Doll,chimaki and kashiwamochi

The Transformation over the ages of Tango no Sekku

When looking into the origins of various elements of Japanese culture, one often finds dual or multiple roots. Even beginning students of Japanese language must deal with these many faces
when they first learn that there are two or more ways of reading kanji characters. There are even two ways of counting, the more purely Japanese way- hitotsu, futatsu, mitsu... and then the one based on the Chinese, ichi, ni, san.
It is especially interesting to keep this in mind when discussing Japan`s calendar of traditional annual events. This month`s standout special day is Childrens Day (子供の日, kodomo no hi) which has come to involve a fantastic array of festive decorations and foods. Most noticably, there are the carp streamers (鯉のぼり), which can be seen proudly flapping in the wind ( in this part of Japan,we are lucky to be able to see especially large and elaborate ones) or displayed at shops and shrines. Inside peoples homes, or at restaurants and hotels we can see the armor or warrior dolls (Go-gatsu ningyo) which have been put on display. Now less commonly you can see iris (菖蒲, shobu) stems on sale for use in the bath and even more rarely in this part of Japan (though I saw it yesterday), placed on rooves, along with some mugwort (蓬,yomogi). At wagashi (Japanese sweet shops) and convenience stores, kashiwamochi and chimaki are on sale, as the special sweets of the season.
What does all this have to do with Childrens Day?
First let me say something about Japanese festive days in general. Certain days were recognized by the ancient Chinese as being pivotal seasonal markers. These came to be known as sekku (節句) when adopted by the Japanese. To mark the seasonal changes, each sekku involved eating certain foods and displaying certain decorations. In those times the significance of these was usually one of keeping away bad luck or ritual protection.
The major sekku which are still widely celebrated in Japan are: January 7, Nanakusa (seven herbs) no Sekku, March 3, Momo(peach) no Sekku, May 5, Tango no Sekku, or Shobu(iris) no Sekku, July 7,Tanabata, and September 9, Kiku(chrysanthemum) no Sekku.
It now being May, this month`s festive day is of course, Tango no Sekku, which is now known as the national holiday, Childrens Day.
However, since this day has been recognized as being special in ancient times, there have been many meanings connected to it which have changed over the generations.

If you ask a Japanese friend about the significance of Chidrens Day, they will explain that it is a day to celebrate boys and for families with boys to pray for their healthy growth and success. This goes in tandem with March`s Momo no Sekku which is a celebration of girls. They will also explain that carp streamers symbolize strength and perseverence.
The story of Tango no Sekku, however, is much more complicated than this and its history and the origin of its customs are now unfamiliar even to most Japanese.
In ancient Japan (and still today), this is the season for planting rice. To pray for abundant crops and fertility in general and remove impurities from the village young women (早乙女,saotome) would spend a day isolated in a special womens huts called onna no ie(女の家). This hut would be covered with irises and mugwort, which in ancient china were believed to have purifying powers (because of their strong smells).
In the Nara Period(710-794), the Japanese would decorate themselves with garlands of iris and later in the Heian Period it was common (and still is) to decorate homes with these protective plants. At this time tall poles would also be set up by rice fields to welcome the God of Fertility.
Later when Japan came under military rule, the Japanese word for iris, shobu, came to held significant for its homonym, 尚武, shobu, which means reverence for martial arts. Thus, the iris remained a mainstay of Tango no Sekku throughout the generations and many Japanese still use it in their baths on this day for driving away evil and fortifying the body.
It was during the years of military rule that Tango no Sekku came to be associated with boys. One possible explanation for this can be that it had originally been a day to isolate women, and that left the boys to be celebrated!

Kashiwamochi is a pounded rice cake wrapped in the leaf of a Japanese oak. Eating this sweet in this season is an original Japanese custom and signifies the connection between generations, as these trees dont lose their leaves until fresh leaves appear!

Eating chimaki, a conically shapped paste wrapped tighty in leaves, is a custom which originates in China. May 5th in China, is the memorial day of the great warrior 屈原kutsugen, who was famed for his loyalty. On the 5th day of the 5th month men would throw offerings into rivers (he drowned in one) in his honor. At one point, many men at different locations dreamed that it would be better to wrapp these offerings in purifying leaves. This became standard practice, and is now common today in Japan.

Raising carp streamers probably is a continuation of the native practice of setting up poles near the rice fields to welcome the rice god. Since Tango no Sekku came to be a day of celebrating boys, Japanese in the Edo Period (1600-1868) adopted the carp, as a symbol of success. This is because of the ancient Chinese story of the carp struggling upriver and transforming into a dragon.

This custom spread throughout Japan and can especially be enjoyed in Ibaraki where farmers often display fantastic and very expensive koi nobori sets to celebrate their male offspring.
For those who live in smaller abodes there are appropriately sized streamers and even tiny origami or cloth carp.

Finally, there are the dolls and armour which are displayed. Grandparents often spend thousands of dollars on a display for their grandsons, though if you want some dolls for yourself you can get the same exact dolls for a song at second hand shops (since many Japanese would not buy or are even afraid of used dolls!) . These dolls became popular in the late Edo Period as emulating the Samurai class was all the rage for the merchants and then farmers. These dolls and armour are displayed to pray for boys success and health and can be found in a myriad of forms.

There are many other, more obscure decoration for this season, but I have written too much already, so go search then out for yourselves.
Happy Children`s Day!

Decorations for Childrens Day(Tango no Sekku)

Ten days later

Before I went to NY

Cherry Blossom viewing in old Edo

From Cherry Blossom Showers to Waterworld

April is surely the time of greatest change, both social and environmental, here in Japan. There are school and company entrance ceremonies and friends might suddenly disappear as they are tranferred to another branch office. The dull winter landscape gives way to a succession of blossoms, most famously the sakura, or cherry blossoms. The dramatic changes that take place at this time of year were more evident than usual to me, since I was away in New York for 10 days.
On my way to the airport the ground was covered with a delicate pink carpet of sakura petals and gusts of wind brought down the remaining petals in bursts of flower shower. When I returned, it was as if I had come to a different country, looking out of the airplane window, I saw a veritable water-world of flooded rice fields glistening in the sun. Driving back to Tsukuba the azalea (tsutsuji) lined the road and extravagant carp-streamers (koi nobori) flapped about in the yards of house-holds celebrating their male off-spring.
Now as a re-acclimatize to Japan-time, the farmers are busy transplanting the rice seedlings in the flooded fields, that being the original reason for having the many holidays which make up Golden Week.
At night I was glad to hear a familiar sound, the thunderous chorus of frogs which inhabit the paddy fields around my house, it gets so noisy that sometimes I can't have a phone conversation.
The fact that cherry blossoms bloom just before rice transplanting begins is one of the reasons for its great importance in Japanese culture.
One theory for the etymology of the word sakura is- where the God of the fields dwell. It was believed that the god manifested itself in spring to make agriculture possible, and that is why farmers have cherry blossom viewing parties-to honor the Gods!
Of course another reason for the Cherry-Viewing parties is that the Emperor Saga was fond of them, and the Japanese have always strived to emulate the ways of the Heian aristocrats.

Chimes used in Rain Falls...

Chimes used in Rain Falls...

Rain Falls... is The TenGooz latest release and will surprise many of our long time fans in many ways. The song is built around Hase G`s haunting bass phrases and the melody line for the A pattern came to me on my first hearing. The chorus melody evolved after many practice sessions. I first imagined the lyrics to be about the suffering of the water birds caught in the nets put up by the lotus root farmers around lake Kasumigauara, Tsuchiura City, and had a working title Puppets on a String.
The songs lyrics were changed (forever maybe) as we got involved with the Ki No Ballad project which was a multi-media production based on a concept by artist Elizabeth Robless.

Since Tsukuba`s great songstress Jenny would be singing in the show and needed appropiate material, we decided to adapt the lyrics to fit the shows themes.
The present poem came to me at one shot, though some changes were being made, while first teaching the melody to Jenny at Elizbeths studio late one night.

On the recording, of course we have Jenny. Another point of departure for the TenGooz was the input of artist musician Thomas Mayer who put down all of the guitars and helped with the other effects.

Many listeners have commented on the densness of the arrangement (some finding it too busy).
One of the additions to the sound was a set of chimes from my collection of ethnic instruments. We also used them on stage for the live versions. Here is a picture of them as they hang outside my window.

Give the song a listen and tell us what you think.

www.jamendo.com/en/album/22590

Avi Landau

TenGooz scattered for spring!

In the middle of very fruitful recording sessions the TenGooz have temporarily dispersed as Michael is in Okinawa for research and Avi(me) is in New York for 10 days.

Here in The Big Apple spring is in full swing and flowers and blossoms are exploding with color everywhere. I've been exploring little known parts of The City, especially the outer burroughs (New york City has 5 burroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten Island). Bird-watching in Jamaica Bay, Queens, cherry blossom viewing with the various hassidic sects at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and relaxing on the spectacular estate at wave hill in the Bronx, overlooking the Hudson River Valley.

We should be back together next week doing some recording.

Rin used in SMILE

Watching You Smile

Two questions I'm often asked about our recent song watching You smile are: Avi, are you satisfied with the vocals?
and:What is that ringing sound that can be heard throughout the song?

Well,let me answer both questions.
First,no.The vocals will be redone and we will probably also do a version with Jenny singing.
next, the instrument used in the song is a rin, a Buddhist bell found at temples and at peoples home altars.
While thinking about the song and its theme of sudden pure inspiration, I had the idea of using such a sound.
I went into the first buddhist altar shop I found and tried out the sonorities of each one they had.
The one i finally selected was the most unusual in shape, and the most expensive!I knew that it was just right for the song, so i just took out the money and smiled!
We also used it to good effect at the ballad in Wood Show to which we created the music.

Avi Landau

Old,peeling E-Ma painting of Kishibojin

Hand-drawn Jizo signs

Kishibojin Shrine

Thomas shows Avi the Kishibojin Shrine

It is sometimes annoying when The Japanese insist on their uniqueness, but you have got to admit that in many ways their is no culture like theirs.
In what other country can you see such excitement built up by the media about the northward progress of cherry blossoms,or in other words, the cherry blossom front. Where else can you find such such enthusiasm and intention in the process of blossom viewing?
Leaving the throng of revellers at the famous local viewing point, Hojo oike, behind,thomas said that he wanted to show me a special place that he had been led to a few years ago by a girl whom he had met by chance on the road and offered to show him a'very beautiful place.
Just a little ways up a narrow and winding mountain road past an old graveyard demarcated by creepy, hand-drawn jizo candleboards, we came to the spot, so perfect on that day, bursting in full-bloom.
The shrine itself was also of great interest, being dedicated to Kishibojin, a goddess who aids in fertility, easy delivery and marital harmony. She also has a very interesting story. The loving mother of a thousand children, she feeds them all off the flesh of other people children whom she kills.
When Sakyamuni, the Buddha, hears of this woman, he decides that he must teach her a lesson, and promptly abducts one of her kids. She becomes frantic and begins a desperate search for her child. After deciding that his point had been made, the Buddha returns her son safely and after sermonizing her realizes that she has come to understand the suffering she has inflicted on other mothers. She has been taught to care about the feelings of others. She is usually depicted holding a pomegranite(zakuro), which is a symbol of fertility because of its abundant seeds.

full bloom

Thomas and Avi Enkatain at Cherry Blossom Festival !

Tsukuba has burst into color, mainly in shades of pink, as the cherry blossom front has swept upon us right on schedule. I had been asked a few weeks earlier if The TenGooz could play at a Festival held at the Hojo Oike, a small pond surrounded by sakura trees.
I could only answer with a `we`ll see', as our appearance seemed to be contingent on our performing an enka song(a genre of sentimental Japanese songs popular with older folks), and I knew that Hase G would be strongly against it. I was right about that,of course, and when I tried to subtly suggest the idea to our bassist, he responded with a firm and emotional-NO WAY!

Thomas lives very near the pond, in an area accessed by ancient roads which have hardly changed since the feudal period. We decided that we would go ahead,just the two of us, and perform the requested song as voice accompanied by acoustic guitar.
We got together on Thursday night(the event was on Saturday) and played through the song a few times, repeatedly listening to the cassette I had been given.

The day of the festival was glorious,in terms of metereorological conditions and it felt great to be alive.

Most of the audeince at the festival were extra grateful for being present on that perfect day, as they were mostly in their 80`s and 90`s. It was quite possible that there was a centenarian or 2 , as well. They certainly seemed glad to be there for another cherry blossom viewing.

The green room (the room in which performers wait before going on-stage)experience at the festival, was also quite unique. We shared it with a troupe of Japanese dancers, singers and toad- oil salesmen.

Thomas and I ended up doing 3 songs and making a quick break for it, in order to avoid the throngs of rabid , autograph seeking seniors. Then, our great day had just begun.....to be continued

Avi Landau

Kashiwa-mochi

Domyoji

Sakura-mochi

To Eat The Leaf Or Not To Eat The Leaf,That Is The Question

Eating sweets sounds like a simple pleasure.And though partaking of wagashi(和菓子),or traditional Japanese snacks ,is certainly enjoyable,it is a far from simple field.
As it is now the cherry blossom viewing season, I stopped by one of the wagashi counters at Seibu and asked for some sakura-mochi(桜餅), cherry rice cakes, which I had thought would be the apropriate sweet for slowly noshing on under the full-blooming trees.
I was surprised however, when the woman behind the counter told me that the season for sakura-mochi had already passed with the month of March.She explained that the wagashi called sakura-mochi was eaten from the Doll Festival on March 3rd (because of its being a pretty pink), up until the end of the month. I confirmed this later by going to all the wagashi shops I knew of in Tsukuba and was told the same story.Sorry,no sakura-mochi.

Sakura-mochi is a flattened piece of pounded rice,dyed pink, which is filled with sweet bean paste, rolled into a crepe, and then partially wrapped with a salted cherry leaf.It was invented by a wagashi shop(Yamamoto-Ya),still located along the banks of the Sumida River, in the early 19th century.They became the craze of old Edo, then spead throughout the country and have become a standard part of spring in Japan.

In the Kansai region(Kyoto,Osaka...)however,cofectioners had their own take on the idea and while still using the salted cherry leaf and sweet beat paste, they used a different type of dough(one in which the individual grains of rice remained recognizable) and gave the cakes a different shape,something very close to a ball. It was also given a different named domyoji(道明寺).

It is domyoji,originally from Kansai, which have become the sweet to enjoy in April, especially during the cherry blossom season. and you might very well be served this tasty little morsel
this month by Japanese friends or colleagues.

If you are fortunate enough for that to occur, the next, inevitable question arises. Do you eat the leaf or not? Well...,the leaf is edible and in my opinion delicious.
However, its a matter of personal taste. In this area most people eat the leaf, though it seems that in Kyoto many people just savor the leafs aroma.

One more point to remember. Do not confuse sakura-mochi or domyoji with the Mays sweet kashiwa-mochi(柏餅). This is a similar sweet-bean filled rice cake wrapped with the leaf of a Japanese oak. It is associated with Childrens Day(May 5), because these leaves do not fall from the tree until the tree starts budding, which for the Japanese symbolizes a harmonious flow from one generation to the next.

When eating Kashiwa-mochi you should DEFINITELY NOT EAT THE LEAF, as it is not edible. There is a story I heard about the Show a Emperor upsertting his stomach by not following that rule(the Emperor it seems should not leave anything on his plate).

Its a beautiful season, so why not go to one of Tsukuba`s wagashi shops and enjoy its special flavors!!!

Avi Landau

Twice in a year chance

Changing of the Gods-Mt Tsukuba`s Onzawari Ceremony

At 877 meters it is not very high or majestic.But for those of us who live on the vast(by Japanese standards, of course!)plain to its south, the slightly crushed M figure of Mt Tsukuba is like a trusty old friend, always reassuring us of where we are and helping us get our bearings when we are lost. Its forested slopes put Japan`s seasons on display while on the flatlands below the greenery has been disappearing at a frightening pace and snow accumulation become almost a most rare occurence.
For the Japanese, Mt Tsukuba has also been a sacred mountain, since time immemorial. Its peaks are where the ancestral Gods of the Japan, Izanagi and Izanami, are enshrined.
The mountain has attracted many holy men over the years and during the Edo Period(1600-1867) a temple was built half-way up its southern slope to protect Edo castle from the unlucky North-Eastern quadrant, and this temple, then Chuzen-Ji, was generously endowed and supported by Japans long-ruling clan,The Tokugawa.
In 1868 Japan underwent revolutionary reforms and the Emperor was restored(again?) to supreme power(in name only, most say). The Meiji goverment also carried out a probably ill-advised(though not as ill advised as some other policies set in those days!) policy of separating Buddhism(a foreign import) from the pure , native belief which came to be called Shinto.
Thus Chuzen-Ji is now Mt Tsukuba Shrine, popular as a place to pray for marital happiness.
The priests of this shrine, together with the assistance of local residents continue to perform the most important of the mountains ancient rituals- Onzagawari(御座替り）which can also be pronounced Ozagawari. This ceremony takes place twice a year, on April and November 1.
The ceremony at first appears to be a typical Japanese Mountain God festival in which the deities are brought down to the fields in spring to bring abundant harvests, and are then escorted back up to their mountain abodes for the winter.
Mt Tsukuba`s spring and autumn rituals seem at first glance to be of this pattern, but there is a twist. Since the ancestral couple are enshrined on its peaks and the shrine half-way up the mountain is dedicated to family harmony, instead of focusing on agriculture the Onzagawari emphasizes love and protection of children.
Yesterday, despite vicious winds, a small omikoshi(portable shrine9 carried the child god up the mountain, where it is cool and high above the sweltering lowlands and the parent gods were carried down to the center of the mountain.
The positions of the parents and child will switch back again in autumn.
The ceremony began early in the morning and continued till late afternoon as carriers bore the omikoshis up and down the mountain(they used the cable car for some of the way!), battling the ferocious and unrelenting gusts.
Maybe the most special thing that a visitor can do on these ceremony days is to cross the sacred bridge(a red, wooden,covered bridge of rare design) which is only open on the first day of April and November.
I know that most of you missed it yesterday, but maybe I will see there in autumn.

Avi Landau

Ancient Stairway

Kokage Shrine

Offerings for abundant cocoons

Ancient Custom Hanging on by a (Silk) Thread

Long before Japan was exporting Toyotas and Sonies,its most important foreign exchange earner was silk. Until about fifty years ago most farmers in the Kanto area supplimented their incomes by raising silk worms. Ten years ago I was still able to find the huts where these plump
caterpillars were grown and the sound of their loud munching on mulberry leaves still rings in my ears whenever I think about the times I came upon them. Now, even the mulberry groves which were a typical part of the Tsukuba landscape have all but disappeared.

Today,March 28th, I braved thunder and lightning to negotiate the steps up to Kokage Shrine and join the priests and 3 older, local gentlemen to give offerings for abundant rice crops and silk production and think back upon the heyday of Japans fling with the worms and their precious cocoons.
Kokage Shrine is yet another Tsukuba superlative. It is the oldest shrine in Japan dedicated exclusively to sericulture and once attracted thousands of worshipers, many from the textile
towns of Nagano and Gunma.
Located in the beautifully rustic Kangori(神郡) district of Tsukuba,the shrine is reached ascending ancient and uneven stone steps through an even more ancient sacred grove. It is said that the sea once reached this site and that an Indian princess who had set sail for Japan was dead upon arrival. Her ship was made of mulberry wood, and the locals imagined that she came from a land of abundant silkworms. They buit a casket for her and filled it with mulberry leaves.
To the right of the shrines main hall ,under an enclosure I found an undated E-ma painting depicting this scene.
I had a chance to chat with the Kanshushis(Shinto priests) as they were setting up the offerings on the altar. They were actually sent by The Tsukuba-San Shrine, as the Kokage Shrine has nearly been forgotten with the pricipitous decline in sericulture in Japan over the past few decades.
Now there are priests at the shrine only 2 days a year, March 28th for the spring offerings, and then November 23rd for the shrines festival. They explained to me how special the silkworms(kaiko) were to the Japanese, as they were the only domestic animal actually raised in peoples homes.They are also the only animals which normally are referred to using an honorific - O Kaiko-Sama, though the local people usual shorten this to O Ko-Sama.
As the time came to commence the ceremony only 3 old men had battled the stairs and settled inside the shrine for the ceremony.
This being a mere shadow of the crowds who would be there in former days.
First,a purification rite was carried out, and then offerings of cocoons, fruit and sacred sakaki leaves were made. O-miki(sake) was then drunk, and commemorative towels given to the few of us present. After the ceremony, we clambered down the steps as the local men reminisced about the shrines glory days.
Now the wooden buidings which would have been used by numerous vendors on this day were virtually falling apart. One man mentioned that a movie had been shot on this staircase, though he could not recall the title. Another man mentioned how just the other day the Emperor and Emperess performed a similar ritual for silkworms, which he had seen broadcast on TV(the Imperial Couple raises rice and silkworms for ritual purposes).
We reached the bottom of the stairway huffing and puffing. We entered the dilapidated old shop which once served the throngs of pilgrims who would flock here. They still sold a special souvenir- Kokage Yokan(beanpaste).
As a breeze entered the shop it gently lifted the paper displaying the price of the yokan. I noticed that for that day they had raised the price by 100 yen, taking advantage of the ceremony. Unfortunately,only 3 locals and I had shown up.
Times change, things change, and this ancient rite is certainly hanging on by a VERY thin thread.
　　

Bitter herbs in this season`s sweet

In Tsukuba, as the days get longer,here and there,slim shafts of greenery begin pushing up out from the snowless,brown, gray and straw-colored winterscape, giving us relieved assurance that once again, spring has come.It is in this time of year that many Japanese can be seen scouring the roadside, field edges or riverbank, as if looking for a lost object.
In fact, they are in search of yomogi(蓬), a wild herb which is gathered to make this season`s sweet - kusamochi(草餅), a distinctly green hued(perfect for St Paddy`s Day!) mochi-rice cake, sometimes filled with anko-sweet bean paste, or covered with kinako-soy bean powder.
Since yomogi(mugwort in English, though that word does NOT sound very appetizing), becomes inediblly tough quite soon after sprouting up, it has to be gathered when still very small ,young and fresh.
(I remember doing this years ago, for the first time, in the field behind the Tsukuba Central Police Station!)The herb is then boiled to make it less bitter, and then mixed into mochi(pounded rice cakes) and molded into small roundish patties.
　　This gives the mochi a slightly bitter and grassy taste.
It is because of this flavor that the custom began in the first place in ancient China,
where bitter grasses were believed to be effective in expelling
impurities and evil spirits. This notion was imported to Japan in the Heian Period(794-1192)
though a different type of herb was the most common ingredient(母子草 hahakogusa or gogyou).
It was only in the Edo Period (1601-1868)the yomogi became the commonly used ingredient.Yomogi is also an important component og the heated acupuncture called moxabustion. This English term derives from the Japanese word mogusa, which is the dried
mugwort used for this traditional medical treatment.
These days kusamochi is also available at most convenient stores in this season and can of course be found at wagashiya(Japanese sweet shops).
I had one today. Why dont you enjoy the season and the tradition and try it for yourself!

Avi Landau

Jenny belts it out

In the dressing room

Thomas between takes

Michael Frei lays down the sax

Jenny recording

Jenny and Takumi in the studio

TenGooz in the woods! @Capio Hall

Busy we are! Four Tengooz and guitarist Thomas Mayer have joined forces to create and perform the music to Ki no Ballad, or as I translate it- Ballad in Wood.
It has not been easy trying to blend narration, projected images, sculpture, dance and music, but the show went quite well and should be much better for our next performance on the 22nd.
We have gotten lots of positive comments on the music, and we hope that the extra two weeks will give us the time to pull everything together and create something really special.
Its a great thrill and satisfaction to have Jenny sing our songs. She is truly STAR material with her rivetting stage presence and almost uncontainable passion.
We will be recording tommorow night and hope to have CDs ready for next Friday nights show as there have been some inquiries about getting the music which we perform in the show.

In the picture sent to us by Dan, you can see the general merriment which we whipped up in the 3rd act of the show. Lots of kids,parents and seniors romping on the stage. What could be better!

Avi Landau

pic from Dan - hope it is the same one!

Something Smells Fishy-Its Setsubun!

Most of the world cultures that I can think of have (or had)　their own special ways of keeping evil spirits at bay,　or even better,far away. Japan is probably the industrialized　country with its traditional demon-fighting repetoire most intact. One of the most important and popular of the occassions on which excorcisms are appropriate is SETSUBUN(節分)usually celebrated on February 3rd, the day before the first day of spring(risshun(立春).The main technique used is bean-throwing(豆まき）,highly effective and plenty of fun!

Usually,Dad wears a demon(oni)mask,easilly purchased at any convenience store, and the kids procede to pelt him with dried soy beans(from packets available at the same stores).While they do this,they shout-oni wa soto!
Fuku wa uchi!(Evil out, Good Fortune in!)This is done at the entance to the house, and then in the other rooms. When the beans are all used up, they are gathered up and each family member usually eats the same number of beans as his/her age.Beans can also be offered to the Shinto
and Buddhist altars.

This ceremony remains one of the most popular of the traditional evil fighting customs and you can enjoy the ceremony in various forms at temples and shrines throughout Japan as well as on
TV(you might catch a scene of sumo wrestlers in masks being pelted by excited kids).

One of the other techniques of keeping evil away in this season has not fared as well as the bean throwing. Im refering to hiiragi（ヒイラギ）, the holly and dried sardine amulets which in not very former times would adorn the entranceways of most houses in this area.

Since holly has thorned leaves, it was thought to repel demons who were afraid to get poked in the eye,and the sardines would do the same job with its unpleasant,fishy smell.
Though the use of these amulets has decreased rapidly over recent years, I have still found a few around town.

Ive also taken some pictures of SANPO, containers for soy beans made out of origami paper by nursery school kids.

Another way to celebrate SETSUBUN (or desacrate it by joining in on its commercialization) in to buy the EHO-MAKI(恵方巻き）sushi rolls which are being sold at all the convenience stores and being promoted as efficatious for bringing good fortune by pointing the roll in the properly auspicious directions.

So,There you have it. Take YOUR choice of how you want to keep EVIL away!

Avi Landau

LIVE at last,recording, and event at Capio Hall

Felicitations to all!
The TenGooz had there first gig of the year at Hot Stuff last Friday night. Lots of people came out to the show and I hope we were able to overcome the rust acquired over the long layover and please everyone.

We will also begin recording again,in earnest, this week. We will try to lay down our new ballad,which will be used in Ballad in Wood an event which will be held at Capio Hall.
We will also be putting out a remix of a song I wrote with Ascelin several years ago(autophobia).

We will also be driving out to Ishioka to Elizabeth Robless' studio to develop a feel for her sculpture instruments.
Sounds Like a busy week!

Cheers

Avi Landau

Getting ready for special event at Capio Hall

Four members of the TenGooz, Hase G, Michael Frei, A-Chan and myself(Avi) will be making the music at Capio Hall as part of Contemporary artist Elizabeth Robless'multi-media happening-Ballad In Wood.

The interesting thing is that we will mostly to musicating on sculptures which Elizabeth has created especially for the occassion. Much of what happens will be improvised, so we are looking forward to two very adventurous evenings.

I was first drawn into the singular world of Elizabeth Robless' artistic vision several months ago while on my way to the library, which happens to be located in the same building as The Tsukuba Art Museum.
Just as I was about to walk through the doors that lead to the books, I gave a glance to my right. What i saw stopped me in my tracks. I stood and gazed down the long, narrow corridor leading
to the exhibition hall where Elizabeth's works beckoned me to enter, which I did.

I cant recall now what I had wanted to study at the library on that day, but I will long remember what I came upon there in the art museums inner-sanctum.

For that show Elizabeth had turned the gallery into a magical forest, reflecting her powerful inner-light and visions. Darkly hued wooden planks, boards and posts of various sizes,which she had shaped and embellished upon, sometimes ringed by carefully placed pebbles, were arranged on the walls, floor and in the air,suspended from the ceiling.I could at once feel the time,energy and passion that went into the creation of these pieces.

I also found that her works inspired music in me, with many of them looking like newly invented, still-unnamed instruments, begging to have sounds coaxed out of them.It was difficult NOT to beat,tap, or scratch them.

Of course, I was not the only one to get excited. Dance artist Mako Karasawa visited the show on another day and simply could not control her urges. She began to dance among the pieces.
Elizabeth took the cue and started to improvise an acompaniment on various sculpture-instruments.Many of the visitors then present joined in. It was a magical and cathartic moment for everyone there.

It was also the inspiration for the upcomming events.

Feb. 8 and 22
Capio Hall

Hope to see you there.

Back in action! Coming of Age Day!

New Years Greetings to all you TenGoophiles out there!
Im glad to inform you that we are back in action and FULLY ENERGIZED after the rather lengthy holiday layoff that we had.
We had an invigorating and encouraging practice session thursday night and we are revved up and ready to go for next Friday nights gig at Hot Stuff.
With other news, my young cousin Noam is in Tokyo on business and I gave him a whirlwind tour of the Eastern Capital (Tokyo). Luckilly for him, that day was Coming-Of-Age-Day in Japan, the day on which all 20 year olds celebrate their official entrance into adulthood.They do this by dressing up and attending a ceremony at the city office etc.
Later most of these youngstersgo out and party for the first time(legally)!

These are some of the happy New Adults we ran into on that day.

Avi Landau

New Years Decorations Go Up In Smoke

In Japan seasonal decorations are not simply thrown in the garbage. They are disposed of respect at a ceremony called dondo-yaki. This usually takes place in the middle of January when it is time to take down all the New Years decorations.
I attended such a ceremony which took place near my house ( a place where the TenGooz have enjoyed many a barbecue) on a frosty and windy Sunday morning.
The first point of interest was that now there are restrictions on what type of gargage can or cannot be burned so all bundles grought for incineration on that day were checked, in a way reminiscent of airport security, for any plastics etc.
The decorations, consisting of sacred ropes, wreaths and last years daruma dolls were piled high in a teepee shape. This was done under the careful supervision of the fire department.

Then you could go to the reception desk and recieve a free omochi-rice cake and a very long slender bamboo pole.

It is believed that eating mochi roasted in the heat of the dondoyaki guarranties good health for whole year!

The firemen doused the pile with kerosene and set off the blaze. Fire is always fascinating and the crowd gathered round it were mezmerized by the flames, all holding their long rods with rice cakes at the tips like an army all primed to roast marshmellows.

When the fire burned down everyone stuck their mochi in, and I must say it was deelish!

To the rescue! Please join our efforts!

The birds will be coming soon,in great abundance. Flocks of migrators will surely be in need of some rest during their amazing journey, and historically they have found this on and around Lake Kasumigaura in Ibaraki Prefecture.
This year,thousands of weary travellers will be caught in deadly nets, which are literally protecting nothing, as the lotus roots have all been harvested, and will die slow and horrific deaths,dangling for days by a wing or a leg.

Now it is January and there are much fewer birds than will soon be arriving. Everyday however, some are being caught. Maurice,Dr. Kasuga and I found hundreds, mostly dead, in just a few fields. Looking towards the horizon we saw hundreds more.

We brought gear and began freeing all the birds which still had life in them. This did not amount to much, in terms of number, but it did feel good to get them off the nets and set them on the lake.

Please contact us if you would like to join us.

We need lots more volunteers.

Thanks

Avi Landau

Two-Legged Daikon Radish and Dosojin-A Local Custom

Let me tell you about a fascinating local custom,since the band is still in a new Year hiatus.
It involves FUTAMATA-DAIKON(二股大根),which is the Japanese term for a double-pronged daikon radish. These two-legged curiosities turn up at a surprisingly high rate when farmers harvest their daikon crop in late autumn.The abberant shapes are caused by small rocks,hard clumps of soil or fertilizer,insects, or uneven distribution of irrigation water.
The futamata daikon cannot be found on sale in stores or stalls , and in fact, though perfectly edible, they are traditionally NOT eaten. When I asked several local farmers why this was so, they all came out with the same response, in tones implying that I shouldnt have had to ask
such a question-we dont eat them because they look like peoples legs!
Due to this resemblance to the lower half of the human body, local farmers show reverence and do not simply discard these unsellable roots which are not to be eaten, for it is believed that the disrespect of doing so would bring on leg or foot trouble.
What is done then with these significantly shaped vegetables?

In Tsukuba, the rest of Ibaraki Prefecture and in some outlying areas farmers offer the futamata daikon to a type of sekibutsu(sacred stone) called a dosojin(道祖神),the protector of travellers, roads and the entrance to villages. I suppose that I dont have to point out the
connection between travel and legs(oops, I just did!).locals leave futamata daikon and a variety of foot-wear(anything from straw sandals to sneakers) in front of the dosojin to pray for healthy legs feet and lower back.

This week I have found and photographed dozens of plump and juicy offerings which are rustically photogenic.They will be left exposed to the elements and as the weeks go by they will become the dried out and scrawny shadows that you might find next summer.

Let me make one very important point clear.Though the offering of futamata daikon to dosojin is a VERY localized custom and unfamiliar to most Japanese, dosojin stones are generally known and found throughout Japan. They are most famous in Nagano Prefecture, especially around the beautiful town of Azumino.

These dosojin,however, look completely different from most of their Ibaraki counterparts and also have a totally different significance. The typical image of the dosojin is a stone carving of a loving couple, set on the roadside.Making offerings to them can be efficacious for matchmaking and fertility.In Tsukuba almost all the dosojin I have found are simple stones with only the characters 道祖神　engraved on them.
In Dejima and Yasato I have found very special dosojin with graven images of a single one-legged man.This shows further how in this area these sekibutsu are associated with legs and feet.

If you put in some leg work you might be able to find examples of this custom. You`ll be able to get some great pictures.
I'm not pulling your leg!

Tantric Fire Ritual-Midnight-New Years Eve

Hi, TenGooz fans! Our members have all gone their separate ways for the New Year.
Here is an article Ive written about a very special way to spend New Years Eve in Tsukuba.

When a living organism or seed is carried by winds,ocean currents or an animal host to a new and distant environment, it might fail to take to the unfamiliar surroundings and perish.
On the other hand, there is some chance that it might take root in its new home and maybe even flourish.

The same holds true for the seeds of culture.It can probably be said that the mechanisms determining the success or failure of cultural transmission are even more complex than they are in the biological sphere.

Among the various types of vessels which can transport the spores of culture beyond their original boundaries we can note invading armies, caravans of merchants, and very often, highly
influential individuals.

One such outstanding figure,Kukai(known commonly in Japan by his posthumous Buddhist name-Kobo Daishi弘法大師),was single-handedly responsible for introducing to Japan certain ancient Tantric rites which originated in India more than 3000 years ago.
These practices were carried across the Himalayas, and over the centuries spread throughout South-East Asia and also ,puzzlingly, in Confucian China, whose cultural background would seem to have been hostile soil for most subcontinental concepts.

It was in the Tang Chinese capital of Chang-An in 804 AD that Kukai came into contact with the Master of Esoteric Buddhism,Huikuo(Keika,in Japanese), who believed that the Japanese monk was destined to bring the ancient Indian teachings to distant Japan where they would come into full bloom.

And this he certainly did,in the form of Shingon Buddhism,which has had an impact on almost every aspect of Japanese culture.

This New Years Eve, if you are curious, patient, and impervious to the bitter cold,you can experience first-hand, one of the most important Tantric rituals brought to Japan by Kukai,
the Homa fire ritual,or as it is known in Japan-Goma Taki(護摩焚き).
There is no more impressive way to see how the cultural torch transported by Kukai continues to burn brightly.

The ritual will be performed,as it has been for centuries, at the Tofukuji Temple(東福寺)in Konda,Tsukuba.

Originally founded in 1249,this temple is worth a visit ANY TIME, for its gracefull roof and interesting carvings. Inside the Main Hall you might be surprised to find that the entire ceiling
is a large overhead Mandala,symbol of the Buddhist universe. Also,some people are excited to hear that the Jizo carving on the alter is said to have been carved by Prince Shotoku himself(hmmmm).

The best time to visit the temple ,however,is the night of December 31st, when the priest and his wife get a bon-fire going outside the main hall for visitors to keep warm by before the ceremony begins. Amazake and snacks are usually offered as well.

As it gets closer to midnight, the handfull of locals
who show up start getting edgy from the cold and the excitement.
When the priest opens the doors to the Hall, I would recommend
grabbing a seat near one of the kerosene heaters because
it aint much warmer inside, and the ceremony is about an hour
long.

Homa fire rituals are still still commonly practiced by Hindus for a variety of purposes including supplication for long life, wealth,world peace,good karma, etc.

At the Tofukuji Temple, the rite is carried out as a New Years blessing and purification ceremony.

As the priest creates the fire using sundry mysterious ingredients including a variety of woods, seeds and grains, his sons, chant and percuss for the shomyo incantions, which are worth coming out for in themselves.

When the fire is properly going the priest calls all visitors to burn their wish tablets(100yen) and then to apply the sacred smoke to any body parts that might need it.

When everything is over head back out to the bonfire for more amazake and treats.

If you happen to be in Tsukuba on New Years Eve, this might be the place for you to cross over into the new year. Dont forget to give a thought to kukai and his impact on Japan.

Avi Landau

Bird Rescue Underway! Six saved ,thousands to go.....

Something MUST be done about the senseless and cruel slaughter of birds in the nets around Lake kasumigaura.
And because Maurice, a Canadian living in Iwama has gotten involved , the beginnings of a volunteer rescue movement have started to germinate. Maurice is an experienced environmental activist whose approach to getting things moving is engage the farmers in friendly discussion in order to win them over to our side. Then if farmers refuse to or are not available to free birds entangled in their own fields,Maurice takes action, but strictly within the bounds of the law. He has purchased a pair of chest-high water-proof waders, and rubber gloves, and carries tools which are not used for cutting. He refuses to cut any nets in order to free birds(as the farmers themselves would do),because that could be considered an illegal act. Instead, he patiently and painstakingly untangles the ensnared wings legs and necks. He also takes precautions against bird flu by wearing a protective surgical mask. This approach is extemely time consuming,and we were only able to rescue six birds today. I felt impotent, standing on firm ground as Maurice plodded, like an astronaut on a planet with a strong gravitational pull, through the waist deep muck, slowly toiling to free the struggling survivers which he spotted with his uncanny eagle eyes.

Birds are continually being caught. Saving a handfull of birds has no effect on the big picture and our ultimate aim is to have the nets come down as soon as possible.
however, It was still extremely heartwarming and relieving to see birds that would have hung until starvation set in swim freely out into the lake.

We DEFINITELY need more people to get involved and we need more in put and ideas.

Please contact us if you are interested in making a difference and doing THE RIGHT THING.

Thanks alot

Avi Landau
and The TenGooz

Ending the Year on FIRE!

Hey there, all ye TenGooz fans!

We appreciate you being with us for our last show of the year. And quite a show it was ,too! Hoping to start at a much earlier time than usual, so those who have always wanted to catch the TenGooz LIVE but couldnt get out so late could finally see us,Hase G, Michael and I arrived ready to go at 7.
Unfortunately it would be a couple of hours before A-Chan would arrive, as he was held up by business matters, so the 3 of us gave it a go.

We played about 4 songs as a trio and then Kinchan arrived. It work out pretty well as we all percussed (I mean the band and the audience) on anything percussable nearby, making for a unique sound and plenty of good cheer!

All in all we had a really good vibe going and we all had a great time.

Michael will be back in Germany soon so we are gonna have to take a brief brake in our gig schedule.

Keep checking our schedule and hope to see you at next years first show!

Avi Landau

Hotter than ever!

Hello there TenGooz fans!
Thanks for coming out in the wee hours and heat things up at Hot Stuff on a beautiful December night and then early morning!
Early on we had a small but intimate audience and we tried out some new songs. The band really found its groove last night and Kin-chan not only dazzled with his skill, but is starting to bond with the rest of us. We had some good chemistry going.

Playing to the point of exhaustion, we still forged on with 3 encores before heading back into the rising son.

Catch this years last gig at Spitfire on the 16th.

Cheers

Avi Landau