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東大寺二月堂へ上るのには南北二つの階段がある。南側の階段は石段となっており、登りきったところに石の敷き詰められた広場がある。
北側の階段も石段だが、階段の上には屋根がかけられており、南側の階段とは全く雰囲気の異なったものとなっている。
二月堂へはこの二つの階段につながるような形でそれぞれ参道があるのだが、北側の階段に連なる風情のある参道は「裏参道」とされているようで、そのことから類推する限りではこの北側の階段は「裏」の扱いを受けるのかもしれないのだが、毎年3月に行われる「修二会」の行法では、毎日夜になると大松明に先導されながら練行衆が登っていくのはこの北側の階段である。囲まれた空間である北側の階段を上り、二月堂に参拝したのちに開放的な南の階段を降りる、という行程がよいように思う。だから私は北側のこの階段から昇り、南側の石段を下るのを常としている。
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The eight islands of Japan sprang into existence through Divine Intervention.The first two gods who came into existence were Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto, the Exalted Male and Exalted Female. It was their job to make the land for people to live on.They went to the bridge between heaven and earth and, using a jewel-encrusted halberd, Izanagi and Izanami churned up the sea into a frothy foam. As salty drips of water fell from the tip of the halberd the first island was formed. Its name was Onogoro.So far, so good. But when Izanagi and Izanami first met on their island, Izanami spoke to Isanagi without being spoken to first. Since she was the female, and this was improper, their first union created badly-formed offspring who were sent off into the sea in boats.The next time they met, Izanagi was sure to speak first, ensuring the proper rules were followed, and this time they produced eight children, which became the islands of Japan.I'm sure you did not fail to miss the significance of this myth for the establishment of Japanese formal society.At present, Japan is the financial capital of Asia. It has the second largest economy in the world and the largest metropolitan area (Tokyo.)Technically there are three thousand islands making up the Japanese archipelago. Izanagi and Izanami must have been busy little devils with their jewelled halberd...Japan's culture is highly technical and organized. Everything sparkles and swooshes on silent, miniaturized mechanisms.They're a world leader in robotics, and the Japanese have the longest life-expectancy on earth.Text by Steve Smith.
