From Tsushima to Busan by Ferry! Stunned by the Ultimate Earrings of the Immigrants

From Tsushima to Busan by ferry! My first entry by sea

Having finished my itinerary in Tsushima, I arrived at the Hitakatsu Port International Terminal in northern Tsushima to catch the 3:50 PM ferry to Busan on June 11th.

And now, I am finally departing for South Korea, but I was surprised.

The area was crowded with South Koreans. I felt like I might be the only Japanese person there. It could almost be considered South Korea already.

As I mentioned briefly in my article from two posts ago,“Can you see Busan, South Korea from Tsushima!? I went to check it out myself: Thoughts on international exchange before the arrival of immigrants and Buddhism”Tsushima is apparently a popular tourist destination for South Koreans. Even at the car rental shop, they say 90% of their customers are South Korean tourists.

Many South Korean tour groups were also visiting the Korea Observatory, where you can see Busan, and the beautiful Miuda Beach.

For South Koreans in the southern part of the country near Busan, Tsushima might be the most accessible foreign travel destination. There were many signs and labels in Korean, and I could certainly feel that atmosphere.

Now, it is finally time to set sail.

I passed through immigration quite easily. It really has a different atmosphere from flying.

The ferry is almost full. And it is almost entirely South Koreans. Korean TV programs were playing during the voyage, making me feel like I was already in South Korea. For a Japanese person, it felt like being on a Japanese airline flight returning home from an overseas trip, haha.

Setting sail.

They said we would arrive in Busan in 1 hour and 40 minutes. It really is close.

Shortly after departure, I could see the Air Self-Defense Force base off the coast of the Korea Observatory that I saw yesterday.

It really makes me realize that I am heading to South Korea now.

About 40 minutes later, I checked my location using Google's GPS, and I was right between Tsushima and South Korea. It was hazy that day too, so I still couldn't see South Korea.

I apologize for the poor quality of the image, but it is raining outside. There were also waves. It wasn't exactly rough seas, but it was swaying quite a bit. I had heard that the Tsushima-Busan route is often bumpy, and that was exactly the case. I recommend that people who are prone to motion sickness take anti-nausea medication in advance. I was barely hanging on myself.

About an hour after departure. We are finally getting close.

I can see it! Finally, I can see Korea!

The fact that I could only see it now means it's impossible to see it from Tsushima. I now understand well that it's quite difficult during this season. If you want to see each other's scenery, winter is recommended.

Now, we are approaching Busan Port soon.

Busan is indeed a big city. I enjoyed the view from the ship.

Landing in Busan. From the port to the downtown area, Seomyeon.

We arrived about 20 minutes behind schedule. It is now just before 6:00 PM. It is still bright, and there is no inconvenience in walking.

It's a bit of a walk to the immigration area.

I have traveled to about 30 countries so far, but this is my first time entering a country by sea. I was a little nervous, but just like leaving the country, it was surprisingly quick and easy. I was a bit let down, but it helps me when the procedures are easy.

After passing through immigration, you are in the Busan Port terminal.

And I was surprised by what immediately caught my eye.

It's a 7-Eleven.

Even when I went inside, it was definitely a 7-Eleven.

From here on, there were a surprising number of 7-Elevens in Busan city as well. Japanese convenience store culture seems to be alive and well in neighboring Korea.

I'll exit from Gate 4.

There is a taxi stand right in front of the gate. I had initially thought about taking a taxi directly to the hotel, but the weather was nice and I felt like walking. I decided to walk a little and take the subway from Busan Station to the center of Busan.

By the way, when I checked online beforehand, there was talk that there were almost no taxis at this Busan Port, but from what I saw, there were taxis waiting without any issues. Taxi fares are also quite cheap compared to Japan, so I think using a taxi is a great option.

I'll walk to Busan Station.

There are moving walkways, so I don't think it's that difficult to get around. If you have a large suitcase or similar, it might be better not to push yourself and just take a taxi.

I arrived at Busan Station in less than 10 minutes.

The station building is quite large, and it was hard to find the subway I was aiming for, so I got a little lost. I regret that I should have kept a map or something in my head beforehand.

Following the signs, I went through the station building and came out outside.

I finally found the subway station.

You can buy tickets at the automatic ticket machines. They support Japanese, so it's easy.

I'm heading from Busan Station (113) to Beomnaegol Station (118), where my accommodation is. By the way, the area around Seomyeon Station (119) is the busiest downtown area in Busan. I'll introduce that later as well.

The subway platform. It looks just like Japan.

And when I arrived at Beomnaegol Station and came above ground, I was surprised.

It's exactly the same as Japan!!

The characters are indeed Hangul, but the street scenery and the atmosphere of the people are almost the same as in Japan! I was shocked by this.

I had a vague feeling about it from the time I was walking from Busan Port toward the station, but this is the first time I've been to a foreign country where I felt so little sense of being abroad. I couldn't help but think that Korea and Japan are culturally close after all.

The atmosphere of the alleys is also just like Japan. I couldn't help but be shocked by this Busan, which makes me feel so little like I'm in a foreign country. I'll say it again, this is my first time experiencing something like this. I feel this especially because I've been to many different countries.

And in terms of public safety, I didn't feel much difference from Japan either. Of course, a foreign country is still a foreign country, so caution is necessary, so let's be careful about that.

It took less than 10 minutes from Beomnaegol Station to reach today's accommodation.

It is the Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Busan.(Click here for the official website)

As you all have noticed, it is a thoroughly Japanese-affiliated hotel. The biggest selling point of this hotel is that you can receive the same service as in Japan while staying in Busan. And the fact that it comes with a large public bath and sauna is also appreciated!

Actually, choosing this hotel was a great decision. Being able to stay in a hotel abroad without any stress is valuable in itself. Accommodation is important after all. The location is also excellent, so I highly recommend this hotel for your stay in Busan.

Getting dinner in the downtown area | Seomyeon

Speaking of Korea, it's all about gourmet food and shopping, so I'm going to stroll around the downtown area of Seomyeon and have dinner.

Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Busan is already in the Seomyeon area. I'll try wandering around the nearby streets.

The atmosphere feels close to the west exit of Shinjuku.

Street stalls have appeared. I feel the Korean vibe.

Local restaurants line the streets. It must be irresistible for food lovers.

This is the center of Seomyeon. It reminded me of the building clusters in Akihabara. I can't help but feel that no matter where I go, it feels similar to Japan.

Although it is written in Hangul, I don't think it looks like Korea at first glance, does it?

Even as I walk around, I don't feel any difference in the air, or perhaps the atmosphere created by the people. I was just continuously shocked by these commonalities. It's reverse culture shock. This was an interesting experience.

At the same time, I think I understood why traveling to Korea is so popular among Japanese people. With it being so similar to Japan, you don't feel stressed while staying here. Public safety is not bad either. When you add attractive gourmet food and cosmetics to that, I think it is a very grateful country as an overseas travel destination that you can visit easily.

And above all, it's close! You can get here in just a few hours from Tokyo or Osaka. Since it's easier to get here than going from Hokkaido to Kyushu, it's only natural that it feels familiar. There are things you realize only after you actually go there. My first trip to Korea became a truly interesting experience where I felt reverse culture shock.

And as for my dinner, which you might be curious about, it's this.

I was worried about my stomach with street food, and I didn't feel like going into a restaurant alone, so in the end, I ate a takeout hamburger in my hotel room. But, this is delicious, isn't it? My travels are always like this. To everyone who was expecting delicious Korean food, I apologize, haha.

To the Bokcheon-dong Ancient Tombs Museum in search of the ultimate earrings of 5th-century immigrants

The next morning, I chartered a car and aimed for the Bokcheon-dong Ancient Tombs in northern Busan.

I think there are almost no Japanese people who know the name Bokcheon-dong Ancient Tombs. However, this is the very place where artifacts were discovered that are extremely important for considering international exchange between immigrants and Japan.

A prime example is the 5th-century earring that is also in the title image of this article.

In 5th-century Korea, such exquisite accessories were being made.

I learned about these earrings through a book called "Archaeology of Accessories" by Dr. Kanta Takada. It was Korea at that time that possessed such highly advanced technology, and the immigrants who came from there transmitted various technologies to Japan. Of course, Buddhism is one of them.

And I aimed for the Bokcheon-dong Ancient Tombs to see the real thing of these earrings.

However, due to time constraints, I started from the ruins of Dongnae Eupseong Fortress, which is right next to the Bokcheon-dong Ancient Tombs.

This Dongnae Eupseong Fortress has existed since ancient times and was significantly renovated around the end of the Goryeo period. It is said that there was a major battle here during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea.

The reason why I came here is that Dr. Kanta Takada recommended in "Archaeology of Accessories" that if you climb the mountain where these castle ruins are located, you can overlook the Bokcheon-dong Ancient Tombs and the cityscape of Busan.

It was good that I was energetic first thing in the morning, but the stairs just kept going.

It's hard to convey in photos, but the stairs continue for quite a long way. It really takes a toll on your legs.

I can finally see the end in sight.

Once you climb to the top of the stairs, you'll find an observation deck. It seems you can enjoy views of the burial mounds and the Busan cityscape from here.

This is the observation deck.

This is the view that Professor Kanta Takada also recommended. The mound-shaped, yellowish-green hill in the foreground is the Bokcheon-dong burial mound. And straight ahead in this photo, across the sea, is Japan. Perhaps ancient Japanese people who crossed over from Japan also looked out at Japan from this mountain.

Here is a close-up of the burial mound from above.

A large number of burial goods from the 4th to 6th centuries have been unearthed from this burial mound.

Furthermore, according to Professor Kanta Takada's 'Japan Seen from Across the Sea,' Yayoi pottery from around the 2nd century BC has also been found in this vicinity. In other words, this means that Japanese and Korean people were interacting as early as the 2nd century BC. The 2nd century BC is 400 years before Himiko of Yamatai-koku appeared. It is truly surprising that there was already close interaction between Korea, Tsushima, and Northern Kyushu at that point.

I came down the mountain and arrived at the Bokcheon Museum. Valuable excavated items, including the earrings in question, are on display here.

I was surprised when I arrived to find that this museum was free. I would later be amazed by the richness of the exhibits, and honestly, it's shocking that it's free given this level of quality.

Photography is allowed in the museum as long as you don't use a flash. This was a big help.

Excavated items are displayed in chronological order from ancient times along the route.

There they are!

You can see the incredible technical prowess of ancient Korea at a glance, can't you?

What do you think! These were made in the 5th century! It's unbelievable, isn't it!

And above all, this is it!

I was finally able to meet the real thing!

This is in a league of its own...! I have been completely captivated by these earrings.

Honestly, I'm not the type of person who usually wears accessories, so I've had almost no interest in such ornaments until now.

However, as I mentioned above, I learned of the existence of these earrings while exploring the relationship with the immigrants.

And the moment I saw the real thing, I was completely struck.

This is a shock comparable to the Pieta at St. Peter's Basilica, the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre, or the Madonna at the Uffizi Gallery.

I never thought I would be so captivated by earrings. I couldn't even believe it myself, but I couldn't pull myself away from these earrings.

I would tell myself, 'Okay, this is the last time,' and try to move on to the next exhibit, but I would end up going back, thinking, 'Just a little bit more!' I repeated this many times before finally leaving the area, but after seeing all the exhibits, I just had to see these earrings again and found myself glued to them once more.

It's truly mysterious even to me. It would be one thing to be drawn to the Virgin Mary or the ultimate sculpture, but to be this attracted to an ear ornament that isn't even a human body!

That is how wonderful these earrings were!

What do you all think? Doesn't the design look incredibly sophisticated even by modern standards?

Furthermore, the metalwork is incredibly detailed. It was Korea that was doing this as early as the 5th century. This technology was likely at the level of a state secret. With gold-working skills of this caliber, they could be applied to various things. I realized that the fact that immigrants brought this to Japan was actually a monumental event.

Handing over state-secret-level technology to another country. In modern terms, this is like handing over state secrets regarding semiconductors or military weapons to another country. This is no ordinary feat.

Actually, this is the crux of my 'Research on Buddhism and Immigrants.'

Let me be a little more specific.

The reason these cutting-edge Korean technologies and Buddhism were introduced was, perhaps because of those extraordinary circumstances. That is what I mean.

In history and Buddhism textbooks, it ends with the single phrase, 'Advanced technology and Buddhism were introduced from Korea,' but why they were introduced at this specific timing is rarely discussed. However, this is precisely where the key to the introduction of Buddhism lies.

From the end of the 4th century to the 6th century, the Korean Peninsula was divided among four major powers: Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, and Gaya.

However, from the end of the 5th century, the power of Goguryeo increased rapidly, putting pressure on the other three countries. Therefore, there was a movement to check Goguryeo by fostering exchanges with Wa (Japan). In return for that alliance, Wa was able to introduce excellent Korean technology from the three countries.

In other words, the transfer of technology by immigrants was not a spontaneous occurrence, but a product of the complex international maneuvering of the war-torn Korean Peninsula.

Then, in 538 or 552, Buddhism was introduced from Baekje, but at that very time, Baekje was on the verge of collapse. It is possible that in that crisis, Baekje transmitted Buddhism and advanced technology in exchange for Japan sending military forces.

Besides, in the first place, Buddhism is a collection of advanced technologies. Everyone, please imagine Horyu-ji Temple.

Horyu-ji Temple was built more than 100 years after the introduction of Buddhism, but the technology to build massive structures like temples was brought by immigrants. The roof tiles are the same. The idea of placing heavy, fired-clay tiles on a roof did not exist in Japan.

The same goes for advanced sculpting techniques, such as those used for the Shaka Triad.

Furthermore, it is not just 'things' that come, but also intangible advanced culture such as refined ritual etiquette, thought, and philosophy. It is said that Buddhism was introduced to Korea around the 380s. More than 150 years passed from then until it was introduced to Japan. This is partly due to the time it took for Buddhism to take root within Korea, but doesn't it also suggest that it was not something that could be easily given to another country in its entirety as a state secret? Buddhism was introduced to Japan as such, and from there it began to take root in Japan. It was transmitted under social circumstances completely different from those in India, where Buddhism originated. This is a very important point.

I cannot talk about this any further as it would become complicated, but for those who are interested, I highly recommend reading "Wa-koku Seen from Across the Sea" by Dr. Kanta Takada. Although Buddhism is not discussed in this book, it is a super masterpiece that allows you to learn about the complex relationship between Japan and Korea in an easy-to-understand way. You will definitely be blown away by what was happening in this era. It is a masterpiece I highly recommend.

And there is one more exhibit at this museum that left an impression on me. This is it.

An exhibit of horse tack from around the 5th century.

I talked about Japanese native horses and ancient horses in my previous article "Meeting the Taishu Horses at the Tsushima Mehoro Dam Horse Park! I want to tell you about the greatness of Japanese native horses!", and my experience in Tsushima connected right here.

Just like the earrings and Buddhism mentioned earlier, horses were also at the level of state secrets that determined national power. It is said that horses were introduced to Japan around the end of the 4th century. Until then, there were no horses in Japan.

This museum exhibits horse tack that brings together the best of such state-secret-level technology. This must be interesting!

I am particularly impressed by the bit and saddle parts below.

The saddle in particular is made with unbelievable detail. I strongly realized that horses are not just horses themselves, but a collection of human technology.

As I mentioned in the previous article, it is ultimately about the 'people'.

It is not a matter of just having horses. It is meaningless without human wisdom, ingenuity, and technology. Isn't it natural to think that the introduction of horses also brought with it unimaginably advanced technology?

It was a truly delightful experience to be able to see such precious horse tack the day after riding the native Japanese horses that have lived on Tsushima since ancient times.

Still, they are beautiful...

I was surprised by the sophistication of the horse tack, but in the end, I returned to this spot and spent about 20 minutes just staring at it blankly. Time was up. Reluctantly, I left the museum.

Visiting Beomeosa, a Famous Temple of Korean Seon Buddhism

Because I was so captivated by the ultimate earrings, I ended up running out of time.

My next destination is Beomeosa, a famous temple of the Jogye Order, the largest sect of Korean Buddhism. This will be the final destination of my trip.

It is about a 30-minute drive from the Bokcheon-dong Ancient Tombs. After passing through the city and climbing the mountain road, you reach the grounds of Beomeosa.

There are four Buddha statues inside this gate, and they are truly fascinating.

Two giant Buddha statues are enshrined on the left and right. These are said to be the Four Heavenly Kings.

From a Japanese perspective, when we think of a gate, we imagine the statues of the Nio (Vajrapani), but here in Korea, it seems to be the Four Heavenly Kings. Hmm, it is interesting to see differences even in things like this.

I have arrived at the center of the temple grounds. The main hall in front is the Daeungjeon Hall.

Beomeosa is said to have been founded in 678, and although the original temple buildings were destroyed by fire, it remains an important temple visited by many Korean Buddhists today.

An interesting point about this temple is that halls named after various Buddhas are built in order from the right: the Mireukjeon (Maitreya Hall), Birojeon (Vairocana Hall), Gwaneumjeon (Avalokitesvara Hall), Daeungjeon (Sakyamuni Hall), and Jijangjeon (Ksitigarbha Hall).

Actually, this is one of the major characteristics of Korean Buddhism.

According to "History of Korean Buddhism" by Shigeo Kamata, Korean Buddhism is explained as a comprehensive Buddhism. In other words, while in Japan each sect has its own teachings and followers walk their own paths, in Korea, there is a characteristic of consolidating and fusing these individual teachings into a single sect. That is why such a diverse array of Buddhist halls stands together on the same grounds.

Furthermore, while Japan has a tradition called 'Hasshu Kengaku' (studying the eight sects), where monks learn each other's sectarian teachings, in Korea, the doctrine is so unified that such a practice is not even necessary. Since the details are in "History of Korean Buddhism," I cannot talk about them further here, but I think it can be said that the structure of Beomeosa reflects this characteristic of comprehensive Buddhism.

Another interesting point about Korean Buddhism is the significant influence of indigenous gods and Taoism outside of Buddhism. In other words, the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism is prominently visible.

While the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism is often cited as a feature of Japanese Buddhism, it is not a monopoly of Japan. This is also true in Chinese Buddhism, and it applies to Sri Lankan Buddhism, which has a strict image.

(For details, see the article “Experiencing Puja at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy: Thinking About What Traditional Sri Lankan Buddhism Is”.)

It makes me feel that it is a common human activity for things to blend with indigenous ways as they take root in each respective land.

Also, I would like you to pay attention to the sound of the chanting in the video above.

Don't you think there are many female voices?

Beomeosa Temple is famous for being visited by devout Buddhists, the majority of whom are women. And in Korea, it seems that the lay believers also chant the sutras in loud voices.

Come to think of it, when I went to Buddhist sites in India, most of the groups from Korea were also women.

What does this mean? Do men not visit temples?

When I asked the driver about this, he said, 'In Korea, religion is a personal matter. So, even within a family, what one believes is free. Women have many worries regarding family matters and the like. That is why many people go to temples.'

I see. Japanese Buddhism has a strong aspect of being a family religion, but it seems that is not the case for religion in Korea. Then, what about Confucianism in Korea? What do men believe in? Could it be that they don't believe in anything at all?

If I were to think about these things, there would truly be no end to it, so I will leave this topic here for this article, but it was a very stimulating time to be able to visit a Buddhist temple that represents Korea, even if it was for a short while.

After the Trip

I arrived at Busan Airport before 12:00 to catch the 13:50 flight to New Chitose Airport. When I think about it, I didn't even stay in Korea for 24 hours. Due to my schedule, I had to return at this point.

However, I have absolutely no regrets. I was able to spend a very intense time in Busan.

Even so, those earrings...

I don't think I will ever forget them for the rest of my life. I never even imagined that I, who have absolutely no interest in accessories, would be so captivated by them.

And I think that going to Korea via Tsushima had a great significance. It is easy to go to Korea itself, as there are many flights from Japan.

However, going from Hakata to Korea via Tsushima is quite an unusual itinerary, isn't it?

I planned this trip under the grand theme of immigrants and international exchange before the introduction of Buddhism. For me, as a resident of Hokkaido, it is quite difficult to get a real sense of the geography of Kyushu and Korea. So, this attempt was to experience that geographical sense by actually going to the local area. And that was a great harvest for me.

Those earrings can truly be said to be a symbol of that.

People with such technology existed in ancient Korea. And there were Japanese people who continued to interact with such advanced people. We Japanese are their descendants, and so is Japanese Buddhism.

When considering the history of Japanese Buddhism, one might rarely look at the immigrants or the history prior to the introduction of Buddhism, but for me, this trip convinced me that there is a mountain of truly fascinating things to be found right here.

I am now going to start writing articles on the history of Japanese Buddhism for my main blog. It seems it will be a while before they are finished, but I plan to continue sharing records of my travels and book introductions here on this note.

This turned into a long article, but thank you for sticking with me until the end.

End

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