Cherry blossoms report 2014 Part1

Today, it is reported that the cherry blossoms has started to bloom in Tokyo.
Every year of this season we Japanese are get excited about the cherry blossoms.

There are some cherry trees in the campus of elementary school about 5min. from our hotel.

I found the cherry blossoms at the base of the tree.

 The best viewing time will be this weekend to the first week of April.

 

 Now the cherry blossoms in our hotel lobby are in full bloom!
This is Mini Bonsai of cherry tree which one of our staff made in our hotel event 'Bonsai School' two weeks ago.
This is only 10cm high!

 

After the all petals has fallen, we will be able to enjoy the view of new leaves.

Then in autmn, can enjoy the colored leaves in the lobby.



Bean Throwing Festival

Every year on the 3rd of February, we perform the ritual which is called "Mamemaki" in each home."Mame" means beans. "maki" means to throw.

We throw beans with saying "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" in our house in order to get rid of evil and disease of former year.
"Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi" means that " In with fortune! Out with evil!"

The festival related with Mamemaki is held in many shrines all over Japan.
There is the big festival also in Kanda-Myojin shrine on that day.

Kanda-Myojin shrine is about 10min. from our hotel by train and on foot.

The crowds are waiting for the start of the festival.

There is a big head of evil on the right hand side. 

 

The festival is started soon.

 

The shrine parishioners come first.

Evils and evil hunters

Shrine priests and Fuku no Kami

 

Japanese traditional musical band

Shrine's Pony "Akari"

 

                          

All the members of the parade

go inside the hall of worship to pray.

 

Fuku no Kami pray for crowds

 The evil hunters shoot arrows at evil

Not only beans but also oranges, snacks, lottery tickets are thown.

The crowds try to catch them.

 

Hundreds of poeple pray for their fortune and enjoyed the festival.

If you have chance to visit Japan on the 3rd of February, please get taste of it!



 

 

Morning Glowries

There is the smoking deck on the 2nd floor.
This year, we had planted Mornig Glowries.
It began to bloom one by one.
In the middle of July, much more flowers will bloom.

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens in June 2013

Koishikawa Korakuen had built in early EDO period.
It's takes less than 20 min. on foot from Hotel Niwa Tokyo.

 The main gate of this park.

As this gate is usually closed, you have to enter from the west gate in the opoisit side.

There are small mountains, valleys, pond, bridges, and old Japanese houses in the park.

Now the irises are in full bloom.
There are 660 irises here!
You may be able to enjoy them until the end of June.

When I looked at the irises, Spot billed duck "Karugamo" famillies came out.
The chicks were so cute!

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

Kanda Matsuri 2013

In May, the two big famous matsuri (festival)  " Kanda Matsuri", "Sanja Matsuri" had been held in Tokyo.
Especially Kanda Matsuri is one of the three largest festival in Japan.
It has been held from Edo Period.
Here is a report of Kanda Matsuri, May 14th to 15th.

On the privious day of 14th in parish towns, people get togather and prepare the Matsuri.

They set up their own Mikoshi (Portable shrine) by themselves

and prepare for the Shinko-sai on the next day.

Shinko-sai on the 14th.

Shinko means Kami (God) on the portable shrine and floats parade the parish towns.

They start from Kanda Myojin in the morning and parade to Otemachi, Marunouchi, Nihonbashi, Akihabara. Then they go back to Kanda Myojin again in the evening.

Unfortunately it rained all day.

The people of the parade were wearing rain coat on their traditional attire.

Mikoshi Miyairi on the 15th.

Unlike the previous day, it's sunny!

More than 100 portable shrines are carried into Kanda Myojin Shrine.

Onna-Mikoshi which all the carriers are female

The  parishioners who carry the portable shrine wear the same Hanten (Uniform).

The design of the Hantens deffer according to their town.

Children also carry a small portable shrine.

The Mikoshi jam.

Each Mikoshis are waiting for going into the Kanda Myojin Shrine.

The break time

The crowds in front of the shrine gate.

Just one more effort!

The crowds in the shrine

Finish carring at last!

All the carriers clap their hands to celebrate their mission accomplished.

The representatives of parishioners pray in the shrine pavilion.

The next Kanda Matsuri will be held in 2015.

[Access to Kanda Myojin from Hotel Niwa Tokyo]

   By train/  2min. from JR Suidobashi sta. to JR Ochanomizu sta. 5min. from JR Ochanomizu sta. on foot.

   On foot/ About 20min. on foot.