龍子記念館 (Ryushi Memorial Hall)
Ryushi Kawabata (1885-1966) was a Japanese painter. He specialized in bold and expansive folding screen paintings, making him a unique figure in the Japanese painting world of the Taisho and pre-war Showa periods.
川端龍子（1885-1966）は、日本画家です。大画面の豪放な屏風画を得意とし、大正 – 昭和戦前の日本画壇においては異色の存在でした。
The Ryushi Memorial Hall houses approximately 140 works by Ryushi spanning from the early Taisho era to the post-war period, offering a multifaceted view of his artistic career. Across from the Ryushi Memorial Hall, in Ryushi Park, the former residence and studio of Ryushi have been preserved. In March of Reiwa 6 (2024), the former Ryushi Kawabata residence and studio within Ryushi Park were registered as tangible cultural properties (buildings) by the government.
龍子記念館では、大正初期から戦後にかけての約140点あまりの龍子作品を所蔵し、多角的な視点から龍子の画業を紹介しています。龍子記念館の向かいの龍子公園には、旧宅とアトリエが保存されており、龍子記念館と龍子公園内の旧川端龍子邸、画室は、令和6年3月に国の登録有形文化財（建造物）に登録されました。
reference:
https://www.ota-bunka.or.jp/facilities/ryushi
旧川端龍子邸
Former residence of Ryushi Kawabata
The former residence of Ryushi Kawabata featured a splendid design, with Ryushi himself being involved in the architectural planning.
旧川端龍子邸は、素晴らしいデザインで、龍子本人が設計に関わりました。
爆弾散華の池
Bomb-Scattering Pond
This pond, which was developed using the spring water from the site of the former main building lost in air raids, was named after the artwork “Bomb-Scattering” depicting the flowers and vegetables scattered by the blast of bombing in the garden.
この池は、かつての主屋が空襲で失われた場所から湧き出る水を利用して造られました。庭園における爆撃の爆風で散り散りになる花や野菜を描いた作品『爆弾散華』にちなんで名付けられました。
Garden Photo Gallery：
https://oniwa.garden/ryushi-museum-tokyo/
池上本門寺と著名人のお墓
Ikegami Honmonji Temple and the Graves of Distinguished Figures
Ikegami Honmonji Temple is a “sacred site of the passing of Saint Nichiren.” Saint Nichiren bid farewell to Mount Minobu, where he resided for nine years, on September 8, 1282, during the fifth year of the Koan era. He departed for the hot springs of Hitachi for medical treatment and passed away on his way there at the mansion of the lord of Ikegami in Musashi Province (present-day Ikegami, Ota Ward, Tokyo). Following the passing of Saint Nichiren, Ikegami Sōchū, a major donor, offered approximately 70,000 square meters of temple grounds, matching the number of characters in the Lotus Sutra (69,384), to establish the foundation of the temple. Since then, it has been known as “Ikegami Honmonji Temple.”
池上本門寺は「日蓮聖人ご入滅の霊場」です。日蓮聖人は、弘安５年９月８日、９年間身延山に滞在した後、病気のため常陸の湯に向かう途中、武蔵国池上（現在の東京都大田区池上）の郷主・池上宗仲公の館で亡くなりました。日蓮聖人のご入滅後、大檀越の池上宗仲公は、法華経の字数（６９，３８４）に合わせて約７万坪の寺域を寄進し、お寺の礎が築かれました。以来、「池上本門寺」と呼ばれています。
reference:
https://honmonji.jp/outline/engi.html
Grounds Map (境内マップ)
https://honmonji.jp/outline/keidai.html
Cultural property Building（文化財建物）
https://honmonji.jp/outline/reiho.html
The graves of distinguished figures visited on this occasion
今回訪れた著名人の墓
13th Kataoka Nizaemon (Kabuki actor)
十三代 片岡仁左衛門（歌舞伎役者）
Despite being completely blind in his later years, he continued to perform on stage as a leading actor.
晩年に完全に盲目であったにもかかわらず、彼は立役として舞台活動を続けました。
Rohan Koda (novelist)
幸田露伴（小説家）
He was a Japanese novelist, literary researcher, and scholar of Japanese literature who was active during the three eras of Meiji, Taisho, and Showa (August 22, 1867 – July 30, 1947).
明治、大正、昭和（1867年8月22日 – 1947年7月30日）の三代にわたって活躍した日本の小説家、考証家、国文学者です。
The representative work of Koda Rohan that I have read is “Goju-no-to”（The Five-Story Pagoda）
幸田露伴の代表作で読んだことがあるのは「五重塔」です。
The tale of jyuemon, the master carpenter involved in the construction of the five-storied pagoda. It depicts Jyuemon’s heartfelt dedication beyond the pride of a craftsman, the depth of Genta’s generosity as the foreman, and the compassion of the priest. Although the language isn’t contemporary, it flows rhythmically and is easy to read. I read it in the Kindle edition.
五重塔の建立に携わった大工、十兵衛の物語です。職人の誇りを超えて、十兵衛の情念を感じる姿や、親方の源太の懐の深さ、上人の慈悲深さなどが描かれています。文章は現代語ではありませんが、リズムがあり、読みやすいです。私はKindle版で読みました。
The graves of the 7th and 8th generations of the Fujima family, Matsumoto Koshiro (Kabuki actor).
藤間家、7代8代 松本幸四郎（歌舞伎役者）の墓
Tomb of Yoshio Kodama（Japanese right-wing activist, self-proclaimed CIA agent）
児玉誉士夫（日本の右翼活動家、自称CIAエージェント）の墓
Actually, I don’t know much about him either. Just that he’s somehow related to the Lockheed scandal. But from what I found online, he seems to be quite a remarkable figure.
実は私も彼をよく知らない。ロッキード事件に関連する人ということぐらい。だがネットで調べるととんでもない人物のようである。
reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshio_Kodama
Tomb of Banboku Ono (politician)
大野 伴睦 (政治家)の墓
In the Chubu region, there was an impression that someone with power had pulled strings to bring the Shinkansen to Hashima Station, but it seems that wasn’t the case. I had believed rumors from adults since I was young. There seemed to be circumstances behind the establishment of the station in Hashima. After visiting the graves and doing some research, I learned the truth.
中部地方では、権力を行使して羽島駅に新幹線を引くという印象がありましたが、実際にはそうではないようです。私は幼い頃から大人たちの噂を信じていました。羽島に駅ができた背景には事情があったようです。墓を訪れて調べたところ、真実がわかりました。
reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banboku_%C5%8Cno
Tomb of Rikidozan (professional wrestler, sumo wrestler)
力道山（プロレスラー、力士）の墓
Rikidozan (November 14, 1924 – December 15, 1963), whose real name was Mitsuhiro Momota and whose Korean name was Kin Shinraku, was from Korea under Japanese rule. Although he achieved good results as a sumo wrestler, he was excommunicated due to his overly violent personality, so he went to the United States to learn professional wrestling, and after returning to Japan, he became a professional wrestler. He excited people on street television and is said to have laid the foundation for Japanese professional wrestling.
力道山（November 14, 1924 – December 15, 1963）、本名は百田光浩（ももた みつひろ）、朝鮮名は金信洛（きん しんらく）で、日本統治下の朝鮮出身です。力士として良い成績を残していますが、激しすぎる性格から破門され、アメリカに渡ってプロレスを学んで帰国後プロレスラーに転身。街頭テレビで人々を熱狂させ、日本プロレスの礎を築いたとされています。
There are still many graves of famous people at Ikegami Honmonji Temple, so I would like to go there again if I have the chance.
池上本門寺にはまだまだ著名人の墓がたくさんあるので、機会があればまた行きたいと思います。
Today’s lunch: Shinagawa
GRAND CENTRAL OYSTER BAR＆RESTAURANT
https://oysterbartokyo.com/
←Grave tour and historical walk
