Autumn at the University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo logo is formed by two gingkoes leaves, a yellow one and a light blue one, the gingko leaves has been used as a mark of Tokyo university in many occasions of the university history.


Accordingly, the gingko trees are showing the beautiful yellow color of the autumn around the University.


The University is open to the public, and a large number of visitors are enjoying the autumn colors.




Español

Yushima Teijin Shrine to the god of learning

Yushima Tenmangu best known as Yushima Tenjin was established in 458 to worship Ameno-tajikaraono-mikoto; in 1355 the spirit of Sugawara Michizane, a virtuoso scholar and poet from the Heian period, was also enshrined here.



These days, students pay reverence to the “kami” of learning at the temple. On examinations periods it’s common to see students and mothers, writing petitions on the wihishing boards “Ema”. Additionally as the shrine is a short walk from Tokyo University, the place gets usually crowded on the days prior the entrance examination day.




After entering the shrine grounds, the most outstanding object is the beautiful building of the main shrine, or honden, the large number of Ema or wish boards comes a close second.



The main hall and the main hall are connected with a stunning bridge, at prayer time you can see the priest in full regalia crossing the bridge.



The shrine is preparing for the chrysanthemums flower festival, when the temple is decorated with this flower and wax figures wearing clothes made of the flower, the festival is celebrated in the first weeks of November.



Español

Azalea festival at Nezu shrine

Nezu shrine in Bunkyo Tokyo, celebrates the Azalea festival in late April early May.



Dates change every year to go with the blooming of the Azaleas; weekends are extremely busy during the festival as the shrine receives a very large number of visitors.





Nezu shrine is said to have been established over 1900 years ago. Tsunayoshi Tokugawa built the structures standing today in 1705, accordingly the main hall, the worship hall, the offering hall and the bronze lanterns have been designated as important cultural properties, being the oldest original constructions in Tokyo.





The Roumon (tower gate), the karamon, the west gate and the wall are also designated important cultural properties.






At the same premises, at the west, the Otome inari and the komagome inari are dedicated to the godess of rice inari, with their colorful tori gates.

Español

Confucian temple Yushima seido

Yushima seido in yushima, neighborhood of Bunkyo Tokyo is a Confucian temple founded in 1960 by the Tokunaga shogunate, later became a center of Confucian learning, as noted in one of the signs in the grove, it was one of the first educational institutions in Japan. The sign reads “The birthplace of the education in Japan”, the site is designated as an historic place.


The temple is locate on one of the sides of the Hijiri bashi or saints bridge, as it has Nicholai cathedral on one side and Yushima seido on the opposite.



Entering by going down the steps on the hijiri bashi a small grove can be appreciated at the gate. Passing through the nyutokumon gate is not allowed now, so it is required to go through a side entrance, and then enter the temple trough the Kyodamon gate.




The main building daisendan is impressive for its simplicity, all black, with almost no decorations. Its simplicity is more dramatic, when compared with the color excesses of the temple Kanda Myojin just across the street.

Español

Winter illumination at Tokyo Dome City

Tokyo Dome City is decorating for the season with a futuristic themed winter illumination.
This year illumination’s titled ‘winter illumination 01’ consisting of 1, 200,000 LED lights, representing the passage from the present to the future.
The illumination will decorate the area until Feb 14th, from 17:00 to 25:00.


Cristal city lights up beautifully with lights, representing the universe and a ship named Elpis (hope in Greek mythology) navigating from the present to the future.


The LaQua area is illuminated with several objects representing the universe and the pass of time, this object is called Stella.


The hikari madala dome, lights up to the rhythm of music for 15 minutes every hour, you can sit inside the dome to appreciate the show.

Undoubtedly the object attracting more attention is the Gaia, a 12m object representing the earth, this blue planet like object can be enjoyed also from the desk of Laqua.

Spanish

University of Tokyo

The University of Tokyo, Japan’s premier national university. Founded in 1877 as the first national university in Japan. The university aims to provide its students with a rich and varied academic environment that ensures opportunities for both intellectual development and the acquisition of professional knowledge and skills.


The Main Campus is located in Hongo, Bunkyo Ku, on the Tokyo state of the former major feudal lord Kaga Yashiki. Parts of the seventeenth century landscape have been preserved.


The former Kaga state Akamon or red gate is also preserved and it has been designated an “Important Cultural Property” by the Japanese government.


Arches of the Second Building of Faculty of Law and Letters on campus.

Official Site

Spanish

Gokokuji

Gokokuji is a Buddhist temple in the Bunkyo ward, it was founded in 1681 in the Edo period. In 1873 the emperor Meiji declared the temple a mausoleum. He and several of his children are buried there.


The building with a single layer roof built on an aesthetic iki design, that has survived the big Kanto earthquake and the bombing of the second world war.



The main temple is considered an important cultural asset by the Japanese government.
Official site (Japanese).

Español