Tuesday 26 February 2013

Tuesday Then & Now - Nikko Toshogu Carved Panels

Here's another set of photos from the Nagasaki University's Metadatabase of Japanese Old Photographs. On either side of the Yomeimon are intricately carved panels depicting birds, animals, flowers, and other designs. Brightly coloured and covered in gold leaf, they really are gorgeous!

Late 19th century to early 20th century:


May 2006:

8 comments:

  1. It's nice detail. I went to Nikko when I was a high school student. It't typical trip for us.

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    1. What grade were you in when you went to Nikko? There are often lots of groups of kids running around all over the place. It can be annoying, but I love that Japanese kids visit historical sites like Nikko!

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    2. I forgot the grade but I guess that it was third. Japanese students need to study Japanese history. :)

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    3. I love that studying Japanese history for kids means going to the sites and seeing things, so much more interesting that way!

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  2. It's good to know that some things never change.

    PS: Good luck with that translation!

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    1. Never change except when they are repainted! Refurbishment work is currently ongoing, my guess is in advance of the 400th anniversary (either of Ieyasu's death in 1616 or the founding of Nikko Toshogu in 1617). Part of that was taking all these carvings, cleaning them and then basically repainting every single one! I'm not sure that is simple refurbishment...

      PS - thanks! I sent it off last night (urrrr... this morning?) and am hoping there won't be corrections or edits! So I finally have free time on my hands, where's the umeshu?!?

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  3. It's nice to see that the place has hardly changed between now and the old photos. I always like to see old and new photographs together from the same viewpoint.

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  4. I think it is safe to say that Nikko Toshogu has been unchanged for longer than photography has existed! I too love comparing now and then photos, although far too often the photos are so different as to be barely recognizable as the same place! I'll have a few of those types, but one of the things I love about Japan is that many of the sites really haven't changed all that much.

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