Japan, Land of the Shining Sun!

Part D: Osaka

Personal Photo Album Part 24

 

[This is the last of my four-part travelogue on Japan. The first one on Tokyo, the second subtitled Horror of Hiroshima, and the third on Kyoto, subtitled Cultural Capital of Japan, have already appeared.]

 This iconic main tower of the Osaka Castle, housing a history museum, 

is one of the best-known tourist attractions in Japan

 

Osaka, one of the world’s most productive regions in terms of economic prosperity as measured by GDP (Gross Domestic Product), is the second most populous urban region in Japan after Tokyo, which happens to be number one in the whole world.  With a population of over 19 million, Osaka is also the tenth most populous in the world. Like Tokyo, it is also a highly modern and cosmopolitan city, coexisting with numerous well-preserved artifacts and symbols of Japanese history.

Arrival

I left Kyoto after breakfast and it took only about 15 minutes to reach the sprawling Shin Osaka station (see picture below), just about 60 km from Kyoto and a short distance away from the Osaka main station, by a bullet train. If my JR rail pass had allowed this, I would have liked to do it by a bus for its more leisurely pace and the chance to look at some of the sights between the two cities as well. As evident from the picture, my arrival was greeted with dense cloudy skies, threatening a huge downpour pretty soon.

At the time of booking my stay, as usual I was looking for proximity to a well-connected region of the city and had opted for the Shin Osaka railway station, but had ended up with the rather expensive, though not a five-star, New Osaka Hotel, just opposite the station (see picture below, taken on the following day).

 

My entry to the sparkling and lavishly furnished lobby of the hotel (see the picture below) also heralded a long period of inactivity, sparked off by a combination of bureaucratic hurdles and an unceasing rain.  Unlike the smaller and friendlier hotels at the other three cities, the official at this rather high-brow hotel in Osaka would not countenance my request for an early check-in, and stuck unshakably to its policy of not allowing any before the designated time. The fact that he did this with the traditional politeness and courtesy associated with the Japanese did not improve my mood. For once at least, my senior-citizen and foreigner status carried no weight! To my chagrin, I had reached there a full three hours ahead of time!  Because of the incessant rain outside, I was left with no alternative but to wait it out in the hotel lobby, which mercifully offered the compensation of comfortable seating.  I spent practically all this time catching up with some unusually serious reading on my smartphone screen, with occasional glances at the unrelenting rain outside.

At last, I was able to get into my room, which was a great deal more spacious and better furnished than in the other three cities, a just compensation for its distinctly higher price.  It was another hour before the rain stopped and I was able to go out on my sightseeing outing.  By then, the weather had cleared up dramatically, not to bother me again during the rest of my stay in Japan.  My top priority in Osaka was the great Castle that was located within walking distance and there I headed, but with a short interlude on the way at an interesting place.

Museum of History

One of the eye-catching modern iconic buildings in my vicinity was the headquarters of the famous NHK media broadcasting centre (see picture below). The seventh to tenth floors of this complex apparently also housed the interactive Osaka Museum of History, for which regrettably I had no time to spare.

 

Even more eye-catching was what the following photograph shows, two adjacent buildings capturing the superb contrast between the new and the old in Osaka. 

The ultra-modern hemi-cylindrical building on the left is the lower part of the NHK building shown in the previous picture, also housing the Museum of History of Osaka. The distinctively ancient structure on the right is an outdoor exhibit of the museum and has a lot of history associated with it.  Here is the English version of the description prominently displayed near the well-preserved structure:

                                    Hoenzaka Warehouses

The site of the Hoenzaka Warehouses, large, elevated-floor warehouse built around the latter half of the 5^th century*, were discovered here on the northern edge of the Uemachi Plateau. Sixteen such warehouses were constructed, arranged in an orderly fashion, each warehouse covering an area of 10m x 9m and having the characteristic multiple supporting posts and “Irimoya” roofing style.

It is believed that they were constructed by the same great king who built the large tumuli in Mozu and Furuichi, in order to make a display of his great power.

[*known as the Kofun period in Japanese history]

Here is a close-up of the warehouse and the descriptive poster, both seen in the previous picture from which the above text is reproduced: 

Osaka Castle

The Osaka Castle, or Osaka-jo in Japanese, was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a Japanese feudal lord and samurai, a major character in Japanese history, in the 16^th century.  It got destroyed later and it was not until the beginning of the twentieth century that it was rebuilt in its present form.  It largely withstood the ravages of World War II and became a major tourist destination thereafter. 

From quite a distance away, one of the observation towers of the castle complex, with a large moat running all around, was an impressive sight (see picture below). The castle walls are made of strong and sturdy stone blocks, about a million of them, large and small, all around. 

From a closer approach, I could capture an ultra-zoom picture of the top observation deck of the main castle tower, whose close-up picture is displayed at the beginning of this article as a curtain raiser.  Here is the picture a close examination of which shows people all around the deck from their vantage point. 

Near the main entrance gate to the castle complex, the following plaque gives some basic information about it in English, obviously intended for non-Japanese visitors: 

Next to the above is another plaque, giving a detailed bilingual map of the entire castle complex (see picture below)

 

Here is the huge main entrance to the castle complex:

One of the most prominent sights within the castle complex is the Hokoku Shrine behind its Torii (gate) overlooking the statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, all three of them seen in the picture below:

 

The piece de resistance of the Osaka Castle is, without any doubt, the great main observation tower, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks.  Now in bright sunny weather, I couldn’t resist the temptation to have a visitor take my picture against its picturesque and colourful background, and the result is shown below.  

The tower is five stories high on the outside and eight on the inside, and built on a tall stone foundation to give added protection to its occupants.  It is surrounded by large moats and numerous fortifications.  There are two moats, inner and outer, the latter covering the entire castle complex.  Covering around 15 acres of land, the castle grounds have thirteen important structures that are deemed to be cultural assets by the Japanese government. Within the inner moat, the castle is divided into two major areas – the Hommaru and the Yamazato-Maru.  The main tower is located within Hommaru.

Inside the floors of the main tower is a museum showcasing a variety of historical materials, miniature figures and other artifacts related to the history of the place, and of the country.  The tower was crammed with visitors when I entered.  Even as I took a cursory look at the exhibits, I climbed my way up to the topmost floor from which one can look all around and see most of landmarks of the city.  On the way up, ignoring the option of an elevator directly to the top floor, one of the large exhibits that caught my fancy, apparently of most other visitors too, is captured in the picture below.  It is a panoramic view of a battle scene showing foot soldiers armed and engaged in the battle.

The view from the top was breathtakingly sharp and clear, especially because of the bright sunshine that had so badly eluded me in Kyoto earlier. I shot quite a large number of pictures, only a handful of which are featured here.

Below is a picture in which the elliptical dome is that of Osaka-jo Hall, a multi-purpose arena built to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of the Osaka Castle. Numerous sporting events, conferences, conventions, concerts and cultural events are held here.  It also has a restaurant with an excellent view of the river. 

The aerial view of the skyscraper in the picture below also shows the NHK building with its History Museum that I had passed by on my way to the castle.  Though dwarfed somewhat, it is still prominently seen on the lower left of the picture.

Here is a picture looking down from the top, against the background of tall buildings in the rear, with a closeup of a golden hued figurine on the top floor. 

Here is a sightseeing boat awaiting passengers for a ride around the inner moat of the castle: 

The picture below shows a footbridge over the inner moat linking the inner and outer portions of the castle park: 

The picture below is a view of Miraiza, a historical landmark inside Osaka Castle Park, which served as the headquarters of the fourth division of the Imperial Japanese Army, and now a shopping complex, with restaurants and other facilities.  I had no time to spend inside. 

Shitennoji Temple

The Buddhist Shitennoji Temple is considered to be Japan’s oldest temple.  It was founded in 593 by prince Shotoku Taishi, a major figure in Japanese history who also played a leading role in introducing Buddhism to Japan.  Most of the buildings were destroyed by fire and rebuilt several times, and several of the current buildings are quite new. The inner complex includes the Kondo or main hall, the Kodo lecture hall and a five-story pagoda, surrounded by a paved walkway with three gates. 

Here is the view through the main gate:

Here is the centrally located main building:

Here is a close-up view of the five-storey pagoda, much like other pagodas I saw in both Tokyo and Kyoto, with evidence of some recent renovation:

Here is another view of the pagoda, from a distance: 

Dotonbori

Dotonbori is the densely populated area in the neighbourhood of the canal of the same name, and is Osaka’s equivalent of New York’s Times Square. It is filled with towering neon signs, clubs, bars and restaurants serving up local specialties and an unbridled nightlife. I had no plans to take part or even witness any of it, but below is a daytime picture of a street (notice the English name by way of emphasis), even at that time bursting with activity, traffic, and a sea of humanity unlike anything I had seen anywhere else in the country, and much like what I had seen in most other metropolitan cities of the world. 

  

Here is a picture of the canal itself, with large business and entertainment establishments on both sides: 

I was attracted by a puzzling sight at the entrance to a prominent hotel on a nearby street and captured pictures of it, one of which is reproduced below.  The reader is welcome to figure out the significance of the four different faces in the picture and why they are depicted that way. 

One of the most attractive, tall and unusual buildings that stood out in the Dotonbori neighbourhood, arresting one’s attention instantly, was the Namba HIPS entertainment centre.  It is essentially an amusement complex with bowling alleys and numerous other indoor recreational facilities, and a large restaurant.  With an elevator and a distinctive rock-climbing wall on the outside, it certainly has a unique architecture. 

Elsewhere in Osaka

Needles to say, I missed a lot of tourist attractions in Osaka, which I will not even try to list here, but I did a walking tour of some areas close to my hotel. This included the exceptionally busy Osaka main railway station around which I nearly lost my bearings.  In the process of aimless exploration, I captured a number of pictures of places and buildings I especially liked.  Here are just a few of them:

The first one, of a large octagonal structure close to a metro line, called Namba Hatch, is an entertainment arena with standing room for about 1500 people, hosting a variety of live events such as soul music, rock, jazz, hip hop, etc. Located in the Minatomachi area of Osaka close to the Botonbori canal, it is known to be the largest hall of its kind in Japan.  It is also the headquarters of an FM radio station.

Above is a wonderfully attractive picture of a small park adjacent to the Namba Hatch seen in the last picture, with a pyramidal structure housing what appeared to me like a restaurant: 

The 300 m tall skyscraper in the picture above is that of Abeno Harukas, claimed to be Japan’s tallest building (not structure).  It projects upward from the Kintetsu Osaka Abenobashi metro station and houses the famous Abeno Harukas Art Museum located on the sixteenth floor of the building.

Adieu Japan!

After the brief interlude at Osaka, I returned the next day to Tokyo, did a bit of last-minute sightseeing, stayed overnight at the Smile Hotel, and left the following morning for Haneda airport to catch my flight back home. My return, via Kuala Lumpur, was totally uneventful. However, I carried with me unforgettable memories of a great country, and in my view, the Land of the Shining Sun, despite the rain and dark cloudy skies that stalked me in three of the four cities I visited!

Epilogue

This completes my four-part travelogue of Japan.  One of my readers has wondered why I chose to write about Japan now and not about any of the other countries I have visited, both before and after Japan.  The reason, in simple terms, is the way Japan impressed me more than any of the other countries. Nowhere else have I found the same level of courtesy, cleanliness, use of technology in daily life, extensive and fast public transportation system, proactive promotion of tourism, beautiful gardens and parks, and upkeep of tourist attractions.  Just three words summarise the reasons for my special preference to Japan – courtesy, cleanliness and punctuality.  Taken together, they define, not just describe, Japan!   

Tailpiece

One of my highly discriminating readers, who has also vetted my Japan travelogue writings, has made several useful comments, both general and specific.  I am responding to them here, recasting them in a Q & A format:

Q: In the locations where photography was not allowed, could I not have given a brief description of what I actually saw?

A: This would have been nice.  However, since the visit happened almost five years ago, I can’t trust my fading memory!

Q: While dwelling on the enormity of the destruction inflicted upon Hiroshima by the A-bomb, would it not have been pertinent, in the light of my professional background, to have said something about the physics behind the weapon?

A: Yes, I could have inserted a short piece.  I intend to make up for it with a separate and detailed blog article, provisionally titled: ‘Physics behind the Horror of Hiroshima!’

Q: Since most of the monuments, temples and shrines described in the writings are relics of great architectural interest and historical value, could I also not have gone into this aspect?  Also, about efforts at protecting them against earthquakes to which much of Japan is prone.

A: Yes, I ought to have. My only defence is my ignorance.  Rather sadly, I have been looking at them only as tourist attractions… and, my writings are just travelogues.

Q: Could I not have made some observations on ‘how this society makes old religious traditions coexist with ultra-modern ways of life’?

A: This is very true and a fact of Japanese life.  My broad observation is that they compartmentalize them and implement a self-imposed mutual non-interference pact, as some people seem to do in India and many other countries as well.

Q: ‘Any thoughts on how the Japanese have made such striking technological progress with such little use of the English language’?

A:  Rather superficially at least, the statement is true. This seems to be equally true of China and Korea, which show comparable levels of technological progress.  As basically a lay person, my observations are:

·       In all these countries, English is a compulsory subject of learning in the school system,

·       Most students tend to ‘take things easy’ and end up without attaining the degree of overall functional competency prevalent in India,

·       But, their level of English comprehension is a great deal better than their ability to speak in English with any degree of fluency,

·           Their ability to understand written English is quite high,

·       Since technical terms are international in their origin, flavour and usage, they seem to be at no great disadvantage with respect to communication of a technical nature, and

·       Language is not really a barrier to technological progress, as these three countries demonstrate so glaringly.

                                  

 Japan, Land of the Shining Sun!

Part C: Kyoto, Cultural Capital of Japan

Personal Photo Album Part 23

I told him there was one city that they must not bomb without my permission and that was Kyoto.

 -         Henry L. Stimson, US Secretary of War during World War II

 

[This is the third of my four-part travelogue on Japan. The first one on Tokyo and the second, subtitled Horror of Hiroshima, have already appeared.  The remaining one, on Osaka, will appear sometime in future.]

 

Much of the history of Japan is a tale of two cities – Kyoto and Tokyo.  While Tokyo is a highly modern megapolis and the commercial capital of the country, Kyoto is its ancient cultural capital, a city of temples, shrines, gardens and palaces galore, eliciting colossal wonder, admiration and reverence.  Kyoto was the old capital of Japan until 1869 when Tokyo took over this role. Its rich cultural history and heritage, something that US Secretary of War Henry L Stimson seems to have taken note of seriously, saved it from any major aerial attacks during World War II.  The second A-bomb dropped on Nagasaki seems to have been an afterthought to spare Kyoto. How sad this exemption was confined only to Kyoto!

In my short stay during 10-12 June 2018, on my way back from Hiroshima, I could manage to visit only a handful of Kyoto’s innumerable tourist landmarks scattered all over the city.  This narrative is a recollection of my impressions of them, supported by just a small collection of the large number of pictures I captured.

Arrival

The Shinkansen bullet train took just a little over an hour for the 360 km journey from Hiroshima to its brief stopover in Kyoto on its way to Tokyo.  I had booked my lodging in the small Apa Villa Hotel, part of a large complex of buildings just opposite the main railway station (see picture below) in Kyoto, with a prominent bus station also nearby. I had to just walk across a busy intersection to reach the hotel. My room was very much like the ones in Tokyo and Hiroshima, equally small and equally comfortable.  I didn’t lose any time starting on my pre-planned visits. These are described here in no particular order.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

This is a Shinto shrine, located in a vast area, stretching all the way up to the top of the Inari hill.  It is one of the major tourist attractions in all of Japan as proclaimed in a large banner seen in the picture below:

The shrine is approached through a large gate (pictured below) just opposite the Inari local railway station.  A group of students, some of them seen in this picture, were my constant companions during my tour of the place lasting well over two hours in rainy conditions and dull weather.

The main shrine of the complex is visible through a massive gate in the picture below:

Here is a close-up picture of the huge shrine itself:

Here is a picture showing two other large buildings in the same complex:

 

The primary attraction of the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is the long winding adjacent twin paths all the way up to the top of the hill, each covered with thousands of wooden gates (torii) erected in a sequence with short breaks on the way up.  Each of these gates is donated by an individual or group, with the donor’s name and wishes or prayers prominently etched, as can be seen in the picture below: 

Because of a constant drizzle, with slippery path leading up the hill a considerable distance, I had to stop short of the final destination and return with some disappointment.  Despite the inclement weather, it was nonetheless an exciting experience.  The shrine is a prominent place of pilgrimage for people from both within Japan and abroad, with considerable religious significance.  The statues of foxes dotting the landscape seem to have strong religious, social and agricultural undertones too (see the sentinel statues at the entrance to the main shrine).

I met a young British couple of obvious Japanese origin who said they too had contributed a substantial sum to the construction of one of the thousands of gates lining the route to the top of Mount Inari.

Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)

Known also as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji dates back to the early fifteenth century, and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.  It is an incredibly attractive structure, appearing to be bathed in gold, and actually covered lavishly in pure gold foil, jutting out of a large water body surrounded by lush vegetation!

With a large yet orderly crowd lined up to get as close to it as was allowed, I spent a considerable amount of time admiring the building located amidst spectacular greenery, even as I inched close to it, trying to avoid human presence in my pictures. One of my pictures is displayed as a prelude to this article. Here are two more of my best pictures from different locations:

The following is a less spectacular picture of a structure within the same complex where I made no effort to avoid human presence.  Actually, I shot it deliberately while a tourist group was looking at its leader. 

 

Kiyomiju-dera Temple

Like the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, the Kiyomiju-dera Temple complex is one of the most popular of all tourist attractions in Japan.  It is a Buddhist temple located on the foothills of Mount Otowa overlooking the eastern part of the city and is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kyoto. The temple's present buildings were constructed in 1633.   Made entirely of wood, with no nails used anywhere, the majestic main building (see picture below) in the complex takes its name from the small waterfall within, which flows down the nearby hills. Kiyomizu literally means clear or pure water.

 

When I visited this site, it was a dull evening with the Sun nowhere in sight.  I had to walk up the long and fairly steep narrow road, with shops on either side selling all kinds of memorabilia, something very familiar at home in India. Having spent much of the day walking till then, it was quite a strenuous exercise for me, and I had to rest frequently as I made my way up the hilly road.

In response to one of my frequent WhatsApp messages, a friend back home had asked me if I saw many women in Geisha/Kimono dresses in Japan.  My answer was a yes in Kyoto and a no elsewhere.  It was an overwhelming yes at this particular site in Kyoto, apparently because of its very close association with religion and tradition.  Even as I thought about it, I clicked the picture below, which speaks for itself in more ways than one, and forwarded it immediately to the friend in question and to a host of others.

After resting for some time at the top and admiring the scene below, I explored the complex that housed several other impressive structures.  The following two pictures show them quite close up. I wondered how much more spectacular they would have looked on a bright sunny evening with the Sun shining directly on them, unobstructed from the east.

Here is a view in dreadful light from the highest point of the complex I could get to, showing parts of the city, including the 130 m tall Kyoto Tower, the tallest in the city:

 

From further back, I shot the following view of the towering pagoda that also dominated the site.  I could notice a likeness to the Asakusa Shinto shrine in Tokyo that I had visited just the previous week.

In 2007, Kiyomizu-dera was one of 21 finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World, but did not make it to the seven winning sites which turned out to be: The Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China, Machu Pichu in Peru, Petra in Jordan, the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Pyramid of Chichen Itza in Mexico.  Incidentally, I have been able to visit all but the last one of these.  I hope to make up for the shortfall sometime next year.

Nijo-jo Castle

I had planned an early morning visit to this place, and as it turned out, an hour too early, since the main gate to this ancient tourist attraction was due to open only at 9 am that day.  I had to while away my time walking leisurely up and down the large road-side open space in front of the castle.

Spread over a vast area, with two large rectangular fortifications, one inside the other, this castle is another major attraction in Kyoto, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site too. The antique bilingual plaque at the entrance gives a concise description of the castle in a nutshell:

A corner of the castle with moats on either side, seen in the picture below, should give an idea of how big and ancient it really is.

Here is the massive main outer entrance to the castle:

 

Here is the ornamental ‘karamon’ main gate to the ‘Ninomaru’ Palace, with its uniquely Japanese architecture: 

Here is a beautiful picture showing a bridge across an inner moat linking two parts of the castle, with lush greenery all around, as I could capture looking down from an elevated view point in the complex:

Large parts of the castle interior are dotted by beautiful gardens and water bodies, preserved in their pristine conditions.  Here are two pictures highlighting these features:

Ryaon-ji Temple

Ryaon-ji, the Temple of the Dragon at Peace, is yet another very impressive, large, ancient temple-garden complex in the city, with a rich history, and yet another UNESCO World Heritage centre, like perhaps no other city in the world. The temple belongs to a particular sect of Zen Buddhism.

Here is the main gate to the complex, another example of the distinctively Japanese style of architecture dotting the city:

Here is a picture of the visitors stepping down to a part of the vast complex:

Ryaon-ji is famous for its Zen Garden, also known as the karesansui (dry landscape) rock garden, consisting of groups of different sized stones, large and small.  Here is one such distinctive group, artistically laid out:

Here is a particularly eye-catching portion of the large garden complex:

 

Sanjusangedo Temple

Sanjusangedo, meaning Temple of thirty-three bays, is a Buddhist temple dating back to 1164.  It is most famous for its very long hondō (main hall) with its collection of sculptures, including 1001 standing thousand-armed Kannon, 28 standing attendants, a statue of Fūjin and a statue of Raijin, and the principal image of the temple, a big seated statue of thousand-armed Kannon, all of them designated National Treasures.  These were totally off limits for photography and therefore I having no pictures to post here.  Visitors had to undergo a mandatory airport style search, with designated storage bays for both footwear and electronic devices, before being allowed inside the long corridor of the building housing all these highly revered objects.  Here is a view of the long main building in the rear:

My disappointment in not being allowed to photograph the interior of the building was more than made up by the opportunity to capture the spectacular garden and path ways outside, as on a similar occasion earlier in Hiroshima. The following three pictures speak for themselves:

Chion-in Temple & Yasaka Shrine

Called the Monastery of Gratitude, Chion-in is one of the largest surviving structures of its kind in Japan and belongs to a rather obscure sect of the Buddhist movement.  The picture below, with a lone visitor climbing the steps leading up to its colossal main gate, shows why this is so.

Situated nearby, the Yasaka shrine also has an impressive gate as can be seen in the picture below:

The land encompassing the two structures, including numerous other buildings and attractive gardens, is also a popular picnic site as evident from the following three pictures from my large collection:

Epilogue

Just to emphasize that everthing about the city is not ancient, below are two pictures taken in the heart of the city that showcase a modern Kyoto too.  The first is a commercial complex near the city central bus stand, and the second, a view of the 130 m tall Kyoto Tower, looking almost straight up from an adjacent street, in bright blue skies, something  that had eluded me almost everywhere else.

The sheer number of sights in Kyoto, all richly endowed with the history, culture and traditions of ancient Japan, as many as 17 of them carrying the UNESCO stamp of appreciation as World Heritage sites, meant that I could do little justice to my ambitious visit to this fabulous city during the meagre three days I had set apart. The weather too was very unkind.  Among the sights I missed were the Kyoto National Museum and the Imperial Palace complex with its extensive gardens.  As I went inside the timeworn gate (see picture below) of the palace complex, it started raining quite heavily and I took shelter in a small building close by.  As the rain continued unabated and it was getting late in the evening, I beat a reluctant retreat and managed to get back to my hotel.  That was the last of my tryst with Kyoto, the magnificent relic of ancient Japanese cultural extravaganza.