Yesterday I went to visit the grave for my grandfather in koto ward, Tokyo because it is during Obon festival which is held from July 13th through 16th every year in Tokyo. "Bon" is the Japanese ritual ceremony to welcome the soul of the ancestor from the heaven and to send them off. This is a in Buddhist event occurring from the 13th to 16th of July or August to hold a memorial service to the spirits of ancestors. Because the spirits of the dead are said to return at this time, fires are lit at the entrances to homes so the spirits do not lose their way, and, in addition to lanterns being lit inside homes, the Buddhist home altars are tidied up and vegetables and fruit are set out as offerings. And when Bon is over, the spirits are sent on their way. This is called the escorting of the spirits and fires to speed their seeing off are lit at entrances of homes and offerings are floated on rivers and the ocean. Therefore, Most of Japanese people go back to their hometown, and they spend the time with their ancestor during "Bon" until they go back to the heaven. By the way, these pictures are my hometown and the place where I used to play in my childhood. This park is called "the Arakawa and Sunamachi waterside park" which is located on the Arakawa river. I definitely visit there when I have a gone feeling or I am in a somber mood because it makes me heal my sorrow all the time. So It is my favorite place in the world. In this connection, let me introduce the Arakawa river. The Arakawa River is one of the principal rivers flowing through Tokyo. The point of origin is on Mount Kobushi in Saitama Prefecture, and the Arakawa River empties into Tokyo Bay, spanning 107 miles. The drainage basin covers 1,140 square miles. The widest section of the river ranges 8,323 feet at around Gonari Bridge and ranks number one in the nation. The final picture is the public bathhouse whose name is "Fuji-no-Yu" where I have haunted since I was born. It is a great place and I have plenty of memories that I used to play in this public bathhouse. Its interior decorations are as same as the past. So it is very nice. In any case, yesterday was the great day. "A man does what he must – in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers, and pressures – and that is the basis of all human morality." - by John Fitzgerald Kennedy "Heaven helps those who help themselves." 昨日は御盆なので祖父の墓参りに行きました。気分も晴れ晴れし、また新たな目標に向かって邁進する決意を持つ事も出来ました。今日からまた不惜身命の努力を積みます。因みに東京では毎年7月13日から16日が御盆です。 写真は故郷の江東区東砂です。また小さい時に一番遊んだ場所である「荒川・砂町水辺公園」も皆さんに見て頂きたく撮影しました。私が遊んだ当時とは全く違って大分綺麗になりましたが（昔は何も無く唯の原っぱでした）、それでも昔の面影は残っています。ここに来ると気分が最高に落ち着きます。なぜなら荒川と東京湾からの強風が心を癒やしてくれるからです。いつも英気を養う時に必ず「この」場所を訪れます。私が世界で一番好きな場所です。やはり故郷は最高です。 最後の写真は小さい頃からずっと通っている銭湯の「不二の湯」さんです。内装が昔と何も変わっていないので非常に嬉しいです。洗面器が黄色なのが特徴です。ここにも沢山の思い出があります。 兎にも角にも昨日は最高の一日でした。 明るい未来を盲信して蛮勇を奮う。 『天は自ら助くる者を助く』
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 00:43:48 +0000
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