Four Heavenly Kings and Poor Little Devil 四天王立像と執金剛神立像

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They are the four heavenly kings carved from wood in the 14th century during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japan. These kings are said to watch over the four cardinal directions.

Zochoten (Virūḍhaka) Guardian of the south
増長天 南を守護

Jikokuten (Dhataraṭṭha) Guardian of the east
持国天 東を守護

Komokuten (Virūpākṣa) Guardian of the west
広目天 西を守護

Tamonten (Vaiśravaṇa) Guardian of the north
多聞天 北の守護

They look so strong, masculine, and more human compared to Buddha statues, who generally don't show any emotions.... But I can show you a more human god and a devil.

Poor little devil dragged by Vajrapani
執金剛神に引きずられる鬼

Statue of Vajrapani by Kyuichi Takenouchi, wood
執金剛神立像、竹内久一

The above photos are of Vajrapani, the protector and guide of Buddha, dragging a poor little "oni" or Buddhist devil. My husband, when looking at them, murmured, "It's like you and me..." and hurried away to see the next sculpture without responding to my question, "Which is which???"......

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上から増長天、持国天、広目天、多聞天です。それぞれ南方、東方、西方、北方を護っているそうです。真面目な仏様（仏像）よりこういう「人間くさい」像の方が好きです｡｡｡

でももっと人間くさい神様がいらっしゃいます。竹内久一作「執金剛神立像」です。鬼を引きずる姿に、見た瞬間噴き出してしまいました。主人曰く「まるで僕たちのようだね」。どっちがどっちかはご想像にお任せします｡｡｡

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A Cat Knowing Where She Belongs 自分の居場所

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I found her near Tokyo National Museum the other day. (I assume that this is a female cat....)

Don't bother me!
邪魔しないで！

I'm philosophizing....
哲学してます｡｡｡

You wanna take pictures of me?
写真いいわよ。

After waking up, she philosophized for a few minutes with her eyes still closed, then started meowing as if posing for a photoshoot... She has a place where she can take a nap, philosophize and have a chat with strangers like me.... Or can she just be like that, i.e., be what she is, anywhere? Either way, I'm jealous...

You may be able to see her near Tokyo National Museum.

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東京国立博物館に行った後、谷中に行く途中で会いました。塀の上で器用に寝る猫を「かわいいな～」と見ていたら、むくっと起きて周囲を見渡し、カメラ目線で「ニャア～」。ありの～ままの～♬でいられるあなたが羨ましいです！！

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Paper Bush Growing! ミツマタは成長してます！

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I knew nothing about paper bush but the name when taking the first photo in January, and needless to say no idea about how it would be like when its flowers blossom. So I was glad to see the flowers (though in another place) again in half bloom late February.

Paper bush in Ueno peony garden in January

In February in neighborhood

People usually prefer flowers in full bloom to buds, but I believe that's not necessarily true to this plant. Paper bush buds are cuter or more kawaii than its blooming flowers, aren't they?

To tell you the truth, I had never been interested in paper bush or any other plants or flowers until a few years ago, but writing posts for this blog has changed me, opening my eyes and enabling me to appreciate something beautiful which is before me but which I wouldn't have noticed...

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一月に上野ぼたん苑で、変わった形をしたつぼみの写真を撮りました（1枚目）。それがミツマタでした。そして一月後、今度は咲いているのを見つけました（2枚目）。つぼみの方が断然可愛いような｡｡｡

ブログを書き始めて、周囲のものをちゃんと見るようになりました。ボーっと生きてました（チコちゃんに叱られる！）｡｡｡

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Jingdezhen Ewers Decorated in Overglaze Enamel and Gold 五彩金襴手水注と三彩金襴手水注

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are both Jingdezhen wares with overglaze enamel decoration in the 16th century in the Ming dynasy. The first one is a wucai or five-color painted porcelain and the second in three colors.

Jingdezhen ware wucai ewer in overglaze
enamel and gold 五彩金襴手水注

Jingdezhen ware, three-color painted ewer
in overglaze enamel and gold with dragon
and wave design 三彩金襴手龍濤水注

Their Japanese names (水注) suggest that they are water jugs but both are so gorgeous that I would not have been able to drink water poured from these jugs!

By the way, recently, I have been writing many posts about pottery, porcelain, glasses, sculptures and other objects as well as flowers and plants I find beautiful in museums and on the roadside, but for what?

Then I realized that I write them for myself because I need to be close to something that helps me become a better me. I cannot explain how just looking at them works that way, but something in them and their fresh colors, natural or artificial, remind me of what I really am and makes me feel stronger and more loving....

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上が「五彩金襴手水注」で下が「三彩金襴手龍濤水注」。ゴージャスすぎて注がれた水を飲んでも飲んだ気がしない水注です｡でもため息が出るほど美しい｡｡｡

最近、美術館や道端の「美しいもの」についてよく書いているのですが、ハタと考えました。何のために書いてるんだろう？そして気づきました。美しいものについて書いていると優しくなれる、美しくなれる（「心」がです。「顔」ではありません（笑）。）んです。

これが時代を生き抜いてきた芸術のパワー、そしてひっそり、でもしっかりと道端に根付いている草花のパワーなのでしょうか。当分、美しいもの探しが続きそうです｡｡｡

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Watermelon Netsuke Carving With Makie Lacquer Painting スイカの蒔絵根付

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This looks so fresh and sweet, does't it?

It's 3cm high "Watermelon" carved and "makie"-painted by Japanese netsuke carver and lacquer painter Kinuyo Hariya from boxwood. The "makie" painting technique, i.e., sprinkling or spraying wet lacquer with metallic powder, usually gold or silver, from a dusting tube, hair-tipped paint brush, etc., makes the color of this watermelon skin so real....
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

3cm high netuske carving watermelon 「すいか」針谷絹代作

Evolution of Chinese Celadon 中国青磁の色進化

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These pictures show a change in the color of Chinese celadon from the third to twelfth century. It was greenish brown (first photo) in the third to seventh century but evolving to opaque bluish green (second photo) through to the eleventh to twelfth century. I wondered how many potters had been involved in this color changing process...

Lotus flower dish, 5th-6th century
Southern dynasties 青磁蓮弁文盤 

Rue ware dish, 11th-12th century, donated by
Nobel laureate Yasunari Kawabata 青磁盤

Let's go back to the third century....

Box with partitions, 3rd century
Three Kingdoms to Western Jin dynasty 青磁槅

Jar with two handles, 3rd century
Three Kingdoms to Western Jin dynasty 青磁双耳瓶

Lamp, 5th-6th century
Southern dynasties 青磁灯火器

Round jar, 7th century
Sui or Tang dynasty 青磁円盤

They are all on show at Tokyo National Museum. For other celadon, read "Celadon in 16 Forms."

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全て青磁。でも時代で色が違います。2枚目の薄青緑の皿を除き、後は全て3世紀から7世紀に焼かれたもの。別の焼物のようです。

2枚目の薄青緑の皿は汝窯青磁（11～12世紀）。今でもその色を目指す陶芸家がいるほどの美しさです。汝窯の「青」に到達するまで何人の陶工が関わったのかと思うと気が遠くなります。東京国立博物館に展示されています。

「Celadon in 16 Forms いろんな青磁」もご覧ください！

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Tokyo Roadside Flowers 見下～げてごらん～♬

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I often look up to see the sky to recharge myself. But I have recently found that there are many small but beautiful sources of power on the roadside.

Smelled good, but I don't know the name

Daisy?

Don't know the name

Pansy?

Pansy?

Don't know the name

Don't know the name, either

???

????

Lesser periwinkle?

Don't know the name

Sasanqua camellia

???

Narcissus

There was one problem with taking these pictures of flowers and plants though. Squatting many times to take them caused upper thigh pain!!

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疲れた時は見上げます。空や雲を見ると心がスーッとするからです。でも道端の草花も元気をくれることに気付きました。山茶花と水仙以外、名前が分からないのですが改めてお礼を言いたい気持ちになりました。

疲れたら「見下～げてごらん～♬」もいいです。（関西の人しか分からないかもしれませんが、池乃めだかさん、好きです！）

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Square Lanterns in Ginza Tokyo 宝珠稲荷神社

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Hoju Inari Jinja shrine in Ginza Tokyo. It's usually hard to notice because the shrine is so small (whose entrance is 3 or 4 meters wide) and surrounded by buildings.

Shrine lanterns
Hoju Inari Jinja shrine, Ginza Tokyo
宝珠稲荷神社

Shrine lanterns from another angle

However, that day (February 18) was different. It was bright with many lanterns on the street in front of it. I wanted to ask someone what was going on, but nobody was there but banners with the shrine's name in the photo below.

Shrine banner

Japan has many Inari Jinja shrines, such as this shrine and Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Kyoto, which is very famous for thousands of vermilion torii gates. These Inari Taisha/Jinja shrines all enshrine Inari or the fox god, i.e., a god of fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture and industry, general prosperity, and worldly success. Wow! That explains why so many Japanese go to these fox gods shrines every year. The inside of Hoju Inari Jinja shrine is like the pictures below.

Inside the shrine
宝珠稲荷神社

Offering box inside the shrine

Hoju Inari Jinja shrine is in Ginza Tokyo and:

- 5 minute walk from Higashi Ginza station on Hibiya line and Toei Asakusa line

- 8 minute walk from Tsukiji station on Hibiya line and 

- 9 minute walk from Shintomicho station on Yurakucho line. 

It has no official website in either Japanese or English....

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いつもは足早に通り過ぎてしまう裏道にたくさんの提灯。不思議に思って行ってみたら「宝珠稲荷神社」というのぼりが立っていました。「こんな銀座の町中に、ビルの狭間に、神社があったのね」と少し感動！夕暮れ色に映える提灯の橙色にしばしうっとりしました。（もちろんその後は急いで帰って夕飯の支度です｡｡｡（苦笑））

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Symbol of Impermanence Buncheong Ware Jar With Sgrafitto Peony Design 粉青沙器

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is Buncheong ware made in the 15th or 16th century in the Joseon dynasty, Korea. This stoneware features designs painted using an iron pigment and a bluish-green tone. It's not celadon, but its green color is very close to celadon and there is a reason for that.

Buncheong ware with sgrafitto peony design

Buncheong ware is the in-between of celadon and white porcelain, rising to prominence during the 15th century in Korea. So it's understandable for its color to be like its predecessor, i.e., celadon, but sadly the stoneware just disappeared, being almost completely replaced by its successor, i.e., white porcelain.

It reminds me of the importance of embracing impermanence, making me look at this tranquil celadon blue green again.

Buncheong ware in 15th to 16th century
Joseon dynasty, Korea

Buncheong ware is known in Japan as "Mishima," "Hakeme" or "Kohiki." You can see this Buncheong ware with peony sgrafitto at Tokyo National Museum.

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東京国立博物館の粉青沙器。搔き落としの技法を使って牡丹が描かれています。粉青沙器とは、灰色の胎に白土を用いて様々な装飾を施したもので、高麗青磁と高麗白磁の中間に位置する磁器。ただ、白磁の出現とともに消滅してしまったとのこと。こんなに美しいのに残念です。

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White Jade Sculptures with Hidden Messages 白玉文鎮に隠されたメッセージ

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These Chinese sculptures carved from white jade are all beautiful, but what interested me was not their beauty but hidden messages.

Incense burner in shape of cooking vessel, 18th to 19th century, Qing dynasty
白玉牡丹獅子飾鼎形香炉

Chinese Celadon With Kannyu Crazing 青磁琮形花入

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This flower vase in the shape of a cong* ritual vessel was made in the 12th to 13th century in China and used by the Owari Tokugawa family in Japan as a water jug. Its shape and celadon blue green is so beautiful but look at the kannyu cracks on its surface! They make the vase more uniquely beautiful!
* A cong is a form of ancient Chinese jade artifact.

Vase with kannyu crazing in 12th to 13th century in China

Guan ware with kannyu crazing

Some may say that kannyu crazing is just cracks, so should be fixed, but to me, it's more like an intricate pattern which makes the vase more expressive.

A Japanese author, Yoshiko Shibaki, describes in "Seiji kinuta (kinuta celadon)" a father and his daughter intrigued by celadon porcelain and repetitive high-pitched sound produced when such cracks are being made. I want to hear such sound some day.

The celadon vase is on show at Tokyo National Museum.

Seiji kinuta (or kinuta seiji) is the best quality celadon in Zhejiang Province during the Southern Song period. It is named after a celadon flower vase "Kinuta" owned by one of the greatest Japanese tea masters Sen no Rikyu (千利休). For more, read this.

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東京国立博物館の青磁琮形花入。中国の南宋官窯で12～13世紀に作られ、尾張徳川家が水指として使っていました。「琮」は古代中国で祭祀用に使われた玉器のことで英語では「cong」。この花入がその形に似ているので青磁琮形花入の名がついたそうです。

でも何と言ってもこの貫入です！ 英語では cracks とも言い、ひび割れと言ってしまえばそれまでですが、やはり貫入とひび割れは違います。芥川賞作家芝木好子氏の「青磁砧」には貫入が入る時の様子（ぴきーんと音がするそうです。）が活き活きと描かれています。ちなみに「青磁砧」（あるいは世田谷）の「砧」が何かご存知ですか。答えはこちらをどうぞ！

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Big Smile of Lion on Top of Ivory Wine Vessel 象牙彫卣の獅子スマイル！

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

If you are told to "say cheese," you should smile like this!!!   

Say cheese!

Indigo Blue Tomb Figure Rabbit 藍釉兎

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I first thought this 10cm tall Tang sancai tomb figure was a mouse, but it's a rabbit. Either way, so chubby and kawaii, isn't it?

Rabbit, 8th century
Tang dynasty
藍釉兎

What attracted my attention, however, is not its plumpy figure, but this indigo blue, an impossible color for a rabbit. According to Sachio Yoshioka, a late Japanese master dyer and textile historian, Japan has two types of indigo blue depending on how an indigo vat is made. Indigo blue produced using fermented indigo leaves (sukumo) and hardwood (such as sawtooth oak) ash lye is paler and its use was only allowed for the Tokugawa and its three branch families, while that using fermented indigo leaves and lime or softwood ash lye is darker and more long-lasting, so for commoners. The indigo blue of this rabbit, although made in China, is obviously the former type noble indigo blue under Yoshioka's color classification.
Source: Nihon (or Nippon) no iro jiten (Dictionary of colors in Japan), Sachio Yoshioka

As a tomb figure, the rabbit was made to be buried. How could they bury such a beautiful and cute rabbit in a tomb? But thanks to that, we can now enjoy this more than 1,000 year old small plump stoneware in such noble blue at Tokyo National Museum.

Stoneware with blue lead glaze

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東京国立博物館に鎮座していた10センチほどの藍釉兎。唐三彩の鎮墓獣で埋葬品の一種です。

名前の通り藍色です。染色家の故吉岡幸男氏によると、日本には「清楚な藍色」と「濃藍色」の2種類があり、前者は徳川（御三）家のみに許された藍、後者はしっかり染まった庶民の藍だとのこと。違いは「藍の建て方」で、「清楚な藍」には堅木の木灰から作ったアルカリ性の水溶液と蒅*が使われ、「濃藍」には石灰や他の木灰が併用されるそうです。藍釉兎は唐のものですが、その藍色は「清楚な藍」に当たるのではないでしょうか。

* 藍の葉を発酵させてつくった染料

ちなみに「藍を建てる」とは「水に溶けない藍を発酵という過程で可溶化させ、染色出来る状態にすること」をいい、英語では「make an indigo vat」、「prepare an indigo vat」などと言うようです。機械翻訳にかけたら「build indigo」とかになるんだろうな、と思ってクスッとしてしまいました（笑）。勉強になりました。

でも考えてみたらこのうさぎちゃん、埋めるために作られたんですね。ちょっとびっくりです。でもそのおかげで今1,000年以上前の藍色を愛でることができる。不思議な気持ちになりました｡｡｡

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Nezu Jinja Shrine Three Gates 根津神社の三門

Japanese follows English.　英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Nezu Jinja shrine, which is said to have been founded 1,900 years ago (!), is currently known as a place for Shinto wedding ceremonies. I thought of having mine there (although I'm officially a Buddhist and actually an atheist), but gave it up. The shrine is a bit far from where I used to live. The pictures below are of one building and three gates of this famous shrine.

Honden main building

Karamon Chinese gate

Roden tower gate

Torii main gate

The shrine has at least five gates and inside it is very quiet and serene, a good place to take a walk. (Click here for a map of the shrine although it's only available in Japanese.) 

Nezu Jinja shrine is about 20 minute walk from Yushima Tenmangu shrine, which currently is holding its annual plum festival (from February 8 to March 8 this year). About 20 minute walk between the two shrines is also enjoyable!

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根津神社です。昔「結婚式をここで」と思って来たことは覚えていたのですが、記憶より広くてきれいでした。湯島神社からは1.8km。お散歩に丁度いいです。ちなみにこの日、調子に乗って２万歩歩き、翌日大変でした🤣｡｡｡

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