August in Osaka, for many, means just one thing – “Koshien High School Baseball” – a huge baseball tournament that somehow makes the head of mid-summer all the more bearable.

Comparable in some forms to the English FA Cup in that every high school in the nation, if they happen to have a baseball team, has a chance to progress to the final, the annual National High School Baseball Tournament to give it its proper title is held at the home of the Hanshin Tigers (pro) baseball team – Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture – a smidgen to the west of Osaka.

Dating to 1915, in a country known to rebuild rather than maintain, Koshien has long served as one of the two leading pillars* in Japanese ballpark history, and as 2008 is the 90^th (several tourneys were skipped in wartime) time the tournament has been held, proceedings will be viewed as just that little more special this time round.

As such, the chance to play the game they love in a packed stadium as renowned as Koshien is not only a thrill for the boys, their schools and supporters, it is equally thrilling for the millions of baseball fans around the country who tune in to the daily TV broadcasts to see all the action.

For Japanese the length and breadth of the country there is something special about seeing teens from the best 49 baseball playing schools in the country giving their all on the dusty earthen surface of Koshien as the sun beats down – a feeling only reinforced as those knocked out of the competition rush over to one corner, tears brimming but prepared paper cups or plastic Ziploc bags in hand to take home a few handfuls of the hallowed Koshien soil.

Odd for many foreign residents attending or watching on TV though, is the annual swearing of an oath prior to the event with marching and gestures more reminiscent of the 1936 Olympics than a modern-day sports event.

Back in the present though, and politics of sports aside, the 2008 tournament itself runs from the 2^nd and is expected to wrap by the 19^th if the weather plays along, but just like the Wimbledon tennis tournament in England, delays due to games cancelled or postponed by rain are not unknown which means it is really only the most flexible that should head down to support a particular high school although all will be welcome.

Regardless of background, team supported et al, one and all can enjoy seeing the vitality of youth reaching skywards in their own quests for personal and team baseball glory whilst for a few hours at least ignoring the soaring temperatures of summer.

Fee: minimal charges of several hundred yen are made at the entrance gates with the cheapest options being in the outfield ‘gaien’ area.

Access: via Koshien Station (2 minute walk) on the Hanshin Electric Railway Main Line.

*the other being Jingu Stadium in Tokyo – home to a similar tourney in the Spring in which the players of Tokyo’s most famous universities compete.

Nothing really compares to charcoal grilled fish on a hot summer’s day and in recent years, the annual summertime gathering of locals and tourists to chomp down 5,000 fish caught that very morning off the coast of Iwate Prefecture to the north of Tokyo, along with more than a few cool ones has become something of a festival in this corner of South Tokyo.

In recent years, and 2008 will be the 13th time the festivities have taken place, up to 15,000 have attended making the Sanma Matsuri one of the more popular ‘niche’, if still quaint of festivals in Tokyo.

Added to the mix of late has been the addition of dozens of box loads of Tokushima Prefecture ‘mikan’ (satsuma / mandarin / tangerines in English), shipped into the capital specially from the Shikoku based prefecture.

Combine the tangy taste of fresh oranges from central Japan with delicious sanma from north Japan – grilled before your very eyes – only in Meguro.

Timings: September 7th – all day near the main station area (look for the smoke from the grills) of JR Meguro Station.

Access: JR Meguro Station on the Yamanote Line

There is a festival around the temple on the 28th of every month in honour of Fudo and this is the best time to visit. Stalls are set up selling everything from Buddhist artifacts to local food and drink, as well as providing amusements similar to those found in Western fairgrounds: there’s a shooting range, lucky dip, a goldfish stall, among others.

Throughout the day and early evening, there are fire rituals, where talismans consecrated by holy smoke are offered for protection against various ills. The early evening when the sun goes down and the light is provided by the lanterns is particularly recommended and gives you the feeling that you have stepped back in time.

The temple itself is one of the five great Fudo temples in Tokyo. Climb up the steep stone steps and you’re rewarded with a great view of the large temple roof and altar. After visiting the altar, follow the wooden steps around to the back of the temple to see the huge Buddhist statue, Dainichi Norai.

One for the sports buffs and sports historians is Komazawa Olympic Park – or then again, anyone who wants to take their foot off the pedal on a quiet afternoon and get back in touch with their greener side.

As site of several of the events in the October, 1964, Tokyo Olympic Games including track and field, football, wrestling and volleyball – some of the most popular sports at the time and still today with Japanese and international fans alike – the park authorities have today transformed the site into a user friendly combination of relaxation options and awareness of the past role the area played in bringing the Olympics to Japan.

Contemplate Japan’s bid to bring the 2016 Games back to Tokyo as you meander through the winding paths through flower beds and expanses of lawn or cycle around one of the several specially designed bicycle paths (some even come solely to jog the 2.2km circumference of the park) – all the while not far from the odd yet quaint design of the one time host stadium of so many Olympic events all those years ago.

Access: 15min on foot from Komazawa Daigaku Station( Denen-toshi Line)

Fee: none

The origins of this festival can be traced back to the late ninth century and attempts by the then emperor to appease supposedly ill-tempered gods thought responsible for wreaking havoc on the nation by way of repeated natural disasters. Locals at the time were told to go to Yasaka Shrine in the east of the city where their prayers, coupled with 66 specially decorated halberds representing the number of districts ancient Japan contained, was thought to calm the anger of the country’s deities.

A century later, in 970AD, the event had become big enough to warrant continued imperial attention, and was soon thereafter turned into an annual celebration-cum-chance to repent for the sins of the previous year became a fixture on the domestic calendar in the hope of keeping the gods at bay.

By the Middle Ages, the festival had lost much of its religious significance, so much so that when the ruling shogunate sought to put an end to the event in a clampdown on religious celebrations, the protests of the locals implied that the ritualized portion of the festivities were of no real interest and could be done away with, but to prevent them from enjoying the accompanying parade of floats would be more than they could bear.

Today, the parade retains its cultural significance and is by far the single most aspect of things Gion, drawing in millions of spectators, oftentimes from all corners of the world with little, if any, importance now attached to the religious practices still carried out at Yasaka Shrine.

Coming on the 17th of the month long festivities, however, the main parade is preceded by a fortnight of rituals to cleanse the items to be used in the float, time needed to prepare for the upcoming events and customs enabling children to get in on the action.

The oddly named yoiyama (14th), yoiyoiyama (15th) and yoiyoiyoiyama (16th) events in the middle of the month lead up to the 17th and serve to build up the tension as street sellers appear in cordoned off pedestrian precincts offering the usual mid-summer Japanese snacks such as yakitori skewered chicken, boiled green beans, beverages galore and souvenirs to take to those not able to attend.

And then comes the big day – July 17th – the day numerous yamaboko (floats on wheels) and mikoshi (portable shrine) parade around the centre of the ancient capital; an event the whole city focuses on for at least a few hours, the nation at large, too during their nightly news shows.

With some of the yamaboko weighing up to 12 tons and standing a good 8 metres in height (25m in the most extreme cases if counting the reach of the ornamental features atop the roof), the sight of these ancient form vehicles turning corners at great speed as they pivot on their 2m diameter wheels is awe inspiring to say the least.

Each large yamaboko require a good 30-40 men to shift it, the mikoshi fewer in number but those taking part do so with equal pride in their appearance and the neighborhood marking mini-shrine they are fortunate enough to be carrying as they make their way to the still focal Yasaka Shrine.

As festivities go through the night, the loud become boisterous, the shy sing, and the timid cast off any pretext of disinterest as one and all, old and young, Japanese and foreign become one noisy mass of humanity

The next morning – all is silence.

A few of those who overdid it slumber in the streets and will awake to a hangover that will take days to shake off. Karaoke places in and around the Gion area say goodbye to their last customers as the day breaks and normalcy returns – for a few days.

A week later and all is repeated although on a smaller, winding down scale, with the mikoshi again tracing their steps to Yasaka Shrine, before the 28th of the month sees the ritual cleansing of the portable shrines using water from the Kammo River running through the city, and a service to close the festivities at Eki Shrine on the 31st puts a cap on Gion, her matsuri and the madness associated with one of the biggest, brashest and boldest events on the nation’s calendar.

Link: (E/J Gion Matsuri)
http://www.gionmatsuri.jp/manu/manual.html

Growing up, my grandmother always insisted on a proper china cup, the teapot had to be warmed, and the milk had to be added to the cup before the tea – the English version of the tea ceremony!

Here in Japan, the culture of tea is taken very seriously. All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, and its use as a beverage was allegedly first discovered by accident in China around 2700BC. It arrived in Japan around 590AD, transported by priests returning from China. It was initially an expensive drink of the upper classes and the priesthood, and tea was planted at temples.

As Zen Buddhism continued to spread throughout Japan, the tea-making methods and ceremonies used in China were also adopted. The Japanese tea ceremony eventually developed into a celebration of the rituals of tea making, honouring not only the tea itself, but the beautiful implements used to brew and serve it.

South of the city of Kyoto, the town of Uji and its surroundings are famous for tea production. In 1271, tea was first planted in Uji by a Buddhist monk, Kohken, in the area of Obuku, which is an ideal location, having misty mornings, warm days, cool nights, and a light wind to waft away frosts from the slopes.

Although the aristocracy in Kyoto drank expensive powdered green tea, matcha, which is the form used in the tea ceremony, and which contributed to the wealth and fame of Uji, the tea drunk by the populace was mostly roasted and brown.

When the Japanese capital moved to Tokyo, the popularity of matcha declined, and with it the fortunes of Uji. However, a Buddhist monk, Sannojo Nagatani, developed a method of processing green tea that is still used today. Nagatani’s method of steaming tea allowed the general population to drink rolled sencha green tea, instead of brown tea or expensive matcha, and the future of tea production in Uji was secure.

Today, the tea industry is just as strong as ever, with tea harvested several times a year after the prestigious first pick of the year in May. Many events and ceremonies associated with tea are held throughout the region, especially on the first Sunday of October at Kosho Temple where the founders of the Uji tea ceremony are honoured.

In downtown Uji, the smell of roasting tea greets you as you leave the station. There are many tearooms throughout the town and many restaurants that sell food flavoured with green tea, such as noodles. There are also several museums, such as at the Kanbayashi tea house, which describe the history and production of tea and display traditional equipment.

It is possible to experience a traditional tea ceremony at several tea houses. The above Kanbayashi tea house and the Taiho-an in the same street both offer a matcha tea ceremony, and many other tea shops serve the full range of tea types in a more relaxed setting.

It you can’t make it to Uji, of course many other tea shops can be found throughout Japan. If you’re in Kyoto, one of the most popular and famous tea shops is Ippodo (Teramachi street, east side, between Nijo and Marutamachi). Ippodo has a nearly 300-year history, blending and selling teas. In the shop, all of the different types of tea blends are displayed and can be tasted before purchase. They also sell tea-making equipment to achieve the best results. In the tea room, the staff don’t just serve tea, they demonstrate and instruct on the techniques for brewing different types of tea and the best teas to serve at different times of day and seasons and for different events. This experience can be extended by attending one of their tea-making workshops. All of their teas come with English descriptions and details on tea preparation methods. Their website provides information about all different types of green teas.

http://www.ippodo-tea.co.jp/en/about/index.html

The primary messengers of the Inari god are foxes, statues of which are found all over the shrine, one type holding a key to a rice granary and another holding a scroll on which is sometimes written a business contract, while at other times it can be gripping a sheaf of rice. Foxes are regarded as sacred animals in Japan and their big bushy tails represent a plentiful harvest.

Fushimi Inari covers a large site and is immediately recognisable by the thousands of red torii gates that wind through the grounds and up into the forest stretching up the mountain behind the shrine. All of these torii have been donated by companies and business people hoping that their devotion to the shrine will bring good luck in their business endeavours.

The path from the train station to the shrine passes along a street lined with gift shops where, in addition to the typical souvenirs, you can buy miniature torii gates, fox statues, fox confectionary and any other souvenir that could conceivably incorporate a fox!

At the entrance is the main gate, through which lies the main shrine. This houses a symbolic idol, a mirror, which is on public display, a quirk of the Inari shrines. You can often see priests in their finery walking through the grounds or performing rites, and traditional music is often played in one of the side buildings, although you should be careful not to take photos in this sacred area: the guards will be quick to issue a warning if they see you pointing a camera at the musicians.

Through the first batch of torii is another of the five main shrines on the site. Here you can buy a talisman for protection against all kinds of mishaps, as well as little wooden fox-faced plaques on which you can write a wish, a prayer, or anything else you wish to say to the Inari gods. These plaques are then hung up in the shrine precincts, presumably for the gods to read at their leisure.
Part way along the trail leading from this shrine are a couple of large ponds – home to koi carp and huge herons. This makes a pleasant stop-off for a drink and a sit down before you continue up the trail.

The trail is something of a cool spot in the heat of summer as the tunnel made by the torii snakes through the shade of the forest. There are trails off the main path to mini-shrines or to a quiet spot next to a stream. As the trail begins to climb the slopes of Mt Inari, it is bordered by numerous small private shrines and grave sites which are invariably populated by cats but remain atmospheric to wander around, although they can be a little scary in the evening.

The trail continues to the top of the mountain and descends by a different route, making a 4km hike in total, most of which is up steps so it can be hard work. If the walk gets to be too energetic, there are many small shops along the route where you can stop for tea, a cold drink or a snack and to rest your feet.

At New Year, when the Japanese pay their first visit of the year to a shrine, Fushimi Inari is always one of the most popular, with literally millions of people thronging to the shrine to pray for good luck in their business.

Fushimi Inari is one of the most beautiful, atmospheric and unusual shrines in Kyoto, and is located on such a huge site that it’s always possible to escape the crowds – and even the heat of summer.

Access: JR Nara Line: Inari Station; Kyoto Keihan Line: Fushimi Inari Station

Admission: free

Open: 24 hours / 7 days a week

Date: May 15th

Location: Procession starts at Kyoto Imperial Palace at 10.30 a.m., heads to Shimogamo-jinja Shrine via Kawaramachi street (arrives around 11.40 a.m.), and arrives at Kamigamo-jinja Shrine at around 3.30 p.m.
Access: Kyoto Imperial Palace: Marutamachi Street between Karasuma and Teramachi (Keihan Line, Marutamachi Station; Karasuma Subway Line, Marutamachi Station)

This is one of Kyoto’s biggest three festivals, along with the Gion Matsuri and Jidai Matsuri, and originated around 1400 years ago in the time of Emperor Kinmei.

Terrible weather was threatening the grain harvest, and the gods of Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines, the oldest in Kyoto, were thought to be displeased with the local people. The Emperor called for ceremonies to be performed at each shrine, after which the weather abated and the crops were saved.

When Kyoto was officially established in the year 794 AD, its first Emperor, Kanmu, designated the gods of these shrines as protectors of Kyoto and, in 807 AD, made the visit to each shrine a yearly event. This developed into a festival that flourished during the Heian Period, but was shelved for about 200 years until it was restored in the 18th century.

The modern festival celebrates the festival heyday in the Heian Period, as reflected by the elaborate and colourful Heian court dress of the around 600 participants strung out over an 800 m. procession. The parade is headed by the official imperial messengers who visit Shimogamo and Kamigamo shrines to pay their respects to the gods. However, the visual focus of the procession is the ‘saio-dai,’ a young woman who was traditionally a princess, but is now a fortunate Kyoto resident.

She is dressed in the customary 12-layered Heian Period ceremonial robes and is carried in a palanquin by attendants, and accompanied by carriages, horses and oxen decorated with hollyhock leaves.

The name of the festival ‘Aoi Matsuri’ refers to the hollyhock (Aoi) leaves used to decorate the participants, the horses, and the floats used in the procession. Hollyhocks were once thought to protect against turbulent weather and earthquakes.

On arrival at each shrine, various ceremonies are performed, including the exchanging of gifts, including a horse, but only in front of an invited audience.

Spectator seats can be reserved along the route by contacting Kyoto Tourist Association (075-752-0227).

Stops on the route

Shimogamo Shrine

Access: City bus, Shimogamo-jinja stop

This is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, and in the world. Documents dating back to the year 2 B.C. have been found relating to the shrine, which has clearly had a presence since very early times.

When Kyoto was established, prayers for its future success were said at Shimogamo Shrine and it has since become the focus of prayers for peace in Japan and for its people.

During the Heian period, Shimogamo was the central shrine for Kyoto, Japan and the Imperial Family, and features in The Tale of Genji as the centre of culture and religion in Japan.

This is the first stop during the Aoi Matsuri procession on May 15th; however, it is also where the festival rituals begin on May 3rd. An archery display is performed as a purification ceremony by riders dressed as court military officers who attempt to hit hollyhock leaves as they gallop past on horseback.

On May 12th, over 100 people in Heian dress accompany priests from Shimogamo Shrine at 9.30 a.m. to pick up the Spirit of the God from Mikage Shrine and bring it back to Shimogamo Shrine, which is followed by celebratory music and dancing.

Kamigamo Shrine

Access: City bus, Kamigamo-jinja stop

Kamigamo Shrine, along with Shimogamo Shrine, is one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto, and is a designated World Cultural Heritage site.

During Aoi Matsuri on May 15th, all of the shrine buildings and attendants are swathed in hollyhock leaves. The shrine is the final stop during the festival procession and an envoy from the Emperor is received at a bridge over a stream in the extensive wooded grounds.

Emperor Kammu established the Heian Capital (former name of Kyoto) in 794 AD and was deified as the spiritual god-cum-protector of the city in 1895, the 1100th anniversary of the founding of the city.

Emperor Komei was concerned for the welfare of the Japanese people and paved the way for the development of modern Japan in the Meiji-era (1868-1912). He was deified at Heian Shrine in 1940, when the shrine was renovated and extended. Heian Shrine itself covers a huge area and some of the buildings are replicas of the Kyoto Imperial Palace buildings, but two thirds the size. The large red entrance ‘tori’ gate stands 24 m., one of the biggest in Japan.

Heian Shrine is also a focus of one of the main festivals of Kyoto, Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages), which takes place on October 22nd each year to commemorate the establishment of Kyoto on that date in 794 AD. Around 2000 participants, dressed in costumes from the Heian period through to the time Kyoto ceased to be capital at the end of the Edo period, parade through the city from Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. They accompany the portable shrines enshrining the first and last Kyoto Emperors; those honoured by the construction of Heian Shrine.

In spring, Heian Shrine is a popular location for viewing weeping cherry trees, which can be seen in the South Garden. This is designed in the Heian style for hosting garden parties and composing traditional poetry. The cherry blossom season is followed by periods in which azalea and clover take centre stage.

Summer in the West Garden is highlighted by irises surrounding the pond, with a tea ceremony house nestled among the trees. In the East Garden, old-style buildings, previously located at Kyoto Imperial Palace, can be seen reflected in the central pond. The Middle Garden also contains a pond - one with stepping stones formed from the foundation pillars of old Kyoto bridges.

Access: from JR Kyoto Station: Bus 5 to Kyoto Kaikan Bijutsu-kan Mae / a 10 min. walk from Higashiyama Station on the Tozai Subway Line / a 15 min. walk from the Keihan Railway: Sanjo Station

Entry – free but a 600 yen charge applies for access to the gardens

For more information: http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/index_e.html

The main structure of the temple features an extensive wooden veranda that juts out over the valley below, offering expansive views of the city and surrounding hills.

In days of old, there was a ‘tradition’ that said anyone jumping off this veranda – and surviving the 13 m. drop – would have any wish granted, but this activity is now prohibited.

However, the veranda remains very popular during the spring cherry blossom and the autumn maple seasons for the wonderful colours that break out on the nearby hills and valley. During these periods, the temple is open in the evening and the foliage is illuminated.

photo: Carolyn Todd

The Kiyomizu-dera complex is also popular with the lovelorn, as it features two ‘love stones’ placed 18 m apart. It is said that if you can walk between these two stones with your eyes closed, you will find love yourself. If you need guidance, then you will only find love through an intermediary.

The site also features a 3-storey pagoda, built in the hope of safe and easy childbirth, next to which is an underground walkway that leads to a lucky stone to make a wish. The twist is that the stairs and pathway, along which you must walk barefoot, are in complete and total darkness and you must feel your way with a rope. This is an interesting sensory experience if you’re lucky to be there on a quiet day, but at weekends and popular periods, it can feel as if you’re in a chain gang surrounded by squealing girls.

The temple is best accessed by way of a 15-minute walk up the Higashiyama Hills through a warren of lanes lined with traditional shops, restaurants and souvenir shops. This area is famous for the locally produced Kiyomizu pottery and a range of styles and prices are available. Visitors can even try their hand at the potter’s wheel.

Coming down the hill after your visit to Kiyomizu-dera, these traditional cobbled lanes can be followed north towards Yasaka Shrine, passing Kodai-ji Temple, another one illuminated during the cherry blossom season and one known for its superb views of neighbouring shrines as well as the 24 m. high Ryozen Temple Kannon statue, which was built as a memorial to the victims of World War 2.

During cherry blossom season, the lanes and their traditional wooden houses are lined with lanterns, creating an atmosphere evocative of times past.

Behind Yasaka Shrine is Maruyama Park, yet another a popular spot in the cherry blossom season for its huge weeping cherry tree, which is illuminated at night and is surrounded by food and drink stands catering to cherry blossom viewing parties.

Access: Kiyomizu-dera: Bus 206 or 100 from Kyoto Station to Kiyomizu-michi or Gojozaka stop. Walk for 15 mins up the hill.

Entry: 300 yen

photo: Carolyn Todd