Vignettes of the World
The Hong Kong Wetland Park is a large conservation park featuring mangroves in Tin Shui Wai, northwestern Hong Kong. On this day I went to the Wetland Park for red foliage photography. The day of visit is January 17, 2025. The admission fee for the …
I have been doing a whole lot of autumn excursions, particularly in photographing red foliage scenery. There have been innumerable posts online showing the beautiful Bald Cypress in Lau Shui Heung. I have previously written about the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail loop, and so …
We picked a restaurant randomly for Restaurant Week and came across CulinArt 1862. We figured that it was part of the Towngas Avenue brand dining establishment because of its location and the 1862 reference. This has inspired me to look a bit deeper into Towngas and its history.
In the mid 19th century, the early colonial days were filled with darkness and I mean it literally. Towngas began its first chapter when a certain William Glen secured the concession from the Hong Kong Governor to supply gas to the city of Victoria in 1861. In 1862, the Hong Kong and China Gas Company was incorporated with mostly British shareholders (in Britain). In 1864, Hong Kong’s mains and gas lamps were lit for the first time.
This brings us back to the gas lamps on Duddell Street. When Towngas started, the first beneficiaries of its power supply were the street lamps of Central and other designated buildings. At the time, the street lamps numbered about 500. Now, only four gas lamps remain in all of Hong Kong. They are lit automatically, but still powered by gas, and they all stand at the Duddell Street steps now as historic monuments.
It was not until 28 years later when the lamps of Kowloon would be lit. The first gas plant was located in West Point (near now Whitty Street in Shek Tong Tsui). In 1892, the gas plant in Jordan began operations, thus providing the power that lit the homes and businesses of Kowloon.
For 90 years Towngas was actually operated out of its office in Britain and managed by British persons. In 1982, the company transferred its registration to Hong Kong instead and only then did it officially assume the new status as a local Hong Kong company.
Towngas has been powering Hong Kong since 1862 and this is not a marketing statement. When electricity became widely available in the late 19th century, the company has had to do a serious repositioning in the power market. It found exclusive applicability in gas-powered water heater and gas stoves. This smart move has ensured an enduring existence of the business, eventually leading the company to develop a broad spectrum of modern sources of business and power applicability, such as natural gas, smart gas meters, telecommunication networks, kitchenware and appliances, gas-powered appliances and airplane fuel. It has also managed to supply gas to public housing estates. All these efforts have proven to be long lasting sources of revenue.
In my entry about the Dai Pai Dong’s in Hong Kong, I have discussed the idea of “wok hey,” meaning “the fiery fumes of the wok.” The idea is that the high heat in a fuming wok and the repeated churning motion of wok-frying forces out the flavors of the ingredients and retains the temperature of the food served. It is no exaggeration to say that Towngas is the single most important enabler of the wok hey that earns Hong Kong Cantonese food its fame. It takes an open fire to engender the wok hey in the food, and gas stoves are necessary. Electric stoves can never generate wok hey.
Towngas Avenue is one of the few creative ways in which Towngas raises new initiatives in business and community. Its first restaurant began business in the year 2000 in Tsim Sha Tsui. Flame was then opened in Tsim Sha Tsui in 2009.
The idea of operating restaurants by Towngas came about from the company’s wish to modernize its customer service centers. In an earlier era, the Towngas customer service centers served the power-related needs of Hong Kong people by offering gas equipment repairment and sales, bill payment and kitchen utensil and bathroom appliance sales. Foot traffic was dwindling due to the automation of bill payment and customer hotlines. The need for innovation arose.
In 2000, Towngas rolled out Towngas Avenue after a few rounds of consultation. It had this name because of its retail bent. An avenue is where different kinds of shops open for business, and the name of this initiative was intended to indicate an increasingly diverse business.
The idea of a power company running a diversified business portfolio to include a restaurant might have been the first in the world. Originally, the idea was to run a coffee shop. Eventually, a restaurant turned out to be a bolder attempt that promotes open flame cooking, as such much more in line with Towngas’ core business.
The first restaurant featured an open kitchen. There was also an element of “interaction,” whereby a camera records the process of open flame cooking and shows it to patrons in real time. Patrons could actually cook their own meals as well. The marketing effect was intended all along, as the Towngas brand of retail products are front and center in the showroom kitchen.
Furthermore, the Towngas Cooking Centre also offers cooking classes for both adults and children. It even offers diploma courses.
CulinArt 1862 is the latest addition in Towngas’ restaurant portfolio. Its location is significant as it stands at the Towngas flagship store in Causeway Bay. The dining space is excellent. As to the quality of the food, I will let readers be the judge.
The Towngas website.
Dan Waters, Hong Kong Hongs with Long Histories and British Connections, 20 J. of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch 219 (1990).
Metro Radio, The Golden Plaque, Episode 22.
The Jao Tsung-I Academy celebrates and memorializes the legendary life of Jao Tsung-I, a sinologist of many talents in arts and history. I took a walk at the venue and joined a public tour. The Life of Jao Tsung-I Jao Tsung-I was very accomplished in …
The bloggers and photographers in Hong Kong have been raving about the red foliage that has lined up the public parks in Shenzhen. I jumped on the bandwagon and visited two parks. I first visited the Sihai Park in Shekou, then headed over to the …
I had limited time in the day. My reserved table at the Unagiya Hirokawa Restaurant would be up at 2pm, and I spent too much time at the bamboo grove. After some debate, I decided that I would see the Okochi-Sanso Villa, despite initial doubts. It turned out to be a very good decision.
In the last entry, I recommended seeing three sites in Arashiyama if one is crunched for time. I named the bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji Temple and the Okochi-Sanso Villa. The reason is that these three choices give visitors a taste of some things that Arashiyama stands for. The bamboo grove is photogenic in its own right. The Tenryu-ji Temple presents the royal and the religious in one.
The Okochi-Sanso Villa features beautiful landscaping, fantastic aerial and mountain views, a touch of the contemporary films, and the exceptional life of a Japanese actor. These three sites are also in proximity with each other, making it a sensible choice to do all.
Most of the structures at the Okochi-Sanso Villa were built over a period of 30 years in the early 20th century. Nestled in the ridges on the south side of Mount Ogura, the estate is part of the legacy of the famous actor Denjiro Okochi. He extended significant effort in building the landscapes that reflect his philosophy in nature as part of his Buddhist faith. After he passed away in 1962, his spouse continued to manage the estate, but eventually decided to open it for visits by the public. It remains a private property managed by the family.
The Okochi-Sanso Villa in Arashiyama is the former home of Japanese actor Denjiro Okochi. Born Masuo Obe in 1898, Denjiro was born into a family of physicians. He started training at the Shinkokugeki (New National Theater) and studied acting. He was known for the jidaigeki (period drama) genre, which featured sword fights and sword plays. Eventually, Denjiro Okochi became famous in the chanbara (sword-fighting) samurai films.
The period drama refers “to stories that take place before the Meiji Restoration of 1868” (Wikipedia on Jidaigeki). Perhaps quite naturally, the dramas that are inspired by the pre-Meiji period would focus on the lives of the samurai, as the warriors for the Daimyo, those feudal lords having the status of just one rank below the shoguns. The samurai originated from the Heian period, which began when Emperor Kanmu moved the seat of the capital from Nara to Kyoto.
The samurai class emerged from this period of Japanese history. Many of the samurai clans were themselves noblemen, as descendants of the imperial family. When the Emperor demanded military protection, he relied on the large extensions of the imperial family that were given lordship status by the Emperor. They owned land and had power as the Daimyo. Some of the extended imperial descendants became professional fighters, known as the samurai.
Popular representation of the samurai era is very much romanticized and readers would be able to readily recognize the style of film that typified the samurai silent films. The dark tones, the samurai spirit of honor, the makeup that accentuates the pronounced eyebrows, certain ways that language is spoken etc. Besides the samurai, the merchants, famers, the daimyo and even the shoguns are featured in jidaigeki period dramas.
Denjiro Okochi rose to the peak of his acting career in the 1920’s silent films, until he ceased acting in 1961. He passed away the following year.
Upon paying an entrance fee of ¥1000, you will enter the beautiful landscaped gardens of the Okochi-Sanso Villa. A leisurely stroll in the villa grounds will take you through some of the most fantastic open-air views in Arashiyama. Looking eastward, you will see Kyoto city afar. Looking westward, you will see the mountainous Arashiyama in the colors of all spectrum.
The Jibutsu-do is a small Buddhist shrine. It was built in the Meiji period, and Denjiro Okochi had the whole structure taken into his villa. It is said that he used to meditate here, the very first structure in his garden villa. He then developed the rest of the estate over a few decades.
After seeing beautiful landscaped gardens, make your way to Myoko-an Hall, which lies above the main entrance.
After Denjiro died in 1962, his spouse Taeka lived here “to guard the garden.” This structure was rebuilt in the 50th anniversary of Denjiro Okochi’s passing. You will take off your shoes in Myoko-an Hall. In here time seems to flow in a different rhythm with unrivaled serenity. Denjiro Okochi was a great admirer of Zen.
The last venue to visit would be the open air museum showing some of the stills of the movies in which Denjiro Okochi starred. It was short but captured the key accomplishments of his illustrious life.
The Wikipedia on Denjiro Okochi.
The Wikipedia on Jidaigeki.
Descriptions on site at the Okochi-Sanso Villa.
Descriptions on site at the Samurai Museum in Kyoto.
If you have only limited time in Arashiyama, I highly recommend three sites to visit: the bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji Temple and the Okochi-Sanso Villa. After walking the bamboo grove, I entered the Tenryu-ji Temple via the North Gate. One dominant theme of the temples …
In my original planning, I envisioned spending one full day in Arashiyama’s most famous sites, including the bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji Temple, Jojakko-ji Temple, Nison-in Temple and the Okochi-Sanso Villa. Those I have done on the first day indeed (and more). As it turned out, …
From the Kiyomizu-dera Temple I headed toward the direction of the Yasaka-jinja Shrine. I was quite tired, as in this day I have visited the Nijo Castle and have had to bear the cold at the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. I pressed on, however, as I wanted to see as much as possible on this trip.
After dinner, I made it to Yasaka-jinja Shrine, which had been known as the Gion Shrine at an earlier time.
The deity being enshrined at the Yasaka-jinja Shrine is Susanoo as its kami, amongst others. Kami refers to a deity or a supernatural power that is revered as god and inhabits in nature. The Yasaka-jinja Shrine was originally named Gion Shrine, dedicated to Shinto, which is considered a native faith in Japan.
Shinto is polytheistic and animistic. Worshippers practice the principles of purity, as shown in their cleaning rituals. Other rituals include dance, rites of passage and kami festivals. Followers of the faith will offer food and drinks to the deities, and priests officiated some of the shrines as well.
Visitors should take away from a visit in the Kiyomizu-dera Temple and a visit to the Yasaka-jinja Shrine an appreciation of the distinctiveness of these two venues as places of worship. Of course, there are already the difference in their designation—shrines are for Shinto and temples are for Buddhism. The shrines are where the spirits of the deities actually reside in, whereas the temples are where the monks gather to live and study Buddhist doctrines together. There also come differences in the nature and the origins of the deities being venerated and the philosophical foundations upon which these faiths rest. Finally, the distinction between Shinto and Buddhism stand to attest a long history of animosity against foreign influence, in even as recent as the Meiji period.
Although Shinto and Buddhism were viewed and practiced as one and the same for many centuries, there was a notable, official separation of the two faiths in the early Meiji period (as one instance of the anti-Buddhism movement). Kami worship might have existed in Japan as early as 300 B.C, while Buddhism entered Japan between 300 and 538 A.D. Buddhism, despite being a celebrated faith in Japan now, was not indigenous in Japan.
The official website of the Yasaka-jinja Shrine suggests that the origin of the shrine is subject to a few different theories. It is believed that Susanoo was introduced into Kyoto by Irishi, an errand from Korea. The official books at the Yasaka-jinja Shrine determine that the shrine has existed as early as the year 656, which was before the Heian period, when the capital of Japan was relocated to Kyoto from Nara in 794 A.D.
Furthermore, the Yasaka-jinja Shrine had imperial patronage during the mid-Heian period. The deities of the Yasaka-jinja Shrine were considered the official patron saints of Kyoto in those times. There was an epidemic in Kyoto in 869 A.D. It was believed that prayers to the deities at Yasaka-jinja Shrine had cast out the evil and stopped the epidemic. The Gion Festival originated from this historical event.
In Kyoto, the Gion Shrine was a beloved site for the locals. They call it Gion San, as an endearing name for the shrine. The site is very crowded during the New Years, as with the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine (which I did not have a chance to visit in this trip).
Every year, the shrine holds the Migoshi Togyo, meaning the procession of the portable shrine, as the celebration of the Gion Festival. It takes place on the nights of July 17 and 24. On July 17, 3 Migoshi’s (the portable shrines) will be taken for display at Otabisho in downtown Kyoto. It is believed that these shrines carry the deities with them and will bless everyone on the way of the parade. After sitting in Otabisho for a week, the portable shrines return to Yasaka-jinja Shrine on July 24.
Perhaps what caught my attention at the Yasaka-jinja Shrine is a whole section of the shrine dedicated to romantic relationships (with matchmaking prayers). Daikoku-sha is where the faithful gather to pray for a good relationship with their loved ones.
Night visit at the Yasaka-jinja Shrine is possible, and therefore if you are very crunched for time, look to visit the Yasaka Shrine in the evening, when some other popular shrines typically close at 5pm.
As to the heartwarming dinner that I had after leaving the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, I wanted something along the lines of curry and found Namaste Dhaula Giri on 80 Tamamizucho. This is the main throughway between the Kiyomizu-dera Temple and generally the Gion district.
Besides the sheer authenticity of the Nepalese food being served, I also enjoyed the atmosphere in the restaurant. Needless to say, this type of food likely resonates more so with the foreigner population in Kyoto than the locals. I felt very much at home there ordering in English and behaving in the typical foreigner’s way. It felt festive, lively and warm in the restaurant, and that was what I needed after freezing at the Kiyomizu-dera Temple for the night scenery viewing.
Across the street from the Yasaka-jinja Shrine is the Gion, made popular as the district for Japan’s geisha’s. Not that I really thought I would see a geisha or two there, but there was a slight feeling of disappointment in that I did not see any.
Suffice to say, the traditional wooden machiya merchant houses in Gion sent some pretty good vibes. But it was cold and quiet when I visited, I daresay I saw less than ten souls there. It was good enough to say that I had been there.
The official website of the Yasaka-jinja Shrine.
The Wikipedia on Shinto.
The Wikipedia on Yasaka Shrine.
Walk Around in Kyoto, A Complete Guide to the Yasaka Shrine.
The Japan Wikipedia on Yasaka-jinja Shrine.
The adventurous lunch of the day was at a convenience store. I have long heard that the convenience stores of Japan serve up wonderful egg salad sando’s. And it certainly lived up to its good name. From the 7-Eleven, going on Matsubara-dori, was a gentle …