Journeys and Jottings
Issue 63 - A tour of the atmospheric Doll Town in Tokyo, Seven Lucky Gods, quaint temples of Hong Kong and Hoi An in Vietnam and a book recommendation
Konnichiwa. Hello,
I just finished reading this fabulous book, A Death in Tokyo by Keigo Higashino, one of my favourite crime authors but what excited me about this book was the district of Ningyocho in Nihonbashi where the murder takes place. I felt nostalgic reading it, as I had been here on a walking tour in this charming area which is not in the tourist circuit.
Hello and welcome to Journeys and Jottings. In this issue, we visit Ningycho and Nihonbashi, one of the beautiful wards of Tokyo. We also visit two quaint temples -one in Hoi An and the other in Hong Kong.
Lost in the Edo Era and the Doll Town of Japan
Ningyocho means Doll Town and it takes you back to the Edo Period when the town was full of doll makers. You can see these old talking puppets in the Clock Tower where they even perform for you.
The area known for the shrines of the Seven Lucky Gods has an old-world charm about it. But what’s exciting is our first stop, a century-old pastry shop that has been making “doll cakes.”
The Japanese are so passionate about their sweets that even their Gods get baked into delicious desserts. This is the iconic Itakuraya, a small shop specializing in making “doll cakes” or ningyoyaki and they are the first to make yummy desserts out of the Seven Lucky Gods. There are only six gods now and the seventh according to them is the smiling face of the customer . Trust the Japanese always to put the customer first. The specialty of the sweets is that it’s made with anko or red bean paste.
Do you know who the Seven Lucky Gods are? The Seven Lucky Gods are a blend of different religions from Buddhism to Shintoism, Hinduism to Taoism. They even have a version of Goddess Saraswati and Kubera.
I felt like a time traveller on this walking tour, exploring century-old hidden shops selling handcrafted goods from 17th-century Washi traditional paper to toothpicks from 18th-century bamboo boxes, umbrellas, and more charming items. Savour the flavours of old Tokyo by trying rice crackers to cakes and sipping Amazake, a nonalcoholic drink. Go on this walking tour on your next trip to Tokyo. But for now, read this book.
Have you ever seen a temple dedicated to a mortal who is now worshipped as a deity?
In Hoi An Old Town, a UNESCO heritage site in Vietnam. you cannot miss the striking Quan Cong Temple built by Chinese immigrants in the 17th century. It is dedicated to a Chinese Military General and a martial master Quan Cong or Quan Vu.
Even today he is worshipped as a God of War and it is believed that the dragons painted on the temple doors represent him. It is said that merchants signed for loans inside the temple as no one dared cheat even in front of the “deity”
Have you been here ?
We visit the ancient Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong Old Town .
”A ceremony was held here in the olden days where a chicken’s head was cut and yellow paper was burnt as the Gods were asked to settle disputes and decide on the reward and punishment” said my guide as we entered Man Mo Temple one of the oldest shrines in Hong Kong Old Town
The temple is dedicated to the God of civil or literature, Man Tai, and the God of the Martial Arts, Mo Tai.
“Man” literally means civil while “Mo” is martial. The Man Mo Temple is dedicated to the King Emperor Man and Holy King Emperor Kwan. The two gods were human. Man, the Civil God, known as Cheung Ah Tse was said to have jurisdiction over the destinies of the lives of government officials. Hence deities were worshipped by students to succeed in their civil examinations so that they could get employed by the government.
The shrine also includes the Lit Shing Temple and an assembly hall called the Kung So. A pink wishing tree here has little notes of prayers and wishes. What would you write if you were to visit this lovely old temple in Hong Kong ?
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Really interesting, thank you
What a rich cultural stew as ever, Lakshmi!