Hearing about "Tama no Koshi" as I wrote in the last entry, we visited that shrine, Imamiya Jinja Shrine. It was surrounded by forest even in a big city, Kyoto. The path from Souken-in Temple to the shrine was comfortable, covered by the mystic atmosphere.
Along the former approach to the shrine there lined up a few candy stores who only sold "Aburi-mochi" rice cakes. These rice cakes have a long history and the stores have been run by several generations. I was moved by the appearance of the stores which had been used since hundreds of years ago with some restorations. FYI, there are so many businesses in Japan handed down from generation to generation. An oldest construction company started their business in 578 i.e. 6th century! It's estimated that the number of more than 100 year-old companies in Japan surpasses 100,000. Visiting this shrine, I understood that I just only scratched the surface of Japan's history though I meant to have learned it thoroughly.
My friend saw me off at Kyoto Station. I got on a Shinkansen Bullet Train for the first time in ten years or so. The car was upgraded since my last ride. I wondered how far the train would develop. Kyoto is always new and old at the same time. I hope I'll visit again and again.
http://www.imamiyajinja.org/eng/imamiya_ENG/TOP.html
玉の輿の話を聞いてその神社へやって来た。この神社のことは全く知らなかった。大都市京都にありながら森に囲まれていて歴史を感じさせる。総見院からここまでの散歩も荘厳な雰囲気に包まれて心地よかった。旧参道には名物「あぶり餅」を売る店が並んでいて一服した。美味しかった。もう何代もに渡って営まれている古い店のたたずまいに感動。日本には代々継がれる企業・店舗が多い。六世紀から続く建築会社も・・・・・・ある。１００年以上続く企業は１０万社以上あると推定されている。自分なりに歴史を勉強してきたつもりだったが、この神社を見て、上っ面を少しかじった程度でしかないことを思い知った。京都駅まで送ってもらって新幹線を利用した。久しぶりの新幹線で、乗るたびにアップグレードしている。古くて新しい街、京都、また何度も訪れたい。
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