Kasuga Taisha and the 藤

 Today we traveled to Nara and visited Kasuga Taisha. Kasuga Taisha is a shrine that was dedicated to the Fujiwara family which was a powerful aristocrat family during the Heian period. While at the shrine I noticed many different signs that pointed to the affluent origination of the shrine's origins including the use of gold, and dragons insignias on lanterns. One detail that I thought was interesting was that of the wisteria tree.




In Japanese wisteria is 藤(ふじ). This is the same character used for the Fujiwara family name. I think this is an interesting detail because wisteria is this very ornate flower that is long and hangs down from the branches. As I was looking at them today I thought that the flowers looked a little like a family line. The Fujiwara family was a family that reigned through many emperors and from the background connected and controlled the politics- like the wistera vine connects each bud. Their reign was long and extensive and I heard that each year the wisteria strands are measured to find the longest one. I think that longest line could represent the family itself. I also heard from a tour guide nearby that the tree is 800 years old. Seeing that this tree is that old made me think about how even though the Fujiwara family no longer has political control or is this great powerful house in Japan they are still influencing this generation through their history. The shrine is proof of this as we are all reminded of their power and influence when we visit it. I think that wisteria is appropriately named ふじ and I think that it is appropriate that Kasuga Taisha has this beautiful wisteria tree in front of the shrine to give us another sign of their family.


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