Japanese with anime voice: episode82
Hello, I’m Sachi.
June 25, today is Housing Day.
The National Federation of Construction Workers Unions has established June 25 as Housing Day to commemorate the birthday of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, many of whose works, including the Sagrada Familia, Parque Güell, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milàa, are registered as World Heritage Sites.
There’s another one that has appeared on the scene: the General Federation of Trade Unions. This is an organization that often appears on the anniversary of what day is today. There are so many organizations such as federations, unions, associations, and so on.
At the time when this Housing Day was established, there was a housing construction boom due to Japan’s rapid economic growth, and there were many troubles surrounding craftsmen. The day was established to restore confidence in carpenters, plasterers, and other craftsmen.
I think I understand this very well. During the high-growth period, things were going at a rapid pace, and I think there were a lot of rush jobs. I once read that during this period, an amateur made denim pants and sold them at random, and they sold like wildfire. After they sold like crazy, customers started pointing out the shape and other things, and they made improvements each time. I read that they still sold well. It seems that during the high-growth period, everything really sold. It is unthinkable nowadays that something made by a person with no sewing knowledge could sell. Moreover, it is unthinkable to make improvements every time a customer makes a suggestion. There was such a time, wasn’t there? It’s really unbelievable.
Still, I would like to see Gaudi’s architecture with my own eyes at least once in my life. Especially the Sagrada Familia. I don’t think it’s finished yet. It’s been 140 years since construction began. The Sagrada Familia is located in the middle of the city, but when it was first built, it was actually a vast area of farmland. It developed into a city with this church as its center. Whenever the completion date is announced, it seems that it will be much later. I wonder if it will be completed in my lifetime. Well, even if it is not completed, I would like to go see it at least once.
I like to look at buildings. Especially Japanese shrines and temples, and European buildings. In Japan, most shrines are rather simple in design, but many temples are quite complex and elaborate. Whether it is a shrine or a temple, the way the pillars are assembled and joined together is amazingly skillful. In terms of temples, I like the structure of Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. When I go to Kiyomizu temple, I prefer looking up at the stage from the bottom rather than looking down at the panoramic view from the stage. Because the structure is really amazing. They don’t use any nails.
The reason why nails are not used is because nails and wood have different expansion rates. If nails are used, over a long period of time, changes in temperature will create gaps between the nails and the wood, causing them to loosen. However, if the same piece of wood is used to connect two pieces of wood, the expansion rate is the same, so there is no loosening. Therefore, it is stronger without using nails.
It really shows how outstandingly smart our predecessors were. And how they had foresight. They were not looking decades into the future. They were looking hundreds or thousands of years ahead. How many years do you think it has been since Kiyomizu Temple was built? More than 1,240 years. I wonder how many people have visited on that stage in more than 1,240 years. And yet, the building has never collapsed. I would like to tell the craftsmen who built Kiyomizu Temple that the building you built is still going strong even after 1,240 years.
At that time, I think there were a great many craftsmen who possessed these skills. Even today, there are people who have inherited these techniques, called “miya-daiku (palace carpenters),” but there are only about 100 people in Japan who are still carrying on these techniques. So they go from place to place to repair cultural properties. Without these people, these wonderful Japanese buildings will disappear. There will be no one left to fix them. I sincerely hope that this skill will be preserved for future generations at any cost.
If you ever come to Japan, please do not only enjoy the scenery and landscapes, but also pay attention to the structures of the buildings that have survived from the ancient times. I am sure you will be amazed at the high level of technology and splendor! Oh, and not that it really matters, but today is also my dad’s birthday. I can’t believe he is the same as Mr. Gaudi. By the way, my dad was good at DIY. Do they have more in common than you think? Architects and DIY are totally different.
