To keep the memory alive, to pass on lessons

Today is the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. 

Where were you at 5:46 a.m. on January 17th, 1995?  I was suddenly woken up by long, violent tremors, the biggest one I had experienced in my life, at my home  in Nara City about 80km from my home town Kobe City. Until then, I had never imagined such a catastrophic earthquake would strike Kobe and Hanshin area and how devastating the result was. Kobe people were totally unprepared. Little by little the horrible, shocking scenes appeared on TV screen – collapsed buildings and highways, derailed trains, and fires. Fires were like inferno uncontrolled due to the broken water pipes. I was watching  at the burning Kobe under the hazy shade of winter on the TV screen with the feeling of helplessness.

One of the heart-warming things was people's attitude to help one another, to try their best to move forward, and to stand together to restore the shattered community while tolerating inconveniences.  The destroyed Meriken wharf was restored in less than 2 years. In nearly 10 years, Kobe revitalized like a phoenix from the ashes.

One part of Meriken warf has been preserved as Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park.

With many lessons learned from all the past big earthquakes since 1995, we've been preparing for safety in a Nankai Megathrust Earthquake forecasted in about 30 years.

I ask myself if I'm not just letting the days go by. Our lives could change next day. Isn’t it a miracle when we can live rather in peace amid all the heart-breaking incidents all over this planet?  

Now I’m thinking of those who are affected by the LA fires, firefighters working hard frantically risking their lives, and many other people deeply committed to help.  

Comments closed

Happy holidays!

With only ten days left this year, I’d like to thank you all for encouraging and inspiring me 
in the blogsphere throughout the year.

I also hope you spending this special time of year in a relaxed way enjoying what you like to do.

It's gotten quite chilly these days after five months of summer

and only one month of autumn.

Ginkgo leaves are still beautiful even in the late-December.

Dec. 16th

My husband and I are having the secular Christmas only between two of us
and celebrating the New Year with all the family members. 

Origami ornaments for Christmas by M

                                                  

December is the most eventful month in my family.

My son, the eldest and the youngest grandchild F and M, were born in December.

S completed Kobe Full Marathon in November

 Merry Christmas and Joyous New Year!

Linked to Mosaic Monday

Autumn splendor at 天授庵 Tenjyu-an and 南禅寺 Nanzen-ji

It’s that time of the year when Momiji, Japanese maples, shine blazing red.

This post is a report of 天授庵 Tenjyu-an and 南禅寺 Nanzen-ji Temples.

Don't you feel excited just looking at Tenjyu-an from the outside?

The inside is much more than your expectation.
You enter Pond Garden by way of Dry Landscape Garden.

Fascinating reflections can exist anywhere.

A garden with a pond spreads in front of the Shoin architecture.

Tranquil and serene.

Carp look swimming through the reflected leaves.

An image with reduced reflection

Tenjyu-an

Verdant garden of 天授庵 Tenjyuan shows what the garden is like in May.

Which garden do you like, in spring or in autumn?

 Tenjyu-an is close to the massive San-mon Gate of Nanzen-ji.

Trees are fiery red.

Among all the autumn leaves, Momiji is the last to paint the landscape shades of red.

They have touched Japanese people’s heart at its core from the ancient times.

The precinct is ablaze with the final burst of glory before the winter calm.

Nanzen-ji

Today is the coldest of this season; the heaviest snowfall in 10 years

is forecasted in the northern Japan.

Linked to Mosaic Monday