YouTube video
Collaboration event Dragon and flowers
YouTube videos of Kyoto & Nara temples and shrines visit
We published our Tokyo/Japan Explore spots YouTube videos, about “Kyoto & Nara trip”.
There are 8 videos about Kyoto & Nara temples and shrines visit.
They are about visiting not well known popular tourist spots (some are famous already though), but more meaningful and powerful power spots.
By visiting those places, we Japanese believe we can connect to our guardians and will get better luck.
During my visit there, I had great opportunities to dedicate my RYU dragon kakejiku to Oomiwa shrine in Nara, and to Kifune shrine in Kyoto.
We hope these videos will give you some ideas of places to visit when you come to Japan!
Nara videos
Kyoto videos
Sakura cherry blossoms Japanese Suibokuga painting & cherry blossoms history in Japan
Click the image for this YouTube video
How to paint RYUJIN（龍神）on YouTube
Guardian god Tiger on Kakejiku art
Tiger on Kakejiku art
Tigers are one of the very popular subjects on Japanese Kakejiku art.
Kakejiku is Japanese traditional hanging scroll.
It is hung on the wall in Japanese style room, especially on alcove “Tokonoma”, since ancient time.
Tiger is a powerful animal, and Tiger painting on kakejiku has an important meaning.
When tiger is glaring at this way, that means tiger is glaring at the evil in your place.
Tiger’s powerful eyes are believed to have the power to beat the evil.
So tiger’s scary expression is protecting your place and the people living in your place.
Tiger painting Kakejiku has a strong good luck power.
Beautiful Crane birds, Japanese good luck symbol
Crane birds – Japanese good luck symbol
We, Japanese have a deep connection with crane birds since ancient times.
The beautiful crane birds can be seen in many occasions, such as Japanese old stories, music, paintings, and so on.
Crane birds are not just beautiful but also thankful, as they are symbols of long life, prosperity and a good luck.
In Japanese phrases, we have “crane birds live a thousand years, turtles live a ten thousand years”
Also crane bird’s voice is said to reach to the heaven, as they cry loudly.
When crane birds make a couple, they stay forever and never separate.
So we symbolize crane bird couple as “good married couple”.
Especially at weddings, we use crane birds in many situations, for special wedding kimono pattern, for wedding venue decorations, or on celebratory statement.
As crane birds are grateful good luck symbols, we believe that owning something with crane bird motif will bring us a good luck and a healthy long life.
I love to paint these beautiful birds, crane birds on my hanging scrolls too.
Miniature Orizuru art
Orizuru is a crane bird made with Origami.
Origami is Japanese traditional paper art and kids activities.
It is said to be brought to Japan by Buddhist monks around the sixth century, however there is no evidence about this and the origin of Origami is unknown.
The oldest mention of Origami is the poem written by Ihara Saikaku in 1680.
Now “ORIGAMI” is well known in the world.
Orizuru – crane bird made with Origami paper-, is one of the famous Origami art.
In Japan, we use Orizuru in many occasions, such as prayer for health or peace, as crane birds are symbols of a long healthy life and a good fortune.
By making miniature Orizuru and putting it in jewelry, the jewelry becomes good luck charm.
Miniature 3D koi fish Japanese world
There are so many Koi ponds in Japan everywhere and you can enjoy seeing beautiful Koi fish swimming.
We use Koi fish paintings on many art crafts, such as Kakejiku hanging scrolls, Kimono patterns, dishes, etc, as Japanese good luck symbols.
Japanese people have a strong connection with Koi fish since ancient time.
Especially, “Nishiki goi” koi fish is beautiful and highly valued.
Red & white color (sometimes with black) Koi fish is a popular Nishiki goi.
Golden color Koi fish is also a kind of “Nishiki goi”, and is believed to bring us a wealth.
So making miniature 3D koi fish is very important for me.
I can create a miniature 3D beautiful Japanese world in jewelry with them.
Also, Using this good luck symbol Koi fish, and adding power stones, I can make the jewelry a powerful good luck charm.
I love to imagine people wearing my good luck jewelry and being happy!
World heritage Mt. Fuji
World heritage -Mt. Fuji
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, the altitude of 3,776m.
It is well known not just in Japan but in the world as the world heritage site.
The reason Mt. Fuji was selected as a World Heritage Site, is not only for its value as a famous mountain of nature and beauty, but also for the faith held by the Japanese in the existence of Mt. Fuji and its value as a source of art born through Mt. Fuji.
Since ancient times, Japanese people felt divinity in Mt. Fuji and admired it as the symbol of spirituality.
They looked up Mt. Fuji and prayed.
How did Mt. Fuji become a mountain of prayer?
Mt. Fuji is the symbol of “mountain worship”.
“Sangaku-shinko ” 山岳信仰” is a faith worshipping mountains as being sacred.
So what is “Sangaku- shinko” -mountain worship?
Japan is an island country, of around 75% of the land being occupied with mountains and forests.
This fact already made people have strong connections with mountains.
In the old days, the souls of the dead who left their bodies were thought to climb mountains.
When Buddhism was transmitted, people started to believe the souls of the dead climbed the mountain and they would become Buddhas at the summit. As a result, the mountain has come to be regarded as the most sacred place where God and Buddha live together.
There are many shrines in and around mountains, and of course Mt. Fuji also has shrines called “asama shrine”浅間神社“ on its summit and around it as well.
That is because Mt.Fuji is God himself.
On the other hand, Mt. Fuji is a beautiful active volcano.
There has not been a major eruption in the last 300 years since the last eruption of 1707, but it has a history of being feared not only as beautiful but also as a scary mountain.
Asama Shrine, which is scattered throughout the Mt. Fuji area, also has a deep desire to calm the terrible disaster.
In Western Europe, nature, including mountains, should be conquered by the power of God. There is a big difference from Japan, which feels the sign of God and Buddha from rich nature and thinks that the mountain is a god.
That is the reason that Mt. Fuji is very special mountain for Japanese people.
And as a source of art, famous painters and artists left behind their works that were in some way in connection with Mt. Fuji, especially since Edo period.
From folding screen paintings, fusuma paintings, hanging scrolls, the pilgrimage mandala, which is the object of faith, and as well as the decoration of crafts such as costume patterns, daily fixtures, and furnishings, countless figures of Mt. Fuji were drawn.
I myself, love to draw beautiful Mt. Fuji.
Mt. Fuji has the power to captivate a person from a first look.
