Vol.009 November 2018

Kaleidoscope

MEGUROCONTENTS
1. Culture
2.
Autumn in Japan3.
4. Information

Visiting the Seven Gods of Good Fortune
Shichifukujin Meguri
Meguri, or visiting the Seven Gods of GoodS hichifukujin
Fortune, is a custom unique to Japan where worshippers

visit the temples and shrines of seven gods to wish for andreceive wealth and happiness. The seven gods are of mixed
origin, coming from India, China and Japan. Don’t you think
this befits contemporary Japan where many beliefs such as
Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, etc. peacefully co-exist? It is acustom that spread throughout the country in the middle of theEdo period (17-19th century). In eastern Japan we practice
Shichifukujin Meguri between January 1st and 7th.

The seven gods consist of Benzaiten (God of Fortune),
Daikokuten (God of Wealth) and Bishamonten (God of Fortune)of Indian origin, Fukurokuju (God of Happiness), Jurojin (Godof Health) and Hoteison (God of Wisdom or Cleverness) ofChinese origin, and Ebisujin (God of Success) of Japaneseorigin. There are many local clusters of temples and shrines ofShichifukujin in Japan. In Tokyo metropolitan area alone there
are about twenty clusters, of which Yamanote Shichifukujin inthe Meguro area is famous for being the oldest in Tokyo and isconvenient for Meguro residents to visit. To visit Yamanote
Shichifukujin, refer to the guide map below.
Following are the addresses, access information and possible
good fortune you could receive by visiting each temple.

Shirokane-takanawa stn

te lineYamanoaYamMeguro st

Kakurinji
Shirokanedai stn

te doNamboku line

ZuishojiriTime(on foot)Myoenji

Daienji

Kakurinji

DORI
MEGURO

8min
Zuishoji8min

BanryujiMyoenji
10min
Daienji
10min
Ryusenji

Ryusenji

1) Ebisujin in Ryusenji Temple(3-20-26 Shimomeguro, Meguro City)(Tokyu Meguro Line Fudomae Sta.)(Business prosperity and happiness)
2) Benzaiten in Banryuji Temple(3-4-4 Shimomeguro, Meguro City) (JRYamanote Line Meguro Sta.) (Wealthand improvement of musical skills)
3) Daikokuten in Daienji Temple(1-8-5 Shimomeguro, Meguro City)(JRYamanote Line Meguro Sta.) (Businessprosperity and good harvest)
4) Fukurokuju and Jurojin inMyoenji Temple(3-17-5 Shirokanedai, Minato City)(Metro Namboku Line & Mita Line
Shirokanedai Sta.) (Happiness, wealth,good health and long life) These twogods are very similar in appearance.
5) Hoteison in Zuishoji Temple(3-2-19 Shirokanedai, Minato City)(Metro Namboku Line & Mita Line
Shirokanedai Sta.) (Happy home due tohis plump figure and smiley face)
6) Bishamonten in Kakurinji Temple(1-1-47 Shirokanedai, Minato City)(Metro Namboku Line & Mita Line
Shirokane-takanawa Sta.) (Drivingaway misfortune and bring happinessand wealth)

10minBanryuji(Metropolis, Koji Shiiki)

Well, let’s visit the temples of Yamanote
Shichifukujin this coming new year toget wealth and happiness!

2 | Kaleidoscope MEGURO November 2018

Tori-no-Ichi Fair at Meguro Ootori Shrine
Fairs (Rooster’s Days) are held on theT ori-no-Ichi
days of the rooster in November to pray for goodluck and business prosperity. They are seen atshrines across Japan, but especially popular in theKanto region.
The Tori-no-Ichi Fair at Meguro Ootori Shrine has along history in Tokyo, which started in the Edoperiod. Bamboo rakes or kumade are often sold as
lucky charms at the fair. The kumade rakes, which
are originally farming tools, are decorated with good
fortune accessories. For example: Seven Gods ofGood Fortune; pine, bamboo and plum trees; andJapanese oval gold coins in small and large sizes(replicas, of course). They are sold containing themeaning of gathering wealth and sweeping in goodluck. It is believed that good fortune will come yourway if you buy a small kumade for the first time anda bigger one the following year. You need to place thepurchased kumade somewhere high in the house orstore while making it face toward the front door but
avoiding the northern direction.

The Tori-no-Ichi Fair is held two or three times a year
as the day of the rooster comes around every twelvedays.
2018 Tori no Ichi Schedule
First Day (Ichi no Tori) : Nov. 1 (Thu)
Second Day (Ni no Tori) : Nov. 13 (Tue)Third Day (San no Tori) : Nov. 25 (Sun)Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum andInstitute for Nature Study
Metropolitan Teien Art Museum is one of theT okyo
best places to visit in Tokyo. It was built as aresidence of Prince Asaka in 1933. Henri Rapin andRene Lalique, both famous French designers, wereinvited to decorate its interior in Art Deco style. Art
Deco is a style which was popular in Europe in artsand crafts, architecture, pictures, fashion, etc. fromthe 1910s to the 1930s. A few decades after thePrince Asaka family moved out, it was renovated as amuseum and was opened to the public in 1983.
Inside the building, you will be impressed with aspectacular Art Deco atmosphere. When you go
outside, the dazzling green garden will come into
your sight. It consists of a Western style grass area
and a Japanese style garden with a pond, miniature
hills and a tea house. This museum gives you aperfect opportunity to enjoy both the arts andnature.
https://www.teien-art-museum.ne.jp/en/

contrast, the Institute for Nature Study next
I ndoorto the museum is a spacious park that gives

you a totally different impression as if you were in a
deep forest. It is a wonderful sanctuary for plants
and birds that has been preserved in the heart ofTokyo. Evergreen trees like chinquapin and pine, anddeciduous trees like quercus serrata and zelkova
spread out through an area of 200,000m2 with ponds
and marshes. A reason for such vast area of nature
being preserved in the middle of Tokyo is that accessto the site was restricted for a long time as follows.
In the Edo period, the feudal lord Matsudaira's family
took up residence in this area. In the Meiji era, army
and navy forces placed an ammunition depot here.
Then it turned into Imperial Estate in 1917, and was
taken over by the Ministry of Education in 1949.
Let's enjoy a walk in the “forest" with beautiful
autumn leaves.
http://www.ins.kahaku.go.jp/english/index.php

Kaleidoscope MEGURO November 2018 | 3Komabasai School Festival at Komaba
is a school festival presented by firstK omabasai
and second-year students of The University ofTokyo (UTokyo) at Komaba. It is held in late November for three days, when the ginkgo trees tunnel on
the campus are glittering in gold under the sunlight.
The festival is open to the public, and is one of thebiggest school festivals in Japan. Approximately
120,000 or more guests join the Komabasai. Thereare more than 500 programs ranging from academicresearch exhibitions to amusing performances suchas modern Japanese pop culture. There are also avariety of food stalls where visitors can easily drop byand enjoy the food on the go. All the innovative andexciting programs are prepared and organized by
students alone. This year’s Komabasai is the 69th

annual festival and the theme is “はい、ちーず”(Saycheese!). Why don’t you visit this exciting place
which is only available for three days, take somelovely pictures and have a great time?!
Date and Time:
Nov. 23 (Fri) 9:00 – 18:00
Nov. 24 (Sat) 9:00 – 18:00
Nov. 25 (Sun) 9:00 – 17:00
Place:
Komaba campus of The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1,
Komaba Meguro City, Tokyo
Nearest Station:
Komabatodai-mae of the Keio Inokashira LineThe Season for Readingis the season for reading. Let's enjoy reading
F all
at the Meguro Public Library. There are eight

public libraries in Meguro containing about 1,180,000
books, 40,000 sets of CDs and magazines of avariety of interests and fields.
Library guides printed in English, Chinese and Korean
are available. About 20,000 foreign language books
for both children and adults are included; with about
10,600 in English, 2,600 in Chinese, 800 in Korean,
and more in many other foreign languages.
Computer on-line service known as “Samma Kun” isavailable for you to find the book you want and to
make reservation from home in English, Chinese orKorean.
The service is also accessible at each library. You canborrow up to twenty items, including books,magazines, sets of comic books and CDs for up totwo weeks with your library card. To receive a librarycard, submit a “Library Card Application Form” inperson to the counter with an ID for address andname verification.
Each library organizes events for children such as
picture book reading, picture story shows or craftclasses. There is a YA Corner (Young Adult Corner) inevery library except Nakameguro Ekimae Library,providing books and magazines targeting junior andsenior high school students and a “YA Notebook” forexchange of opinions. Furthermore, various services

are provided to people with disabilities.
Each library has different characteristics due to its
location and surroundings.
Yakumo Chuo Library has 160 seats, lots of foreign
books and outdoor reading terrace overlooking
greenery. Nakameguro Ekimae Library is conveniently located and has the longest opening hours.
As for the opening hours and location, refer toMeguro Library homepage. Closing days are the firstMonday of the month at Yakumo Chuo and Ohashi
Library and every Monday at all other libraries (or thefollowing day if Monday is a holiday).
Meguro Public Library:https://www.meguro-library.jp

4 | Kaleidoscope MEGURO November 2018

Himawari - Reference Service for MedicalInstitutions and Pharmacies
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has“Himawari” and “t-Pharmacy Info,” services thatprovide information regarding medical institutions
and pharmacies in Tokyo. These services areavailable in multiple languages. The information
includes the names and the location of medical
institutions and pharmacies, types of treatment andopening hours of the institutions. This information
is available in four languages - Japanese, English,
Korean, and Chinese. Clicking the “Translation”
button activates the automatic translation.
https://www.himawari.metro.tokyo.jp/

Additionally, The Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Health and Medical Information Center also
provides consultation services on phone regarding
medical institutes that provide services in foreign
languages and the medical system of Japan.
Languages supported:
English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Spanish
Office hours:
9:00-20:00 every day
Tel: 03-5285-8181

World AIDS Day and Tokyo Metropolitan AIDS
Prevention Week
December 1st is World AIDS Day. The progressionof AIDS can be prevented by early detection andtreatment. Why not take this opportunity to havean HIV / AIDS test?
HIV / AIDS and Sexually Transmitted
Infections Tests (Chlamydia and syphilis)
During the Tokyo Metropolitan AIDS Prevention
Month(November 16th – December 15th), Meguro
City will host HIV / AIDS and sexually transmitted
infections tests (Chlamydia and syphilis) as below.
The tests are free and anonymous.

Date: Nov. 26 (Mon) and Dec. 10 (Mon)
Place: Meguro Public Health Center, 3rd Floor Main
Building, Meguro City Office Complex
Reservation: Call or visit directly to the Public
Health & Infection Control Section.
(03-5722-9896, Japanese only)
HIV / AIDS Prevention Panel Display
Meguro City will hold HIV / AIDS Prevention Panel
Display.
Date: From Nov. 29 (Thu) to Dec. 5 (Wed)Place: West Entrance Lobby, 1st Floor, Main
Building, Meguro City Office Complex

MEGURO Free Wi-Fi Service to Start Soon
Meguro City will provide free Wi-Fi service. You can connect your smartphone andother electronic devices to the Internet and look up information you want to know
while in the city. This service is offered near main stations and tourist facilities. In
addition to this, a portal site will be launched so that you can check tourist anddisaster prevention information all in one location. The site is available in English,
Chinese and Korean. Please feel free to use it. (This service will be rolled out
gradually from November 26th.)
SSID: 0000Meguro_Free_Wi-Fi
Portal site: https://Meguro.kokosil.net/

Meguro City
Newsletter
5 languages arenow supported
on an e-book version!
Read in yourown language!
Supports
Text-to-Speech!

Easy to read even on
the smartphone!

Foreign Residents
Information Desk
Tel: 03-5722-9187 (English)

Access from QR code, and you
can easily read Meguro City
Newsletter anytime you want.

Life in Tokyo
Site for Foreign Residents of Tokyo
https://www.lifein.tokyo.jp/en/

Main Building 1st Floor,
Meguro City Office Complex
2-19-15, Kamimeguro,
Meguro-ku, Tokyo
http://www.city.meguro.tokyo.jp/multi/index.html

Published by Culture & Exchange Promotion Section, Meguro City Office
Edited by Edit Group in MIFA
5th Floor, Meguro City Office Complex’s Annex, 2-19-15 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0051
TEL 03-3715-4671 FAX 03-3715-4672 E-mail:info@mifa.jp URL:http://www.mifa.jp/en/
The bimonthly newsletter Kaleidoscope MEGURO is intended to make a multi-cultural society embracing and diversity.