Sep.23, 2010: All-you-can-eat restaurant in Nara

Enjoy many different kinds of all-you-can-eat dish in Nara.

Sep.20, 2010: Moon viewing

Although the Chinese people started this event and introduced it into Japan, it's Japan's own custom to offer pampas grass, rice dumplings, fruit & vegetables while viewing the moon. The ears of pampas grass have been thought to be the symbol of fall in Japan since the old days. People say that rice damplings came to be offered to the moon because they are similar in shape to the full moon. Be care the event date changes every year accoprding to the full moon date.

July 14, 2010: Taro and Lucky Music

Taro is really a nice polyhedral guy: music, language.....

June 26, 2010: The Buddhist Memorial Services

The bereaved enshrine the soul of the dead, while putting up with the agony.

June 19, 2010: The Christian hymn No.21-493

I think the crucial difference between Christian ideal and Buddhist ideal is that: "love in Christianity" indicates love for a particular person, while "compassion, or jihi, in Buddhism" represents one's friendship with all people, not with a particular person.

April 16, 2010: A Requiem for my late wife

My wife, Shoko, passed away suddenly on Mar.19, 2010 at the age of 65 due to acute heart failure.
I don't think that our relationship which lasted 40 years is fragile even in the case of her demise.
See you in the next world, Shoko.

Mar.19, 2010: Let's enjoy cherry-blossom viewing in Nara: strolling to your nearby site

In Nara there're many famous cherry-blossom viewing sites such as Mt.Yoshino, nice spot to visit, however, I would here prefer to tell you nearby good places to enjoy it.

Mar.17, 2010: In Pursuit of the Idealism of Japanese Buddhism

Japanese Buddhism has got to differ significantly from the original one. Well, how about the denial of desires?

Mar.9, 2010: Free services in Japan

Weekly Diamond Vol.98 on Mar.13, 2010 introduced typical free services in Japan.

Mar.6, 2010: Japanese Buddhism looks as if it were indigenous

Buddhism was founded in India and introduced through China and Korea to Japan, and it took in Japan's substratum indigenous religious sense: equality, endless cycle of life and death, and a set of a recited Mass & Ancestor worship, which featured Japanese Buddhism.

Mar.4, 2010: Becoming a buddha in this world

The Kamakura period(1185-1333) saw the idea of "becoming a buddha in this world" in addition to the Pure Land idea "becoming a buddha in the next world" by Honen and Shinran. Here, we're going to take Dogen and Nichiren as examples of the former.

Feb.26, 2010: Fantastic guesthouse NARAKOMACHI

With full of friendship and reasonable prices, its facilities completely protect guests' privacy like a hotel.

Feb.26, 2010: Popularization of Buddhism

Honen preached "the exclusive practice of the nembutsu", and Shinran took further steps "absolute reliance on Amida."

Feb.19, 2010: Shingon sect, Buddhism, and its founder Kukai

Kukai who advocated "one can become a buddha in this world and in one's very body" had an affirmative view of life.

Feb.18, 2010: Shotokutaishi

He got Buddhism entrenched in Japan as a realistic politician as well as a revolutionist.

Feb.13, 2010: A base of Japanese religious sense

What lies at the base of Japanese people's religious sense?
ーーーEquality, Reincarnation, and a set of a recited Mass & Ancestor worshipーーー

Feb.11, 2010: Nice free cultural spots in Nara

It's nice to call over good spots withoout admission in order to take a rest, get cultural or tour flyers, enjoy a vista or cultural event and atmosphere. Nara is blessed with the spots.

Feb.9, 2010: Popular plum groves in Nara

Japanese people enjoy plum blossom viewing as well as cherry blossom viewing. Let's enjoy subtly beautiful plum blossoms with their smell, herald of the arrival of spring.

Feb.3, 2010: Even non-living things have a heart

Japan has a culture thinking of the universe as follows: among all things, there exists a spirit.

Jan.22, 2010: Shakuhachi concert in Nara on Feb.28, 2010

Enjoy the collaboration between Josh, the world No2 shakuhachi performer and Tomoko, jazz singer as well as shakuhachi duo composed of Josh and Hidebumi in the unique fashionable machiya NARAZA.

Jan.20, 2010: Tendai sect, Buddhism and its founder Saicho

He looked on Buddha nature as if he seemed to have regarded the world itself as an ensemble of living things. His animistic view of life was originally cultivated in his hometown full of deities.

Jan.13, 2010: Head Space

An artist's Studio and gallery sits atop Mr.Q, an intimate shot bar in Saidaiji, Nara, and is accessed via the bar.

Jan.10, 2010: the 1300th Anniversary of Nara Heijo-Kyo Capital

From April 24 to May 9, 2010,visitors to the Heijo Palace Site, Nara can enjoy and participate in a variety of events featuring ancient performing arts arranged in a contemporary style, including song and dance performances on the Mahoroba Stage in front of the Former Imperial Audience Hall(Daigoku-Den), parades, and musicals.

Jan. 5, 2010: Pure Land Gardens of Byodoin & Jyoruriji-Temple

The two kinds of religious adoration for the next world (i.e. Pur Land).