Fully reminiscence watch over cherry blossoms

 I prefer cherry blossoms before they bloom and when all the petals are dancing around. 

The following haiku had to be read. 

Fully reminiscence watch over cherry blossoms

Basho, "Oi no kobumi".

This is a Haiku by Basho, a famous Japanese Haiku poet. The title of Haiku poetry anthology "Oi no kobumi" means "Little notepad in sling backpack”. I have translated it with my limited English skills. There may be better English translations by experts in Japanese literature, but I hope my translation will help you get the feeling. 

The sight of flowers blooming brings some emotion to everyone.

It is the identical story in the medieval and contemporary worlds. Is that a truth for both East and West?

If a rose bloomed every year in your garden, each season would reminisce about its months, your boyhood, and your journey.

It doesn't matter if it's not cherry blossoms, mimosa, tulip, or even sunflowers, it's nice to view the blooming flowers of a certain season and be deeply moved by them.

Thank you visiting to my blog.

A garden Chosen to alive

Spring has sprung. 

The weather is getting warmer.

Birds are singing more lively. In the countryside forests, flocks of birds are making high-pitched calls, while the peaceful chirping of the Oriental turtle dove is hard to hear.

Now, an Oriental turtle dove can be seen standing proudly on the tip of a tree where a gardener is pruning it against the background of a white concrete building block. The scene I spotted a few days ago on a visit to the Former Yasuda Gardens. Unlike the doves that flock to temple squares or city center parks, they would originally have lurked in the countryside woods, making their distinctive calls.

I am not a seasoned birdwatcher, but it seems to me that there has been a change in the species of birds that nest in urban parks. 

Japanese birds that originally nested in the suburbs appear to have been forced out. This is not only because crows and doves from the city centre have been migrating, but also because ring-necked parakeets, which were released from their cages, have also begun to breed in the suburbs. They may have lost the battle for the berries or insects on which they feed in greenery in the suburbs.

Yet they will survive strong. 

A duck that has chosen a pond with greens to stay, even in metropolis. The Former Yasuda Garden is located in Ryogoku, Sumida-ku, near the Kokugikan Sumo wrestling stadium. There is no large forest there, but there are ponds, green trees and bushes, and it is free of natural predators of birds.

Larger flocks headed out of the big cities and became suburban winners in search of food. This is because for them, the narrow green spaces of cities were not rich breeding grounds. And in the future, there may be an offensive breaking point for the winners herding in the suburbs. Whether or not the herds of winners will continue to thrive at that time remains to be seen.

Birds that used to nest in the trees in the suburbs have been driven out and have found homes in narrow urban ponds, canals and in the crevices of green gardens on building rooftops.

Although I am neither an ornithologist nor a dinosaur researcher, I have learned that after the dinosaurs were forced into extinction their descendants survived as ‘birds'.

A small but happy life for each bird. 

To fly when they like to fly, and let them eat what they naturally like to eat.

We want to let them nap when they like to nap, in the shade of quiet greens.

Even if they are forced to leave their forests, even if bird flu rages, even if global warming worsens, they will somehow adapt and find their home.

And I have faith in the human-nature.

Don’t chose the extinction! 

Thank you visiting to my blog. 

What is this nearly closed, foggy curtain?

 A crow had just touched down on a rock around the pond and took one step towards the water. Then I found a foggy curtain sliding in the crow's eye.

I felt I was having an optical illusion.

It looked like a membrane slid over its pupil. It looked like sliding horizontally from the corner of it's eye. It wasn't lucky that I only saw it once. 

So I was able to take one photo, but no video. If I had the chance again, I would like to make a video of the closing movement, but it may be impossible. 

Intrigued, I looked into the matter. I am not an ornithologist. Wildlife readings on crow's eye, readings on animals for teenagers, authoritative literature and Twitter I did a web search. A search of Twitter also found some academic tweeting photos of nictitating membranes. And I found it. 

It is the protective shield without closing the eyelids. It is called the nictitating membrane. Nictitating membranes are present in birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and even some mammals. Having said that, I have also learnt the word nictitate. It means the same as wink or blink. I have saw the moment their eyes nictitated.

Yes I was convinced that it was the fact. It looked to me as if it had slid horizontally too. 

Thank you visiting to my blog. 

The crows' feathers must be deep navy blues

Do crows have black feathers?

Take a look at this photo of a crow I took at the Former Yasuda Garden. How do they look to you?

The crows' feathers must be deep navy blues with some purple tints.

I am not an ornithologist or a birdwatcher.

I just enjoy walking in the garden and taking photos of flowers, ducks and herons.

What I have seen recently is that crow feathers are not black. 

Unfortunately, the crow also appeared to have an injury to its feathers.

I think crows are often described as black birds only because they seem to prefer dark places. I photographed a crow when it landed on the edge of the garden pond and basked in the sunlight. Just then, I feel, the crow's feathers reflected the light and shone, showing their true colours. 

There are deep navy blues with some purple tints to it.

Thank you for coming to my blog. 

Beckoning cats at Imado Shrine is the great.

Well this time my #ThroughbackThursday is to see the beckoning cat again. 

I'd like to pick several beckoning cats of Imado Shrine, which is located in Imado, on the outskirts of Asakusa, a tourist spot in present-day Tokyo. 

Let's start with those on the left.

The left one is holding a magic mallet of luck in the left pow and raising the right pow.

The magic mallet is a lucky item that can retrieve anything, even money, similar to the Greek myth of cornucopia. On its belly is the Chinese character "金運来福 " (Kin-Un-Raifuku). It says "Money luck" in English. It has almost same meaning as the right pow up by Sumiyoshi Taisha.

The one in the middle shows joy with a banzai in both pows. On it's belly you would read in Chinese characters "満願成就 " (Mangann-Jyohjyu).

The right one is holding a sea bream with its right pow and raising its left pow. Sea bream is said to be a lucky fish in Japan. On its belly is the Chinese character "千客万来" (Senkyaku-Banrai). It has almost same meaning as the left pow up by Sumiyoshi Taisha. 

Don't you think that even their butts are somehow popped?

There are other types of lucky charms that go banzai at both pows.The variation seen on the left has "Shofuku" written on its belly in Japanese hiragana. The meaning in English would be Good Luck.

Those little ceramic statues are less than an inch long, but they are cute.

In the system of beckoning cats at Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine, when a wish is fulfilled, the statue becomes one size larger, but the one at Imado Shrine remains small and expresses joy with a banzai with both pow. Ever since the time of the shogunate, there has been an easy-going, casual way of thinking in Edo Tokyo. 

The beckoning cat's modeling has a friendly smile and a human expression. It is produced by copy-exactly by means of a mold. Its modeling and coloring do not have the handmade feel of those of Sumiyoshi Shrine, but it has a precise and clear finish. It shows the will of a ceramic company that is trying to make better products.

The one at Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine and the one at Imado Shrine are CURIOUS THING’s to me.

Three beckoning cats side by side. From left to right, these beckoning cats are from Imado Shrine, Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, and Gotokuji Temple, a Buddhist temple. The smallest one from Imado Shrine is Pop. The one from Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine and the one from Gotokuji Temple are more formal and traditional.

The beckoning cat may have its roots in China, but in Japan, Gotokuji Temple or the Imado area of ​​Asakusa are said to be the roots of the beckoning cat. The beckoning cat of Sumiyoshi Taisha, which I showed in my first blog, is seen to have been established a little later. The beckoning cat was probably created around the 17th century. When the Edo shogunate was established, many potters were gathered in Edo ( now Tokyo ). It was the beginning that the potters created a cute cat as a casual lucky charm. 

Asakusa in the 21st century is also a tourist destination in Japan, and Asakusa in the 17th century was also a bustling downtown area. It is said that it was created as a lucky charm that ordinary people could easily buy. I don't know if my beckoning cats were made by the descendants of potters who have lived in Imado since the 17th century. 

I visited Imado Shrine a few years ago. Let me show you the snapshots from that time as well.

 

This shrine also has a stone statue of the beckoning cats. Someone who likes pranks offers a can of cat food in front of the cat statues. Please don't play the same pranks.

Although there is a small shrine, many ordinary people visit there on January 1st of the new year.

Imado Shrine also has some antique beckoning cats.

If you are sightseeing in Asakusa, Imado Shrine is the great to visit within walking distance. Walking west from Imado Shrine, you can stroll along the Sumida River sidewalk and see the famous Sky Tree.

I will write a blog about the beckoning cat of Gotokuji Temple soon.　

Thank you for coming to my blog. 

One of my favorites

Do you have a favorite tool?

I have a favorite tool. It's a $2 Canadian coin. 

Wouldn't you use a coin when replacing the coin battery in your Swatch watch or thermometer?

I use one Canadian 2$ alloy coin.

It's 28mm in diameter and has a hard metal surround, so it fits well in the opening/closing slot and is easy to operate.

One day recently, as usual, I used that coin to catch my attention recently. 

The coin is engraved with a polar bear and two CANADA dollars on one side. 

On the other side is a cameo of Queen Elizabeth II. 

The cameo of Her Majesty the Queen appears to be smiling. 

While thanking and reminiscing with Her Majesty the Queen, I took pictures of the front and back of the Canadian coin. I added a layer of Bokeh to the background using Luminar Neo, a digital imaging software I started using last year. It definitely complemented the front and back photos of my favorite coins. 

It's not worth taking a picture of it, but it's something that inspires my curiosity. 

Thank you for coming to my blog.

Special thanks to photographer Darlene Hildebrandt and Luminar Neo for the wonderful Bokeh Overlay Pack.

Bokeh Overlay Pack by Darlene Hildebrandt

https://skylum.com/marketplace/overlays/sparkling-times

日本語で　Darlene Hildebrandt さんのオーバーレイパック

https://skylum.com/jp/marketplace/overlays/sparkling-times

More from Darlene Hildebrandt

https://skylum.com/marketplace/artists/20

Beckoning cats dreaming of sustainable growth

Well, I came up with #ThursdayThoughts. 
Let's start my blog and talk sbout small but curios things. 

My first thing is “Manekineko”. Manekineko is a figure of a cat with one paw raised for good luck. 

Please take a look. 

Do you see this statue as a cat? You will see the beckoning cat with its left paw raised in front of its body, with the wish of "beckoning everybody". A typical beckoning cat raises its right paw, but it raises its opposite paw.

This small unglazed earthenware could be described as Japanese folk art rather than a realistic ceramic work. It's just over an inch. Eyes and nose are small dots. The mouth is drawn as a mark of ^ and the beard is drawn with a quick swing of sharp brush. It wears Kamishimo, the formal attire of Samurai around the 15th century. The creator must have a wish.

This beckoning cat is the gift of Nanshin-Sha. This is a divine messenger from Nanshin-Sha shrine in Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City.

On the other hand, the enshrined deity of Nanshin-Sha is “Uganomitama no Mikoto”, the god of Inari, so the ideal messenger is a fox not a cat. “Uganomitama no Mikoto” is one of the gods in Japanese mythology. There are many gods in Japanese mythology, just like in Greek mythology. There are many people around the world who fantasize about mystical things, whether it be Norse mythology or Greek mythology. The sensibility to feel sacred things in Sun, animals, and fairies made of them is human-like.

Therefore, it should be associated with a beckoning cat, and by making it a white one, it is also associated with a white tiger of Felidae, and the original fox element also remains. It's a little complicated for you. In other words, it is a imaginary creature that looks like more cat, a fox, and a white tiger. I guess the creator made it as a spiritual and mysterious beckoning cat. I took this first image with the aperture wide open in the shade just off the window. If you can see this picture as if it's inviting you, it would be my pleasure to take it. No matter what the shrine says to me, I see the statue with its left paw raised looks more like a cat than a fox. 

 

It has a partner. 

The second one is a beckoning cat with its right paw raised, wishing to "Make money". There are people in Japan who believe that Inari of fox will bring good luck with money. So, the cat raising its right paw seems to me to be made with more fox elements. In other words, it is a imaginary creature that looks like more fox, a cat, and a white tiger. I took the second photo with a slightly tinny aperture. I would be happy if you could see a beckoning cat with ambitions to make good money by a neat rich fox element.

 

There are rules about when these cats can be purchased. 

A beckoning cat with its left paw raised available to purchase month: 

January, March, May, July, September, November

A beckoning cat with its right paw raised available to purchase month: 

February・April・June・August・October・December

 

If you want to see these beckoning cats, please visit Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Osaka, Japan. Sumiyoshi Taisha is a Shinto shrine, a place of prayer and wishes. You can see them at the related Nanshin-Sha of this shrine. There you pray for the development of wishes. This beckoning cat can be purchased at Nanshin-Shain Sumiyoshi Taisha, Osaka. Please refer to the following for Sumiyoshi Taisha and Nanshin-Sha. 

A few years ago, I visited the shrine twice and got a pair of beckoning cats. I own a pair of maneki-neko with its left paw raised and the one with its right paw raised. Only one pair, so I'm more than just a visitor. The shrine told that a beckoning cat with its left paw raised and its right paw would equally beckoning people and have business development benefits. So you don't have to worry about buying just one. 

These beckoning cats suggest not only their own meaning but also the meaning of sustainable growth of the collection. You can purchase a small beckoning cat statue with its left paw raised in odd months and its right paw raised in even months. During those 48 months, you will continue to hope for sustainable growth while interacting with the people you meet.

If it reaches 48 for 4 years in a row, they must be 24 pairs, and then they will be returned to the shrine. If you do so, you will be able to have a medium sized beckoning cat statue as a fulfillment of first Mangan. It's not a finale with a full wish. 

   

Collection reward

Years

4 Exchange 48 small cats for one medium cat

Right paw raised or Left paw raised

8 Exchange 48 small cats for one medium cat

Make a pair of medium cats; left-pawed and right-pawed

12 Exchange 2 medium cats and 48 small cats for one large cat

Right paw raised or Left paw raised

16 Exchange 48 small cats for one medium cat

One large cat plus One medium cat 

20 Exchange 48 small cats for opposite pawed medium cat

One large cat plus Two medium cat

24 Exchange 48 small cats plus 2 medium cats for one more large cat

Make a pair of large cats; left-pawed and right-pawed 

 

Even if you visit the shrine every month and get one by one, it will take at least 24 years. You will be rewarded with one pair of giant beckoning Cats as the final fulfillment of Mangan.

On a personal note, Japan suffers from many disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rains, and typhoons. Residents wished to continue to survive. The curious custom may have been invented by the past Japanese, the myth may be fictional, but it brought people together at shrines and made people work hard over the long term, resulting in economic success.

 

However, it is not the origin of beckoning cat. There are various origins of Japanese beckoning cats, but Imado in Asakusa, Tokyo may be the most probable. There is Imado Shrine, and there are some beckoning cats. I will show you someday.

 

My blog isn't just about showing pictures, but also expressing my wishes. There is a reason why I chose this beckoning cat as the theme of my first blog. Following the collection of 48 beckoning cats, I will show you at least 48 episodes of the blog. I’d like to pray for the development of wishes among 48 months. 

I will show you my pleasures of macro photography in my next blog.  

 

Thank you for coming to my blog.