Ohayou
June 2024
I found a mythical animal very popular in Japan, 竜 I received quite late in the evening a message from Yuri offering me to join her on Sunday morning with Hiro his companion. I haven’t talked to her much in the last few months. After our three-way trip last year to 富 士 山, we kept in touch for the rest of my trip to Japan. But after my return to Europe the contacts faded to become rarer. This is the very nature of epistolary relations, they tend to become rarer over time when distance, life and reality take precedence over writing.
竜
Ryu – dragon.富士山
Fujisan – Mount Fuji.
But none of this is back in Japan. When I meet Yuri and Hiro on Sunday morning at ten o’clock, they are both at the entrance of the temple where we have an appointment and they make big hand signals as soon as they see me. They have radiant smiles and I find them beautiful and beautiful under the sun veiled by clouds of rain.
We met at the 田 無 神 社 dedicated to the five dragon gods. It is a small temple in the west of Tōkyō where tourists do not come. It took me about an hour by subway and bus to get there, a normal length of time in the huge Tokyo where moving is so easy and obvious when you have assimilated the basic principles.
田無神社
Tanashi jinja – Tanashi shinto shrine.
Created in the 13th century, the Tanashi jinja has the particularity of being dedicated to several gods while most shinto temples are dedicated to only one. It is particularly important this year since we are in the year of the dragon of the Chinese horoscope which is also the horoscope of the Japanese. The dragon is not a monster in Asia, but a god, several gods themselves, heralds of better times and good fortune. The year of the dragon is a year of optimism.
The dragon is a good advice animal, who tries to help you, but it is also a force of nature, a very proud being, that should be respected. It is inconceivable for most Japanese people not to pay tribute to dragons, especially during the year of the dragon.
We present ourselves to three, Yuri, Hiro and I in front of the altar of the dragon and we make wishes together in the shinto way. Throw a coin, bow twice, hit twice in the hands, think his wish, wave once. I’m in the middle, Hiro wanted me to be next to Yuri, I try to coordinate with her. It’s a beautiful and precious moment. We paid tribute to the Golden Dragon, the most sought after, the one who brings luck and happiness.
They then make me discover the blue dragon whose upright body is a symbol of success, it provides success in a career and develops abilities, it is spring. The black dragon, whose season is winter, is smaller, it is raised on a stone and its aura offers health and harmony in the family. The white dragon ensures financial success and success, it is also autumn. The red dragon, the summer one, brings luck in competitive situations and efficiency.
The Golden Dragon, the most important one is protected by the other four at the four cardinal points; Black Dragon in the North, Red Dragon in the South, White Dragon in the West and Blue Dragon in the East.
Unlike the European dragons, the Asian dragons do not have wings, they fly nevertheless thanks to their imposing crest. I teach Yuri and Hiro that there is also a way to distinguish between Chinese dragons and Japanese dragons. The former have five fingers while their Japanese counterparts only have three. Between these two extremes, the Vietnamese and Korean dragons have four fingers.
In one of their legs, the dragons hold a ball. It doesn’t remind you of anything? ド ラ ゴ ン ボ ー ル (doragonbouru), but yes Dragon Ball of course. The seven crystal balls that when they are united in one place and the magic formula is correctly pronounced, make appear Shenron, the god of dragons. He grants one wish and only one of those who have invoked him.
ドラゴンボール
Doragonbouru – dragon ball.
You will have noticed that ド ラ ゴ ン ボ ー ル is written in Katana, which indicates that it is a foreign language. You could probably write it in kanji, something like 竜 玉. But I already hear Takachi saying to me: «In this country we don’t say this». In Japan Dragonball is called «doragonbouru», that’s all, it feels more American.
竜玉
Ryutama – dragon ball.
Yuri and Hiro don’t know why dragons often have glowing balls in their paws, but I’ve found the explanation since. In China, these balls called “fire pearls” or “fire jewels” symbolize several things and are actually hunted by dragons.
First, wisdom and knowledge. By catching them, the dragon learns and becomes wiser. It is also a symbol of power and good fortune.
Then immortality. By chasing the fire pearls, the dragon seeks eternal life or simply passage to a higher state.
Some traditions also see it as the desire to bring together the Ying and the Yang. A dragon, most often associated with the male Yang, can find balance and harmony by capturing a Fire Pearl Ying.
The author of Doragonbouru, Toriyama Akiya, who unfortunately died on March 1, 2024, was naturally inspired by these myths to create his legendary manga series. The number of manga sold is estimated at more than 420 million copies. He must have gathered the seven crystal balls and uttered the magic formula that made him vow to Shenron to become the greatest mangaka in the world. I hope that the dragon gods have welcomed him into their universe so that he can rest after seeing so much work done to make the happiness of so many readers in the world.
During these two hours of meeting with Yuri and Hiro, the dragon gods have inspired, protected and made us optimistic for the future. My two friends plan to come a few days in Europe in September, I have of course promised to document them, to help them as best as possible. Yuri exclaims, “It would be great if you could come with us.” I’m depending on the dragon gods to make this happen.
As soon as we leave the rain starts to fall, the four cardinal dragons could not hold the elements longer, they have other tasks, other wishes to fulfill, other friends who find themselves to protect.
