The short story of Kanji pictures
The movie ‘Izakaya Choji’ was based on a novel by Hitomi Yamaguchi, a writer who dearly loved Yaho. The story portrays the intersecting lives of the various people who gather at a tiny bar called ‘Choji’ near Yaho Station. Starring the legendary actor Ken Takakura, the film brought a sense of drama and romance to the town of Yaho.
The left side of this kanji features ‘word,’ a symbol combining a sword and a mouth to represent a sacred promise to God. The right side represents a structured framework. Therefore, this kanji means ‘lecture’—speaking in detail using well-structured words.
この漢字は、左側は神様への誓いの言葉を表す「言（ごんべん）」、右側は木組みを整然と組み合わせた骨組みを表しています。筋道の通った言葉をきちんと組み立てて詳しく説明する様子から、「講義する」「説き明かす（講演）」という意味になりました。
Seki Gantei (1919–2020) was born in Yaho village and dedicated his entire life to working as a sculptor and painter. He often inscribed his personal philosophy onto his artwork: ‘Live life effortlessly. Do not worry. Be like the wind; be like the water.You can see some of his art pieces like this Budda statue(Fudo-Myouou)at the Sato Meiso-joukikan in Kunitachi now.
| 名称 | ザ・サトウ明窓浄机館（めいそうじょうきかん） |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0004 東京都国立市中２丁目４−３ |
| Homepage | https://meisoujoukikan.net/ |
“This Buddha statue shows the style of the famous Kei school of sculptors. It is the main image of worship at Nanyou-ji Temple’s Daihi-den Hall. It was made between the Kamakura period and the early Muromachi period. This merciful Buddha uses its eleven faces and one thousand hands to save all people.
Koheiji Miura (1933–2006) lived in Kunitachi. In 1997, he became Japan’s first master of Seiji (celadon) pottery to be named a Living National Treasure.
Seiji is known for its mysterious blue color and unpredictable crack lines. It is so beautiful and hard to make that people say celadon lovers would lose all their money and sacrifice their lives just to have it.
When he was young, Miura saw an exhibition of Chinese celadon and often said, ‘If I can make Seiji like this, I will become a National Treasure.’ At the end of his long journey, he made it happen!
| 名称 | 人間国宝 三浦小平二 記念館 |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0002 東京都国立市東４丁目３−２９ |
| Homepage | https://www.miurakoheiji.com/index.html |
This kanji shows a sword and a mouth. It means, ‘I promise to God to tell the truth. If I break this promise, punish me with this sword.’ That is why this kanji represents ‘words’.
鋭い刃物（辛）と「口」を描いた漢字です。「もし神様の前で嘘をついたら、この刃物で罰を受けても構いません」という命がけの厳粛な誓いを表しており、口から発せられる重みのある「ことば（言葉・発言）」を意味します。
This is Japan’s oldest upright piano, imported in 1885. Fudeko Ishii, who started this facility for people with intellectual disabilities, used to play this piano at Christmas parties long ago. We call it the ‘Angel’s Piano’ because there is an angel emblem in the middle.
| 名称 | 滝乃川学園 |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0015 東京都国立市矢川３丁目16番地の１ |
| Homepage | https://www.takinogawagakuen.jp/ |
In 1793, this Kannon-do (a hall housing a Buddha statue) was relocated here to Nanyou-ji from Chiushi (eastern Yaho).The main pillar is slightly swollen into an oval shape. It is said that this was either an intentional design for earthquake resistance, or simply poor craftsmanship by the carpenter.
| 名称 | 南養寺 |
| 所在地 | 〒186-0011 東京都国立市谷保６２１８ |
