全国共通

あ行

愛の南京錠  Love Padlocks: Lovers lock a padlock on a fence, gate, or bridge to hope for the forever love relationship between them.  The origin is not clear, but they began to be seen around the beginning of this century.   The lovers often do this without any permissions, and it does some damage to the beauty of the scenery.   It has been an issue to the local communities.   But some communities affirmatively set up and take care of the place to promote the tourism.

ウナギ  Broiled Eel Dish: Grilled eel in teriyaki flavor is served in a bowl on the rice or in a box alongside a bowl of rice.  It is one of the Japanese foods Japanese people think are special and expensive like sushi or tempura.  The way of cutting open eels is different between Kanto and Kansai (Eastern and Western Japan).  Kanto, cutting the back, Kansai cutting the belly.  According to a popular belief, cutting the belly was associated with seppuku so in Kanto, deeply connected with Edo the capital town of samurai, cutting the eel’s belly was avoided.  

お祓い Purification: Oharai, “purification” is a ritual in Shinto.  Shinto priests give purification rituals in front of the altars or something to get purified, by offering some prayers and shaking Oonusa, a wooden stick with some pieces of paper stuck on the top.  Oharai means shaking. 

おみくじ Omikuji: A paper slip telling fortune.  Almost every Shinto shrine and Buddhism temple has its own omikuji.  Mostly 100 yen. You pick one paper from the box and read it.  First you will see a big Kanji letter, which shows your the total luck, and other writings about many aspects such as money, health, love, and job.  If you get a 大吉kanji letters, it means Big Blessing, so you had better keep it with you.  Otherwise, you should tie it around one of the designated strings or twigs close to the omikuji box.

温泉と入れ墨  Onsen’s Refusal of a Person with a Tattoo: A lot of onsen inns and public baths refuse them to take their bath, thought fewer and fewer do so now.    In Japan, tattoos associate the ordinary people with a yakuza member, who is scary to them.   Kurokawa onsen refuse them.  

温泉の水質(9,10種) Onsen Classification based on the components: According to Japan Onsen Association, there are ten different types of onsen.  These are as follows:

1 Simple Onsen   2 Chloride Onsen  3 Carbonate Onsen  4 Sulfate Onsen  5 Carobon Dioxide Onsen  6 Iron Onsen  7 Acid Onsen  8 Iodine Onsen  9 Sulfer Onsen  10 Radioactivity Onsen

か行・が行

核兵器条約 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: JAPAN HAS NOT RATIFIED IT YET! 

観音菩薩 Kannon Bosatsu is one of Bosatsu.  It is in the Kannon Sutra and Heart Sutra.  It changes into various figures to save all the people in the world.  It was originally thought a male, but later, a lot of Kannon Bosatsu were formed in a beautiful female figure.  It is very popular in Japan and China.

餃子  One of the favorite foods among Japanese people.  It originated in China as one of dim sum.  The original steamed or boiled gyoza has developed in Japan to be grilled gyoza.   It is a halfmoon-shaped skin wrapping the mixture of ground meat and vegetables.

原爆 Atomic Bomb: This is a weapon for mass killing.  It uses enormous power generated by nuclear fission of radioactive chemicals like Uranium and Plutonium.  On August 6, 1945, the bomb named “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima and on August 9, the bomb named “Fat Boy” on Nagasaki.  In Hiroshima, about 149,000 people died and in Nagasaki about 73,000 people.

恋人の聖地  Lover’s Sanctuary: Out of sightseeing spots, an NPO has selected more than 100 places suitable for popping the question as lover’s sanctuary.  Each selected place has its own events to promote the popularity.  

国宝 National Treasures: Ones selected as Japan’s treasures due to the greatest cultural values among constructions, art works, craft works, and written documents.  As of April, 2022, there are 1131 items.  The most famous National Treasure in Fukuoka Prefecture is Gold Seal found in Sikanoshima Island.   

国立公園  National Park: It is an area designated by the Environment Agency for having excellent nature views.  The purpose of the designation is to prevent its environment and to promote the tourism there.  There are 34 areas now.   The first three designated areas (in 1931) are Seto Inland Sea, Unzen and Kirishima.

五重塔 Five-Storied Pagoda: It is one style of Buddhism construction.  Each of five stories has specific meaning of Buddhism universe: (from the first story) Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Sky.  It is said to function as a place to house a piece of bone of Buddha.  The frame of this pagoda, uniquely designed, is strong against the shakes of earthquakes.  The pagoda in Horyuji Temple is about 1400 years old. 

古墳  Kofun: Kofun means burial mounds high built from the earth in between the middle 3rd century and the 7th century.  During this period, these graves were constructed by a lot of big figures, ranging from Yamato Royal clan to unknown middle class families in all the regions from Hokkaido to Kyusyu.

ゴールデンウィーク Golden Week: This is Japlish, English words coined by some Japanese.   It refers to the period between April 29 to May 5, with four national holidays and one or two weekends.   It is like a one-week vacation, and an enjoyable, precious, “Golden’ period for Japanese people.

コンビナート夜景  Night views of Industrial Complexes: The lit-up imposing factories of metal give us an impression of a Sci-Fi near-future, and they are popular sightseeing spots now.   The top five popular sites are Muroran, Kawasaki, Yokkaichi, Syunan, and Kitakyusyu.  Night cruise ships are provided in some places.

さ行・ざ行

桜  Cherry Blossoms, Sakura: Sakura is our national flower.  When we refer to Sakura, it usually means one species named Somei-Yoshino.  This Sakura spread throughout Japan by Tsugiki skill, grafting.  It is a kind of cloning technology, so all the Somei-Yoshono trees have the same DNA.  Therefore, miraculously, under the same weather condition, they will begin to bloom and fall out at the same time.  The blossoms appear impressively in a flush and disappear in a flush.  When blossoms fall, it is beautiful like a rain of pedals.   Coming to an end in a short time and in a beautiful way got to be a metaphor of the spirit of samurai, who are supposed to die without hesitation when it is necessary.   Some appreciate the beauty of Sakura, while they feel the death implication behind.  It is customary to have a party under cherry trees in full bloom in Japan.   The viewers bring obento boxes and alcohol, and place a mat under the trees.  Most of the parks in Japan, big or small, have Sakura trees planted inside.   Some parks are equipped with a lighting system for the evening visitors to enjoy viewing the trees or having a party at nights.  In ancient times, as a ritual to pray for the harvest, a blossom viewing was held, but the blossoms were plum blossoms.   Sakura took the place of plums in the Heian period.   Sakura viewing got to be very popular in the Edo period.   

三種の神器  Sansyu-no-Jingi, the three sacred imperial treasures: They have been the symbol of the imperial family. These three are a sword named “Kusanagi-Tsurugi” enshrined in Atsuta Shrine, a mirror named “Yata-no-Kagami” enshrined in Ise Shrine and a set of comb-shaped beans named “Yasakani-no-Magatama” enshrined in the Imperial Palace.  According to the myth, Sun Goddess “Amaterasu” gave these to his grandson “Ninigino Mikoto” when she ordered him to land on the earth below and rule it.

参拝の仕方・手水舎  The Proper Ways to Pray in Shrines: There is a place for rinsing hands and mouth before visiting the shrines.  When you pray in front of the altar, you would want to do it in proper ways: two bows, two claps, one bow.

刺身料理  Sashimi: This is a Japanese dish for eating sliced raw fish dipped with seasonings like soy sauce.  Sashimi is for enjoying not cooked taste of fish or other ingredients, so it requires fresh, tasty materials, preferably at the best season.  And it also requires to be served beautifully by cutting fish by special knives and arranging the sliced fish exquisitely on a plate. It is served with vegetables or seaweed, which is called “Tsuma.”  This is also arranged beautifully and eaten.  It is mainly Japanese radish or wakame seaweed.

七福神 Seven Lucky Gods: The combination of seven gods bringing good luck.  This has been an object for worships. Especially if seven gods on a treasure boat appears in the first dream of the year, it will be a very good year.  To realize this, some put a picture of the gods with a prayer of palindrome under the pillow.  Seven gods are as follows:

注連縄 Shimenawa: It is a rope showing the board between the sacred place and the secular world.  In shrines, it is hung over a visitors’ praying spot at the Main Hall.  It is made by twisting straws.  Miyajidake Shrine’s Shimenawa is said to be the biggest in Japan.

鍾乳洞 Limestone cave: It is one of the karst geographical features.  The caves are made through the procedure of raindrops or underground water eroding the limestones.  Stractites hung from the ceilings,   and stalagmites accumulate up on the floors.  They show very strange views.

神道  Shinto: Shinto is an indigenous religion in Japan.  It was originated as animism in ancient times and since that age it has uniquely developed with some influences by Buddhism and other foreign religions.  Therefore, it has no founder or no systematical teachings. However, it has strict mannerisms and rituals.  Japanese ways of living are greatly based on them.  It has a lot of Gods.  Its number is called Yaoyorozu, meaning “eight million.”  Amaterasu, one of the greatest deities is considered an ancestor of the imperial family Tenno.   This is why Tenno is respected in Japan.

世界遺産  World Heritage Site: A World Heritage Site is a landscape or area that is designated by UNESCO, one of the UN organizations.  It is judged to have cultural or natural heritage around the world considered to be important to humans.  In Japan there are 25 world heritage sites, 20 cultural ones and 5 natural ones.  The two site first designated are Horyuji Temple and Himeji Castle.

ソフトクリーム  Soft Cream: It is a shortened word of soft-served ice cream.  In sightseeing spots, there are one or two shops, maybe more, selling this ice cream.  The shops often serve this ice cream with a flavor or of a local product or with a product itself on.

た行・だ行

炭鉱 Coal Mines: Coal was the most powerful driving force to advance the industry in Japan.  The modernization in Japan got realized mostly by the development of the heavy industry, which needed a lot of coals.  The year of 1961 was the peak year of the coal industry.  After this, in the field of energy, oil began to take over the place of coal, and more and more coal mines were shut down.  Now, there is only one active coal mine, which is in Kushiro, Hokkaido.

茶  Tea: Japanese tea leaves are formed by steaming leaves before being fermented, while Western tea leaves are completely fermented. (Woo-long Tea is half fermented.)  The master Eisai, the founder of Rinzai Sect is thought to be the one who introduced tea into Japan, and there is a monument about this in Shofukuji Temple in Hakata.

天守閣  The Main Keep of a Castle: When we think of a castle, the image in my mind always this.   It worked as showing the prestige of the lord of the providence in the samurai period.  Now it works as a sightseeing spot.   Most of the main keeps have been reconstructed at least once, and only the twelve of them retain the original construction.  And five are designated as National Treasures.

天台宗  The Tendai Sect: It was founded by a great Monk named Saicho, aka Dengyo Daishi.  It is an esoteric religion, and the teachings can only be attained by the disciplines using rituals and holy tools.  So common people cannot get the holy teachings.  The head temple is Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hieizan, where a lot of monks have been disciplined.

天皇 Tenno: It refers to the Emperor in Japan.   According to the ancient documents based on the myth, the family tree goes back to the Gods.  Since ancient times, it has been respected by the people, although the governing of Japan was often taken over by someone else such as the ministers or samurai.   Now it functions only as a symbol of Japan under the present Constitution.  In this modern world of equity, the existence of the family is a controversial dispute, but, according to some survey, almost 70% of the people are in favor of the Tenno system.

天満宮  Tenmangu : It is one type of Shinto Shrines.  It enshrines Tenman-Tenjin, the spirit of Mitizane Sugawa.  It originated as a place to appease the angry revenging spirit of his, which was thought to have caused a lot of disasters in Kyoto. This belief came from the fact that Mitizane, excellent minister, was expelled by some scheme of his rival out of the imperial court to Dazaihu and died there in great grief. 

徳川家康  Ieyasu Tokugawa: He is the last war lord that survived and ended the Age of Civil Wars and opened the new stable Shogunate finally.  This is why he has an association as perseverance.  His remark “Life is like going on a long road with a burden on your back,” is well known.  In a sense, he brought peace to the country.   After he passed away, he got enshrined in Toshogu, which his grandson Iemitu built.   When you visit the shrine and see buildings, paintings and scriptures, you can feel the sense of peace everywhere.

鳥居  Torii: This means Shinto Shrine Gate.  It literally meaning “where a chicken is,” but why it is called so is not certain.   It is made of stone or wood with two big pillars and two big cross bars on the top.  It is considered to be the border marker between the sacred place and vulgar world.   So, a lot of people bow their head before going through the gate on the way to the shrine and, after going under it on the way back, they turn around and bow again.   Often it is painted red.  The color red was thought as the color to keep away the evil because it was associated with the sun and fire, and it led to the color representing life.

な行

日本刀  Katana, Japanese sword: Katana is one of the attractions for the visitors to Japan because of its balanced beautiful figure and its shiny steel.  This excellence owes to the specific craftsmanship imporved and learned from the old times.  Compared with Western swords, it has a longer handle to be held with two hands and a curved body.  It has been made as a weapon, but it has functioned as a treasure.   There are a lot of katana designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties in Japan.

日本の城  Japanese Castles: Our image of the castle as a big imposing construction mostly comes from the ones built after the 17th century, though actually there had been many older castles built without keeps.   The castles have a tall castle keep called “Tenshukaku,” some towers “Ro,” several gates “Romon” and the stone walls “Ishigaki,” and sometimes around the castle moats.  Unlike other castles in the world, which worked themselves as high-walled towns, a Japanese castle was just a residence of a Daimyo war lord.   At the end of the samurai period, or in the Meiji Era, a lot of castles were broken down by the regulations to put the samurai system to an end.  And by air bombings in the Pacific War, some also were burned down.   After the War, many castle keeps were reconstructed on the existing bases, so castle towers are everywhere, and only the bases with stone walls like Edo Castle, the today’s imperial palace are everywhere, too.  In reality, there are only 12 castle keeps that remains their figures as when they were built around the 17th century.  Five out of the 12 are designated as National Treasures: Matsumoto, Inuyama, Hikone, Himeji and Matsue Castles. 

如来、菩薩、明王、天 Four Ranks of Buddhism Statues: The world of Buddhism statues has its own ranking system.  The top is Nyorai, the figure of Budda at the stage of enlightenment. But there are some other Nyorai.  The next is Bosatsu, in the make to become Nyorai.  Every Bosatsu contributes all his efforts to saving the people.  The third rank is Myo-o with its angry face.  They scold people to lead them on the right road.  The last is Ten.  They are guardian gods in the Buddhism world.  They were originally gods of ancient ancient Brahmanism or Hinduism.

野焼きField Burning: The grass is needed for feeding the cattle in the pasture in spring and summer and for making hays for the wintertime. However, it doesn’t grow naturally, but it is made artificially. People have done the field burning for several centuries to make the good field. The burning can exterminate the harmful bugs like fleas, and, moreover, it is a good way to grow the grass good for cattle. Without this burning, the area would be overgrown with grass and not so beautiful as it is.The field burning is one of the seasonal events in Aso. Around the day of spring equinox, a softly breezing day is chosen for this burning. Once the fire is set in the field dried up during the previous winter, the fire spreads very quickly and covers all the fields and the mountain areas. It is a impressive show.

は行・ば行・ぱ行

八幡宮 One sect of the Shinto religion, enshrining Hachiman God, which is normally thought to be the 15th Emperor Ohjin.  Hachiman God is a god for bringing a victory of battles, so the belief in Hachiman God got so popular among the people, especially samurai.  Usa Shrine in Ooita Prefecture is the head Hachiman shrine.

パワースポット  Power Spot: It is so-called a Japanese English.  It refers to the places that are considered to be holy or impressive enough to bring us good luck or happiness.  They are Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, or imposing nature sceneries.  The term is quite new to most of the people, but recently, it got very popular to visit Power Spots.  This sounds like almost the same as sightseeing spots.

藤 Wisteria: It has beautiful light-purple flowers hanging down, giving off fragrance.  A special wooden frame is built for this flower so that all the flowers of the same length hang down from the ceiling, looking like one great beautiful mass in full bloom.

仏像の顔  Features of the face of Buddha statues:

ま行

道の駅 Michi-no-eki: A roadside shopping station.  It was originally a place to take a rest for drivers, but each station tries to develop itself to be a popular spot by selling local products and running a restaurant.  It contributes to the promotion of its local community. 

明治維新  Meiji-Ishin: It refers to the revolutionary movements in the 19th century when Tokugawa shogunate was put to an end by four local provinces, Satsuma, Chosyu, Tosa and Hizen, and the modernization such as political centralization and capitalism started.  The promotion of industries was the most essential policy. 

や行

遊歩道 Yuhodo promenades: Yuhodo is made for walking.  In sightseeing spots, they are used for appreciating the views while walking.  There are some benches on the way to have a rest.  Large parks also have Yuhodo for visitors to enjoy good sceneries.

ら行

ラムネ  Lamune: Lamune is a soft drink.  The name comes from lemonade, but it contains no lemon juice.  It is just a sweet soda pop.  But what is unique about this drink is a shape of bottle containing it and a glass ball used as a cap.   The bottle is pinched inside in the middle.  A small glass ball inside pushed upwards by the pressure of the soda and caps the bottle.   And the upper half has two dents.   These dents are used for a glass ball to be placed and not to slide and cover the bottle mouth when one drink lamune.  

リラックマ Rirakkuma: This may come from “Relax Kuma (bear).”   It is a character designed for commercial purposes like Hello Kitty.   It is not a Yuru Kyara.

路面電車  Streetcars: Streetcars used to run in a lot of big cities, but now they run only in seventeen cities, including Kumamoto City.  But being rare makes them valuable.  They are often objectives for tourism.   A small body of cars running along with automobiles between high buildings looks attractive, or probably, Kawaii, a Japanese may say so.

わ行

関東

  (東京)

日本酒樽奉納  Sake and Shrines:  Japanese Sake is considered to be sacred drink.  For one reason, sake is made from rice, which is staple food for Japanese people.  For two, sake is transparent.  This is associated with purification, which Shinto puts an emphasis on.   Barrels of Sake from breweries or bottles of it from individuals are offered to Shinto Shrines to make a wish for harvest every year.  In visiting Meiji Shrine, you can see the big shelf of Sake barrels along the approaching road to the main pavilion (on the opposite side, you can see the one for wine barrels).

神前結婚式  Shinto Wedding Ceremony:  A Shinto priest leads this ceremony in front of the altar, offering prayers.  The bride and groom wear traditional Japanese Kimono and obey the priest.  In this ritual, they drink sake from Sakazuki, a flat wooden cup, as a kind of oath for good marriage.   In visiting Meiji Shrine, if you are lucky, you can see a ceremonial walk crossing the yard of the main pavilion.   It is a group of the bride and groom, their families, and some priests, led by a big red Japanese umbrella.  It attracts a lot of people.

  (日光)

東照宮の動物  Creatures in Toshogu, real or imaginary: You can see a lot of creature scriptures in Toshogu Shrine.   It my impress the visitors as the zoo from ancient times.   The creatures are as follows:
 -dragon, imaginary.  It is the most famous among the imaginary creatures.  It is a God of Water.
 -Kirin, imaginary.  This has a deer-like body covered with scales and has a horn on the head.  It is said this creature appears when an excellent ruler appears.
 -Ho-o, imaginary.  This is a big colorful bird.  The bill is like a chicken, the jaws a swallow, the neck a snake and the tail a fish.   It has been one of the four major lucky creatures in China.
 -Soku, imaginary.  It just looks like a dragon but with some differences.  It has only one horn on the head, two upward fangs, and no beards.
 -Karajisi, real and imaginary.  This image came from that of a real lion.   It has cat-like paws, four claws on each paw, curled body hair and mane, a tail with the tip of flame and some windmill-like whirling hairs.  In art, it was often designed with blooms of peony.
 -Komainu, imaginary.  Always a pair.  They are lion-like dogs, often seen in front of the Shinto Altar as guardians.
 -Sanjyaku, imaginary.  It is a lucky bird with a white crown, an indigo body, white wing tips.
 -Real animals.   Owl, Ruri Bird, Sparrow, Dog, Pigeon, Peacock, Monkey, Elephant

縁結び  En-Musubi: It literally means “tie connection.”  Often, it refers to marriage ties.  There are a lot of places like shrines and temples that are enshrined with Gods for this purpose.  Izumo Shrine is one of the most famous places for En-Musubi,  The legend says all the gods in Japan gather there in November every year to realize a lot of En-musubi.

湯葉料理  Yuba Food: Yuba is Nikko’s specialty food.  It is yellowish white membrane film made on the surface when soy milk is boiled.  It is rich in tofu taste.   Used as ingredients for Japanese soup or hot pot dishes.

日光けっこう The Saying about Nikko: Nikko wo mizushite “Kekko” to iuna.  It means “Don’t say ‘I enjoyed traveling enough’ without seeing Nikko.”  It is like ‘See Naples and die.’   Nikko and Kekko are rhymed, causing a good rhythm in saying it.

雷オコシ Kaminari Okoshi: Asakusa Specialty Japanese Sweets.  Okoshi is rice sweets crunchy and sweet with some flavor.  It is made by steaming glutinous rice, roasting it to get bigger, adding sugar or syrup and kneading it to be solid.  The name Kaminari comes from the Kaminarimon Gate.

人形焼き Ningyo Yaki: Asakusa Specialty Japanese Sweets.  Ningyo means “doll” and Yaki means “bake.”  Doll-shaped pancake stuffed with sweet bean paste. 

(富士山・箱根)

ほうとう Hoto: This is a local food in Yamanashi.  It is a pot dish using wide flat noodles made from flour, simmered in miso soup with vegetables such as pumpkins, green onions and mushrooms.  One theory says that this was invented by the legendary Yamanashi war lord, Shingen Takeda, as military food.

信玄餅 Shingen Mochi: Rice cake named after Shingen Takeda.  It is one of popular local sweets in Yamanashi.  Rice cake made from moochgome, glutinous rice is tasted with soybean flour and brown sugar syrup.

印伝 Inden:  This is tanned leather of deer skin. Yamanashi specialty. Soft texture.

カチカチヤマ Kachi Kachi Yama: Kawaguchiko town has a hill that is thought to be a stage for this story.  You can get to the top by ropeway.  The story is a very famous folk tale.  It is a story of a rabbit avenging against a racoon dog that killed an old lady and tricked her old husband to eat the soup cooked with a part of her body.  In the end, the rabbit sank the raccoon dog to death by alluring him to ride in a clay boat.  Based on this story, the phrase ‘go on board a clay boat’ has come to be used to mean “join an organization or project that is likely to fail.”

吉田のうどん Udon in Yoshida style: Fujiyoshida city has its special udon noodle dish.  It is made of soup of miso or soy sauce, thick chewy flour noodles and toppings such as boiled cabbage and horse meat.   You can never eat boiled cabbage or horse meat in udon dishes outside Fujiyoshida.

黒玉子 Black Eggs: When eggs are boiled in the steams of Oowakudani Valley, the shells turn black.   The image of this is a symbol of Oowakudani.  You can buy and eat them there, but they taste just like normal boiled eggs.

寄せ木細工 Wooden Mosai Work: It’s called Yosegi in Japanese.  This is an art craft of woodcraft which makes a variety of patterns, mainly geometric, by using some woods with different colors.  This Haokone’s traditional handcrafts such as a box and a tray amaze the visitors with its exquisite beauty. 

大名行列 Daimyo Gyoretsu: It is a history term referring to the procession that was formed on the road 

when Daimyo traveled to and from Edo with a lot of attendants in the Edo period.  Every Daimyo was ordered to stay in Edo for one year every second year (his wife and children the other second year).   It eventually become a kind of event showing the prestige of the providence, so it was likely to be gorgeous and sumptuous.

箱根駅伝 Hakone Ekiden: Ekiden means long-distance relay race.  Ekiden races are very popular to watch in Japan on New Year Days, and this Hakone Ekiden is the most popular Ekiden race and attracts a lot of people to the sides of the route as well as to the TV screen.  All the tame belongs to universities in Kanto district.  It is held on January 2nd and 3rd.   On the first day, they run from Tokyo to Hakone, and on the second day from Hakone to Tokyo.  The winner is the fastest team in the total of the two days.  

エヴァンゲリオン Evangelion: It is an SF animation drama about futuristic dystopia Japan.  It is popular all over the world.   Hakone is the center stage, Third Tokyo, of this animation.  Though it is destructed, it remains some views of Hakone.   Now Hakone is the place of the fans’ pilgrimage.  Hakone Town takes advantage of this to promote the tourism industry.  Evangelion itself is a complicated story, and a lot cannot understand what is going on: Why do Angels come to attack the earth?  What is the Human Instrumentality Project?  When does Third Impact happen?

東海

シャチホコ  Shachihoko: This is a kind of imaginary animal.  The legend says the head is like that of a tiger, the body is covered with scales dotted with spikes, and it has fins.  They live in the sea, always as a pair of male and female.  Because of the sea creature, it is said to be good for prevention against fires.  This is why their twin figures are set on the roofs of big buildings in Japan such as castles and temples.  Their figures are always made with the head down, the body curved and the end tail up.

楊貴妃  Yang Gui Fei:  She is pronounced as “Yo-Ki-Hi” in Japanese.  This is as the legend of Atsuta Shrine tells us.  Emperor “Xuanjong” of the Chinese Tang Dynasty tried to invade Japan, when Gods in Japan had a meeting to take a countermeasure.  They decided that Amaterasu, one of the gods of Atsuta Shrine, would change into a daughter, who was destined to be Emperor’s wife.  This is Yang Gui Fei, who eventually stopped his plan.   This imperial couple was killed in a big revolt.  At that moment, she returned to be Amaterasu and sailed back to Atsuta Shrine.    In the precinct of the shrine, there is a grave which the legend says is Yang Gui Fei’s. 

名古屋飯 Nagoya Foods: As a group, they are called “Nagoya Meshi,” nationally attracting the people in Japan.   These are as follows: Hitumabushi eel food (served in three different styles), Udon noodles simmered in miso, pork cutlet with miso sauce, Kishimen noodles (noodles are flatter than Udon), Ramen noodles in Taiwan style, fried chicken wings, Onigiri rice balls stuffed with tempura, fried shrimps, big breakfast served at coffee shops including toasted bread with Azuki bean paste, and others.

関西

皿屋敷(お菊)  A Horror Story “The Dish House”: “The Dish House in Ban Town, Edo” is very famous, but the story staged in Bansyu Providence is said to be its original story.  The story is like this: a maid called ‘O-Kiku’ committed suicide by throwing herself into a well after being falsely accused of breaking the most precious dish in the house.  Later its ghost appears over the well and counts the number of the dishes.   There is a well that is said to be staged in this sad story in Himeji Castle.  

姫路おでん  Oden, hotchpotch: It is one of the winter pot-dishes.  A lot of ingredients are simmered in a pot of soy sauce soup with dashi.  The ingredients are daikon (Japanese radish), boiled egg, fish cake, deep fired tofu, beef tendon, konjac(devil’s tongue) and others.  In Himgeji, they eat oden by dipping it in soy sauce with ginger.

広島

あなご飯  Conger Eel Rice: Anago-meshi, Miyajima specialty food.  Grilled conger eel in kabayaki style on the rice steamed with dashi soybean sauce.

紅葉饅頭  Momiji-manju: Hiroshima specialty sweets.  Momiji (Japanese maple leaf)-shaped bun stuffed with sweet bean paste.  Now there are buns stuffed with other ingredients such as chocolate and custard cream.  Momiji-manju got known all over Japan due to a popular comedian pair B&B shouting “Momiji-manju!” as their gag.

牡蠣  Oyster: Oysters are the food that attracts a lot of tourists to Hiroshima.  Hiroshima Prefecture produces the most oysters in Japan.  It is said Hiroshima Bay is geometrically very suitable for cultivating oysters.

しゃもじ  Syamoji, Rice Scoop: The production of rice scoops was begun by a Buddhist monk in a temple in Miyajima in the 18th century.  He thought Miyajima in poverty had to have something to make the people earn their living.  He worked out a good souvenir for visiting the shrine.  It is a rice scoop in a shape of Biwa a string musical instrument Benzai-ten Goddess of music always carried with her.   It was a big success.  Moreover, “Meshitoru” meaning “scoop rice” also means “can get something,” so it has got to be a lucky charm with some phrase on like an omamori in other shrines.

揚げモミジ饅頭  Deep Fried Momiji-manju: This is new specialty sweets in Miyajima.  You can eat the deep-fried sweets fresh from the pot at a shop named “Momiji-do.”   The buns are stuck with a stick, so you can eat one while walking like a corn dog.

鹿  Deer: Wild deer are seen walking around freely on Miyajima Island.  They are preserved and worshiped as the holy animal that gods have sent to this world.   They were already on Miyajima before the construction of the shrine.  But you must not feed them.

山口

赤瓦  Red Roof Tiles: They are called Sekisyu Kawara.  Sekisyu is the old name for today’s Shimane, the place of the roof tyle production.  These red tiles are seen in and around Shimane.   In Yamaguchi Prefecture next to Shimane, a lot of houses have put this type of tiles on the roof. 

オレンジ色のガードレール  Orange Guardrails: When you drive on the roads in Yamaguchi Prefecture, you will notice most of the guardrails are orange yellow.   When Yamaguchi Prefecture hosted National Sports Festival in 1963, it wanted to make something characteristic of the prefecture and decided to paint the rails in this color.  This color came from that of NatuMikan (Chinese citron), Yamaguchi special product.   (The rails on National Routes are white.)

フグ  Blowfish, Fuku: Blowfish have some poison in the internal organs and a lot died from eating blowfish, so it was forbitten to eat them.  But the first prime minister Hirohumi Ito, who came from Chyosyu, today’s Yamaguchi, was impressed with the taste and abolished this ban.  Even so, the cooks who make blowfish dishes need to get a qualification of cooking this fish.  The flesh is too chewy in texture (so they can blow) to be bitten off unless sliced thinly.   Thinly sliced Sashi is translucent.  These are arranged beautifully on a dish with a good design, so that we can see a good picture of the dish through sashimi Fugu.  This adds some entertainment to eating.    This is said to be one of the best fish dishes, and some consider it the very best.  In the other parts of Japan, it is called Fugu, but in Yamaguchi, it is called Fuku, which means “Good Blessing.”

瓦そば  Kawara soba noodles: Kawara means “roof tile.”  It is the fried soba-noodles with other ingredients like meats and eggs, served on the heated roof tile.   Kawatana Onsen in Shimonoseki is the place for this food.

海が青の理由  Why is the sea blue?: Blue color only among the colors in spectrum is reflected on the surface.   As for the sea on Tsunoshima Island, the reason why the blue is so beautiful is that the sea flows quickly around there, the sea current going through contains less planktons, and the sand on the floor is quite white.

大内氏  Oouchi Family: The family ruled Yamaguchi in the period of Muromachi (in the 16th century).  At its peak, it ruled other territories of six provinces outside Yamaguchi.  It supported the aristocrats, promoted trades with China, permitted Christianity mission and, in all, made great contributions to the advance of local cultures.   But the family ended due to the betrayal of one retainer, Harutaka Sue.  It was just an happening in the age of Gekokujo, which means inferiors overthrowing superiors by means of anything.

長崎

鯨料理 Whale Dish: You may notice the sign board of Whale Dish in Nagasaki here and there.  Higashisonogi, the town on Oomura Bay near Nagasaki, was the landing port for whales, where all the whales caught in the sea near Kyusyu were carried.  So, the people in Nagasaki could eat the best condition of the fresh meat.  This is how whale dishes got popular in Nagasaki.  There are a lot of ways to eat it.  Suehiro, which is like bacon, may be the best.

修学旅行  Syugaku Ryoko, School Trip: One School Events almost all of the students participate.  Once in elementary school years, once in junior high school years and once in senior high school years.  Some schools have a trip overseas.  Hiroshima and Nagasaki are popular places for school trips.  Not all schools do this, actually.

隠元  Master Ingen: He was a Buddhist monk who came to Japan from China in the early 17th century.  He founded the Oubaku sect.  The name Ingen remains in the name of Ingen Mame, green beans. 

唐寺  KaraDera: This refers to Chinese temples in Nagasaki.

カステラ  Kasutera: It is sweet sponge cake introduced by a Portuguese missionary in the 16th century.  The name came from Castella, a Portuguese word, meaning sweets in that place.   Nagasaki’s number one sweets souvenir.トルコライス  Toruko Rice: This Nagasaki dish is a strange combination of curry pilaf, ketchup spaghetti and pork cutlet.  All are placed on one dish.  Toruko means “Turkey.”  Why Turkey? it is not clear. 

佐賀

猿回し Monkey Show: It is a street performance of leading monkeys to show some tricks like dancing and acting.  There are some theaters for this performance in Japan, and there is one in Aso district in Kumamote.

石の上にも百年 Sitting one hundred years on a stone: In Daikozenji Park is one tree grows big on a rock.  It is named “sitting one hundred years on a stone.”   It is jokingly taken from a Japanese phrase advising people to be patient, “sitting three years on a stone.”  The original saying means “If you sit on a cold stone for three years, it will be warm.”

鹿威し Shishi-odoshi: It is a garden device for appreciating its sound in a quiet place.   It is a kind of see-saw of bamboo tubes.  Water pours into one end, the end goes down, water goes out and the end goes up with some momentum, when the other end goes down, hit the stone on the ground and make a sound.  

角大師 Tsuno-taishi: It is a figure image as a talisman to drive the evil away. It is a scary black ogre with two horns.  The model is a Buddhism master priest, “Ryogen,” in the 10th century.  One day when he was praying to save the people suffering from the plague, his figure was reflected as this image on a big mirror and one discipline drew the image.  The copies of this image were given to the suffering people, and soon the plague stopped.

Jリーグ J League: It is the professional soccer league in Japan.  Since its foundation in 1991, it has made great contribution to the rise in popularity of soccer as well as in strength of the national team.

柿右衛門様式 Kakiemon Style: The feature is painting colors centering red along with blue, green and yellow (Akae painting) on the milky-white basic porcelain called “Nigorite”and depicting a subject used by Yamato-e (ancient Japanese painting) like birds and flowers.  Its unique composition with rather spacious blank left uncolored is called “the beauty of emptiness.”  The style was completed by the late 18th century.

金襴手 Kinrante, Gold-Painted Porcelain: Gold is added on a colored picture in luxurious and gorgeous ways.  This style is called Kinrante.  This is the optimal porcelain style of Koimari, old Arita Ware.

鍋島様式 Nabeshima Style: There are three types of Nabeshima style, Color Nabeshima (indigo dyeing with three color paintings of red, green and blue), Indigo Nabeshima (elaborate designs in indigo) and Nabeshima Blue Porcelain (blueish green porcelain).  Color Nabeshima is the most popular.

温泉湯豆腐 Onsen Yu-Dofu: Some shops in Ureshino Onsen serve Onsen Yudofu.  This is a tofu dish cooked by simmering tofu in onsen water.  The soup is milky white and like soymilk.  The simmered tofu feels very soft and smooth.

大分

だご汁  Dago Jiru, Soup: Oita specialty dish.  It is cooked with dumplings and vegetables in a miso soup.   Dago means “dumpling.”  It tastes like Houtou in Yamanashi.

日田やきそば  Fried Noodles in Hita style: Fried noodles, Yakisoba, are cooked in a special style in Hita.  They first boil noodles (unique in that the noodles are boiled on the spot), fried them with pork and bean sprouts in a special sauce until the noodles get crispy (this is unique, too).  Very delicious!

とり天  Tori-ten: Chicken tempura. It is the local food in Ooita.  When you visit this prefecture, you will see this food on the menu in a lot of restaurants.  The Chicken is flavored with garlic.  It is eaten, usually dipped in Sujouyu (vinegar and soy sauce) with mustard.  Very delicious!

かぼす  Kabosu: It is a kind of citrus fruit.  Almost all of the kabosu are produced in Ooita.  It is used to add good sour flavor like Yuzu to the food. 

豊後牛まぶし  Bungo-mabushi: The restaurant “Shin” near Kinrinko Lake in Yufuin serves Mabushi dishes, a bowl dish eaten in three ways (nothing added, pickles added and dashi soup added).  It is served with one of the three different toppings, beef, chicken and eel.  Especially, beef is one of the specialty products in Ooita and very recommendable.

金賞コロッケ  Gold Medal Croquette: This is the most popular snack in Yunotsubo-Kaido.  It was awarded Gold Medal in the first national croquette competition.   A small hut sells this croquette with different flavor.   This is the best known Yufuin food.  Croquette is the food cooked by deep-frying bread-crusted potato with other ingredients like beef, white sauce, or crab meat.

ゆずこしょう  Yuzu-pepper: This is a condiment made from red chili pepper and yuzu citrus.  Yuzugosyo was used only in and around Ooita, but this condiment has spread all over the country.  It adds a specific good flavor to the miso, or soybean taste of the food.

熊本

雪駄  Setta, Foot Gear: A Japanese kind of sandals.  They are weaved of bamboo peels with a leather as a sole.   We don’t wear them in everyday life.  we do so only when we wear kimono and go to a summer festival.

くまもん  Kumamon: The local mascot character of Kumamoto Prefecture.  The character is a bear, probably because Kuma in Kumamoto means “bear.”   There are numerous local mascot characters in Japan, but Kumomon is best known of all Yuru Kyara (local mascot characters, usually poorly designed).   It is not registered as a trademark, so a lot of products produced in Kumamoto use this character as a mascot for free.  Wherever you go shopping in Kumamoto, you see a lot of Kumamon’s faces.    

だご汁  Dago Jiru, Soup: Oita specialty dish.  It is cooked with dumplings and vegetables in a miso soup.   Dago means “dumpling.”  It tastes like Houtou in Yamanashi.

高菜めし  Takana Rice: Fried rice with pickled takana.  Kumamoto specialty food.  Takana is a kind of leaf vegetables, called Chinese leaf mustard in English.

馬刺し  Basashi, Raw Horse Meat: We use the word basashi in general, but there are several kinds of basashi in accordance with parts of the body.  We eat this raw basashi with ginger or garlic.

熊本ラーメン  Kumamoto Ramen: Kumamoto is another Tonkotu ramen place.  A bit different from Hakata Tonkotu ramen.  With garlic chips on the soup and without Kaedama or red ginger.

いきなり団子  Ikinari-dango: Kumamoto sweets specialty.  Steamed flour buns with sweet bean paste and sweet potato.

辛子蓮根  Lotus Roots stuffed with Mustard: It is fried Kumamoto food. And only in Kumamoto is it cooked.

太平燕  Tai-pi-en: Kumamoto specialty noodles.  Just like a ramen, but the noodles are not made from flour but they are harusame, glass noodles made from pasted beans.

加藤清正  Kiyomasa Kato: He was the wartime samurai general who built Kumamoto Castle as the ruler there. He is one of the legendary samurai heroes with many episodes.  One of them, a boys’ favorite story in old times, is his killing a ferocious tiger alone with his spear.   Of course, this brave samurai is a top local hero in Kumamoto.

武者返し  Mushagaeshi: This is an expression referring to the stone walls of Kumamoto Castle.  That means “turn over warriors.”  The slopes are too steep to climb, and this is why they are called so.  But what makes them famous is the construction piled up of rocks, miraculously smooth and beautiful.   The main keep over the stone walls is truly an eye-catch.

小泉八雲  Yakumo Koizumi: He is a foreigner who came to Japan to teach English in the Meiji period.  He is well known as a writer, who wrote horror stories based on Japanese folk tales.  He taught English in Kumamoto for some time, and his residence is preserved.

山鹿灯籠 Yamaga Lantern: This is a tadeonal artifact only in Yamaga.  It is a lantern made of only washi, Japanese paper and glues.  In summer the city holds the festival named after this lantern, Yamaga Toro Matsuri.  It is well known as the dance shown by kimono girls wearing a golden or silver lantern on the head.

鹿児島

砂蒸し風呂  Sand Steamed Hot Bath: This is the way of taking a bath by burying yourself in the sand heated by the hot spring of high temperature. The heat around 55 degrees Celsius broadens the blood vessels and promotes the flow of blood, causing good effects on health.

特攻隊  Kamikaze: This is suicidal attacks of Japan military force during WWII.  Japanese planes, submersibles or boats, keeping explosive bombs, charged themselves against the enemy’s warships.

鹿児島料理 Kagoshima food: Pork from black pigs is good, cooked into pork cutlet or shabu-shabu.  Deep-fried minced fish meat called Satuma-age is a local specialty, too.  And you should try kibinago (silver-stripe round herring) sashimi.  Kagoshima people eat these with local shouchu (alcohol spirits).   

焼酎  Shouchu: It is Japanese alcohol distilled spirit.  It is made of rice, wheat, sweet potatoes or others.  According to Alcohol Regulations, there are two kinds of shouchu, Otu type and Kou type.  Less than 45 percent of alcohol rate after  a single distillation is Otu and after multiple distillations, less than 36 percent is Kou.  It is drunk on the rocks or with water, hot or cold.  Or, it is often drunk with soda or juice, which makes it easier to drink.   Kagoshima is well known for its shouchu made from sweet potatoes.

西郷隆盛  Takamori Saigo: He is one of the most popular legendary samurai heroes in Japanese History.  He was born in a lower class samurai family in Satsuma province, present Kagoshima, but he made great contributions to *Meiji-Isin (revolutionary movements of power shift from samurai to Tenno emperor).  After Meiji-Isin, samurai lost their privileges, so it led to the increase in complaints among them especially those in Satsuma.  Saigo led those ex-samurai there to battle against the government but lost it and killed himself.   His altruistic death for Satsuma makes him all the more popular not only in Kagoshima, but also all over Japan.

ジャンボ焼き  Jumbo Yaki: This is Sengan Garden specialty Japanese sweet.  It is one-bite size rice cake with sweet sauce, two short bamboos skewered.  The look could associate us with skewers stuck into.  This looks like a samurai with two swords stuck on the waist and this style was called (“jumbo” in Satsuma dialect).

島津氏  Shimazu Family: This is the family of the Daimyo lord ruling Satsuma providence during the Edo period.  At the end of this period, the Shimazu family and its providence contributed to Meiji-Ishin.

殖産興業  The promotion of industry in the Meiji period:  Before the Meiji period, Satsuma providence had already started to modernize the industry.  They realized the country had to catch up with the technology of Western World when Satsuma was totally beaten by the British warship.  After the Meiji period began, Satsuma led the government in the same ways.  The government took several measures.  It organized the ministry of industry, employed foreign experts, send study groups to Europe and America, developed the railroads and built public factories such as Tomioka Silk Mill.  The peak of this policy was the completion of the construction of Yahata Iron Factory. 

軽羹  Karukan: This is a Kagoshima specialty sweet.  It is manju, steamed bun, made from Japanese yam.  The texture is soft and fluffy, and the taste is preferably sweet.   Some have azuki, sweet bean paste, inside and others not.

宮崎

野生の馬 Horses of native breed in Japan: The definition is the horse that were brought to Japan in ancient times and have never been bred with Western species like through bred racehorses.  Now there are eight species in Japan.  One of the species, Misaki Uma, is designated as a national monument.  Compared with thoroughbred horses, they are rather stocky built with a round body and shorter legs.  In TV or Movie history dramas, samurai ride on a horse, but they are not these Japanese species.   In reality, they should be smaller.

鵜戸神宮の運試し The Luck Trial in Udo Shrine:  From the cliff near the main pavilion, one can throw five tiny balls at the hole of kameishi.  Men should throw them with their left hand, while women with their right hand.  It is said that if you hit at least one of them inside the hole, you can make your wish come true.

宮崎飯  Miyazaki Food: When we think of Miyazaki food, we first remember charcoal-grilled chicken leg.  Others are Chicken in a Nanban style (Nanban is an old word meaning Western) , Cold Soup (rice dipped in cold miso soup with fish flakes), Nikumaki (rice ball wrapped with thin meat) and mangos.

福岡・福岡地区

  (福岡市東~宗像糟屋)

涅槃像  Nehanzo, Buddha lying statue: This represents Buddha’s figure at the moment of death.  It also means he got into the nirvana, the world without any worldly desires.  It is said that, when he died, he lay on the right side with his head to the north, his soles to the south, his face to the west and his back to the south.

元寇 The Mongol Invasions: The Mongol force attacked Japan twice in the Kamakura period.  Both resulted in failures, caused by the severe resistance on the side of Japan and unexpected big storms.  The two storms were called “Kamikaze, God Wind,” and this is how the word “Kamikaze” was born.

放生会 Hojoe: In Hakozaki Shrine, it is called HojoYA.  Hojoe originally was a religious ceremony in releasing captive animals.  Now it is a festival which the people enjoy.  Hojoya of Hakozaki Shrine, held from September 12th to 18th, is one of the three major festivals of Hakata.  From the gate on the big road to the gate closest to the main hall, a lot of vending shops are lined, making festive atmosphere and attracting a lot of people.  There used to be attractions like a haunted house.   It is like a country fair in the US.  On these days, the shrine sells Champon, a glass toy making a sound by blowing, and Ohajiki, marvels made of clay.   New seasonal gingers are sold then.   

There is a phrase related with this: Nashi mo Kaki mo Hojoya.  It might literally mean “pears and persimmons are good in Hojoya.”  But it is used as a ridiculing phrase to answer the question “Nashite?” a Hakata dialect meaning “Why?”  Taking the word Nashi from Nashite, the answer uses this phrase ‘Nashi mo Kaki mo Hojoya’ justmean “Shut up” or “No need to answer.”

光の道  Light Road: On the days twice a year, the long straight line between the gate on the seashore and the top of the visiting staircases is shined with a sunset light.  This spectacular beauty got to be well-known by the commercial film starring ARASHI.  After this, it began to be called “Light Road.”  On these days, now, it is a kind of festival crowded with people.  Even on other days, during the daytime, it gives us a surprising scenery.

  (福岡市西~糸島)

嵐ARASHI  ARASHI: It is the name for the popular male group, singing, dancing, acting and MCing.  It was very popular but now it is going on a hiatus.

猿田彦  Sarutahiko: It is one of Shinto gods appearing in the Japanese myth.  It is very tall, and its face is very scary with a long nose.  In the course of history, it got to take a role as a god of Dousoshin belief (god for the road safety) or Kousin belief.

猿面  Monkey Face Lucky Charm: Sarutahiko shrine sells this clay craft of small size on every Kousin day. It is so popular that the shrine is crowded with visitors on that day.  It is customary to hang one or some on the outside of the front door to keep away the evil.

庚申信仰  Kousin Belief: It is a belief that staying up all night and behaving well on a Kousin day (every 60th day in the old Chinese calendar) makes you live longer.   It has involved monkey belief (Speak no evil, See no evil, Hear no evil) and Sarutahiko God.

金印  Gold Seal: It was found in Shikanoshima Island in Fukuoka in the Edo period.  On it are carved five Chinese Kanji Letters for whose meanings there are some theories.  “The King of Japan” might be a widely accepted one.   Some ancient Chinese document has a part saying Emperor Guangwu gave a seal to the emissary from Japan in the year of 53.”  A lot of scholars think this seal should be Gold Seal.

TeamLab  TeamLab: Teamlab is the digital contents company operating digital art displaying places. There is one in BOSS E ZO FUKUOKA.  You will be to go through several rooms on whose walls and ceilings and floors computer-generated visual images line animals and flowers are projected.  They are moving and changing shapes and colors.  You can feel as if you were having a shiny colorful dream (a nightmare for some) in its closed spa.

吉本興業  Yoshimoto Kogyo Co.,Ltd:Yoshimoto Kogyo is an entertainment company working for show business.  It puts much emphasis on the comedy part.  It operates comedy shows at the theaters, comical TV shows and other entertaining shows.  A lot of famous comedian celebrities are managed by this company.  BOSS E ZO FUKUOKA has one of the theaters.

  (福岡市中央~旧筑紫郡)

博多豚骨ラーメン Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen: Tonkotsu means ramen soup made from pork bones.   Tonkotsu ramen is popular all over Japan, but the origin is here or, some may say, Kurume, which is another city in Fukuoka Prefecture.  The noodles are straight and thin.  When you order a ramen, you are asked how firm you like the noodles to be boiled.  You say “Futuu” when you want them normal.   A lot want them “Katamen,” a little firm.   “Kaedama,” the system of another helping of noodles, began here.

相撲の始まり The Origin of Sumo: In the Japanese myth, some stories about contests of strength are shown.  In ancient times, sumo matches were held as a ritual for praying for good harvest, and in time, this ritual got a position of the imperial event.  Later, in the Edo period, sumo became a popular entertainment among the commoners.

芸者 Tooka Ebisu Shine: It is close to the prefectural office.  Ebisu is a god for commercial success or big fish catches.  His image is always with a fishing rod and a *red snapper.  This shrine is well known for the *geisha parade on New Year.

鯛 Red Snapper: In Japanese, “Tai.” Tai is the Japanese favorite fish not only as a good food but also as a good luck symbol.  Tai is often used for a pun.   Tai appears in “Omede-tai” and in “Ariga-tai”.   Repetitively, they are “Very happy occasion” and “Thank you.”

ガンダム Gundam: A popular robot animation series.  The first series was broadcast in 1979.   Moreover, the plastic model commonly called “Gunpla” is also popular.  

  (福岡市大宰府周辺)

牛車  Ox Statues and Ox Cart: A carriage drawn by an ox to carry an aristocrat in the Heian period.  When Michizane Sugawara passed away in Dazaifu and one of his disciplines drove an oxcart carrying his dead body, the ox stopped and lay down.  He thought his dead master made it stop and that was where the body should be buried.  Later, on this burial place, a shrine was built and later led to Dazaifu Shrine.   In the precincts of this shrine, there are eleven ox statues.  The first one you see in approaching the main hall is a black lying ox, and it is said that, if you stroke the head, you will be smarter.

楠  Camphor Tree: There are a lot of camphor trees in shrines and temples.  Especially in warmer Western Japan, some have grown very big over a long time of several hundred years.  These big trees tended to be worshipped as holy trees.  One of the reasons for its holiness is the camphor extracted from the trees, which can drive away bugs and are then thought to drive away the evil.  There is one big camphor tree in Dazaifu Shrine, which is 33 meters high, over 300 years and is designated as a national Natural Monument.

梅ヶ枝餅  Umegaemochi rice cake:  When we think of Dazaifu things, a lot first think of Umegaemochi.  It is a rice pancake stuffed with sweet adzuki bean paste.  Umegae means “a twig of a plum tree.”  According to the legend, Michizane Sugawara, demoted to Dazaifu, was leading a very poor life and couldn’t get enough food every day. An old lady got worried about his health and offered a millet cake stuck with a plum tree twig (Michzane was too great for her to get close to him).

四天王  Shitenno, Four Devas: Buddhist guard gods serving Taishaku-ten.  On the east side Jikoku-ten, south Zocho-ten, west Komoku-ten, north Tamon-ten (Bisyamon-ten).  They are usually represented as a statue wearing armors and a helmet, holding a weapon and stepping on an evil ogre.  These fighting images make them very popular.  The word Shiten-no is often used to mean the major four persons in a group or field.  

飛梅  Tobiume literally meaning “Jumped Plum Trees.”  The legend says that when Sugawara Michizane was expelled to Dazaifu, one plum tree of his love in his garden jumped over to Dazaifu to be with him.   This tree is inside the main shrine in front of the praying place.

【太宰府参道で見えたモノ】ここをクリック

福岡・北九州筑豊地区

カルスト台地 Karst plateau: This is the eroded landform including the underground.  The ground made up of water-soluble rocks like limestones has been eroded by rainwater, surface water, soil water and underground water.

焼きカレー  Grilled curried rice: It is said a café shop in Moji port began serving this food in the 1960s.  The shop tried grilling unsold remain of curried rice like gratin and found it very tasty. Later, it began to serve it and this dish got very popular, spreading as a favorite home dish around the district.  Now it is grilled in the oven with curry, cheese and egg on rice and is a local specialty for visitors to enjoy.

バナナのたたき売り  Banana showy selling: A vender sold bananas at a great lower price by showy performance of singing.  Moji port was the gate place for world trade and bananas were imported here.  The singing lyric in selling bananas remains and is performed in that district.

松本零士 Reiji Matsumoto: He is a popular manga artist.  He lived in Kokura, so the town takes advantage of this to promote the community.  You will see bronze statues of his manga characters at Kokura Station.  He came to be one of the top manga artists because the animation of his manga Space Warship Yamato got very popular.  His distinctive feature and fans’ favorite is his futuristic machine design called “Reiji Meter.”  The machines have some indicator istruments in a shape of circle with scales, like chronograph watches.  

宮本武蔵と佐々木小次郎 Musashi Miyamoto and Kojiro Sasaki: The duel between the two samurai warriors on Ganryu Island in Kanmon Strait is the story often told in novels, movies, TV dramas and manga.  It is one of the most popular historical stories among the Japanese people.  This popularity is mostly due to the novel “Miyamoto Musashi,” written by Eiji Yoshikawa.  The story has a lot of fictional episodes, but most of the Japanese people believe all of the story is historically true.  The statue of the two stands in the open space in front of Kokura Castle.

ぬか炊き Nuka-daki Fish: It is a fish food that is sold in Tanga Street, the most famous Nukadaki-selling place, and others in Kitakyusyu City.  This traditional food dish is cooked by boiling (Taki) sardines or mackerels with soy sauce and other condiments and then seasoning and fermenting them in rice bran (Nuka).  

焼きうどん Fried Udon Noodles: Daruma Shokudo in Kokura is thought to be the shop of origin.  Now there are many shops serving Yaki-Udon in Kokura, and Kokura now calls itself the town of Yaki-Udon.  It’s not a big deal to cook it, and, compared with Yaki-soba, Yaki-Udon is seasoned with more soy sauce. 

福岡・筑後地区

さざれ石  Sazare Rock: Sazare originally means “pebble,” but it often refers to the mass of the rocks formed by putting pebbles together solidly for a very long time.   The word is used in the lyrics of Kimigayo, Japanese national anthem, implying the very long history of the country or the imperial family (depending on how one think of Kimigayo, “Your time”).

キジ車  Kiji-Guruma: It is a toy representing a pheasant in a cart shape. A piece of pine wood is carved into a column form with four small wheels stuck on the bottom.   It is mostly painted red and in some parts with other colors.   It came from the legend that when Dengyo Master lost in the mountain around Kiyomizu Temple, a pheasant appeared and guided him.

牡丹  Peony: Botan in Japanese.  Chinese origin.  They bloom around May, red, purple, or white.   Sometimes a metaphor for a beautiful lady, (She is a syakuyaku peony in standing, a botan peony in sitting, a lily in walking 立てば芍薬 座れば牡丹 歩く姿は百合の花 ).  It is often used for objects of arts like paintings and patterns for kimono and earthen ware, often along with Chinese lions.

鵜飼い  Ukai, cormorant fishing: It is one method of catching fish with bird cormorants.  It is also done for tourism, and Nagara River is the best known in Japan.   The fisherman handles cormorants with the ropes and let them swallow a fish, Ayu (sweetfish), and later spit it out.

カッパ  Kappa: Kappa is a monster living in the water of a river or a pond.  Its features are like this: as tall as a small child, pointed lips, webbed hands, a shallow hollow on the top of the head (called Sara, “dish”), the liking for cucumbers.  A lot of places in Japan has one legend story about Kappa, and the people there often named their town Kappa Town for the tourism promotion.  This applies for several towns on the Chikugo River.

稲荷神社と狐 Inari Shrine and Foxes: Why is a fox statue in the Inari Shrine?  There are several theories about the reason.  These are two of them.  One reason is that the Gods’ name “Mi-ketu,” which are worshiped as food gods in Fushimi Inari, changed into “Mi-ketsune.”  Ketsune sounds the same in Kansai dialect for “Fox.” (Mi is a suffix used for showing respect).  Another reason is the fox habit.  Foxes come down to the place of human residence from the mountain in early spring and return at the harvest time in autumn.  It looked like the same habit of the God for the harvest, so they are considered as a leading animal for the God. 

櫨の蝋燭  Haze Candles: In old times before the age of petroleum, candles were made from nuts of Haze trees.   There are still some craftsmen making this kind of candles in Japan.  The candles are called “Wa-rousoku,” meaning “Japanese candle.”

巨峰 Kyoho grapes: The fruits are blackish-purple, gigantic and juicy.  Very popular kind of grapes.  In late summer and early autumn, when they bear fruits, in Tanushimaru, a lot of Kyoho gardens are open to the public as a picking-up pleasure place.

花火大会  Fireworks Show: It is held in the Chikugo River by Suitengu Shrine in summer.  This fireworks show is one of the biggest shows in Western Japan.  Fireworks shows held in July or Autumn is one of the entertaining summer features in Japan.  The festivals attract a lot of people, who enjoy the artistically beautiful fireworks.

茶畑  Tea Field: It is a very beautiful view.  A lot of long straight mounds of green tea trees, cut in a perfect smoothly curved tube form, are lined beautifully and systematically, in some way, reminding us of a European symmetric garden. Tea leaves are weak against low temperature, so a lot of tall poles with a fan on the top.  The fans drive away the cold air from the fields during nights.

仏壇  Buddhism Altar: It is a household altar to worship the deceased and ancestors in the family.

石灯籠  Stone Lantern: In temples, stone lanterns are used as lighting devices, but in Japanese gardens they are just ornaments to add some atmosphere.

和紙  Japanese Paper: It is the paper produced in unique traditional Japanese methods.  It is made from Kozo and other plants by the hand straining.  It absorbs water well, and it is good for the Japanese calligraphy and paintings.  There are many places in Japan remaining the handmade paper productions as traditional craftworks.

ベンガラ  Bengara: Bengara is an oxide kind of pigment for reddish brown.  The name came from the name of a place in India, Bengal.  Yame Town has the old district where some houses using Bengara remain, and it promotes this district for tourism purposes.

七夕 Tanabata: Tanabata is the night of July the 7th, when Orihime and Hikoboshi can cross the Milky Way and meet once a year.  We celebrate this night by writing our wish on a paper slip and hanging it on an ornamented bamboo as a prayer.   

Tanabata Legend is like this: Orihime, a daughter of Heavenly God, was a diligent worker good at weaving, and she met another diligent boy Kengyu working as a cow telecare.  They fell in love with each other at one sight.  They got married, but they ignored their duties and just fooled around.   Heavenly god got angry with them, and he separated them to put each of them on the different bank on the river.  As Otohime was so depressed and cried, the God allowed them to meet on the night of July the 7th only once a year.

カエルのオブジェ  Frog: Frog figurines are placed everywhere to expect good luck to come.   Frogs croak in and before rain, which is needed for good harvest, so it came to be a symbol of good luck.   They are thought to be sent to the earth by God.  This is a good luck charm.

風鈴 Wind Chimes Furin: This a small bell hanging under the eaves in summer.  Its clinking good sound makes us feel a bit cooler on hot summer days.  It is a way of feeling cool breeze by the sound.   It is made of glass or thin metal or whatever sounds good clinking sound.

エツ料理 Etsu Fish: It is a kind of anchovy living in brackish water.  Etsu dish is eaten in the towns at the lower reach of the Chikugo River only in May, June and July.  It is good in its light taste without fishy smells.   

エツ伝説 A Story about Etsu: Long time ago, there was a travelling monk standing alone at the boat landing place for the river.  He was dressed poorly and miserably.  He wanted to get to the other side of the river, but he got no money.  All the boatmen ignored him.  
However, one boat man gave some help to this monk standing at a loss.
“Get on my boat, please.”
 The monk returned his favor.  He picked up one leaf of a reed at the bank and threw it into the water.  Then, a miracle happened.  The floating leaf on the water instantly changed to a beautiful silver.
The boatman was surprised and had a close look at it.  That is a real fish.
The monk said, “If you have a hard time for living, catch this fish.”
This fish was Etsu, and the monk was Kukai, aka Kobo Master.  

大川組子  Ookawa Kumiko Wood Joinery: It is a craftwork of wood patterns made by putting together thinly cut wood pieces without using nails.  The patterns include “hemp leaf,” “sesame shell,” and ”double flowered cherry blossom” and the total number is over two hundred.  The craftsmen use some of these to create their own beautiful patterns.  Ookawa Kumiko has been used for the ornaments of the guest rooms of the tourism train “Nanatsu Boshi in Kyusyu.”

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