top of page

For the full access to the all blog posts, Premium Membership is required.

If you have the membership, please log in.

Posts limited to members are more about details about Japan, histories, legends, and deep cultural point of view.

Posts including photos of temples' and shrines' paid area are always for free in terms of their rights and publicity.

Writer's pictureYuri

今年は寅年!/ A Year of The Tiger

寺社には狛犬が鎮座していますが、時として猪だったり、キツネだったりします。

In Japanese temples and shrines, there are statues of animals, such as boars and foxes.


そして新年が明けると、その年の干支の動物が鎮座する神社が混雑することも。

And because of this variety, people try to go to a temple with the animal of that year's zodiac.


寅年の今年、2022年は鞍馬寺が一つの行き先になるでしょう。

This year 2022 is the year of the Tiger, and Kurama Temple has them.


境内に鎮座するのは威風堂々たる阿吽の形相をするトラ。

Here in the compound, there are tigers with full of dignity.


片方は口を開け、片方は口を閉じたその姿は、物事の始まりから終わりまで、すなわち、この世のすべてを表すとされます。

One closes its mouth, and the other opens it, saying, from the start of the things to the end. This leads to the idea that they are protecting us from the very beginning of the world to the last end.


日本語には「阿吽の呼吸」という言い回しがあります。「一を聞いて百を知る」とも通ずるこの言い回しは、二人の息がぴったりの様子のこと。

"Learning everything from just listening to one words." is a close idea that Japanese people use regarding to this opening and closing mouth.


口を開いて何か言おうとする前に、相手の言いたいことを悟るほど相性抜群という意味です。

Before one saying any words, the other learns what he wants to say.--"a breath of A(opening)-Un(closing)".


言葉を交わさないコミュニケーションが重んじられる日本語らしい表現かもしれませんね。

とはいえ、新年の感謝を込めて身近な人に「ありがとう」を伝えてみるのも、いい機会かもしれません。

Japanese people tends to think it's important to communicate without words. However these are special days as New Year, so why don't you try to say "Thank you" to your family and friends? It will be a nice chance to tell gratitude.


Photo by Hannah


51 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


bottom of page