I visited Nara and Kyoto prefectures to see biological impacts of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant accident. Though I have visited various places in Japan to see the health consequence of the accident, I have never found any effect against creatures in Japan.
Nara prefecture is situated in the center of Japan. Nara is the birthplace of Japanese history. Nara was called Yamato in ancient times and it was the region where the oldest Japanese literature began. In 710, the ancient capital of Yamato was moved to Nara. After that Nara became a cultural hub of Japan as the endpoint of the Silk Road and received many things and ideas from Europe and Asia. After importing Buddhism and other cultural assets from China and the Korean peninsula, Japan developed a unique culture. Now, Nara is a city with a population of 1.4 million, attracting many tourists. A lot of tourist assets that came from Japan's history and culture are scattered all around.
Kyoto is an ancient city with a 1200 year history. It was established as Japan's capital under the name "Heian-kyo" in the year 794. Although many transformations have taken place over the years, Kyoto has always adopted the most advanced standards of the times. It has greatly contributed to the nation's industrial, economic and cultural development and strength. The dauntless and leading spirit of Kyoto's past as a capital city, is still felt here today.
Kyoto also preserves the beloved properties of its culture as testimonials of time. This is shown in the ancient temples and shrines built in styles unique to Kyoto, as well as private houses. Moreover, many festivals, ceremonies and traditional industries reveal the will of this city to transmit and develop its 1200 year culture. If you visit there, you will be delighted by the historical and cultural legacy as embodied by the shrines, temples, Buddhist statues, treasures, and other properties that have been lovingly maintained.
So I visited Nara and Kyoto prefectures to see effects of the accident against creatures living there. Fortunately, I could see them living safely and I couldn't find any impact of the accident. It seems that there is no problem for childbirth and child-rearing in Tokyo Japan.
Posted by Yoshitaka Kiriake from Japan on (October 21, 2014)
奈良県の奈良公園では可愛いホンシュウジカを間近で見ることが出来ました。東大寺の大仏と阿吽の像は迫力満点です。近辺には興福寺、斑鳩の法隆寺、京都の平等院鳳凰堂、宇治上神社など世界遺産があります。2014年９月撮影。
Nara prefecture
Nara Park
Nara park covers about 1,300 acres and is home to more than 1,000 deer, which are considered divine messengers and are therefore allowed to roam freely through the park. The deer are generally quite friendly; throughout the park you can buy deer cookies, which all but the shyest fawns will usually take right out of you hand.
ホンシュウジカ
Japanese Deer
Cervus nippon centraris
Todai-ji Temple
東大寺
Google map
Todai-ji Nandaimon Gate
東大寺南大門
A pair of Deva kings stand in the niches.
Todai-ji Temple Daibutsu-den Hall
東大寺大仏殿
Daibutsu ; There is the Statue of Great Buddha in the hall.
Todai-ji Temple, known for its "Daibutsu-san," or Great Buddha, is a representative temple in Nara, with an imposing appearance of the largest wooden structure in the world. This is a famous temple of the Kegon sect and was founded by Roben.
As the imperial ordinance was issued for the construction of Great Buddha, the temple was erected under national sponsorship so that the Great Buddha would be enshrined. The consecrating ceremony was held in the fourth year of the Tempyo-Shoho era (752). It took almost 40 years to complete the whole temple complex, because the temple site was gradually extended by adding more halls and pagodas.
Even after the transfer of the capital to Nagaoka in the third year of the Enryaku era (784), the temple enjoyed its prosperity under the protection of successive emperors, along with the Kofuku-ji Temple. However, the temple buildings were attacked with fire by Taira-no-Shigemori in the 4th yera of the Jisho era (1180), and by the army controlled by Matsunaga Hisahide in the 10th year of the Eiroku era (1567). Many of the buildings are reconstructions of the Edo period (1603-1868). There remain a large number of noted Buddhist statues sculptured in the Nara, Heian, Fujiwara and Kamakura periods (710-1333).
Kofuku-ji Temple
興福寺
Google map
The Kofuku-ji Temple, situated next to the Todai-ji Temple, was prosperous as a forerunner of "Buddhism for aristocrats" in the Nara period. Among the seven biggest temples of Nara, the Kofuku-ji Temple has developed through the closest relationship with the town of Nara. In the 3rd year of the Wado era (710), the Umayasaka Temple, the predecessor of the present Kofuku-ji Temple, was transferred from Asuka to the Nara capital by Fujiwara-no-Fuhito. Then, as a tutelary temple of the Fujiwara family, it extended its influence with the prosperity of the family. The temple was attacked by the Taira family in the fourth year of Jisho (1180), and most of the temple buildings were burned down. In the Kamakura period (1192-1333), however, the Fujiwara family took a position of the Military Commissioner of Nara, and eventually became so influential that they occasionally appealed to the Imperial Palace with soldier monks.
In the vast precincts of the temple are the Chukon-do Hall, the Tokon-do Hall, the Hokuen-do Hall, the Nan'en-do Hall, the Five-storied Pagoda, the Three-storied Pagoda, the Ooyuya Bathhouse, the Oomi-do Hall and the Treasure Hall, some of which were constructed in and after the Kamakura period. As for Buddhist sculptures, there are a lot of famous articles and masterpieces of the Tempyo era.
Horyuji
法隆寺
Google map
There are the two muscular guardians in the temple gate.
法隆寺五重塔
Five-storied pagoda of Horyuji Temple
夢殿
Yumedono
Hall of Visions
The grounds of Horyuji (Horyu Temple) house the world's oldest surviving wooden structures, conveying images of Japan as it existed more than 1,300 years ago, during the Asuka Period (A.D.mid 6th-beginning of 8th c.).
The story of Horyuji's founding can be discovered in the historical writings engraved on the back of the halo of the Yakusi Nyorai Buddha statue, located on the eastern side of the room in the temple's Main Hall, and in the official inventory of Horyuji property holdings recorded in 747.
According to these records, the emperor Yomei vowed to build a temple and an image of a Buddha as a form of prayer for his own recovery from illness--a vow he was never fated to fulfill, for he died shortly thereafter.
These same writings state how Empress Suiko and Crown Prince Shotoku fulfilled Emperor Yomei's deathbed wish by building in 607 a temple and a statue of a Buddha, to which the temple was dedicated.
The Buddha statue was of the Yakusi Nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru) -literally, "arrival as a healer"-and the temple was named the Ikaruga Temple (after the name of the location),or Horyuji ("Temple of the Flourishing Law [of Buddhism]").
On the fateful night of April 30 in the year 670,however,a great blaze swept through the temple grounds, leaving "not a single building "standing, as it is recorded in the ancient Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki).
However, historians in the latter part of 19th century began to cast doubt on the accuracy of this account of Horyuji's destruction and to question whether or not the fire truly did occur. Although there are many questions that remain unanswered to this day, one thing certain is that Horyuji boasts an illustrious 14 centuries of continuous observance of tradition since established by Prince Shotoku, the great statesman and founder of Buddhism in Japan. Today, Horyuji is composed of the Western Precinct (Saiin Garan), which is centered around the Five-Story Pagoda (Goju-no-To) and the Main Hall (Kondo), and the Eastern Precinct (Toin Garan), which is arranged around the Hall of Visions (Yumedono).
Throughout the 187,000-square-meter grounds are irreplaceable cultural treasures, bequeathed across the centuries and continuing to preserve the essence of eras spanning the entire journey through Japanese history since the 7th century.
In fact, Horyuji contains over 2,300 important cultural and historical structures and articles, including nearly 190 that have been designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. In December of 1993,Horyuji, as a unique storehouse of world Buddhist culture, became the first treasure of any kind in Japan to be selected by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage.
Kyoto prefecture
Murasaki Shikibu
Genji monogari (The Tale of Genji) was written in 1008 by Murasaki Shikibu and it’s said to be the oldest novel in the world.
紫式部 像
Google map
The Tale of Genji Museum
源氏物語ミュージアム
Google map
The tale, written by a woman known as Murasaki Shikibu, is a masterpiece that depicts the life of an imperial prince and had a significant influence on later literary works. It has been revered by many up to the present day.
The Tale of Genji is divided into three distinct parts. The first part includes 33 chapters that cover the birth of Hikaru Genji (Shining Genji) to when his power and achievements are at their height. The second part consists of eight chapters that cover the time up until Genji completes his life amidst decline and misery. The third part, consisting of thirteen chapters, depicts the life of his son, Kaoru, intertwined with stories of love and tragedy.
The last ten chapters, in particular, are primarily set in the Uji region and are actually referred to as the Ten Uji Chapters or Uji-Jujo.
Byodo-in Temple
http://goo.gl/maps/ml40V
平等院鳳凰堂
平等院鳳凰堂
Google map
This temple was converted from a Fujiwara villa into a Buddhist temple in 1052. The "Phoenix Hall" (Houou-do), more properly known as the Amida-do, was built in 1053 and is the only original building remaining.
The main hall of Byodo-in Temple was built to emulate Buddha's palace in paradise, and the temple is indeed otherworldly. Its graceful lines and warm colors give the building the appearance of a majestic bird spreading its wings. It is popularly known as the "Phoenix Hall," and when seen with its reflection on the large pond in front, it almost appears to be gliding above the earth. This view is one of the most famous scenes in Japan, and is replicated on back of the 10 yen coin.
Inside, the temple houses a statue of Amida Buddha, whose face catches the light of the morning sun. Surrounding him are graceful depictions of Boddhisattvas in a variety of poses, playing instruments or reading sutras. There is a lively quality to these smaller statues, which creates a fine contrast to the serenity of Amida. All are said to be the work of the priest and master sculptor, Jocho.
Other treasures of Byodo-in can be found in the Hosho-kan Museum (9:00-17:00), including the original temple bell, door paintings, and twin phoenix roof ornaments.
The temple dates from the 11th century, and began its life as a villa for the Fujiwara clan, regents to the Imperial throne. It is one of the few surviving examples of Heian Period (794-1185) architecture. Allow yourself about an hour to wander through the grounds and soak up the atmosphere. The approach to the temple is lined with souvenir shops, many of which serve local tea outside. A small packet of this tea is popular as a souvenir or gift.
Ujigami-jinja Shrine
宇治上神社
宇治上神社
Google map
Ujigami-jinja Shrine is a remnant of the distant past, the oldest extant shrine architecture in Japan. It is a quiet place, located across the Uji-gawa River from Byodo-in Temple (another UNESCO World-Heritage site), and next to the more elaborate Uji-jinja Shrine. A visit to Uji can comfortably include all three sites.
On entering the shrine grounds you will see a basin, which is fed by a famous freshwater spring. This water is used in tea ceremonies and is held to have special properties, being among the "Seven best waters of Uji."
The shrine is dedicated to an Imperial Prince who committed suicide to solve a dispute over succession to the throne. This prince, his brother (who later became Emperor), and their father are interred here in the main hall within a series of three inner shrine buildings covered by a common roof. The style of the shrine buildings is simple, and the structures are ancient, making Ujigami-jinja Shrine a perfect place to relax and reflect.
Japanese foods are good and safe.
Because of stricter food safety law by Japanese government, we have no worry about foods.
Daifuku, Dango
Manjuu
Daifuku ; a soft round rice cake stuffed with sweet bean jam.
Manjuu ; a bun with a bean‐jam filling.
Dango ; skewered rice dumplings.
Kakigori ; shaved ice topped with flavored syrup.
Kaki Udon ; persimmon flavored Udon
Ekiben ; Box lunch sold on a train or at a station
Ekiben ; Box lunch sold on a train or at a station
Ekiben ; Box lunch sold on a train or at a station
Breakfast
About 3 and a half years have passed since Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. I have visited various places of Japan to see the health consequence of the accident.
Fortunately I have never found any impacts by the accident among Japanese creatures. As far as I know, nobody has health problem which is caused by the accident in Japan.
Our Prime Minister Abe assures that "The situation is under control. The influence of the contaminated water is completely blocked within Fukushima. There are no health-related problems until now and there will never be health problems." He also said that "Tokyo is 250 kilometers away from Fukushima, and the kind of danger that you imagine does not exist in Tokyo. Tokyo is a very safe city."
As PM Abe said, Nara and Kyoto prefectures are very far away from Fukushima, people in there have no concern about the nuclear power plant accident. They have already forgotten the accident, because they think radioactive materials cannot reach there.
We know there is no problem for child birth and child rearing in Nara and Kyoto prefectures. So people in there are living without any concern about the accident.
I continue to visit various places in Japan to see the effects of the accident, because I can meet various creatures which are more sensitive to radioactive materials from the environment. It is important to see their health for our safety.
公衆衛生ネットワーク
Public Health Network in Japan
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