Japan’s Living Mythic Tradition Comes Alive at Iwami Kagura Naniwa in Osaka

Ever since coming to Japan I have wanted to see Kagura, which means "entertaining the gods." It relates the myths of Japan, utilizing sacred Japanese dance and music dedicated to Shinto gods. This year Western Shimane Prefecture's Iwami Kagura Naniwa opened a Kagura theatre in Osaka. My daughter was in town, so we went as a …

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Okouchi Sanso Composition Strolls

I participated in this wonderful Okouchi Sanso Composition stroll in the bamboo forest of Arashiyama, Kyoto, organized by my Haiku Sensei, Stephen Gill, whom I take haiku classes with in Senri-Chuo in Osaka. Here is Gill’s blog post on the Icebox about the event, featuring a few haiku by me as well as a few photos of me working to help repair the bamboo fence. Reminded me of my Colorado days, and how much I love being in nature.

Icebox

On September 14 & 28 吟行 ginko were held in the beautiful West Kyoto garden of 大河内山荘 Okouchi Mountain Villa. Paradoxically, the 14th was cooler than the 28th, but both days stayed fine and at least half a dozen Hailstone poets came along.

In the morning they had kindly helped the nature conservation NPO, People Together for Mt. Ogura, with their brushwood fence repairs in the bamboo groves on the hill’s lower slopes – right outside the Villa’s front gate. Its traditional Japanese-style garden was laid out in the Shōwa era by the film star, Ōkouchi Denjiro. Thank you to all the volunteers who came, even if perhaps not everyone managed to write poems afterwards.

Putting up a ladder
to an autumn cloud —
clasping it ……….(Tomiko Nakayama)

Tourist’s scribble*
on the bamboo cut down —
“I love you” ……….(Mayumi Kawaharada)

Collaboration eases
our bamboo forest work —

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Antique Fuji in Nishinomiya is a Japanese Treasure Hunter’s Haven

Antique Fuji in Nishinomiya is a treasure hunt through old Japan.