week10 Shiromaru princess

Do you know Shiromaru princess? She is the mascot character of Himeji. What is called “gently character”. In Japan, it is called ”Yuru-kyara(ゆるキャラ)”. gently characters are mascot characters who works for a region, for example, event, all kind of campaign, making a region, presenting a special product, and PR information of the whole region.

They are used as Corporate Identity.

 

In a narrow sense, gently characters are a mascot character of nation or district or a public institution. Moreover, they are made stuffed toy. In a wide broad sense, a promotion character is considered gently characters.

 

There are three articles to consider gently characters.

①    There are strange messages it is full of love for one’s native district.

②    Behavior is unstable and unique.

③    They has gently it should be loved by all people.

 

Shiromaru princess is a cute girl who has white skin symbolizes Himeji Castle. Shiromaru princess was born to commemorate one hundred and twenty anniversary municipal organization of Himeji, four hundred anniversaries Himeji Castle, and the fiftieth anniversary a port of Himeji. Gently characters were invited by public participation. It was chosen fairly. Shiromaru princess was designed by Tomoko Taguti who is an office worker in Himeji.

 

By the way, I explain a profile of Shiromaru princess.

Birthday: April 4^th

Address: Himeji city

Character: she is gentle like a supply body

Attractive feature: velvety white skin

Trademark: hat of Himeji Castle, a hair ornament of a cherry blossom

Taste: taking a turn in Himeji Castle, taking a tea break in Kokoen

Special ability: singing

Favorite food: a Japanese cake (but she is on a diet),

 

Shiromaru princess take part in the gently characters grandprize. She was 141th place.

Shiromaru princess is not famous. Shiromaru princess is working hard in expectation of promotion. Shiromaru princess explain about Himeji Castle and city. Shiromaru princess is very busy to PR Himeji every day.

 

In Himeji, a license plate of Shiromaru princess is made. This plate is made to love Himeji City and Himeji Castle and to send to out of the city as town of a world cultural heritage and a tourist spot. Himeji technical high school students design it. Color is three kinds, pink, white, and yellow. A natural was abolished. At first, this plate was very popular for women. Many women march in a window. A circulation is number of 5800. But men said “it is so cute that it is not suitable for a number plate.” As a result, Himeji city adopted a natural number plate.

 

I present Himeji Castle and concerning Himeji Castle in ten weeks. What do you think about Himeji Castle. Do you interested in Himeji Castle? I wish you understand Himeji Castle. I have lived near Himeji Castle for 18 years. Himeji is good city. There are many tourist spot and natural. People in Himeji is very kind. Himeji is comfortable to live in. I want you to visit Himeji.

 

Thank you for your reading.

 

Good bye!

week9 education

In Japan, when we graduate from junior high school, we must enter high school now. It is called compulsory education. But the old days is different. The school whoever can go was made after Meiji period. In Edo period, children who is bushi’s family line could enter the school.

 

In middle Edo period, when Japan was peace, bushi start to study positively.  The shogunate government made the school it was called “syo-hei-zaka-gaku-mon-jo(昌平坂学問所)”. That was how, Each place made the school for the bushi’s children.

 

“Ko-ko-do(好古堂)”　is one of the school in Himeji. Kokodo is built inside the Himeji Castle. First, Kokodo was not in Himeji.  Kokodo was built in Gunma by Sakai tadataka who studied hard.  When Sakai moved Himeji, Kokodo was moved together.

 

What kind of school was Kokodo? Now, in Japan, junior high school children study arithmetic, Japanese, music, and so on. But in Kokodo, children study Confucianism. Children learned importance of vertical relation. People wanted children to grow helpful for society.　So only the boy entered Kokodo as “Sodokusei(素読生)”[Sodokusei means  reading a text aloud without thinking anything]when they were eight years old. It was bushi’s compulsory education.

 

In the class, children use a text of Confucianism. Children study a reading and mean from a teacher. Memorizing was mainly. Children had a test so they reviewed every day.

 

When children finished Sodoku course, they went to “Rinkousei” course.  Children enter the dormitory. Rinkousei course was more difficult than Sodoku course. They study not only Confucianism but also history, geography, and science. They have a test again so they study harder till late at night.

 

Children study not only learning. All children are bushi’s family line. They study kendo, judo, riding, and gunnery. It is very important to be a bushi. So Kokodo has a practice room. When children is to be ten years old, they start to practice military arts from each teachers. It is an ideal to be skilled in both literary and military arts.

 

Now, we have a good teacher. Kokodo had many good teacher. The person who did best in study became “tokugaku(督学)”, it means a principal.

 

Tsunoda Shinzo(角田心臓), Kameyama Unpei(亀山雲平), Sugano Kensuke(菅野愃介)are famous persons. Especially, kameyama became an assistant professor when he was only sixteen years old. Kameyama studied in syo-hei-zaka-gaku-mon-jo(昌平坂学問所). Later kameyama became a Shinto priest in Matsubara shrine. He made the school called ”kankai-koudo(観海講堂)” Kameyama rear many people.

 

In the later Edo period, the common ordinary people could study. It is a private elementary school of Edo period, generally run by one teacher. Children studied reading, writing, and an abacus. This is essential for everyday life.

 

In japan, now, it is natural that we can study every day. But old days is different. We must know the history.

 

Thank you for your reading!

week8 a castle town

Many houses in a castle town are build a zigzag course. It looks a saw. So it is called “a sow alley”. Why it stand in a zigzag course?

 

Himeji Castle encloses a castle town with a moat to protect Himeji Castle against enemies when a war broke out.  Many people who are a workman, a merchant, live in a castle town. It is townspeople town.  A moat covered this town completely.  It is large scale.  It is called “sokuruwa(総曲輪)”. If Himeji Castle is besieged, they can live every day.

The whole a castle town is thought to protect Himeji Castle. There are many devices of defense. The street is a complicated winding path, and a junction of three roads. As a result, the enemy can’t get an unobstructed view. So if Himeji Castle is attacked the enemy, it wasn’t attacked at one go.

There are many temples. Soldiers gather at a temple when a war broke out. A temple plays an important part like the Castle. It is one of the devices at the crucial moment.

“A sow alley” is useless at the war. Soldiers hide behind a projection of the house like a sow alley. Soldiers ambush without attracting the enemy’s attention, and soldiers shot his gun and shoot an arrow. It is like a Western film.

By the way, a castle town is incline. A zigzag course is the best way to build houses in leaning land.

 

A castle town has many sightseeing spots. I will explain the spots from the station to th Himeji Castle.

①Mikishi-honjin-ato(三木氏本陣跡): an officially appointed inn for the use of daimyo in the Edo period.

②Mori-ju(森重): a restaurant of an oyster.
③Kin-o-no-chi(勤王の地)：there were the lodgings.
④Funaba-honntoku-ji(船場本徳寺)：there were tombstones.
⑤Nakano-mon(中の門)：it was a gate of castle.
⑥Takasu-yashiki(高須屋敷)： it was a residence of a higher bushi.

It takes 45 minute. We feel thinking of bushi.

 

Many historic building left in the outskirts of the Himeji Castle. But, year by year, a tasteful of a Castle town lost.　It is high cost to repair real buildings. So we devise to repair in low cost. First, they decide on a precise plan. In the first plan, they repair over the town. Second, they make guidelines. They decide the way of repair and expense. Third, they inspect an effect. They research the opinion about changing town among people.   

 

“Matizukuri-juku(まちづくり塾)” is the program about thinking a view and activation in Himeji. In this program, Many students play a key role in the work. Students discuss the doubt they feel usually and the impression of Himeji.

 

We must think about Himeji Castle to keep beautiful. The destiny of Himeji Castle falls on our shoulders.

 

Thank you for your reading.

 

See you next week.