it had been prominent since the Heian period (794-1185)

For the Japanese, these dolls enjoy a special place in their lives. In most countries, the term “doll” typically refers to playthings. However, in Japan, beyond being toys, Ningyō have evolved into forms of art, craftsmanship, and objects laden with wishes. There remains a prevalent belief in Japan that anything crafted in the likeness of living beings should be treated with respect. When someone can no longer keep a cherished doll, it is not discarded as waste; instead, it is dedicated to shrines or temples, where a Ningyō kuyo, or doll funeral service, is requested. This practice has endured since ancient times and continues to this day.

The ground floor has some nice cheaper souvenirs for tourists like us 🙂 Rummaging through the souvenirs I found a set of cards with hand-drawn paintings of 6 UNESCO sites in Japan. They looked beautiful. I had visited all barring the Nikko Toshogu Shrine. We decided right then to visit the shrine the next day.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the museum and the shop. I wasn’t carrying enough cash to own one of these from the shop today but I am really determined to come back one day to get one of these for my souvenir collection. After a fun morning, we were on our way to the Saitama Railway Museum.

Address of Iwatsuki main store

1-3 Honmachi, Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama City
TEL: 048-756-1111

Business Hours of Iwatsuki main store

10 am to 5 pm (May 6th to October 31st)
10 am to 6 pm (November 1st to May 5th)

Annual Closures of Iwatsuki main store

Mondays and Tuesdays (May 6th to September 30th)
Mondays (October 1st to October 31st)
Open every day (November 1st to May 5th)
*Temporarily closed 5/8/9 ·Ten

Address of Doll Museum

4F Higashitama Building, 3-2 Honmachi, Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama City
TEL: 048-756-1111

Open Hours of Doll Museum

10 am to 5 pm

Admission fee for Doll Museum

Adults: ¥300
Free: Elementary school students and younger Free
Free: Persons with a disability certificate with one accompanying person

Annual Closures of Doll Museum

Mondays and Tuesdays (May 6th to September 30th)
Mondays (October 1st to May 5th)
*Temporarily closed 12/31, 1/1, 5/6

Official website

http://www.tougyoku.com/

History of Japanese Railways

After a beautiful morning among the cute Hina dolls of Iwatsuki, we were on our way to the Saitama Railway Museum. While Mani had a wonderful time with the dolls I was very much looking forward to my date with the historical trains.

I have had a deep crush for trains that goes all the way back to my childhood days. It was memorable, those rides to visit my grandma in the countryside during my summer vacations. 

The Saitama Railway Museum(鉄道博物館) is the largest museum of railways in Japan. The museum exhibits real trains ranging from age-old steam locomotives to cutting edge Shinkansen trains. The huge exhibit, almost the size of a football field, takes one on a ride through the history of the Japanese railway system.

From Iwatsuki Station, we took a local train to Omiya.

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From Omiya, the New Shuttle Rail took us to Tetsudo-Hakubutsukan Station. The Railway Museum is just a minutes walk away from the station.

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The Saitama Railway Museum was built as the centerpiece of the JR East 20th Anniversary Memorial Project by the East Japan Railway Culture Foundation, a non-profit affiliate of the East Japan Railway Company.

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The Railway Museum (鉄道博物館) opened amidst much fanfare on the 14th of October, 2007. It features about 30 railway cars excluding various miniature railway models. This historical museum tells the industrial history of the development of the railway system with displays of actual models of trains from each period

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The museum has a number of restaurants and shops selling railway souvenirs. Below is a list of some of the ancient beauties in the order of their manufacture.

Locomotive No.1

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1871[/su_icon]

The first railway in Japan, owned and operated by the Japanese government was opened in 1872 with the technical leadership of British engineers. The Locomotive No.1  was imported from Vulcan Foundry, UK, for the Tokyo-Yokohama Railway. Just prior to the fall of the Shogunate, the Tokugawa regime had issued a grant to the American diplomat Anton L. C. Portman to construct a line from Yokohama to Edo (present Tokyo). Since Japan lacked railway technology, British engineers were hired by the Japanese. On September 12, 1872, the first railway, between Shinbashi and Yokohama opened with nine round trips daily. Back then it used to take 53 minutes by train from Shinbashi to Yokohama (29 km) stopping at Shinagawa, Kawasaki, Tsurumi and Kanagawa stations. At that time the engine drivers were all British. The first Japanese engine drivers were appointed in 1877.

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Kaitakushi Passenger Carriage

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1880[/su_icon]

The Kotoku 5010 is one of the oldest surviving passenger carriages in Japan. The artistic classic passenger carriage appears to be directly adapted from some western classic movie. The carriage was imported from USA in 1880 for deployment on the Hokkaido Kaitakushi line. Being equipped with an air brake system, the Kutoku 5010 was a state of the art passenger carriage during its time. The saloon car was designated a VIP car and used mostly by American Kaitakushi officials.

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7101 Benkei Steam Locomotive

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1880[/su_icon]

The Benkei Steam Locomotive was established by the American-run Hokkaido Kaitakushi, and appeared very much like its American counterparts of that time.  The 7101 Benkei, named after a 12th-century warrior monk, was the first steam locomotive to operate in Hokkaido and played a major role in the islands development. The lightweight engine was built by H K Porter in 1880. It was designated a Railway Monument in 1958 and is currently coupled to a Horonai Railway coach at the Saitama Rail Museum.

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Hanifu 1 Passenger Carriage

The Hanifu 1 No.De 968 was a streetcar type of railway. It was inaugurated in 1903 in Tokyo running between Shinbashi and Shinagawa. It was the first Electric Railway manufactured indigenously by a private company called the Tokyo-Densha-Tetsudo Co. However, these small cars could not catch up with the increasing number of passenger transportation volume and were gradually scrapped from 1927 to 1955. In 2007, the Matsumoto Railway Co donated the below coach to JR-East for display at this museum.

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1904[/su_icon]

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9856 Mallet Steam Locomotive

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1913[/su_icon]

The Mallet-Type engines employed an extra pair of cylinders compared to other stem locomotives in the same category. The extra set allowed the engine to make tight curves in spite of its long body. This locomotive was used to cross Gotemba on the Tokaido Main Line.

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C515 Steam Locomotive

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1920[/su_icon]

The C51 No.5 was one of Japan’s first high-speed steam locomotives. It was manufactured in 1919 at the Ministry of Railways Hamamatsu workshop, equipped with faster 1750 mm drive wheels. It was initially deployed to Kobe area and later transferred to Himeji, Takasaki and Umekoji depot. After World War II, the engine was stationed at the Nara depot ferrying passengers around Kansai until it was retired in 1962.

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ED17 Electric Locomotive

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1923[/su_icon]

The ED17 No.1 was one of the first electrified locomotives in Japan.  After Word War I, Japan had only a handful of electrified sections and this engine was imported from the United Kingdom in preparation for the electrification of the Tokaido Main Line.

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Oha 31 Passenger Carriage

The Oha 31 No. 26 was one of the first steel mass-produced typical passenger car series in pre-WW2. Until 1926, most Japanese passenger cars used to be made out of wood. As a direct impact of the 1926 Sanyo line derailment that resulted in many deaths, the railways pushed forward into the era of steel designs. In 1927, the first steel passenger car replaced the wooden Class Oha-44400. OHa-31s slowly lost their prominence during the early years after the WW2 and were retired by 1966.

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1927[/su_icon]

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Maite 39 Passenger Carriage

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1930[/su_icon]

The Maite 39  No.11 was Japan’s first observation car. It was imported from the US by the Kyushu Tetsudo Co for use exclusively by distinguished guests. The MaITe-39 shown below was manufactured at the Oi workshops during 1930. It used to be coupled to the tail of the limited express “Fuji” and was active between Tokyo and Shimonoseki on the Tokaido, Sanyo line. In those days, few people used Fuji’s observation car, as the upper class was quite less in numbers. Some time in 1941, the observation car was removed from duty due to bombings. After the war the MaITe39 went into ruin because of its poor state of preservation. In 1999, it was restored at the shops of Oi and a few years later the “Momoyama” style interior decoration was also restored as authentically as possible before putting it up for exhibit here at the Saitama Museum

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KiHa 41300 Railcar

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1933[/su_icon]

The KiHa 41300 No.41307 was one of Japan’s first domestically mass-produced internal-combustion railcar. It was manufactured at the Kawasaki-Sharyo Co. and was completed on the 30th of January, 1934, as a gasoline-engine car. After its inception, the KiHa was active mainly on the Koumi line, in the Nagano area. During December, 1948, it was remodeled as a natural-gas engine at the Nagano workshop, and was renamed, the Class KiHa-41200 No.41207. KiHa-41000s were deployed to many local lines, but their passenger carrying capacity was inadequate. During November 1952, it was re-fitted with a diesel engine, and renamed, the Class KiHa-41300 No.41307. Around the 1980’s, it was retired and exhibited at the Sakura Transportation Park in Tsukuba city, Ibaraki prefecture. In 2007, she was restored to the original condition of the KiHa-41307 and was moved to the Saitama Museum.

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Kumoha 40 Electric Railcar

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1936[/su_icon]

The Museum exhibited Class KuMoHa-40 No.074, which was produced during 1936. It was developed primarily for Tokyo’s urban neighborhood where the population saw rapid growth during 1910-1920. Accordingly, with the increasing number of passenger transportation volume, there was a need for more train service. But the Tokyo urban lines could not accommodate the 20 meter long body cars, as the platform or block lengths were not long enough. Therefore, in the Tokyo area, 17 meter short body cars were used in new models up to 1933. The Tokyo area’s track improvement construction was finished during 1933, and Series-40 classes were deployed to the Tokyo area from the next year 1934. The seven classes had a total of 425 Series-40 cars that were produced by 1940, and they were to become the standard model of urban commuter electric cars during the pre-WW2 period. Of these, seventeen Class KuMoHa-40 were still active at the following places during 1976. However, the last Series-40 were retired during March 1987.

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EF55 Electric Locomotive

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1936[/su_icon]

The Class EF55 is a 2Co+Co1 wheel arrangement electric locomotive type consisting of three locomotives built in 1936 by Hitachi, Kawasaki, and Tōyō Electric in Japan. They were nicknamed “Moomin”. They were originally intended to haul limited express trains on the Tōkaidō Line. The locomotives were placed in storage from 1958, and then officially withdrawn in 1964.

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Nahanefu 22 Sleeping Car

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1964[/su_icon]

In 1959, JNR announced its long term plan to withdraw all steam locomotives from regular operations. The Nahanefu 22 No.1 was the first modern permanently coupled type passenger car series for night limited express.  When all of the Tokaido main line was electrified during November 1956, there was a need for long-distance trains between Tokyo and Kyushu. The Series-20 passenger car unit was completed in 1958 designed with a diesel generator equipped ONE-POWER-SUPPLY car. All the train’s electrical consumption like air-conditioning, heating equipment and illumination were provided from this power supply car. The brown colored traditional passenger car color was changed to a cool blue color with a white line. This color went on to become the standard color for all night trains in Japan, and they were called “Blue Trains”. Because of their luxurious interiors, they were also called “Running Hotels”. The Nahanefu Series-20 gradually started to become obsolete from the late 1970s and the last running “Akebono (dawn)” train between Ueno to Aomori via Akita was finally retired in 1980.

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Series 21 No. 21-2 Shinkansen

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1964[/su_icon]

Built in April 1964, this was the first Shinkansen fleet delivered for use on Hikari and Kodama services on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen route. The first shinkansen, linking Tokyo and Osaka, had its maiden run on Oct 1, 1964, just nine days before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics. The train was decommissioned in 1978. For some time it was on display outside Tokyo Transport Museum before being moved here at the Saitama Railway Museum.

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ED75 No.775 Electric Locomotive

[su_icon icon=”icon: info” background=”#f20000″ color=”#ffffff” text_color=”#4a4a4a” size=”14″ shape_size=”10″ radius=”4″ text_size=”18″ ]Manufactured: 1975[/su_icon]

The ED75 No.775 is a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement AC electric locomotive that operated on passenger as well as freight services in Japan since 1963. The first two prototypes, ED75 1 and 2, were delivered in 1963, built by Hitachi and Mitsubishi respectively. From 1971 to 1976, 91 Class ED75-700 locomotives continued to be built by Hitachi, Mitsubishi, and Toshiba, for use on the Ou Main Line and Uetsu Main Line.

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It was fun checking out these locomotives and carriages from yesteryear. The gradual evolution in the railways is also a reflection of the Japanese society, as to how they have improved upon everything in their daily lives and helped create such a beautiful country. From having to employ foreign drivers to run their own trains in the 1800’s they have come a long way.

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During my stay I have travelled thousands of kilometers in a day without the least bit of hindrance. In terms of safety, punctuality and cutting-edge technology none in the world even comes close. I had a great time reliving my childhood fantasy surrounded by these historical pieces of human ingenuity.

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It was late afternoon but the day was not over for us yet. We were very near to Chiba, so we headed down to picturesque Chiba Castle for the evening.

The picturesque Chiba Castle

The Chiba Castle was not on my bucket list, but while we were in the Kanto region, we decided to give it a visit.

From the interesting Saitama Rail Museum, we took the JR train to Chiba Station. From Chiba Station, we took the Chiba Urban Monorail, a two-line suspended monorail system. It is the world’s longest suspended monorail system travelling along a 15 km route. This dual-tracked system was built by the Mitsubishi Company, to connect the suburbs of Chiba Prefecture with main city.

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It was fun watching the cars go by below our feet as the Chibatoshi-Monorail passed through the heart of the city. The ride is short, all of 6 minutes and costs ¥‎200. The monorail dropped us off at Kencho Mae station from where the Chiba castle is just a 10 minute walk. It was a cloudy evening as we walked towards the park.

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The directions are easy to follow and we at the Inohana Park in no time. A wide paved stone path leads to the castle grounds.

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A series of steps carried us up to the castle. The park was deserted, we were the only ones around. A vending machine was sitting in a corner surrounded by trees. As we faced the castle, it appeared fairly well maintained.

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The white castle was built by Chiba Tsuneshige around 1125 CE. Tsuneshige and his descendants ruled over the domain from this castle until the 1400’s. In front of the castle, on the left lies a bronze statue of the castle’s founder, Tsuneshige Chiba, on a horse.

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In 1455, Makuwari Yasutane, a related member of the Chiba clan, attacked the castle and took control of Chiba. He built a new castle (Motosakura Castle) nearby, abandoning the Chiba Castle and leaving to ruin for hundreds of years.

When the Satomi clan moved to southern Chiba Prefecture in the mid-15th century, they too ignored the Chiba castle and ruled from a newly created Otaki Castle created in 1521 by Nobukiyo Mariyatsu. Over the years as the control of the land passed from the Satomi to the Tokugawa shogunate and subsequently to the Abe, Aoyama, and Inagaki clans before being handed to Matsudaira Masahisa, whose descendants continued to rule from Otaki Castle until the Meiji restoration period.

It was only in 1672, when an application was made to the Tokugawa shogunate for permission to rebuild the Chiba castle. By that time, the castle had undergone severe devastation. It didn’t have a single functional gate and the 4-story donjon had fallen into ruins.  The castle was rebuilt in the 16th century. However the reconstructed donjon again burned down in 1842. The current castle we see today is actually a reconstruction from 1967. A new donjon was added in 1975. Even though it looks picturesque, this reconstruction is not in keeping with the original castle design.

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Due to lack of any surviving records indicating the appearance of the original donjon, the current structure was modeled after a 1832 sketch. However for a castle built in the 1100’s there should not be such a magnificent keep. Keeps came into prominence much later.

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The castle houses the Chiba City Folk Museum. There are five floors inside exhibiting personal effects relating to the Chiba Clan. Many artifacts like swords, guns, and other samurai weapons or on display here. The museum also talks about Chiba’s history and includes photos comparing it from the early 1900s until now.

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Chiba Castle is very easy to reach and can be visited for a quick couple of hours tour. If you just want to see a castle, this would be an easy trip, but if you are deep into historical things like me, you might not enjoy it so much. Not many people visit this castle and that makes it a quite and peaceful place to spend some time.

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It was dusk and we started on our way back to Takasaki, stopping for a brief moment at Tokyo.

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