1.
Shiga Prefecture
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Shiga Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region in the western part of Honshu island. It encircles Lake Biwa, the largest freshwater lake in Japan, Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established. Omi was a neighbor of Nara and Kyoto, at the junction of western and eastern Japan, during the period 667 to 672, Emperor Tenji founded a palace in Otsu. In 742, Emperor Shōmu founded a palace in Shigaraki, in the early Heian Period, Saichō was born in the north of Otsu and founded Enryaku-ji, the center of Tendai and one a UNESCO World Heritage Site and monument of Ancient Kyoto now. In the Medieval Period, the Sasaki clan ruled Omi, and afterward the Rokkaku clan, Kyōgoku clan, in the 1570s, Oda Nobunaga subjugated Omi and built Azuchi Castle on the eastern shores of Lake Biwa in 1579. Tōdō Takatora, Gamō Ujisato, Oichi, Yodo-dono, Ohatsu, in those times, Ninja were active in Kōka. In 1600, Ishida Mitsunari, born in the east of Nagahama and based in Sawayama Castle, made war against Tokugawa Ieyasu in Sekigahara, after the battle, Ieyasu made Ii Naomasa a new lord of Sawayama. Naomasa established the Hikone Domain, later famous for Ii Naosuke, Ii Naosuke became the Tokugawa shogunates Tairō and concluded commercial treaties with the Western powers and thus ended Japans isolation from the world in the 19th century. Besides the Hikone Domain, many domains ruled Omi such as Zeze, with the abolition of the han system, eight prefectures were formed in Omi. They were unified into Shiga Prefecture in September 1872, Shiga Prefecture was named after Shiga District because Otsu belonged to the district until 1898. From August 1876 to February 1881, southern Fukui Prefecture had been incorporated into Shiga Prefecture, Shiga borders Fukui Prefecture in the north, Gifu Prefecture in the east, Mie Prefecture in the southeast, and Kyoto Prefecture in the west. Lake Biwa, Japans largest, is located at the center of this prefecture and it occupies one-sixth of its area. The Seta River flows from Lake Biwa to Osaka Bay through Kyoto and this is the only natural river that flows out from the lake. Most other natural rivers flow into the lake, there were many lagoons around Lake Biwa, but most of them were reclaimed in 1940s. One of the lagoons is the wetland in Omihachiman. The lake divides the prefecture into four different areas, Kohoku centered Nagahama, Kosei centered Imazu, Kotō centered Hikone, plains stretch to the eastern shore of Lake Biwa. The prefecture is enclosed by mountain ranges with the Hira Mountains and Mount Hiei in the west, the Ibuki Mountains in the northeast, Mount Ibuki is the highest mountain in Shiga. In Yogo, a lake is famous for the legend of the heavenly robe of an angel
2.
Tendai
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Tendai is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school. David W. Philosophically, the Tendai school did not deviate substantially from the beliefs that had created by the Tiantai school in China. However, what Saichō transmitted from China was not exclusively Tiantai, but also included Zen, the esoteric Mikkyō, the tendency to include a range of teachings became more marked in the doctrines of Saichōs successors, such as Ennin and Enchin. However, in years, this range of teachings began to form sub-schools within Tendai Buddhism. By the time of Ryōgen, there were two groups on Mt. Hiei, the Sammon Mountain Group who followed Ennin and the Jimon Temple Group who followed Enchin. The Tendai sect flourished under the patronage of the Imperial House, in 794, the Imperial capital was moved to Kyoto. Tendai Buddhism became the dominant form of mainstream Buddhism in Japan for many years, nichiren, Hōnen, Shinran and Dōgen—all famous thinkers in non-Tendai schools of Japanese Buddhism—were all initially trained as Tendai monks. Japanese Buddhism was dominated by the Tendai school to a greater degree than Chinese Buddhism was by its forebearer. Due to its patronage and growing popularity among the classes, the Tendai sect became not only respected. Enryaku-ji, the complex on Mt. Hiei, became a sprawling center of power, attended not only by ascetic monks. As a result, in 1571 Enryaku-ji was razed by Oda Nobunaga as part of his campaign to unify Japan, Nobunaga regarded the Mt. Hiei monks as a potential threat or rival, as they could employ religious claims to attempt to rally the populace to their side. The temple complex was rebuilt, and continues to serve as the head temple of the Tendai school today. Chih-i, founder of Tien-tai philosophy and practice attempted this synthesis on the basis of the doctrine of the Lotus Sutra. Tendai Buddhism has several philosophical insights which allow for the reconciliation of Buddhist doctrine with aspects of Japanese culture such as Shinto and it is rooted in the idea, fundamental to Mahayana Buddhism, that Buddha-hood, the capability to attain enlightenment, is intrinsic in all things. Also central to Mahayana is the notion that the phenomenal world and this notion poses the problem of how we come to have many differentiated experiences. Tendai Buddhism claims that each and every sense phenomenon just as it is is the expression of Dharma, for Tendai, the ultimate expression of Dharma is the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, the nature of all sense experiences consists in the Buddhas preaching of the doctrine of Lotus Sutra. The existence and experience of all unenlightened beings is fundamentally equivalent, more specifically, Shimaji used original enlightenment thought to designate the intellectual mainstream of medieval Japanese Tendai Buddhism
3.
Deity
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A deity is a concept conceived in diverse ways in various cultures, typically as a natural or supernatural being considered divine or sacred. A male deity is a god, while a female deity is a goddess, the Oxford reference defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. Various cultures have conceptualized a deity differently than a monotheistic God, a plain deity need not be omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, or eternal, however an almighty monotheistic God generally does have these attributes. Monotheistic religions typically refer to God in masculine terms, while other religions refer to their deities in a variety of ways – masculine, feminine, androgynous, some Avestan and Vedic deities were viewed as ethical concepts. In Indian religions, deities have been envisioned as manifesting within the temple of every living beings body, as sensory organs, but in Indian religions, all deities are also subject to death when their merit runs out. The English language word deity derives from Old French deité, the Latin deitatem or divine nature, deus is related through a common Proto-Indo-European language origin to *deiwos. Deva is masculine, and the feminine equivalent is devi. Etymologically, the cognates of Devi are Latin dea and Greek thea, in Old Persian, daiva- means demon, evil god, while in Sanskrit it means the opposite, referring to the heavenly, divine, terrestrial things of high excellence, exalted, shining ones. The closely linked term god refers to supreme being, deity, which states Douglas Harper, is derived from Proto-Germanic *guthan, from PIE *ghut-, guth in the Irish language means voice. The term *ghut- is also the source of Old Church Slavonic zovo, Sanskrit huta-, from the root *gheu- An alternate etymology for the term god traces it to the PIE root *ghu-to-, the term *gheu- is also the source of the Greek khein to pour. Originally the German root was a noun, but the gender of the monotheistic God shifted to masculine under the influence of Christianity. In contrast, all ancient Indo-European cultures and mythologies recognized both masculine and feminine deities, the term deity often connotes the concept of sacred or divine, as a god or goddess, in a polytheistic religion. However, there is no accepted consensus concept of deity across religions and cultures. Huw Owen states that the deity or god or its equivalent in other languages has a bewildering range of meanings. Some engravings or sketches show animals, hunters or rituals, the Venus of Willendorf, a female figurine found in Europe and dated to about 25,000 BCE has been interpreted as an exemplar of a prehistoric divine feminine. In Buddhist mythology, devas are beings inhabiting certain happily placed worlds of Buddhist cosmology and these beings are mortal and numerous. It is also common for iṣṭadevatās to be called deities, although the nature of Yidams is distinct from what is meant by the term. Buddhism does not believe in a creator deity, however, deities are an essential part of Buddhist cosmology, rebirth and Saṃsāra doctrines
4.
Bhaisajyaguru
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Bhaiṣajyaguru, formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja, is the Buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the Medicine Buddha, he is described as a doctor who cures dukkha using the medicine of his teachings, bhaiṣajyagurus original name and title was rāja, but Xuanzang translated it as Tathāgata. Subsequent translations and commentaries followed Xuanzang in describing him as a Buddha, the image of Bhaiṣajyaguru is usually expressed with a canonical Buddha-like form holding a gallipot and, in some versions, possessing blue skin. Though also considered to be a guardian of the East, in most cases Akshobhya is given that role, as an exceptional case, the honzon of Kōya-san Kongōbu-ji was changed from Akshobhya to Bhaiṣajyaguru. Bhaiṣajyaguru is described in the eponymous Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja Sūtra, commonly called the Medicine Buddha Sutra, on achieving Buddhahood, he became the Buddha of the eastern pure land of Vaiḍūryanirbhāsa Pure Lapis Lazuli. The manuscripts in this find are dated before the 7th century, the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang visited a Mahāsāṃghika monastery at Bamiyan, Afghanistan, in the 7th century CE, and the site of this monastery has been rediscovered by archaeologists. Birchbark manuscript fragments from several Mahāyāna sūtras have been discovered at the site, to awaken the minds of sentient beings through his light of lapis lazuli. To provide the sentient beings with whatever needs they require. To correct heretical views and inspire beings toward the path of the Bodhisattva, to help beings follow the Moral Precepts, even if they failed before. To heal beings born with deformities, illness or other physical sufferings, to help relieve the destitute and the sick. To help women who wish to be reborn as men achieve their desired rebirth, to help heal mental afflictions and delusions. To help the oppressed be free from suffering, to relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst. To help clothe those who are destitute and suffering from cold, in the Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja Sūtra, the Medicine Buddha is described as having entered into a state of samadhi called Eliminating All the Suffering and Afflictions of Sentient Beings. From this samadhi state he spoke the Medicine Buddha Dharani, namo bhagavate bhaiṣajyaguru vaiḍūryaprabharājāya tathāgatāya arahate samyaksambuddhāya tadyathā, oṃ bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajye bhaiṣajya-samudgate svāhā. The last line of the dharani is used as Bhaisajyagurus short form mantra, there are several other mantras for the Medicine Buddha as well that are used in different schools of Vajrayana Buddhism. In the sutra, he is described by his aura of lapis lazuli-colored light. In Chinese depictions, he is holding a pagoda, symbolising the ten thousand Buddhas of the three periods of time. He is also depicted standing on a Northern Wei stele from approximately 500 AD now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, within the halo are depicted the Seven Bhaiṣajyaguru Buddhas and seven apsaras
5.
Monastery
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A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone. A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may be a chapel, church or temple, a monastery complex typically comprises a number of buildings which include a church, dormitory, cloister, refectory, library, balneary and infirmary. These may include a hospice, a school and a range of agricultural and manufacturing such as a barn. In English usage, the monastery is generally used to denote the buildings of a community of monks. In modern usage, convent tends to be applied only to institutions of female monastics, historically, a convent denoted a house of friars, now more commonly called a friary. Various religions may apply these terms in specific ways. The earliest extant use of the term monastērion is by the 1st century AD Jewish philosopher Philo in On The Contemplative Life, in England the word monastery was also applied to the habitation of a bishop and the cathedral clergy who lived apart from the lay community. Most cathedrals were not monasteries, and were served by canons secular, however, some were run by monasteries orders, such as York Minster. Westminster Abbey was for a time a cathedral, and was a Benedictine monastery until the Reformation. They are also to be distinguished from collegiate churches, such as St Georges Chapel, in most of this article, the term monastery is used generically to refer to any of a number of types of religious community. In the Roman Catholic religion and to some extent in certain branches of Buddhism, there is a more specific definition of the term. Buddhist monasteries are generally called vihara, viharas may be occupied by males or females, and in keeping with common English usage, a vihara populated by females may often be called a nunnery or a convent. However, vihara can also refer to a temple, in Tibetan Buddhism, monasteries are often called gompa. In Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, a monastery is called a wat, in Burma, a monastery is called a kyaung. A Christian monastery may be an abbey, or a priory and it may be a community of men or of women. A charterhouse is any monastery belonging to the Carthusian order, in Eastern Christianity, a very small monastic community can be called a skete, and a very large or important monastery can be given the dignity of a lavra. The great communal life of a Christian monastery is called cenobitic, as opposed to the life of an anchorite. In Hinduism monasteries are called matha, mandir, koil, or most commonly an ashram, jains use the Buddhist term vihara
6.
Mount Hiei
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Mount Hiei is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures, Japan. The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tendai sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei by Saichō in 788, hōnen, Nichiren, and Shinran all studied at the temple before leaving to start their own practices. The temple complex was razed by Oda Nobunaga in 1571 to quell the rising power of the Tendais warrior monks, Mount Hiei has featured in many folk tales over the ages. Originally it was thought to be the home of gods and demons of Shinto lore, although it is predominantly known for the Buddhist monks that come from the temple of Enryaku-ji. John Stevens wrote the book The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei, chronicling the practice of walking long distances – up to 52 miles a day for 100 straight days, the practice of walking is known as the kaihōgyō. A2010 US National Public Radio report described the sennichi kaihōgyō as.1,000 days of walking meditation, walked 26 miles a day for periods of either 100 or 200 consecutive days — a total distance about the same as walking around the Earth. Beyond the mountain itself, its forests, and the views it affords – of Kyoto, of Ohara, of lake Biwa, the temple complex spreads out over the mountain, but is concentrated in three areas, connected by foot trails. There are also more minor temples and shrines, the mountain is busiest during the daytime, but has some visitors in the evenings, for light-up displays and to see the night view of the surrounding towns. The mountain is an area for hikers and a toll road provides access by automobile to the top of the mountain. The attractions on the mountain are quite out, so there are regular buses during the daytime connecting the attractions. The center for these is the bus center, in front of the entrance to the temple complex at Tō-tō. Hiei Area JAPAN, the Official Guide Holly Schmid, Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei Photos of Mount Hiei and the three precincts of Enryakuji Temple Hieizan Enryakuji
7.
Kyoto
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Kyoto is a city located in the central part of the island of Honshu, Japan. It has a close to 1.5 million. Kyoto is also known as the thousand-year capital, in Japanese, the city has been called Kyō, Miyako, or Kyō no Miyako. In the 11th century, the city was renamed Kyoto, after the Chinese word for capital city, after the city of Edo was renamed Tokyo in 1868, and the seat of the Emperor was transferred there, Kyoto was known for a short time as Saikyō. Obsolete spellings for the name include Kioto, Miaco and Meaco. Another term commonly used to refer to the city in the period was Keishi. His last choice for the site was the village of Uda, the new city, Heian-kyō, a scaled replica of the then Tang capital Changan, became the seat of Japans imperial court in 794, beginning the Heian period of Japanese history. The city suffered destruction in the Ōnin War of 1467–1477. Battles between samurai factions spilled into the streets, and came to involve the court nobility and religious factions as well, nobles mansions were transformed into fortresses, deep trenches dug throughout the city for defense and as firebreaks, and numerous buildings burned. The city has not seen such widespread destruction since, Hideyoshi also built earthwork walls called odoi encircling the city. Teramachi Street in central Kyoto is a Buddhist temple quarter where Hideyoshi gathered temples in the city, throughout the Edo period, the economy of the city flourished as one of three major cities in Japan, the others being Osaka and Edo. The Hamaguri rebellion of 1864 burnt down 28,000 houses in the city, the modern city of Kyoto was formed on April 1,1889. The construction of Lake Biwa Canal in 1890 is one taken to revive the city. The population of the city exceeded one million in 1932, stimson, Secretary of War in the Roosevelt and Truman administrations, the city was removed from the list of targets and replaced by Nagasaki. The city was spared from conventional bombing as well, although small-scale air raids did result in casualties. As a result, the Imperial City of Kyoto is one of the few Japanese cities that still have an abundance of prewar buildings, however, modernization is continually breaking down the traditional Kyoto in favor of newer architecture, such as the Kyōto Station complex. Kyoto became a city designated by government ordinance on September 1,1956, in 1997, Kyoto hosted the conference that resulted in the protocol on greenhouse gas emissions that bears the citys name. Kyoto is located in a valley, part of the Yamashiro Basin, in the part of the mountainous region known as the Tamba highlands
8.
Heian period
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The Heian period is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism, the Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature. Although the Imperial House of Japan had power on the surface, the power was in the hands of the Fujiwara clan. Many emperors actually had mothers from the Fujiwara family, the Heian period was preceded by the Nara period and began in 794 A. D. after the movement of the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō, by the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu. Kanmu first tried to move the capital to Nagaoka-kyō, but a series of disasters befell the city, prompting the emperor to relocate the capital a second time, a rebellion occurred in China in the last years of the 9th century, making the political situation unstable. The Japanese missions to Tang China was suspended and the influx of Chinese exports halted, therefore the Heian Period is considered a high point in Japanese culture that later generations have always admired. The period is noted for the rise of the samurai class. Nominally, sovereignty lay in the emperor but in power was wielded by the Fujiwara nobility. However, to protect their interests in the provinces, the Fujiwara and other noble families required guards, police, the warrior class made steady political gains throughout the Heian period. Still, a military takeover of the Japanese government was centuries away. The entry of the class into court influence was a result of the Hōgen Rebellion. At this time Taira no Kiyomori revived the Fujiwara practices by placing his grandson on the throne to rule Japan by regency and their clan, the Taira, would not be overthrown until after the Genpei War, which marked the start of the shogunate. The Kamakura period began in 1185 when Minamoto no Yoritomo seized power from the emperors, Nara was abandoned after only 70 years in part due to the ascendancy of Dōkyō and the encroaching secular power of the Buddhist institutions there. Kyōto had good access to the sea and could be reached by land routes from the eastern provinces. The early Heian period continued Nara culture, the Heian capital was patterned on the Chinese Tang capital at Changan, as was Nara, Kanmu endeavoured to improve the Tang-style administrative system which was in use. Known as the ritsuryō, this attempted to recreate the Tang imperium in Japan. Despite the decline of the Taika–Taihō reforms, imperial government was vigorous during the early Heian period, Kanmus avoidance of drastic reform decreased the intensity of political struggles, and he became recognized as one of Japans most forceful emperors
9.
Mahayana
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Mahayana is one of two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice. The Buddhist tradition of Vajrayana is sometimes classified as a part of Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva who has accomplished this goal is called a samyaksaṃbuddha, or fully enlightened Buddha. A samyaksaṃbuddha can establish the Dharma and lead disciples to enlightenment, Mahayana Buddhists teach that enlightenment can be attained in a single lifetime, and this can be accomplished even by a layperson. The Mahāyāna tradition is the largest major tradition of Buddhism existing today, with 53. 2% of practitioners, major traditions of Mahāyāna Buddhism today include Chan Buddhism, Korean Seon, Japanese Zen, Pure Land Buddhism, and Nichiren Buddhism. It may also include the Vajrayana traditions of Tiantai, Tendai, Shingon Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism, according to Jan Nattier, the term Mahāyāna was originally an honorary synonym for Bodhisattvayāna — the vehicle of a bodhisattva seeking buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. The term Mahāyāna was therefore formed independently at a date as a synonym for the path. The earliest Mahāyāna texts often use the term Mahāyāna as a synonym for Bodhisattvayāna, the presumed dichotomy between Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna can be deceptive, as the two terms were not actually formed in relation to one another in the same era. Among the earliest and most important references to the term Mahāyāna are those that occur in the Lotus Sūtra dating between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE. Seishi Karashima has suggested that the term first used in an earlier Gandhāri Prakrit version of the Lotus Sūtra was not the term mahāyāna, the origins of Mahāyāna are still not completely understood. The earliest Western views of Mahāyāna assumed that it existed as a school in competition with the so-called Hīnayāna schools. The earliest textual evidence of Mahāyāna comes from sūtras originating around the beginning of the common era. There is also no evidence that Mahāyāna ever referred to a formal school or sect of Buddhism, but rather that it existed as a certain set of ideals. Membership in these nikāyas, or monastic sects, continues today with the Dharmaguptaka nikāya in East Asia, therefore, Mahāyāna was never a separate rival sect of the early schools. Paul Harrison clarifies that while monastic Mahāyānists belonged to a nikāya, from Chinese monks visiting India, we now know that both Mahāyāna and non-Mahāyāna monks in India often lived in the same monasteries side by side. Those who venerate the bodhisattvas and read the Mahayana sūtras are called the Mahāyānists, much of the early extant evidence for the origins of Mahāyāna comes from early Chinese translations of Mahāyāna texts. These Mahāyāna teachings were first propagated into China by Lokakṣema, the first translator of Mahāyāna sūtras into Chinese during the 2nd century CE. Guang Xing states, Several scholars have suggested that the Prajñāpāramitā probably developed among the Mahāsāṃghikas in southern India, in the Āndhra country, warder believes that the Mahāyāna originated in the south of India and almost certainly in the Āndhra country. They note that the ancient Buddhist sites in the lower Kṛṣṇa Valley, including Amaravati, Nāgārjunakoṇḍā and Jaggayyapeṭa can be traced to at least the third century BCE, akira Hirakawa notes the evidence suggests that many Early Mahayana scriptures originated in South India
10.
Buddhism
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Buddhism is a religion and dharma that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. Buddhism originated in India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, from where it spread through much of Asia, two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars, Theravada and Mahayana. Buddhism is the worlds fourth-largest religion, with over 500 million followers or 7% of the global population, Buddhist schools vary on the exact nature of the path to liberation, the importance and canonicity of various teachings and scriptures, and especially their respective practices. In Theravada the ultimate goal is the attainment of the state of Nirvana, achieved by practicing the Noble Eightfold Path, thus escaping what is seen as a cycle of suffering. Theravada has a following in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Mahayana, which includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Shingon, rather than Nirvana, Mahayana instead aspires to Buddhahood via the bodhisattva path, a state wherein one remains in the cycle of rebirth to help other beings reach awakening. Vajrayana, a body of teachings attributed to Indian siddhas, may be viewed as a branch or merely a part of Mahayana. Tibetan Buddhism, which preserves the Vajrayana teachings of eighth century India, is practiced in regions surrounding the Himalayas, Tibetan Buddhism aspires to Buddhahood or rainbow body. Buddhism is an Indian religion attributed to the teachings of Buddha, the details of Buddhas life are mentioned in many early Buddhist texts but are inconsistent, his social background and life details are difficult to prove, the precise dates uncertain. Some hagiographic legends state that his father was a king named Suddhodana, his mother queen Maya, and he was born in Lumbini gardens. Some of the stories about Buddha, his life, his teachings, Buddha was moved by the innate suffering of humanity. He meditated on this alone for a period of time, in various ways including asceticism, on the nature of suffering. He famously sat in meditation under a Ficus religiosa tree now called the Bodhi Tree in the town of Bodh Gaya in Gangetic plains region of South Asia. He reached enlightenment, discovering what Buddhists call the Middle Way, as an enlightened being, he attracted followers and founded a Sangha. Now, as the Buddha, he spent the rest of his teaching the Dharma he had discovered. Dukkha is a concept of Buddhism and part of its Four Noble Truths doctrine. It can be translated as incapable of satisfying, the unsatisfactory nature, the Four Truths express the basic orientation of Buddhism, we crave and cling to impermanent states and things, which is dukkha, incapable of satisfying and painful. This keeps us caught in saṃsāra, the cycle of repeated rebirth, dukkha
11.
Japan
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Japan is a sovereign island nation in Eastern Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast of the Asia Mainland and stretches from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea, the kanji that make up Japans name mean sun origin. 日 can be read as ni and means sun while 本 can be read as hon, or pon, Japan is often referred to by the famous epithet Land of the Rising Sun in reference to its Japanese name. Japan is an archipelago consisting of about 6,852 islands. The four largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, the country is divided into 47 prefectures in eight regions. Hokkaido being the northernmost prefecture and Okinawa being the southernmost one, the population of 127 million is the worlds tenth largest. Japanese people make up 98. 5% of Japans total population, approximately 9.1 million people live in the city of Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Archaeological research indicates that Japan was inhabited as early as the Upper Paleolithic period, the first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st century AD. Influence from other regions, mainly China, followed by periods of isolation, from the 12th century until 1868, Japan was ruled by successive feudal military shoguns who ruled in the name of the Emperor. Japan entered into a period of isolation in the early 17th century. The Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 expanded into part of World War II in 1941, which came to an end in 1945 following the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan is a member of the UN, the OECD, the G7, the G8, the country has the worlds third-largest economy by nominal GDP and the worlds fourth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It is also the worlds fourth-largest exporter and fourth-largest importer, although Japan has officially renounced its right to declare war, it maintains a modern military with the worlds eighth-largest military budget, used for self-defense and peacekeeping roles. Japan is a country with a very high standard of living. Its population enjoys the highest life expectancy and the third lowest infant mortality rate in the world, in ancient China, Japan was called Wo 倭. It was mentioned in the third century Chinese historical text Records of the Three Kingdoms in the section for the Wei kingdom, Wa became disliked because it has the connotation of the character 矮, meaning dwarf. The 倭 kanji has been replaced with the homophone Wa, meaning harmony, the Japanese word for Japan is 日本, which is pronounced Nippon or Nihon and literally means the origin of the sun. The earliest record of the name Nihon appears in the Chinese historical records of the Tang dynasty, at the start of the seventh century, a delegation from Japan introduced their country as Nihon
12.
China
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China, officially the Peoples Republic of China, is a unitary sovereign state in East Asia and the worlds most populous country, with a population of over 1.381 billion. The state is governed by the Communist Party of China and its capital is Beijing, the countrys major urban areas include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Tianjin and Hong Kong. China is a power and a major regional power within Asia. Chinas landscape is vast and diverse, ranging from forest steppes, the Himalaya, Karakoram, Pamir and Tian Shan mountain ranges separate China from much of South and Central Asia. The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, the third and sixth longest in the world, respectively, Chinas coastline along the Pacific Ocean is 14,500 kilometers long and is bounded by the Bohai, Yellow, East China and South China seas. China emerged as one of the worlds earliest civilizations in the basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. For millennia, Chinas political system was based on hereditary monarchies known as dynasties, in 1912, the Republic of China replaced the last dynasty and ruled the Chinese mainland until 1949, when it was defeated by the communist Peoples Liberation Army in the Chinese Civil War. The Communist Party established the Peoples Republic of China in Beijing on 1 October 1949, both the ROC and PRC continue to claim to be the legitimate government of all China, though the latter has more recognition in the world and controls more territory. China had the largest economy in the world for much of the last two years, during which it has seen cycles of prosperity and decline. Since the introduction of reforms in 1978, China has become one of the worlds fastest-growing major economies. As of 2016, it is the worlds second-largest economy by nominal GDP, China is also the worlds largest exporter and second-largest importer of goods. China is a nuclear weapons state and has the worlds largest standing army. The PRC is a member of the United Nations, as it replaced the ROC as a permanent member of the U. N. Security Council in 1971. China is also a member of numerous formal and informal multilateral organizations, including the WTO, APEC, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the BCIM, the English name China is first attested in Richard Edens 1555 translation of the 1516 journal of the Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa. The demonym, that is, the name for the people, Portuguese China is thought to derive from Persian Chīn, and perhaps ultimately from Sanskrit Cīna. Cīna was first used in early Hindu scripture, including the Mahābhārata, there are, however, other suggestions for the derivation of China. The official name of the state is the Peoples Republic of China. The shorter form is China Zhōngguó, from zhōng and guó and it was then applied to the area around Luoyi during the Eastern Zhou and then to Chinas Central Plain before being used as an occasional synonym for the state under the Qing
13.
UNESCO
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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Paris. It is the heir of the League of Nations International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, UNESCO has 195 member states and nine associate members. Most of its offices are cluster offices covering three or more countries, national and regional offices also exist. UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs, education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture and it is also a member of the United Nations Development Group. UNESCO and its mandate for international cooperation can be traced back to a League of Nations resolution on 21 September 1921, on 18 December 1925, the International Bureau of Education began work as a non-governmental organization in the service of international educational development. However, the work of predecessor organizations was largely interrupted by the onset of World War II. On 30 October 1943, the necessity for an organization was expressed in the Moscow Declaration, agreed upon by China, the United Kingdom, the United States. This was followed by the Dumbarton Oaks Conference proposals of 9 October 1944, a prominent figure in the initiative for UNESCO was Rab Butler, the Minister of Education for the United Kingdom. At the ECO/CONF, the Constitution of UNESCO was introduced and signed by 37 countries, the Preparatory Commission operated between 16 November 1945, and 4 November 1946—the date when UNESCOs Constitution came into force with the deposit of the twentieth ratification by a member state. The first General Conference took place between 19 November to 10 December 1946, and elected Dr. Julian Huxley to Director-General and this change in governance distinguished UNESCO from its predecessor, the CICI, in how member states would work together in the organizations fields of competence. In 1956, the Republic of South Africa withdrew from UNESCO claiming that some of the organizations publications amounted to interference in the racial problems. South Africa rejoined the organization in 1994 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, UNESCOs early work in the field of education included the pilot project on fundamental education in the Marbial Valley, Haiti, started in 1947. This project was followed by missions to other countries, including, for example. In 1948, UNESCO recommended that Member States should make free primary education compulsory, in 1990, the World Conference on Education for All, in Jomtien, Thailand, launched a global movement to provide basic education for all children, youths and adults. Ten years later, the 2000 World Education Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, UNESCOs early activities in culture included, for example, the Nubia Campaign, launched in 1960. The purpose of the campaign was to move the Great Temple of Abu Simbel to keep it from being swamped by the Nile after construction of the Aswan Dam, during the 20-year campaign,22 monuments and architectural complexes were relocated. This was the first and largest in a series of campaigns including Mohenjo-daro, Fes, Kathmandu, Borobudur, the organizations work on heritage led to the adoption, in 1972, of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The World Heritage Committee was established in 1976 and the first sites inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978, since then important legal instruments on cultural heritage and diversity have been adopted by UNESCO member states in 2003 and 2005
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World Heritage Site
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A World Heritage Site is a landmark which has been officially recognized by the United Nations, specifically by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Sites are selected on the basis of having cultural, historical, scientific or some form of significance. UNESCO regards these sites as being important to the interests of humanity. The programme catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common culture, under certain conditions, listed sites can obtain funds from the World Heritage Fund. The program was founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the Worlds Cultural and Natural Heritage, since then,192 state parties have ratified the convention, making it one of the most adhered to international instruments. As of July 2016,1052 sites are listed,814 cultural,203 natural, in 1959, the governments of Egypt and Sudan requested UNESCO to assist their countries to protect and rescue the endangered monuments and sites. In 1960, the Director-General of UNESCO launched an appeal to the Member States for an International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia, the campaign, which ended in 1980, was considered a success. The project cost $80 million, about $40 million of which was collected from 50 countries, the projects success led to other safeguarding campaigns, saving Venice and its lagoon in Italy, the ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan, and the Borobodur Temple Compounds in Indonesia. UNESCO then initiated, with the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the United States initiated the idea of cultural conservation with nature conservation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature developed similar proposals in 1968, the Convention came into force on 17 December 1975. As of June 2016, it has been ratified by 192 states, including 188 UN member states plus the Cook Islands, the Holy See, Niue, a country must first list its significant cultural and natural sites, the result is called the Tentative List. A country may not nominate sites that have not been first included on the Tentative List, next, it can place sites selected from that list into a Nomination File. The Nomination File is evaluated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and these bodies then make their recommendations to the World Heritage Committee. There are ten selection criteria – a site must meet at least one of them to be included on the list, up to 2004, there were six criteria for cultural heritage and four criteria for natural heritage. In 2005, this was modified so there is now only one set of ten criteria. Nominated sites must be of outstanding value and meet at least one of the ten criteria. Thus, the Geneva Convention treaty promulgates, Article 53, PROTECTION OF CULTURAL OBJECTS AND OF PLACES OF WORSHIP. There are 1,052 World Heritage Sites located in 165 States Party, of these,814 are cultural,203 are natural and 35 are mixed properties
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Nichiren Buddhism
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Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese priest Nichiren and belongs to the schools of so-called Kamakura Buddhism. Nichiren Buddhism has several schools and many sub-schools, as well as several of Japans new religions. Its many denominations have in common a focus on the chanting and recital of the Lotus Sutra, believed by adherents to imbue auspicious and it is opposed to any other form of Buddhism, which Nichiren saw as deviating from the Buddhist truth he had discovered. He eventually concluded that the highest teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha were to be found in the Lotus Sutra, the mantra he expounded on 28 April 1253, known as the Daimoku or Odaimoku, Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō, expresses his devotion to that body of teachings. In doing so, he provoked the ire of the rulers and of the priests of the sects he criticized, he was subjected to persecution which included an attempted beheading. After a pardon and his return from exile, Nichiren moved to Mt. Minobu in todays Yamanashi Prefecture, Nichiren spent most of the rest of his life here training disciples. Nichiren Buddhism is based on the Lotus Sutra, common to most lineages of Nichiren Buddhism is the chanting of Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō or Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō, and veneration of the Gohonzon. The definition of Gohonzon varies between the Nichiren schools, most of these teachings are shared and identical in most schools and groups of Nichiren Buddhism. However, different interpretations are found for the doctrine of the Three Great Secret Dharmas, called also The Three Great Secret Laws and these writings are collectively known as Gosho or Goibun. Which of these writings, including the Ongi Kuden, are deemed authentic or apocryphal is a matter of debate within the schools of todays Nichiren Buddhism. One of his most important writings the Rissho Ankoku Ron, preserved at Shochuzan Hokekyo-ji, is one of the National Treasures of Japan, Nichiren Buddhism is not a single denomination. Nichiren was originally an ordained Tendai priest and is not known to have established a separate Buddhist school, nevertheless, his teachings led to the formation of different schools within several years after his passing. Before his death Nichiren had named six senior priests whom he wanted to transmit his teachings to future generations, Nisshō, Nichirō, Nikō, Nitchō, Nichiji, and Nikkō. Each started a lineage of schools, but Nichiji eventually travelled to the Asian continent and was never heard from again, although the former five disciples remained loosely affiliated to varying degrees, the last—Nikkō—made a clean break by leaving Kuon-ji in 1289. The disciple Nikko had come to the conclusion that the five disciples were embarking on heresy. Pious legends also recount his journey with the Dai-Gohonzon as he left Mount Minobu, consequently, the disciple Nitcho began to share the same complaints and grievances and would later join him in later years. By the 14th century a split within the Nichiren Schools occurred though. One differentiates between the so-called Ichi lineage and Shoretsu lineage, the Ichi lineage today comprises most of the traditional schools within Nichiren Buddhism, including some Nikkō temples, of which the Nichiren Shū is the biggest representative
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Emperor Kanmu
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Emperor Kanmu was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned from 781 to 806 and he was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe, and was born prior to Shirakabes ascension to the throne. According to the Shoku Nihongi, Yamabes mother, Yamato no Niigasa, was a 10th generation descendant of Muryeong of Baekje, after his father became emperor, Kanmus half-brother, Prince Osabe was appointed to the rank of crown prince. His mother was Princess Inoe, a daughter of Emperor Shōmu, after Inoe and Prince Osabe were confined and then died in 775, Osabes sister – Kanmus half-sister Princess Sakahito – became Kanmus wife. Later, when he ascended to the throne in 781, Kanmu appointed his brother, Prince Sawara, whose mother was Takano no Niigasa. In 785 Sawara was expelled and died in exile, Kanmu had 16 empresses and consorts, and 32 imperial sons and daughters. Among them, three sons would eventually ascend to the throne, Emperor Heizei, Emperor Saga and Emperor Junna. Some of his descendants took the Taira hereditary clan title, examples include Taira no Masakado, Taira no Kiyomori, and the Hōjō clan. The waka poet Ariwara no Narihira was one of his grandsons, Kanmu is traditionally venerated at his tomb, the Imperial Household Agency designates Kashiwabara no Misasagi, in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, as the location of Kanmus mausoleum. Kanmu was an emperor who attempted to consolidate government hierarchies. Kanmu appointed Sakanoue no Tamuramaro to lead an expedition against the Emishi. 773, Received the title of crown prince, april 30,781, In the 11th year of Kōnins reign, he abdicated, and the succession was received by his son Kanmu. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Kanmu is said to have ascended to the throne, during his reign, the capital of Japan was moved from Nara to Nagaoka-kyō in 784. Shortly thereafter, the capital would be moved again in 794, july 28,782, The sadaijin Fujiwara no Uona was involved in an incident that resulted in his removal from office and exile to Kyushi. Claiming illness, Uona was permitted to return to the capital where he died, posthumously, in the same general time frame, Fujiwara no Tamaro was named Udaijin. During these days in which the offices of sadaijin and udaijin were vacant, the major counselors,783, The udaijin Tamaro died at the age of 62 years. 783, Fujiwara no Korekimi became the new udaijin to replace the late Fujiwara no Tamaro,793, Under the leadership of Dengyō, construction began on the Enryaku Temple. 794, The capital was relocated again, this time to Heian-kyō, november 17,794, The emperor traveled by carriage from Nara to the new capital of Heian-kyō in a grand procession
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Meditation
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The word meditation carries different meanings in different contexts. Meditation has been practiced since antiquity as a component of religious traditions. Meditation often involves an internal effort to self-regulate the mind in some way, Meditation is often used to clear the mind and ease many health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. It may be sitting, or in an active way—for instance. Prayer beads or other objects are commonly used during meditation in order to keep track of or remind the practitioner about some aspect of that training. The term meditation can refer to the state itself, as well as to practices or techniques employed to cultivate the state, Meditation may also involve repeating a mantra and closing the eyes. The mantra is chosen based on its suitability to the individual meditator, Meditation has a calming effect and directs awareness inward until pure awareness is achieved, described as being awake inside without being aware of anything except awareness itself. In brief, there are dozens of styles of meditation practice. The English meditation is derived from the Latin meditatio, from a verb meditari, meaning to think, contemplate, devise, in the Old Testament, hāgâ means to sigh or murmur, and also, to meditate. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek, hāgâ became the Greek melete, the Latin Bible then translated hāgâ/melete into meditatio. The use of the term meditatio as part of a formal, the term meditation in English may also refer to practices from Islamic Sufism, or other traditions such as Jewish Kabbalah and Christian Hesychasm. An edited book about meditation published in 2003, for example, included contributions by authors describing Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Jewish, Christian. Christian, Judaic, and Islamic forms of meditation are typically devotional, scriptural or thematic, the history of meditation is intimately bound up with the religious context within which it was practiced. Some of the earliest references to meditation are found in the Hindu Vedas of Nepal, wilson translates the most famous Vedic mantra Gayatri thus, We meditate on that desirable light of the divine Savitri, who influences our pious rites. Around the 6th to 5th centuries BC, other forms of meditation developed via Confucianism and Taoism in China as well as Hinduism, Jainism, and early Buddhism in Nepal and India. In the west, by 20 BC Philo of Alexandria had written on some form of exercises involving attention and concentration. The Pāli Canon, which dates to 1st century BC considers Indian Buddhist meditation as a step towards liberation, by the time Buddhism was spreading in China, the Vimalakirti Sutra which dates to 100 AD included a number of passages on meditation, clearly pointing to Zen. The Silk Road transmission of Buddhism introduced meditation to other Asian countries, returning from China around 1227, Dōgen wrote the instructions for zazen
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Ennin
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Ennin, who is better known in Japan by his posthumous name, Jikaku Daishi, was a priest of the Tendai school. He was born into the Mibu family in present-day Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, in 838, Ennin was in the party which accompanied Fujiwara no Tsunetsugus diplomatic mission to the Tang Dynasty Imperial court. The trip to China marked the beginning of a set of tribulations, initially, he studied under two masters and then spent some time at Wutaishan, a mountain range famous for its numerous Buddhist temples in Shanxi Province in China. Later he went to Changan, then the capital of China and he also wrote of his travels by ship while sailing along the Grand Canal of China. Ennin was in China when the anti-Buddhist Emperor Wuzong of Tang took the throne in 840, as a result of the persecution, he was deported from China, returning to Japan in 847. In 847 he returned to Japan and in 854, he became the abbot of the Tendai sect at Enryakuji. His dedication to expanding the complex and its courses of study assured the Tendai school a unique prominence in Japan. Ennin also founded the temple of Ryushakuji at Yamadera and he wrote more than one hundred books. Sometimes ranked among the best travelogues in world literature, it is a key source of information on life in Tang China and Silla Korea, edwin O. Reischauer, Ennins Diary, The Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law. Edwin O. Reischauer, Ennins Travels in Tang China, retracing the steps of Ennin, a travelog of a partial retracing of Ennins journey made in 2006, with photographs
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Mii-dera
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Mii-dera, formally called Onjō-ji, is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Mount Hiei, in the city of Ōtsu, in Shiga Prefecture. It is only a distance from both Kyoto, and Lake Biwa, Japans largest lake. The head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect, it is something of a temple to Enryaku-ji, at the top of the mountain. Altogether, there are 40 named buildings in the Mii-dera temple complex, mii-Dera is temple number 14 in the Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage. Onjō-ji was founded in the Nara period, the temple was founded in 672 following a dispute over Imperial succession. Emperor Tenji had died, and his son was killed by Tenchis brother, temmu founded Onjō-ji in honor and memory of his brother. The name Mii-dera came about two centuries later. It was given name by Enchin, one of the earliest abbots of the Tendai Sect. Today, the Kondo, or Main Hall, houses a spring of sacred water and it was during this time also that Enryaku-ji & Mii-dera split away from one another, developing two branches of the Tendai sect, called Jimon and Sanmon. For the most part, this was more a geographic rivalry than a schism, but it was an intense one nonetheless. The rivalry turned violent in the half of the 10th century, over a series of official appointments to other temples. The zasu of Enryaku-ji in 970 formed the first permanent standing army to be recruited by a religious body, Mii-dera can be assumed to have established one very soon afterwards. In 989, an abbot of Mii-dera by the name of Yokei was to become abbot of Enryaku-ji. But in 993, the monks of Mii-dera took revenge, destroying a temple where Ennin, the monks from Enryaku-ji retaliated, destroying more than 40 places associated with Enchin. In the end, over 1,000 monks of Enchins Jimon sect fled permanently to Mii-dera, over the course of the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries, there continued to be similar incidents, over the appointment of abbots, involving many sōhei, or warrior monks. Mii-dera was burned to the ground by the sōhei of Enryaku-ji four times in the 11th century alone. There were, however, times that the two united against an enemy, including an attack on the Kōfuku-ji in Nara in 1081. At the end of the 12th century, the attentions of the monks of Mount Hiei were turned towards a greater conflict, Mii-dera asked for aid from Enryaku-ji, but was denied
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Oda Nobunaga
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Oda Nobunaga was a powerful Daimyō of Japan in the late 16th century who attempted to unify Japan during the late Sengoku period. Nobunaga is regarded as one of three unifiers of Japan along with his retainers Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, Nobunaga was widely known as one of the most brutal figures in history, eliminating anyone who stood in his way. He was both a ruler and keen businessman, strategizing at both the micro- and macroeconomic scales. He met his demise when his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled against him at Honnō-ji, Oda Nobunaga was the first for whom this goal seemed attainable. Nobunaga had gained control over most of Honshu before his death during the 1582 Honnō-ji incident and it is not certain whether Nobunaga was killed in the attack or else committed seppuku. The motivations behind Mitsuhides betrayal was never revealed to anyone who survived the incident, following the incident, Akechi Mitsuhide declared himself master over Nobunagas domains, but was quickly defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who regained control of and greatly expanded the Oda holdings. Oda Nobunaga was born on June 23,1534, in the Owari domain and he was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy shugo with land holdings in Owari Province. He is said to have born in Nagoya Castle, although this is subject to debate. Through his childhood and early years, he was well known for his bizarre behavior. He was known to run around with other youths from the area, with the introduction of firearms into Japan, however, he became known for his fondness of tanegashima firearms. In 1551, Oda Nobuhide died unexpectedly, Nobunaga was said to have acted outrageously during his funeral, throwing ceremonial incense at the altar. This convinced many Oda retainers of Nobunagas mediocrity and lack of discipline, alienated, they then began to side with his soft-spoken and well-mannered brother, Nobuyuki. Hirate Masahide, a mentor and retainer to Nobunaga, was ashamed by Nobunagas behavior. This had an effect on Nobunaga, who later built a temple to honor Masahide. Although Nobunaga was Nobuhides legitimate successor, the Oda clan was divided into factions. Oda Nobutomo, the deceased Nobuhides brother and deputy to the shugo, used the weak Yoshimune as his puppet, Nobutomo murdered Yoshimune when it was discovered that he supported and attempted to aid Nobunaga. This also ensured that the Imagawa clan would have to stop attacking Owaris borders, although Nobuyuki and his supporters were still at large, Nobunaga brought an army to Mino Province to aid Saitō Dōsan after Dōsans son, Saitō Yoshitatsu, turned against him. The campaign failed, as Dōsan was killed in the Battle of Nagara-gawa, a few months later Nobuyuki, with support from Shibata Katsuie and Hayashi Hidesada, rebelled against Nobunaga
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Yakuza
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Yakuza, also known as gokudō, are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan, the yakuza are notorious for their strict codes of conduct and organized fiefdom-nature. They have a presence in the Japanese media and operate internationally with an estimated 102,000 members. Tekiya were considered one of the lowest social groups in Edo, as they began to form organizations of their own, they took over some administrative duties relating to commerce, such as stall allocation and protection of their commercial activities. During Shinto festivals, these peddlers opened stalls and some members were hired to act as security, each peddler paid rent in exchange for a stall assignment and protection during the fair. The Edo government eventually formally recognized such tekiya organizations and granted the oyabun of tekiya a surname as well as permission to carry a sword—the wakizashi and this was a major step forward for the traders, as formerly only samurai and noblemen were allowed to carry swords. Bakuto had a lower social standing even than traders, as gambling was illegal. Many small gambling houses cropped up in abandoned temples or shrines at the edge of towns, most of these gambling houses ran loan sharking businesses for clients, and they usually maintained their own security personnel. The roots of the yakuza can still be today in initiation ceremonies. During the formation of the yakuza, they adopted the traditional Japanese hierarchical structure of oyabun-kobun where kobun owe their allegiance to the oyabun, in a much later period, the code of jingi was developed where loyalty and respect are a way of life. The oyabun-kobun relationship is formalized by ceremonial sharing of sake from a single cup and this ritual is not exclusive to the yakuza—it is also commonly performed in traditional Japanese Shinto weddings, and may have been a part of sworn brotherhood relationships. However, after the war, the yakuza adapted again, prospective yakuza come from all walks of life. The most romantic tales tell how yakuza accept sons who have been abandoned or exiled by their parents, many yakuza start out in junior high school or high school as common street thugs or members of bōsōzoku gangs. Perhaps because of its lower status, numerous yakuza members come from Burakumin. Yakuza groups are headed by an oyabun or kumichō who gives orders to his subordinates, in this respect, the organization is a variation of the traditional Japanese senpai-kōhai model. Members of yakuza gangs cut their ties and transfer their loyalty to the gang boss. They refer to other as family members - fathers and elder and younger brothers. The yakuza is populated almost entirely by men, and there are few women involved who are called ane-san
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Asahi Shimbun
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The Asahi Shimbun is one of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun, the company has its registered headquarters in Osaka. When Shin-ichi Hakojima was CEO, they tied up with the International Herald Tribune and published an English-language newspaper and it continued from April 2001 until February 2011. It replaced Asahis previous English-language daily, the Asahi Evening News, in 2010, this partnership was dissolved due to unprofitability and the Asahi Shimbun now operates the Asia & Japan Watch online portal for English readers. The Tribune cooperates with Asahi on Aera English, a magazine for English learners. The three founding officers of a staff of twenty were Kimura Noboru, Murayama Ryōhei, and Tsuda Tei, the companys first premises were at Minami-dōri, Edobori in Osaka. On 13 September of the year, Asahi printed its first editorial. In 1881, the Asahi adopted a format, and enlisted Ueno Riichi as co-owner. From 1882, Asahi began to receive support from the Government and Mitsui. Then, under the leadership of Ueno, whose brother was one of the Mitsui managers, and Murayama, on 10 July 1888, the first issue of the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun was published from the Tokyo office at Motosukiyachō, Kyōbashi. The first issue was numbered No.1,076 as it was a continuation of three papers, Jiyū no Tomoshibi, Tomoshibi Shimbun and Mesamashi Shimbun. On 1 April 1907, the renowned writer Natsume Sōseki, then 41, resigned his positions at Tokyo Imperial University, now Tokyo University. This was soon after the publication of his novels Wagahai wa neko de aru and Botchan, on 1 October 1908, Osaka Asahi Shimbun and Tokyo Asahi Shimbun were merged into a single unified corporation, Asahi Shimbun Gōshi Kaisha, with a capitalization of approximately 600,000 yen. Indeed, the liberal position led to its vandalization during the February 26 Incident of 1936. Influential editorial writers of Asahi such as Shintarō Ryū, Hiroo Sassa, and Hotsumi Ozaki were the members of the Shōwa Kenkyūkai. Ogata was one of the members of the Genyōsha which had been formed in 1881 by Tōyama Mitsuru. The Genyōsha was an ultranationalist group of organized crime figures and those with far right-wing political beliefs, kōki Hirota, who was later hanged as a Class A war criminal, was also a leading member of the Genyōsha and one of Ogatas best friends. Hirota was the chairman of Tōyamas funeral committee, and Ogata was the vice-chairman, Ryū, who had been a Marxist economist of the Ōhara Institute for Social Research before he entered Asahi, advocated centrally planned economies in his Nihon Keizai no Saihensei
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Yomiuri Shimbun
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The Yomiuri Shimbun is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is part of the Yomiuri Group, Japans largest media conglomerate and it is one of the five national newspapers in Japan, the other four are the Asahi Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and the Sankei Shimbun. The headquarters is in Otemachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, founded in 1874, the Yomiuri Shimbun is credited with having the largest newspaper circulation in the world, having a combined morning and evening circulation of 14,323,781 through January 2002. In 2010, the daily was the one in the list of the worlds biggest selling newspapers with a circulation of 10,021,000. As of mid-year 2011, it still had a combined morning-evening circulation of almost 13.5 million for its national edition, the paper is printed twice a day and in several different local editions. Yomiuri Shimbun established the Yomiuri Prize in 1948 and its winners have included Yukio Mishima and Haruki Murakami. The Yomiuri was launched in 1874 by the Nisshusha newspaper company as a daily newspaper. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s the paper came to be known as a literary publication with its regular inclusion of work by writers such as Ozaki Kōyō. In 1924, Shoriki Matsutaro took over management of the company and his innovations included improved news coverage, a full-page radio program guide, and the establishment of Japans first professional baseball team. The emphasis of the paper shifted to news coverage aimed at readers in the Tokyo area. By 1941 it had the largest circulation of any newspaper in the Tokyo area. In 1942, under conditions, it merged with the Hochi Shimbun. The Yomiuri was the center of a scandal in 1945 and 1946. In October,1945, a postwar democratization group called for the removal of Shoriki Matsutaro, when Shoriki responded by firing five of the leading figures of this group, the writers and editors performed the first production control strike on October 27,1945. This method of striking became an important union tactic in the coal, railroad, the Yomiuri employees continued to produce the paper without heeding executive orders until a police raid on June 21,1946. It features the Jinsei Annai advice column, the Yomiuri has a history of promoting nuclear power within Japan. During the 1950s Matsutaro Shoriki, the head of the Yomiuri and it wrote Kan should seriously reflect on the way he made his request. It then followed up with an article wondering about how dangerous Hamaoka really was, the next day damage to the pipes inside the condenser was discovered at one of the plants following a leak of seawater into the reactor
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Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
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This is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries, within definitions, words set in boldface are defined elsewhere in the glossary. Agyō* - A type of statue with its open to pronounce the sound a, first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet. Amida Nyorai - Japanese name of Amitabha, deity worshiped mainly by the Pure Land sect. arhat - see arakan, arakan* - the highest level of Buddhist ascetic practice, or someone who has reached it. The term is shortened to just rakan. Bay - see ken. bettō - Previously the title of the head of powerful temples, e. g. Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, etc. Also a monk who was present at Shinto shrines to perform Buddhist rites until the Meiji period, bodai - from the Pāli and Sanskrit word for way or knowledge. satori, or Buddhist enlightenment. Ceremonies and other efforts to ensure someones happiness in the next world, a temple which, generation after generation, takes care of a familys dead giving them burial and performing ceremonies in their favor. See for example the Tokugawas Kanei-ji, Bon - See Bon Festival bosatsu A bodhisattva The historical Gautama Buddha, before enlightenment. In Mahayana Buddhism, someone who could enter paradise but chooses not to, to help others achieve enlightenment, someone who is in pursuit of satori. During the shinbutsu-shūgō period, a used for Japanese kami. Buddha - the term Buddha in the case can refer to, Shakyamuni Buddha, Indian spiritual and philosophical teacher and founder of Buddhism. One who has become enlightened Any of the other Buddhas named in Buddhist scriptures, a statue or image of any Buddha. Buddha - the term buddha in the lower case refers not to Gautama Buddha but to, Buddhas footprints - see bussokuseki bussokuseki* - lit. A stone carved with footprints representing Buddha, before the instruction of the human figure, Buddha was represented only indirectly through his footprints. Seems to have two stories, but has in fact one and measures either 3x3 or 5x5 bays. Any building enshrining the statue of Buddha or of a bodhisattva, butsudan* - a tabernacle used in homes to install Buddhist images and tablets recording the posthumous names of deceased family members. Buppō - see hō buttō - a stupa or one of its relatives, See also tō, pagoda, gorintō, hōkyōintō, sotoba, sekitō and tahōtō
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Tourism in Japan
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Japan attracted 19.73 million international tourists in 2015. Japan has 19 World Heritage Sites, including Himeji Castle, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 ranks Japan 9th out of 141 countries overall, which was the best in Asia. Japan gained relatively high scores in almost all aspects, especially health and hygiene, safety and security, cultural resources, despite these restrictions, porter stations and horse stables, as well as places for lodging and food were available on well-traveled routes. During this time, Japan was a country to foreigners. Its early leaders included Shibusawa Eiichi and Ekida Takashi, in 2016,24,039,000 foreign tourists visited Japan. Domestic tourism remains a part of the Japanese economy and Japanese culture. Children in many middle schools see the highlight of their years as a visit to Tokyo Disneyland or perhaps Tokyo Tower, in inbound tourism, Japan was ranked 28th in the world in 2007. In 2009, the Yomiuri Shimbun published a modern list of famous sights under the name Heisei Hyakkei, neighbouring South Korea is Japans most important source of foreign tourists. In 2010, the 2.4 million arrivals made up 27% of the tourists visiting Japan, the Japanese government hopes to receive 40 million foreign tourists every year by 2020. They are parts of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, ikaruga — Hōryū-ji and Hōki-ji are Buddhist Monuments in the Hōryū-ji Area. Yoshino — Kimpusen-ji, Yoshimizu Shrine, Yoshino Mikumari Shrine, etc and they are parts of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. Shingū — Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kumano River Nachikatsuura — Nachi Falls, Kumano Kodō and they are parts of the Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu. In September 2011 some 539,000 foreign people visited Japan and this decline was largely attributed to the Fukushima nuclear accident and the stronger yen made a visit to Japan more expensive. To boost tourism the Japanese Tourism Agency announced in October 2011 a plan to give 10,000 round-trip air tickets to Japan to encourage visitors to come, in 2012 free tickets would be offered if the winners would write online about their experiences in Japan. They also would need to some questions about how they felt while visiting Japan after the earthquake. About US$15 million would be spent on this program, on December 26,2011, The Japan Tourism Agency reported on their site that the Fly to Japan. Project, which would have given out 10,000 round-trip tickets to Japan, was not approved by the government for fiscal year 2012. jnto. go. jp/eng/ttp/sta/PDF/E2016
26.
Guoqing Temple
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The Guoqing Temple is a Buddhist temple on Mount Tiantai, Zhejiang Province, Peoples Republic of China. Originally built in 598 AD during the Sui Dynasty, and renovated during the reign of the Qing Yongzheng Emperor and it was the initial site for the creation of the Tiantai school of Mahayana Buddhism, founded by Zhiyi. The exterior of the building features Chinese pagodas such as the Sui Pagoda, the Seven Buddha Pagoda, and this mountain temple is the site where indigenous Chinese Buddhism branched away from Buddhist teachings and doctrine commonly found in India. From there, the Tiantai sect of Buddhism spread to both Korea and Japan during the Tang Dynasty, the tall brick Guoqing Pagoda built at the temple in the year 597 AD is still standing, making it one of the oldest surviving brick pagodas in China. Zhou Jichang Jiuhuashan List of Buddhist temples Steinhardt, Nancy Shatzman, the Tangut Royal Tombs near Yinchuan, Muqarnas, An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture, 369-381. Tourism in Tiantai Mountain Travel Guide China Tiantai Mountain
27.
International Standard Book Number
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The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, the method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country. The initial ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering created in 1966, the 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108. Occasionally, a book may appear without a printed ISBN if it is printed privately or the author does not follow the usual ISBN procedure, however, this can be rectified later. Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number, identifies periodical publications such as magazines, the ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 in the United Kingdom by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108, the United Kingdom continued to use the 9-digit SBN code until 1974. The ISO on-line facility only refers back to 1978, an SBN may be converted to an ISBN by prefixing the digit 0. For example, the edition of Mr. J. G. Reeder Returns, published by Hodder in 1965, has SBN340013818 -340 indicating the publisher,01381 their serial number. This can be converted to ISBN 0-340-01381-8, the check digit does not need to be re-calculated, since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have contained 13 digits, a format that is compatible with Bookland European Article Number EAN-13s. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, a 13-digit ISBN can be separated into its parts, and when this is done it is customary to separate the parts with hyphens or spaces. Separating the parts of a 10-digit ISBN is also done with either hyphens or spaces, figuring out how to correctly separate a given ISBN number is complicated, because most of the parts do not use a fixed number of digits. ISBN issuance is country-specific, in that ISBNs are issued by the ISBN registration agency that is responsible for country or territory regardless of the publication language. Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture, in other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations. Australia, ISBNs are issued by the library services agency Thorpe-Bowker
28.
Wayback Machine
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The Internet Archive launched the Wayback Machine in October 2001. It was set up by Brewster Kahle and Bruce Gilliat, and is maintained with content from Alexa Internet, the service enables users to see archived versions of web pages across time, which the archive calls a three dimensional index. Since 1996, the Wayback Machine has been archiving cached pages of websites onto its large cluster of Linux nodes and it revisits sites every few weeks or months and archives a new version. Sites can also be captured on the fly by visitors who enter the sites URL into a search box, the intent is to capture and archive content that otherwise would be lost whenever a site is changed or closed down. The overall vision of the machines creators is to archive the entire Internet, the name Wayback Machine was chosen as a reference to the WABAC machine, a time-traveling device used by the characters Mr. Peabody and Sherman in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, an animated cartoon. These crawlers also respect the robots exclusion standard for websites whose owners opt for them not to appear in search results or be cached, to overcome inconsistencies in partially cached websites, Archive-It. Information had been kept on digital tape for five years, with Kahle occasionally allowing researchers, when the archive reached its fifth anniversary, it was unveiled and opened to the public in a ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley. Snapshots usually become more than six months after they are archived or, in some cases, even later. The frequency of snapshots is variable, so not all tracked website updates are recorded, Sometimes there are intervals of several weeks or years between snapshots. After August 2008 sites had to be listed on the Open Directory in order to be included. As of 2009, the Wayback Machine contained approximately three petabytes of data and was growing at a rate of 100 terabytes each month, the growth rate reported in 2003 was 12 terabytes/month, the data is stored on PetaBox rack systems manufactured by Capricorn Technologies. In 2009, the Internet Archive migrated its customized storage architecture to Sun Open Storage, in 2011 a new, improved version of the Wayback Machine, with an updated interface and fresher index of archived content, was made available for public testing. The index driving the classic Wayback Machine only has a bit of material past 2008. In January 2013, the company announced a ground-breaking milestone of 240 billion URLs, in October 2013, the company announced the Save a Page feature which allows any Internet user to archive the contents of a URL. This became a threat of abuse by the service for hosting malicious binaries, as of December 2014, the Wayback Machine contained almost nine petabytes of data and was growing at a rate of about 20 terabytes each week. Between October 2013 and March 2015 the websites global Alexa rank changed from 162 to 208, in a 2009 case, Netbula, LLC v. Chordiant Software Inc. defendant Chordiant filed a motion to compel Netbula to disable the robots. Netbula objected to the motion on the ground that defendants were asking to alter Netbulas website, in an October 2004 case, Telewizja Polska USA, Inc. v. Echostar Satellite, No.02 C3293,65 Fed. 673, a litigant attempted to use the Wayback Machine archives as a source of admissible evidence, Telewizja Polska is the provider of TVP Polonia and EchoStar operates the Dish Network
29.
Daigo-ji
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Daigo-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Daigo, literally ghee, is used figuratively to mean crème de la crème and is a metaphor of the most profound part of Buddhist thoughts, Daigo-ji was founded in the early Heian period. In 874, Rigen-daishi founded the temple, after having fallen ill and abdicated in 930, Emperor Daigo entered Buddhist priesthood at this temple. As a monk, he took the Buddhist name Hō-kongō, and shortly thereafter and he was buried in the temple, which is why his posthumous name was Daigo. Several structures, including the kondō and the pagoda, are National Treasures of Japan. The temple possesses 18 specifically designated national treasures, including the buildings and other works as well, wall paintings at the temple were the subject of academic research which earned the Imperial Prize of the Japan Academy in 1960. As part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, it is designated as a World Heritage Site, the five-storey pagoda at Daigoji temple was built in 951 and is the oldest building in Kyoto. It was one of few buildings to survive the Onin War in the 15th century, more than seven centuries after its founding, Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a famous cherry blossom viewing party called Daigo no hanami in 1598 at the Sambō-in sub-temple. The bright colors of maple leaves attract tourists and others in the autumn season, Emperor Suzakus mausoleum, known as Daigo no misasagi, is located near Daigo-ji. Daigo-ji is laid out in three parts, Sambō-in, Shimo-Daigo, and Kami-Daigo and these are progressively older, wilder, and further up the mountain. Sambō-in is a collection of walled complexes, connected by streets lined with cherry blossoms and it contains the temple proper, a museum, and other complexes, and is very lively during cherry blossom season. Shimo-Daigo is one enclosure, containing detached halls, including the oldest surviving building in Kyoto. Kami-Daigo, other than a cluster of buildings at the base, is located on top of the mountain. The entrance to Kami-Daigo can be reached by passing through Shimo-Daigo, there is a path with stairs up to the top, which takes about one hour to reach the main complex, halfway up there is a resting point and small shrine. At the entrance to the complex is Daigo-Sui, a spring of holy water. A further fifteen-minute walk reaches the summit, which contains other halls, notably the Kaisan-dō, beyond the summit, the back of the mountain is almost completely undeveloped, primarily featuring hiking trails. There is, however, the Oku-no-in, a grotto with a few statues, due to difficulty reaching, this is rarely visited by tourists, though a temple event is held there on the first Sunday in March. Near the Oku-no-in is an outlook, the Higashi-no-nozoki, which offers another view, on August 24,2008, the Juntei Kannon-dō at the top of the hill on the east of the temple was struck by lighting and burned down
30.
Ginkaku-ji
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Ginkaku-ji, officially named Jishō-ji, is a Zen temple in the Sakyo ward of Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the constructions that represents the Higashiyama Culture of the Muromachi period, Ashikaga Yoshimasa initiated plans for creating a retirement villa and gardens as early as 1460, and after his death, Yoshimasa would arrange for this property to become a Zen temple. The temple is associated with the Shokoku-ji branch of Rinzai Zen. The two-storied Kannon-den, is the temple structure. Its construction began February 21,1482, the structures design sought to emulate the golden Kinkaku-ji which had been commissioned by his grandfather Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. It is popularly known as Ginkaku, the Silver Pavilion because of the plans to cover its exterior in silver foil. During the Ōnin War, construction was halted, despite Yoshimasas intention to cover the structure with a distinctive silver-foil overlay, this work was delayed for so long that the plans were never realized before Yoshimasas death. The present appearance of the structure is understood to be the same as when Yoshimasa himself last saw it and this unfinished appearance illustrates one of the aspects of wabi-sabi quality. Like Kinkaku-ji, Ginkaku-ji was originally built to serve as a place of rest, during his reign as Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa inspired a new outpouring of traditional culture, which came to be known as Higashiyama Bunka. Having retired to the villa, it is said Yoshimasa sat in the pavilion, contemplating the calm and beauty of the gardens as the Ōnin War worsened, in 1485, Yoshimasa became a Zen Buddhist monk. After his death on January 27,1490, the villa and gardens became a Buddhist temple complex, after extensive restoration, started February 2008, Ginkaku-ji is again in full glory to visit. The garden and temple complex are open to the public, there is still no silver foil used. After much discussion, it was decided to not refinish the lacquer to the original state, the lacquer finish was the source of the original silver appearance of the temple, with the reflection of silver water of the pond on the lacquer finish. In addition to the famous building, the property features wooded grounds covered with a variety of mosses. The Japanese garden, supposedly designed by the landscape artist Sōami. The sand garden of Ginkaku-ji has become well known. The Glossary of Japanese Buddhism for an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto List of National Treasures of Japan List of Special Places of Scenic Beauty, Special Historic Sites and Special Natural Monuments Tourism in Japan Keene, Donald. Yoshimasa and the Silver Pavilion, The Creation of the Soul of Japan, ISBN 978-0-231-13056-1, OCLC52268947 Titsingh, Isaac, ed. Nipon o daï itsi ran, ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon
31.
Kamo Shrine
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Kamo Shrine is a general term for an important Shinto sanctuary complex on both banks of the Kamo River in northeast Kyoto. It is centered on two shrines, the two shrines, an upper and a lower, lie in a corner of the old capital which was known as the devils gate due to traditional geomancy beliefs that the north-east corner brought misfortune. Because the Kamo River runs from the north-east direction into the city, the Kamo Shrine encompasses what are now independent but traditionally associated jinja or shrines, the Kamo-wakeikazuchi Shrine in Kyotos Kita Ward, and the Kamo-mioya Shrine in Sakyo Ward. They are amongst the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto which have been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the jinja name identifies the clustered kami or deities who are venerated at the Kamo Shrine, and the name refers to the ambit of shrines encircling woods. The shrine name references the areas early inhabitants, the Kamo clan. The Kamo are credited with establishing this Shinto sacred place, the formal names of corollary jinja memorialize vital roots in a history which pre-dates the founding of Japans ancient capital. Although now incorporated within boundaries of the city, the Tadasu no Mori location was a site planning factor and it is theorized that this forest was the primeval forest home of the sacerdotal Kamo clan, who were the exclusive caretakers of the shrine from prehistoric times. The boundaries of todays smaller forest encompasses approximately 12.4 hectares, the woods of this sacred grove are designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site along with other Shinto shrines in its environs. The shrines annual festival, Kamo no Matsuri, also called Aoi Matsuri, is the oldest of Kyotos three major festivals, the others are Jidai Matsuri and Gion Matsuri. The popular name for Kamo-wakeikazuchi jinja is the Kamigamo jinja or Kamigamo Shrine, in part, it is called the upper shrine because it is situated on the east bank of the Kamo River up-stream from its non-identical twin. The more commonly used name for Kamo-mioya jinja is the Shimogamo jinja or Shimogamo Shrine, in part, it is called the lower shrine because it is situated at the confluence of the Takano River and the Kamo River down-stream from its twin. At the Kamigamo Shrine, Kamo Wake-ikazuchi, the kami of thunder, is the focus of attention, Shimogamo Shrine is dedicated to the veneration of Kamo Wake-ikazuchis mother, Kamo Tamayori-hime. Shimogamo is also dedicated to Kamo Taketsune, who is the father of Kamo Taayori-hime, all feature prominently in the annual Aoi Festival, which occurs in May. Featured in this event are a procession between the two shrines, horse races, and demonstrations of mounted archery, Kamigamo Shrines two large conical sand mounds memorialize the holy trees that once served to welcome spirits. Shimogama Shrine has since become one of the key shrines in the area, the Shrine is located within Tadasu no Mori, the forest of truth, a primeval forest that is reputed to have never been burned down. The forest has, in fact, suffered damage over the centuries when all of Kyoto was burned during successive revolts and wars. Tadasu no mori is left to grow in its natural state and it is neither planted nor pruned. Although Kamigamo and Shimogamo shrines are considered to be paired or twinned, the Kamogawa river descnds from an ill-omened direction, and the shrines along the flow were positioned in order to prevent demons from using the river to enter the city
32.
Kinkaku-ji
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Kinkaku-ji, officially named Rokuon-ji, is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the most popular buildings in Japan, attracting a number of visitors annually. It is designated as a National Special Historic Site and a National Special Landscape, the site of Kinkaku-ji was originally a villa called Kitayama-dai, belonging to a powerful statesman, Saionji Kintsune. Kinkaku-jis history dates to 1397, when the villa was purchased from the Saionji family by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, when Yoshimitsu died, the building was converted into a Zen temple by his son, according to his wishes. During the Onin war, all of the buildings in the complex aside from the pavilion were burned down. On July 2,1950, at 2,30 am, the pavilion was burned down by a 22-year-old novice monk, Hayashi Yoken and he survived, and was subsequently taken into custody. The monk was sentenced to seven years in prison, but was released because of mental illnesses on September 29,1955, during the fire, the original statue of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was lost to the flames. A fictionalized version of events is at the center of Yukio Mishimas 1956 book The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. The present pavilion structure dates from 1955, when it was rebuilt, the pavilion is three stories high, approximately 12.5 meters in height. The reconstruction is said to be a close to the original. In 1984, the coating of Japanese lacquer was found a little decayed, additionally, the interior of the building, including the paintings and Yoshimitsus statue, were also restored. Finally, the roof was restored in 2003, the name Kinkaku is derived from the gold leaf that the pavilion is covered in. Gold was an important addition to the pavilion because of its underlying meaning, the gold employed was to mitigate and purify any pollution or negative thoughts and feelings towards death. Other than the meaning behind the gold leaf, the Muromachi period heavily relied on visual excesses. The Golden Pavilion is a building on the grounds of the Rokuon-ji temple complex. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with gold leaf. The pavilion functions as a shariden, housing relics of the Buddha, the building was an important model for Ginkaku-ji, and Shōkoku-ji, which are also located in Kyoto. When these buildings were constructed, Ashikaga Yoshimasa employed the used at Kinkaku-ji and even borrowed the names of its second
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Kiyomizu-dera
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Kiyomizu-dera, officially Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera, is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage site and it was one of 20 finalists for the New7Wonders of the World. Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the early Heian period, the temple was founded in 778 by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, and its present buildings were constructed in 1633, ordered by the Tokugawa Iemitsu. There is not a nail used in the entire structure. It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex, which runs off the nearby hills, Kiyomizu means clear water, or pure water. It was originally affiliated with the old and influential Hossō sect dating from Nara times, however, in 1965 it severed that affiliation, and its present custodians call themselves members of the Kitahossō sect. The main hall has a veranda, supported by tall pillars. Large verandas and main halls were constructed at many sites during the Edo period to accommodate large numbers of pilgrims. The popular expression to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression to take the plunge and this refers to an Edo period tradition that held that, if one were to survive a 13m jump from the stage, ones wish would be granted. 234 jumps were recorded in the Edo period and, of those,85. 4% survived, beneath the main hall is the Otowa waterfall, where three channels of water fall into a pond. Visitors can catch and drink the water, which is believed to have wish-granting powers, the temple complex includes several other shrines, among them the Jishu Shrine, dedicated to Ōkuninushi, a god of love and good matches. Jishu Shrine possesses a pair of stones placed 18 meters apart. Success in reaching the other stone with their eyes closed implies that the pilgrim will find love, one can be assisted in the crossing, but this is taken to mean that a go-between will be needed. The persons romantic interest can assist them as well, the complex also offers various talismans, incense, and omikuji. The site is popular during festivals when additional booths fill the grounds selling traditional holiday foodstuffs. In 2007, Kiyomizu-dera was one of 21 finalists for the New Seven Wonders of the World, however, it was not picked as one of the seven winning sites. Tourism in Japan Graham, Patricia J. Faith and Power in Japanese Buddhist Art ISBN 978-0-8248-3126-4, Kyoto, The Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869. Information and Photograph Kiyomizu-dera Temple at Official Kyoto Travel Guide Kiyomizu-dera Temple home page Photos and details of Kiyomizu-dera as a pilgrimage destination
34.
Ninna-ji
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Ninna-ji is the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. Located in western Kyoto, Japan, it was founded in AD888 by the retired Emperor Uda and it is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ninna-ji was founded in the early Heian period, in 886, Emperor Kōkō ordered the construction of the Nishiyama Goganji Temple to bless the nation and propagate Buddhist teachings, but he did not live to see its completion. Emperor Uda saw the construction to its completion in 888 and named it Ninna after the year of the late Emperor Kōkōs reign. From 888 to 1869 it was traditional for reigning Emperors to send a son to the temple to take over as head priest when a vacancy arose, after retiring from his throne, Emperor Uda became the first Monzeki, or aristocratic priest, of Ninna-ji. From then on until the end of the Edo period, the temple saw a succession of priests of imperial lineage. In 1467, the temple was destroyed by fire and fighting in the Ōnin War and it was rebuilt roughly 150 year later, thanks to the eldest son of Emperor Go-Yōzei, Kakushin Hosshinnō, who enlisted the help of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. The resurrection coincided with the rebuilding of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, the tradition of having aristocratic or persons of imperial lineage serve as chief of the temple ended with the 30th Monzeki, Junnin Hosshinnō in the late Edo period. Most of the buildings date from the 17th century, and include a five-story pagoda. The temple itself features some beautifully painted walls, and a beautiful walled garden. Ninna-ji official website Photos of Ninna-ji
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Nishi Hongan-ji
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Nishi Hongan-ji Western Temple of the Original Vow is one of two temple complexes of Jōdo Shinshū in Kyoto, Japan, the other being Higashi Honganji, or Eastern Temple of the Original Vow. Jōdo Shinshū is a school of Pure Land Buddhism, and today Nishi Hongan-ji serves as the temple of the Jōdo Shinshū organization. As with many sites in Kyoto, they have more casual names, Nishi Honganji was established in 1602 by the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu split the main Honganji in Kyoto into two temples, Nishi Hongan-ji and Higashi Hongan-ji, in order to diminish the power of the Jōdo Shinshu sect, Nishi Hongan-ji is listed as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nishi Hongan-ji occupies almost all of an area bounded by Hanayachō-dōri to the north, Horikawa-dōri to the east, A Shichijō-dōri to the south. The main entrance to Nishi Hongan-ji is to the east on Horikawa-dōri, as the name of the temple implies, it is located to the west of Higashi Hongan-ji. Nishi Hongan-ji is older than the latter and has a more integral architecture, the Karamon is a gate of Nishi Hongan-ji designated a National Treasures of Japan. It is constructed as a gate with karahafu gables of undulating curves on the front. The Karamon gate has a roof in the style, a style of hip roof sloping down on all four sides. The roof is covered by shingles made from hinoki cypress. The gate dates to 1573 and was constructed early in the Momoyama period
