BLOSSOMING CHERRIES, MOUNT FUJI AND BEYOND!

                                                 [APRIL 2026, DAY TWO AND THREE]

DAY 2

We were enthusistic and curious to know which would be our next stops in JAPAN, THE LAND OF RISING SUN! Our second day started with a visit to Asakosa Shinsoji Temple, a Shinto ancient Buddhist temple and a shrine, next to it. This is one of the important temples in Tokyo, dedicated to the Bodhisattva of Compassion. It has a main hall, a five-story pagoda and massive gates. It is the most visited religious site in the world. Interestingly, there was a separate counter, where we had to juggle a cylindrical box and remove one plate, which had a number on it. Corresponding to that number, one had to take a plate from drawers in the wall and it gives an account of how your day would pass! One shrine close to the temple was visited. Temples are normally Budhha temples while shrines worship instruments, armaments, weapons, Samurai, agricultural instruments, trees and so on. Lion statues with a different style of faces were seen in almost all temples and shrines. People offer a variety of things to their deities. We experienced a moderate crowd at the Shinsoji Temple.

Here we shopped for magnets and mementoes on the Nakamise Dori Street.

Next stop was at the Ueno Park, a spacious public park in the centre of Tokyo city, which is famous for its cherry blossoms in spring and the Hanami festival. This is a place of historical interest, scenic beauty, recreation and rest in the prefectures of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. There are approximately 8800 trees and shrubs, including Somi-Yoshino cherry, Japanese cherry, Formosan cherry, Ginkgo biloba, Cinnamomum camphora, Zelkova serrata. Lot of birds, insects and animals of various types are found here. It took more than half a day to cover the whole place. A lot of cherry trees were blossoming with white, light pink and dark pink blooms. We had a gala time, shooting pictures. 

DAY 3

Third day took us near Mount Fuji. Yasahama Hakone is a major Japanese mountain resort town near Mount Fuji, famous for its onsen (hot sulphur springs) and stunning views of Lake Ashinoko. Traveling to this place is very much enjoyable as it can be reached through a scenic loop of train, cable car, ropeway and boat, while enjoying the surrounding natural beauty. 

The road which takes one to the top of Mount Fuji can be closed due to clouds, snow, landslides. At 3776 meters, it is the highest peak in Japan, an active volcano on the island of Honshu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its iconic, symmetrical cone shape. It is a major tourist destination located between Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures. It is popular and spectacular for hiking and cherry blossoms in the summer.

Ashinoko, in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a scenic crater lake famous for its views of Mount Fuji, hot springs and historical sites. In ancient times, Ashinoko was a sacred lake where trainee Buddhist monks purified their souls and bodies before religious ceremonies. The water comes from rains. Ovakudani, or "Big Boiling Gorge," is an active volcano in Hakone, Japan, famous for its steamy sulfur pores, bubbling hot springs and distinctive hydrogen sulfide "rotten egg" smell. The area, formed by the eruption of Mount Hakone 3000 years ago, is a major geological attraction, known as the 'breath of the earth'. Due to the intense volcanic activity, a high concentrations of sulfur gases are found here. The famous Black eggs are chicken eggs boiled in a natural sulfur-rich hot spring which appear black after boiling but according to folklore, after eating one, the life expectancy increases to seven years. For tourists there is a long scenic ropeway, from which there is a view of volcanic activity and sulphurous fumes directly below. We were instructed to wear masks. It was quite cold here, which grew warmer near the crater lake. 

GREEN BLOGGER

PROF. (DR.) MRS. JAYA KURHEKAR

 

WAIT FOR MY NEXT POST! 

KEYWORDS: 

FASCINATING ENVIRONMENT, Shinsoji Temple, Shrine, Mount Fuji. Yasahama Hakone, Ashinoko, Ovakudani, 'breath of the earth', sulfur valley, Black eggs, ropeway, Oshino Hakkai

GREEN BLOGGER

PROF. (DR.) MRS. JAYA KURHEKAR

 

KEYWORDS: JAPAN, TOUR, JOURNEY, AIRPORT

BLOSSOMING CHERRIES AND BEYOND!

AIRPORTS - THROUGH THE EYES OF A TRAVELLER! 

It has always been a part of my bucket list to travel all over the world and learn about people, their cultures, traditions, aspirations, behaviour, how they preserve and protect their environment and then try to implement their small, though very important ideas in your daily life. It is said in Sanskrit;

यस्तु संचरते देशान् यस्तु सेवेत पण्डितान् ।
तस्य विस्तारिता बुद्धिस्तैलबिन्दुरिवाम्भसि ॥

Just as a drop of oil expands on being dropped on the surface of water, the intelligence of a person who travels in different countries and converses with scholars, goes on expanding! 

World is a very small place! We have been traveling all over India and world and it has given us a broader sense of perspective, added to our patience and widened our horizons! It gives a sense of excitement, physical and mental well-being! We feel we belong to the universe!

Traveling adds to your general knowledge, common sense, practicality, sense of direction, alertness and smartness.

Japan, the land of the rising sun, was one place in the East, which held a sort of charisma for me. I always wanted to visit and explore Japan! Having heard about the industriousness, hardworking nature of Japanese, a phoenix flight into the sky, with all advances in technology and yet look so quaint, dainty, delicate, has always been a mystery for me! Their traditions, patriotism, a passion for beauty, rising from scratch, defying the strong, have always been qualities to be recognized very strongly, for me! The penchant for keeping their country clean, tidy, updated as a duty of each and every one of its citizens, found a way in my mind and heart!  

With this feeling, we booked for the Japan, Cherry Blossom Tour, in the month of April, which is supposed to be the Cherry Blossom Season. Our tour was to start from Pune.

Our first concern was the weather, which is supposed to be quite cool there and rains which appear unexpectedly! Food was another concern as vegetarian diet is considered in different perspectives, at different places, globally. That was resolved after talking to the tour management personnel. The on-going war and its worldwide impact was yet another issue! We had to hop flights but the luggage was taken care of, by the system! That was another fact resolved! Currency is acceptable in in the form of yens only and because of the war situation, it was available at the last moment and that too limited! We were aware of the security check in limitations about liquids, unpacked food and sharp edged articles, so could comply. Our Visa documents were sent but we had to wait for them till around three days before the travel! It was truly a cause for concern but finally all that ends well is well enough!

Finally we embarked on our well thought over journey, on the decided day! It was a long one but as they say, when your mind is into something, everything seems rosy! All airports have their own characteristics, which was clear from the ones we visited! All had a few things in common; special and specific things about the regions were depicted, in paintings, sculptures, idols, spick and span washrooms, lighted, illuminated corridors, indicators, escalators, walking electronic belts, 24 x 7 helpful personnel and proper announcements! Cleanliness stood out in every platform, waiting room, boarding gate and flight! One thing we can learn from observation and inculcate as a habit, is that whenever we visit any place, its human to keep it neat, clean and tidy! Let them not say and say it to their shame, that all was fine and clean, until you came! That would really be a shame, on the travellers’ part!

All set, we were off to “THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN!”

Pune airport is a spectacular site, with huge pictures depicting the pride of Maharashtra, Shivaji Maharaja’s throne ceremony, various selfie points, suryanamaskar sculptors in bronze and many more.

Kuala Lumpur airport was a spectactular site, with huge architectural wonders! Lovely quotes adorned the airport. Green houses, water falls, green globes, have been installed, keeping eyes cool and stressfree!

Tokyo Narita international airport seemed to be a very busy one, huge and systematic. It was here that we stepped into Japan, The Land of the Rising Sun and started our tour!

 While coming back to India, we flew from Kansai international airport, the first island airport on reclaimed land. It is commonly called as Kanku, built on artificial island, the third busiest in Japan. 

    FIRST DAY IN JAPAN! 

After a huge spread of intercontinental breakfast, our first visit was to the Skytree tower, boasting of a 634 m. height. Tokyo Skytree was known as New Tokyo Tower initially. It is a multi-purpose tower engaged in broadcasting, serving as a restaurant and as an observation deck in the capital city, Japan, Tokyo! Tokyo Skytree is situated quite close to river Sumida. It took around four years to complete and was opened for public 29 February 2012. It is the tallest structure in Japan, with a very special height, 634, representing the province of Musashi, the previous name of the area where the tower stands. As of today, it is the tallest tower in the world, though it doesn’t house people or offices. It is known to be the third tallest tower structure in the world. It gives a 360 degrees spectacular view of the whole of central Tokyo from special viewing platforms, situated at 350 m. and 450 m. It is illuminated with coloured lights at night! It also has escalators, to help people move, without the lifts. We have visited other towers in the world, like the Burj Khalifa, Empire State building, One World Trade centre, Spice needle, Eiffel tower, Observatory in New York, Manhattan tower and so on! This was comparable, with latest technology employed!

Our next visit was to the Statue of liberty, which is the replica of Statue of Liberty of New York City. It is popularly known as the Odaiba Statue of Liberty and is 1/7th scale replica of the original statue. It is considered as a symbol of  Japan - France friendship. Its location is scenic, giving lovely, elevated view of the Tokyo Bay and Rainbow Bridge. It is situated in Odaiba Marine Park. It was made a permanent monument in 2000, because of its popularity. It is 11–12 meters tall. It is surrounded by many sakura trees, which were in full blossom, when we visited.

The rainbow bridge,  built across Tokyo river, is a type of suspension bridge, crossing the Pier of Shibaura, at Northern bay of Tokyo and waterfront at Odaiba, in minato, city of Tokyo. It is two storied structure, with road, rail and pedestrian walks. It is prominent component of Odaiba waterfront skyline.

It is 798 m in length, covering 580 m area. The supporting towers are painted white and lamps on the supporting cables are red, white and green, utilizing solar energy. It looks beautiful against the skyline.

We crossed the bridge to visit the spectacular TeamLab Planets in Toyosu. It is a digital art museum, with a concept of body – immersion. It has multiple specific areas, organized around key zones and huge artworks. It is something to actually experience and difficult to describe in words!

Visitors walk through water and interact with huge installed illusions.

The first zone at the entry point is the water zone, where visitors are required to walk barefoot! It includes a waterfall of light particles in the unknown, which simulates walking through the water. It has huge areas filled with water to the knees, through which one can enjoy wading.

The third zone is the Garden zone featuring immersive illusions, based on nature. It has floating flower garden. It exhibits thousands of live orchids, expressing that ALL LIFE ON THIS PLANET IS ONE!

Our next place of visit was the Hei Shinto Shrine, in Tokyo. There are three main spiritual festivals in Japan, one of it is held here, in the presence of Oyamakui no Kami deity. 

It has escalators to help people climb up the tall hill, where it is located. It has a big  series of Torii gates, through which, one has to pass, to get the blessings and wash all sins!

Our next visit was to the Shibuya scrambler crossing, in Shibuya, Tokyo. Located near Shibuya railway station, it is a main commercial and entertainment square in Shibuya, in Tokyo. It is supposed to be the world's busiest crossing for the pedestrians. Approximately 3,000 people cross the roads during a single green light cycle. It is a popular tourist attraction, a recognized symbol of Tokyo featuring in media!

Interesting part is, road traffic jams rarely occur, even during the busy working hours of heavy rush! 

It promoted the Summer Olympics, held in Tokyo, in 2020. 

Just at the centre of the side footpath of Shibuya crossing, is a bronze statue, in the memory of a dog, called Hachiko Dog statue. It is a symbol of loyalty of Akita dog, waiting for nearly a decade for its deceased owner.  

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VITAMIN SHE

होय, मीच विटामिन “शी”!

अहो, खरंच मी विटामिन “शी”आहे ! विटामिन शब्द नुसता उच्चारला तरी कसा अंगात “जोष” संचारतो. विटामिन्स आपल्या सर्वांगीण वाढीसाठी, एका संजीवनीचं काम करतात! विटामिन “ए” केस व डोळ्यांसाठी, विटामिन “डी” हाडांसाठी, वगैरे वगैरे! पण विटामिन “शी”च्या, तुमच्या आयुष्यातील स्थानाबद्दल, तुमच्या लक्षात आलंय का? जसं चौरस अन्नामुळं शरीराची आणि पर्यायानं मनाची चांगली वाढ होते, तसंच काहीसं विटामिन “शी”चं आहे, बरं का मंडळी! विटामिन “शी” सर्वांच्याच सर्वांगीण वाढीसाठी आवश्यक आहे! “शी”म्हणजेच “ती”! “ती” तुमच्या आयुष्यातील अर्ध अंग, इंग्रजीत तिला चक्क “बेटर हाफ” म्हणतात! “ती” तुमच्या आयुष्यात येते अन चक्क एखाद्या विटामिनप्रमाणं तुमचं आयुष्यच बदलून टाकते! तिच्यामुळं तुमच्या आयुष्याला अर्थ आलाय, हे तुम्ही अनेक वेळा कबुल करता, होय ना? कधी स्वतःशी, तर कधी मनाशी!  “ती” नसते तेंव्हा, तुम्ही हवालदिल होता आणि “नसतेस घरी तू जेंव्हा, जीव तुटका तुटका होतो!” चा अनुभव घेता! “ती” सकाळपासून रात्री पर्यंत घर चालवते, पैसे तुम्ही कमावून आणलेत तरी! काय आहे, काय नाही, याचं भान तिलाच असतं. प्राप्त परिस्थितीत, काय व्यवस्थित जमेल, हे तिला चांगलं उमगतं! आहे त्या विटामिन “एम” मध्ये, विटामिन “शी”सगळंच कसं जमवते, हे जगातील एक आश्चर्यच मानावं लागेल! “शी”ला दिलेल्या पैशांमधून “शी” पैसे वाचवते आणि तुंम्हाला अनेकदा आश्चर्याचे धक्के देते! “शी” नुसती” घरात असली तरी चालते, तिच्यामुळं घराला घरपण येतं, स्वच्छता राहते, टापटीप राहते, वस्तू जागच्या जागी राहतात, सुग्रास अन्न बनते, झोप लागण्यासाठी शांत वातावरण तयार होते, खरं की नाही? तुमच्या पुढच्या पिढीला जन्म देण्याचं, सुसंस्कारित करण्याचं पुण्यकर्म ही “शी”च्या नावेच बरं का! हां, आता “शी”ला सपोर्ट तुमचाच, एक चाक रुतलं तर दुसरं ही चालंत नाही, हालंत नाही, तसंच काहीसं! “शी”तुमच्याकडं हट्ट करते, काही गोष्टी करायला लावते, पण त्यामागं “ती”चं प्रेमच असतं, आस्था असते. “शी”ला नेहेमी तुमची प्रगती हवी असते, उन्नती हवी असते. बऱ्याच वेळा आपल्या सगळ्या इच्छा बाजूला ठेऊन, तुम्हाला प्रोत्साहित करण्याचं काम विटामिन “शी”करते, हो ना? “शी”घरी नसतांना, काही काळ बरं वाटत असेल ही पण नंतर मात्र तिची उणीव, तिचं नसणं जाणवायला लागतं, अगदी विटामिन्स शिवाय असलेल्या अन्नासारखं, खरं ना? नुसतंच जगणं, राहणं, ज्यात जोष नाही, होष नाही, रंग नाही, गंध नाही! पटलं ना!

“शी”जागवते आशा, अन भरवते घास,

“शी”घराचा कणा अन घराचा श्वास!

“शी”ला द्या तिच्या हक्काचा सन्मान,

“ती” असे विटामिन “शी”, राखा तिचा मान!

“शी” देते अपूर्णतेला पूर्णता,

“शी” शिगोशिग प्रेम अन आर्त आर्तता!

स्त्रीचा सन्मान स्त्रीला मिळावा, तो सर्व “शीं”ना मिळावा! त्यांच्या आनंदातच घराचा अन पर्यायानं राष्ट्राचा आनंद आहे! आज महिला दिन, दार ठोठावतोय, “गिव्ह and गेन” अर्थात द्या आणि मिळवा, एवढीच माफक अपेक्षा! त्यांना आदर, ज्ञान, न्याय, आवाज, संरक्षण, संधी आणि प्रशिक्षण द्या, पर्यायानं त्यांच्या व राष्ट्राच्या प्रगतीत हातभार लावा! तिला आधार, सन्मान, प्रेम, प्रोत्साहन दिलं तर ती तुम्हाला दुपटीनं परत करेल आणि तिची, तुमची, कुटुंबाची आणि राष्ट्राची भरभराटच होईल.

नेहेमी तुमचीच,

विटामिन “शी”!

प्रोफ. (डॉ.) सौ. जया कुऱ्हेकर

ग्रीन ब्लॉगर

Yes, I am Vitamin 'She'!

"She" raises hope and fills the glass,
The heart and soul of every class!
Respect her rights; she’s your vitamin,

Give her respect and see her zooming in!

"She" gives completeness to imperfection,
Give her love, give her education,

She will return everything many times,

With great Love and affection!

"She" deserves all the respect, all the care! The happiness of her home and the nation is in her happiness! Today, when Women's Day is knocking at the door, "Give and Gain" is the only hope! Give her respect, knowledge, justice, voice, protection, opportunities and training, in turn, "She" will contribute in many folds, towards the nation's progress! If "She" is supported, respected, loved and encouraged, "She", you, your family and the nation will gain prosperity!

Prof. (Dr.) Jaya Kurhekar
Green Blogger

 KEY WORDS: SHE, PANACEA, RESPECT,  GIVE and GAIN, PROSPERITY. 

ELECTRIFYING ABHANG REPOST!

We had the chance to witness the electrifying performance of the performers in ABHANG REPOST, a stage show, with a difference! 

                                                        Vithu namacha gajar!

It was a live, electrifying performance by all performers, recreating the magic of saints’ compositions, in a new style, giving goose bumps!                                                  Chal ga sakhe pandharila!

Abhangas, bharuds and compositions of Dnyaneshwar Mauli, Tukobaraya, Eknath Maharaj, Ramdas Swami have been included in the program. 

                                                                           Johar maybap johar! 

Audience of all ages, traditions, young and old, dance to the tune of infused music, comprising of traditional and modern music! 

                                                    Deh dewache mandir!   

It was more significant, with reference to the fact that the newer generations are enjoying the performance, as much as the older generations! 

                                                                                            Kashala pandhari jato!

The magic is so mesmerizing and contagious that you can’t help but clap and dance to the tunes of abhangas, that we have heard since childhood, in a different form! 

Amhi bee ghadalo, tumhi bee ghada na!

These Abhangas are truly meaningful, not only for the great words used but for the underlined thoughts, the deciphered meaning within the lines! 

Hope this transformed version of greatly meaningful, spiritual and entertaining poetry is transcribed on, to the newer generations and they pass it on with full fervor!

Green Blogger

Prof. Dr. Jaya Kurhekar