Professor Keisuke Fujita M.D., Ph.D., President and Founder of Fujita Health University (1925-1995), must have loved water. Apart from Fujita being besides the Nigori Ike (the untransparent pond), there are several water structures and there were even more. Professor Toshiharu Nagatsu says that, when asked, Prof. Fujita explained that it was for extinguishing fire in case of emergency. But, from reading his texts, I think it may have had more to do with the fires of World War II and the sense of peace that water brings. This seems also one of the reasons for why he loved music. He thought that beauty and nature contribute to healing, and that health does not depend on medicines alone. And indeed, it is especially these water structures where the nurses bring the patients for a walk, and near which Fujita staff members like to sit for a small break. Especially during this hot summer, it is so nice to be next to water (and trees). I do understand that in modern times the previous water structures were probably too many to be environmentally responsible, but I am very glad some could be kept.
The Waterfall of Solidarity is still there, as are the Pond of the Glasses (megane ike), and one of the Ponds of the Mirror.
Many pictures that I use here are from the books “Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan. 1964-1989” and “Fujita Acropolis Gardens, Toyoake, Japan. 1964-1992,” both edited by Prof. Keisuke Fujiyta and produced by Fujita Health University (and Takenaka Komuten Co., Ltd).
The pond next to Fujita is called “Nigori-ike,” which means something like pond with murky water. Actually, the pond is not murkier than others, but the legend goes that the water lost its transparency when the robber chieftain Chohan Kumasaka washed his bloody sword in it. The sword was bloody because he had just cleaved a stone deity 身代わり地蔵 (migawari jizou or “substitute” jizou) which had given his life instead of a traveler who would have been cut otherwise. These jizous are protectors of children and travelers. On Futamurayama there are two jizou statues for which I could find this history claimed, one which is cut in half (and has featured on this blog before) and one without a head. The one cut in half is a bit more spectacular, so that is the one I am showing in a below figure.
Water structures that have gone are the “Pond of the Sun and Water” at the previous hospital entrance, the “Pond of the Face” at the main gate near the sports stadium, the “Pond of Three Generations,” and the “Flow of a Girl Waiting for Her Turn to Appear.” The “Spring from the Cinnabar” still contains water but the water seems not to circulate through the holes in the wall anymore. For the students, there was also an outdoors swimming pool, which is not in use anymore but which is still partly intact and close to the sports stadium. I hope that I didn’t forget any water structures that are currently here or were here before (please tell me if you know one).
