Capitals of Japan. Nagaoka-Kyo (784-794)
Nagaoka-Kyo was founded as the capital of Japan in 784 after Emperor Kanmu transferred the State Council to Heijo (today Nara). The reason for the Emperor's preference for Nagaoka-Kyo was the presence of rivers, which provided excellent water transport. However, these rivers were the cause of the city's downfall, as frequent floods and constant dampness led to various diseases among the inhabitants, which eventually forced the emperor to move the capital to Heian-Kyo in 794.
Nara Gardens
Based on the excavations, it was also possible to reconstruct the gardens, restoring the ancient appearance of this area. In Nara, deforestation near the sacred Mount Kasugayama was prohibited for more than a thousand years. And today they are considered pristine. Japanese cedars still grow there, and these forests are home to many rare animals. They themselves are a natural monument. It is very unusual that these ancient forests are located in close proximity to the city. They are an important destination for tourist excursions. These forests are free to visit every day. There are 175 species of trees, 598 species of flowers, 60 species of animals and birds and 1,180 species of insects.
Kyoto (794-1868)
Originally known as Heian-Kyo, Kyoto has been the capital of Japan for over a millennium. Kyoto received capital status in 794 after Emperor Kanmu moved the government office from Nagaoka-Kyo to the city. The Emperor modeled Kyoto on the ancient Chinese city of Chang'an, where the city was pre-planned, with large streets (some over 25 meters wide), squares and parks. Two artificial canals were dug, which provided residents with a stable water supply and also protected the city from floods.
History of Tokyo
Heian-Kyo was plagued by fires for centuries and was almost burned to the ground during the War of 1467-1477. The rise of the Tokugawa shogunate in the early 17th century ultimately led to the fall of the Edo government in 1608. However, Kyoto remained the formal capital until Edo was renamed Tokyo in 1868.
Nara today
The ancient capital of Nara is today a favorite tourist destination for the Japanese. Excursions here for graduating classes of schools and kindergarten groups are especially popular. For foreign travelers there are tours that usually last one day. If you plan to stay here for a longer time, you should take care of booking a hotel in advance, since there are not very many of them in this city. The former capital of Japan is one of the best places to admire the cherry blossoms in spring and the beauty of mimiji leaves in autumn.
Edo (1608-1868)
Edo was the seat of the feudal military government of the Tokugawa clan and therefore the de facto capital of Japan between 1608 and 1868. Tokugawa built Edo Castle in the city, which was the official residence of the "shogun". The city of Edo was built around the castle and quickly grew from a humble fishing village to the largest center of the world in the 18th century. The Tokugawa shogunate was quite effective in the administration and planning of the city, as it appointed administrators who acted as judges in criminal and civil conflicts, and also adopted firearms.
23 districts of Tokyo
The fire department was critical, Edo often suffered many catastrophic fires, including the Great Xyrex Fire in Meireki, where approximately 1,657 people died. While Edo was the center of political power and the de facto capital, Kyoto was still recognized as the official capital of Japan.
In 1868, after the shoguns were overthrown, the emperor moved to Edo, located east of Kyoto, and renamed it Tokyo, or more accurately Tokyo, the "eastern capital" and retained its role as the de facto capital of the country.
Transfer of capital
In the 20 years since the city's rapid development began, Edo's infrastructure has become increasingly complex. This made it possible to create a developed army capable of winning any war. In 1615, the Tokugawa army defeated the remaining clans that controlled territory in Japan, thus achieving absolute power.
Kidai Shoran, 1805. Edo period scenes set along the main street of Nihonbashi.
After becoming the sole ruler, Tokugawa created various governing settlements throughout the country to help control power in Japan. Since he lived in Edo all this time, the city actively developed and expanded its territories.
Interesting fact : in the 18th century, Edo became one of the most populated cities on the planet.
Tokyo (1868)
After the surrender of the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1867, the country experienced major reforms under the 17-year-old Meiji Emperor, including the renaming of Edo to Tokyo in 1868, while Edo Castle was renamed the Imperial Palace. The city became one of the largest cities in the world and the center of many industries. The Tokyo metropolitan area has the highest population in the world, with approximately 40 million residents.
The Economist finds Tokyo is the safest city in the world
From every trip, every person brings a lot of photographs and impressions. Many years ago, I decided that when I travel, I would talk into a voice recorder about my impressions of what I saw. So a lot of audio recordings and photographs have accumulated. Now I will gradually post these recordings here.
The first story in this series is dedicated to the three capitals of Japan.
When my husband and I asked our Japanese friends to organize a trip to Japan to get acquainted with their culture and history, they were very surprised. Most foreigners - Russian, American, and European - usually try to get into entertainment venues and shops. We were the first who wanted to travel along this route. They were very flattered and tried to show us their country as fully as possible, taking into account the short period of our stay there. Subsequently, a friend accompanying us on that trip told us in Moscow: “Thank you, thanks to you I saw my country. I would never have gone on such an excursion myself.” So in this the Japanese are no different from us - we travel all over the world, but we don’t know what beauties are next to us. Strange country Japan. When you arrive, everything seems to be clean, the airport is so bright, everything is wonderful. But the expectations are completely different. Tokyo is like New York - everything is tall and narrow. Narrow houses, and everything rises to the clouds. Little women, little men. Good-natured, polite, responsive. If necessary, we are always ready to help.
A strange feeling immediately arose - no one was smiling on the street. There is no such thing as in Beijing or New York. And people smile more in Moscow. There are no bright colors. Everyone wears dark clothes: black, gray and brown. There are practically no bright colors like in the movie “Wasabi” on the streets. The center is full of men and women in business suits, reminiscent of Wall Street. But all this is unnatural, as if it is feigned, external, and what is inside is absolutely incomprehensible or inaccessible. In Tokyo, there is a feeling of foreignness, despite the fact that the external attributes are quite consistent with the habits of Europeans.
The billboards mostly feature European faces. The city is completely Europeanized, and maybe this is what causes the rejection to a large extent. It turns out that in modern Tokyo there are two directions in behavior and development. The first is traditional and presupposes the cult of national values and the preservation of traditions, while the other is oriented to the West and, above all, to the United States. At the end of our trip, we decided to ask the question: why are people in Japan so favorable towards the United States, which dropped an atomic bomb on the country, and wary towards Russia? The answer was as follows: Russia cannot forgive the Kuril Islands, and the Americans were subsequently very worried about their action and helped a lot to the victims after the bombing. They brought food to the victims, bad and spoiled, but no one remembers this. So I thought: it turns out that the main thing is not actions and how to present them, what is now called PR. Just think, they dropped a couple of atomic bombs on cities, but then they helped.
Just like people, Japanese cities are divided into traditional cities and Europeanized ones. This depends on the size and importance of the city, as well as the development of industry in it.
Tokyo itself, especially its central part, is the most ordinary metropolis and represents some kind of unreal multi-tiered world. Now you understand where Murakami came from. You can go into the metro, go down the escalator, then walk through the tunnel, go down again and come out to an open-air square. Or you can go into the pedestrian tunnel, and then take a long time to climb up to the surface along numerous stairs, passages and escalators. You never know exactly where you are - above the ground, on the ground or underground. The feeling of not “this” life, of a different reality. Pedestrian tiers are complemented by multi-tiered roads - two, three, or even four road surfaces pass on top of each other, connected by exits and interchanges. At the same time, the upper road sometimes passes at the level of tenth to fourteenth floors.
Tokyo is a modern metropolis with modern architecture.
But at the same time, Tokyo residents managed to solve one extremely important problem. Thirty years ago, the air in the city was so polluted that the authorities installed oxygen machines on the streets of the city so that people could sometimes breathe. Today, Tokyo is one of the cleanest cities in the world in terms of air quality. And the above-mentioned multi-tier roads that do not create traffic jams, as well as a convenient and very extensive system of urban public transport, helped solve this problem. It took the city twenty years to solve the problems of urban air. One of the most famous streets in Tokyo is Ginza.
It is famous for the fact that it houses shops, offices and representative offices of all the most famous trade and manufacturing brands in the world. The cost of land here is the highest in the world. And here, more often than in other places, you can see strange houses: the width of the house is no more than three meters, a little more than a door, and the height of the house is more than a dozen floors. It is neatly built between other buildings and borders them with walls. This is precisely due to the lack of space and the high cost of land. In Ginza, traffic is blocked on weekends and you can walk right in the middle of the street.
Scooters and motorcycles are much more common on the streets of Japan than in Europe, and even more so than in Korea and China. But the cars differ only in brands. Mostly the cars are new, or almost new, and mostly small cars. Patterns of behavior in public places are often unusual for us. For example, if people collide on the street or in transport, they do not apologize. My reaction “sorry” was surprising.
Separately, it should be said about the toilet. Here, two types of toilets are usually offered in one place - Western and Eastern type. The oriental style toilet is much more convenient. You feel more hygienic wearing it, you come into less contact with everything around you, and flushing is done by pressing your foot. In fact, this is our native village toilet, that is, a hole in the floor. Only in Japan is this a hole that has received its evolutionary development. But the principle remains the same. It is curious that street toilets are often closed on only two sides, and on two sides there is free space, not limited by any walls. This means that any passerby can observe the process. But this doesn’t seem to bother the Japanese, neither men nor women. The Japanese behave very tactfully towards Europeans. We didn't catch any curious glances. But what’s interesting: if a European walks down the street in Tokyo, then he is immediately visible, but if a Japanese walks in Moscow, then he gets lost among the passers-by.
The best cuisine in Tokyo is considered to be in those restaurants located in the port. The fish served here is fish caught in the sea in the morning. Restaurants are usually closed on Sunday because the port is closed, which means there is no fresh fish. Typically, the restaurant is owned by the owner of the fishing boat. Some of the fish is sold, some is supplied to city restaurants, and he cooks the best part in his restaurant. Everything that remains uneaten until the morning goes for sale. Recently, the fish market in Tokyo port has been open since 5 am. The invasion of tourists into the fish market is disturbing traders; tourists are no longer allowed there, but fish restaurants still remain in the port.
One of the best restaurants in Tokyo port is “Sushi Zan Mai”, which translates as “eat sushi endlessly”, “unlimited quantity”. And now we are already standing in line at this fish restaurant. By the way, there are stools brought out here especially for those standing in line. There are many different restaurants around, but we are standing (or rather, sitting) exactly where the queue is the longest. There is no one in the restaurant opposite. Such is the authority of this institution. Having tried their cuisine, it became clear that forty minutes were well spent.
In Japanese cuisine, sushi, and only sushi can be eaten with your hands, everything else can be eaten with chopsticks, and soup too. In a sushi bar, the most experienced master is closest to the entrance to the kitchen. The farther from the entrance, the lower the level of the master. Level is not only work experience, but length of service in this restaurant. The master may be elderly, but his level is not high. In this case, it will be located further from the entrance. Therefore, all visitors, as a rule, try to take a place closer to the kitchen, and therefore to the best sushi master.
While walking around Tokyo, you notice that only occasionally do you come across temple buildings. One of the most famous places in Tokyo is a square with shopping arcades between Buddha temples, symbolizing a Buddhist stupa, and Shinto, painted in bright orange colors. The Japanese say that they have two religions that coexist peacefully: they are born and grow up according to Shintoism, and live and die according to Buddhism. Therefore, everywhere two temples are located nearby. Here, unlike Christian churches, there are shopping arcades in front of the temples. This street-square is similar to Old Arbat in Moscow. Merchants offer their goods - fans, costumes, jewelry, etc. It is simply impossible to describe the smell on this street: the aroma of fried bananas, chrysanthemums, and spices can be heard from all sides.
On this street we happened to see two different ceremonies that day: a funeral...
and a performance to mark the 120th anniversary of the Sen Soji Buddhist Temple, which is located in the Asaksa district, near central Tokyo. Today is the anniversary of the temple and therefore there is a vibrant dance performance in the square. The surprising thing is that the dancers are not young, but elderly and middle-aged. Moreover, in the forefront are the older generation, and then a little younger. This dance is 120 years old. It was then that the tradition of this dance was born and it is still performed every year.
At the same time, at the other end of the street, a funeral ceremony was taking place, which in modern Japan is not very different from the European one. The owner of the restaurant, who lived in the neighboring house, probably died. One banner was hung on the house of the deceased, and the other on the restaurant (with three white hieroglyphs on a black background). Everyone is dressed in black: both men and women. A funeral Cadillac arrived for the deceased. From here he will be taken in a coffin for cremation, and then buried in a crypt. The coffin was placed in the car and everyone bowed after the departed. Then all the staff returned to their jobs and the restaurant reopened for service.
You can't help but compare the Imperial Palace in Tokyo with the Imperial Palace in Beijing. The comparison is clearly not in favor of the Japanese palace. The majestic and colossal structure of the Chinese leaves an impression of power and beauty created by human hands. The palace of the Japanese emperor is more like an oasis in the middle of a big city, which is still surrounded by an impressive fortress wall.
In addition, the palace has elements of new architecture, albeit in the Japanese style.
Reconstruction was carried out here in 1968, partly due to the fact that much of it burned down during the war. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that the palace in Tokyo is the active residence of the Japanese emperor, while in Beijing it is only a museum. But perhaps this is due to the difference in worldview, because Chinese philosophy is the philosophy of the spirit, and Japanese is the philosophy of beauty and harmony with nature. The palace personifies Japanese philosophy: every detail of the landscape and buildings is in harmony with nature, all details are thought out to the smallest detail and executed perfectly.
Subsequently, we had the opportunity to verify that such an approach to the design of living space is characteristic of Japanese culture.
There are many fishes here as a symbol. Moreover, both in decorative design and in living form in reservoirs. In China, this symbol is the dragon. What is strange: after all, in mythology the dragon is younger in origin than the fish, and Chinese civilization is ancient. There is a nice garden on the territory of the palace: paths, water, crossings, reeds, a waterfall and lanterns. Each tree has a sign with the name of the tree. A charming place, but extremely neglected, which may be due to some philosophical meaning. As usual, fish, white and white-red, swim in the pond. Very big. And, like the deer in Nara, they pester passers-by.
The Palace of the Japanese Emperors in Tokyo is a closed area for most of the year. You can only get into certain places for tourists here. You can walk along the alleys around the palace. There is an inner castle and an outer wall. This is exactly the place intended for tourist walks. Twice a year the palace opens to visitors. At the same time, the imperial family is behind glass and greets those who come.
Tokyo did not strike us at all with any national peculiarities, and we went to get acquainted with the ancient capitals of Japan. The famous bullet train took us to Kyoto. If you travel by it from Tokyo to Kyoto, it is 15,000 yen ($150) more expensive. The difference in speed with a regular train is two times. A regular train takes 5-6 hours, and an express train takes 2.5 hours.
Kyoto is the second chronological capital of Japan. She is on her way from Tokyo to Osaka. Kyoto and Tokyo are words of the same order. “To” is the capital. Accordingly, the eastern capital and the capital of all capitals. When we were traveling on the express train, we saw the symbol of Japan on the right - Mount Fuji. The Japanese respectfully call her Fuji-san. Unfortunately, this time we did not have the opportunity to go to the foot of the mountain and swim in the thermal springs on its slopes. But we firmly decided that we would definitely visit this place on our next visit.
The station restaurant introduced us to Japanese fast food, a mysterious and unusual phenomenon. On the one hand, this is fast food, on the other hand, this is Japanese food. It's certainly better than McDonald's. But it differs sharply from the usual menu of Japanese restaurants in its quality. In the middle of the station there is an amazing fountain, which in its internal philosophy is reminiscent of the sculptures of Gunther Uecker. Only Uecker worked with nails, but here the main character is water.
In Kyoto we were greeted by bright colors and cheerful faces of passers-by. Here the real Japan was waiting for us, which had not yet lost its traditions. How different it is from gray Tokyo! Arriving in Kyoto in the middle of the day, we left our things at a traditional hotel (more on that below) and went for a walk around the city. The city is very small, so you can walk everywhere. But taxis are also available here. However, while in Tokyo taxi doors open automatically, here the taxi driver is supposed to get out and offer his hand to the passengers.
Kyoto is located on the slopes of low but very picturesque mountains that melt into the haze. The forest smoothly descends and turns into the city with its narrow streets and squat houses. Kyoto gives a more pleasant and joyful impression than Tokyo. And the colors are brighter, and the people are more cheerful and nicer, and the buildings are lower, and you can feel the presence of a tradition that is revered here and which is the basis of this world. The landscapes are completely different - small cozy parks in courtyards, similar to the one that was in the courtyard of our hotel. Everything here promotes inner contemplation and meditation.
If in Tokyo it is almost impossible to meet a woman in national clothes, then in Kyoto national clothes are often worn as everyday clothes. Here, another feature of the daily life of Japanese women became noticeable: they often go on various trips with their friends while their husbands work. This is one of the women's entertainments. In Kyoto we met many such cheerfully chirping groups.
First of all, we, of course, went to the local imperial palace, to the samurai’s estate. In Japan, autumn is not called “golden autumn”, but “red autumn”. Being here, it becomes clear why this is so. Now in November the trees are just beginning to turn red, and in a couple of weeks all the mountains will be covered in red, red, and burgundy.
The samurai's estate, like the Tokyo palace, was more of a place to live than a ruler's palace. A neatly decorated garden, small buildings, very laconic Japanese design. No frills. The design of the park serves for visual pleasure and philosophical reflection in an attempt to reunite with the universe. Lawns are either carefully mowed and weeded, or lined with gravel and sand. Here the courtyard is decorated with sand, which is laid out in lines, waves, hills.
All this encourages contemplation and reflection. Then we continued our journey along a picturesque path on the mountainside. Here you are allowed to walk only on certain paths, so that people do not trample down the moss. Everything is limited - you can’t run in the mountains. Along the road we came across various picturesque structures made of stones, springs, designed in such a way that they not only quench our thirst, but also encourage reflection.
This is where all the falling leaves are collected. But this does not look like something artificial or like a tactless intervention in nature. The leaf interferes with beauty. By removing the leaf, beauty is restored. It seems that they feel the world and create something very harmonious. I have never seen an artificially created landscape and nature combine so well. On the way, we saw an interesting picture: a gardener, sitting on the lawn, selects something from the ground and puts it on a tray.
For this purpose he uses only a small broom. We watched him for about ten minutes and then asked our guide: “what is he doing?” “Weeding the moss,” the guide answered, “that’s his job.” Every day he comes to this slope and does weeding. When he finishes the entire lawn, a new one is already sprouting at the beginning. And he starts all over again." We were amazed. And this is probably an integral part of the Japanese mentality: one must strive for harmony and beauty in everything, and this is the only way to achieve perfection. Leaving the palace, we heard that there would be a light show there in the evening and were determined not to miss this spectacle. Next, our path lay in the temple complex. There are many temples with magnificent names: the Silver Temple, the temple of pure water Kyo Mize Dera, Ko Nai Di. "Di" means "temple" in Japanese. The first temple was built here by the ruler from Nara. At first it was his country residence, and then the main capital was moved here. Its inspection begins with the orange Shinto part.
Here, on the steps of the complex, we first saw tourists in bright national costumes. In Kyoto, Nara and even sometimes in Tokyo you can see women in traditional dress, but usually you don’t even notice it because they are not colorful and very simple. But here everything is done specifically for tourists: small companies offer tourists to wear Japanese costumes, paint their faces white, and put on wigs. Then tourists can walk around the park in costume, but must be accompanied by a special employee. The fact is that women are very uncomfortable walking in unusual shoes and tight clothes. An accompanying employee supports them and helps them walk.
On the territory of the complex there is a wonderful pond with huge fish: fat, well-fed. Some kind of carp hybrid. Here's a fishing rod!!! We'd enjoy it. How beautifully they swim here!!! There are even fish a meter long.
In the Buddhist part of the temple complex we were greeted by the famous Kyoto wishing tree with numerous notes attached.
The temple complex presupposes the presence of various buildings with a certain specialization. For example, in one temple there is a place where Shiva is probably sitting on some kind of iron thing. Young couples come up and hit this piece of iron. It is said to promote family happiness, well-being and fertility. In front of the entrance to another temple there are two deities. One helps wealth, and the other helps career advancement. In front of them is a container for coins and offerings. There was a whole line of people waiting for them. It is unknown how much they increase someone's wealth, but they certainly increase their own wealth quickly. Mostly young couples come to the next temple before their wedding. Everything here is connected with the birth of children, wealth in the family, family well-being.
style=”text-align: justify;”>Next our path lay to a temple with an observation deck, which offered a wonderful view of the mountains. This temple is a unique architectural structure. It rests partly on the mountain and partly on very high wooden supports. In Japan there is a saying associated with this temple: when a person takes a very big risk, they say that he jumps from the balcony of this temple. We would say “step into the fire” or “step off the roof.”
At the foot of the structure there is a spring, if you drink water from it, you can come into contact with the universe, with the cosmos. And they get water out of it with long, very long scoops. There was such a huge line at the source that we immediately decided to move on without delay. As we left the temple complex, we walked past the ancient wall of a samurai's castle. The walls are lined with stone. They are not even, but very well fitted, which is a characteristic feature of the architecture of a samurai castle. This wall goes down in terraces, and at the very top there is a temple.
We walked out into the narrow streets of Kyoto. Here at the exit stood a young Buddhist monk who was collecting offerings. They explained to us that at the beginning of monasticism they have this version of service: he stands motionless near the temple all day and collects offerings.
Here, on a narrow street in Kyoto, we saw a geisha for the only time during our entire stay in Japan. She got out of the taxi and headed towards the apartment building. She was not dressed as brightly as the girls in suits in the temple park, but not as impersonally as everyday national clothes. Sophisticated and beautiful. She was followed by the admiring glances of passers-by, and she, feeling the impact she had on those around her, calmly and decorously proceeded to a house. Residential buildings here, as throughout Japan, are very small. The lack of space to live affects buildings, both modern and old. And outside the city, like here, there are vegetable gardens. And this is not a lawn, but real vegetable gardens. People grow something there. Less than six acres, very small, but cultivated.
We walked around Kyoto until nightfall and enjoyed the beauty of the city. Many lights, illumination, lanterns accompanied us everywhere. But it was quite harmonious lighting: not bright, not provocative, and did not overshadow the stars.
Near houses you can often find a figurine of the animal mascot Tanuki. This is a picture of a raccoon dog, which is found in the Far East and Japan. It symbolizes happiness and well-being at home. Tanuki is usually translated into Russian as a were-badger.
And when it got completely dark, we went to a light show at the samurai’s palace. There is a season here when the entire park is lit up. And we got to see it.
The entire palace park is artificially illuminated with lights. Trees and buildings were illuminated in an unusual way. The light seems to pass into the landscape and dissolve in it. The path is illuminated by small lights. The backlight is so diverse that there is no limit to surprise. And candles, and flashlights of all kinds, and electric lamps, and spotlights. And in the middle of the pond on a small island there is a lantern in the shape of a house with windows. Very nice and compact.
A whole light show was staged near one of the buildings, with illumination and imitation fireworks. The shimmer of light on numerous edges is reflected on everything that is around: buildings, trees, people, and all this with musical accompaniment. Unfortunately, the camera was unable to convey the effect that the designers achieved. But the biggest shock awaited further, near the pond. The pond is located on the palace grounds behind a high wall. When you walk along the wall to the entrance to the courtyard, you constantly hear surprised and slightly frightened exclamations of people ahead of you. It was not only a cry of surprise, but also of incredible shock. We were ready to see something unusual, but we did not expect such beauty, impossibility, unreality, and miracle. At first it seemed that behind the gate to the right of the path, an illuminated abyss, the slopes of which were overgrown with trees, went down from our feet. The abyss is absolutely bottomless. Only somewhere below are the stars shining. The natural reaction is an exclamation, which includes both delight and fear at the same time. Only after some time (I don’t even know how long, because I forgot about everything), we realized that this was a quiet and smooth surface of water, above which forested banks rose. Thanks to the installed lamps, the boundary between the shore and the water disappears, and the reflection is so real that there is a feeling of a beautiful and bottomless abyss. We approached the lake. The beauty of the universe and the feeling of the infinity of space completely took my breath away: above and below there were stars, and between them dense and beautiful slopes covered with forest.
To finish the story about Kyoto, we should mention the rock garden that we visited at the estate of a local samurai the next day, when we returned from Nara. Samurai often built themselves country houses. In 1450, this garden was created by a samurai as a country dacha. The rock garden is characterized by the fact that there are fifteen stones in it, but no matter from which point one looks, walking around the garden, only fourteen are always visible. It is believed that it is best to reflect and meditate in such a garden. It is said that there is no definite philosophical explanation for this. Everyone perceives and explains it differently. The rock garden can be contemplated from the shady part or the sunny part, depending on what is closer to the mood of the contemplator at the moment. And somewhere over the rock garden a helicopter flies in perfect dissonance...
We were not able to see the famous White Buddha statue in Kyoto. This colossal white outdoor statue is located on the banks of a reflective pond. But these days the complex was closed.
The national hotel is worth talking about separately. We asked to be accommodated in a traditional Japanese hotel. And they didn’t regret their request at all. Usually the Japanese, supporters of the traditional way of life, and occasionally crazy foreigners like us stay in such hotels. Externally, the hotel looks like an ordinary low house with a courtyard.
But when you get inside, the building is one floor underground and three floors above the ground. Moreover, the hotel is equipped with a very modern elevator. We never found these three floors outside. Shoes were taken off at the entrance to the hotel, as required by tradition, and people walked around barefoot inside. Our room had very little furniture and no beds. Instead of beds, we got two thick mats, and the pillows were stuffed not with feathers or stuffing, but with buckwheat husks.
Before going to bed we were invited to visit a Japanese bath. Who would refuse this! Usually men and women go to different bathhouses. But this time there were few guests in the hotel and there was no one in the bathhouse except us, so we were offered to use one. A Japanese bath is more like a very hot bath, and it is called “ofro” or “ohro”. In the Japanese language there are a lot of average-sounding letters, from the point of view of the Russian language: a letter between l and r, between sh and s, between f and x. The name Mitsubishi in the Russian version will be equally correct through both s and sh (Mitsubishi).
The bathhouse is a small room, most of which is occupied by a pool of water, approximately 2 by 2 meters in size. The depth in the center is about one and a half meters, but steps go down on both sides so that you can enter gradually. In the far corner, hot water constantly flows from the stone mouth of a lion. In order to explain the temperature of the water in the pool, we should recall the ancient folk procedure of steaming feet in hot water. The water is so hot that you have to lower your feet into the water very slowly. In a Japanese bath, this is the temperature in the pool. We entered the pool for fifteen minutes in three steps and stood for about ten minutes. The font is designed for approximately five people. You can only dive up to your chest. You can't go lower because it's bad for your heart. In essence, this bath is closest to Roman baths and thermal baths. Around the pool there are five showers (not cabins, but showers attached to the wall), with small cages, so small that you can put them on your head, and stools, sitting on which you can wash yourself or simply douse yourself with cold water. After this, you can plunge into boiling water again and quickly go up to your room to go to bed. A couple of minutes after this procedure, we were already sleeping like a baby. In the morning, a traditional Japanese breakfast awaited us, at which we again managed to amaze the Japanese. They brought us a small cup of sea urchin caviar. In my opinion, a very tasty thing. But the hotel owner said that we were the first Europeans to eat this dish. Breakfast was very filling. It was impossible to eat it, so I just had to take a bite - I wanted to try everything. After breakfast we left for the charming city of Nara, the first capital of the Yamato era.
We were lucky with the weather. We went to Nara at an air temperature of 22 degrees. In T-shirts. This is also a manifestation of global climate imbalance, because the climatic norm in November is considered to be a temperature of about 10. A ticket from Kyoto to Nara costs 1,200 yen, and the journey takes 36 minutes. We are traveling along an old private railway. The train has two floors, and we sat on the second floor. Most railways in Japan are owned by private companies. Previously, there was a single state network where regular trains and high-speed express trains ran. But fifteen years ago, the entire network was divided into private companies, between which they organized something like social competition. One company received one part of Japan, the second received another part, and so on. The most profitable part is the one that connects Tokyo and Osaka. But in Hokkaido the road does not pay. And now we are traveling on a completely private railway. The owners create their own construction companies, which build housing along their own road. In this way, they receive additional income - as contractors for construction and as a transport company in the region. The more people built in these places, the more people used the railroad.
Here we are in Nara. A very nice little town where everyone is smiling. Right next to the road on the sidewalk is a small Buddha. There are many offerings around him. And further on, a woman sells hot sweet potatoes, cooked right there in a huge pan on wheels. Boiled sweet potato is equivalent to our pasties and shawarma. But much more useful.
Here, deer walk everywhere in the city because they live here. Ordinary deer, only their antlers were cut off. And they behave completely indecently: they walk throughout the city, cross roads, create traffic jams, pester merchants and tourists. There are hundreds of them here. Local merchants in their shops constantly drive away cute, but very clingy animals from their shops. Deer poke their noses everywhere and try to steal something; store owners keep a watchful eye on them and fight them off like annoying flies. Deer are the symbol of Nara. They crawl under the feet, under the wheels, poke their muzzles into the hands and knees of passers-by and pester in every possible way. In addition, Nara is the center of weapons craft; edged weapons have been made here since ancient times: knives, swords, throwing darts and various other throwing devices.
First, our path lies to the Shinto shrine, which is located on a mountain, in a park on the outskirts of Nara. There is an alley leading from the gate to the temple, and along it there are stone lanterns. They make an impression during the day, and probably especially at night. On the temple grounds there is a coniferous tree called dusty. Trees of this species are very tall and create a lot of dust in the spring. The temple is very large, so there are several schools attached to the temple. In Japan there are men's, women's, and mixed schools. But it is Nara that is famous for its schools.
At the entrance to the temple, young and pure girls, who are called holy girls here, sell various souvenirs.
The temple amazes with its scale and splendor.
Here today is a celebration of children turning 3, 5 and 7 years old. Their parents bring them to the temple for some ritual associated with growing up. They are all dressed in festive national clothes and look very much like dolls!
Unfortunately, it’s time for us to move on and we are heading to the Buddhist part - to the Big Buddha Temple. On the way we come across a local bank, which looks quite original: a barn on stilts, without windows, with one door. There are trees around with ribbons - apparently a holy place.
The road from one temple to another did not take much time: Shinto and Buddha temples are often located nearby and do not interfere with each other. Absolute religious tolerance. Here people go to all the temples, both Buddhist and Shinto.
Unlike a Shinto shrine, a Buddhist shrine has pillars rather than lanterns. These columns are evidence of citizens' offerings to the temple. One of the balconies of the Buddhist part is adapted as an observation deck.
In front of us is the Big Buddha Temple, near which, of course, deer walk, and next to the temple hangs a huge bell. There is a log attached to it with which you can hit it. The Big Buddha Temple is very monumental and makes an indelible impression.
It's huge. It can be compared to Chinese buildings created by imperial megalomania. To the right of the temple entrance is an amazing and unusual wooden Buddha statue.
Inside the temple, the central part up to the roof is occupied by a colossal statue of Buddha.
Around him are the people accompanying him. 
There is a feeling of mysticism inside the temple. Buddhism is mystical in its essence and here you come into contact with religion and the world it created.
In the temple, monks sell local amulets, amulets and souvenirs. Inside the temple there is a column with a through hole that only a child can fit through. If a child crawls through it, he will be happy. Children run around the pole laughing and climb into it several times. You will never see children laughing and running in a Christian church, but here it brings a smile of tenderness and does not look like blasphemy at all.
Nara turned out to be a very quiet, beautiful and calm city. It resembles our provincial Murom. It seems to be touristic, but it seems to be outback. A lively provincial town. But we are heading back to Kyoto, then to Tokyo, and then home to Moscow.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to our friend and guide on this trip, Nakashita san.
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Museums
The main cultural center of all of Asia is the Tokyo National Museum, which began its existence in the 19th century. The museum's exhibitions include more than 100,000 exhibits, including sculptures, paintings, samurai clothing and armor. On a vast territory, in 5 buildings, there are both permanent and temporary exhibitions. Those wishing to purchase souvenirs will also be interested - in addition to traditional magnets, T-shirts and mugs, here you can buy traditional samurai swords and even a katana.
Ueno Park
One of the most popular museums in Tokyo is the Shitamashi History Museum. The museum complex consists of several tiers: the first contains narrow streets and small reconstructed houses and shops from past centuries. The second floor is occupied by various exhibits that clearly demonstrate the way of life of ordinary people in the 19th century.
Science fiction fans will definitely appreciate the Miraikan - National Museum of the Development of Science and Innovation. The 6 floors of this futuristic building house the main achievements of Japanese scientists in many fields. Robotics occupies an important place here, and the main exhibit is the humanoid robot ASIMO, with whom you can communicate in any language and on any topic. The entire museum complex is completely interactive, and all presented objects can be touched, felt, turned on and turned in different directions.
Disneyland
Edo-Tokyo Museum - combines everything that can be combined: both the tools of the ancient Japanese and modern gadgets. Many exhibits are recreated in life-size and look very realistic. Here you can learn about the rules of Japanese etiquette and religious traditions, be transported back to the Second World War or to a royal ball of the 19th century. Under one roof of the original building, collections of various directions are collected - from painting to farming. For the convenience of visitors, all presented objects are placed in chronological order.
No less interesting are the Metro Museum, the Little Prince Museum, where visitors are told about the life of the author of the famous work, the Museum of Glasses, the Bicycle Museum, and the Museum of the Ghibli Animation Studio.
Takao
Parks
Local residents of the huge metropolis strive to spend their free time in nature. One of the main such places is Ueno Park, located in the very center of Tokyo. The park area is very large and includes a zoo, a botanical garden, 4 temple and 4 museum complexes. Here, people tired of the crazy pace of life can calmly relax and unwind.
Rainbow Bridge
In the vicinity of the capital there is a popular theme park called Disneyland. The complex is divided into 7 zones: Fantasyland, Adventureland, which includes attractions about pirates of the Caribbean, Toontown, which contains the main Disney characters, Tomorrowland, which allows you to take a virtual trip through space, Wild Westland with crazy roller coasters, Animalland and World Bazaar. The last zone is reserved specifically for fans of shopping - on the territory of Disneyland you can buy a huge amount of a wide variety of souvenirs. All zones are connected to each other via a monorail. In addition to entertainment, the park also has other tourist infrastructure - restaurants and cafes offering local and international cuisine, hotels, shops and even parking.
