The common broom is ubiquitous in European wetlands. It grows unmindful from alpine peaks to lowland scrub and wilderness, providing temporary shelter from the wind and rain on rugged, bare ground. Although delicate in looks, its long, straight stems are strong and flexible and will not break in the wind. As its name suggests, it is used to make brooms. The broom has also been valued as a medicinal plant since ancient times. In medieval England, it was used by the royal family as a remedy for after drinking and singing parties and debauchery. The reason was that in November, when it was cold and people spent a lot of time indoors, there was nothing else to do but to be merry and boisterous.
The efficacy of medicinal herbs is corroborated in ancient Celtic literature. The ogham form of the word Ngetl represents from a word panacea, meaning 'physician's power'. The most important constituent of the broom plant is sparteine (an alkaloid). Some people associate the broom plant with witches because large doses of sparteine can cause extreme excitement or hallucinations. It is also said to be the reason why witches are flying astride broomsticks.
Beer is now made from hops, but in the olden days young, supple broom plants were used to flavour the beer and enhance the tipsy mood. Tea made from the yellow flowers was often used as a diuretic. In esoteric rituals, the broom plant is used for purification and prayers for personal safety, and is said to be particularly powerful against poltergeists. It is also said that throwing the branches of the broom plant causes wind, while burning them and burying them in the earth quiets the wind.
The spirits leave their bodies and embark on a journey. Druids (Ref2) and shamans call this 'the journey to the underworld', and the broom plant is a symbol of such a journey. Anyway, with its remarkable healing properties and narcotic-like effects, the broom plant has long been associated with healers, sorcerers, witches and shamans.
For the Celts, the month that the broom plant governs, which marks the end of the year, is a time to store up for the winter, sweep the house clean and hope that miscellaneous thoughts and bad habits will leave the house. In a nutshell, the enithid symbolises the virtue of keeping one's behaviour clean. It also teaches us to pay close attention to the dreams we have while sleeping at night.
皇居東御苑
The East Gardens of the Imperial (HIgashi-Gyoen)
所要時間
大手本 → 本丸、二の丸ーー大手門
およそ60分
→二の丸、ーーー平川門
およそ30分
→本丸ーーーー北桔橋門
およそ30分
乾門 Inui-mon Gate
至千鳥ヶ淵 For Chidorigafuchi
科学技術館 Science Museum
国立公文書館 National Archives of Japan
東京国立近代武術間 The National Museum of MODERN ART, Tokyo
乾濠 Inui-bori Moat
発券所 Ticket office
北桔橋門 Kita-hanebashi-mon Gate
平川濠 Hirakawa-bori Moat
1a出口 (Exit)
地下鉄 竹橋駅 Takebashi Sta.
清水濠 Shimizu-bori Moat
平川門 Hirakawa-mon Gate
天守台 Tenshudai (Tenshukaku Dunjon Base)
宮内庁書陵部庁舎 Shoryobu (Archives and Mausolea Department Bldg.)
桃華楽堂 Gakubu (Music Department Bldg.)
梅林坂 Bairin-zaka Slope
都道府県の木 Symbolic Prefectural Tree Emblems
天神濠 Tenjin-bori Moat
発券所 Ticket office
大手濠 Ote-bori Moat
内堀通り Uchibori-street
諏訪の茶屋 Suwano-chaya Tea House
竹林 Bamboo Garden
石室 Ishimuro (Stone Cellar)
桜の島 Sakura Blossom Island
富士見多門 Fujimi-tamon Defence-house
バラ園 Rose Garden
茶畑 Tea Garden
ユーロッパアカマツ Scots Pine
本丸 Honmaru
本丸大芝生 Honmaru Oshibafu (Lawn)
本丸休憩所 Honmaru Rest House
汐見坂 Shiomizaka Slope
白鳥濠 Hakucho-bori Moat
展望台 Observatory
二の丸休憩所 Ninomaru Rest House
二の丸雑木林 Ninomaru Grove
秋の七草 The Seven Flowers of Autumn
新雑木林 Renewed Grove
菖蒲田 Iris Garden
二の丸庭園 Ninomaru Garden
蓮池濠 Hausike-bori Moat
松の大廊下跡 Site of Matsuno-o-roka Corridor
果樹古品種園 Orchard (Old Species of Japanese Fruits)
野草の島 Wild Grass Island
緑の泉 Green Fountain
中雀門跡 Site of Chujaku-mon Gate
大番所 O-bansho Guardhouse
中之門跡 Site of Nakano-mon Gate
百人番所 Hyakunin-bansho Guardhouse
同心番所 Doshin-bansho Guardhouse
大手休憩所 Ote Rest House
三の丸尚蔵館 Sannomaru Shozokan The museum of the Imperial Collections
皇居東御苑管理事務所 Office of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace
発券所 Ticket Office
大手門 Ote-mon Gate
現在地 You are Here
C13b出口 (Exit) Otemachi Sta.
坂下門 Sakashita-mon Gate
富士見櫓 Fujimi-yagura (Mt. Fuji View Keep
蛤濠 Hamaguri-bori Moat
桔梗門 Kikyo-mon Gate
桔梗濠 Kikyo-bori Moat
←至 二重橋 For Nijubashi Bridge
皇居外苑 Kokyi gaien National garden
至 JR東京駅 For Tokyo Sta.
和田倉噴水公園 Wadakura Fountain Park
日比谷通り Hibiya-street
皇居東御苑は、旧江戸城本丸、二の丸及び三の丸の一部を皇居付属庭園として、宮中行事に支障のない限り次のように公開(無量)しています。(Free of charge)
1.The Gardens are open on the following days. However the Gardens are closed in the period between 28 December and 3 January and may be closed due to Court functions and other reasons.
① Wednesdays
② Thursdays
③ Saturdays
④ Sundays
⑤ National Holidays (excluding the Emperor’s Birthday, 23 December)
⑥ Mondays immediately following the National Holiday which falls on Sunday
⑦ Tuesdays (excluding Tuesday immediately following ⑤ and ⑥)
2.While you are in the Gardens, please keep the plastic ticket which you will receive at the gate. Please return the ticket to the officer at the exit gate.
IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AGENCY
公益財団法人菊葉文化協会
寄贈 財団法人日本宝くじ協会
Vocab
皇居(こうきょ)imperial
御苑(ぎょえん)imperial garden
所要時間(しょようじかん)time required, time taken
至(し)to
科学時術(かがくじじゅつ)science and technology
近代美術館(きんだいびじゅつかん)museum of modern art
濠(ほり)moat, canal
発券(はっけん)issuing (a ticket, etc.)
宮内庁(くないちょう)Imperial Household Agency
書陵部(しょりょうぶ)agency that takes care of records and the tombs
庁舎(ちょうしゃ)government office building
梅林(ばいりん)plum grove
都道府県(とどうふけん)prefectures of Japan
竹林(ちくりん)bamboo grove
茶畑(ちゃばたけ)tea field
ユーロッパアカマツ Scots/Scotch pine, Pinus slyvestris
芝生(しばふ)lawn, grass
休憩所(きゅうけいしょ)rest area, rest stop
展望台(てんぼうだい)observation deck
雑木林(ぞうきばやし)thicket; grove of miscellaneous trees
秋の七草(あきのななくさ)seven flowers of autumn: bush clover, Chinese silvergrass, kudzu, fringed pink, golden lace, thoroughwort, and balloon flower
菖蒲(しょうぶ)Japanese iris (Iris ensata var. ensata) [coll.]
果樹(かじゅ)fruit tree
品種(ひんしゅ)breed variety, cultivar
野草(のぐさ)wild grasses
泉(いずみ)fountain
番所(ばんしょ)guardhouse
桔梗(ききょう)Chinese bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorus)
外苑(がいえん)outer garden
噴水(ふんすい)water fountain
付属(ふぞく)being attached (to), belonging (to)
宮中(きゅうちゅう)imperial court
行事(ぎょうじ)event, function
支障(ししょう)obstacle, hindrance
休園日(きゅうえんび)day on which a park (or kindergarten or zoo) is closed
祝日(しゅくじつ)national holiday
なお furthermore
除く(のぞく)to exclude, except
手続き(てつづき)procedure, process
票(ひょう)ticket, stub (suffix)
公益財団法人(こうえきざいだんほうじん)public interest incorporated foundation
文化協会(ぶんかきょうかい)cultural association
公益財団法人菊葉文化協会(こうえきざいだんほうじんきくようぶんかきょうかい)a cultural association that focuses its research on making artifacts of the imperial household available to the public.
寄贈(きぞう)donation, gift
宝くじ(たからくじ)lottery ticket