Archive for August, 2010

Shinto Shrine Near Pearl Harbor

There are plans to build a Muslim community center a few blocks from the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, and some American nationalists are not happy about it. Some of those opposing the construction have tried to compare it to hypothetical situations that would outrage Americans. Since the shock induced by the 9/11 attacks had often been compared to Pearl Harbor, a few people have tried to argue that a mosque near Ground Zero in New York would be just as offensive as Japanese building a Shinto Shrine near Pearl Harbor.

If they’d bothered to do some fact checking before opening their mouths, they’d probably know that there are already some Shinto Shrines in Hawaii, with a couple not far from Pearl Harbor. (There are also some Buddhist Temples in the area.)

Here are two of my favorite incredibly stupid comments about Japan that people have made when attempting to argue against the construction of the NYC mosque:

1) Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh asked listeners what they would think if a “Hindu Temple” was built at Pearl Harbor, apparently thinking that Japan was a Hindu nation.

2) One of the Wall Street Journal’s readers left an angry comment on an article about the A-bomb anniversary. Here it is [hat tip to Fat Tony]:

“Perhaps we should test the Japanese people’s resolve by attempting to build a big christian church at ground zero.”

The reader is unaware of the fact that Urakami Cathedral is one of the major landmarks associated with the Nagasaki bombing. There were also churches in Hiroshima in 1945, with at least one near ground zero. Of course, both cities have Christian churches today.

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Shortage of Muslim Graveyards in Japan

Very few cemeteries in Japan permit burial without cremation, and a some local governments have banned the practice. This is creating a major problem for Muslims, who do not believe in the practice of cremation:

While Christians in Japan generally are cremated when they die in line with the nation’s custom, Muslims more strictly adhere to religious principles. Generally, bodies of Muslims are buried uncremated in the places where they spent long periods during life.

Though the Japan Muslim Association and the Islamic Center Japan, a Setagaya Ward, Tokyo-based mutual aid organization for Muslims, searched for places nationwide where Muslims’ bodies could be buried, their requests largely were declined by cemetery managers.

One said, “The image of burial without cremation isn’t good.”

Despite such efforts, the two Muslim organizations could find only three sites–in Koshu, Kobe and Yoichicho–where bodies of Muslims could be buried uncremated.

However, Kobe’s cemetery is run by the city government and permits only city residents to be laid to rest there. The cemetery in Yoichicho is located in a remote part of Hokkaido, making it inconvenient for relatives to visit graves.

Therefore, many Muslims have chosen the Islamic cemetery in Koshu, in Yamanashi Prefecture west of Tokyo. However, Kazuhiko Furuya, 44, Monjuin’s chief priest, said, “The cemetery will be full in a few years.

I Googled for an explanation of why cremation is forbidden in Islam. Here’s the first answer I got:

A. The wisdom is that Allah has forbidden us to use fire on His creation. As for the rest of his orders and prohibitions He doesn’t need to explain Himself.

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Edible Tokyo Sky Tree

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Helping People With Disabilities Take Vacations

Japan’s NTV news recently aired this special feature report about “travel supporters”, people who work to help physically disabled people take vacations:

The report says that people who work as travel supporters have to pay part of their own expenses for the trips they take. It doesn’t appear to be entirely volunteer work, but if their salary is anything like other “helper” jobs in Japan, it probably doesn’t pay much money.

They follow around Mr. Ishii a man in his sixties who became a travel supporter after retiring from his job at a hotel. Ishii has joined a tour group of disabled people visiting Guam. He provides support to a wheelchair-bound man and the man’s mother. Ishii helps get the wheelchair up stairs so that scenic spots that are otherwise inaccessible become accessible. His work also allows family members to take a break from their usual caretaking and enjoy their vacation.

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Kitaro Town [Sakaiminato]

Sakaiminato city in Tottori prefecture has been famous for Kitato town. It’s where Shigeru Muzuki, or the author of “Gegegeno Kitaro” is from.

According to SmaStation on TV Asahi, Sakaiminato is nowadays one of the very popular tourist spots in Japan.

Especially this year, the novel “Gegege no nyobo” written by his wife was featured as TV drama and it became even more popular.

There are as many as 139 bronze statues of characters from “Gegege no Kitaro” along the Mizuki Shigeru road and Kitaro-themed confectionery or bread are available.

The name of the airport was even changed from Yonago airport to Yonago Kitaro airport in Apr. 2010. The train that runs from Yonago to Sakaiminato is of course Kitaro-themed.

Sakaiminato started to boost the development of the city with Kitaro in 1993. The number of tourists was 20,000 people at the first year and this year it went over 1 million people.

Some interesting places to be checked out at Sakaiminato:

• -Mizuki Shigeru kinenkan (memorial hall)
• -Gegege no youkai rakuen (Gegege specter paradise)
• -Youkai Jinja (specter shrine)

As someone commented in the video, it’s hard to live in the city if one doesn’t like Kitaro. But I think it’s interesting anime characters can even make the small local town very famous like this.
Speaking of Kitaro, there’s Kitarojaya tea salon (http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1326/A132601/13036786/) in Tokyo, too.

There’s also an event called “Gegegeten” (Gegege Exhibition) available this summer in Tokyo and Osaka if you are interested.

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Some Japanese Politicians Visit Yasukuni

Today was the first August 15th since the DPJ took power in Japan. As expected, Prime Minister Kan did not visit the Yasukuni shrine. He also apparently also ordered his people not visit the shrine, since no cabinet ministers visited the shrine either.

Here’s a clip from ATV showing some of the politicians who did visit:

LDP leader Sadakazu Tanigaki, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Shinjiro Koizumi were among the group of about 40 diet members who showed up today. Most were members of the Yasukuni-visiting Diet members club, which includes politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties.

Former Prime Minister Abe told the press that it is one thing for politicians to freely decide whether or not they want to visit Yasukuni, but Kan’s decision to order his Cabinet ministers not to visit was a violation of Japan’s constitutional protection of the freedom of religion.

In another part of Tokyo, Prime Minister Kan gave a speech in which he once again apologized to Japan’s neighbors:

“Japan inflicted great damage and pain on people in Asian countries,” Kan said, adding that he extended his condolence to people who died in the war and his country should “actively contribute to the establishment of ever-lasting peace in the world. ”

Japanese Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko and some 5,400 people including families of those who died as well as 1,800 government officials also took part in the ceremony at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo.

Following Kan’s address, participants observed a one-minute silence at noon for the some 3 million Japanese people who died in the war.

“I truly hope that the horror of war will not be repeated and, together with all the Japanese people, I pay a heartfelt tribute to those who lost their lives on the battlefield and fell in the ravages of war,” said Emperor Akihito, who joined annually the event.

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