We got picked up by Kenji again, and he firstly took us to Meiji Shrine. This from Wikipedia:
"Meiji Shrine, located in Shibuya, Tokyo, is the Shinto shrine that is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken.
Meiji Shrine is located in a forest that covers an area of 70 hectares (170 acres). This area is covered by an evergreen forest that consists of 120,000 trees of 365 different species, which were donated by people from all parts of Japan when the shrine was established. There are two parts to the shrine.
Naien: The Naien is the inner precinct, which is a treasure museum is built in the Azekurazukuri style.
Gaien: The Gaien is the outer precinct, which includes the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery that houses a collection of 80 large murals illustrative of the events in the lives of the Emperor and his consort. It also includes a variety of sports facilities, including the National Stadium (Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium and later, since 1956, on the same site, Tokyo Olympic Stadium), and the Meiji Memorial Hall (Meiji Kinenkan). This was originally used for governmental meetings, including discussions surrounding the drafting of the Meiji Constitution in the late 19th century. Today it is used for Shinto weddings as well as meeting rooms rent and restaurants services."
Here is the team, except Renee (she arrives tomorrow) outside the cedar entrance to the shrine - called the torii - Bill, me, Neal, Annette and Chris.
Here is Kenji with Annette and Neal.
This is a close up of the torii. Cedar is to bring good luck, as is the gold chrysanthemum on the top. I thought it was simple and beautiful and loved the smell of the wood.
This from Wikipedia:
"Shinto is polytheistic and revolves around the kami, supernatural entities believed to inhabit the landscape. This link between the kami and the natural world has led to Shinto being considered animistic and pantheistic. Practitioners believe that kami can behave either benevolently or destructively toward human beings, and must be propitiated with offerings to secure their blessings. The kami are worshipped at kamidana household shrines as well as at public shrines." Basically they believe in Nature and that Nature looks after you - I love this.
Buddhism in Japan came from the Chinese. More about that later. What I love about Shinto and Buddhism is they live with each other - it is not one or the other. So Kenji practices Buddhism and his wife Shinto. And he goes to shrines and she goes to Buddhist temples. It is all inclusive. In other cultures religion occurs like a battle.
Here is the walk to the shrine.
Here are the saki barrels that get donated from individuals and companies around Japan. The saki is used for special occasions.
These are also barrels of wine donated by people in France.
These are small miniature gardens being displayed.
There are some miniature gardens. These are chrysanthemum, which bring joy and happiness. They are always on display. From Wikipedia: "Some people say the unofficial national flower of Japan is the chrysanthemum, which has long been a symbol of the Japanese Imperial Family. However, most say that the sakura (cherry blossom) is the national flower because so many Japanese love to watch and celebrate these flowers in the spring cherry-blossom season."
We only saw the chrysanthemum at this time of year.
We continue to walk to the purifying water before entering the shrine. Chris and Bill sharing "kiwi style" about something.
Then we arrive at the waters to purify ourselves. (It will take more than just this for some of us, Ed.)
We take the wooden dipper in our right hand and scoop up some water. ...
Wash our left hand. ...
Change the dipper to our left hand, and wash our right hand. ...
Change the dipper into our right hand again, and rinse our mouth with our left hand. ...
Take more water, and tip it up so water washes the handle of the dipper for the next person, and ...
Put the dipper back on the basin, scoop side down.
Wet right hand, then left, put the water to our lips. Hold the stick up so the water can run down.
At the offering hall, we throw a coin into the offering box, bow deeply twice, clap our hands twice, bow deeply once more and pray for a few seconds or make a wish.
If you are husband and wife, stand beside the twin camphor trees (100 years old) and have your photo taken, and you can be guaranteed a happy joyous life. So we did it. It is miraculous, we are having a happy joyous life.
If we were lucky we would see a wedding ceremony. We were not. During the ceremony, the bride wears a white hood to hide her "horns of jealousy" that she feels toward her mother-in-law, and to display her resolve to become a gentle, obedient wife.
However we did see a wedding the next day cycling. More about weddings tomorrow.
You can make wish on a board.
This one did not come true.
This could come true.
The shrine visit was very inspiring, and we were all fascinated to learn a little bit about Japanese culture. I wonder whether honouring 800 gods, or kami as they call it in Japan, keeps the Japanese so honest, so respectful and able to live in such small spaces. Maybe too it contributes to 30,000 suicides a year as people find it difficult to express themselves.
This from Wikipedia about kami:
"Kami (Japanese: 神, [kaꜜmi]) are the spirits, phenomena or "holy powers" that are venerated in the religion of Shinto. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, as well as beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the spirits of venerated dead persons. Many kami are considered the ancient ancestors of entire clans (some ancestors became kami upon their death if they were able to embody the values and virtues of kami in life). Traditionally, great or sensational leaders like the Emperor could be or became kami. In Shinto, kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, and good and evil characteristics. They are manifestations of musubi (結び), the interconnecting energy of the universe, and are considered exemplary of what humanity should strive towards."
Children come to the shrine for a ceremony with their parents when they are 3, 5 and 7. This is significant for the Japanese as the children dress up, get blessed, and are made a fuss of, as part of them becoming great citizens of Japan. Here is a a 5 year old girl I am guessing.
From behind.
A mother and daughter. The girl also 5 I am thinking.
A boy, his older brother behind.
After the shrine, we go out for lunch in Shibuya-ku.
Then to the fan zone on the way to the rugby. Some South Africans that did not make the team are practising.
Neal tries to jump the queue to get us all a drink. That is kind and he forms his own queue. Someone politely tells him his is not the right queue.
The fan club had a big screen, but it was not set up high enough so the viewing was poor with the big crowd there. Maybe the Japanese have never been to a fan zone. However the team were together and Felicia came.
We headed to the game.
Felicia has got us all bandanas.
Felicia and Annette. "You can do it!" means "Japan can go all the way"?
Here are the players coming out.
It was a close at halftime - 5-3 to South Africa. But in the 2nd half South Africa was too good. This from the Telegraph:
"South Africa comfortably beat hosts Japan after a close fought first half. The power of the South African pack told after the break as Japan were squeezed out of the game. South Africa has advanced to the semifinals with a grinding 26-3 win over Japan, bringing an end to the home team's entertaining run at the first Rugby World Cup staged in Asia. The week-long hype over a potential repeat of Japan's upset over South Africa in 2015, the so-called Miracle of Brighton, was muscled out of reality by a big Springboks lineup that stuck to its attritional game plan."
Makazole Mapimpi scored his second try of the match in the 70th minute to put the result beyond doubt.
We head back to dinner at a local and then our Air Bn'b.