Traditional Japanese Lighting @ Meguro Gojoen 2016

I visited Meguro Gajoen in Tokyo to see ”和のあかり x 百段階段 2016," in English, Japanese Lighting x 100 step stairway exhibition 2016, this year again because it was really nice in the last year!

今年も行ってきました、目黒雅叙園の「和のあかり x 百段階段 2016」
昨年とっても素敵だったんです。

Meguro Gajoen was first built in 1928 as first-class Japanese style restaurant and became the first banquet and wedding ceremony hall in Japan, and now is a hotel with beautiful Japanese banquet and wedding ceremony halls. 

目黒雅叙園は1928年に創業された高級料亭で日本で最初の結婚式、披露宴会場となったことで知られています。今ももちろん日本的な式場として結婚式を挙げるカップルに人気の場所ですね。

Meguro Gojoen has famous stairway of 100 steps and banquet rooms which were designated as one of cultural assets of Tokyo. In this summer, you can see lighting exhibition there. 

雅叙園には有名な100段階段とそれにつながった宴会場があり東京の文化財として指定されています。和のあかり展はここで行われます。

These are used as lighting floats at Nebuta festival of Aomori prefecture, you can see them again in this year.

昨年から引き続き人気のねぶた。

"Summer Festival," "Art," "Craft persons," "Traditional performing arts," are the theme in this year.
「祭り」「アート」「職人」「伝統芸能」がテーマとなっています。

Japanese monsters in superstitions. With only one eye, without feet... scary! Why are Japanese monsters so creepy?? I think Japan has scariest monsters in the world. Please let me know if you know any other creepy monsters in your country.

日本の妖怪たち…目が一つとか足が無いとか日本のお化けってなんでこんなに怖いんでしょう。多分この不気味さ、世界一でしょ？これより怖い妖怪が他の国にいたら教えてください。




I love this room the best! Lighting from real leaves.

やっぱり私は一番これが好きです！本物の木の葉から作られたあかりです。

Matching with cut paper arts and shadow pictures, wonderful.

切り絵と影絵のマッチングも素敵でした。

Meguro Gajoen
1-8-1, Shimomeguro, Meguro, Tokyo

The exhibition is from Jul 1st to Aug 28th
Sunday~Thursday - 10:00 - 18:00 (Last entrance 17:30)
Fridan and Saturday - 10:00 - 19:00 (Last entrance 18:30)
Admission JPY1,200 for adult, and free for children under 12 years old (elementary school children)
http://www.megurogajoen.co.jp/event/wanoakari/

By the way... you can see some lighting arts at the entrance and on the hallway of 1st floor for free.

ちなみに1階の玄関とその奥でも少し展示が見られますよ（無料！）

Have a nice summer!

素敵な夏をお過ごしください！

Experience Japan!

March 3rd is Girls' Day, "Hina-Matsuri"

March 3rd is Hina-Matsuri, which is the Doll's Festival or Girls' Day in Japan. Japanese families who have girls display Hina dolls to wish and celebrate growth and happiness of the girls. (But we have to go to school and work... I think it should be holiday...)
日本では３月３日はひな祭り。女の子の健やかな成長をお祝いする日です。（ですがこの日は祝日ではありません、学校も仕事もアリです。）

At Meguro Gajoen, which is close to our studio, Hina-dolls exhibition is currently held. There are about 1,000 dolls from north-east Japan, I think it is pray for recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. I saw hina-dolls once washed away by Tsunami, which was impressive. 
スタジオ近くの目黒雅叙園で雛人形展「百段雛まつり」をやっていたので見に行ってきました。今年は復興の祈りも込めて岩手、宮城、福島の東北３県から約1,000体の雛人形が展示されていました。津波から生還した雛人形もあって感慨深いものでした。



Since photography was prohibited there, I took this photo at the entrance of Meguro Gojoen, not exhibit room. This is typical Hina-dolls. Emperor and Empress in beautiful kimono are displayed on the top of the shelf, people in ancient court were displayed under them. 
ちなみに写真は禁止なのでこれは雅叙園のエントランスに飾ってあるものです。真ん中にあるのは典型的な雛人形。一番上はお内裏様とお雛様、その下に宮廷の人たちが飾られています。



This is Empress.

横にあるのは吊るし雛。昔、裕福ではない家庭では雛人形は高価だったので家族や親戚で小さな人形を作って飾ったのが始まりだそうです。一つ一つの人形に子供の幸せを願う意味があるんですよ。
The dolls on the side is hanging Hina-dolls. These were used to be made by non-rich family or relatives, who could not afford expensive Hina-dolls with shelves long time ago, and they had started to make the dolls by themselves. Each doll has meaning for wish of their girls' happiness. 

For example, the rabbit is a peaceful animal but their red eyes can ward off the evil spirits. Ground cherry has efficacy of medicine and can be good-luck charm. 
例えばうさぎは平和を好む動物で赤い目は魔除けだそうです。ほおずきは薬効成分があり、お守りだったとの事。

By the way, it is said that you have to put away all the dolls after March 3rd, otherwise your girl will be late to be married.
ちなみに３月３日を過ぎたらすぐに片付けないとお嫁に行き遅れるという言い伝えがあります。





After Girls' Day, we are ready to welcome spring, we cannot wait to see cherry blossoms!
この日を過ぎると日本は一気に春に向かいますね。桜が待ち遠しい！


「百段雛まつり」は目黒雅叙園で３月６日まで開催しています。
Hina-dolls exhibition is held at Meguro Gajoen until March 6th, 2016.
10:00 ~ 18:00, admission JPY1,500JPY per adult.


    http://www.megurogajoen.co.jp/event/hinamaturi/

Experience Japan!

Sumida River Fireworks Festival

On July 28th, Sumida River Fireworks festival was held.  This is one of the biggest fireworks festivals in Japan.  In Japanese, we say fireworks as hanabi, meaning fire flowers.

History of fireworks goes back in Edo period.  In 1732, Japan was suffered from famine, and also plague spread throughout the country.  So the Shogun at that time decided to hold a water Shinto ritual to heal the souls of victims. Some restaurants were allowed to launch fireworks at that time, and this is the beginning of fireworks in Japan.  Now Japanese people feel that they must watch fireworks in summer. 

This year, we can watch the fireworks with Skytree!

Everybody are ready for picnic! About one million people come to enjoy this fireworks every year.

In this festival, 20,000 fireworks are displayed. It starts at 19:05 and ends at 20:30.

Please enjoy fireworks festivals if you come to Japan in summer.  We have lots of festivals all over in Japan, especially on the weekends in July and August.

Experience Japan!