JIC: Japan Infomation Communication

Tochigi

Tochigi Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture is located at Kanto region in Japan. In Japan, it is one of few prefectures located in the inland department.

Nikko city

Nikko city is located in the northwest of Tochigi Prefecture, and it is known as a sightseeing spot of various things such as waterfalls or mountains.

Nikko Tosho-gu

Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine was founded as a mausoleum of Ieyasu Tokugawa in 1617. It was rebeared by Iemitsu Tokugawa in the main shrine which was current gorgeousness. First-class architect and Rev. arts and crafts a total of 4,500,000 who gathered from the whole country is engaged in the construction of Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine, and it is said that its construction took it for 1 year 5 months. There is the unique beauty that the style of the both gods and Buddha blended in the building and including the famous "Youmeimon", all the buildings of Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine are appointed to a national treasure, important cultural property. In addition, in December, 1999, "shrines and temples of the Nikko" was registered as a world heritage including Nikko Tosho-gu Shrine. Its sculpture amounts to 5,000 bodies such as "Nemuri-neko" or "Sanzaru(Sanen)" including "Youmeimon". The delicacy that attracted the technical best of the Edo era overwhelms people.

Lake Chuzenji

This lake located high on a plateau with an altitude of 1,250 meters is one of the most famous lakes in Japan. Lava discharged from the crater of Mt. Nantai during its past eruptions dammed the Daiyagawa River, forming Lake Chuzenji. It boasts of being one of the most transparent lakes in Japan, with the seasonal changes of the surrounding area beautifully reflected on its tranquil surface. Kegon Falls is the outflow of this lake.  From an observatory of hangetsusan, we can enjoy the beautiful contrast of Lake Chuzenji and the Mt. Nantai.

   

Sano city

Sano city is located in the South-West of Tochigi Prefecure, and the population is 120,000. It is the fourth place within the prefecture. In late years, Sano ramen is famous.                                                                                    

Soshiyouji

Soshiyouji temple is known as “Sano yakuyoketaishi” in three Kanto taishi generally. It is said that Hidesato Fujiwara prays for the subjugation of Masakado Taira in 944, and Soshiyouji temple founded it. The relation with the the Tokugawas was close, and it stayed at here at time to move a corpse of Ieyasu Tokugawa from Mt. Kuno to the Nikko in 1617. There are many people to visit by good luck charm prayer from old days in soshiyouji, and 1,000,000 worshipers come for New Year holidays.

This information was found by here.

Posted by Takahiro Kimura

Hiroshima

Hiroshima prefecture

Hiroshima is located in Chiyugoku region in Japan. It faces the Inland Sea. Hiroshima city of the seat of the prefectual government is only government ordinance-designed city in Chiyugoku and Shikoku region. There is two world's cultural heritage in Hiroshima.

I’m going to introduce it.

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine

Itsukushima Shinto Shrine is a Shinto shrine at Hatsukaichi city in Hiroshima prefecture and it is the total main office of Itsukushima-jinja which has it of about 500 places in Japan. Although it is said that the construction of Itsukushima-jinja Shrine was done by Saekino-Kuramoto in 593, the main shrine of present was made by Kiyomori Taira who was a commander-in-chief of Heike about 800 years ago and it is registered with a world heritage. Force of Heike became popular, and Itsukushima-jinja Shrine prospered with it, too. Itsukushima Shinto Shrine was built in hope of the prosperity of the Heike clan. Miya-jima with Itsukushima Shinto Shrine became the object of the faith as God in island in itself for a long time. The height of Otorii is 16.8m and the weight is about 60t. The central pillar is made with the lumber of the camphor tree of 500-600 years old. It is said to have taken time for search for huge tree in a little less than 20 to erect a current torii. In addition, a root of a torii is not buried in the bottom of the sea. It stands only with heaviness of its own by wisdom and the device of ancient people.

This information is found by here, here and here.

The Atomic Bomb Dome

The Atomic Bomb Dome is a skeletal domed building in Hiroshima City which still stands to commemorate the dropping of the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb, dropped for the first time in history, exploded some 580 meters (1,903 feet) above Hiroshima City. The hypocenter was only about 160 meters (525 feet) southeast of this domed building. However, because the force of the blast came from almost directly above, part of the walls of the building and the steel frames of the dome on top survived and remained standing in the center of the burnt-out city area.

The damaged building was intentionally preserved in the state immediately after the bombing, and eventually came to be called "Genbaku Dome (Atomic Bomb Dome)" and became famous as a symbol of the bombed city. In 1966, Hiroshima City Council adopted a resolution to preserve the monument for posterity, and the first preservation and reinforcement work was undertaken the following year, the expenses of which were covered by funds raised across the nation. A similar fund-raising campaign was organized in 1989 to finance the second phase of preservation work, which was completed in the following year. The dome was registered on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list in December 1996 as a monument that reminds us of the tragedy of the bombing. 

The Atomic Bomb Dome was originally built in 1915 as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. Even before the bombing, the European-style building with its oval dome and wavy walls had long been a famous attraction of Hiroshima City. 

This information was found by this site and this site.

Posted by Takahiro Kimura

tokyo historical

     The History of Tokyo   

       The History of Tokyo began in the 7th century . The mainland area now occupied by Tokyo was together with modern-day Saitama Prefecture and the cities of Kawasaki and the eastern part of Yokohama, established in the 7th century as Musashi , one of the province under the Ritsuryō system. In the Kamakura period, the village of Edo appeared. The construction of Edo Castle by Ōta Dōkan a vassal of Uesugi Mochitomo, began in 1457 during the Kamakura period in what is now the East Garden of the Imperial Place.Hōjō Ujitsuna entered Edo Castle in 1524, and Tokugawa Ieyasu moved there in 1590. The Tokugawa shogunate was established in 1603 with Edo as its seat of government.

         In September of 1868, when the shogunate came to an end, Emperor Meiji ordered Edo to be renamed " Tokyo," meaning "Eastern Capital." The new name was meant to emphasize Tokyo's status as the new capital of Japan, both temporally and spiritually.Tokyo has been generally accepted as the sole capital of Japansince 1869, when the Emperor took up permanent residence there. However, the capital was never legally "transferred" to Tokyo, leading  some to question whether Kyoto may still be the capital, or a co-capital. See: Capital of Japan debate The Great Kanto earthquake struck Tokyo in 1923, killing approximately 70,000 people; a massive reconstruction plan was drawn up, but was too expensive to carry out except in part. Despite this, the city grew until the beginning of World War II. During the war, Tokyo was heavily bombed, much of the city was burned to the ground, and its population in 1945 was only half that of 1940. Following the war, Tokyo was under military occupation and governed by the allied forces.

The information is from here

         During the 1950s and mid-1960s, Japan experienced what is widely described as the 

"economic miracle", which transformed the nation from wartime devastation to the world's second-largest economy by 1966. Tokyo are emergence from wartime trauma was complete at the 1964 Summer Olympics, which publicized the city on an international stage and brought global attention to the "economic miracle". Beginning in the 1970s, Japanese cities experienced a massive wave of expansion as laborers began migrating from rural areas, and Tokyo was one of the most dramatic examples. As it grew steadily into the economic bubble of the late 1980s, Tokyo became one of the most dynamic cities on Earth.

     The information is from here

           On March 20, 1995, Tokyo became the focus of international media attention in the wake of the Aum Shinrikyo cult terrorist organization attack with Sarin nerve gas on the Tokyo subway system (in the tunnels beneath the political district of central Tokyo) in which 12 people were killed and thousands affected (see Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway).

posted by Sankin Ou

Historical Yokohama

                     

          The History of Yokohoma

        With a population of over three million people, Yokohama is Japan's second largest city. It is located less than 30 minutes south of Tokyo by train, and is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture.

     Yokohama was a small fishing village up to the end of the feudal Edo period, a time when Japan held a policy of national seclusion, having little contact with Western foreigners. A major turning point in Japanese history happened in 1853 and again in 1854, when Commodore Matthew Perry arrived just south of Yokohama with a fleet of American warships, demanding that Japan open several ports for commerce, getting the ruling Tokugawa shogunate to agree in 1853. It was initially agreed that one of the ports to be opened to foreign ships would be the bustling town of Kanagawa-juku (in what is now Kanagawa Ward) on the Tokaido, a strategic highway which linked Edo to Kyoto and Osaka. However, the Tokugawa shogunate decided that the location of Kanagawa-juku was too close to the Tokaido for comfort, and port facilities were built across the inlet in the sleepy fishing village of Yokohama instead. The Port of Yokohama was opened on 2nd June, 1859.

     The Port of Yokohama quickly became the base of foreign trade in Japan. Japan's first English language newspaper, the Japan Herald, was first published in Yokohama in 1861. The Namamugi Incident, one of the events that preceded the downfall of the shogunate, took place in what is now Tsurumi Ward in 1862.

    After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the port was developed for trading silk, with the main trading partner being Great Britain. The city was officially incorporated on April 1, 1889. By the time the extraterritoriality of foreigner areas was abolished in 1899, Yokohama was the most international city in Japan, with foreigner areas stretching from Kannai to the Yamate Bluff area and the large Yokohama Chinatown. The early 20th century was marked by rapid growth of industry. Yokohama was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again by 30-odd US air raids during World War II.

• The information is from here

The symbol of historical Yokohama

the park of yamasita   the warehouse of Akarennga

          

                                       

               

                              

                                          

                                                                                                                     

• the way of carriage                              

posted by Sankin Ou            

 

   

Historical Fukuoka

          

•    The history of Fukuoka

Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of kyusyu in Japan, across the Tsushima Strait from South Korea's Busan. It is the most populous city in kyusyu, followed by Kitakyushu. It is the largest city and metropolitan area west of Osaka. The city was designated on April 1, 1972 by government ordinance. Greater Fukuoka with 2.5 million people is part of the heavily industrialized North Kyushu zone.

• Hakata and Fukuoka

The vestibule leading to the outside of the land of Fukuoka-shi may be JR Hakata station, and a tourist and transfer persons may be bewildered by Fukuoka-shi having two names of "Hakata" and "Fukuoka." although the name of a place "Hakata" will appear in the eighth century of the Nara period  "Fukuoka" .The merit of the Sekigahara battle in 1600, the Chikuzen country is because the Kuroda Nagamasa which became main built the castle and the castle town newly on the background in Fukusaki (near [ present ] Akasaka) and changed into "Fukuoka." It became a twins city called a castle town "Fukuoka" and a longtime merchant's town "Hakata" after it. Although the proposal which changes a city name into "Hakata" was taken out with the Fukuoka municipal assembly (municipal assembly of those days) in 1890 of the next year when Fukuoka-shi was born, having been rejected by one margin of chairperson arbitration is famous episode.

• The information is from here

If the feature of the history of this Fukuoka-shi is expressed at a word, it can say, "It is a base of the international exchange of or from ancient times." The Hakata bay was made into the natural right harbor, from the geographical conditions which face the China continent and the Korean Peninsula across Genkainada, it prospered as a door of foreign exchange for many years, and the big role was come for history of Japan and cultural formation sure enough. If the drawing term of this foreign exchange is seen greatly, it is as follows and is visiting with the cycle of about 400 years.

• Introduction of paddy rice cultivation

The big first drawing term is introduction of the paddy rice cultivation around the B.C. fourth century, and the ruins of Naka and the Itazuke ruins of Hakata-ku where the oldest double moat in Japan was discovered are the typical ruins.

• The information is from here

Posted by Sankin Ou

Historical Kyoto

•         The history of Kyoto

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.　Fowling I will talk something about the history of Kyoto.

        Kyoto is Japan's third largest city and also one its oldest. It was originally founded as Heian in 794, and had its golden age during the court's heyday from 794 to 1185. Home to many cultural landmarks and historical sites, Kyoto is thought of as the heart of Japan. The city still bears the name Kyoto, or "Capital City," even though the emperor and the National Diet are located in Tokyo. For most of Japan's history, Heian was the center not of government but of learning and the art s.

the information is from here

From the end of the Nara Period (794), Kyoto has functioned as the crossroads of Japanese history. From its beginnings as the Kunikyo and Nagaokakyo settlements until the Emperor moved to Tokyo, it was the capital of Japan for over 1000 years. Even today, Kyoto is the cultural center of Japan, and continues to be loved by Japanese and people of the world alike.

         The ancient capital of Kyoto, whose traditions have been matured through the ages, is now making startling advancements. Its rich culture and experience are being utilized in modern technological industries. For example, semiconductor and liquid crystal displays have been made based on the techniques of Kiyomizu Pottery. Traditional skills developed more than 1000 years in this ancient capital are now being utilized in cutting-edge technologies. Furthermore, the people of Kyoto have produced many religious arts and forms of entertainment. Countless religious Shinto rituals and festivals　have captured the imagination of people the world over. Among these, festivals such as Gion Matsuri  that were lost in the turmoil of war have been restored, and continue to be carefully maintained traditions.

      In the modern age, Kyoto lost its rights as the political capital, to Edo (modern day Tokyo). After Edo was renamed Tokyo (meaning "Eastern Capital"), Kyoto was known for a short time as Saikyo (西京 Saikyō, meaning "Western Capital").
      In the first year of the Meiji period (1868), Kyoto regained its status as capital but the political situation of Japan called for Tokyo to be the country's center once again. Demonstrations held by the citizens of Kyoto were not successful, and eventually the Emperor moved to Tokyo. Former nobles and influential citizens left Kyoto to follow him.The city suffered extensive destruction in the Ōnin War of 1467-1477, and did not really recover until the mid-16th century.

the information is from here.

      As a result, Kyoto is the only large Japanese city that still has an abundance of prewar buildings, such as the traditional townhouses known as machiya. However, modernization is continually breaking down the traditional Kyoto in favor of newer architecture, such as the Kyoto Station complex.

      Kyoto became a city designated by government ordinance on September 1, 1956. In 1997, Kyoto hosted the conference that resulted in the protocol on greenhouse gas emissions that bears the city's name.

Posted by Sankin Ou

Osaka

Osaka prefecture

  Osaka Prefecture is located in Kinki region of Japan and it is a center of politics, economy, and culture in West Japan.

Osaka-jo　

                                                                                                                                                        Osaka-jo was started construction to Ishiyama Honganji trace in 1583 by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Generally, the symbol of the Japanese castle is the castle tower. It is Nobunaga Oda to have made it for the first time and it is Azuchi-jo. Hideyoshi Toyotomi admitted he was successor of Nobunaga Oda.Therefore, the model of Osaka-jo was azuchi-jo and Hideyoshi Toyotomi aimed at surpassing it. As for daitenshiyu which he founded, the appearance is the fifth floor and gold was used for it abundantly. In Osaka-jo , about 1 year and six month was spent by the construction of the main enclosure and Osaka-jo was spent between all periods of 15 years when Hideyoshi Toyotomi was alive, and it gradually became impregnable big castle. Afterward, Osaka-jo Castle is rebuilt in Tokugawa shogunate government and Edo, Showa, the Heisei era and reaches it at the present.

This information is from here and here.

                                                                     

Shitennouji

Shitenno-ji is a temple located in Osaka city.According to「Nihonshiyoki」, It was built in 593 by Prince Shotoku. It is one of the oldest temple in Japan.

As one of the highlight of Shitenno-ji, there is a five-storied pagoda. It is located in the middle of the precincts and the face of it, Buddha with his two Buddhist saints on each sides and a wooden statue of Shitennou are enshrined.

                                       This information is from here. 

                                                                                                      

Tsutenkaku

Tsutenkaku is an observatory located at Osaka city in Osaka Prefecture.It is a tower built for the first time in Japan and it is one of the symbols of Osaka. The architect is Tachiyu Naitou, and he also architected “Tokyo Tower”. The first Tsutenkaku was built in 1912 as the symbol of amusement park named “Luna Park”. The height of Tsutenkaku was 75 meter, it was the highest in the East at that time. It surprised Osaka’s people by outlandish design. In addition, it was a tower which was had a good command of high technology. ( it was innovated the elevator of circle for the first time in the world.) However, Tsutenkaku was damaged by a fire, and it disappeared in 1943.And then, after World War II, the local inhabitants expected revival of Tsutenkaku. At last, the second Tsutenkaku was built in 1956. The height of it was 103 meter, it can see a whole view of Osaka city .There is a statue of Biliken in the observatory of the fifth floor of Tsutenkaku. This statue is God of the happiness that it grants our wishes such as pass prayer or matchmaking. It is said to come true a wish, we pat sole of this statue when we do a wish.

This information is from here and here.

http://www.pref.osaka.jp/kanko/index.html

http://www.nikkeibp.co.jp/news/life06q3/507427/

Posted by Takahiro Kimura

Nara

Nara Prefecture 

Nara Prefecture is an ancient city in Japan. Therefore, there are a lot of historical places. I’m going to introduce some of it.

   

Todaiji 

Todaiji is a Buddhist temple which is located at Nara city in Nara Prefecture. The beginning of Todaiji temple is Kinshiyouji temple which was built by the Emperor Shoumu for hold a memorial service for the crown prince. Afterword, it became Todaiji temple when it was started construction at Kinkoumiyouji temple. Todaiji temple was burnt down in 1180 and 1567 by Shigehira Taira and Hisahide Matsunaga. The present Todaiji temple is the one which was rebuilt in 1709.

In Todaiji temple, a huge statue of Buddha is the most famous. It was done a consecrating ceremony of a newly made Buddhist image in 752, and it completed in 789. The height of it is about 15 meters(49 feet). It is the world’s largest bronze Buddha. In addition, the height of the Great Buddha of Todaiji is about 48 meters(157 feet). It is the world’s largest wooden building.

This information was found by here, here and here.

Horyuji

Horyuji Temple was built in 607 by Crown Prince Shotoku. He founded the temple to fulfill the last wishes of his father, Emperor Yomei. The original site of the temple, now called Wakakusa-garan, lays east of the Great South Gate. According to "Nihonshoki", the chronicle of ancient Japan, the original temple was destroyed by fire in 670 and later it was rebuilt in the site of the present Western Precinct. At first, “Kindou” was built and it is said five-storied pagoda and the gate have already completed in 711. Afterword, the other places were also built in sequence and form of current “Saiin” was regulated well in the end of Heian Era. And then, Horyuji Temple repeated the decline and revival, it was registered with UNESCO world's cultural heritage in December, 1993.

This information was found by here, here and here

Posted by Takahiro Kimura