A ROYAL SAGA
The Chrysanthemum (kiku) autumn flower is to close to the heart of most
Japanese and is the symbol of our Tenno (Emperor) Household. Many people
love to grow this plant at home, and often work together with their circle
members to cultivate the most shapely and colorful flowers possible. As
you may know, "Kiku-ningyo", groups of dolls exquisitely decorated
by living chrysanthemum flowers, is a very popular exhibition in our autumn
season, especially in Hiraka City in Osaka Prefecture.
There is one special kind of chrysanthemum in Kyoto's Saga area, distinguished
by its unique shape and beauty. Known as the 'Saga Chrysanthemum', it was
created a thousand years ago from a wild chrysanthemum flower especially
for the Imperial Court, and has been maintained ever since. The plant is
cultivated to an almost uniform height of 2 meters. This is the height
most appropriate to be seen from the veranda floor of the palace. Each
plant has only one stalk with three clusters of flowers; three flowers
at the top, five in the middle and seven at the bottom. The flowers have
long slender petals and are colored snow white, yellow, vermilion or cherry.
Each stalk has flowers all of one color.
Since the foundation of Heian-kyo as the capital of Japan over 1200 years
ago, the name Saga or Saga-no has been famous as the refined resort of
the Imperial Family and court people. Later, many ordinary people, especially
poets and writers, used to enjoy its landscape covered with beautiful cherry
blossoms in the spring and crimson foliage in autumn. People also visited
its many temples and places of historical interest.
Daikaku-ji, one of the most famous temples in the Saga-no area, was originally
the palace of Emperor Saga before it was modified around 1120 years ago.
During the four centuries following its establishment as a temple, it remained
as a central place of political struggle among the Imperial household.
It later even served as a political center whilst a powerful ex-emperor
resided there.
Daikaku-ji has been the subject of misfortune on two occasions; burnt down
firstly in 1336 and then again 1468. The present buildings are a result
of a reconstruction that took place in 1624-44 during the Edo period (1600-1868).
Even today, many of the buildings dating back to that era retain an interior
reminiscent of the elegant ancient court life. The temple is situated in
tranquil surroundings, overlooking a large pond called Ohsawano-ike.
Daikaku-ji Temple has long been associated with the cultivation of Saga
Chrysanthemum. In November each year, the temple sponsors a flower exhibition
for the public's enjoyment. It is also proud to have its own school of
flower arrangement, called Saga Goryu, well known throughout Japan and
overseas.
T. Fujii
Access: City Bus No.28 from JR Kyoto Station bound for Daikaku-ji terminal.
Admission: 9am - 4pm, \500
Inquiries: 075-871-0071
Kyoto: A Geological Wonderland
Situated in the northern part of the great Kyoto (Yamashiro) fault basin,
Kyoto city is surrounded on three sides; north, east and west, by a collar-like
formation of low-lying mountains. The south side is open, however, as several
streams such as Kamo and Katsura flow down from the mountains through the
city to join the Yodogawa before it makes its way to the sea.
People often mention Kyoto's 1200 years old history. It is without doubt
the birthplace of Heian culture, a culture characterized by the court aristocracy's
penchant for extravagance and aesthetic refinement, leading to new developments
in art and literature. Kyoto was established under the name Heian-kyo (literally:
A Capital of Peace and Tranquility) in the 8th Century (794 AD). It remained
the capital of Japan until the seat of power was transferred to Tokyo at
the beginning of the Meiji Period in 1868, leaving behind the thousands
of shrines and temples built during the Heian period (794-1185) which evoke
Kyoto's past glory to present day.
Having briefly introduced a little of Kyoto's history that many readers
may be familiar with, let us step back in time and explore the ancient
history of the "Kyoto Fault Basin": an epic time during which
the foundations of Heian-kyo were first created.
5 million years ago, the Japanese archipelago was a quasi-plain made up
of layers upon layers of Paleozoic rock sediment. The Kyoto fault basin
did not exist at this time. Its formation is believed to have begun several
hundred thousand years ago during the last Ice Age (1 million - 100,000
years ago, and evolution to its present shape is thought to have taken
place around ten to twenty thousand years ago.
Initial Formation
Originally only a small hill-like shape rising slightly above sea level
characterized this area. With time, the fault sleeping below became active,
causing the center part of the hill to gradually sink as the process of
sedimentation took hold. The land surrounding this area was simultaneously
pushed up to form small mountains. This process is similar to what took
place in the formation of Lake Biwa and Setonaikai (Japan's inland sea).
Present Formation
During the latter part of the Ice Age while the peripheral mountains continued
to rise up, the previously small hill slowly disappeared, evolving into
natural basin. Due to the rise and fall of the sea level between the glacial
and interglacial periods, seawater from Osaka Bay intermittently flowed
into the basin. When the seawater finally receded, many ponds and marshes
formed where water still remained. These ponds and marshes were lined with
a layer of natural clay, followed by a gravel top layer carried in with
the seawater. This layer formation is called the "Osaka layer group"
(���w�Q). Within it, archeologists uncovered fossils of not only animal
and plant species of the colder northern regions, but
also of the southern regions, for example, the Naumann oriental elephant
(a type of mammoth). This gave rise to the notion that there must have
been a 'warm time', or interglacial period, at some stage.
As mentioned above, the formation of Kyoto basin occurred during the frigid
and sub-frigid periods of the last Ice Age. Interestingly, it is therefore
possible to trace the history of some of the ponds and marshes back to
this period. For instance, Midorogaike (pond) situated north of Kitayama-dori,
and until recently, Oguraike (marsh) in the southern Uji district, have
both existed since the last Ice Age. For many of the other ponds and marshes
in the area it is difficult to find conclusive evidence documenting their
past. And in the case of some, the location has undoubtedly been lost forever,
claimed by rivers as new
streams have branched out.
In the case of Midorogaike, its history has been proved by the fact that
Mizugashiwa (a perennial plant with white flowers, 30cm in height), which
usually grow in Hokkaido, are found in abundance around its shoreline.
Winter in Kyoto is certainly very cold, but it does not come close to the
severity of a Hokkaido winter. Furthermore, it would be generally considered
strange for a cold climate plant species to thrive in Kyoto, an area renowned
for its hot summers. Another vital clue to this jigsaw puzzle is that spring
water from under Midorogaike is said to be very similar to that of alpine
regions, creating an environment best suited to cold climate flora. This
helps explain this otherwise peculiar phenomenon.
Kyoto, an important city for its Heian-kyo cultural roots dating back over
1200 years, should also be noted for its geographical history going back
much further. The natural formation of Kyoto basin many thousands of years
ago has doubtlessly influenced the geography of present day Kyoto.
A. Tara
RIDING JR:
J Through Card
Are you having trouble when you look for your destination and price for
a ticket? If so, this card saves you time and energy. You simply buy a
\3,000 or \5,000 �J Through Card� from the ticket counter or ticket machine
at the station. There is at least one machine per station that offers the
J through Card, often to one end of the ticket machines. Put the card into
an automatic ticket checker when you get on and off the train. The cost
is subtracted from the remainder each time you use it. If you enter with
a pass or a regular ticket and get off at a farther station, you can use
a J Through Card at the automatic ticket checker or fare adjustment machine
to make up the shortfall. This card can only be used in the KINKI area-
from Nagahama in the east to Banshyuu akoo in the west and Wakayama in
the south.
Save money with a daytime ticket. The discount is anything from 17-46 percent!
This is a book of 12 coupons valid for three months. On weekdays they can
only be used between 10am - 5pm, but all day long during the weekend. To
illustrate how much you can save, take for example a train ride between
Kyoto and Osaka. If you were to purchase 12 individual tickets for the
Kyoto - Osaka route, you would normally pay \6,480 (\540 one way). However,
for the same number of rides using a daytime ticket you pay only \3670.
A great way to save if you�re a JR Rider!
RIDING THE INDEPENDENTs :
Through Kansai Card
Using �Through Kansai Card� (pronounced surutto kansai kaado )offers similar
benefits to those previously mentioned for the J Through Card. While not
offering any extra value than the amount you buy it for (ie. no bonus \
), the Through Kansai Card does offer travel convenience. It is possible
to use Through Kansai Card throughout most of the Kansai district on independent
train lines such as Keihan, Hankyu, Nankai and Osaka Municipal Subway.
It does not have a set time limit within which it must be used, allowing
greater flexibility. The Through Kansai Card can be purchased at various
values; \1,000, \2,000, \3,000 and \5,000. For children, there are cards
to the value of \500 and \1000. Through Kansai Card is available from station
offices and station ticket machines.
Inquiries: Unyubu Gyomu-ka
Tel: (06) 6944-2553
DONBURI DELICACY
A Katsudon Recipe for Hungry Souls
Donburi mono ���� loosely translates as a bowl of hot rice topped with
various
foods. We often call it Donburi for short, literally meaning a pottery
bowl. It has
been popular in Japan as a light meal because it fulfills all the ideals
of a daily
dish: it's nutritious, delicious, and easy to make using cheap ingredients.
Why
not try cooking it yourself this autumn to satisfy your grumbling belly?
Let me introduce how to make katsudon �J�c��, pork cutlet served on top
of
rice. I am sure you will find it the best of all Donburi mono.
INGREDIENTS (serves 2)
2 bowls of hot rice
2 pork cutlets
quarter of onion
half bunch of mitsuba (a type of Japanese herb)
2 eggs
200cc soup stock sauce (made from boiled kelp and bonito flakes)
50cc mirin (sweet sake)
half Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
DIRECTIONS
1) Cut onion into thin slices and mitsuba into 3cm lengths.
2) Place mirin (or sugar and sake) in a saucepan, bring to a boil, add
soup
stock, sugar, and soy sauce, and bring back to boil.
3) Divide ingredients into 2 portions to make 1 serving at a time. Place
onion
and sauce in a small frying pan and cook for 3 minutes, then add mitsuba
and a
pork cutlet. Add beaten egg in a circular motion, and cook until the egg
is half
done.
4) Slide the cutlet topping onto hot rice in a bowl and bingo: a la Katsudon!
Ofcourse it's possible to substitute pork cutlet with an alternative meat
cutlet, even
fried prawns go well. Likewise, onion can be replaced with various greens
or
mushrooms.
Leftover Tempura �V�Ղ�, when boiled in the same sauce as a pork
cutlet will make delicious Tendon �V��, Tempura Donburi. Sliced beef and
onion
seasoned with soup stock, sake, sugar, and soysauce together make
Gyudon ����, broiled eel with its special sauce, Unadon ���Ș�, and finely
sliced
raw tuna with soy sauce, mouth watering Tekkadon �S�Θ�.
As you can see, one's imagination is the only limit to the variety of Donburi
dishes one can cook. Furthermore, there is an added degree of flexibility
when preparing Donburi mono, an
element of relief for those not possessed with great cooking skills. This
is derived from the interesting saying "Donburi kanjo o suru ��������",
to make a rough estimate! Don't forget to sprinkle spices and flavorsome
vegetables like green onion, ginger and finely chopped lavor; each of which
adds to make an overall great tasting Donburi mono.
Though Donburi mono is usually had for lunch, when aided by a fresh side
salad
and soup, is sufficient to make a hardy meal. I hope you will enjoy creating
and devouring your favorite Donburi!
Y. Matsuda
References and Photo: Ajitsuke Nyumon (Shufu to Seikatsusha), 100 recipes
from Ja
panese Cooking (Kodansha), Okazu Lesson (Orange Page).