The Setagaya Animal Festival - November 3, 2013

I know some people criticise Facebook for being a place full of pictures of cats and status updates about what someone has just eaten but it is a great way of sharing information.  I was reminded of this on Sunday morning.  Just back from a run, with no clear plans for the day, I was checking FB and a friend of mine posted about the Setagaya Animal Festival which was happening that day.  I thought it sounded interesting, forwarded the information to some of my friends and a couple of hours later, was on my way to Kinuta Park, Setagaya to meet friends and see what the animal festival was like.

It was a beautiful and warm November day in Tokyo and the festival was very popular.  I had travelled over by train but in Japan, bicycles are very popular and many people had shown up by bike.  In Japan the big bikes equipped for carrying kids and often with power assistance are called "mama-chari" (a bike for mums).  With places to seat kids on the front and back, I find them quite imposing looking and I'm impressed at the balancing skills of those who use them.

Many people had brought their own dogs with them and another popular thing is Japan is dressing dogs up. This dog didn't seem entirely convinced by the tie his owner had picked out for him.



 

But this dog took the opportunity to get a multiple fuss in the sunshine.

 

 

And I am used to the practice of smaller dogs being pushed around Tokyo in what look like strollers but are purpose built and sold for dogs but I had never seen one quite this big before.

 

 

At the festival, there were many stalls and a small stage which had a variety of performances and talks over the course of the afternoon.  Here is the police band providing some musical entertainment.

At one stall, children could learn about cones, seeds and autumnal fruits that might be found in the wild.

 

This young girl seemed capitvated by the display and was collecting some of the cones for closer inspection.

 



 

In another area of the festival there was an area where we could get up close to animals and children could go into a petting area.  For many children who live in Tokyo, I would imagine this was a rare chance to get up close with many of the animals and they were very excited to do so. 

 

Although you had to wonder at times, who was watching who as this cow definitely had an eye on what was going on as a Mum showed her little one the cow.

There were two calves who were very patient with all the attention they were getting. There were always supervisors on hand to help out which was good, especially as people kept trying to take their dogs near to the cows which wasn't always the best mix.

This one, who after giving me a good lick, was happy to accept straw from this young boy who had waited very patiently for his turn.

 

What was amusing to watch was the kids who would wait, holding out the straw to give to the calves, but as soon as the calf turned to them the kid would get scared and back away. 

In the petting area meanwhile, this rabbit accepts a carrot from a little boy...

 

Whilst this guinea pig sought refuge from the crowd by hiding under a stool.

One of the highlights of the festival had to be the falconery display which included flights made by owls and hawks.  Such an amazing opportunity to see these beautiful birds of prey up close.

After displaying some of the birds in flights made between their handlers, there was an opportunity for those attending the fair to "catch" the birds.  A little girl catches an owl who enjoys his reward in her hand.

 I am so glad that my friend posted about the festival on FB and that I was able to go and enjoy it as it was well organized and a good (and rare) chance to get up close with some beautiful birds, get licked by a calf and be out and about in a friendly atmosphere.   And to end, here is some gratutious fluffy cuteness that wouldn't be out of place on Facebook!

On the trail of Wolverine

On the trail of Wolverine...

October 14, a national holiday in Japan and time for a meander through the streets of Tokyo starting in Hibiya Park with the discovery of some stones...

Scandanavian explorers

This stone marks an expedition carried out by Scandanavian explorers in February 1957 to find a route from Europe to Japan via the North Pole. It uses the Nordic epitaph of Scandanavian vikings as its motif (I know this thanks to the plaque that can be found next to the stone which kindly has details in Japanese and English).

 

 

 

 

Antartic stone

Another plaque proudly declared the nearby stone to be from the Antartic, I assume its the one in the picture but somehow it seems lacking in being all that impressive...

Yap Money 

And then nearby was one further stone which is "Yap Money".



 Yap is a place, an island in fact, located in the Federated States of Micronesia and is known for its stone money.  This stone came to Japan in 1925. Although the Yap Island now has the US Dollar as an offical currency, the stone money is still used in ceremonial exchanges.

After leaving the park, I realised I wasn't that far from Zojo-ji, a buddhist temple in Tokyo which is a location in the 2013 film "Wolverine".  Having seen it just the day below, I decided to set off to see the setting in person... and here are some of the things I found along the way.

How do you know when it's a national holiday in Japan? 

On national holidays in Japan, buses and many buildings display the national flag of Japan.  Even a humble underground parking lot displays the flag at its entrance.



Wasuremono

In Japan, lost property is called "wasuremono".  If something is dropped on the street, but perhaps not of significant value other than for the owner, it is common practice to put it somewhere to the side of the street so as not to get stepped on.

Carillon

I found this along the way and at the time had no idea what this piece of street sculpture might be.

Apparently it is a "carillon" which is a musical instrument consisting of cast cup-shaped bells. I was rather taken by its form and took the next photo from standing inside the structure.

Zojo-ji

After seeing Wolverine last night, I checked the internet about the locations used in the film, I knew the location for the funeral scene was Zojo-ji but was amused to see it now called "the Wolverine temple". 

In the setting sun, under gathering clouds, and perhaps with the film in mind, here is the temple with the Tokyo Tower standing behind it.  But no yakuza or ninji today... or at least none that I could see...

I've been learning more about using Lightroom 4 to edit photos and here is my take on Tokyo Tower, taken as the sun was setting.

Lastly, something else I learnt today... the next photo is of "solanum mammosum", often scene in florists shops in Tokyo at this time of year.  It always puts me in mind of balloons that have deflated but I leave you with one of its common names...

Titty fruit

Atsui desu ne (It's hot, isn't it)

In the Summer, in Tokyo, Japan, it get's hot.  It's pretty much hot everyday from the end of rainy season (June) through to September.  "Hot" means a daily high of somewhere around the low 30s and can, in August, get into the high 30s.  Plus there's humidity - usually that's quite high. So... it's hot.  This is normal.  But its normality doesn't stop the phrase "Atsui desu ne" being said a lot... really a lot. Yes, it's hot (atsui), it's not even really said as a question but a statement and the correct response is something like "Hai, atsui desu" or "Yes, it's hot".  I don't think it's possible to go out in the summer and not hear this phrase at some point.

So what do Tokyoites do in the Summer heat?  Go to the park (Yoyogi Park in this case)

Atsui desu ne

 

Atsui desu ne

 

Atsui desu ne

 

 

 

So, I think those photos give you idea of the fact it was rather atsui (hot) and the park proved a popular place, amongst the men at least, to strip down and catch some rays.

 

But not everyone was just lying around, despite the heat there was some activity in the park.

 

Again, a man with some soapy water and a way to make big bubbles was proving a hit with the kids.

 

 

This couple were cooling off by the pond and fountains under the shade of the trees.

Art in the park - these mums and their kids were being sketched.

Some hoopers get their hoop on

 

 

And finally, despite the heat, this very eye-catching and very energetic group were practicing a dance routine, I am not sure what for but they were certainly putting everything into this rehearsal.

 

 

 And so if you are ever here in the summer, listen for it: "Atsui desu ne"

Akasaka to Ginza... a Saturday evening's walkabout

In the late afternoon and into the evening of Saturday 20 July, the usual roasting heat of a Tokyo summer dropped enough to make it pleasant for stroll and take in some sights.  The streets were alive with the sound of politically campaigning, as it was the eve of Upper House elections.

Starting in Akasaka, I visited Hie Shrine, I'm not sure how this beautiful Shinto Shrine had escaped my attention before.

According to the Shrine's website (http://www.hiejinja.net/jinja/english/index.html) it has a long history and since the 1600's has been an important place of worship for the people of Edo (former name of Tokyo) and now Tokyo.  It has been reconstructed and moved and burnt down and rebuilt on a number of occasions and its most recent rebuilding being in 1958 after being destroyed during the air raids on Tokyo during World War II.

One of its noteable features is the pathway of Torii (gates). Not quite as famous as the pathway you will see in guidebooks of Japan which is in Kyoto but noteworthy nonetheless.  It was challenge to photograph not least because at the time I was being feasted upon by the local mosquitoes.

After visiting the Shrine, a quick visit to Hibiya Park where fellow Tokyoites were taking advantages of the pleasant temperature.

These two guys caught my eye, as is often the case, anywhere you go in Tokyo you will find someone managing to nap.  Although I think these guys have found a lovely spot in the bustling capital to get their rest.

As I mentioned earlier, the eve of the election had brought politicians and their supporters out in (noisy) force.  And here is one such group of campaigners with their election hopeful, Kyouko Nakayama, getting a group photo taken in Ginza.

Each summer, outside the Sony Building in Ginza (http://www.sonybuilding.jp/e/index.html) you will find a temporary aquarium with an additional tank just inside the entrance.  It is certainly eye-catching and slightly mesmerizing to watch, but then I love aquarium anyway.  I caught this guy being reflected as he looked for the perfect shot of the outside tank's inhabitants.

And inside the building, everyone wanted to get a shot of the beautiful parrot fish.

After leaving the Sony Building, a stroll along the road running alongside the elevated expressway from Yurakucho to Shimbashi found many restaurants nestling under the expressway.  The variety of countries and cuisines covered was amazing but the Japanese izakaya (pub) always catch my eye as they are often festooned with lanterns.

Outside another izakaya you could peruse the fishy ingredients offered up on the menu

Freshness is important with fish and the head is often retained, not only because it can be cooked up, but because the clearness of the eye is an important indicator of how old the fish is.  This tuna head was rather impressive, I assume the middle has already been served up.

Sometime when wandering Tokyo, I'll often come across lines of people waiting to get into something or perhaps to get a glimpse of someone coming out a stage door.  Such a line was found on this occasion with about 30 or so women, perhaps in their 30s and upwards waiting for J-pop "boy band" the Diamond Dogs (http://www.jpopasia.com/group/diamonddogs/)  to exit the stage door after a performance.  When the boys exited the building the waiting ladies were so quiet and reverential with the only brave ones managing to catch a word with some of the group members whilst the other held back and looked on in awe.  If I am not mistaken, this is Kohei Nakatsuka (中塚 皓平) meeting some of his fans in Ginza.

























And lastly, I found a countdown display in the International Forumwhich is showing the number of days until September 7, 2013.This is the date that the IOC will announce the successful city for the 2020 Summer Olympics. 

Competing for the honour is Tokyo, Madrid and Istanbul.  Tokyo's last bid was heavily critcised for a lack of public support and much more is being this time to get the public behind the bid.

 

Hopefully this time Tokyo will be successful!

The Kurihama Perry Festival

Kurihama Perry Festival - marking 160 years since the arrival of the Black Ships

Today I saw the parade in  Kurihama which is part of the Kurihama Perry Festival. It re-enacts by way of parade floats the arrival of the black ships (kurofune in Japanese).

 

 

According to Wikipedia "Kurofune refers to Mississippi, Plymouth, Saratoga, and Susquehanna, that arrived on July 14, 1853 at Uraga Harbor (part of present-day Yokosuka) in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan under the command of United States Commodore Matthew Perry. Black refers to the black color of the older sailing vessels, and the black smoke from the coal-fired power plants of the American ships. In this sense, the Kurofune became a symbol of the ending of isolation.

The parade was very enjoyable to watch, the mix of bands, floats to represent the ships, baton twirlers and various other dance teams reminded me of the annual carnival parades back in my hometown in the UK that I used to participate in as a child.

Leading the parade these very earnest flag twirling girls...

 

 

There were some representatives of the Navy, ok I have no idea who the people are but they seemed to be enjoying the day...

 

A group from one of the local schools playing, of all things "When the saints go marching in" or at least that's what I know it as.  The boy on the cymbols didn't look very happy to be there.

 

Then came the floats representing the Black Ships

 

The next band were leading the float representing Commodore Perry's Black Ship.  For some reason they were playing Abba's "Dancing Queen".

 

 

I'm sure this is exactly how the first meeting looked in July 1853...

Conch-shell playing seemed to be an important part of the parade

 

 

I loved this young boy who was doing an impressive job wielding his sword.  And bearing in mind the temperature was in the low 30s, this made it even more impressive...

 

And in the heat, the cool composure of this lady caught my eye.

Coming of the Black Ships, if they met this guy when they landed, I imagine that would have been a bit scary although I suppose they did have their military ships with them.

 

I love the groups of younger children performing in bands and dance groups. Some participants like the young lady at the front of the band pictured below seemed to be enjoying herself, but I'm not so sure about the boy with the orange on his hat to the right behind her, he seems a bit grumpy about it all.

For the very young ones, it all seemed to be too much... but they are very kawaii (cute)

This group had perhaps the best baton twirlers, and their leader was definitely in show mode

 

My three favourite groups came towards the end of the parade with more traditional Japanese dance styles and dress. 

 

Doesn't matter about age, this lady keeping up with the best of them was eye-catching to me.

 

And as they passed, I caught this lady, as her ribbons were flying and she looks great.

Again, showing age is no barrier to enthusiasm, this group's costume was very vibrant and they performed with gusto!

The final group in the parade were very beautiful, in identical kimono with bright yellow headscarfs and very nicely synchronised movement.

Although it was a hot day, it was great to observe this renactment of the time when Japan, after a period of self imposed isolation, re-joined the world stage and to see young and old participating in the parade.