I Stopped At...

24/11/2010 I had the chance to see the Nou traditional arts performance in Shibuya Tokyo. This was organized by a set of Nou lovers who practice Nou as a hobby. Professionals don`t perform at this level and they were not wearing the costumes. But this performance managed to give us a basic knowledge about Nou and what it looks like. This is the timetable of the day s show.  The stage and a set of the audience Recital The reciters sit in the traditional seating position "seiza" and recites a story. Mostly all recites the story and when it comes to dialogs each reciter recites his part.They don`t sit still in the same pose all 20 minutes. They have several movements while reciting. Their position of the hands, position of the fan change according to the storyline. Next was a drama like recital, more like opera. Four reciters recites the story while one actor uses his body to express the emotions. The most important tool was the fan. The opening , closing of...

12/04/2011 ケナシノジスミレ(kenashinojisumire ) Scientific Name - Viola yedoensis f.glaberrima カラスノエンドウ(KarasaunoEndou) Scientific Name - Vicia angustifolia var.segetalis This wild flower is also can be seen in spring between April and June months. This is said to be a  herb and it was used as a medicine in earlier times. The same flower type with smaller flowers, is called SuzumenoEndo, where the word Suzume (which means sparrow in Japanese) is used to indicate the smallness in size. ジゴクノカマノフタ(JigokunoKamanoFuta) /  キランソウ(Kiransou) Scientific Name - Ajuga Decumbens This grass type flower is also grown in the spring time around 3rd month to 6th month. The flower is very small and is said to be a medicine. This is called The lid of the cauldron of the hell. オランダミミナグサ(OrandaMimiNagusa) This wild flower can be seen in the 4th and 5th months of the year. ノジスミレ(NojiSumire) Scientific Name : ...

This shrine was built by Date Masamuneko and is recognized as one of the greatest shrines in Sendai. The large Torii at the entrance The steps up to the shrine premises The main gate to teh shrine The majestic Osaki hachiban shrine Tanabata wishing tree at Oosaki haciban shrine The shrine Tanabata festival is a festival where you write a wish and hang it on a tree branch, and once the wish come true, you burn the paper you wrote it on. I myself tried it and my wish is a secret!!! All Rights Reserved.

This is where the tomb of the Date Masamuneko , the ruler of Sendai is buried. This place was once ruined in the war period and was rebuilt again to this state according to old plans and books found in various places. The photos and replicas can be still seen of the tomb proving that this is the real tomb of Date Masamuneko. There are 70 steps to climb and another 62 steps to climb down. seventy steps resembles Date s age when he died and 62 resembles ( I have forgotten it) The main entrance of to Zuihoden The beautiful carvings in the main gate The mausoleum of Date Masamune From here onwards are the tombs of the Date family . Zuihouden - The mausoleum of Date Masamune Kansenden - The tomb of Date Tadamune Zennonden - The tomb of Date Tsunamune You get 100yen discount at the entrance is you are holding a loople bus card. Try this out, its beautiful and you can have free guides ...

Story1 Orihime is a princess who wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Amanogawa which is  Milky Way in English . She worked very hard every day to weave clothes. However, Orihime was sad that because of her hard work she could never meet or fall in love with anyone. Concerned about his daughter,  the  father arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa. When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other and married shortly thereafter. However, once married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger,  the  father separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet. Orihime became despondent at the loss of her husband and asked her father to let them meet again. The father was moved by his daughter’s tears and allowed the two to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month if she worked hard and finished her weaving. T...

2010/08/06 With a height of 55meters and the width of 6meters, this waterfall is one of the best hundred waterfalls in japan. This is also categorized as one of the three gushing waterfalls because of its speed. It was beautiful and wish we could go down to its foot. But , recently it has been prohibited to go down there by the Sendai Municipal Council. The entrance to the waterfall through a shrine The Akiu ootaki shrine The Akiu waterfall Miyaei bus is the only source of public transport and lack of buses is a real problem. We had to run for the last bus and missing that last bus at 18.03 would leave us alone in that lonely area with no means of travelling back to Ayashi. The entrance is free and wish we could enjoy more time there. All Rights Reserved.

07/08/2010 七夕祭り - Tanabata matsuri of Sendai is one of the biggest ceremonial occasions in the Touhoku area  of Japan. This is  normally held for three consecutive days, and this year it was held on 6th ,7th and  8th of August.People from all　over Japan gather in Sendai in this period to see the ceremony. Schools are closed and new transportation services, shops, services and decorations change the daily routines of Sendai. I had the chance to witness the Tanabata ceremony on the 7th of August 2010. It is a parade where the Sendai people dance and perform their traditional dances, dramas and arts. The main road is closed and audience gather on the pavement and the road. Well, I could manage to find a place at the very front, on the road where one can witness the opening and closing ceremonies. The opening ceremony of the 2nd day of Tanabata The opening announcement is made and once hte reading is over the assistant in th...