The media have dubbed the holiday “Silver Week” in honor of the seniors who will be honored on the first national holiday of the week, Keirou-no-hi, which by quirk of the calendar falls on a Sunday this year.  The Happy Monday Law enacted in 2000 dictates that any holiday that falls on a Sunday will be celebrated on the following Monday and that any day that falls between two national holidays a holiday itself .

In 2009, Silver Week starts at the close of business on Friday, September 18th and runs through Wednesday the 23rd.

Japanese National Holidays During Silver Week:

September 21st– Respect for the Aged Day (Keiro no hi)
A relatively new national holiday in Japan, designated as such in 1966, there are no long standing customs associated with the day but with the rapidly “silvering” or aging of the Japanese population it is likely that the holiday will gain significance over time.
September 22nd – Kokumin no kyujitsu
Part of the Happy Monday system that automatically makes the day that falls between two national holidays a holiday itself.
September 23rd – Autumn Equinox Day (Shubun no hi)
Celebrating the turning of the seasons, many people head back to their hometowns and spend a portion of the Shubun-no-hi, with is also celebrated each spring, tending to the graves of their ancestors according to ancient Buddhist tradition.

Silver week is not an annual occurrence, in fact the next time that Japan will celebrate this week will be in 2015!

It might be a good time to visit the silver sand of Ginkakuji in Kyoto (pictured above right) – one of many stunning examples of Zen Gardens in Japan.

Image Credit:   Flickr, heal us & Ginkakuji Temple – Silver Pavilion – Kyoto

I recently had the pleasure of a relaxing one night retreat from my daily life and thanks to the generosity of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo you too can relax your cares away while pondering the your own private view of Tokyo’s impressive nighttime skyline, but let me tell you more about the hotel first…

The lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo sits on the 45th floor and is a peaceful oasis unto itself – modern flower arrangements grace the large lobby tables and a pianist plays classical music for patrons partaking of afternoon tea.  For those looking to imbibe in something a little stronger the lobby bar is located beyond an infinity pool and fountain that will wash away any stress that you may be harboring.

Also off the lobby is French restaurant, Forty Five, and Hinokizaka, specializing in Japanese cuisine, both with lovely views of the city. I sipped champagne and dined on Le Menu at Forty Five while overlooking Tokyo Tower on a rare haze-free summer day in the city and enjoyed both the food and the view tremendously!

If you are looking for space, the rooms at The Ritz Carleton Tokyo have plenty to spare.  All the rooms in the hotel feature “standard” marble bathrooms that are the size of many Tokyo apartments, featuring two well appointed vanities, a luxurious tub, and even a television!

A small desk, two comfortable sitting chairs and another television grace the room where the star is the bed itself covered with luxurious Frette linens and pillows that beckon you to a relaxing nights sleep or simply a short nap.    Privacy shades and room darkening curtains ensure that the level of light is to your liking at all times and can be changed and the touch of a button from conveniently placed bedside controls.

I suggest that you borrow one of the great pillows from the well appointed bed and perch on the comfortably wide window ledge to watch the sun set over Tokyo.  As the city lights begin to twinkle and the sun sets behind Mount Fuji and Roppongi Hills, Shinjuku or the Imperial Palace, take it all in before heading down for dinner in the hotel or at one of the many great restaurants in Tokyo Midtown.

Upon your return, you will be greeted by a plush terry robe, bedside slippers, a chocolate on your pillow, some complimentary water and a perfectly turned down bed where you can dream the night away high above the city.

The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

• Dining over Tokyo
• Spa Services
• Guest Rooms & Packages

You Can Win A Stay at The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo!

Staying at the Ritz is a treat reserved for very special occasions for most and my stay was no exception – I was honored to be a guest for one night and along with The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo want you to experience all that the Ritz has to offer.

To win a one night midweek stay (Sunday through Thursday) in a deluxe room at The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo here is what you need to do:

1. Peruse the The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo website to learn more about the services and amenities that are offered, and,
2. Pick just one (it will be hard) that defines luxury and relaxation to you,
3. Then, tweet it to your followers with a link back to this contest page with the RitzTokyo hashtag (e.g. “I want to win a night at the #RitzTokyo & get an essential body massage – you can enter too! http://su.pr/1Wrm1V .”

OR

1. If you have your own website but aren’t yet on Twitter,  write about the contest on your site, following the guidelines above, and,
2. Ensure that there is a track back to this post.

Terms & Conditions

1. Contest will run from Friday, September 4, 2009 through midnight on Sunday, September 6, 2009 (Japan Standard Time)
2. Contest winner must be of legal age in Japan to claim the prize (20 years old).
3. Only one (1) prize will be awarded.
4. Prize must be utilized within six months of being awarded, is non-transferable once issued, and can only be utilized at The Ritz-Carton Tokyo.
5. One entry per day per person for the term of the contest.
6. Contest winner will be drawn randomly via Random.org
7. If the winner is on Twitter, they will be notified by direct message on Friday, September 11, 2009 so be sure to follow @shanesakata on Twitter so that you receive the DM, or,
8. If the winner is the result of an article written on another website the winner will be contacted via that website’s published contact information.
9. In either case, if no reply is received within 24 hours of notification a new winner will be chosen.

Image Credit:  Images provide by and used with permission from The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

Over time ukiyo-e developed into popular art form and the subjects of the prints broadened. The equivalent of today’s movie poster were Yakusha-e or woodblock prints of kabuki actors in popular roles and Bijin-ga illustrated beautiful women of Edo.

In the early days, wood block prints were one color with two and three color prints first created in the 1740’s followed by multi-color called nishiki-e (brocade picture) in the early Meiji period.  Hiroshige’s 100 Views of Edo created during the first half of the 1800’s combined images of daily life in Edo, now Tokyo, with iconic landscapes and places.

Ukiyo-e offers a glimpse into life in early japan through its stunning visiual representation of the clothing, events and customs of the time.

How Ukiyo-e Are Created

Making traditional ukiyo-e (woodblock) prints is a complex process that involves the work of at least three artisans:

1. The ukiyo-e artist sketches the design with sumisen (ink lines)
2. The horishi (carver) pastes the sketch on a block made of wild cherry wood and carves out the design. This block, called a sumiita (ink plate), is only for printing the black outline.
3. Other blocks are then carved out, one for each color; these are called iroita (color plates).
4. The surishi (printer) applies color on the blocks under the artist’s supervision. The light colors and largest areas are printed first followed by darker colors and small details.
5. Sheets of paper are then pressed on each woodblock to create the design.  Each block has a marking on the same spot relative to the finished picture to ensure that the image remains aligned throughout the process.

The artisans are so skilled that it is often hard to discern the steps or block used to create a high quality multi-color woodblock print.  It’s hard not to appreciate the beauty if the resulting prints once you are aware of the painstaking process required to create them.

Ukiyo-e in Museums

Visitors to most major museums in Japan will enjoy perusing a selection of famous ukiyo-e prints but one of the best collections of prints is not found in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka but in a city in northern Japan better know for its ski slopes than its contribution to the art world.  The Japan Ukiyo-e Museum is located in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture and is home to the largest private collection of ukiyo-e (woodblock prints), paintings screens and old books in the world.  Over the course of five generations the Sakai family has amassed an amazing collection of over 100,000 pieces.

In Tokyo, visit the Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art or the The Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints.

Ukiyo-e for Kids of All Ages

Kids-web Japan has a gallery of some famous woodblock prints and you can even create your own virtual Ukiyo-e to see if you have mastered the process.

Image Credit:  Wikimedia, Utamaro1, Red Fuji southern wind clear morning by Katsushika Hokusai & Dai-ichi no Gekijō Shintomi-za from Tōkyō Meisho by Hiroshige Utagawa III

Today, Hiroko Takahashi as taken the concept of the traditional kimono sleeve and married it with a modern sensibility to create a line of eco-bags known as Sleeve Bags for her brand HIROCOLEDGE. Building on the the concept of mottenai, or waste not want not, that is a trendy theme in modern Japan, eco-bags are commonly carried and the revival of the furoshiki and tenugui for use as an attractive carry-all is popular in some circles.

The furoshiki is the original eco-bag and is a simple square piece of cloth that the Japanese have been using to wrap and carry items for centuries. Today, polyester and rayon furoshiki bearing either traditional or modern Japanese motifs are fashioned into trendy handbags via simple knotting techniques.

The tenugui is the furoshiki’s more practical cousin.  Made of cotton, the long rectangular shape can also be used to attractively wrap and carry items.  But the tenugui is more versatile in that it is often employed by men as a fashionable headwear in the hot & humid summer weather, but can also be used as a simple cloth for cleaning around the home.

Educated in Tokyo in the arts, and with two Paris shows under her belt, Ms. Takahashi combines a love of traditional motifs and her design sense to create a modern version of what Japanese women have know about for years – the versatility of the Kimono Sleeve and the practicality of the tenugui.

Ms. Takahashi has created a unique line of tenugui by combining the traditional resist dying technique of Chusen with her modern take on Japanese design through “dots”.  The tenugui can be used in the traditional manner or taken a step further and made into practical eco friendly fashion accessories – Sleeve Bags are lovely pieces of art that are practical too, holding up to 5 kg they can be easily stowed away in a handbag or backpack and utilized as needed in place of plastic bags.

Keeping mottenai and eco-consciousness in mind, Ms. Takahashi reminds us that none of the fabric of the tenugui is cut way or wasted when making a Sleeve Bag and that after years of heavy use, one can continue to use the bag for cleaning around the home and when finally thrown away, the product is biodegradable or burnable and is truly and ecologically friendly product to the end.

I had the pleasure of perusing the special HIROCOLEDGE store located in the atrium of the Tokyo Midtown Galleria this weekend.  Sadly, the store will be closing at the end of the month but Ms. Takahashi’s lovely works including yukata, cushion covers, handbag, wallets and the eco-friendly Sleeve Bags can be purchased on line via the HIROCOLEDGE website.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Gundam is quite an impressive sight towering over surrounding trees and appearing to be larger than the buildings on the horizon.   At intervals he turns his head in each direction as his laser beam eyes scan the crowd below before finally looking upward as steam is emitted from the jet packs on his heals and back and look so be set to fly off to the heavens on his next mission.

Based on the popular anime and manga series, the name is a combination of the English word “gun” and the last syllable of the word “freedom”, and is not a person but a “mobile suit”  that is operated from a cockpit in the located in the torso of the suit by a real person who is aided by technology to guide Gundam in the fight against injustice and for freedom.

Other great Gundam images online:

• the view from japan – he will fight for them
• imorpheus on Flickr – Gundam
• Shibuya246 – Gundam, Odaiba

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Located in the Chubu region of Japan, Ryumyoji Town in Ishikawa Prefecture is home to a paradox of peaceful prayer and images of hell.   The cave enshrines the latter while nearby Hanibe Gankutsu-in, where the stated mission is world peace, enshrines deities and hosts the faithful dedicated to that mission.

From the cave of hell, a short walk will take you to a recumbent statue of Shakyamuni Buddha  lounging peacefully in the more heavenly setting of a nearby park.

Also in the area you will find glowing bronze head and shoulders of  what will eventually be the largest statue of Buddha in Japan on the grounds of Hanibe Gankutsu-in.

Heaven or hell?  It’s your choice in Ishikawa’s Ryumyoji Town!

Hanibe Cave

Open: Daily from 8:30AM to 5PM (March-November) &  9AM to 4PM (December-February）

Admission: Adults Y800, Children up to and including high school students Y500

Access: From JR Komatsu station, take the Komatsu bus bound for Nishikarumikai, Hanibe and get off at Hanibe bus stop.  (Hanibe Gankutsu-in access map)

Travel Time From Tokyo: Approximately 4 hours by train

Image Credit:  Flickr, Hanibe Gankutuin Temple(2009.4.25) – 78, Hanibe Gankutuin Temple(2009.4.25) – 69, Hanibe Gankutuin Temple(2009.4.25) – 85 & Hanibe Gankutuin Temple(2009.4.25) – 97

You will walk away with a better understanding and appreciation for the art forms than you will get from any museum – and you’ll have a great souvenir from your trip too!

The Kyoto Handicraft Center offers a variety of hands on activities such as cloisonne making, dorei (Clay bell) doll or fan painting, Koma spinning top making, woodblock printing (ukiyoe), incense mixing (part of the art of koh-do), drawing with gold powder, damascene accessories (gold & silver inlay) and shichimi (Japanese spice) blending.

Each lesson is conducted by Japanese artisans and English translation is provided.  The cost ranges from Y1,890 to Y3,980 and each session takes about an hour.

The center also offers demonstrations by working crafts people and a shop where you can purchase local Kyoto handicrafts.

Located near the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art and the Heian Jingu Shrine, the Kyoto Handicraft Center is approximately half an hour by bus or fifteen minutes by taxi from Kyoto Station and is open daily from 10AM-5PM except for January 1st – 3rd. (Kyoto Handicraft Center Access Map)

Image Credit: Wikimedia, Fan, Japanese

Your hard earned money is one of those things that flows, usually away from you faster than towards you, and it is said that if you visit Zeniari Bentzaiten and wash your money there the flow will be reversed for the faithful and that it will come back to them many times over when spent.

Based on the tale of Minamoto Yoritomo who, in 1185 had a vision and received the following message “I am the god of Ugajin {woo-gah-gin}.  In a valley to the northwest, there is a miraculous spring that gushes out of  the rocks.  Go there and worship to the Gods of Shinto and peace will come to the people”.  Moniamoto followed the directions of the Gods and founded the Zeniarai Bentzaiten Ugafuku Jinji.

The shrine is small but located in a lovely glade that is accessed through a short tunnel borrowed into the hills of Kamakura whose entrance is marked by a large stone tablet and tori.  Stepping out of the dim tunnel you are surrounded by rocky slopes of emerald green trees and the peaceful sound of flowing water.

Take a wander about and explore the small altars inset into the hillside, the lovely ponds and the small waterfall that is said to flow with one of the five best spring waters in Kamakura.

Next, make a donation of Y100 to receive a bamboo basket, two small candles and a packet of incense .  Pause to light your candles and place them on the wrought iron stand to the left of the shrine entrance then light your incense bundle and place it in to koro before entering the cave where the main shrine is housed.

As you enter, the coolness of the cave envelops you and you can’t help but pause to take in the scene before you.  Origami cranes cranes and golden gourds hang from the ceiling and row upon row of tiny wooden tori rest upon a rocky ledge that is lit by a large paper lantern and natural rays coming though the rocks.

The gurgling and bubbling sound of the water will draw you towards the beautiful wooden altar where you will empty your wallet with hopes of future riches. Place your Yen into the bamboo basket, coins and all, scoop up some of the pure spring water and pour it over your money, and pray…

A couple we met at the shrine were pondering the idea of washing their credit cards, but alas, this is yet another place in Japan where credit cards are not accepted!

Not ones to tempt fate, my companions and I washed our money and prayed that it would be come back to us as we handed over the damp bills to the various shopkeepers along the Kamakura shopping street later in the day.

We haven’t yet reaped the benefits of newfound riches, but we had some clean money, if only for a short time, and hold on to a lingering hope that good things really do come to those who wait – after all there isn’t a time limit imposed on prayers…

Zeniarai Bentzaiten Ugafuku Jinja is located about 25 minutes on foot from Kamakura station (approximately one hour from Tokyo station by train) or take some time to explore Kamakura on a rental bike like we did.  Pick up a map of Kamakura at the tourist information office in the station before heading out on foot or on two wheels to make the most of your time in the area.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Sitting peacefully on the grounds of Kotoku-in in the hills to the southwest of Kamakura station this weathered bronze statue was erected in 1252, weighs in at 121 tons, and stands over 13 meters (42 feet) tall.

The statue has survived earthquakes, fires and was swept away, unharmed, along with its surrounding structure by a tidal wave wave in 1498.

Today the Daibutsu sits in the open air on an earthquake proof foundation and will likely preside peacefully over the area for hundreds of years to come.

Admission to Kotoku-in is a modest Y200 and for and additional Y20 you can take the narrow stairway into the heart of Buddha to explore the inside of this imposing structure.

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

Noh was developed in ancient Japan and has been refined and performed since the Muromachi period (1333－1573).  A Noh play features a main actor and a small supporting cast of actors and musicians telling a tale that cane be set in reality, genzai no, or based on fantasy, mugen no. The main character wears an elaborately carved mask appropriate for his character and utilizes stylized movements (kata) and chanting (utai) to tell a tale that is often based on stories found in classic Japanese literature and is accompanied by traditional music.

“Noh is a kind of symbolic drama colored with the graceful aesthetic effect of quiet elegance that is expressed through the word yugen (”elegant, refined, and elusive beauty”). Its subjects are taken from history or classical literature, and it is structured around song and dance”

Today, Noh along with Kyogen, is recognized as a  Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO and is performed at the National Theater of Japan in Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa at various times during the year.

For a less formal, but equally impressive performance look for outdoor events like those performed on Sado Island in the Chubu Region of Japan or the annual performance in the garden adjacent to Osaka Castle.  This year features a Noh play telling the story of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a military commander in the Heian period (794-1192), and his mistress Shizuka Gozen as well as a performance of Kyogen followed by the lighting of bonfires around the stage and a dramatic illumination of Osaka Castle.

Noh at Osaka Castle Event Details:

Date: Thursday, August 27, 2009

Time: 6PM (will be postponed to the following day in case of rain)

Venue: Nishi no Maru Garden on the grounds of Osaka Castle (Osaka Castle Access Map)

Tickets: Advance tickets, which are available at major ticket outlets, are 3,600 yen for adults and 2,000 yen for university and high school students. Tickets at the door are 4,500 yen and 2,500 yen, respectively.  (Event details from Daily Yomiuri)

Image Credit:  Wikimedia, File:春日神社ー篠山ー翁奉納P1011774 & Flickr, Kagura Source: National Theater of Japan, What is Noh & Kyogen?