Japan, its old capital Kyoto and the Aoi Festival

The Yasukuni Shinto shrine in Tokyo

KYOTO -- Located on an area of land half the size of Turkey, Japan's population is twice that of Turkey. It is the second-biggest nation in the world in economic terms; this country, whose people are known for their diligence and eagerness to work, consists of an archipelago of more than 6,800 islands.
It achieved striking development in late 19th and early 20th centuries and has become a world leader in technology.
Japan is one of the most expensive countries in the world. It is also a crowded one; this country is most probably uses its land more efficiently than most countries in the world. It has a high population density: 337 people per square kilometer.
Before visiting Japan, one expects to see the traditional Japanese houses, streets and temples which we are familiar with from the movies. However, in reality there are few traces of this history in the daily life of the Japanese because Japan is now a technology giant, but there are places where you can experience something of this history and tradition; special attractions have been created for tourists and locals curious about the historical Japanese lifestyle. One of these is the Edo Wonderland Nikkon Edomura theme park which recreates the Japan of the Edo dynasty. In this recreation of a traditional village you may find what you are looking for: Japan, the country of ninjas and samurais. A really enjoyable tour including various attractions -- such as seeing traditional hairstyles, traditional places for making wishes, tarot reading and classical Japanese theater -- awaits you at this place. I watched curiously when my friends had their palms read. Thank God, the fortune tellers said only good things about my friends' futures so they kept their happiness alive. With their covered heads, the fortune tellers may seem similar to Muslim women at first sight; however, they are actually Buddhists. These women cover their heads because of their faith.

Priests at a Meiji shrine in Tokyo

We kept walking around Edomura and, like everybody else, we wanted to see the ninjas and eventually we got the chance to watch their live shows. The shows were very interesting. We left the warriors after their demonstrations. It is possible to witness such exciting shows in Edomura. This is a great place for those who want to see what old Japan looked like and how life was during the Edo dynasty.
Kyoto became the capital of Japan after Nara; it is a historical city full of temples and palaces. In May, festivals are held almost daily in Japan. Our visit to Kyoto coincided with the Aoi festival. You feel like you are living in ancient Japan during this event. You take a journey into ancient Japan, leaving modern Japan behind. The Aoi festival starts at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and ends at the most famous shrine in the city. This is a tradition that has been kept alive for 1,000 years. This festival is not only for adults, children also participate in the festivities; this festival is fun for them as well.

Maikos dance at festival for Kyoto's traditional culture

We then left the old capital to visit the new one: Tokyo. The Shinto faith is dominant in Japan, so we visited a Shinto shrine in Tokyo. Unlike the Buddhist temples, there are no gods represented by sculpture in these shrines. These are simpler buildings where you can give offerings of food and drink to the gods.
Shinto is the major religion of the Japanese people, combined with Buddhism. “Shin” means gods whereas “To” refers to path; combined, “Shinto” means “the path to the gods.” There are thousands of Shinto shrines in Japan.
We wear white garments around our necks to symbolize our cleanliness before the gods when we visit the shrine. Shinto shrines are fairly simple; a mirror placed at the heart of the shrine is seen as a tool to reach the gods. Priest Okano Kamisama, who served as a guide during our visit, says the gods have no form or shape. They call the forefront of the shrine the “Honden” and the rear the “Haiden.” There is a 15-centimeter long mirror inside the shrine. The priest cleanses himself before starting a prayer. He then commences with the prayer, a ritual that we have never seen before in our lives.

The Kiyomizudera (The Clear Water Temple) in Kyoto

This ritual requires an offering of salt, water and rice to the gods at 7 a.m. every morning. The same ritual is repeated on important days, but the amount offered to the gods is larger on these days. There is no sacred book in this religion. The major teaching of Shintoism is to lead pure and clean life. Conscience also has a special place; this is represented by the mirror analogy. The mirror is supposed to reflect whether you have done the right thing whenever you take a look at it. Respect is also a core value in Japanese society. Respect is essential and a must. Everything is considered for the benefit and the good of the people; in their prayers, they ask the gods not to let them go astray. The total number of Shinto temples in Japan is nearly 90,000. After the ritual, Priest Okano invites us to his home; he offers us a traditional meal and dessert. Tea is served with dessert.

An archer at the Yabusame Shinto ritual

We later visit the Shinjuku Turkish Cultural Center founded by Turkish entrepreneurs in Shinjuku, an important area of Tokyo. The Japanese people here have great interest in learning how to speak Turkish. We are pleased to discover that they are interested in playing our traditional instruments and speaking our language. It becomes evident how active this cultural center is once you set foot in it as Japanese people are able to sing classical Turkish folk songs, play classical Turkish instruments and the people taking the Turkish courses are able to speak the Turkish language quite fluently. It is obvious that this cultural center is performing well. Students are very pleased with their studies and training. They registered with this center to learn Turkish and they are eager to learn.
Turkey is promoted well by the Shinjuku Turkish Cultural Center, therefore, the Japanese people who visit once often bring their friends on their second visit. Turkish tea is popular at the center. We wonder about the secret of the center's success. I was really surprised to see the eagerness of the Japanese people to learn Turkish. How was this done? Most probably, sincerity and faith were the keys to such a great achievement.

[QUICK FACTS]

Capital: Tokyo
Official language: Japanese
Government: a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy
Emperor: Akihito
Prime Minister: Taro Aso
Area: 377,915 square kilometers
Population: 127,078,679*
Gross domestic product (PPP): $4.348 trillion**
Main religions: Buddhism and Shinto (84-96 percent)

China’s Shanghai: A modern city in the East

Nanjing Road in Shanghai

SHANGHAI--We first land in Beijing, the capital of China, before flying to Shanghai aboard a two-hour flight from the capital. As soon as we set foot in this city, we immediately realize that we are in a world city.
This city is a clear indicator of China's development. Giant skyscrapers are ordinary in Shanghai. In a district that is so large it could engulf several Manhattans, giant buildings have been built and are still being constructed. Trade and commerce have resulted in incredible wealth for this city. As you wander the streets of Shanghai, you frequently come across luxury houses and cars. There are giant housing complexes, each of which is more populated than some cities around the world. For instance, one building complex comprises some 250 buildings, each of them with some 30 floors. They say that about 40,000 people live in this complex. There are even larger complexes housing about 100,000 people each. Given their immense population, the Chinese naturally have to tinker with the idea of building complexes of buildings.
A small fishing town just 150 years ago, Shanghai today is among the world's biggest and most important cities. Shanghai does not have much background in Chinese history, as the city flourished after the arrival of Europeans. Since then, European have never left this major city. The impact of Europeans is clearly visible in the buildings scattered around the city. There are about 500,000 foreigners living in the city.
Shanghai is the heart of the Chinese economy. It is a rapidly growing and developing city. With a population of 18 million, Shanghai is called the "Manhattan of China." The Shanghai skyline is littered with giant skyscrapers. As the city has seen considerable development during recent years, Shanghai is very different from what it was even 10 years ago.

A pagoda in Suzhou

Chang Jiang, meaning “long river,” flows through the middle of Shanghai. Westerners call it the Yangtze river; it is the third-longest river in the world.
The city has misty and foggy air; this does not change year round. The city's inhabitants enjoy sunny days only for a week or so each year.
In the city center, the Jin Mao Tower, a 421-meter tall, 88-story skyscraper, is now accompanied by the 101-story Shanghai World Financial Center, which reaches 492 meters into the air. Shanghai is brimming with such grandiose skyscrapers. In order to allow for the smooth flow of traffic, giant, multi-layered junctions have been built, and there are overhead highways where cars travel at a height of a seven or eight-story building. These highways lead to the main centers around the city. Seeing them, one might think such projects could be readily implemented in İstanbul.
Nanjing Road is the most famous and busiest street in the city. There is where tourists flock for shopping and entertainment. The street is busy at every hour of the day, getting progressively more crowded in the daytime and reaching a peak in the evening. World-famous brands have opened shops along the street.

The Yangtze River

One sees a flood of human beings flowing through Nanjing Road. Since it is closed to vehicle traffic, people can freely wander to and fro in this junction where Chinese and Western cultures meet. It can be likened to İstiklal Caddesi in İstanbul. Nanjing Road is not only crowded; it is also the most expensive place in the city. The leasing prices for shops are astronomical. Small battery-operated cars serve the same function as the historic tram on İstiklal Caddesi. At night, Nanjing Road becomes luminous and colorful and vivid. It is one of the most-illuminated streets in the world.
Shanghai is a city on a plain, at a low elevation. There are large parks in the city. The city planners placed great importance on vegetation. Although it is located in the far eastern reaches of China, it is extremely Western oriented. Western lifestyles are dominant in the city. There is a Shanghai school in response to the Beijing school, the former being more progressive and open than the latter. Having mingled with Westerners for many years in the past, the city has always represented the progressive school in literature, philosophy and commerce. The traffic signs are bilingual, Chinese phrases being followed by their English counterparts.
Chinese citizens need to obtain permits in order to live in this city. Working in Shanghai is also regulated, as the people who aspire to work in this city are required to obtain a permit for this. Obtaining this permit is a difficult process. This is intended to curb migration from rural areas to cities.
There is a matriarchal structure in China. In Shanghai, it is ordinary for men to cook meals, wash the dishes and do the cleaning. Women are the heads of the household. It is said that this is the case for a large percentage of households in Shanghai. Shanghai women are depicted as practical bosses.

Silk production

We go from Shanghai to Suzhou, a one-hour highway trip. Suzhou is called the "Venice of the East." It is famous for its canals as well as for its gardens and pagodas. The historic Auspicious Light Pagoda, a Buddhist temple, is a popular destination for tourists. Built in 1004 B.C., the pagoda is 53 meters tall. It is a mostly wooden structure. The pagoda was built to reach up to the gods. We climb to the highest point in the pagoda and gaze over the surroundings of the temple.
Then, we pay a visit to the Humble Administrator's Garden, a 500-year-old garden built during the Ming dynasty. It is one of the four most-famous gardens in China. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The garden, spanning an area of 5.2 hectares, was built over the course of four years. Local and foreign visitors show great interest in the garden. As guides speak about the garden, tourists carefully listen to them.
We start to tour the streets of Suzhou. Souvenir shops line the streets lying parallel to canals. The owners of these shops both produce and sell a variety of souvenirs.
As we travel toward Hangzhou, we remember a famous Chinese saying. In order to depict the beauty of Suzhou and Hangzhou, the Chinese say: "Paradise above. Suzhou and Hangzhou below." Hangzhou has a lake called Xi Hu, or West Lake. The landscape around the coast of the lake is beautiful.
Silk is one of the symbols of China. China has sold silk to the world for centuries. We visit a silk factory and touch silkworm cocoons. For many years, China maintained strict control over knowledge about silk production. It is said that when several silkworms hidden inside the hair of a Chinese princess were taken out of China, the rest of the world learned how to produce silk. We watch how cocoons are processed in the plant. With awe, we observe how silk is transformed into thread. Silk threads are carefully peeled away from cocoons and wrapped around reels.

Cocoons may be spun separately or side by side. Single cocoons generally produce higher-quality silk, which is used for apparel. Double cocoons produce lower quality silk which is used for rugs, carpets or covers.
A small test is held for tourists in order to show whether two scarves are made of real silk. Only one of the scarves is made of real silk. Scarves are burned. Only the scarf made of real silk emits neither black smoke nor a bad odor. This is not the case for the fake scarf. This test clearly shows which one is authentic.
The importance of silk around the world has always given China an upper hand in trade. For this reason, silk is an important commodity for China. When silkworms were smuggled out of the country, other countries started to produce silk, which dealt a large blow to the Chinese economy. Even local Chinese buy imported silk, thinking that imported commodities are of higher quality. Even today, this is a common perception among the Chinese. Although China is a textile giant, its people still prefer to buy imported apparel.
We tour a silk showroom in Hangzhou. Colorful clothes made of silk are displayed for prospective buyers. One thing to note is that bargaining is important in China. Whatever price is offered to you, you should bargain with the seller because the Chinese like to bargain.

[QUICK FACTS]

Capital: Beijing
Language: Standard Chinese or Mandarin, Yue (Cantonese)
Government: Communist state
President: Hu Jintao
Premier: Wen Jiabao
Area: 9,640,821 square kilometers
Population: 1,330 ,044,544*
GDP (PPP): $7.8 trillion**
Religions: Daoism, Buddhism, Christianity (3-4 percent), Islam (1-2 percent)