Monday, March 29, 2010

Osaka City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (28)


At Osaka castle I met my friend who works in Osaka, Takashi, and we climbed through the Cherry Blossom gate and up to the keep. We sat down under a yet-unblooming-cherry with our backs against the cyclopian stones and drank what was left of the sake from Fushimi. Takashi was speaking in a heavy Kansai accent. He is from Kyoto, but the standard Kansai accent is closer to Osaka dialect. It seemed fitting at the moment. We left the castle and went to a ramen shop; I had arrived in Osaka, and it had been a long walk.


Ideally, I wouldn't have been in any pain at this point because I would have been walking at an easy pace and distance each day. But honestly, at a normal pace and distance each day, 45 miles would easily take three days, and realistically, I only had the weekend off. I should have had the presence of mind to be satisfied with going less than the fantasy distance- Kyoto to Osaka. Next time I'll be more realistic.

Osaka City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (27)


I ate some cheap delicious gyoza on the Tokuan shopping street and then followed one shopping street to another well into Osaka. The canals might be ignored, but the old islands still retain much of their historic urban character.


However, as I approached Osaka castle it was getting dark and the old lanes gave way to wider streets and industrial buildings which then gave way to large factories and huge "garden city" apartment buildings that seemed to take forever to bypass. My legs had been getting a little tired since I entered Osaka, and now my knee was in real pain. The canals, which were bigger and even more antiseptic now, seemed to be everywhere. I could not see the castle passed the high rises and I was fairly disoriented and in some pain. I felt like I was just a small human being in big uninviting world of metal, plastic, and concrete. Ironically, at convenience stores I could access local maps, and this is how I eventually found my way to Osaka castle.

Osaka City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (26)



I entered Osaka City at Tokuan and, by a large canal, I encountered a large mural of a dragonfly entitled "December Summer." Dragonflies may represent an ephemeral world of pleasure. I wonder if the title refers to a summer with no dragonflies, like in December. Perhaps the fences everywhere finally disconnected life by the rivers? Or maybe the dragonfly is intended to remind us in December of the beauty of the river in summer, the beauty that it must have had at some point in its history. Osaka, the "City of water," is truly a city of canals. In the Edo period it was called the "city of 800 bridges." Perhaps the dragonfly reminds us of how beautiful a city of canals could be if it was willing to remember that it has canals, and not hide them behind high plastic barriers, green fences, or under huge highways.

Kadoma City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (25)

I continued going towards Osaka on a street by an old canal. As usual, the canal was disconnected from streets, houses, shrines, and general human activities. One exception to this was a section of canal where there were two waterlogged old rowboats- evidence that at some point the canal was human accessible. In another spot, a huge shrine tree spread its canopy far over the canal. This made the canal in this section feel softer and more inviting. For a stretch, the canal was lined by a long grassy berm with cherry trees, although the cherry tree area was fenced off from human use. Luckily a man and his dog had scaled the fence and were enjoying the off-limits path.

Kadoma City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (24)


I entered Kadoma, city of the satsuki flower. I learned it was the city of the satsuki by looking at the beautiful manhole covers. In Kadoma I followed sinuous old shopping streets that linked many sections of old houses.

I found a funky little shop selling hand carved wooden things, so I went inside. I don't think the man was really expecting customers. He had a menu for coffee written on a piece of paper, but he gave me complimentary coffee when I explained my journey, I tried to refuse politely several times, but finally gave in. The old man was originally from Nagano and enjoys hiking in the mountains; he showed me some old pictures. After he retired, he began wood working. I found a few utensils I liked, but since he offered to give them to me for free, I went ahead and bought a pair of chopsticks and a fork at half price.

Neyagawa City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (23)


Cardinal rule to walking the old roads: follow the old roads... even if they seem to be going the wrong way. In downtown Neyagawa City, I felt like I was walking away from Osaka, but one old shopping street lead to another, and I walked along many narrow, old beautiful shopping streets through much of the City. I had no map of this section, but I knew I was going in the right direction as long as the huge Yodo river was to the northwest and the mountains were to the southeast.

Neyagawa City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (22)


I walked right through a nationalism rally in downtown Neyagawa City and came to a nice river near the main shopping area. There was a path by the river, but it was disconnected from the street or the shopping areas. I would encounter this division again and again along the rivers in Osaka. If the two were linked, then perhaps people could enjoy the atmosphere of both, twice as much. Occasionally I encountered a "walking course" which sometimes even had a history lesson written on a little sign. These paths were lined by nice, although monotonous, trees, and I passed many walkers or joggers. I call them walkers, not "people walking," because their goal seemed to be physical exercise and not the living of ordinary life.

Neyagawa City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (21)


Near Korien station in southern Hirakata city, a few old shopping street buildings, with their first level shops and second level living spaces are overshadowed by a massive new high rise. I bought some artisanal rice crackers for lunch.

Neyagawa City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (20)


After Kari went home, I ventured into the twisted lanes of southern Hirakata and northern Neyagawa City. One of my English students is from this area. His grandfather owned a small farm here. He produced just enough food to feed his family. In his grandfather's time, that was quite common. I followed a few old shopping streets and then winded my way old country houses in the hills. It appears that former square rice fields are mostly converted into high density track housing, leaving the old hillside country houses and villages mostly intact. Occasionally, strips of farmland are left, and they are tended by old people.

At small pond in a public park, big signs prohibiting fishing were accompanied by two old men fishing.

Hirakata City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (19)

At Hirakata Park, Kari decided to go home. We had been discussing crazy walks and crazy walkers. There are people who walk for 48 hours straight for an obscure charity. They train for a long time and I guess they feel good when they walk for 48 hours. Although it might be fun to occasionally engage in team masochism, we felt that this walk from Kyoto to Osaka was primarily not about pushing ourselves too far passed our limits. Just by walking, We learned our limits and here Kari learned hers.

However, the walk was about more important things that physical limits. If we had aimed to simply push our bodies, then we could have walked the whole way on Route 1, or even done the whole trip on a treadmill. Rather, with each step we were taking part in a human project to awaken an ancient trail through the unification of the mind, body, and spirit: the mind- by taking an interesting and stimulating journey- the body - by eating local foods and creating safer roads for all kinds of people - and perhaps the spirit - through encounter. In the human form, by walking, we aimed to bring all of those ideas into one meeting. It follows then that the human body and mind have certain needs that need to be respected. In fact, ideally, this walk would be one that is not difficult or out of the ordinary at all. It should be ultra-ordinary and ultra-everyday. It should be healing. To walk, we dare to go where many have gone before.

Hirakata City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (18)


Downtown Hirakata was lively on Sunday morning. Here, the old existing sections of the Kyokaido, the old walking path we had been more or less following from Kyoto, was undergoing a revival. All the way from Hirakata station to Hirakata Park station, the street was one long arts and crafts fair.

The facades of old houses became galleries for artists. Parking lots where old houses had been demolished were used as room for arts and crafts booths. The street was filled with walkers.

Hirakata City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (17)

Finally, we climbed up into the suburbs of Hirakata City: passing through the suburbs of Kuzuha and then Makino. The architecture of Hirakata is closer to Osaka style than Kyoto: shop awnings are brightly colored blues and reds, and the blacks and browns of Kyoto have almost entirely given way to a bricollage of various international styles jammed together. We looked for an internet cafe to crash in, and finally found one back on Route 1. The building was elevated above the garage. I imagine most of the customers were automobile travelers. The price to stay for 9 hours was fairly high, nearly 2000 yen in total, although the accomodations were average: a small cubicle with a flat cushion, a computer, free drinks, and no shower. I have stayed in similar internet cafes in Shibuya and Shinjuku for only about 900 yen for 8 hours.

Yawata City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (16)

We cut off from the highway and entered the twisted lanes of the Yawata countryside. It was dark at this point, and the situation was looking a little worrisome. Rising above the fields some indetermined distance away is a massive "transport" factory. It's long parade of bright white lights made the fields seem even more dark.

Yawata City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (15)


Leaving Yodo was difficult, we had to venture out onto a system of larger highways in order to cross the Yodo river and the Kizu river to enter Yawata. The sun was going down, and the from the big highway bridge the Yodo river seemed a bit pathetic. Sure, it was a big river, but someone, maybe the government had gone and cut down all the big trees by the river side. The stumps could still be seen. Why? I have no idea, but it turned what could have been a lush place into a mud and concrete desert. We crossed the Kizu river on Route 1. Route 1 looks like AnyHighway USA: it is wide and lined with giant parking lots and fastfood joints. I imagine there are big box stores too, but we didn't waste much time walking Route 1.

Fushimi City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (13)




The roadside shrines anchor little sections of the road that would otherwise appear the same. History and perhaps tragedy has added a touch of diversity to the street, bringing care and fresh flowers to the roadside.

Fushimi City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (12)

We passed some old sake factories on Old Senbon on the outskirts of Fushimi and eventually bought Fushimi sake at a little shop.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (11)

At times, we took the bike path along the Kamo River instead of Old Senbon. The bike-path provided nice views of the river, although the size of the perspectives gave the feeling of slow going. Bikes occasionally wizzed by. Kari and I argued about whether bike paths were good ideas. In the US bike paths are becoming common, and many people see them as entertainment or even perhaps as an alternative to cars. However, I believe that a bike path is usually not conducive to normal life because a bike path is usually built with bike and not pedestrian entertainment in mind. They are usually long, straight, and remote from shops. This bike path was probably safer than this stretch of Old Senbon because cars sometimes zipped around the curves on the narrow old street. By dividing the bike path and the car street, it gives free reign to cars drive without care, and it separates pedestrians and bicyclists from the joys of the houses and shops close by. In the picture below, one old lady is trying to take her bike out on Old Senbon but she has to be very careful because of the car traffic. This way, the bike path seems to actually alienate local users.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (10)

The tea garden has great stones, ponds, and a fantastic pine that resembles clouds. We drank tea in the tea house. A family also came in with us. The garden, although a delicate place, is family friendly.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (9)


The camellias had fallen on the moss.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (8)



Jonangu, the "palace below the walls," was a blooming walled paradise amid car sales lots, fastfood joints, and highways. Its emblem appears to be a shrine for two suns and a moon? There are small shrines within the main shrine that resemble the architecture of the small roadside shrines. The plum blossoms were in full bloom and we spent a long time lingering under the boughs. Each plant in the gardens is accompanied by a plaque naming the plant and provided what appears to be a Heian period poem about the plant.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (7)


The people friendly Old Senbon street passes under the Meishin expressway, a totally inaccessible road that resembles a warp tube.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (6)

We came to a beautiful little temple in a curve in the road. The water coming from the spout is marked "drinkable."

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (5)

We bought tofu at a roadside tofu shop. Nearly all of Old Senbon is like on long "shotengai" (shopping heaven street), which is the Japanese equivalent of an old main street with mom and pop stores. We noticed that there were a lot of children playing streets like this, and the kids usually greeted us when we went by. It was like a neighborhood street, not a highway.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (4)

There are small roadside shrines all along the old roads. Each usually houses a stone or a statue, a flower vase or two, and a small bell to ring to pay respect. By the time I took this picture I had already paid my respects at 3 other little roadside shrines. Surely, there are many reasons a roadside shrine might exist, but one reason might be an untimely death on the location.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (3)


As we walked down Old Senbon street we passed a man watering his plants in front of his house. Little streetside gardens like his are common place all along Old Senbon. The man's house is over 80 years old. When we told him our plan, he happily provided a map of his neighborhood, free tickets to drink mattcha tea at Jonangu Shrine, and information about Old Senbon. The Shogun used to use this road, he said. He claimed that the path was enjoyable until Yodo, but after that "there is nothing." He suggested that we go slowly and take our time.

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (2)




I met my friend Kari at Kyoto station, then we randomly encountered a Ferrari show at Toji temple. The broad temple grounds are famously used for the Kobo-san antique market each month on the 21st. It looks like it is also occasionally used for car shows and general parking. Toji is so ancient and so obviously pedestrian oriented that cars are only toys here! In the picture, notice the lady dressed in pirate(?) gear. Perhaps she is part of the revolutionary subculture of "lolita" fashion where women design and piece together their own clothes.

The first of the cherries were in bloom by the Toji pagoda. It's height equals the height of the soil in northern Kyoto city at the Senbon Kitaoji intersection.

This map details southern Kyoto from the end of the Edo period around 150 years ago:

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Kyoto City Streets (街道): Kyoto to Osaka (1)

One day, I decided to go looking for the old road from Kyoto to Osaka. Living in the city, I usually walk everywhere, discovering legends, interesting people, and tasty treats along the way. Why not walk from Kyoto to Osaka? People used to do it all the time. The "city street" (街道)was once the busiest route to Osaka. I decided to do it in one weekend. The plan: walk on the easiest, most interesting paths available- the old city streets.


I passed through the Shimabara Great Gate at around 9am on Saturday. I hopped onto the old road right out my front door.

Friday, February 26, 2010

What is Your Sport?

In the Willow's Shadow - News from Flower City
柳の陰で花街新聞
(10/02/26) What is your sport?

What is your sport?
Let's play together.

200 years ago, in the Edo period, I imagine Kyoto was a world of black and grey. People wore patterns coded to caste and occupation. A man or woman could easily be judged and treated according to his or her rank of birth.

Yet here, in the flower city, people were treated in a basic human sense, as bodies.

The human body is capable of many things. In the Olympics, humans from any country compete as equals. Gold goes to she or he who has the greatest practice and the greatest skill.

Sport, the practice of play, takes many forms, but where the rules are strict, the masters compete as human equals.

What is your sport? What is your stadium?

Is it an earthen field? A concrete street? A grass thatched hut?

Let's meet on the field, and play. Give it your best shot.

Sport は?
一緒に遊びましょう。

200年前に江戸時代に京都は黒と灰色の世界だと思います。人々が服で等を読めました。地位の事で特別の考え方に色々の事されたかもしれません。

だけども、花街で、人間は俗的に体としてあつかわれたかもしれません。

人間の体は色々な事が出来ますね。Olympicsでどこの国の人間も平等に競い合う事ができる。一番上手な人が金メダルをとる事ができます。

Sport、遊びのお稽古は色々な形であるが方法がきびしくて達人は平等に競い合えます。

Sportは?Stadiumは?

土場?コンクリートの道?庵?

あの場であってあそびましょう。一期一会でがんばりましょう。

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Hana yori dango? Rice cakes over flowers?

In the Willow's Shadow - News from Flower City
柳の陰で花街新聞
(10/02/12) Hana yori dango? Rice cakes over flowers?

Rice cakes over flowers? Nutrition or beauty?
花よりだんご?栄養か美しい文?

This week, during each class I ask which people would rather do: eat rice cakes or watch flowers. It is a difficult question. Nutrition or design? I think it comes down to flavor.

Without beauty, in its many forms, food is not delicious and it is rarely satisfying.
But, without nutrition or context, design is shallow, and seems almost meaningless.

Some people claim that useless art is more valuable and more pure than useful art or "craft." Perhaps, some people believe that flowers are only beautiful if they are not useful.

But I wonder if their "purity" and their "uselessness" is actually used? If someone uses a flower for its value as a "useless" status object, they are still using a flower.

As long as art and craft are kept separate, isn't so much food eaten without appreciation and don't so many flowers wither alone?

Although not all plants can be eaten, the messages they might carry may be just as flavorful! Perhaps, this added spice of design, is, today, one thing that this flower city has to offer.


Rice cakes over flowers? Nutrition or beauty?
花よりだんご?栄養か美しい文?

今週、毎授業一つの特別の質問を聞いている:どちの方がやりたいですか?おだんごを食べるかお花を見る?難し質問だと思います。材料的な栄養かきれいな華やかなデザイン?わからないだけど多分、味は大切だと思います。

美しく事がなくて食べ物はあまり美味しくないだと思います。満足もあまり出来ていません。
だけど、栄養がなくて文脈がなくてデザインの事はあさくないですか?

無駄のアートはもと貴重と思ている人がいるだけど。その考え方で無駄アートはもと純粋の感じですねー使いやすいクラフトより。多分、無駄花だけは美しい花と思っている人もいるかもしれません。

だけど純粋と言う花もは使えられた花かな?人はそゆ無駄花をえらいになるように使ったら人は花を使っていますね。

アートとクラフトが別れば食事をたべると味わっていないじゃないですか?。アートとクラフトが別ればお花は寂しくて枯れていませんか?

全部お植物を食べ物じゃないけど多分持ている語りは味があるかもしれませんね!多分、現代にそゆデザインの薬味はこの花街の作品ですね。

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Movie Theater



In the Willow's Shadow - News from Flower City
柳の陰で花街新聞
(10/02/05) Movie Theater

The classroom is a movie theater- the garden is the movie. Its drama slowly unfolds. Soon, the plum tree, and then the cherry tree will become the star of the show. However, the garden is not the only movie. I move, you move, and we make a movie together as both audience and actor.

As you walk down Hanayacho, consider each house and shop as the stage for a movie. Even the street is a stage!

In the old days, the celebrities here were the Great Lords. They were painted and photographed. Their images were seen all over Shimabara, Kyoto, and Japan. I imagine they were quite similar to todays celebrities, like Lady Gaga or Hamasaki Ayumi.


教室は映画館ー庭は映画。ドラマがそろそろすずいています。次に梅そのあと桜は仕手になります。そだけど庭の意外も映画がいっぱいあります。こちに動いてあちに動いてみなさんはいしょうにmovieー動いている物ーに成っています。みなさんは仕手だけどもみなさんも観客でしょうね。

花屋町に歩きながら色々な店や家見てみてください。それぞれな場所は映画の舞台かもしれません。みちも舞台ですね!

昔にこのへやに太夫は有名人でしたね。書きられて写真とられて太夫さんの絵がいっぱいありました。島原や京都や日本の色々な所で太夫のかおを見えたかな。多分、現代にLady Gaga やHamasaki Ayumiのかおはそんなに有名ですね。

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Living Sculpture


In the Willow's Shadow - News from Flower City
柳の陰で花街新聞
(10/01/27) Living Sculpture

Again and again, here in this Flower City, I encounter ikebana.

Characters for ikebana spell "living" and "flower," but I often wonder how to properly interpret this art. As discussed in this week's lesson, "living" has many shades of meaning in English. Likewise, "flower" or "blossom" seems to have many shades of meaning in Japanese.

I wonder if "living sculpture" could be a translation that echoes strongly in European culture.

When I think of "living sculpture," the image of Pygmalion of Cyprus comes to mind. He is remembered as the artist who fell in love with the statue he carved. He was pitied by the goddess of love and she brought the statue to life as a living woman. The Pygmalion story is related to stories of Adonis (Greek) and Osiris (Egyptian), gods of life, death, and vegetation from the Mediterranean region.

Ultimately, the living sculpture dies.

The question is:

How does it live?

この花街で何回に生け花会っています。

生の文字は英語でlivingと言えるですね。花の文字は英語でflowerと言える。そうだけど生け花と言う芸術はどうやって訳しましょうか?今週の練習でも英語のlivingと言う言葉で喋っていると色々の意味が入っているですね。花も日本語で色々の意味が入っているかな。

多分英語でliving sculpture (生きている彫刻)と訳せばEuropean文化で響き渡る事が出来るだと思います。

Living sculptureと思えばキプロスのPygmalionと思い出します。Pygmalionの話で彼は自分の彫刻作品と愛してしまいました。愛の神が哀れみました。次に彫刻女が本物の女の子に成りました。Pygmalionの話は地中海のAdonisやOsirisの話と似ています。Adonis はギリシヤの神。Osirisは エジプトの神。両方は死ぬ物と生きる物と植物の神です。

やっぱり生きている物が死にますね。

質問は:

何の生き方でいました?

(For more Kinse English News go to http://inthewillowsshadow.blogspot.com/
or flavoraware.com)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Happy New Year! Are you warm enough?

In the Willow's Shadow - News from Flower City
柳の陰で花街新聞
(10/01/20)

Happy New Year!
I'm excited about for the year ahead!

Are you warm enough?
How do you stay warm?

Winter is cold in the eastern US and people heat the air in their houses in order to stay warm.

In traditional eastern American houses, people don't take off their shoes when they go inside. Yet, it is clear when Americans enter a house. Outside, in "nature," it is cold; inside, in the house, it is significantly warmer.

The traditional building style of many houses in the eastern US can be traced to traditional houses in Europe. There, walls are very thick and made of stone or brick, or wattle and daub (a mixture of soil, straw, and animal dung, held in place by wooden strips). The houses of commoners were very small, often one room; one hearth could heat the whole room. The houses of the rich had large rooms that, even with fireplaces, were often cold.

In the twentieth century, with the use of electric, gas, or oil powered air conditioners, houses were built with thin walls and large rooms. Cheap energy meant that houses could be heated with large rooms and thin walls.

Here, in Kyoto, many old houses have thin walls made from wood, paper, or glass. The walls easily slide open, and there is often a gap above the wall. The garden is also mixed in with the house. For many Americans on their first trip to Japan, it seems hard to know where "inside" starts or "outside" ends.

People here in Kyoto do use gas, oil, and electric heaters and air conditioners, but in a house designed in the traditional style, heating all the air of the room is very difficult. The warm air escapes very quickly!

Instead, people heat the floor, the carpet, the blanket, the table, and themselves with baths and personal "kairo" heat packs. After going to the bath, even a very cold house seems warm!

明けましておめでとうございます!
今年も宜しくお願いします!

寒くないですか?

どうやってあつくなりますか?

USの東の冬は寒いですが人は元気のように家の空気をheatしますよ

アメリカの東の伝統的な家で入り時に靴をぬぎません。でも、アメリカ人は入りの時わかりますよ。外は自然と言う場所。そこは寒いです。内は家の中の場所。内の方があたたかいです。

大抵USの東の伝統的な家の建築はもともとヨーロパの建築ですね。ヨーロパの伝統的な建築で壁はあついです。壁の材料は石やブリックや wattle and daubと言うまぜた事。ふつの人の家はちさいーひとつのへやはふつでした。一つのストーブがそのへやheatできます。お金持ちの家は広くてさむい。

20せきで安いgasやoilや電気でエアコンの使いかたで家の壁はうすく成っていてへやは広くなっていました。

ここ、京都で古い町家の壁はたいてい木か紙かglassで作っているだと思います。壁は開けやすい。壁の上にも空館があります。庭と家はまぜています。多分、アメリカ人は日本の始めて旅行で外と内の所あまりわかりません。

京都の人もエアコンとストーブ使っているけど伝統的な家の空気のあつく成る事は本当にむずかしい。あたたかい空気はつぐ出そうするし!

けども、ここで人は床もカーペットも毛布もこたつも自分の体もheatしていますね。かいろとお風呂で自分はつぐheatできます。お風呂の後で寒いな家でも暖かい感じですね!

Monday, January 18, 2010