Cranes from 220 years ago [Video]

It is the year of the monkey this year, so I think the three wise monkeys are everywhere. Besides those monkeys, to show you something seems very Japanese New Year, here are crane parent and its child from Nikko Toshogu Shrine.

It was taken in last November. Even though Toshogu Shrine was under major repair for Heisei era and Yomeimon Gate was fully covered, I was lucky to see this painting.

This painting was drawn with a skill called Toyu Makie which is similar to an oil painting skill. It was on the outer wall of Yomeimon Gate. The painting gets damaged from being exposed to direct rays of the sun, so it has been covered by a sculpture since 220 years ago. Because of this major repair, it is now appeared to the public.

Every time I see old paintings and documents I think that

we can still see works after hundreds of years later and we also can see letters and pictures inscribed on stones thousands of years later. What about the digital information from 20 years ago?

Maybe I should print out important photographs.

T.S