In Asakusa, close to the Sumida river shores, you can find a small Nichiren Buddhist Temple, Chosho-ji.
It is a very old temple, the founding date is not precisely known, but it is approx. around 1279-1282.

It is said that long time ago, when the Sumida river flooded the area, all the temple’s structures were washed away and the copper bell reached the bottom of the river.
The place where the bell sank was called by the local people Kanega-Fuchi (meaning “depths of the bell").

The history of the temple and this small legend of Kanega-Fuchi are inscribed on the present day temple’s bell, which is made of bronze and was cast in 1720:

I wonder if it is still known where is the place were the old bell sank…

?n Asakusa, foarte aproape de malul r?ului Sumida, se află un mic templu al sectei Nichiren, Templul Chosho-ji. Templul este foarte vechi, data exactă a construcţiei nu se mai cunoaşte cu exactitate, undeva ?n anii 1279-1282.

Cu multă vreme ?n urmă, templul şi edificiile din jur au fost distruse la o revărsare a r?ului Sumida. Clopotul templului a fost luat de ape şi s-a scufundat ?n r?u ?ntr-un loc pe care localnicii l-au numit Kanega-Fuchi (?nsemn?nd “ad?ncimea clopotului").

Istoria templului şi această mică legendă despre Kanega-Fuchi sunt ?nscrise pe actualul clopot, care este făcut din bronz şi a fost turnat ?n anul 1720:

Oare astăzi se mai cunoşte locul ?n care se află scufundat vechiul clopot?

One of the aspects I love about Japan are the unusual monuments, scattered throughout the country, often sending beautiful messages.
While strolling through Sumida Park I discovered a little know monument, built to honor Takeshima Hagoromo, the author of the lyrics of a famous Japanese song, Hana.

The monument of Hana was raised in 1956 by its students from the Tokyo Music School (today’s Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) and, since the poem expressed the beauty of the Sumida River, it was placed nearby.

Haru-no urara-no Sumidagawa
Nobori kudari-no funabito-ga
Kai-no shizuku-mo hana-to chiru
Nagame-wo nani-ni tatou-beki

Mizu-ya akebono tsuyu abite
Ware-ni mono-iu sakuragi-wo
Mizu-ya yuugure te-wo nobe-te
Ware sashi-maneku aoyagi-wo

Nishiki orinasu choutei-ni
Kurure-ba noboru oboro-zuki
Geni ikkoku-mo senkin-no
Nagame-wo nani-ni tatou-bek

via From Keisho Center ・継承センター便り.

You can find a translation at Pacific Islander.

Takeshima Hagoromo was also a very good calligrapher, the text from the monument being a copy after one of his manuscripts:

The song was composed by Taki Rentaro, one of the best known Japanese composers.
Let’s listen to it, performed by Sakiko Ito and Chieko Baisho:

Monumentele neobişnuite, presărate prin toată ţara, deseori transmiţ?nd mesaje frumoase, sunt parte din aspectele care ?mi plac mult ?n Japonia.
?n timp ce mă plimbam prin parcul Sumida am descoperit un monument mai puţin cunoscut, ?nchinat lui Takeshima Hagoromo, autorul versurilor unui cunoscut c?ntec japonez, Hana.

Monumentul a fost ridicat ?n anul 1956 de către studenţii săi de la Tokyo Music School (astăzi Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) şi amplasat foarte aproape de r?ul Sumida, despre care este vorba ?n poezie.

Haru-no urara-no Sumidagawa
Nobori kudari-no funabito-ga
Kai-no shizuku-mo hana-to chiru
Nagame-wo nani-ni tatou-beki

Mizu-ya akebono tsuyu abite
Ware-ni mono-iu sakuragi-wo
Mizu-ya yuugure te-wo nobe-te
Ware sashi-maneku aoyagi-wo

Nishiki orinasu choutei-ni
Kurure-ba noboru oboro-zuki
Geni ikkoku-mo senkin-no
Nagame-wo nani-ni tatou-bek

via From Keisho Center ・継承センター便り

O traducere poate fi găsită la Pacific Islander.

Takeshima Hagoromo a fost şi un foarte bun caligraf, textul de pe monument fiind o copie după un manuscris:

Melodia a fost compusă de Taki Rentaro, unul dintre cei mai cunoscuţi compozitori din Japonia. Iată-o ?n interpretarea lui Sakiko Ito şi Chieko Baisho: