 midnight - the icicles grow steadily  ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo  early morning meditation in snow and sunshine |
 icicles - the joy of catching the right moment  with my foxes  with my badger Tanuki  |
 winter evening - the snowclouds hide my mountains  empty bird branch - so cold and wet and wintery  |
| 芭蕉 だるま Basho Daruma ! the missing link between my friends !  Daruma sama Oku Hosomichi no Bashoo kana |
© Photo from Kuro San / 黒さん絵日記
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This Basho Daruma is an unexpected find in the WWW!
ダルマさんがころんだ 道草の森
キミとボクの夢の跡
Natsukusa Dayori 夏草だより～
http://slowbiz.exblog.jp/11444867/
Basho Memorial Day (Basho-Ki) Japan
It is cold and rainy outside today, but I fell like christmas and new year have come again with this wonderful Basho Daruma find !!
Now Lary tells me:
Indeed, the year has not yet drawn to its close if Christams and New Year's Day have come again! I am reminded of a haiku of Basho's, and a haiku in response by Buson:
toshi kurenu kasa kite waraji hakinagara
The year draws to its close:
I am still wearing
My kasa and straw sandals.
Basho, trans. Blyth
bashoo satte sono nochi imada toshi kurezu
Since Basho left the world,
Not yet has
"The year drawn to its close."
or
Basho left us,
And since then,
The year has not drawn to its close.
Buson, trans. Blyth
年暮れぬ笠着て草鞋はきながら
toshi kurenu kasa kite waraji hakinagara
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .
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Basho travelling in Japan
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .
. . . Read my Haiku Archives
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
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 snowed in - the bamboo hangs its head so low   visitors ...  The Terraced Rice Fields - Tanada  |
 winter visitors - two friendly demons smile at me  |
| a centipede just crossed my line - Bishamonten  |
| 初詣  first shrine visit - two beauties sourrounded by their beaux  first shrine visit - the smell of incense in our hair |
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Join me here on my visit with a slide show:
(Take your time to visit ...)
. . . . . First Shrine Visit 2008 / Photo Album
Fox Shrine Saijo Inari, about one hours drive from my home
It is a mix of Shinto worship and main temple of the Buddhst Nichiren Sect.
We visited on January 4, just right between the first three day crowds and the next sunday crowds. Even though, just to get a parking space took about 45 minutes waiting in line. And the special fee for the parking spot was just ... well ...
The blend of Buddhist and Shinto worship is remarkable here. Everyone takes incence and puts a stick in front of each of the many small memorial shrines. Some throw coins on the roofs of two smaller shrines and if the coin does not fall down, they will have good money luck in the coming year.
O-Negai Yokocho
All kinds of talismans and lucky charms for any kind of endeavor are sold here. During the new year celebrations, there is even a special shopping mall for this.
The big sacred rope of the shrine (shimenawa) is renewed every year. Look at it in the album.
The weather was warm to start with but turned rainy by the time we left ...
Yet, in the end at our local Hachiman Shrine I found a rather special present waiting for me, hanging in the bark of my favorite cedar tree ... look at the last photo in the album.
And the car smelled of incense all the way back home !
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Saijo Inari Shrine
is one of the three most famous Inari shrines in the country, and is a noted Buddhist shrine for prayer. The shrine is located in Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, a city famous for its picturesque views of the Kibi Plains.
The shrine was built around 1200 years ago by Houon Daishi. The main building of the shrine suffered losses from fire when Toyotomi Hideyoshi attacked the Bichuu Takamatsu Castle during the Warring States period. Yet, since the patron deity of the shrine was hidden under the building in a secret compartment 8 tatamis large, and covered by rock slabs, it was kept safe from harm.
Since that time, the patron deity became famous across the country for its miraculous efficacy, drawing the faith of the masses. The deity is famous for answering prayers for success in business, traffic safety, and for increased scholastic ability. Every March during the "First Day of the Horse" Hatsu-uma Festival, the shrine overflows with people who have come to pray for luck and good health.
© nippon-kichi.jp
Japanese (written on the many red prayer flags):
最上位経王大菩薩
Saijoo Ikyoo-Oo Daibosatsu
(さいじょういきょうおうだいぼさつ)
. 最上稲荷 . Japanese Home Page of the Shrine
Thanks Gabi san!
Thank you, Angelee from India.
Read my Haiku Archives
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 初詣  first temple visit - reflections of a good life  |
| Happy New Year ! May the orange bring you many children ...  The two mochi discs are variously said to symbolize the going and coming years, the human heart, "yin" and "yang", or the moon and the sun. The "daidai 橙、代々", whose name means "generations", is said to symbolize the continuation of a family from generation to generation. Good luck for many generations is carried by the DAIDAI color of the orange which is placed on top of the white mochi cakes. |
| 明けましておめでとうございます ！  All the Best for the New Year of the Mouse ! May we all learn to share our earthly bread evenly. |
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I was born in the Year of the Mouse!
I will complete the first circle of life!
The Details
The Year of the Mouse
Special Cloths to wear on my
Kanreki Birthday!
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“2008, why is it a mouse and not a rat?”
Sensei gets a knowing smile on her face.
“A mouse is a cute animal. No one wants to be a rat.”
And this is the distinction I will be making in America for the rest of my life.
We, in the year of the mouse, have the competitive edge of the rat, the desire to win, but the Japanese know we are also shockingly cute, cuddly, the kind of animal who not only stores the best and most cheese, but also stands under snow-covered cherry blossoms, asking happiness to rain down on their friends.
http://kyushuchronicles.wordpress.com/2007/12/06/year-of-the-mouse/
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Netsuke and Haiga from Emile Molhuysen
CLICK for enlargement
Thank you very much, dear Emile!
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Read about my Haiku Life in Japan
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