Let me introduce myself. My name is Zhang Xiao Hong . I was born in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) China on July 28, 1975 . I am a second year student at Kagawa Junior College. My major is management and information . My hobby is listening to music.
Takamatsu is the capital of Kagawa prefecture, which has traditonally been called the gateway to Shikoku, with the whole land of the prefecture jutting out into the Seto Inland Sea like a porch.
JR Takamatsu Station next to Takamatsu Harbor is the terminal of the Kotoku Line for Takamatsu pref, the Yosan Line for Ehime pref. andthe Dosan Line for Kochi pref, while serving as the terminal of Kochi City. Takamatsu Chikko just opposite JR Station is the terminal of Kotoden trams to and from Kotohira, the seat of 'Kompira-san'.
The Nem Takamatsu Airport handles non-stop flights to and from Seoul, Korea.
Another place in Takamatsu appropriate as a gateway to Shikoku is the Teakamatsu Heike Monogatari Historical Museum 高松平家物語歴史館 that features not only the famous historical literture called Heike Monogatari but also about 50 great historical figures closely associated with Shikoku or native to Shikoku.
cxTakamatsu became the capital in 1587 with the advent of Lord Ikoma I as governor of Sanuki Province. The castle he built on the harbor was succeeded by 4 genrations of Matsudaira lords, governing Takamatsu Province with a fief of 120,000 koku.
One ninth of the former castle ground is preserved as Tamamo Koen Park 玉藻公園 asross the stree from JR Takamatsu Station. The donjon is gone , but two of the 15 turrets and Mizute Gomon Gate from the 17th century (Important cultural properties) survived the air raid in 1945. Admission:\100.
Traditionally the popular sightseeing spots in Takamatsu are Ritsurin Koen Park near downtown and Yashima Plateau overlooking the city and the Inland sea. They are accessible by bus or tram, with terminals at Takamatsu Chikko 高松築港 just opposite JR Station.
◎ ３０ minutes' walk from JR Takamatsu Station .
The busy street on front of JR Takamatsu is the main street of downtown Takamatsu is the main street of downtown Takamatsu, and leaks to the main gate to Ritsurin Koen Park, a National Special Scenic Spot . This spaciors garden laid out with shapely mounds , cool ponds and about 160 varieties of trees and flowers provides a classic example of a Japanese garden or even a Chinese Taoest paradise fit for meditation.
Originally it belonged to a local warlord, and then to Lord Ikoma. When it was transferred to the Matsudairas, they spent five generations developing it into a larger stroll -tyoe garden fou their villa. Seasonal charms of flowers and blossoms such as ume (Japaese plum blossoms9in February, camelliasin March, cherry blossoms in April, wisteria and azaleas in May, Irises and water lilies in June , giant lotuses in august, and Japanese bush clover in September, and brilliant maple leaves in November add to the pleasure of strolling .
Kikugetsu-tei 菊月亭,one of the pond-side teahouses, was originally one of the Matsudairas formal buildings. The museum just inside the main gate 讃岐民芸館 houses a variety of mostly local handicrafts. There is a zoo, too, inside the gate.
Open daily. Admission to the park: About \300.
Bus: 30 minutes' ride from Chikkl to the terminal
(Kotoden Bus for Yashima-sanjo or Yashima Hilltop 屋島山上）.
Tram +Cable:30 minutes' tram ride from Chikko
to Yashima (Shido-sen Line 志度線) + 5 minutes' cable-car ride.
Yashima, a pine-wooded tableland to the northeast of downtown Takamatsu, is one of the world's rare lava mesas, about 290 m high, 3 km wide, jutting 5 km out into the sea.
The hilltop, overiooking the archipelago of the Inland Sea, features Yashima-ji (No.84)屋島寺 ①, an aquarium ② and observatories all linded by forest promenades.
One of the observatories, Dankorei 談谷嶺 ③, commands a view of the inlet fringed with memoriasl to the Gempei Yashima Battle (the second last battle in Gempei War fought between the two rival clans , the Minamotos and the Tairas).
Once a British poet, Edmund Blunden, visited Yashima and wrote a poem that was engraved on a stone here at Dankorei observatory:
Like a long roof, men and will they say,
This hill lf warrior ghosts surmounts the plain...
Gempei War 源平合戦
In 794 Kyoto became the capital of Japan and it enjoyed peace for about 350 years (811-1559)- the longest peace Japan has everattained in her history .
The last 30 years of this period, however,were far from peaceful. In1156 the first battle*1 took place in the capital, thus opening up a new era dominatec by martial emotions. Two martisl clans - the Minamoto and Taira clans - began tto acquire greater and greater influence in politics through fighting against each other in the name lf "the Emperor" or "the Ex-Emperor".
In 1159, the Tairas succeeded temporarily in staving off the Minamotos. The 20 years that followed saw the Tairas rise to increasingly control the Imperial Family, inviting animosity jrom the reigning Emperors, the Ex-Emperors, powerful priests, warriors and lords, to say nothing of the Minamotos in exile.
In 1181 the patriarch of the clan Taira no kiyomori died just when the Tairas faced more battles against the Minamotos, who were gradually consolidating their power.
In 1183 the Tairas were driven from the Capital along with the 6-year-old Emperor Antoku and his mother, who was Kiyomori 's daughter.they wandered far in search of supporters, while fighting losing battles.
Now in 1185 , Minamoto no Yoshitsune *2 attaacked the remaining Tairas here at Yashima, then at Dan-no-ura in the westernmost corner of the Inland Sea, where the proud Taira finally fell, the noblewomen casting themselves into the sea with the child Emperor Antoku.
Thus the age of ancient nobility yielded to the age of Shoguns (1185-1867).
Yashima-ji Temple 屋島寺 treasures in its museum a jolding screen depicting the Gempei no Kassen Battles. (See p.42) The bell in the belfry, cast in Kyoto in 1223, was dedicated here for the repose of the defeated Tairas. But no one can "Strike the bell, and invoke the ghosts of the Tairas."
On the last weekend in March the Gempei Yashima Festival is held, whose highlight is the Warriors' Pageant.
*1 It was an insurrection caused by the discord be-tween Emperor Goshirakawa (1127-92) and Ex-Emperor Sutoku (1119-64). Sutoku was defeated and banished to Sanuki (Kagawa Prej.) to die a miserable death 8 years later. His ashea were buried at Timple 81. In 1184 the court elevated him to Shinto deity to placate his ghost. (See p.50)
*2 Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159-89): By bringing about victory in the civil war, Yoshitsune had greatly helped Minamoto no Yoritomo, his elder brother, who in 1192 was to establish the first Shogunate at Kamakura. But Yoshitsune had to spind the rest of his life escaping Yoritomo, until four years later he killed himself. His tragic life and death was so appealing to Japanese sentiment that he has taken on heroic proportion in Kabuki, Noh and Joruri plays, based on what is called Yoshitsume Literture.
Very few Japanese visit Yashima without being reminded of an episode shown in the picture above:
It was on the afternoon of February 19, 1185, that Minamo to no Yoshitsune mounted another surprise attack against the Tairas at the then Yashima Island. Frightened by the imagined immensity of enemy forces, the Tairas jumped into their boats and sailed off. A fierce battle lasted for hours.
Now the sun was setting. Both sides began to retreat, when a fair vessel parted from the Taira legions and stopped about 80 m from the beach. Then a beautiful lady appeared from the cabin, produced a pole with a bright red fan on its top and beckoned to the puzzled warriors on the shore.
" What does she mean? " said Yoshitsune.
" Perhaps she is inviting one of us to shoot the fan. Or she may be inviting you to come out onto the front line for her archers, " said his attendant.
"Then let it be shot down by someone, " said Yoshitsune .
Soon a young man called Nasu no Yoichi appeared on horseback with bow and arrow in his hands. The north wind was strong. The boat was tossing up and down.Thefan painted with the golden sun at its center was fluttering on the pole.
All the Tairas in the boats and all the Minamotos on the shore were watching Yoichi. What would he do? Would he succeed?
Yoichi rode into the water as far as he could. But it was still about 70 m to the target. He closed hes eyes and prayed. Then the wind fell for a moment . He shot. The fan, flying up a moment or two , came floating down, glittering in the setting sun. There was great applause from both sides.
Then a man in armor appeared in the same boat. He began to dance an elegant dance perhaps in genuine appreciation of Yoichi 's archery . Then Yoichi got another order and shot down the dancing man, too.Some said , "Good shot ! " But others said . " Not fair . "
The Tairas were silent this time. Was it a precursor of their demise? Two months later , the Tairas finally fell.
◎ 3 minutes' walk after leaving the bus at Toshogu-mae 東照宮前。 (Kotoden Bus: Yashima-asnjo Toshogu-mae Chikko)
◎ 3 minutes ' walk from the cable-car station.
This is an open-air museum laid out at the foot of Yashima Plateau. About 20 old rural buildings from various parts of Shikoku have been reassembled here, including a Farmers' houses , a fisherman's house, a sugar mill, a shed for steaming mulberry bark to make paper, and workshops for making soy sauce and so on. There is a reprica of Kazura-bashi from Nishi Iyayama-son, too. (p.173)
Open daily : 8:30-16:30. Admission: \500
On May 5, people including children fron Shodoshima
Island, from which the Kabuki Theater came here, stage an annual performance of their traditional farmers'kabuki.
◎ 3 minutes' walk from Nihon Tabako-mae 日本タバコ前 Bus Stop after 10 minutes' ride from JR Takamatsu.
Japan's largest wax doll museum. The first floor is dedicated to the 41 dolls of celebuety who have been closely associated with Shikoku.
The one of kobo Daishe (p.190-199) in his nyajo (p.195) has its own corner as a special exhibition.
The other dolls include:
Sakamoto Ryoma 坂本龍馬 (p.124-127)
Nakaoka Shintsro 中岡慎太郎 (p.124, 143)
Nakahama Mamjiro 中浜万次郎 (p.139-142)
Wenceslau de Moraes (p.162-163)
Inokuma Genichiro 猪熊弦一郎 (art: p.46)
Takahama Kyoshi 高浜虚子 (p.73)
Ninomiya Chuhachi 二宮忠八 (p.92)
Setouchi Jakucho 瀬戸内寂聴 (literature: 1992- )
Makino Tomitaro 牧野富太郎 (p.132)
Yasuoka Shotaro 安岡章太郎 (literature: 1920-)
Kagawa Toyohiko 賀川豊彦 (religion, social work, literature : 1888-1960)
Yokoyama Ryuichi 横山隆一 (cartooons: 1909-)
Teraka Torahiko 寺田寅彦 (science, essay: 1878-1935)
Abe Yoshishige 阿部能成 (philosophy, education: 1883-1966)
Nambara Shigeru 南原繁 (philosophy, education: 1888-1974)
Masaoka Shiki 正岡子規 (p.70, 73-74)
Kotoku Shusui 幸徳秋水 (p.137)
Nakae Chomin 中江兆民 (p.137)
Kikuchi Kan 菊地寛 ( literature: 1888-1948)
Manabe Hiroshi 真鍋博 (illustration: 1932-)
Yoshida Shigeru 吉田茂
Itagaki Taisuke 板垣退助 (p.128-129)
The second floor dxhibits about 300 dolls portraying the 17 scenes from the Heike Monogatari or The Tale of the Tairas . The Saga, composed of a large mumber lf revealing episodes, was and still is an inexhaustible source of Japanese literature and art . Some of the most jamous scenes took place at the foot of Yashima Plateau at the northeastern tip lf Takamatsu (p.35).
One hi-tech doll seen at the end of the exhibition is what was called biwa hoshi or a blind biwa-playing bard who traveled around chanting The Tale of the Taira Family even before it was written down in the first half of the 13th century . Its opening passage is especially famous for its Buddhist idea of impermanence that goes as follows:
the bell of Gion monastery tolls
The impermanence of all worldly things.
The color of sal blossoms shows the truth that
Even the most prosperous inevitably decline.
The proud will fall like a dream on a spring night .
The valiant must perish, too, as
Frail as dust blown by a puff of wind.
The doll begins to tslk and sing the first line lf the opening passage when it senses visitors approaching. Open daily.Admission: \1200(High school students: \800 Children:\600)
* Yoshida Shigeru (1878-1967), Prime Minister from 1946 to 1954, is credited with giving Japan direction through her most difficult times after the war.
The kojima-Sakaide Route, popularly known as the Seto Ohashi Bridge 瀬戸大橋, was completed in 1988.It is the world's longest two-tiered bridge system, stretching 13.1 km from Kljima to Sakaide , connecting the 5 islands in between.
The 11 bridges in the systen include 3 suspinsion vridges, 2 twin cable-stayed, 1 truss and 5 viaducts. The upper level accommodates a motor expressway of four lanes, and the lower contains Japan Railway's system for a dusl track ordinary line at present and for a dual track orkenary line at present and for a dual track superexpress line in the future.
The first person to air the idea of the Seto Ohashi Bridges, 2 twin cable-stayed, 1 truss and 5 viaducts. The upper level accommodates a motor expressway of four lanes, and the lower contains Japan Railway's system for a dual track ordinary line at present and for a dual track superexpress line in the future.
The first person to air the idea of the Seto Ohashi Bridge was Okubo Jinnojo 大久保鍖之丞 (1849-1891), a Kagawa native, who at that time was constructing the first Shikoku Roads to link all the prefectures on the island. In 1889 Jinnojo disclosed his dream in a congratulatory speech he made as a member of the Prefectural Parliament at the opening ceremony of the first railroad in Shikoku between Marugame and Kotohira (p. 51).
Exactly a century later, the Bridge came into being after decades of planning and ten years os construction, 13 million workers involved (with the loss of 17 lives) , and costing 1,190,000 million yen.
Surprisingly, Jinnojo had also foretold man's traviling to the moon in his favorite drinding song of his own making, which went as follows:
I'll tell you , dear, don't laugh at me, a hundred years from now, I'll be seeing you flying to and from the moon in a space ship. It's port, let me tell you, dear, will be that mountaintop over there!
One of the best points to view the Bridge is Yoshima Island 与島 ①, a central pier of the Bridge . It also serves as a sightseeing outpost for the Shikoku and Inland Sea Districts, providing 2 parking areas for those who like to enjoy bridge-viewing, seafood and shopping.
◎To Yoshima: 25 minutes from JR Sakaide by bus.(See p.22)
Another is a rotating tower 132 m tall at the Seto Ohashi Memorial Park ② 瀬戸大橋記念公園 at the foot of the Bridge in Sakaide. The Memorial Hall provides all kinds of information on the Buidge and its construction, while the park itself applies modern art to stone and water.
Admission to the tower: \800.
Admission to the Hall:\510.
To the Seto Ohashi Memrial Park: 10 minutes from JR Sakaide by shuttle bus (free of charge).
The Gold Tower ③ ゴールドタワー near JR Utazu Station offers a marvelous view, too. The 144 m tower made lf half-mirror glass is the tallest lf its kend in Japan, housing the Sky Lounge, restauants, stores and a World Toilet Museum.
OPen daily. Admission to the tower:\800/\1000 (Toilet Museum included).
◎To Golf Tower: 8 minutes' walk from JR Utazu.
Bridge-viewing cruises are available from Keihan Fishima's Wharf 京阪フィッシャーマンズワーフ on Yoshima ①
, Memorisl Park② and Sakaide Port ④. (\1000-1500)
◎25 minutes' train ride from JR Takamatsu.
* To the Castle: 15 minutes' walk from JR Marugame.
The three-storied donjon on top of a green hill croens the citu of Marugame. When a Marugame Province of 53,000 koku was formed in 1641, an old castle was reconstructed and the castle seen today dates back to 1660 , one of the few genuine Edo Period castles remaining in Japan.
The present-day Marugame is famous for uchiwa of foucn paper fan manufacturing , producing about 90% of these fans in Japan.
The Castle Park, 15 minutes' walk from JR Marugame , is surrounded by moats, featuring the donjon , a couple fo main gates (all Important Cultural Properties) and walls from the 17 th century.The 4-level 60 m ramparts, the tallest and among the most beautiful in Japan , also contribute to the beauty of the castle.
O-shiro Matsuri Castle Festival is held on the 3rd weekend in May.
The Inokuma Genichiro Modern Art Museum 猪熊弦一郎現代美術館 adjacent to JR Marugame Station is dedicated to Inokuma Genichiro (1902-93) (p.40)
Bamshoen Garden 万象園 built in 1688 as a villa for the lord of the puovince is 10 minutes' drive from downtown Marugame. One of th egalleries there houses Chinese ceramic ware and a collection of Iranian earthenware and glassware dating back to 2500 B. C. through the 1200's A.D. Open daily.
admission to the Garden & Galleries:\1000 (Students: \600, Children:\400)
◎ 10 minutes' walk from Nakazu-bashi Bus Stop after 10 minutes' ride from Marugame Toricho near the castle.
(Kotosan Bus for zentsuji 善通寺 via Tadotsu 多度津 )
[ From JR Kotohira ] 5 minutes to JR Zentsuji by ordinary train.
[From JR Takamatsu ] 40 minutes to JR Zentsuji by express train (Dosan Line ).
* 25 minutes' walk from JR Zentsuji along the street in front of the station.
Zentsu-ji Temple (No.75), is known as the birthplace of Kobo Daishi Kukai . (See p. 190: THE SHIKOKU PILGRIMAGE). Kukai is one of the greatest geniuses Japan has ever produced. He made a great contribution in remolding Japanese religion , while making unparalleled achievements as a scholar , poet , artist, calligrapher, sculptor, architect , educator, social worker, inventor, discoverer and civil engineer.
The giant camphor trees near the five-storied pagoda in the East Precinct are asid to have already been several hundred years old when Kukai was born in 774. The Mieido Hall in the West Precinct at the foot of the green hill is the Birthplace.
Visitors may traverse the basement of the hall along a pitch-dark path. This introspective journey is called kaidan-meguri 戒壇めぐり. The entrance is at the right-hand corner of the Hall. The entrance fee includes the admission to the Museum. (\300)
The utter blackness along the path symbolizes the darkness of the human mind or human ignorance of the Truth. The motice says: "Go along with the palm of your left hand pressed against the left-hand wall.The wall, painted with mandalas , angels and lotus flowers , is the Buddha's Way . You will be safely guided sa long as long as you are on His Way."