Hello from Tokyo!
The Tokyo Shitamachi Guide is a local media outlet owned and operated by a single administrator. This blog’s goal is to introduce Tokyo’s Shitamachi area in a simpler language than any other online medium.
One of my passions is visiting Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. I’m sure I can experience traditional Japanese culture by visiting such religious facilities. To make the experience even better, I try to gain a deeper understanding of their historical background.
But a problem comes up. When I read the description board at a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple, I have trouble quickly comprehending it most of the time. There are two major reasons for this.
Firstly, I have limited knowledge. I wasn’t good at Japanese history when I was a student. Because I was a science major, I had no interest in Japanese history. For this reason, I cannot quickly understand the historical background or the people related to the Shinto shrine or the Buddhist temple.
Secondly, there are so many religious terms and archaic words that I don’t know. I even don’t know how to pronounce some of them, even though I’m a native speaker of Japanese. For example, I didn’t know how to pronounce the word “留錫” or what it meant.
I started this blog to solve such problems. All articles on this blog are broken down to a level that even I can understand. You may think some expressions are wordy. But if I can comprehend it, so can you.
By the way, I provide most articles in two languages, Japanese and English. As I use plain language for both of them, I think all articles are easy to read and understand, except for religious terms.
I really hope you find Tokyo Shitamachi Guide useful in some way. If you have any questions or concerns about this blog, feel free to contact me through the contact form.
Regards
Tokyo Shitamachi Guide Team