The World Cultural Heritage : Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto

I visited Ginkakuji Temple, a Zen temple days ago.

The temple was officially knowm as Jisho-ji, but popularly became known as Ginkakuji, and is situated on the east side of Kyoto.  It was established in 1482 by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth Muromachi Shogunate to spend his retired life.

He intended to cover the temple with silver leaf, but he didn't have much money enough to carry it out.  Only the name lives on now. ( Gin means silver. )

It's famous for Ginkakuji's moss and a unique dry sand garden.
While walking along the path, you can enjoy ponds with islands and bridges, little streams and various plants with moss. Climbing up a hill, you will see nice views of the whole temple and the city in front of you.

Nothing gorgeous in Ginkakuji temple compared with Kinkakuji, but I can be immersed in the world of "wabi sabi", which is one of the most characteristic aesthetic sense towards Japanese arts and to feel something lonely and missing in a very very simple and calm way.  So I like Ginkakuji temple better than Kinkakuji one.

While walking along the path in the moss garden, I felt like washing my dairy stress away gradually. It has something aesthetic and quiet beauty  in the rusty atmosphere and is definitely one of typical Japanese temples.

先日、伏見稲荷神社に行った後に、銀閣寺にも立ち寄りました。
金閣寺に比べて、絢爛豪華さは無いけれど、”わびさび”の世界観に浸れるので、私は金閣寺より銀閣寺が好きですね。
銀閣寺と苔に覆われた庭園を歩いていたら、普段の溜りまくったストレスもスッと洗い流されたような気がしました。
このひなびた中に、美しさがあり、これぞ日本！って感じのお寺ですね。

たまたまかもしれませんが、金閣寺に行った時とは違って、静かにマナーを守って譲り合いの精神を持っている観光客ばかりでした。この静まり返った雰囲気がそうさせるのかな・・・？

Traditional Performing art named "Kyogen" in Japan

Yesterday, I went to see a Japanese traditional comedy show named "kyogen" in Japanese with my friend.
It was performed by Motoya Izumi and his family in Osaka.

"Kyogen" is a drama mainly on talks. They don't use a large-scale set at all and express by words and gestures.
The main characteristics of "Kyogen" is comedy, laughs from the satire of the common dairy lives of the medieval period. 
The stage is very simple with an old pine tree and each of us can use the imagination freely from their movements, gestures, talks, look on their faces.

Recently they also perform English Kyogen overseas, so you can have a chance to see it. 
I couldn't be allowed to take a photo and video during a show, so I looked for the other videos on the internet.

I have watched Kyogen once before when I was a high school student, a loooong time ago. I remembered it was interesting and funny enough for me to laugh.
This was one of Japanese cultural education programs in my school. I think it is very important the next generation know what the Japanese cultures are like. 

I was invited by my best friend, and had really been looking forward to seeing it.
Thanks for her invitation!!

This is the other different topic from one I watched.

The show starts at 3.5 mins later from the beginning.


お友達に誘ってもらい、昨日、大阪能楽堂で和泉流狂言を観に行きました。
三本柱、柿山伏、口真似、そして英語狂言の雷の四本立てを、真正面の前から四列目というとても恵まれた場所から鑑賞させて貰いました。
和泉元彌さんの息子さんも出演されていたのですが、恐らく、うちの次女と同級生くらい。みんなの前で堂々と大きな声を張り上げて演じている姿には、感心しました。まだまだ小さいので、この先、芸を積んでどれだけの大物になるか、楽しみですね。

間の休憩の時の和泉元彌さんの狂言の説明と曲目の解説は、本当に引き込まれるものがありました。あれを録音しておけばよかった～！と友だちと話していたのですが、ここでご紹介できないのが、残念！
代わりに英語狂言を録音したけれど、お面を付けておられたので、声がこもって上手く撮れませんでした。これまた残念。

高校との時に一度狂言を学校から観に行ったことがあるのですが、やはり狂言って比較的身近に感じる、入りやすいです。
日本人に生まれてきて、日本の伝統文化を廃れさすことなく、次世代に伝承していくことって本当に大切だなって思いました。
こんな機会を与えてくれた友だちに感謝！

その後、サラリーマンが集まるような、一杯引っ掛けて帰るような所で、軽く呑んで帰りました。
あのねぎマグロ団子の完投炊きと馬刺しがとても美味しかった♪
写真を撮るのを忘れて、ビールが来て速攻乾杯して呑んでしまった・・・。
これです。↓

Tuna ball

Horse meat sashimi