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Volume 6, Issue 1 [May, 2010]
 

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An afternoon in Ueno Park (Part 10)
Tadashi Ishida

This is the tenth in a series of articles in which Tadashi Ishida, an English teacher at a community center in Taito Ward in Tokyo, describes a language-learning activity that he conducted with his class. After considerable research and preparation, the learners toured Ueno Park with a foreign visitor, Mrs. Fitzwater, explaining to her the highlights of the park and answering her questions. After the tour, the learners wrote their own combination text and guidebook based on this experience.

The group continued their tour as Mr. Ota explained to Mrs. Fitzwater about the cherry trees in Ueno Park.

Mr. Ota: Shortly after the Second World War, many people lost their houses as a result of the war. Then, they came to live in Ueno Park. They burned most of the cherry trees as firewood so that they could cook their meals. Later, people around Ueno Park planted these cherry trees.

Next, the group came to Bentendo Temple. Early in the Kan-ei Era, Priest Tenkai Sojo built an islet in Shinobazu Pond on which he built the temple to enshrine the goddess Benten.. The Ueno Park temple was modeled after the Bentendo temple on the Chikubu Islet in Lake Biwa. Mr. Ota talked about the temple.

Mr. Ota: Benten is a goddess like a muse. A husband and a wife should not go there together because the goddess will envy them. There is a Kodakarajizo, a stone statue of a child, on the northern part of the islet. Some women have unfortunately not had children. They come to worship the statue secretly.

Mr. Fitzwater: Is the pond in the south-east corner of the park?

Mr. Ota: Yes, that's right.

Mr. Ota: tried to get some smoke from some joss sticks.

Mr. Ota: When joss sticks are burned, it makes wrong things better.

Mrs. Fitzwater: It makes wrong things what? Clever ?

Mr. 0ta: It makes you better.

Mrs. Fitzwater: I'd better get some more.

Next, the group went into Bentendo Temple.

Mr. 0ta: May I give you some coins?

Mrs. Fitzwater: I've got some money, thank you.

　
　
　
　
　
太田さんは上野公園の桜について説明しました。

大田：第二次世界大戦の直後、多くの人が戦火で家をなくしました。そこで、人々は上野公園に住むようになりました。彼らはほとんどの桜の木を燃やして、食事を料理するための薪にしました。後に上野公園の近所の人がこれらの桜の木を植えたのです。

私たちは弁天堂に到着しました。太田さんは弁天堂と子宝地蔵について話しました。

大田：弁天様はミューズのような女神です。夫婦はそこに一緒に行かないほうがよいでしょう。女神がねたむからです。

弁天島の北部に子宝地蔵というお地蔵様がいます。不幸にも子供のいない女性がいます。彼女たちはひそかにこのお地蔵様を拝みに来ます。太田さんはお線香の煙を体に振りかけようとしました。

大田：お線香が燃えるとき、悪いものを良くします。

Fitzwater: 悪いものを何にするのですか？　賢くするのですか？

大田：煙は貴方を賢くします。

Fitzwater:ではもっともらいましょう。

その後、私たちは弁天堂の中に入りました。

大田：硬貨をあげましょうか？

Fitzwater:お金は持っています。有難う。