This is the Life on MARS

17 mag 2012

Closer To The Edge [Tribute to Japan] by 30 Seconds to Mars

05/17/2012

On 11 March, 2011 (last year), Japan suffered one of the worst earthquakes and tsunami in their history. From Shannon-Leto.com we would like to dedicate this article to all the japanese victims and send all the positive energy we have for those who are still fighting against the disaster.

Many of you have written to SLW asking what are those wood tablets that Shannon and the band wrote in the video Closer to the Edge-Japan, which the group dedicated as a tribute to Japan. We hope this article could resolve your doubts.

As we already mentioned in the two japanese video for Closer to the edge (The Tribute to Japan -see on the left- and the Japanese version -at the end of this article), we can see the group in a temple. They are in the sanctuary Meiji-Junguu (明治神宫), located in Shibuya, the most important district of Tokyo. This sanctuary is a Shinto temple dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife. The sanctuary Meiji-Junguu is located in a forest that covers an area of 700,000 m2 ² (175 acres).

This temple is divided in two parts: the indoor enclosuse, called Junguu - Naien
(神宫内縁) and the outdoor part with the garden, called Junguu-Gaien (神宫外苑). The Junguu-Naien is the sanctuary itself.

The shrine begins with the famous Shinto temple gate called Torii (鳥居), which you can always find in every Shinto shrine.

This is a temple for making wishes. In the video we can see the members of the group doing some steps of the ritual that you usually do in this shrine.

In the picture above you can see how they wash their hands and mouth with water and wooden bowls. This part of the ritual pretend to purify the spirit and the soul before enter to the sanctuary.

Also in the video we can see how the band writes on wooden planks. Many of you have written to Shannon-Leto.com, asking what were these small planks and what they put in them. In these small pieces of wood called 'Ema' (絵马), you write acknowledgments and wishes addressed to the gods.

For the Japanese culture, the wood has a special meaning and significance linked with nature and spirits, so the messages must be written on wood and later they should be placed in wooden supports or trees.

Here are the words that Shannon dedicated to the gods:

"I am trully grateful for my life, Thank you! My friends, family and my band is the most important thing to me.
I want to love."

Near this sanctuary is placed"Takeshita-Doori Street" (竹下通り), where they recorded the famous scene in which the band jump into the crowd.

We hope the information was interested to you, and also its helps to send a big shout out to our brothers & sisters of the Japanese Echelon.

MARS JAPAN CURIOSITIES:

On the photo above, on the left, you can see the guys in the Cosplay Night, at Tokyo, on September 23, 2011) in which Shannon was dressed as Kakashi Hatake Sensei. This character is from the manga and anime "Naruto", but Kakashi sensei doesn't use a sword, but Shannon, at his age (42), still has the spirit of a child and he couldn't resist to use a katana.

On the right, a Leto brothers photo during a M&G with a "Happi" and with the letters "30 Seconds to Mars" written in japanese.