Balcony Scene

In Japan, as in many countries around the world, air drying the way to go for laundry. Though I'm used to the line drying methods of Sri Lanka and New Zealand, most Japanese balconies have laundry poles that are attached to hooks hanging from your balcony. Not using a dryer is both a cost and energy savings which is pretty neat.

Though the idea is sound, Aichi-ken in February is still relatively cold and, more problematically, quite windy. Besides the socks hanger that was a part of the rental package, I needed to get the rest of my clothes dry so I hung my shirts on normal clothes hangers and used dryer clips to make sure they stayed put.

Unfortunately there was no such guarantee that the hangers would actually stay on the laundry pole when the wind kicked up to the fourth floor. So I may have used duct tape as a precaution, though I would count my shirts like a crazy lady every time I went out to the balcony, just to make sure my 'I heart Canada' pajama bottoms hadn't ended up in the neighbor's backyard.

 

Luckily, Japan is great at thinking of ingenious solutions to common problems. Presenting to you: the grip hanger from DAISO. At the top of the hanger where there is normally a hook, instead there is a pinch clamp that you can close up around the laundry pole. Ergo, the hanger stays on the pole. Genius!

For even more fun, there is the 10 piece grip hanger which is even handier for t-shirts specifically.

And voila...laundry secured. Though the duct tape managed to keep the hangers on the laundry pole for a few hours,  I value both my sanity and my duct tape a bit too much to make that a regular ordeal. Just wait a few hours and pray that it doesn't snow, and you're pretty much good to go! 

Apartment Pictures!

Big, big news - new apartment moved in to and completely furnished. Bigger news I finally got it straightened up enough to take some decent pictures! Though the narrowness of the corridor made for some awkward angles I think you'll be able to get the main idea.


First off, floor plan for those of you visual learners. The entrance is at the very top of the diagram.

  

Orange square is my lovely bedroom. Perfect for storing clothes and getting a good night's rest. Double paned windows keep the sounds of the railroad that is literally right next to my building somewhat at bay. Especially cozy when I turn up the heater about a half hour before going to sleep. :)

 

Blue squares starting with the one closest to the entrance are shower room, washing machine and vanity, and then the WC which, for those of you non-Brits, is another word for a bathroom. The shower room is only accessible through the washing machine room with a door to keep the steam contained. 

Large pink open space is called the LDK (Living, Dining, Kitchen). Pictures are in shown in that order:

 

 

Green is the tatami mat room which right now serves as something of a craft room and storage area. Tatami mats are rectangular straw mats that serve as a type of carpeting. The aspect ratio (aerospace concentration at full front here) of the mats are 2:1 so they fit geometrically together. The floor plan actually shows the layout of the mats, except that it's flipped so the two that are set horizontally (perpendicular to the balcony) are actually against the closet not against the door if that makes sense. If not, well...picture:

White space at the opposite side of the entrance is the balcony, used mainly for watching trains and drying clothes! More on that later, though.

All in all, pretty neat house. It's actually rather big for a Japanese apartment (60 square meters; a few shy of 650 square feet) Only real downside is the lack of central heating, but I'm getting accustomed to working the space heaters in an economical manner. There is also plenty of room for guests: *hint hint* visitors are absolutely welcome! 

Alright, definitely bedtime. Good night from Japan!

Atsuta Shrine

Got to visit Atsuta Shrine this last weekend. Though Japanese Buddhism us slightly different that the Buddhism that I grew up with, I was really excited to see such an important religious sight. 

Atsuta Shrine (Atsuta Jingu) was founded about 2,000 years ago, starting with the "dedication" of a sword by Prince Yamatotakeru-no-Mikoto. Here begins an interesting story. The sword, named "Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi" which translates to "grass cutting sword" is actually a sword from ancient Japanese mythology. This sword, combined with a large jewel named "Yasakani" and a mirror named "Yata" become the Imperial Regalia. It kind of reminded me of the Deathly Hallows. The picture below shows an artist's interpretation of the treasures, they have reportedly not been seen for many, many years.

The Imperial Regalia

The actual whereabouts of this mythical sword are questionable at best. The most believed story is that the sword was lost at sea during the Battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. Instead of giving up the prized Imperial possessions, it is said that the loyal troops threw them in the ocean. The mirror and the jewel were recovered, but they say that the sword still lies in the deepest depths of the ocean. The story of this sea battle is told in the Tale of the Heike, an epic poem that was passed down orally for a few hundred years before it was put into writing, and because of this, the details of this account aren't always believed.

In any case, a copy of the sword is housed at Atsuta and it is regarded with the highest respect. The shrine is said to be ranked second in importance only the Grand Shrine of Ise in Mie prefecture.

One of the entrances to the shrine

The shrine is encased in trees, a mini forest of sorts that builds a barricade against the busy bustling streets outside. It's surprisingly quiet and tranquil once you cross through to the inside.


I guess I was expecting a statue of the Buddha and some incense and flowers, as that's what I'm used to seeing when I go to a Buddhist temple. What I came to find out is that Atsuta is not in fact a Buddhist temple, but a Shinto shrine which are actually not related. Who knew?

Shinto is the "indigenous religion" of Japan. It is based upon the existence of "kamis" or gods that can appear in many different forms, including different artifacts. These kamis are kept in shrines and worshiped as part of the religious practice. Talismans are available at shrines to be kept for various reasons such as safety, prosperity, good luck and so forth. BBC Religions has a rather in depth look at Shinto beliefs and practices if you would like to learn more about the religions.


As Buddhism spread across Japan, as in many other cases throughout history, the two religions were melded together in different ways to help appease an easier coexistence. Many Buddhist temples were set up near Shinto shrines for convenience thus creating a rather hazy boundary between the end of one religion and the start of another. A very interesting article on the differences between Shinto and Buddhism and why they are often confused is linked here.

I personally enjoyed how closely the shrine settled in with it's surrounding, all the trees and bridges and pebbles and water flowing. There was a walking path around the more sacred part of the shrine where you weren't allowed to take pictures because of the sanctity of area, which I thought was very cool. Though I do wish that I had been able to find a map of sorts to guide me through where I was walking, I enjoyed the peaceful little break the shrine gave.

 

                                     

Saki barrels given as offering

 

 

 

A torii gate -  one of the main entrance into the shrine

Kariya by Night

 

Part three of the two-part installment I had planned to upload pictures of Kariya (the snow was a bit of a surprise!) In my opinion, the city's beauty and grandness is best seen at night. Enjoy!

Kariya by Snow?

Definitely feels like home now! Kariya only got a few slushy inches but Tokyo was hit pretty hard. Looks like we brought a bit of Minnesota with us!

Kariya by Day

Went for a long walk around Kariya today, stopping every thirty seconds to take pictures of random buildings and different things. Though I'll admit it's not the prettiest city I've ever been to, doesn't lessen how neat it is. Enjoy!

Circular headstones lining the sidewalks of the city.
I now realize that they might just be decorative sewer covers.

Aerial view of the city.

        

 

       

Train Station

Bus Station

And a few artsy nature ones just for fun :)