Kamakura

Today, my husband I went to Kamakura where used to be the Japanese capital in 12 century. My husband had never been there, so I took him same places where S from Finland and I went last year. They were Ugahuku Shrine (aka Zeniarai Benten) , Sasukeno Inari shrine, Turugaoka Hachimangu shrine; and two temples ; Hase Temple where there is a huge statue of the Goddess of Kannonand and Kotokuin Temple where there is a Great Budda. We washed some money for wishing to get fortune at Ugahuku Shrine, saw a lot of fox statues (they are gods themselves and also messenger for gods) at Sasukeno Inari shrine and went into Great Budda's body!This time I took some pictures.From the top of left, entrance of money washing cave at Zeniarai Benten), entrance gate of Sasuke Inari shrine, the Great Budda, inside of the Great Budda's neck, and a local train in Kamakura.

Visiting Grave Yards

My family religion is Buddhism. In Japan, around autumnal and spring-time Equinox Day are middle days of a seven-day Buddhist ceremony period. During the period, my mother and I usually visit our family graves, even though I'm not a religious person. I think the biannual visit is for memories of beloved my dad, both side of grandpas and grandmas, and a little cousin who used to live together with us.( To me, the visit is a custom rather than religious ceremony.) This year, my mum will travel in China during the period, so we decided to visit our family graves today, it was earlier than usual.

I should explain how Japanese people are buried. Usually, when people died in Japan, people are cremated in almost all area in Japan. Basically, a family share a tomb and their ashes are placed inside the tomb and the tomb (the grave) is inherited by first-born son or somebody who inherited the family name. In Japan, the tomb is like a small house. But nowadays there are various cases, because many people don't have children.

My paternal family graves in a public graveyard in west Tokyo(The left side picture). The graveyard is maneged by Tokyo metropolitan government and it's nonreligious. Anybody can be buried there, but recently it's difficult to get new space, because there is no space anymore.
My dad was the 5th son, so when he died, my mom had to find a new place for him. My maternal side gran pa was a very religious person and a supporter of a Buddhist temple. The temple have their own grave yard, so my gran pa recommended to my mum to be a supporter of the temple. My mum accepted it. It sounds that she changed her religion for getting a grave, but actually she was Buddhist and just not went to the temple so often.

New Job

I started to work again this Monday as a temporally staff at a sales support section in one of huge Japanese treading companies. I had to learn a lot of things which I'd never heard and done, cos I will replace a staff position from next week. I'm exhausted and feel an old woman......Ah, the job is easy, but it's difficult to remember at the same time....

Birthday

Today is my birthday, now, I'm 41. I still feel immature and always thinking when I can become an adult?

I started this blog a year ago. I wrote these blogs an average once a week, I want to write more often, but, sigh, sometimes writing English is pain for me :p

The photo is a cake which my husband bought for me. It was a very yummy cheese cake.